Steel Railroad Car Factory Fire Aftermath, c. 1888
Entry/Object ID
P9999.134.99999
Description
Steel Railroad Car Factory Fire Aftermath, c. 1888. sepia. Photo of a railroad car on track with undercarriages strewn in front. Note on back explains this is the scene after a fire at a plant in St, Joseph that made steel railroad cars as opposed to more common wooden cars. See below: (originally only given #134. Item# 99999 given at cataloging)
Note taped to back by Guy Chestnut, written in 1954.
"Information from St. Joseph News-Press Anniversary Number, Sunday, May 30, 1954"
"A group of St. Joseph business men felt back in 1888 that steel railroad cars would be much better than wooden ones, and they established such a factory near the spot where the Mark Twain school is now. A fire ruined the plant and the venture failed. This is the scene the morning after the fire. It was many years before railroads went to all steel cars, but St. Joseph had the idea early in the game."