Sunday, September 27, 2009

Cole Bros. 1938 #1


Scan12165, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

6 comments:

Frank Ferrante said...

Must have been a wet lot, the ticket wagon is sunk in half way to the axle. ~frank

Buckles said...

That was done by design, the holes were dug to lower the ticket window.
The 1937 picture above is similar since the elephant appears to be waiting to perform the same service.

Anonymous said...

I often how long this practice lasted. The ticket sellers had to count the change onto the counter which was below eye level for the customer and they could not use the stick to leave some behind. By the time they made the Columbia wagon the ticket wagon, this was remeded because the counter was so high that you could not see what came back to you. Besides the very large canvas man pushing you aside to let the next customer up played a part. They tried this on my dad and he stood his ground, not saying anything until he got the correct change.
Bob Kitto

Anonymous said...

The rear wheels were often placed in holes to make it more difficult for surging crowds to push it around. This was especially so in the days of carriage-like overland shows, with lighter wagons.

Look at your 1872 John Robinson ticket wagon photo. You'll see a counter higher than almost anyone can see, observable only by a tilted mirror positioned above it.

All sorts of inventive change making passed across such counters.

Harry Kingston said...

Bob,
What show tried to do that to your Dad???
If I am right this was the old Christy Bros ticket wagon that Cole bought.
Hans Ruwill told me the story of Arnold Maley teaching the fine art of walk away money that could be pocketed on Beatty Cole in the old days.
Harry

Anonymous said...

Harry,
It was Cole Bros in the mid 40's.
Bob Kitto