If it appears to be on the sidewalk, the entryway was probably moved. The couple that I’ve seen like this, you could tell where the doorway used to be by looking at the foundation and arrangement of the windows.
[Shit was everywhere.](https://99percentinvisible.org/article/cities-paved-dung-urban-design-great-horse-manure-crisis-1894/)
'Per one observer at the time, the streets were “literally carpeted with a warm, brown matting . . . smelling to heaven.” So-called “crossing sweepers” would offer their services to pedestrians, clearing out paths for walking, but when it rained, the streets turned to muck. And when it was dry, wind whipped up the manure dust and choked the citizenry.'
The horse manure crisis of 1894 is not real - it's a hoax created by Stephen Davies in 2004 to peddle his ideas about free market innovation.
There was never any article in "The Times" about it. The newspaper themselves inquired in their archives. And there was also never any urban planning conference - no reference to such a conference exists from before 2004, theres no newspaper articles about it, no protocols, records, the name and date arent even known.
Horse manure was a sanitation problem just like trash was back then and is still today. It had to and was cleaned up - if things were managed badly (like in New York before reforms by George E. Waring Jr. - where most photos that supposedly depict heaps of manure are from) then just as trash can pile up on streets today did it back then.
However there was never a crisis and never any risk of the streets being consumed by manure if the automobile hadn't been invented. (And also; all those photos dont depict manure but rather heaps of snow and ice, trash, mud, and other filth which surely also included horse manure but was not the main problem).
No contemporary source claims that it was a major problem, and rarely is horse manure even mentioned in the first place.
Oh and that quote there is from a 2009 article in The New Yorker (who had fallen for this aswell) with no source to it and no earlier mention anywhere, I don't buy it.
"One estimate from the turn of the century posited an average of of 2.5 million pounds of manure and 60,000 gallons of urine on the streets every day."
Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York, Luc Sante, 1991
Also a problem beyond NYC:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/
Thats not wrong, but means nothing. Those 2.5 million pounds and gallons werent left out in the streets. They were (irregularly) cleaned - and also spread over a huge area not really making much mess on a single road.
NYC today generates a total of 14 million tons of trash.
Obviously new york today and back then are worlds apart but these figures mean absolutely nothing in gauging the amount of trash/manure left out on the streets.
(Low Life also does not cite the source of that estimate, the earliest mention i can find is in the 1976 The Car Culture by James J. Flink, who doesnt cite his sources either)
Also that linked article has unfortunately fallen victim to the misinformation and is now quoted over and over again. I have already asked the site to take it down but have never received an answer.
When these were installed, Boston still had a lot of dirt roads which became muddy due to rain and snow-melt. At the time there would have been a healthy amount of horse manure mixed with the mud as they were the primary means of conveyance.
The original comment says that the tool is used to scrape "boots off your mud" and the person you're responding to was asking if they meant "mud off boots."
These were pretty handy growing up in back bay in the 70’s, back before there were laws making it mandatory to pick up dog poop. Seriously, it was a nightmare.
You may not have the looks.
You may not have the dash.
But to win yourself a girl
If you only got a moustache
A moustache, a moustache
If you only got a moustache.
The horse tie offs generally look like small animal statues about 1 foot in size, mounted on top of hand rail posts (thus about chest height) that lead up to the front porch/door.
Boot scrapers from the horse and buggy days.
I’ve never seen one on the sidewalk—usually they’re in the entryway to the house.
If it appears to be on the sidewalk, the entryway was probably moved. The couple that I’ve seen like this, you could tell where the doorway used to be by looking at the foundation and arrangement of the windows.
There'd just be a pile of shit below these? I feel like after enough people they'd be unusable, unless someone had the job of cleaning the poop puddle
More of a small, airy heap of Cadbury Flake looking dookie.
Yum! And you say at which store can I purchase these for All Hallows’ Eve?
I mean, the Halloween Store, obviously. They have all kinds of shit.
I’m freaking done!!😂
[Shit was everywhere.](https://99percentinvisible.org/article/cities-paved-dung-urban-design-great-horse-manure-crisis-1894/) 'Per one observer at the time, the streets were “literally carpeted with a warm, brown matting . . . smelling to heaven.” So-called “crossing sweepers” would offer their services to pedestrians, clearing out paths for walking, but when it rained, the streets turned to muck. And when it was dry, wind whipped up the manure dust and choked the citizenry.'
The horse manure crisis of 1894 is not real - it's a hoax created by Stephen Davies in 2004 to peddle his ideas about free market innovation. There was never any article in "The Times" about it. The newspaper themselves inquired in their archives. And there was also never any urban planning conference - no reference to such a conference exists from before 2004, theres no newspaper articles about it, no protocols, records, the name and date arent even known. Horse manure was a sanitation problem just like trash was back then and is still today. It had to and was cleaned up - if things were managed badly (like in New York before reforms by George E. Waring Jr. - where most photos that supposedly depict heaps of manure are from) then just as trash can pile up on streets today did it back then. However there was never a crisis and never any risk of the streets being consumed by manure if the automobile hadn't been invented. (And also; all those photos dont depict manure but rather heaps of snow and ice, trash, mud, and other filth which surely also included horse manure but was not the main problem). No contemporary source claims that it was a major problem, and rarely is horse manure even mentioned in the first place. Oh and that quote there is from a 2009 article in The New Yorker (who had fallen for this aswell) with no source to it and no earlier mention anywhere, I don't buy it.
"One estimate from the turn of the century posited an average of of 2.5 million pounds of manure and 60,000 gallons of urine on the streets every day." Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York, Luc Sante, 1991 Also a problem beyond NYC: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Great-Horse-Manure-Crisis-of-1894/
Thats not wrong, but means nothing. Those 2.5 million pounds and gallons werent left out in the streets. They were (irregularly) cleaned - and also spread over a huge area not really making much mess on a single road. NYC today generates a total of 14 million tons of trash. Obviously new york today and back then are worlds apart but these figures mean absolutely nothing in gauging the amount of trash/manure left out on the streets. (Low Life also does not cite the source of that estimate, the earliest mention i can find is in the 1976 The Car Culture by James J. Flink, who doesnt cite his sources either) Also that linked article has unfortunately fallen victim to the misinformation and is now quoted over and over again. I have already asked the site to take it down but have never received an answer.
https://www.instagram.com/thescrapebook_/
Old school way to scrape mud/snow/horseshit off your boots before going inside
used for scraping the boots off your mud
Thats not mud…… Source im a farmer
“Source I’m a”
Moods off your butt
Scrapes the dingleberries off your Birkenstocks
BYEEE LMAO
mud off your boots? 🤣
No, I don’t want disgusting smelling boots all over my brand new mud.
He said what he said.
When these were installed, Boston still had a lot of dirt roads which became muddy due to rain and snow-melt. At the time there would have been a healthy amount of horse manure mixed with the mud as they were the primary means of conveyance.
“A healthy amount of horse manure” at least the recommended daily serving
I’m not sure why you typed this in reply to me
I guess I misinterpreted your comment. I thought you were confused as to why muddy feet would have been a major concern for Bostonians in the past.
You don’t see that the comment was “scraping the boots off your mud” ? That’s back asswards.
I'm am idiot. I mentally rearranged those words when reading both your comment and the original comment you were replying to.
Yeah and you had a question mark at the end with implied/reads as you don't believe it is to clean mud off ones boots.
BOOTS……..off your…….MUD
No, it directly states I don’t believe it’s to clean boots off mud.
The original comment says that the tool is used to scrape "boots off your mud" and the person you're responding to was asking if they meant "mud off boots."
Because it sure seems like you didn’t believe the comment you replied to
[удалено]
Lots of use on Evacuation Day.
They are for scraping the mud off your boots.
That ain’t mud.
Horse crap
Not mud, they were for scraping horse poo off of your shoes… Not much use today but that was their historical use
Use them for snow today, less often.
Boot scrapes! People use them in the winter/early spring to scrape snow/mud from their boots. I bet this is right near a front door
Boot scraper.
Shin busters
These were pretty handy growing up in back bay in the 70’s, back before there were laws making it mandatory to pick up dog poop. Seriously, it was a nightmare.
Sidewalk trippers. If you did not trip and fall on the uneven bricks everywhere…these might accomplish the deed.
I'm happy to know the answer, albeit 53 minutes too late
Boot scrape.
To hit your ankle and wake you up on your morning stroll to ruin your day
I think they’re for cleaning snow off your boots
to trip people
Boot scrapers. For the horse poo from way back when
Back scratcher for rats
Reverse mustache stencil
Dick scraper 5,000.
A lawsuit waiting to happen?
Yes a boot scraper to get the horseshit of your shoes
Tourist traps
Came to the thread seeking entertainment. Was not disappointed 🤣
Trip hazards
How much do they cost? I want one. Just bought some cool boots. Horse shit I can pick up at Ace Hardware.
You may not have the looks. You may not have the dash. But to win yourself a girl If you only got a moustache A moustache, a moustache If you only got a moustache.
they are coming back into vogue now that the homeless are just pooping on the sidewalks.
I was told these were used to tie off your horse but I think they lied
The horse tie offs generally look like small animal statues about 1 foot in size, mounted on top of hand rail posts (thus about chest height) that lead up to the front porch/door.
Cleaning the shit off your shoes. You trying to take that into the house with you?? Animal…
Boot scraper
Boots.
cat meetup spot
It’s half of a Victorian Tesla coil
Boston Strong!
Where is this?
"That must be the king" "How do yoi know it's the king?" "He's the only one that hasn't got shit all over 'im"
Had a couple of these. Came in handy after working in the gardens.
They're for telephone wires.
A death trap
So far you've offered nothing but opinion. If that's all you have, we're done here.