Description: About 1904, Lucy Sampson set-up her camera on the Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike in front of the Berwyn Bank (today’s Malvern Federal Savings Bank). The lens was facing northeast at the Fritz Lumber Yard operation, with at least four buildings shown and some of which remain in 2014. The signs tell us much about the diversity of their inventory. The building on the left states: “William H. Fritz Lumber, Coal, Flour and Feed, Nails, Terracotta Pipe, Cement and Sand.” The middle building continues: “William H. Fritz Lumber, Coal, Flour and Feed, Peat Moss, Cut Hay, Salt, Seed, Phosphate and Plaster.” And the office building, with the covered scale in front, states: “Lumber, Coal, Grain, Feeds, etc.” with a final proviso, “Coal, 2,240 lbs. on the ton.” (for reasons unknown, Fritz chose to sell his coal using a 2,240 lb. Long Ton measurement, more common in the U.K., 12% larger than the 2,000 lb. Short Ton more common in the U.S.). A two-horse Fritz wagon loaded with hay bales prepares to turn out onto the Pike for a delivery. Finally, what are the semaphore signals seen above the Fritz roof on the left telling a PRR engineman? The left signal, governing inside track No. 2, says that both the first and second miles are clear of other trains. However, the signal on the right, governing the outside No. 1 track, tells the engineman that while the first mile ahead is unoccupied, the second mile is not clear, and he needs to gradually slow his train so that he can stop if necessary. - Herb Fry and Roger Thorne
