Collections Item Detail
Sepia-tone photo captioned "Hoboken Train Wreck", Hoboken, no date, circa 1905-1910.
Photograph
Sepia-tone photo captioned "Hoboken Train Wreck", Hoboken, no date, circa 1905-1910.
Print, 3-5/8" wide x 4-1/2" high. Photographer unknown. Reverse captioned pencil (contemporary?) as titled above. Reference print enlargement on file.
Orientation of this view is tentatively considered as looking west from the southeast corner of Marshall St. at First Street to Paterson Road. Jersey City Heights is in the background where Paterson Street runs up it and becomes Paterson Plank Road. (A large building in the Heights is faintly seen.)
In the center are two railroad passenger cars on the tracks of the New Jersey Junction Railroad (right-of-way with 4 tracks running north-south at the west side of Hoboken and used for both passenger and freight service; also used by the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad, N.Y.C.& H.R.R. and the Erie Railroad to its Weehawken yard.) There was a "Hoboken Station" just over the tracks to the south (not in this view) for passengers.
The nature of this wreck or trolley accident and where has not been found. A large number of people, both men and women plus a few children, are seen on this rainy warm weather day, as most people are using umbrellas. While they could be onlookers, it is probable that they are displaced passengers or people arriving to find service disrupted.
A Public Service Street Railway car is at the lower left. Trolley lines went up First Street and turned north to inclined tracks that passed over the railroad lines to Paterson Plank Road.
Other elements in this image include the bar or saloon at the right with signs for beer; a business carriage just below center with the name "Hoffman" (possibly a hearse from Charles Hoffman & Co., Undertakers and Embalmers?; the funeral home was at 109-111-113-115 Jackson St.) At the lower left is a storm drain that is at the northwest street corner of Marshall and First Sts. According to Plate 3 in the 1909 Hopkins Atlas of Hudson County, sewer lines in this section of Hoboken ended at this corner.
2010.007.0121
2010.007
Lukacs, Claire
Gift
Museum Collections. Gift of a friend of the Museum.
n/a
1905 - 1910
Hoboken
Date: 1905-1910
4 in
5 in
Poor
Notes: This photograph is one of 13 different images from the donor whose source stated they were found as a group. They are catalogued 2010.007.0120 to .0128. The first record is definite as to date, 1905, and the other have estimated dates. Similarities in paper, print size, etc., do tend to establish that they are Hoboken scenes. Original or Copy: Original Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2010-08-12