Terms Which Have Disappeared

[Jim Green]

This sure went "off the reservation" from Terms Which Have Disappeared. I really don't care what is PC or how some of you feel about the political parties. I was just interested in the Terms Which Have Disappeared. SMH

 

[Zombie_61]

This sure went "off the reservation" from Terms Which Have Disappeared. I really don't care what is PC or how some of you feel about the political parties. I was just interested in the Terms Which Have Disappeared. SMH

On forums like this you'll find the conversation often veers away from the main topic just like conversations do in real life--they take on a life of their own. And, at some point, it'll veer right back onto the main topic again. As long as the conversation remains civil, most of the time the Bartenders (that's what the moderators are known as here) will give us some leeway and allow us to return to the main topic on our own.

Welcome to The Lounge! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the joint!

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

I may have brought up these before, so pardon my repetition if I did, but railroads, once the "engine" of economic and social life in the U.S. once supplied many common terms which have disappeared as the railroads' economic centrality has faded.

Here are two. From the world of politics, "whistle-stop tour".
Referring to a small, isolated town with little to recommend it we had , "jerk-water town".

 

[Fading Fast]

I may have brought up these before, so pardon my repetition if I did, but railroads, once the "engine" of economic and social life in the U.S. once supplied many common terms which have disappeared as the railroads' economic centrality has faded.

Here are two. From the world of politics, "whistle-stop tour".
Referring to a small, isolated town with little to recommend it we had , "jerk-water town".

also, "going off the rails" for diverting from plan or truly going crazy and "caboose" for a behind. Maybe also, a "full head of steam?"

 

[LizzieMaine]

Everyone used to know what a "Pullman" was. And a lot of people used to believe that all Pullman porters were named "George."

 

[Shangas]

I know what a 'Pullman' is. I wonder how many others do, though.

Regarding railroads, what about "keep your eye on the Ball"?

I read that this came from the days of either mariners (keeping their eye on the time-ball which dropped at noon, GMT, to set their ship's chronometers).

Or, from railroad workers (engineers, firemen and conductors), who would keep their eyes on their 'Ball' railroad pocketwatches, to ensure that the train was running on time.

I believe the official Ball website backed up this second claim.

 

[Fading Fast]

Everyone used to know what a "Pullman" was. And a lot of people used to believe that all Pullman porters were named "George."

Hardly a movie made in the '30s or even the '40s doesn't have a train scene or train reference in it and many mention Pullman. Hence, to your point, it is amazing that, my guess, most people under 50 have no idea that it was an incredibly common term.

 

[Mr Oldschool]

Well I'm under 50 and know what a Pullman is, but my great grandfather was one of the main engineers through this region for many years. His engine is on display at Dunsmuir's railroad park. One that hasn't disappeared, but its origin is not widely known is "balls out" for going as fast as you can (full throttle is the modern equivalent). It referred to the balls that are part of the steam engine throttle mechanism. At full throttle, the balls would emerge from the ports they reside in, hence balls out was when you were chugging along at full steam.

 

[Stanley Doble]

How many people know where the term jerk or jerk water town came from?

In the early days of railroading they had to fill the boiler on the locomotive every 50 miles. In some areas there weren't towns that close together so they would put up a water tower and a windmill every 50 miles.

Since the train stopped there anyway the local farmers would go there to get on the train, meet passengers, or get freight delivered. Sometimes a village would spring up around the water tower.

These were known as "tank towns", isolated villages that had no reason to exist outside the railroad where nothing ever happened.

Later they invented a new process called "Jerking water". They made a long trough between the rails filled with water. As the train went past it would lower a scoop and scoop the water into the boiler or water tank.

These places where the train didn't stop anymore became known as "jerk water towns". A "jerk" was someone from one of these places, distinguished by lack of intelligence and sophistication, the ultimate rube or hayseed.

It took me a long time to figure this out so excuse me for telling this story.

The town of Novi Michigan supposedly got its name this way. When they mapped out the first railroad line across the state they marked the water towers No. I, No. II, No. III etc. Novi was built up around tower No. VI as marked on the railroad maps.

 

[Stanley Doble]

There was a signal outside every railroad station in the US in the early days, it was a cannon ball hanging by a chain from a pole.

The station master could raise and lower the ball as a signal to the engineer on passing trains.

If the ball was at the bottom it meant " danger ahead - stop for instructions".

In the middle it meant "proceed with caution"

At the top of the pole it meant "track clear -no danger ahead".

So, if you had the last signal you could "high ball it". In other words go as fast as you pleased.

 

[Stanley Doble]

The first railroad sleeping cars were "Pullman Palace Cars" built by the George Pullman Company. His name appeared on the sides of all his patent cars. From this, passengers started calling the porter George. It seemed politer than "hey you".

 

[Stanley Doble]

Steam engine with flyball governor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5YeklKmImM

 

[KILO NOVEMBER]

The first railroad sleeping cars were "Pullman Palace Cars" built by the George Pullman Company. His name appeared on the sides of all his patent cars. From this, passengers started calling the porter George. It seemed politer than "hey you".

Truth be told, anyone in a position of providing a service would likely not have been "hey you", but "boy".

 

[LizzieMaine]

There existed, in the thirties, a "Society For The Prevention of Calling Sleeping-Car Porters 'George.'"

It was very common for adult males of any race to be called "boys" in the Era by persons in authority over them -- "you boys over here, dig up these pipes, cut down these trees, load up these trucks" could be heard around any WPA work gang, regardless of how many sixty-year olds happened to be on the crew that day. This usage often gets confused by modern folk with the race-specific use of "boy." They come from the same root, but were interpreted -- and intended -- in a different way.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

And you've seen this in countless old movies where someone in a French restaurant will summon a waiter by calling out "Garçon," which means boy in French.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There were also many "boy" titled jobs in the Era that were often held by grown men -- elevator boys, delivery boys, messenger boys, bellboys, even batboys. The Brooklyn Dodgers had a longtime batboy who was married with two children, and older than many of the players on the roster.

 

[2jakes]

There existed, in the thirties, a "Society For The Prevention of Calling Sleeping-Car Porters 'George.'"

It was very common for adult males of any race to be called "boys" in the Era by persons in authority over them -- "you boys over here, dig up these pipes, cut down these trees, load up these trucks" could be heard around any WPA work gang, regardless of how many sixty-year olds happened to be on the crew that day. This usage often gets confused by modern folk with the race-specific use of "boy." They come from the same root, but were interpreted -- and intended -- in a different way.

I love to see old TCM flicks. Now & then the term "boy" is used even by the "hero" of the movie.
Although it was not the intent of the story plot to be derogatory .
It appears that it was accepted by the giver & receiver .
I used to wonder why.
But you have made me aware that I am looking through 2015 glasses at films
from a different time & outlook on things. Thanks.

 

[Stanley Doble]

"see what the boys in the back room will have". Wonder what the Politically Correct loonies would make of that one.

Or "The Benicia Boy", an early 19th century prize fighter.

 

[ChiTownScion]

"Pulling the pin." Goes back to the days of link and pin couplers on railroad cars.

 

[Shangas]

There were also many "boy" titled jobs in the Era that were often held by grown men -- elevator boys, delivery boys, messenger boys, bellboys, even batboys. The Brooklyn Dodgers had a longtime batboy who was married with two children, and older than many of the players on the roster.

I fail to see what the kerfuffle over 'boy' is. We use it even now. Hell, we even use 'girl'. It means nothing. It's just like "dude", "guy", "Chaps", "Lads"/"Lasses" etc. Meh.

But you're right, there were lots of job-titles like that.

Let's not forget hall-boy, boot-boy, spit-boy, baker's boy, butcher's boy, link-boy, paper-boy, house-boy*, and countless others.

Yes, some of these positions were held by ACTUAL boys (link-boys, in particular), but for most people, it was just a title. Most spit-boys were actually grown men, because of just how hard the work was. Most REAL boys wouldn't have had the strength to do half these jobs. But that said, the titles probably got their names because they originated back in the days when child labour was common.

*I should point out, 'house-boy' in the G.E. held no sexual connotations as it might now. 'House-boy' was the common title for young Asian servant-boys who worked in the houses of wealthy Europeans/Americans during the days of the great empires*.