[PRCo] Cattle guards at SHJ

[Bob Rathke]

My guess is that the guards were there to keep livestock - not necessarily
people - out of the tunnel.

Parts of Pittsburgh close to downtown were still somewhat rural even in the
mid-20th Century.  The highest elevation on Spring Hill - just beyond the
route 5 trolley loop - was a large open grassy area until the first houses
appeared there in 1956.  As late as 1950 I recall seeing cows from
Schnitgen's Dairy (a farm located east of East St.) being herded up to the
top of Spring Hill to graze.  And then, about once every couple of years a
bull would escape from the meat packing plant near St. Boniface Church (also
on East St.) and run up the streets to Sping Hill.

Bob 11/28/01

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> Such good eyes you have grandma!!!
>
> I looked at the original photo and there are "cattle guards" across BOTH
> sets of track.  But they are defiantly NOT for stray cows, they must be
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