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The Traveler… oh rats…
September 9, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I have selected tomorrow’s date for our travel advantage. The Connecticut Mirror issue dated September 10, 1810 which on the front page carried an article entitled “Character of Bonaparte”. Mr. S. T. Coleridge had instituted a political paper in which the character of Bonaparte was handled with great severity of reprehension, and assailed with great vehemence of indignant feeling, for which Mr. Coleridge was attacked and vindicated through another newspaper. The article on Bonaparte’s character was introduced for the purpose of shewing the propriety of the epithets which he has applied to it and to be perused with interest. Inside the issue is the reporting of the “End of the Dutch Nation” with the annexing of Holland to the French Empire.
The story from Baltimore, Sept. 1 began as “Was set on fire, on Friday morning, between 2 and 3 o’clock … “ This proceeded to tell of a fire at the home of Jacob Hoffman, “the fire originated from a Rat, which conveyed a lighted candle from the fire hearth, to a closet where the hole was, the fire originated at the hole and made its progress thro the ceiling; but was happily discovered before any material damage was done… It is hoped the above will be a caution to those who are in the habit of letting lighted candles stand in low places after retiring.” By the way, it was noted that the “singular rat” was found dead after the fire was extinguished.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… who really invented “the talkies”?
August 26, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s journey, through The Christian Science Monitor dated August 26, 1910, took me on the train ride with Colonel Roosevelt as he was traveling across the states on his campaign tour. I found a segment a bit amusing… “At Erie the Colonel spoke to fully 5000 people. At Dunkirk a crowd nearly as large surrounded the train, and some one shouted, ‘Hello, Teddy!’ ‘I used to think it lowered my dignity to have them call me Teddy,’ the colonel said to his party in an undertone, ‘but do you know I am getting to like it now.'” A this point in time, one just somewhat “assumes” that he was always called Teddy.
While looking further into the issue, I found a one paragraph article with a headline “Mr. Edison Works On A New Device” and I just had to read it. “Moving pictures that talk, reproducing not only the action, but the spoken words of actors shown on the canvas, promise to revolutionize the moving picture business and the announcement that a machine that will combine the perfected phonograph with the present motion picture camera is being constructed in the laboratory of Thomas A. Edison in West Orange, has created a stir among inventors.”
This made me wonder just when were “talkies” invented and who invented it? Was this ground-breaking news? I did some researching through google. In the late 1890’s, there were some sound to movies but each person had to wear a listening device — early headsets?? Mr. Edison is mentioned as to be working on creating a special machine to make the “talkies” but the first talk was not to be until 1927 with the release of The Jazz Singer.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… a ghost of a dog…
August 12, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I did not select an issue of today’s date, instead I found the Connecticut Mirror dated August 13, 1810 instead. The front page of this issue begins with providing to the public the celebrated secret message of President Jefferson, on the 6th of December, 1805. This message was in respect of the relations of the United States with Spain and France concerning Louisiana. When I first saw this, I thought back to the 1970’s when Watergate occurred with the “missing minutes” of tape. Here they had secret messages that finally were revealed to the public five years later.
The story that was the eye-catcher was found on the back page, entitled “Ghost of a Dog”. This comes from a Dublin paper reporting of a lady who was scratched by a neighborhood dog, but she viewed it as a “breach of hospitality” that she demanded an order of execution on the dog. This was done, in a strange manner, and the dog’s body was retrieved by some friends. With some very unusual tactics over a course of about three weeks, the dog was able to run about as usual, make his rounds to visit his old friends, including meeting up with the lady he had scratched. She was so terrified that she fell into fits and at the time of the report was near death. Now… what’s the old saying… what goes around, comes around???
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Preferred seating…
July 29, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s travel is taking us back 200 years. However, I was not able to find a publication for the exact date of July 29, 1810, therefore, I selected a Columbian Centinel dated July 25, 1810 (the closest I could find). On the second page of the issue I found a header “Unfortunate Ship Margaret” which immediate intrigued me as to why it was unfortunate. This is a lengthy report of the Margaret, which we discover that while on voyage from Naples, had upset and part of the crew were saved on the long-boat while 31 others were left adrift on the ship. The article proceeds to give details of what they endured during the 23 days at sea until they were rescued by a passing ship, it being the fourth ship they had seen (ouch).
I also enjoy looking at advertisements, especially within 18th and 19th century issues, as they are often quite interesting… and at times, unique. Some also contain woodblock illustrations – and this issue is no exception . However, I found two advertisements that were a bit different. The first was a “Stop a Runaway“, which was a notification of a runaway apprentice boy. The other was quite intriguing as it was “Pews in the First Church — For Sale”, not to take home for use but for use during the worship services! Now — we joke at our church about “my pew” or “their pew”, but this takes preferred seating to a whole new level!! 🙂
~The Traveler
The Traveler… possibilities in Alaska??
July 15, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
While reading through The Christian Science Monitor dated July 15, 1910, I came across a report from Jacob H. Schiff. The report states that he and a party of friends were inspecting part of Alaska and as a result, are convinced it will become as populous and as productive as parts of Norway, Siberia and Russia. He (Jacob) states the greatest need of the far north to be transportation (access) and goes on further to identify the regions he believes would best be served by access by rail (train). At the time, did they really think that this would become possible??
Note (Google exploration): Through a little fun internet searching I discovered that Mr. Schiff was a well known banker and philanthropist with a descendant married to Al Gore’s daughter.
Looking further through the issue, a name of a city quickly caught my eye – Williamsport, PA! It seems that our hometown, the Lumber Capital of the World, was honoring the lumbermen with the hosting of a convention. Very cool!!
The final small article that just made me look twice had a heading of “Japanese Envoy Coming”, followed with the dateline “Honolulu”. Just knowing what occurred only three decades later…
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Celebrating the 4th…
July 1, 2010 by The Traveler · 1 Comment
Happy 4th of July to all!! In reading through newspapers for this week, I decided not to select today’s date, but yesterday’s instead. The Boston Patriot, dated June 30, 1810, contains a large announcement of the “Republican Celebration!” for the Celebration of the
4th of July, 1810 — it being the 34th Anniversary of American Independence. This issue shows the the progression of the Bunker-Hill festivities which would proceed from the State House to Bunker-Hill. There are also other articles within the issue in reference to the Fourth of July.
On a side note, while scanning through the issue I noticed within the “Died” notifications an amazing announcement. One brief reports that “Ann Sylvester, a free black woman, died on Tuesday the 14th at Falmouth, Jamaica, at the very advanced age of 133 years“. A very advanced age indeed!! It also provided information on her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all 82 of them!… with additional amazing information about her as well. Quite a lady! ~The Traveler
The Traveler… “The Apprentice (s)”…
June 17, 2010 by The Traveler · 1 Comment
While reading through The Post Boy (London) dated June 17, 1710, I came across a few articles pertaining to the news of the day that were interesting. One was related to a current topic of interest, “job security”, being a petition from Master Gun-Smiths for and on-behalf of themselves (Dublin and Ireland) stating they were to be the ones to making the Arms for themselves – perhaps a conflict of interest??? Another was the report of the returning of the Majesty’s ships, “as prize, a French Privateer.”
However, it was an advertisement which really caught my eye. It begins with “Went away from their Master…” and continues on to describe two young lads, their clothing, provides their names and states that they “suppos’d to be straggled on Ship Board”, and that anyone who helps to find them “shall be kindly rewarded”. Interesting contrast between those who were trying feverishly to preserve their livelihood with those who were running from it. ~The Traveler
The Traveler… Let the journeys begin…
June 3, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
After reading Tim’s recent blog posting on digging into an article that was not the “meat and potatoes” of the issue, I decided it would be interesting and intriguing to see what could be found within issues 100, 200 or 300 years ago. As we work with the newspapers, we are constantly being side-tracked with different articles and advertisements that catch our eye and these will be share with you from time to time. Welcome to This Day In History…
On June 3, 1910, within the issue of the Christian Science Monitor (Boston), I found the amazing news reporting of the round-trip aviation feat of flying across the English Channel — a total of 53 miles as Capt. Charles Rolls took it upon himself to circle twice over Sangatte before his return flight to Dover. And to think that we are actually flying to space stations and landing just like an ordinary flight!
However, another intriguing article was of a young Cossack woman who had started to ride from Hargin, Manchuria to St. Petersburg on a Mongolian pony. The distance was 5,420 miles. I wonder if she ever made it??
As I was about to put the issue down I also happened to notice a mention of the famous aviation pioneer, Glen Curtiss. Who knows what other “treasures” might be buried within this issue???
~The Traveler