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Gimme those hot 88s!
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As mentioned in the previous post, there was a bit of a fire at the Brandow Publishing house in 1891, just as “The New Albany” was set to roll off the presses. But not just presses and type were consumed in that conflagration . . . numerous innocent pianos died that day as well.…
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The Fire That Time
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Just before the publication of the first number of “The New Albany” in 1891, Brandow Printing Company’s plant was consumed by fire. Type was made of lead then, and lead melts at a pretty low temperature, so when a printing plant burned, there wouldn’t be much left. But the sufficiently insured Brandow turned lemons…
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The Albany Filter
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Not much advertising copy throws in a dig at Dutchmen these days, so for that alone this ad from the Albany Steam Trap Co., 1891, is worth a look. But it’s also a reminder of the Albany of yesteryear, the Albany that is known to be fastidious, the Albany that has no sympathy with…
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The Cans Opened.
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Can’t resist another ad from Thepure Baking Powder Company. Hoxsie agrees that ladies should know which baking powder retains its strength until used, and that the housewives of the land are fit to decide upon the proper course to pursue. 8.33 percent more leavening gas than the Royal! How much leavening gas would your…
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Thepure Baking Powder
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Wow. From the land of overheated advertising copy comes this wonder from “The New Albany,” Vol. 1, No. 1 (and perhaps the only one) from Brandow Publishing, 1891. And right on the front page is this paean to the marvels of baking powder. “If there is any one product of the New Albany in…
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Van Vranken Carriages & Sleighs
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The Van Vranken family had all sorts of business ventures in the not-yet-Electric City. In 1862, C. & H. Van Vranken were in the carriage and sleigh building business. Rotterdam Street appears to have been in South Schenectady, way out of town for that time.
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Andrew McMullen, the first name in lump lime
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Andrew McMullen was in the coal business in Schenectady in 1862. I don’t know how one chose household coal, so I don’t know if the lower classes relied on Lehigh while the bluebloods wouldn’t think of burning anything other than Scranton. I do know that he was right along the canal, now Erie Boulevard,…
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When a house burned down
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From Beck’s Pocket Guide to Troy, 1935, Andrew J. Smith wants to make sure you’ve got enough insurance to keep the neighborhood from talking behind your back. Note that in 1935, people wouldn’t think of going to a fire without a proper hat, and that for a summer fire, a straw boater was considered…
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