Does the phonograph have a future?

November 28, 2009 by · 1 Comment 

Thomas-A-Edison-11_14_2009The piece shown is from “The Alaskan” newspaper of Sitka, dated March 20, 1886. It’s an interesting commentary on a problem with Thomas Edison perfecting his new photograph.

A sale that worked out just fine…

November 21, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

In a day & age when sales of items between people can be fraught with troubles, here is an interesting “sale” that seemed to work out just fine.  It appeared in “The London Chronicle” issue of June 4, 1767:

bricklayer_sale

A way to get rich??

October 24, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

Get_RichThe “Mother Lode Magnet” newspaper from the mining town of Jamestown in Northern California offers yet another interesting piece…  this one on “One Way To Get Rich”.  Much food for thought:

Could have been worded better…

October 3, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

The following appeared in “The Daily Courant” newspaper from London, January 2, 1705:

“This day is publish’d, Her Majesty’s Head finely Engrav’d upon a Copper Plate fifteen Inches square, and Adorn’d after the manner of Penmanship. Price 6d. Sold by J.Nutt near Stationers-Hall. “

A novel way to keep the money coming…

August 29, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

august_29_2009_postThe following is taken from the “Gentleman’s Magazine” issue of July, 1768, published in London.  Perhaps a distant ancestor of Edgar Allan Poe?

A legal conundrum…

August 1, 2009 by · 4 Comments 

legal_conundrumThe Olympia Transcript” newspaper of Washington Territory, Nov. 30, 1867, poses an interesting question:

“Suppose a man owns a skiff; he fastens the skiff to the shore with a rope made of straw; along comes a cow; cow gets into the boat; turns around & eats the rope; the skiff thus let loose with the cow on board, starts down stream and on its passage is upset; the cow is drowned. Now, has the man that owns the cow got to pay for the boat or the man that owns the boat got to pay for the cow?”

Any thoughts from our readers?

A new (old) definition of a “sacrifice hit”…

July 18, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

baseball_term_sacrifice_hitSince we are in the midst of  baseball season, this little comic item from “Life” magazine of June 28, 1894 would seem appropriate.

Definition of “half drunk” and “whole drunk”…

July 4, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

drunk_half_or_wholeThe Massachusetts Spy newspaper of Worcester, dated July 21, 1830, includes in interesting tidbit on the intoxication levels of four young surgeons in London.

Editors take note: be mindful of photos accompanying headlines…

June 4, 2009 by · 1 Comment 

kennedy_killedThe “Second Extra” of the Atlanta Journal newspaper of November 22, 1963 has a curious–if not macabre–combination of headline and photo. As would be expected of an “Extra” of this date, the large & bold headline proclaims: “KENNEDY KILLED” but immediately beneath it is a photo of a street sweeper pushing his bucket which has a pair of trousers & boots protruding from the top, with the caption: “Sweeper Means What He Says”.

One might excuse the editor, for I’m sure that in rushing this edition to the streets as quickly as possible  the planned headline was removed and the Kennedy death report quickly inserted with little thought as to what else was scheduled for top half that day’s edition.  But it serves as an important lesson to budding newspaper editors everywhere: be mindful of what what might accompany an article or photo.

Responding to the patriotic call…

April 25, 2009 by · Leave a Comment 

terms_for_recruitsThe Columbian Centinel newspaper from Boston, April 28, 1792 contains a very inconspicuous notice at the bottom of the front page which calls for recruits for the military. It’s the wording which is a delight, as the call was put forth:

“To the sons of ambition—Those noble fellows whose courage and superiority of soul dictate to them to enter the list of Fame…Her field is now open and filled with every inducement for a Soldier; every necessary of life and every chance for fortune. It will be your fault if she does not stamp on your names HERO to be caught by every ear…” with more.

See the photo for the full text of this delightful little gem from the 18th century.

« Previous PageNext Page »