Gasoline Alley by Jim Scancarelli for March 05, 2024

No spittoons? Oh, the horror.

In saloons and smoke shops they’re spittoons. In places like churches, the opera house and city hall… I believe the term is “cuspidor”. (Remember your Emily Post.)

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The conductor avoided the Sandman all evening, and so it’s a full update of classics for the 5th:

I bet Walt has a mini-bar inside that globe. “Sissy” has a neat uniform and an undamaged football… but it’s the man who throws his leather helmet into the arena who gets the girls.

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Rick has to put other pressing matters aside for.. er… the pressing matter of the Territorial governor coming to town, as an election is coming up soon.

(In reality, Montana Territory had twelve governors between 1864 and statehood in 1889… all of whom were appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the US Senate.)

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Maryjane starts to relate the tale of how Waldo came to break his fast by nibbling on an orchid – but our Starr hasn’t heard the really exciting part yet. (And now what to do with a pound of ants?)

Gas was around 39¢ a gallon back in 1973, so Slim has been getting stung by quite a few people for ‘free’ gas. But why did becoming manager turn him from a decent employee into a towering glob of jelly? At least the girls are trying to make it good on what they owe. (Slim may actually have something here, if he’s smart enough to see the leer on that customer’s face.)

Also, too: From the Dick Moores era – the classics of the early 70s in particular… that’s a rather faithful depiction of the entrance area inside Gasoline Alley’s City Hall.

I love the scent of musty old interiors. Oh, well—I suppose the “glass and brass” monstrosities erected today will eventually have that same smell.

No elevator? If Walt can ascend those stairs, that’s pretty remarkable.

But the ‘spitters’ are still hanging around.

Careful, while a bit more worn, the shiny Terrazzo floors are still slippery when wet.

2 men both over one hundred years old able to travel by themselves. They’re either blessed or just the magic of comic strips.

Well, spit.

You don’t need to remind us that you’re old, Walt. It’s already pretty obvious.

When’s the last time Walt was here?

Hey,there’s a former cleaning lady running it—-must be kept spotless.

Although considering Rufus is the janitor it’s amazing City Hall is still intact.

I didn’t think a story involving a 103 year-old guy and his 130 year-old dad could be interesting. Jim is sure proving me right.

There are two spitoon in the US Senate chamber. The last use of one of the spitoons was in 1981 by Herman E. Talmadge of Georgia.

If you would like to see a dead ringer for the Gasoline Alley city hall in real life, go to “google maps”, type in “227 South Center Street, Statesville NC” and then do street view on center street. I working in this building for 11 years. No spittoons, but there were ash trays stored in the basement.