An Antique Electro-Static Machine

An example of an Electro Static Machine. Insert in lower right corner is the Karrick Building.

An antique electro-static machine was found on the 2nd floor of the Karrick Block at 236 S Main SLC during its renovation in 2000.

The device was made by the Frank S. Betz Co., a well-known supplier of a variety of medical supplies and equipment.  These electro-static devices were in use from about the 1880s through the 1930s.

The Electro Static Machine found in the Karrick Building

When this particular machine was found by MHTN Architects, they contacted The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices (www.museumofquackery.com) in Minneapolis and David G. Rickert identified the machine as a Holtz, of which there were many varieties and were popular between 1890-1910.

Within the wood cabinet were large circular copper plates that would revolve and create static electricity.  According to historic advertisements and instructions, this electricity could be used to cure a multitude of ailments.

An example of an advertisement for a Holtz type machine.

Excerpt from medial book indicating how to use the machine

Prior to 1905, when Lewis Karrick died, the main occupant of the Karrick building was Roberts and Nelden Drugs, a large wholesale and retail pharmacy.  

Lewis Karrick operated a gambling and billiards hall on the second floor and a brothel with 8 rooms on the third.  A description from the late 1970s notes that the names of several women still remained on the doors (I did not find any further information about these names).

In 1908 the building was acquired by Mary Judge (of the Judge Building) and the ground floor leased to longtime occupant Leyson-Pearsall Jewelers.

It is unclear who owned this abandoned electro-static machine. The upper floors of the Karrick Block were leased to many people, including some doctors and dentists. 

Comments on my Instagram post indicate this machine is within the collections of the Utah Historical Society. 

Sources:

• Deseret News 2000-04-04
• USHS file Karrack Building
• Manual of Static Electricity in X-Ray and Therapeutic Uses by S.H. Monell M.D., 1900

Urban Calm by Peter Wiarda

Framed print of a photograph from Peter Wiarda’s new book “Urban Calm.”

This is my favorite photograph from Peter Wiarda’s new book “Urban Calm.” This is photo is the view from Walker Center Parking at 160 S. Regent St. (2020). It looks south on Main Street, towards 300 South.

In this image I see an abstract view of modern archaeology of Salt Lake City’s built environment (and the real archaeology that is also subsurface).

The oldest building in this image is the Karrick Block, built in 1887. Surprisingly, the oldest building is also the most colorful (red) building in the photograph, which reminds me that the historic black and white photographs that preserve the past do not portray a fully perfect image of the past.

The Karrick Block has an interesting preservation story, which I will need to post about separately.

Also in this photograph are:

• The Lollin Block, 1894
• Clift Building, 1919
• American Towers, 1982
• One Utah Center, 1991
• 222 S Main building, 2009
• Federal Courthouse (Orrin G. Hatch/the Borg Cube), 2014

Peter Wiarda's print with my identification of buildings

Notably, there is 5-decade gap of buildings in this image. Part of that is simply that buildings of this age are not in view. But the other part is that downtown SLC had a lull in construction during the Great Depression, WWII, and the post-WWII suburban build-up. There are notable exceptions (e.g. mid-century modern Ken Garff Building 1955, LDS Church Office Building 1973), but in general this image portrays an accurate pattern of downtown SLC’s history.

The American Towers building is also an interesting component, Built in 1982, it represents an effort to draw individuals back to living in downtown. But interestingly, American Towers was initially an adult only living arrangement- so not an effort to bring families with children to downtown.

So, beyond the visual beauty of the photograph I also see a full historical spectrum of SLC.

Peter Wiarda has many other fantastic photos of SLC in his Urban Calm book.

And SLUG magazine has a nice article about Peter’s project. 

Be sure to check out his website where you can order your own copy of the book. www.peterwiarda.com

Artist Ralphael Plescia's Christian School at 1324 S State SLC is nearing demolition

Artist Ralphael Plescia's Christian School at 1324 S State SLC is nearing demolition.

You may have seen the news report that many of his sculptures were removed recently and will be rehomed to the Utah Arts Alliance's Art Castle (the old 15th Ward LDS Church building they purchased and saved from demolition in 2021).

I toured the interior of the Christian School in 2023. Here are some of those images.

The space is divided into 3 levels, which I interpreted roughly as akin to heaven (top), the terrestrial world (main floor), and the underworld (basement, sub-basement dug-out).

My understanding is that the building will be demolished and new apartments will be constructed.

The ownership of the building is a complicated relationship. Ralphael Plescia did not own the building, rather his father owned the building, and in his father's will he arranged for Ralphael to have occupant rights until Ralphael's death. After Ralphael's death in 2022, the ownership of the building went to Shriners Children's Hospital, per his father's will.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported on Aug 4 2023 that developer Colmena Group (via a LLC named 1324 South State, LLC). purchased the property from Shriners, although Ralphael's daughter had attempted to gain ownership.

Many of Plescia's sculptures cannot be removed from the building because they are a part of the building.

Development of the SLC Glendale neighborhood as seen through aerial photography

While researching the history of the old Safeway building at 1179 Navajo St in the Glendale neighborhood of Salt Lake City, I found this serries of aerial photography showing the development of the neighborhood. 

Historic Utah Capitol Building Lion Now on Redwood Road

Have you ever noticed this Lion in front of Ron Case Roofing at 440 S Redwood Road SLC? It is one of the original 4 lions that were installed at the Utah State Capitol in 1917 and restored by Ralphael Plescia (founder of the famed Christian School at 1324 State St) in 1976.

Lion in front of Ron Case Roofing at 440 S Redwood Road SLC (June 2023).

Lion in front of Ron Case Roofing at 440 S Redwood Road SLC (June 2023).

Lion in front of Ron Case Roofing at 440 S Redwood Road SLC (June 2023).

 
The 4 original lions were removed from the capitol in 1999 and were deemed too deteriorated for repair (but see below). The lions were sold at a surplus auction and Lagoon purchased 3 of them for about $16K while SLC business owner Ron Case outbid Lagoon on the 4th (and largest) with his bid of about $8K.

The 4 lions were sculpted in 1917 by Gavin Jack who had convinced Richard Kletting, architect of the State Capitol Building, that lions should flank the entrances to the Utah Capitol Building. He was awarded an $800 (about $20K in 2024 money) contract to carve and cast the lions in concrete, which were placed on the east and west entrances of the building.

Original lions by Gavin Jack at State Capitol Building, ca 1920s. Image from USHS.

Original lions by Gavin Jack at State Capitol Building. Image from USHS.

Gavin Jack grew up in Manti and had both art and engineering experience. In the 1880s he traveled to NYC and studied at the Cooper Institute and the Art Students League working with Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He also studied art and lived in Dresden and Paris for several years. And he worked with concrete during the construction of the Panama Canal.

Gavin Jack. Original creator of the Utah Capitol lions. Image from familysearch.

 
Jack was rather popular in his day earning many commissions, painting portraits of prominent citizens, painting for the theater stage, painting a mural in the old Manti North Ward LDS Chapel (now demolished), and did sculpture work at the Columbia Exposition World’s Fair. His wife Sarah was a concert pianist who had also worked in France and Germany.

In 1969 the State decided to remove the lions due to wear, but also probably because famed sculptor and founder of the University of Utah Fine Arts Dept, Dr. Avard Fairbanks, criticized Gavin Jack as “an obscure sculptor and have no value as art…there is no need to save them.” He further insisted that Gavin Jack was just someone who tried to do something with art; and, he mistakenly said that Jack had no formal training. Many members of the public, and famed local artist Mabel Frazer, pushed back on this opinion and defended the lions and Gavin Jack. Ultimately, the state quietly dropped the whole proposal and there wasn’t any money appropriated for any of it.

Plescia restored the lions in 1976. The Utah Legislature had appropriated $50K to restore the lions but Plescia convinced officials to hire him to do the job at a cost not to exceed $3K. Plescia’s restoration used a latex and cement mixture to restore missing parts a fill in the cracks. After studying other lion sculptures and visiting the lions at the zoo, Plescia decided to depart from the original lion design to achieve a more natural-looking animal. At the time that Plescia took on the lion project, he was 5 years into his Christian School project, which he called “the Museum” and was intended to be a restaurant with liquor and entertainment.

Raphael Plescia with a restored lion in 1976.  Image from SpacesArchive.

 

Raphael Plescia with a restored lion in 1985. From The Salt Lake Tribune Oct 4 1985.

The issue with the deterioration of the lions was renewed in 1999 when restoration work began on the Utah State Capitol Building and the lions were removed because of work being done on the steps. In 2007, 4 new lions were commissioned from British master carver Nick Fairplay who sculpted them out of Italian marble; they were installed at the State Capitol in 2008.

When the old lions went up for public auction in 2009, Capitol Preservation Board executive director David Hart was quoted in a KSL article as saying that at auction the lions might get “maybe a buck” and “they are of no value to us.”

But of course, between the Lagoon and Ron Case purchases, the sale of the 4 lions equated to about $24K, which is about $500K in 1917 dollars… so the state made a 99% net profit when accounting for inflation.

SLC business owner Ron Case outbid Lagoon on the 4th (and largest) lion. In a 2016 interview on Fox13’s Uniquely Utah series, Ron Case said he didn’t want the lion to leave SLC and that Salt Lake’s Westside was worthy of a “lion size portion of pride.”

The Lagoon Lions have been restored and are proudly on display in front of Cannibal. Ron Case gave an interview to Fox13 in 2016 in which he stated he does not intend to restore the lion as it is art and history just as it is. 

You can see the Ron Case lion on the west side of 440 S Redwood Road SLC. 

You can see the Lagoon lions near the Cannibal roller coaster.

Restored lions at Lagoon. Image from familysearch.

Restored lions at Lagoon. Image from familysearch.

Sources:

• Lagoon buys 3 Utah State Capitol lion statues, KSL.com, Oct 9 2009
• Uniquely Utah: The fate of the Capitol’s final lion, Fox 13, July 24 2016
• Hobbyist is a fix-it man, Deseret News July 10 1976
• State Will Dispose of Old Pair of Lions, Deseret News April 22 1969
• State Capitol Sculptor Painted in Orangeville, Emery County Progress Feb 6 1975
• The return of Gavin Jack: Paintings will grace library, The Manti Messenger Sept 4 1986
• Capitol Guardians to Retire, 52 Years Erode Their Value, Salt Lake Tribune April 22 1916

The old Veterans Hospital at 12th Ave and E St is now the Meridien Condos

Old Veterans Hospital in 2022, as Condos

Veterans Hospital ca 1930s. Image from UDSH

This is the old Veterans Hospital at 401 E 12th Avenue (roughly 12th Ave and E Street) in Salt Lake City is now the Meridien Condos at Capitol Park.

Built-in 1932 in a neoclassical style, this 5 ½ story brick building was originally set back from the street on a steep hill and surrounded by park grounds. A smaller 3-story annex was added in 1939.

The newly created Veterans Administration (VA) recognized a need for a hospital in SLC to care for WWI and Spanish-American War veterans Architectural plans were drawn up in 1930 and site selection began.

Originally it was thought that the VA hospital should be located close to Fort Douglas but the VA decided on a residential area high on the North Bench (the Avenues) which provided cooling canyon breezes and was situated above the city smog.

Postcard showing the Salt Lake City Veterans Hospital

Postcard showing the Salt Lake City Veterans Hospital

More than 3 city blocks were purchased and construction was completed in June 1932.  The first patient, WWI vet Oliver J. Hunter, was admitted on July 1, 1932. Once fully opened, the hospital provided beds for 104 patients.

Built during the Great Depression, the hospital was seen as a method to provide good jobs to hard-hit Utahns, both during and after construction. Later the Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided labor tending to the grounds surrounding the hospital.

The hospital boasted state-of-the-art facilities including dentist care, an x-ray department, surgery, dining rooms, and a dietary kitchen. During WWII, the focus of the Veterans Hospital became vocational rehabilitation and physical therapy.

Veterans Hospital group, Christmas Day 1942. Image from UDSH.

Returning Soldiers from WWII greatly outpaced the SLC Veterans Hospital and the US Army opened the much larger Bushnell Hospital in Brigham City in 1942. And in 1946 SLC was approved for a new VA facility with construction work starting in 1950 on part of the Fort Douglas Military reservation; this new VA Hospital was opened in 1952 and is the current main campus of the SLC VA hospital system at 500 Foothill Blvd.

In 1962 the old Veterans Hospital in the Avenues neighborhood was closed to patients and was soon declared surplus. In December 1964 the property was purchased by the LDS Church and used the old hospital as an annex to its Primary Children’s Hospital. The LDS Church sold it in 1987 to IHC Hospitals Inc and when the new Primary Children Hospital was built in 1990.

Most of the land (28 acres) surrounding the old Veterans Hospital was subdivided and sold to developers. The hospital and a few surrounding acres were retained and the building was used intermittently but was primarily vacant for 16 years.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

Veterans Hospital as it looked in 1996, Image from NRHP file, National Archives.

In 2004 it was purchased by Pembroke Capitol Park and converted to luxury condominiums through historic adaptive reuse, done by Hogan Construction at a cost of $20M. The interior was gutted, an underground parking structure was added, and the exterior was preserved. The condo conversion was completed in 2008.

Images of the renovation, from Hogan Construction.

Images of the renovation, from Hogan Construction.

Images of the renovation, from Hogan Construction.

Images of the renovation, from Hogan Construction.

In 1988 the building was shown in the movie Halloween 4 as Smiths Grove Sanitarium.

Of Note:
It is likely that the Veterans Hospital on 12^th Avenue was segregated. The Tuskegee Hospital for Sick and Injured Colored World War Veterans in Tuskegee Alabama opened in 1923 and was the only Black Veterans hospital until 1954.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Veterans Administration allowed hospitals to choose their segregation status based on local and regional practices, which for Salt Lake City would mean Black Soldiers would be in a separate ward or not allowed at all. My guess is the latter.

President Truman desegregated the US military through Executive Order 9981 but the VA kept most hospitals segregated in some form through 1953. On July 28, 1954, the VA formally announced that segregation had been eliminated at all VA hospitals.

So far, I’ve only seen white men as patients in the 1940 Census. Write a comment if you know of any specifics on the SLC Veterans Hospital policy on segregation.

Source: History of the VA in 100 Objects: number 11.   https://www.va.gov/HISTORY/100_Objects/Index.asp

Sources:

• Salt Lake Telegram Nov 6 1931
• Salt Lake Tribune July 2 1932
• Salt Lake Tribune July 8 1932
• Salt Lake Telegram July 14 1932
• Deseret News Sept 14 1932
• Salt Lake Telegram Sept 9 1933
• Salt Lake Tribune July 6 1947
• Deseret News Oct 7 2005
• Salt Lake Tribune Aug 10 2006
• Veterans Hospital NRHP File, NPS
• History of the VA in 100 Objects: number 11