Historic Hood River
Strangers on a Train, 1900
Notes
With props to Alfred Hitchcock, meet the “strangers on a train.”
This is obviously not local and it’s not a great example of photography, but I worked hard to save it so I want to show it off. This cellulose nitrate negative was coiled tightly upon itself, in late stages of decay. It was about the diameter of a matchstick, broken into two pieces, and chunks of the emulsion were flaking off. With Matt’s help I teased it open and sandwiched the two pieces and flakes of emulsion between two plates of glass so they could be scanned. The scan was then extensively restored with Photoshop, making it is more of a curiosity than a valid historic artifact. Still, I think it helps us imagine train travel in Victorian Europe. The gas lamps are a great touch.
I place this at 1900 in Paris because it was the same format and part of the same collection as this view of the 1900 Paris Exposition. Since I’ve already strayed well beyond the bounds of actual history, feel free to fill in the back story of these strangers on a train. I’m confident they’re not around to tell us we’re wrong.
Charlott
Very interesting, but that is about all I can say. Probably is in Paris….
l.e.
Thanks for letting us realize the work and effort that is put into saving these photos Arthur.
Now for the questions.
How do we know it is obviously not local?
Did we not have rail cars coming up the gorge that looked like this?
It appears this scene was important to someone, but the participants seem a little reluctant. Certainly not a Fun Friday photo.
But, the photographer must have know at least one of these passengers.
Arthur, you needed to do a better photo shop on the pants fly.
Dan
Nice work Arthur!
Arthur
l.e., good question. The reason I assume it’s not local is because it was with a collection of other Paris and Versailles photos. But it could have gotten into the box anytime in the last 110 years. By coincidence the Fun Friday photo this week will show a local rail car, and it has a Victorian look too.
db
Do you still have the "before" photo?
nels
It appears that all of the passengers are looking at the man with the newspaper over his face and not sure he’s got the newspaper in the correct position to read!
Charlott
The womens hats look more like they wore in Paris in that era. If you look at some of the old painting of women in Paris their hats were just like these.
Arthur
I’m surprised no one has figured out which of the passengers was the infamous Parisian pickpocket, Jean-Luc. Actually, he was an American ex-pat who moved to Paris to be an artist. He developed a serious problem with absinthe, so he had to find another line of work.
l.e.
Female photographer, Frances Benjamin Johnston, displayed a photography exhibit at the 1900 Paris Exposition titled "The American Negro Exhibit". Photographs of their history, work and education were displayed. Several influential American Black leaders of the time attended.
I think at least two of the passengers could be on their way to attend this exhibit.
l.e.
There was also and exhibit at the 1900 Paris Exposition honoring American Women Photographers.
At the time, Oregon boasted three prominent female photographers. Myra Albert Wiggins, Lily White and Sarah Hall Ladd.
I have not been able to find that any one of these photographers attended the Paris Exposition.
Ladd and White had a houseboat where they often spent time photographing the Columbia Gorge area.