Come on, come on, do the Locomotion with me

“The Boilermaker Special with the familiar Purdue Union Tower in the background, has been the official Purdue University mascot since 1940. Operated by the Purdue Reamer Club, the Special appears at pep rallies, all home football games in Ross-Ade Stadium and most away games.” The Purdue Reamer Club was apparently formed in the 1920s to organize those Purdue students who were not members of fraternities, and thus had very little say or representation as far as campus activities. The Boilermaker Special as a mascot (entrusted to the Reamer Club) seems a little odd, being mechanical, but it represents the school’s engineering heritage.

Tim, who sent this in, is a fan of both Purdue and postmarks. In fact, he is a member of the Mailer’s Postmark Permit Club and possesses Mailer’s Postmark Permit No. 1 in Buck Creek, Indiana. Here’s the thing: there’s an obscure law that allows you to cancel your own mail. In the days before automation, pre-cancellation saved the Post Office some work. I’ve been thinking about getting a permit myself; I’m not a big fan of the inkjetted postmarks that have been appearing more and more frequently in the U.S. If I do, I’ll let you know; maybe I’ll have a “first day of use” event for the postmark.

This engineer is having a nicotine fit.

“The Engineer is often praised / By passengers and crew. / He always makes his record runs, / When he needs “Happy Thought” to chew.”

Clearly someone needs to stage an intervention. He doesn’t just want some chewing tobacco, he needs it, and is willing to risk the lives of his passengers in order to get it more quickly.

Someone called “FCT” gave this to Great-Grandpa Phil, probably not later than around 1905. She writes, “Hello honey suckle.” I don’t know who FCT is, but she is not my great-grandmother.

Phil, you sly dog.

Set a course for adventure!

This is a Curt Teich “Curteichcolor” chrome postcard, number 8CK2226, published in 1958. Here’s what they have to say about our Conch Tour Train, running in Key West: “Operates conducted lecture tours daily on the historic Island City. The train passes more than 60 points of interest, running from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico (which sounds like a long way, but is only about four miles. — Ed.). Key West is the nation’s southernmost city and the only town in the U. S. A. that has never had a frost in the history of the Weather Bureau.” Except for frozen margaritas, of course.

Have you ever seen such a breathtaking view?

“Bridge Spanning Cuyahoga River on Ohio Turnpike.” I don’t want to be too technical, but it appears that the bridge pictured is spanning the Ohio Turnpike. Unless, of course, they built the turnpike on the riverbed. Hope they don’t get a lot of rain! Actually, what I think is happening in this picture is that, once one reaches the rise in the distance, there be the bridge — making this card woefully mislabeled. Blame our old friends the Tichnor Bros. of Boston 15, Mass., who manufactured this “Lusterchrome” card. (What, it doesn’t look lustrous to you?)

Great Aunt Esther sent this card off to Great-Grandma Lottie on November 17, 1958: “We are on our way to Peninsula on this side of Akron Ohio, to see a man that did work for Bill. He is not able to work anymore.” Come on, Esther; I’m not looking for a full biography or anything, but did you have to leave us hanging like that? Did the man lose a leg or something?

Aunt Esther wasn't big on the details.