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Hunter Baltimore Rye & The Mystery Man of 666 Broadway – Broadway Across from Lincoln Center – March, 2000 & April, 2002

Hunter Baltimore Rye - April 2002 - © Frank H. Jump

Hunter Baltimore Rye - April 2002 - © Frank H. Jump

Hunter Baltimore Rye - April 2002 - © Frank H. Jump

Hunter Baltimore Rye - April 2002 - © Frank H. Jump

Immediately when I saw this sign revealed, it solved a big mystery. I had shot a similar ad downtown between two buildings on Broadway and Bond (see map & image of man below).

David W. Dunlap (NYTimes) and I tried to decipher what product was being advertised for his December 10, 2000 NYTimes article: Olde York. Two years later, the mystery was solved when a building came down in the Lincoln Center area, east of Broadway.

666 Broadway & Bond - March 2000

666 Broadway & Bond - March 2000 - NY Times © Frank H. Jump

courtesy of David W. Dunlap, NY Times

courtesy of David W. Dunlap, NY Times

Originally posted on the Fading Ad Campaign Website

Banca Stabile & Co. – New York, Boston – Commercial Street, Boston

Banca Stabile - Boston
© Frank H. Jump

From Little Italy by Emelie Aleandri - Google Books

From Little Italy by Emelie Aleandri – Google Books

Little Italy by Emelie Aleandri – Google Books

From Little Italy by Emelie Aleandri

From “Little Italy” by Emelie Aleandri

Banca Stabile & Co.-

Celluloid Comb Factory Ruins, c. 1909 – 150-152 Columbia Street – Library of Congress

Celluloid Comb Factory
Library of Congress

My buddy Robert Baptista – Colorants History.org– found this image and forwarded me some historical anecdotes pertaining to this former Brooklyn business (celluloid combs) that are reminiscent of the famous Triangle Factory Fire. Thanks Robert!

Hi Frank- I was looking at Brooklyn photos at the Library of Congress web site when I came across the attached photo with an interesting story behind it. The photo shows a celluloid comb factory at 150-152 Columbia St. that was hit by a devastating fire on Nov. 8, 1909. According to a New York Times article of Nov. 17, 1909 the fire claimed ten lives. The building had no fire escapes and iron bars on the second floor windows prevented workers from escaping.

The owner of the business, Robert Morrison, lost his son William in the fire. William was trying to rescue other workers. A despondent Robert Morrison committed suicide at his Brooklyn home on Nov. 18, 1909.

I don’t know if the building is still there. If it is, it would make a good then and now feature at your web site.

Best regards,
Robert

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