***PHOTO*** Spencer Armed Railroad or Express Agents (Circa 1900)

Started by Two Flints, October 06, 2007, 06:16:24 AM

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Two Flints

This is a slightly oversized cabinet card shot of Railroad or Express Agents displaying large badges, pistols, and  ;D ;D six rare "Repeating" Spencer Rifles (actually Carbines) in front of a railroad car. A great image of well-armed agents, this is identified on the reverse as, "Brookside 1900".



Two Flints

Una mano lava l'altra
Moderating SSS is a "labor of love"
Viet Vet  '68-69
3/12 - 4th Inf Div
Spencer Shooting Society Moderator
Spencer Shooting Society (SSS) #4;
BOSS #62
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2 Hatchet

 Hello Two Flints,  I think you probably meant to put Armed with Spencer Carbines? Instead of Spencer Rifles didn't you?
    2 Hatchets

Two Flints

Hi 2 Hatchet,

Actually, I copied the text as it appeared with the original photo and they used "rifle" instead of "carbine". 

Thanks for the observation.

Two Flints

Una mano lava l'altra
Moderating SSS is a "labor of love"
Viet Vet  '68-69
3/12 - 4th Inf Div
Spencer Shooting Society Moderator
Spencer Shooting Society (SSS) #4;
BOSS #62
NRA; GOAL; SAM; NMLRA
Fur Trade Era - Mountain Man
Traditional Archery

Fox Creek Kid

This is akin to your company using 35 year old "hardware" today!  :D ;)

Longhornboot

By 1900 the arming of railroad guards was more a deterant than anything else, it was unlikely that these weapons would ever be used in anger.
Also they could be purchased so cheaply by then;

Only $6.87 in 1884 from Meacham's of St. Louis

Down to $3.65 from Sears and Roebuck in 1902

These are the only to examples I can find easily, but they'd certainly be know more than $5.00 in 1900 especially for large orders.

we all know how Railroads Penny pinch.

Boot.

I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did, I said, I didn't know.  Mark Twain

Joe LeFors

I've added a link to the NY Times article of September 30, 1900 (byline Pottsville, Penn., September 29) concerning a major coal mine strike in the Schuylkill Region of Pennsylvania.

Click on the view full article button, and you will see that on September 29th, three collieries at Tower City, all apparently owned by the Reading Company, were still in full operation, those being Lincoln, Brookside and Good Spring.

The article goes on to describe the forces of special police and deputies living on trains and states that a "body of detectives" was assigned to protect the workers at Tower City, including those at Brookside, and this just may be part of that group in the photo.

Such an event described hints at a large force that may have been hastily asembled and thus armed with whatever surplus army carbines were available in quantity at the right price.

Enjoy, JLeF

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=990CE0D91039E733A25753C3A96F9C946197D6CF

copus

not posative but the second from the left I believe is John Melton. I'm looking in the old family albums for other pictures of him dressed likewise. I was named after him. Very interisting.

Deadeye Don

Outdated hardware or not.  I certainly would not want to go up against that bunch armed with Spencers knowing full well what a 56-50 could do.    I am guessing they served more as a deterent in most cases.

That is a great picture Two Flints.  Thanks for posting it.
Great Lakes Freight and Mining Company

Two Flints

Deadeye Don,

Thanks for the thank you ;D  I posted that photo last year in October. 

What I really enjoy, is seeing so many SSS members (new and old) reading and posting on the earlier threads and thus bringing them forward to page 1 for further discussion or comments. There is a lot of great information on SSS that has been contributed by so many Spencer enthusiasts ;D ;D

Two Flints

Una mano lava l'altra
Moderating SSS is a "labor of love"
Viet Vet  '68-69
3/12 - 4th Inf Div
Spencer Shooting Society Moderator
Spencer Shooting Society (SSS) #4;
BOSS #62
NRA; GOAL; SAM; NMLRA
Fur Trade Era - Mountain Man
Traditional Archery

Fox Creek Kid

Two Flints, that fella in the back row, second from the right kind of looks like you with the beard.  :o ;D :D ;)

Two Flints


Una mano lava l'altra
Moderating SSS is a "labor of love"
Viet Vet  '68-69
3/12 - 4th Inf Div
Spencer Shooting Society Moderator
Spencer Shooting Society (SSS) #4;
BOSS #62
NRA; GOAL; SAM; NMLRA
Fur Trade Era - Mountain Man
Traditional Archery

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