This addition to the most recent Seattle Now and Then is sent by frequent commentator and sometimes contributor, Matt Fleagle. Thanks Matt. Your sometimes shunning of optics during your walks of exploration is a kind of soft-focus Zen I think. Two points about your caption. I agree that your photograph does make an elegant composition, and the box cars – or flat cars with freight – carry it too. And the pigeons two. You mention the look down from the bluff at the building of Pier 66. I did a story on this maybe 20 years ago, and for the “now” I remember being a few yards north of the Lenora Street overpass and also turned a bit more to the west. They were preparing to tear down Pier 66 at the time. Perhaps it was more like 15 years ago, but I’m not looking it up for now. (left)
Here follows Matt’s snap and his explanation.
Paul, I read and commented on your post about the Bell Street overpass. Most interesting to me is the shot dated 5-10-30, which shows not only the "holes" in Railroad Avenue that drop into the tides underneath, but also appears to show the Lenora overpass being built. Fascinating! Looks like you posted all the photos that the piece can hold, but here's one more just for your own amusement. I took this in February from what's left of that Lenora overpass, which as you noted no longer crosses Alaska, but still crosses the tracks. I call this photo "Two Pigeons". I was doing an experiment that I enjoy periodically -- walking around town with my glasses doff'd, which makes me blind to details and makes me more conscious of contours and shapes. Later I laughed when I saw the pigeons in the photo for the first time. The photo roughly coincides with your 1914 shot showing construction of the Bell Street Terminal. Cheers! Matt
