This photo is an excellent high quality 8” x 10” black & white glossy photo new reproduction of a 1953 AUTOCAR DC10364S-OH with an 11-cy REX Concrete Mixer, owned by COLONIAL SAND & STONE CO., New York City.
”SAMPLE” will not appear on your photo, it is only on the scanned image. Laying the “SAMPLE” sheet over the photo for the scan, causes the eBay image to be slightly yellowed. Your photo reproduction will be pure black & white with no yellow cast.
DESCRIPTION: My original photo was an Autocar factory photo taken in 1953, of an Autocar DC10364S-OH with an oversize 11-cy REX Concrete Mixer. By its serial number, it would have been a 1963 model. This mixer truck was powered by a 190-hp Cummins diesel, considered large at that time, with 5x3 transmissions, front engine PTO to drive the mixer, air starting, and undoubtably oversize 24” rubber. While I’m not sure of all the Autocar model designations, I do know that the ‘OH’ at the end stood for ‘Off Highway’ strength and durability.
COLONIAL SAND & STONE CO.: This is quite a story! Colonial was founded by Italian immigrant Generoso Pope who arrived in America in 1906 at the age of 15 with $10 in his pocket. He found work in the New York City construction industry, first carrying water for $3 a week on a railroad tunnel job, then working in the sand pits while going to night school. In 1911 he joined the newly formed Colonial Sand & Stone, becoming its superintendent. When the company faced bankruptcy in 1916, Generoso persuaded the owners and creditors to let him restore and strengthen the company. Through ambition and brains, he found new customers, fought off competition, and expanded the business. Within 2 years he became president of Colonial, and by 1926 they were the leading sand supplier in NYC. By age 36, Colonial had become the nation’s largest sand & gravel business. I have been told that they brought sand & stone into the New York City docks by boat and barge, and along the way got involved in the ready-mixed concrete business. With his political connections and business savvy, Colonial grew rapidly, suppling construction materials for much of the NYC skyline. As his sons got involved in the business, the company continued to thrive and grow. They ran oversize mixers, I believe with the idea that a big truck carrying twice the normal load, created a lot less traffic congestion that a larger fleet of trucks. Some years ago in the 1980s, I saw what remained of a former-Colonial fleet of huge Mack H-81SX and LJSWX trucks carrying 15-cy Rex mixers.
FURTHER INFORMATION: There is a story on the internet of a man who bought a 45,000 sq ft building in Long Island City that was once owned by Colonial S&G. This was one of the buildings where Colonial serviced their truck fleet, washed, painted, and parked them for the night. They had a machine shop to rebuild engines and replace the concrete barrels on their trucks.
In 1963 I was involved with buying a new fleet of dump trucks for a trucking company I ran in Ohio. Among others, I was considering buying some Hendrickson trucks. I was visited by a Hendrickson factory representative, who told me an interesting story of how he had been sent to NYC to ‘unsell’ Hendrickson trucks to Colonial S&G. It seems with Hendrickson building custom trucks for each owners needs, Colonial had inquired into buying some Hendricksons. Truck manufacturing had become a minor part of Hendrickson’s business, since the Hendrickson-designed tandem axle suspension had become their largest volume and most profitable item. At that time Colonial was operating a large fleet of Autocars, and Autocar was a big user of the Hendrickson suspensions. It became more important for Hendrickson to keep the Autocar account, than to sell trucks to Colonial and lose the Autocar business. So, this Hendrickson rep was sent to NYC to meet with Colonial and instructed to do anything he had to do “not to sell them a Hendrickson truck”!
If you are interested in further Colonial S&G and the ‘Pope family history, find the book: “The Deeds of My Father” by Paul David Pope, grandson of Generoso Pope.
CONDITION: This outstanding black & white glossy photo is a newly reproduced photo from a photo in my personal lifetime collection. This photo has been printed on excellent quality HP PREMIUM PLUS GLOSSY PHOTO PAPER using HP 02 Vivera Inks, producing a professional quality photo that resists fading over 100 years ... the best money can buy. This 8x10 photo has a white border around the photo. For your information, the description and documentation of this photo will be loosely taped to the back side of this photo. I try to ad some “added value” to my photos by researching each one, adding some history and information that you may not know. If I get something incorrect, please let me know … thanks!
SHIPPING & HANDLING: This item will be shipped via USPS FIRST CLASS MAIL - PACKAGE RATE (non-machinable) within the USA, including FREE USPS Tracking from USPS from my door to your mailbox. Your item will be mailed FLAT, carefully packed in a large 9x12 double envelope with a cardboard stiffener in the inner envelope ... the cardboard stiffener assures you it will arrive in excellent condition.
I can usually mail your photo within 24 hours of your payment thru PayPal, and sometimes on the same day. You will get an email confirmation from PayPal that postage has been purchased, with a tracking number from USPS to track your photo from my post office to your mailbox.
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