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| "The Last Pour" gouache on paper (9" x 12") 1985 |
In 1985, during one of my frequent visits on foot to watch the construction workers prepare the highway entrance to the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore, MD, I met a man named “Reds” House. He worked for the Arundel Corporation and might as well have had the title “ambassador to the tunnel’s construction.” He was thrilled by my enthusiasm for his project. At our first meeting he gave me a ride in his "radio car" and we toured the tunnel before it opened to the public. He took great pleasure in explaining the sophisticated fabrication procedure to me. It's hard to believe that a project like this could be accomplished. During our last encounter I was fortunate enough to witness the very last concrete pour of the entire Fort McHenry tunnel. It would complete the link that connected the east coast from Maine to Florida via Interstate Highway 95. “Reds” is in the painting wearing his hard hat and supervising the concrete as it “cemented” this historic day. It was good to the last drop.
This is an Autocar truck, likely built in Exton, Pa. They were known for their durability, often outlasting the mixer barrel. The Autocar name dates from 1898, and is still seen on the highway today. Remarkably, these Arundel Corp. trucks were maintained at their garage in Fells Point on what now is some quite expensive real estate. The cobblestone streets made for a staccato enhanced ride.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting Bill. Your love of trucks extends into so many areas. The Autocar truck is one I had never heard of.
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