Another man holding another number. Perhaps this was to document the sad state of repairs of the curb and street paving along NE Broadway at 11th Avenue in 1929. The East Side Franklin Authorized Service Station referred to the Franklin automobile, manufactured between 1902 and 1934.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
I believe that’s a movie poster for “The Jazz Singer” in the window to the left of the Franklin Service Station.
The sidewalks were apparently installed either before of after Harry Lane’s term in office.
There are stories told of the mayor inspecting the work of contractors by tapping their work with a hammer. If the curb sounded hollow, he would smash it in and order it redone.
yes, and now we can see the real value in those iron curb protectors..
I had not heard of the Macmarr grocery chain before. It was apparently short-lived – formed in 1929 and merged into Safeway in 1931 (http://www.groceteria.com/store/national-chains/safeway/safeway-history/). Interesting bit of history.
What is that on the back of the woman standing with her back to us? I don’t think it’s part of her clothing. It looks like she’s advertising something. Any ideas?
Since I see leaves on the trees, this picture was probably taken before the big stock market crash of October 29, 1929. In 1929, Franklin produced 14,000 automobiles. In 1930, they produced just over 6000. In 1931, they produced just over 1,000.
The Franklin auto was designed with a massive nickel-plated “dummy radiator” which served as an air intake and was called a “hoodfront.” Very luxurious cars on par with Buicks and Hudsons of the day.
July 1 U.S. cartoonist Elzie Segar creates “Popeye”
August 8 German airship Graf Zeppelin begins a round-the-world flight
August 8 Salem, Oregon airport dedicated
August 11 Persia and Iraq sign friendship treaty
August 23 Arabs attack Jews in Israel
August 25 Graf Zeppelin passes over San Francisco for LA after trans-Pacific voyage
August 26 1st U.S. roller coaster built
Certo 3 for .79 tells us the local fruit and berry season was in full swing. Jams jellies and preserves were a home made product for most families in those years even before the depression and the merchant was hoping to cash in with a loss leader and make it up on sugar and jars and lids I’d bet. You still can’t beat the home made if you have the time and energy. 3 for 79 on the Certo— 3oz maybe for .79 now. It’s flying of the shelf’s for purposes that have nothing to do with canning I’m told.
@Sharon. The thing on that flapper’s dress shows up in a lot of period photos don’t know what it’s called but it’s part of the costume I’m pretty sure. Check out some of the tube videos from the 20’s and early 30’s.
In the 70’s, I use to work for a relative and we repaired sidewalks. I was told the old sidewalks were built with sand and gravel, that was not as clean as modern cement. So old sidewalks often had a layer of really clean cement on the outer 2 inches or so and below that the dirtier sand, gravel and cement mix. I really liked when we broke up old cement because it was not as hard all the way through and at this time my relative only equipped me with a sledge hammer and breaker bar.
@Rod – Thanks for the update on the ’20’s and ’30’s clothing styles. I don’t recall seeing this before. I’ll have to watch for this style in other old pictures. Goodness knows, I have enough pictures of my mother in this time period.
That poster is strange, the Jazz Singer was released tow years before this picture was taken, and I cant find that poster in any google search, it looks so much like a Jazz singer poster, I wonder if it is a locally printed poster?