Quote:
Originally Posted by JScott
By far the clearest/sharpest photograph of the early Court House that I have ever seen. I imagine it was taken the same day in 1899 as the Detroit Photographic Co. panorama photos, posted previously by MichaelRyerson.
Denver Public Library Digital Collections (cropped, rotated, minor spot-fixes)
Hop over to the source page and play with the magnify function! You'll be amazed at just how intricate the stonework was in this great old edifice...
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I was dismayed to learn recently that this and the other William Henry Jackson photos of Los Angeles, formerly at the Denver Public Library,
are no longer hosted there. Also gone are this
1887 panorama (CHS.J3927 and CHS.J3928) and this
1901 image (CHS.J3108) looking north
from 3rd and Broadway, among others.
My inquiry to the DPL about the photos received this answer: "Unfortunately, those photos belong to History Colorado and, after the move to
our new system, we are no longer hosting them. Hopefully, they will become available through the HC website." Maybe if enough of us contact
History Colorado we'll get to see the photos again!
UPDATE: I phoned History Colorado where a helpful representative directed me to
this link . . . if you enter "Los Angeles" next to "All Title"
you will get the WH Jackson photos of Los Angeles, though unfortunately in low resolution only. The object ID numbers from the Denver Public
Library no longer seem to work . . . the 1887 panorama, which was CHS.J3927 and CHS.J3928, is now 86.200.7000 and 86.200.7001.
About the above courthouse photo . . . it appears the strip of grass above the excavation for the tunnel, which led to the elevator (the cab is
at the second floor), is still growing in. So the picture was likely taken in early, rather than late, 1899:
The tunnel was built in the second half of 1898, around the same time as the outside elevator:
May 24, 1898,
Los Angeles Herald @
CDNC via UC Riverside
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors named Benjamin F. Talbot the first operator of the courthouse's outside elevator:
December 8, 1898,
Los Angeles Herald @ Newspapers.com
There were some problems with the new elevator's power and controlling that power. It was written that Talbot's most faithful friend
"could hardly predict success for him in his new position":
December 14, 1898,
Los Angeles Record @ Newspapers.com
A little over a year later, Talbot was killed when he fell to the bottom of the elevator shaft:
February 18, 1900,
Los Angeles Times @ Newspapers.com
Read more about Benjamin Franklin Talbot
here.