Author Topic: The real meaning of horse power (Read 7119 times)

12AX7 · « **on:** February 21, 2010, 07:30:30 PM »

Dear Diary...

A few years ago we had a friendly discussion on the current expression/meaning of "a horse power"

if I can get this link to work, This picture shows what I remember (as a very young boy) what Horse Power means.

What I really remember is a near by farmer using his "one" horse pulling a tree stump out of the ground. He put his back into it, and he struggled with it for a few moments. But he had it ripped out (large roots too) with out breaking a sweat, and he (the horse, not the farmer) pulled it out in less time than it took the farmer to hook up the harness.

anyways.. I think this is a 'powerful picture'.

enjoy!

http://www.shorpy.com/files/images/4a03923a.jpg

ax7

Mark

Airstream · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2010, 09:37:28 PM »

Borrowed from http://www.shorpy.com/node/7772

bob g · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2010, 02:25:30 PM »

looks like photoshop was alive and well in the 1890's

bob g

Dave B · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2010, 06:17:16 PM »

If you read on their website it states that "photoshop" may be used to adjust the photo for contrast etc. before saving it as a jpg. for the site. Makes me wonder just a bit. Dave B.

12AX7 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2010, 07:05:03 PM »

Hello!

I have been a fan of Shorpy.com for close to three years. During this time, it has never been suggested that these pictures have been "altered" in such a way to change their content/context. Shorpy has always displayed "High Quality" pictures and normally with the option of viewing them in "Hi Res" format. They have posted many pictures that have "some" historical value

This picture was scanned from an 8x10 dry plate glass negative. With available res of 2000x1554, 845.08 KB There are a few other pictures posted showing how the logs were stacked, a horse pulling them up a set of ramps.

I have NO experience with photoshop or any of the computer graphic programs, but until I read on the Shorpy site that this picture is a fake, I chose to believe it's real.

I've studied it at hi res and blown up... and it looks real to me. Too bad there isn't a video showing the sleigh being pulled!

From Steam trains, old buildings, Civil War photos, ships, people and everything in-between Shorpy can provide hours of enjoyment and I'd recommend those who have the time to view the photos posted there (check out the photos in hi def, if you can).

Ax7

Mark

bob g · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2010, 09:48:56 PM »

i have no doubt the picture is real, but

i do think it was staged.

there is no way those two horses pulled that load, just think about it

if the logs were shaped with a leading edge, and the load was on a frozen lake

of smooth ice, and the horses could get some traction,, maybe, but even then unlikely.

pulling a load is only part of the job, controlling the load is another. those two horses could not pull or control even a quarter of that load under the best of circumstances.

this is just one of many staged photographs taken back in the day.

remember the pictures of grasshoppers with saddles and the jackalope?

there is easily over a quarter million pounds of logs in that stack!

bob g

12AX7 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2010, 10:17:10 PM »

Here's another

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/det/4a20000/4a26000/4a26600/4a26663r.jpg

here's one of just a sleigh, notice the team hook up.

http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/det/4a00000/4a03000/4a03900/4a03922r.jpg

Dave B · « **Reply #7 on:** February 23, 2010, 04:50:46 AM »

I agree Bob. I'm not saying it's a fake photo either but staged I have to agree. As far as digital manipulation of photos goes, anything can be done and with time even one pixel at a time at the scanned resolution.

I won't use this photo as an example but in seconds I could take that guy on top out of the photo or move him. With time, adding logs, horses etc. could be done undetected from the original scan.

The photo is entertaining and a quick look at the site is as well. It worked for me, I said Wow. Dave B.

zap · « **Reply #8 on:** February 23, 2010, 05:39:14 PM »

Ditto... staged. Heck... I can't even find any chain on the top 3 logs.

12AX7 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 23, 2010, 07:05:48 PM »

from another post...

Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Mon, 02/22/2010 - 8:25pm.

There's an interesting illustrated account of white pine logging in Michigan in the June 1893 issue of Scribner's magazine.

It describes a load of logs "18 feet long, 15 feet wide, and 33 feet 3 inches from the top to the roadbed, weighing over 100 tons ... hauled by a single team" over the specially prepared ice covered roads, and says it "will be placed on the grounds of the Columbian Exposition as one of the wonders of the world."

12AX7 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 23, 2010, 07:16:21 PM »

Here is that page from the June 1893 issue of "Schirbner's Magazine"

http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cache/s/c/r/scri0013-5/00718.tifs.gif

ax7

Mark

12AX7 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2010, 07:28:17 PM »

Hello zap!

I've been giving your comment about the picture being "staged". Thinking of how much work and effort was required to stack those last three logs, by men whose work ethic put them into the frozen woods at day break, and kept them there till sunset. I can't see these same men being so egotistical to concern themselves to stage such image. If these same men thought that their loaded sled couldn't be pulled by a single team of horses, they'd have a second team harnessed.

In addition to that, I couldn't believe that a "city slicker photographer" could convince these same men to pose (and put in the extra work, loading and then UNloading) in a setting where they themselves would scoff at such a picture if they thought "it couldn't be done" (a team of horses pulling the load)

real men, with real pride, and never models!

course, I could be wrong.

ax7

Mark

zap · « **Reply #12 on:** March 01, 2010, 07:29:19 AM »

Mark, I was thinking more along the lines of 'bragging rights'.

The picture may well be a typical load but I can see no benefit to not having the top logs chained if you're going to the trouble of getting the logs stacked to that height to begin with.

If the load was going to tip I would think you'd want the whole load to tip and fall away. I could easily see those top logs rolling off and landing close if the load started to sway.

But what do I know... those men are more 'man' than I'll ever be.

Some good photos here.

I would love to see the jammers at work. People who know how to handle a team have always impressed me.

zap · « **Reply #13 on:** March 01, 2010, 07:43:10 AM »

I found this picture to be particularly impressive.

Ronnn · « **Reply #14 on:** March 02, 2010, 02:26:39 PM »

Take a look at what the left behind in the background. Some call it progress donchaknow.

Ron

12AX7 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 02, 2010, 06:01:57 PM »

Hello Ronnn

If you mean the lack of trees, I agree! (I didn't cut them down)

But in general, I'd rather it be made of wood, rather than plastic!

Too many places have traded their trees for concrete!

I'm just talking about real horse power!

ax7

Mark

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