Shortly after the International Smelter offered economic salvation to Tooeles struggling desert community; the Tooele Valley Railroad became the town artery. Though originally built in 1908 to connect the smelter to the Union Pacific and Western Pacific lines west of town; the railroad became central to daily life. Hundreds of local workers rode it to and from work each day. As technology continued to change Tooele; the Tooele Valley Railroad shared Vine Street with the first automobiles--safety precautions required that the caboose; with a horn mounted to warn motorists; lead the oncoming train. However; the smelters decades of prosperity proved short-lived; and by the 1930s; the town had fallen on difficult times once again. The railroad outlived the smelter; but operations ceased in the early 1980s; and the city had the abandoned tracks removed.
#1102030 in eBooks 2015-03-02 2015-03-02File Name: B00SQLITIU
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. a box of chocolates for those of us who like pop cultural criticismBy Fiona WebsterIf you are even the least bit interested in criticism that takes as its subject the pop culture of Americamdash;especially music and art; but also such things as television; basketball; and Las Vegasmdash;you owe it to yourself to read this book. Dave Hickey is our Roland Barthes: hes not like a Left Bank philosopher; but rather hes a steely-eyed fearless observer and analyst who agrees with Oscar Wildes famous statement that art is useless. And long live our various forms of popular art; in their utter uselessness! =grin=Hickey is also a great deal of fun to read. I consumed these essays like a box of chocolates.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Beautiful writing; but content is scattershot and disorganizedBy RyanThis is a collection of critical essays on various American popular media from the back half of the 20th century. For those who came up anytime between the 60s and the late 80s; the topics will likely resonate; and the eulogies for celebrity figures will inspire fond nostalgia. Hickey has a clever insight for every topic under the sun; no matter how mundane it may seem; he exposes the subtle ideologies that we take for granted in familiar stories and songs.I am a little bit skeptical of the theme; "Art and Democracy" is far too broad a topic; and the seemingly random pop culture grab-bag represented here lacks unity. Air Guitar has some fantastic content; but as a collection; it never justifies its own necessity. Still; it has its worth as a course on how to write fluid; optimistic criticism (certainly absent from todays polemical internet media); or; simply; as an expertly-rendered nostalgia trip.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. but being as intelligent and cultured as he isBy cg3A book Ive given to many people over the years. The writing; the insights; the humor are incomparable. Dave Hickey is a bit of a curmudgeon; but being as intelligent and cultured as he is; how could he not be.
