Yep, 104 year ago. Dig those crazy car maneuvers and daredevil pedestrians! From the friend who sent this to me: "The film is from a cable car traveling down Market Street in San Francisco, four days before the big earthquake/fire that destroyed the area. You can clearly see the clock tower at the end of the street at the Embarcadero Wharf that's still there... The quality & detail is great, so be sure to view it full screen." "The film, was originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!). It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing. Amazing but true!"
Kinda related -- another friend sent me this link of street traffic views from London in 1927, one of the earliest examples of a color movie (made even before the first talkie). One of the things that is very striking is the lack of passenger cars; seems like there were more cars in 1906 San Francisco than in 1927 London. Lots of interesting buses and trucks tho.
yup, that is my commute every morning. The speed is easy to calc, as that car travels at 7.5mph thanks!
The Jalopy Journal
