It's a Byrd! It's a Plane!........

Buffalo Evening News - August 29 1928

NEW BUFFALO-MADE BYRD PLANE LEAVES

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Bernt Balchen Pilots the Aristocrat on Flight to New York

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Admiral Richard Byrd

    The newly christened monoplane, "Aristocrat", made in Buffalo by the General Airplanes Corporation for the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, took off Wednesday for New York, with Bernt Balchen, transatlantic flier and chief pilot of the expedition, at the controls. G. Maclean Gardner, General Airplanes factory manager, was the only passenger.  The plane, painted a bright green and with the words "Byrd Antarctic Expedition," vivid on its sides, was towed to the airport Tuesday and groomed for immediate departure.  The Propeller which did not arrive from Detroit via plane until late in the afternoon, forced postponement of the takeoff until Wednesday morning.
    When the blade had been mounted by mechanics under the direction of John D. McPhail, a former Fokker chief field mechanic, the plane was wheeled out of the hanger. After a short warming, Balchen  entered it and started it down the runway for a short test flight.  It slid gracefully into the air within 70 ft of it's starting point....  The order was placed with the Buffalo firm, following a report by Balchen on a similar model which he flew on its test flight six weeks ago. Mr. Gardner which supervised building of the plane, also supervised construction of the machines which carried Byrd to the North Pole and across the Atlantic.

          

Alone -- The Classic Story of His [Admiral Richard E. Byrd] 

Greatest Adventure -- 50th Anniversary Edition

American Experience: Alone on the Ice (The Story of Admiral Richard Byrd) [VHS]

Hey ABBOTT!!

Abbott (right)  & Costello

In 1930, Harry Abbott was known as "Silk Hat Harry Abbott" and headlining a song and dance review at the local Gayety Theatre. Lou Costello was doing a comedy act on the same bill. There they met John Grant, Mutual Burlesque chain executive.  He persuaded Bud Abbott to include Lou Costello in his Revue. After many great  performances in Buffalo, they became known as "ABBOTT & COSTELLO"!

Gayety Theatre - Huron &  Pearl St.

  

Its Time To Go To Crystal Beach!

Crystal Beach advertising Jingles

Video compilation by Jerry Malloy

Sound tracks courtesy of  staffannouncer.com

MOONLIGHT ON THE LAKE - To Crystal Beach, the Coney Island of Buffalo. Nothing more delightful. The magnificent stmrs. PEARL and GAZELLE leave the foot of Main Street at 7:00 and 8:00 P.M. arriving at the Beach in time for the entertainments. Returning, last boat arriving at Main Street 11:30 P.M. where street cars connect for all directions. Buffalo Enquirer   August 11, 1892

Boat Landing At Crystal Beach Canada

    The first pier at Crystal Beach was built around 1890. A rush of visitors kept 17 ferry boats busy to the state of New York, beginning with the Dove. Boats other than the Dove that plowed the turbulent waters between Buffalo and Crystal Beach, included the Superior, Premier, State of New York, Cole, Idlewild, Timon, Pilgrim, Puritan, GAZELLE, Argyle, White Star and The Pearl, Later renamed The Crystal.

    These boats differed from the Americana and the Canadiana.  They did not venture out if the weather was bad.  The Idlewild, for example, had her smokestack ripped off by rough seas at Windmill Point. While the Timon, rolled so badly that it was only kept one year.  The GAZELLE was worthy of her name being a particularly frisky boat whenever heavy seas rolled over Lake Erie.  She was safe and easy to handle so she was kept in service for many years.

The Gazelle leaving Buffalo Harbor for Crystal Beach - 1894

CRYSTAL BEACH - Extra trips Sunday, July 26th. Stm. PEARL will leave North Tonawanda at 10:30 A.M., South Tonawanda at 10:45 A.M., Stm. GAZELLE will leave the foot of Austin St., Black Rock at 2P.M., stopping at Ferry St. 30 minutes later.   Buffalo Morning Express  July 26, 1896

Canadiana Leaving the Foot of Main Street

The Crystal Beach Co. has announced the appointments of Capt. James McKarty to the PEARL, and Capt. George Swift to the GAZELLE for the season.  Buffalo Enquirer  April 27, 1894 

The excursion stm. GAZELLE of the Crystal Beach line made her last trip of the season last evening. She arrived from Crystal Beach about 8:00, and, after unloading her passengers at the foot of Main St., went to Black Rock where she will layup for the season. The pleasure resort business has been unusually large this season and a number of lines have made money.  Buf Morn Ex  Oct. 1, 1899 

Steamer Garden City

The excursion stm. GAZELLE came out of winter quarters yesterday afternoon and went to the fuel dock. She will go on the Crystal Beach route this morning. The GARDEN CITY, which has been running to the Beach since Decoration Day, will lay off today, in order to be tested, after which she will go into commission again. The GAZELLE will begin to run regularly as soon as the business warrants it.  Buf Morn Ex  June 5, 1896

 The excursion season here will open on Decoration Day, May 31st. The stm. PURITAN will start the season on the Crystal Beach Run, making 5 trips daily. On June 10th the PEARL and GAZELLE will be put on the run. The RIVERSIDE and the IDLEHOUR will run to Elmwood Beach*. The NIAGARA will go to Woodlawn Beach, while the SILVER SPRAY will go between Ferry St. and the Bedell House. A small yacht, the ADRALEXA will run between Crystal Beach and Pt. Amino this summer.   Buf Morn Ex   May 20, 1900

Editors Note:  *Beaver Island State Park first opened in 1935 with few facilities. It was once a privately owned amusement park known as ELMWOOD BEACH


Editor Suggests:

   Steamers of the Crystal Beach Line

Amusement Insiders

Published on Dec 30, 2018

 

Raptor Alex 

Published on Feb 13, 2018

CRYSTAL BEACH, THE GOOD OLD DAYS by Ernie Rossie