The View From I Am A Legend, 12/2007

The View From The Ninth Floor Of 40 Monroe Street, 1950's

From the Neal Hellman archives
an email response from a fellow Kver 12/31/07

The view out of Neal's window brings back memories. We had a similar view from the 10th floor (of 14 Monroe) but it caught a lot of the Brooklyn Bridge as well. True story - one day my father cleared out his desk and moved all furniture away from the window. He set up an easel and spent the next two days creating a water color rendering of the bridge with a car on fire subtly woven into the scene. My sister has the painting. He, to my knowledge, never tried to draw or paint anything before or after but I guess he probably had done some drawing when he was younger because the execution was fairly impressive.

Google Street View: Pike Street South To Cherry Street West

This street view movie goes past the old synagogue on Pike mentioned in the previous post. It continues south until it turns west to go under the Manhattan Bridge arch on Cherry Street.

Auld Lang Syne Pike Street

From the Neal Hellman archives,

aka the KV Man West

That's Neal's father, Sol Hellman, in front of his store, which was on Pike Street (east) between East Broadway and Henry. The other picture shows some guys hanging out in front of the shoe shine place (19 Pike) which was on the same block as Sol's shop. Check out the left hand of the guy on the left. The block has an old synagogue that now houses a 99 cent discount and variety store

from the landmarks commission:

The Pike Street Synagogue (13-15 Pike Street), constructed in 1903-04 for the Congregation Sons of Israel Kalwarie, is a rare surviving synagogue building from that period of New York's history when the Lower East Side served as America's main portal for millions of Jewish immigrants. Designed by the architect Alfred E. Badt,this limestone-fronted building with its twin, lateral staircases up to the porticoed main entrance,and double stair towers projecting from the main facade creates an imposing presence on the crowded street. The basic form and massing of the building followed a stylistic precedent deriving from the Romanesque Revival and the German Rundbogenstil. At the same time, the architect included details which relate to the general classicizing tendencies in American architecture of the turn of the century. When constructed, this synagogue was one of the largest on the Lower East Side, and one of the few built specifically for this purpose. The Congregation Sons of Israel Kalwarie, started in 1853, continued to worship in this building until the 1980s. The building stood vacant for several years, but recently has been rehabilitated for a variety of uses with a Buddhist temple on the main level, apartments above, and commercial space on the ground floor

Auld Lang Syne

Here's some pics for KV Auld Lang Syne, Molly and Sol Hellman and Sol and Eva Bellel

Look For The Union Label 2

Some background on the Union Label campaign and an excerpt from an article from the Forward by Gus Tyler, who's still going strong at 95. Gus was at the commencement ceremony when my farher graduated from the ILGWU Institute : In 1958, the ILGWU and New York dress manufacturers signed an historic contract which mandated the manufacturers' insertion of the union's label and the union's sponsorship of a two million dollar campaign to promote labeled products. Between 1959 and 1975, the ILGWU used multiple media to promote its label, focusing on television advertising after that period. This study determined the rationale for ILGWU's promotional targeting of retailers and consumers between 1959 and 1975, as well as messages designed for these audiences and means used to reach them. Primary sources used included materials in ILGWU Archives, union documents, and contemporary periodicals. The union advertised in local newspapers, consumer magazines and Women's Wear Daily, and produced and distributed booklets, films and varied press aids about apparel. Two themes dominated the campaign: (a) the ILGWU's contributions to American society and (b) the excitement of American fashion.
My 75 Years at the Forward, From East Broadway to the Blogosphere
Tyler, Too
By Gus Tyler
Fri. Jan 05, 2007
This issue is the first of 2007, the Forward’s 110th anniversary year. It is a personal landmark for me, too: the 75th anniversary of my own association with the Forward. Over the years, I’ve gone from a young editorial assistant to a senior commentator. I’ve worked in print, broadcast and now on the Internet, riding the successive waves of the media age. Looking back, I’m struck by the evolution I have witnessed in the communications media and the resulting changes in our American democracy. I joined the Forward in 1932, the year of my graduation from New York University. Louis Schaefer, the labor editor of the Jewish Daily Forverts, asked me to meet him at the famous Forward Building at 175 East Broadway. He knew of me because I was the editor of Free Youth, the publication of the Young People’s Socialist League. I was all of 21. When I got to his office, he asked me to be his assistant. He offered me a salary of $15 a week — which, in those days, was money.
The Jewish Daily Forward had been founded 35 years earlier to serve as a voice of democratic socialism among the Yiddish-speaking immigrants. By 1932 it was the largest of the Yiddish dailies, with a circulation of a quarter-million nationwide. It was also a major force in the rapidly growing American labor movement.

Look For The Union Label

From 1972: Look for the union label when you are buying that coat, dress or blouse.Remember somewhere our union's sewing, our wages going to feed the kids, and run the house.We work hard, but who's complaining? Thanks to the I.L.G. we're paying our way! So always look for the union label, it says we're able to make it in the U.S.A.! That's my father, a former 60 year ILGWU member below.

There Once Was A Union Maid

My father was a lifelong ILGWU member. In his 60 years of working he was a cutter, marker and grader, a union organizer, business agent and a pattern maker. I remember the ILGWU chorus singing this song at a graduation event when he became a organizer.
He only lasted a few years in the job because he felt it was too corrupt.
I resuscitated this old slide show from 2002 that had triangle shirtwaist images for the google video player. Images are bad, but the songs (2 versions) still rouse the spirit. You can download a better version here
Union Maid by Woody Guthrie

There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.

Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.

This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say

You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.

Nathan's House Furnishing On Catherine Street

A post Christmas present in my email box.

Just happened to stop in at Bob's on my way back to Martha's Vineyard; You might remember my grandfather, Nathans House Furnishing, on Catherine street, between Henry and Madison. NEXT to the Rug Place, NEXT to Savoia..., and of course CARVEL on their right;You know my grandparents would close down some Xmas times and get driven up to Boston by a guy named JOEY... Could never forget you guys...knowing Bob, Marty Sklar, Alan gave me an entree onto a paved playground with all you guys...who believed they were speaking 'ENGLISH'. Also the Submarine Sandwich...HERO, and where could you find a Pizza the size of a STEERING WHEEL for $1.00...I'm talking the 'OLD' car steering wheels. So I'm MIKE ZANE signing off

Mike must be referring to #27 Catherine, as #25 (Sweet Spring Restaurant) is where Carvel's used to be.

Come Back Shane

A favorite of mine and my father's. One of the first movies I remember seeing at the Loew's Canal
Note: I added my own text track with quicktime pro

I came to get your offer, Ryker.
I'm not dealing with you. Where's Starrett?
- You're dealing with me, Ryker. - I got no quarrel with you, Shane.
You can walk out now and no hard feeling.
- What's your offer, Ryker? - To you, not a thing.
- That's too bad. - Too bad.
You've lived too long. Your kind of days are over.
- My days? And yours, gunfighter? - The difference is I know it.
So we'll turn in our six-guns to the bartender,
and we'll all start hoeing spuds, is that it?
Not quite yet.
We haven't heard from your friend here.
I wouldn't push too far if I were you.
Our fight ain't with you.
- It ain't with me, Wilson? - No, it ain't, Shane.
I wouldn't pull on Wilson, Shane.
Will, you're a witness to this.
So you're Jack Wilson.
What's that mean to you, Shane?
I've heard about you.
What have you heard, Shane?
I've heard that you're a low-down, Yankee liar.
Prove it!
Shane, look out!
Shane!
I knew you could, Shane. I knew it just as well as anything.
Was that him? Was that Wilson?
That was him. That was Wilson, all right.
He was fast, fast on the draw.
Joey, what are you doing here?
- I'm sorry, Shane. - You don't have to be.
- You'd better run back. - Can't I ride home behind you?
I'm afraid not, Joey.
Please! Why not?
I gotta be going on.
Why, Shane?
A man has to be what he is, Joey. Can't break the mould.
- I tried it and it didn't work for me. - We want you, Shane.
Joey, there's no living with a killing. There's no going back from one.
Right or wrong, it's a brand. A brand sticks.
There's no going back.
Now you run on home to your mother, and tell her...
...tell her everything's all right and there aren't any more guns in the valley.
Shane...
It's bloody! You're hurt!
I'm all right, Joey.
Go home to your mother and father and grow up to be strong and straight.
And, Joey...
Take care of them, both of them.
Yes, Shane.
He'd never have shot you if you'd seen him!
Bye, little Joe.
He'd never even have cleared the holster, would he, Shane?
Pa's got things for you to do! And Mother wants you!
I know she does!
Shane!
Shane!
Come back!

Street Name Origins 2

The historical guys below are those mentioned on the list to the left, with the exception of Delancey. The one pictured is the son of the Delancey for whom the block was named after.

Street Name Origins

That's Henry Allen on the bottom left and John Chrystie on the right