Pittsburgh’s South Side Sally

Trains  provided noise and rumble at night and hello’s during the day.  Late night trains rumbled atop the lane behind Jane Street and below Josephine Street.  The noise and rumble from the trains actually shook the house.  This I noticed very young, but apparently I got so familiar with it that as I grew older my brain blocked them out.  Around 5 pm every evening a train came by on the upper deck of the tracks.  I often walked or ran up to Jane Street and waved to the engineer on the red caboose…he always waved back.

THE MILL STORE
The Pittsburgh Mercantile in my memory was  the J&L mill store.  Here workers could purchase things and then have payments taken from their paychecks at the mill. One of my best friends Carol Ann told me about this.  Funny I remember in the late 1950’s she told me her dad said the mill would close in 20 years.  She said for me not to tell anyone.  Funny how some of these childhood items come true.

I remember you could buy anything at that store.  They had a very good grocery store on the first floor that bordered I believe South 26th Street.  The store had mink stoles, diamond rings, on the first floor. There was also a soda fountain counter on the first floor for great cherry cokes. On the second or third floor  a full shoe store complete with an x-ray machine.  I remember sticking my feet into that machine lots to look at the bones in my feet.  I hope I didn’t get too much radiation.  The department manager yelled at us, but my brother and I went back when he wasn’t around.  The furniture department, I think was on the sixth floor.  There was a neat brass doored elevator one could ride up, then run down the steps back down.  This was one of the things Ken and I did for fun.

South Side Sally’s

The First Brainstorm List
Tales of the Flats and Slopes

Then

I remember walking barefoot to the Osmby pool in summer.

I remember rust on the sheets hanging in the yard.

I remember waving to the engineer on the caboose at 5 pm

I remember following the mailman on his route for two blocks when I was 5.

I remember in first grade going boldly into bars selling my christmas seals for my catholic school projects… This was over fifty years ago.  My mom and the teachers didn’t know.

I remember the nighttime skies bright from the blast furnaces at J&L.

I remember Mr. Pletcher and his expensive  fancy guppies.that he paid .$25. a pair for.  Back then that was really really big money.

I remember Bluestone’s home made  coffee ice cream.

I remember racing down six flights of the steps  of the Pittsburgh Merchantile. (the J&L mill store)
Now the Goodwill

I remember the heavy heavy smog.  You couldn’t see ten feet in front of you  and the heavy sulfur smell.

I remember walking up to the basin (Monogahela Park) through the shortcut on Edwards Way.

I remember the building of the Birmingham Bridge.
I remember getting lost in a sea of men at shift change those going in and those coming out at the mill on 27th street and Carson.

I remember sitting on the stoop looking at the sunset .

I remember setting up a yard fair for a nickel admittance one object to view was a large locust.

I remember the Biology Club disection at Brashaer Center, Sarah Street .

I remember winning  big at bingo at the Serbian Club my mom needed the extra money.