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Circa 1930. "Vice President Curtis at Capitol with steam car." Which, as evidenced by the news item below, encountered a bit of trouble during its stop in Washington. National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size.
Auto Locomotive Leads to Arrest
Man to Be Tried for Using Car
For Advertising Railroad.The Washington Post -- May 17, 1930
Albert E. Lentz, of 501 Twelfth street northwest, will be tried in Police Court next Thursday on charges of using a motor vehicle for advertising purposes and of driving an automobile with view obstructed.
The latter charge was placed against the man after traffic officials had inspected the vehicle, a locomotive on an automobile chassis, at the Traffic Bureau. The vehicle, which is used to advertise the Norfolk & Western Railway and the Grand Caverns of the Shenandoah Valley, was driven to the Police Court Building and was inspected by Judge Isaac R. Hitt before the case was continued.
Lentz was arrested yesterday morning on Madison Place Northwest by Sergt. Milton D. Smith and Policeman J.R. LeFoe, both of the Traffic Bureau.
... of the car with an obstructed view.
Charles Curtis was the first person with significant acknowledged non-European ancestry to reach either of the two highest offices in the United States government's executive branch.
I was not asleep in history and I had never heard this before. Guess they didn't mention it.
He served under Herbert Hoover, who Shorpy showed us recently was the first president to regularly invite African-Americans to the White House. This makes me believe more than ever that Hoover's reputation would be much better if it were not for the Depression and the Bonus Army mess.
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