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[Weds]

A friend of mine posted this to me

 
              104 YEAR OLD FILM CLIP
 
  "You are there" for a cable car ride in SanFrancisco "
 http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=NINOxRxze9k
 
This  film was "lost" for many years.  It was the first 35mm film ever that has come to light.  It was taken by a camera mounted on the front  of a cable car as it`s travelling down the street.
You feel as if you're really there, standing at the front looking down the street, an amazing piece of historic film.
The number of automobiles is staggering for 1906. Absolutely  amazing!
The clock tower at the end of   Market Street  at the Embarcadero wharf is still there.   ... How many "street cleaning" people were employed to  pick up after the horses? Talk about going  green!
Great  historical film!
 
This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot.
From New York trade papers announcing the film showing, to the wet streets and recent heavy rainfall, and shadows indicating time of year and actual weather and conditions on historical record; even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!)..
It was filmed only four days before the Great California Earthquake of April 18th 1906 and shipped by train to NY for processing.
Amazing, but true!
No wonder there had to be laws created to regulate driving habits. This is insane. Good thing they couldn't go very fast.
This is a fascinating movie. A camera on the front of a street car 104 years ago.  I watched it a couple of times. 
Look at the hats the ladies were wearing and the long dresses. 
Some of the cars had the steering wheels on the right side,  I wonder when they standardized on the left?  Sure were still a lot of horse drawn vehicles in use.  Mass transit looked like the
way to get around.  Looks like everybody had the right of way!
 
Perhaps the oldest "home movie" that you will ever see!!

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Very impressive!

[wakeyomega]

Thats a brilliant find. Amazing to see how many people risked life & limb just walking out in front of cars, horses etc. - Reminds me of that old console game 'Paperboy' !

[Lizzie_Zoom]

What a wonderful piece of historic record!

As you touched on, it highlights the great moment when the transport technology of the 18th and 19th century started to give way to that of the 20th, with mass production, along with the industrial might of the USA overtaking the European monopoly.  The 'American Century' had begun

Also highly interesting is the women's fashions, still very 'Victorian' in form, but starting to witness the change to 'Edwardian' styles. 

As you say the traffic management is horrendous, and pedestrians certainly took their life in their hands when crossing the roads, but in a way as though they were still in towns of the wild west and could cross at any point, in any fashion!! The motorists indeed drove cars driven of left and right wheel configuration, but you can see that they also chose so often what side of the road they wanted to drive on  :o

Men, and only men, seemed also to be fascinated with the rolling camera, a novelty that they could perform to.  The future of "the movies" to come

Worth watching time and time again! 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Thanks, a lovely find

[Andy B]

Having the steering wheel on the right when you drove on the right was quite fashionable during the days of the Al Capone type gangster car so the the drive could be on the kerb side of the car.

[Amigo]

Incredible & the new ish soundtrack works.
   Must dig my Air Moon Safari CD out! 8-)

[Bent valve]

fascinating film! no wonder traffic lights were invented

[cem_devecioglu]

 :-? :-?

[The Red Baron]

anybody spot the steam car coming in on the left of the film, quite near the end.

[Vamps]

Great film, no H&S in those days.....

[Lizzie_Zoom]

anybody spot the steam car coming in on the left of the film, quite near the end.

Do you know I thought that was a leaking radiator!!

[cem_devecioglu]

some of those cars need full geometry

interesting time, no internet, no mobiles, no tv, no traffic lights  

hmmm... I also remember those times    

[The Red Baron]

anybody spot the steam car coming in on the left of the film, quite near the end.

Do you know I thought that was a leaking radiator!!

i will have another look lizzie.

[PhilRich]

There's still a lot of people behave like that now, both drivers & pedestrians!!!
I really enjoyed that, thanks for sharing it 

[Lizzie_Zoom]

anybody spot the steam car coming in on the left of the film, quite near the end.

Do you know I thought that was a leaking radiator!!

i will have another look lizzie.

Oh no you could be right!!

Steam cars and lorries were then being tried all over the place! 8-)