Vanderbilt Cup Races

Carlo Triola Lost his tag December 1908. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure approximately what section of the motor Parkway was being constructed at that time. Let’s get out there with metal detectors.  I know silver holds up perfectly to the elements of nature, how does brass hold up?

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

My maternal grandfather, Emil Gairing, was superintendent of the tool room at Royal Motor Car Company during this era.  He later moved to Detroit and was founder president of the Gairing Tool Company.  His company made cutting tools that were sold worldwide.
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Howard Kroplick

Very cool!

From The Royal Tourist in the Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1910)

Hi Howard, Thought the respondents to the mystery photo would like to know more about the tag. I acquired it in the early 1990’s from a surveyor whose firm had taken over a similar company . He found it in a file marked Motor Parkway.  He did some research and discovered the Parkway borrowed a page from machine shops that used similar tags to keep track of borrowed tools. During construction, the Parkway hired hundreds of Italian laborers but they were not actually Parkway employees. Instead, the Parkway used what was known as the “Padrone” system where companies would not only supply the laborers but also a level of oversight since most of the workers did not understand or speak English.. When reporting for work in the morning the laborers were issued the tags which most of them wore around their necks. The tag I acquired I was told had a leather strap attached to it at one time. This way foremen and others knew who was where and who was doing what. At the end of the workday (ten hours) the tags were turned in , the process repeated the next day. The majority of the laborers were supplied by the Panza, Russo Company located at 73 Park St. in the City. In December 1908 a Carlo Triola who had lost his tag, hired the Protective Italo-American Company whose office was located in the Bowery Bank on Grand Street in little Italy, to recover three days pay he said was owed to him by the Parkway. I know of only one other similar tag, hope this mystery photo turns up others.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

Initially, I figured this was a ID tag for a employee of the parkway. Attach it to a key chain etc and display it upon demand. I then witnessed this item within a LIMP History Book describing it as a ‘Parkway paycheck issued to each field worker, using this as their timecard’. My imagined scenario:  A worker would hang their paycheck on one of many hooks in a office at the start time and retrieve it at the days end. Trying to not misplace it and needing to display it on pay day.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

Since there’s no way to do any real research on this, I’m going with a few guesses:
1) coat check tag at Petit Trianon; hole to go on hanger
2) valet parking at Petit Trianon; hole for key chain
3) LIMP employee ID tag; hole added later for necklace or charm bracelet
4) ID tag for keys to one of the lodges; hole for key chain

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

Forget to thank Al and Howard for including this in their LIMP book.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

A Parkway paycheck made of brass. Issued to Motor Parkway construction workers and used insted of time cards.

Would suppose the hole was to keep it attached to the worker during the day.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

I collect defunct automotive marque tool check tags and that is a mighty fine and unique one.

The purpose of such items were to associate a particular worker/employee with a particular company tool loaned to them for performing a manufacturing or maintenance job.

The center hole was used to place the tool check on a peg (though more usually a hook) on a wallboard as the indicator of which employee by assigned number borrowed the tool.

Very nice L. I. Parkway artifact.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

Another possibly-stupid question.  Why did you switch to blackwalls for authenticity when the Jalopnik pix show white sidewalls?  :·)  Sam, III
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Howard Kroplick I

We drove with whitewalls on the Tour d’Elegance and switched to blackwalls for the Concours d’Elegance.

From Tucker Topics: The 40 Most Memorable Moments from the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

O. K., I’ll bite.  What’s on the ground in front of the car in the last shot, “The Tucker 1044 Original 1-44 License Plates”?  Another “Well, duh!” moment?  Sam, III
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Howard Kroplick

Sam III, that is the Pebble Beach Concours award.

From Tucker Topics: The 40 Most Memorable Moments from the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

Is this an early Motor Parkway key ring fob, possessing immediate access onto the Motor Parkway, not requiring a parkway plate nor mundane ticket purchase? This would be an awesome revelation I’ve never seen before. I have no clue at this point. Waiting impatiently for the answers.

From Mystery Foto #6 Solved: A Rare Long Island Motor Parkway Paycheck

Thank you.  Awesome pics.  It is in Bethpage, not Levittown.  Also, I believe that the railroad crossing is the Central Railroad, not the LIRR but I’m not 100%. 
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Howard Kroplick

John, good catch. You are 100% correct.

From Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: The Construction of the Jerusalem Road Motor Parkway Bridge

I agree with Frank. I’m happy you now have these historical photos Howard so you can share them with us. They are safe from being lost forever.

From Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: The Construction of the Jerusalem Road Motor Parkway Bridge

Magnificent colors and clarity,,,

From The Fine Art of Photographer Jerry Keefer: The Tucker 1044

  A BIG THANK YOU.

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

Great to view these super rare images by Robertson while surveying the Motor Parkway in 1908 during construction, and very grateful they were saved and not mistakenly discarded. Thanks Howard for keeping this important part of automotive history alive for all to see today and for future generations. Five stars *****

From Surveyor Clinton Robertson Photo Album: The Construction of the Jerusalem Road Motor Parkway Bridge

I received NO NOTIFICATION of the 2/23 council meeting.  I was unable to print your information sheet so I can’t submit it.  The Long Island Region Plymouth Owners’ Club and our partners Knights Of Columbus Council 11968 will NOT be doing a show this year since our venue’s availability is questionable. As you are well aware, one cannot plan for a show based on an “if” or a “possible availability” of a venue.  please email me the calendar of event that will be generated in a downloadable or printable form.  Dave Wegenaar, President, LIRPOC

From The 2019 Long Island Car Club Council Meeting, Kings Point, NY

O.K.; Briggs stalled out.  Exact same Peugeot L45 #8 - bravo, Dick!  300SLR - NO! - “just” a stock 300SL roadster.  Big Black Beast - no Marmon 16 I can find had a vertical windscreen.  The wheel is too small for a Bugatti Royale; Royale was Type 41; 45 was a small racer.  Can’t find any Marmon 16 or Deusy with a vertical windscreen and full sedan body AND a blind rear quarter panel.  Lots of club/sport sedans but their bodies end forward of back of rear wheel and most have an integral or external trunk.  Ditto Derham and Rollston.  Basically, no custom builders made a square-cut, full-bodied sedan.  So, what have we here?  If it was in the old car parade at Sebring, it probably survives and photos should be all over the Internet.  This is worthy of its own Mystery Foto!  Sam, III

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

Anyone think the gray car at left with Austie at the wheel might be Briggs’ Bu-Merc Mercedes? Howard, you posted this on Superbowl Sunday so obviously hands in the air means “Touchdown!”
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Howard Kroplick
That’s funny!!

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)

Even though his face is blurry in the photo, the only person that came to mind was Henry Austin Clark Jr. There’s an image of Henry in his 1923 Mercedes Racer within ‘The Walter McCarthy Photo Collection’. The image looks to have been taken at a race track, and the time period looks to be the same as Dick Gorman’s mystery foto. He’s either donning glasses or driving goggles in the mystery foto. Great photo capture Dick Gorman!

From Mystery Foto #5 Solved:Briggs Cunningham Driving His 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix Car at Sebring (1959)