Ringling Bros 1901
Posted By thecircusblog on November 2, 2012
A great photo of draft horses unloading cargo wagons from the flat cars. The horses’ harnesses are attached to a hook rope at the left front of the wagon to a steel mud ring and pulled forward down the flat bed rails. To keep them in a slow tow there was a safety block and falls fastened to the back of wagon.The man above in front of wagon holds the tongue straight for the decline. This is a very difficult and dangerous job for him keeping the front wheels straight. Once on the ground a teamster would hook up the wagon with horses and head off to the the lot.
Thanks Bob for your kind comment.
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thecircusblog
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
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That’s a great photo Ivan. You did a fine job of telling about the operation. Many of the men on that wagon tongue ( commonly called the poler ) got hurt over the years with some of them getting hurt really bad when that wagon would catch the wheel on one side and force the tongue to swing around.
In thinking about it, the folks that worked the Great Circus Parade in Milwaukee off of the train were the last crew ever to unload a train like this. Of course Strates Carnival and the Ringling trains today are all mechanically unloaded.
Bob