[PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
Derrick Brashear
shadow at dementix.org
Fri Oct 25 18:05:40 EDT 2013
it's a computer center
On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 12:46 AM, Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net> wrote:
> In the 1970's, USS's Muriel St. facility was the Direct Mail Center -
> computer operations, literature storage and fulfillment. If it's still
> there, I'm not sure about its current function.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Herb Brannon" <hrbran at cavtel.net>
> To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" <
> pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:16:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
>
> It seems that back in the "big steel" days the main producers of smoke and
> fire were the USS Homestead Works and just about everything J & L had
> operating.
>
> USS also has some type of operation on Muriel Street in Southside. I'm not
> sure what they do there, however. USS also has a research center in
> Homestead still operating. Even with all these operating facilities, the
> number of people employed by USS comes nowhere near what those facilities
> used to employ.
>
>
> On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:53 PM, Dwight Long <dwightlong at verizon.net
> >wrote:
>
> >
> > Herb
> >
> > But Irvin works is not a primary producer but rather a rolling mill (as
> > you said) and so would not generate the "fire and brimstone" that
> > characterized a primary steel producer.
> >
> > I went by Clairton on a train in July and did not notice any smoke at
> all,
> > just some condensed water vapor. I think the coking processes are so
> > contained these days that very little emissions emanate from it. Besides
> > environmental concerns, the steelmakers have learned that the effluents
> > from the coke making process are valuable by products that need to be
> > trapped and sold. The days of the beehive coke ovens that spewed all the
> > byproducts into the atmosphere are long gone.
> >
> > Dwight
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Herb Brannon
> > To: Western PA Trolley discussion
> > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:41 PM
> > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
> >
> >
> > Bob R,
> > It still had that "orange glow" when I first moved here in 1972. Plus,
> > when
> > atmospheric conditions were right, it smelled like fire & brimstone,
> > everywhere. Even today, on humid days, I still smell the "fire &
> > brimstone" coming from the Irvin Works just over the hill (on Camp
> Hollow
> > Rd) to the south-east of my place.
> >
> > Contrary to popular opinion steel is not dead in Pittsburgh. The
> Clairton
> > Works still produces coke as it always did, the Edgar Thompson Works
> > makes
> > primary steel, the Irvin Works produces rolled steel and the relatively
> > new
> > Mckeesport Tubular Works (old National Works, now reopened) makes
> tubular
> > products for the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. So the sulphur and
> > fire
> > & brimstone can still be smelled on humid days and the orange glow is
> > still
> > available in Braddock and Clairton.
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 2:46 PM, Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Driving south from Zelienople at night in the 1950's you didn't need
> a
> > > compass to locate Pittsburgh - the sky there always had an orange
> glow.
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > >
> > > From: "John Swindler" <j_swindler at hotmail.com>
> > > To: "Western PA Trolley discussion" <
> > > pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org>
> > > Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 10:16:09 AM
> > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Was chatting with some PTM visitors yesterday, and among the
> "Pittsburg
> > > smells" mentioned was J&L sulfur smell upon exiting Squirrel Hill
> > Tunnels
> > > and heading downgrade to Brady St. exit. They were old enough to
> > remember
> > > air pollution from late 1940s - (before my time).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > From: dwightlong at verizon.net
> > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:04:35 -0400
> > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves--and Coal
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Herb
> > > >
> > > > In Beaver burning next to the curb was OK on concrete streets (we
> > lived
> > > on one) or brick ones (still several left in the 50s) but not on
> > asphalt
> > > nor tarred ones!
> > > >
> > > > Tar? When I was in first or second grade I came home from school
> for
> > > lunch. On the way back to school the alley that I used as a shortcut
> > was
> > > being freshly tarred. I followed the tar dispensing truck,
> fascinated.
> > > When I got to school I was sent home immediately. I looked like the
> > > proverbial tarbaby. Lots of turpentine and stiff scrubbing later,
> and
> > a
> > > new suit of clothes, I returned and was admitted.
> > > >
> > > > And we still had plenty of coal furnaces in our town back then,
> > although
> > > our house used gas. I well recall the smell of the coal burning on
> > cold
> > > winter days whilst delivering the Pittsburgh Press to my paper route
> > > customers. The last time I encountered that smell was just a few
> > years ago
> > > in a suburb of Budapest while fotting the trams there. Brought back
> > many
> > > memories!
> > > >
> > > > Dwight
> > > >
> > > > From: Herb Brannon
> > > > Sent: Monday, 21 October, 2013 10:48
> > > > To: Western PA Trolley discussion
> > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Burning Leaves
> > > > When I was a child, in Akron, the common practice was to burn the
> > leaves
> > > > in the street but along the curb stones. Sometimes the piles of
> > leaves
> > > were
> > > > so large that the fires would become too large and would spread to
> > the
> > > > treelawn. Then the fire department would be called to put out the
> > fires.
> > > It
> > > > made for an exciting day or evening. Ranking right up there with
> the
> > > smell
> > > > of burning leaves are also the smell of coal smoke and the smell of
> > fresh
> > > > tar.............three of the "little joys of life" now gone by the
> > > wayside.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 10:33 AM, Dwight Long <
> > dwightlong at verizon.net
> > > >wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Herb
> > > > >
> > > > > I can remember back in the 50s coming back to Beaver from auto
> > trips to
> > > > > the East that involved the Pa Turnpike—we would use the
> Warrendale
> > > exit and
> > > > > the back roads to Beaver. Coming down into the (Beaver) valley
> > off the
> > > > > hill the whole floor of the valley would be engulfed in leaf
> smoke.
> > > > >
> > > > > Unhealthy, they say, but it sure did convey the impression that
> > Autumn
> > > was
> > > > > upon us!
> > > > >
> > > > > Dwight
> > > > >
> > > > > From: Herb Brannon
> > > > > Sent: Sunday, 20 October, 2013 10:36
> > > > > To: Western PA Trolley discussion
> > > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] Phil asked about music
> > > > > You mentioned something I really miss.............the smell of
> > burning
> > > > > leaves in October.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sun, Oct 20, 2013 at 8:37 AM, DF Cramer <
> > alto_trombone at hotmail.com
> > > > > >wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Well, what have I been up to? The beginning of the month I
> > performed
> > > > > > Copland, Brahms, & Dvorak with the Butler County Symphony,our
> (my
> > > wife
> > > > > > plays cello) 28th season with the ensemble. I am back at IUP
> and
> > > > > delivered
> > > > > > two arrangements of French Noels from the Baroque period to
> > begin the
> > > > > > semester and last week conducted a first reading of my "The
> > Eternal
> > > > > Flame",
> > > > > > a commemorative piece for double trombone choir and narrator I
> > wrote
> > > to
> > > > > > mark the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. All of
> > that
> > > will
> > > > > be
> > > > > > performed on November 19 at the university. Next week I perform
> > with
> > > IUP
> > > > > > brass & organ faculty at Zion Lutheran in Indiana for
> Reformation
> > > Sunday
> > > > > > and the following week we are doing Charlie Chaplin's "City
> > Lights"
> > > in
> > > > > > Butler. Chaplin created the musical score for this silent film
> > and we
> > > > > will
> > > > > > be showing the film as we perform. (Side note: if you want
> > tickets
> > > let me
> > > > > > know as soon as possible--I usually get 4 free ones)
> > > > > > Other than that, I spent quality time with Ed at the Alle-Kiski
> > > > > Historical
> > > > > > Society, led a new operator training class at PTM, printed and
> > > stuffed
> > > > > > ballots for PTM, and am going to the opera today to see Aida
> > > (football
> > > > > fan
> > > > > > alert--Franco Harris is leading the Grand March in the opera
> > today)
> > > > > > I spend lots of time practicing and cleaning up leaves. I
> mulch
> > > some and
> > > > > > burn others---yes we are still permitted to burn here.
> > > > > > If you missed it--I also performed at the PTM 50th Anniversary
> > > luncheon.
> > > > > > See the most recent issue of PTM Trolley Fare, Fred Schneider
> > took
> > > some
> > > > > > great images.
> > > > > > Dennis F. Cramer
> > > > > > http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2013 05:49:49 -0700
> > > > > > > From: pcc_sr at yahoo.com
> > > > > > > To: pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > > > > Subject: Re: [PRCo] still having issues
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Stereo-vision isn't it Mr.Cramer! Soapbox opportunity; make
> > the
> > > most
> > > > > of
> > > > > > it!
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > You have not recently mentioned anything about your concert
> or
> > > music
> > > > > > engagements.
> > > > > > > I find them fascinating. Music is not at all unlike laughter
> > is
> > > it;
> > > > > > both speak a universal language.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Yes; BB are the last posts I have seen. There was not much
> of
> > > anything
> > > > > > before your BB posts for several weeks. You mentioned a book
> in
> > > relation
> > > > > > to this; please tell more.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Phil
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > --------------------------------------------
> > > > > > > On Sat, 10/19/13, DF Cramer <alto_trombone at hotmail.com>
> wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Subject: [PRCo] still having issues
> > > > > > > To: "pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org" <
> > > > > > pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org>
> > > > > > > Date: Saturday, October 19, 2013, 3:52 AM
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > it seemed very interesting that after
> > > > > > > I posted on the list, several emails came through. I assume
> > people
> > > > > were
> > > > > > responding with reply all. I have received no posts from the
> > list
> > > other
> > > > > > than those dealing with Billy Baxter.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Dennis F. Cramer
> > > > > > > http://home.windstream.net/dfc1/
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > > > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > > > >
> > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
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> > > > > > _______________________________________________
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> > > > > >
> > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Herb Brannon
> > > > > *In Pittsburgh...*
> > > > > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*
> > > > > Let's Go Pens
> > > > > Let's Go Steelers
> > > > >
> > > > >
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> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > >
> https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > > > >
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> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > >
> https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Herb Brannon
> > > > *In Pittsburgh...*
> > > > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*
> > > > Let's Go Pens
> > > > Let's Go Steelers
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > > >
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> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
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> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
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> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Herb Brannon
> > *In Pittsburgh...*
> > *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*
> > Let's Go Pens
> > Let's Go Steelers
> >
> >
> >
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> > _______________________________________________
> > Pittsburgh-railways mailing list
> > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
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> > Pittsburgh-railways at mailman.dementix.org
> > https://mailman.dementix.org/mailman/listinfo/pittsburgh-railways
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Herb Brannon
> *In Pittsburgh...*
> *......the Greatest City In The U.S.*
> Let's Go Pens
> Let's Go Steelers
>
>
>
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