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The Traveler… “The Little Belt Affair”… Bonaparte putting up a “smoke front”…
June 6, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s travels landed on a nice surprise! The Middlesex Gazette dated June 6, 1811 carries a lengthy letter by Commodore John Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy dated May 23, 1811. This 
was referencing a confrontation between his frigate and a Britannic which at first would not identify itself, and then was revealed to be Little Belt. This incident furthered the tension between Britain and the United States which led to the War of 1812.
Also in this issue is the reporting that Bonaparte had established a public Manufactory of Tobacco and Snuff. This would be carried on by “a particular committee for the benefit of the public chest, or in other words for his own benefit, and that no private individual shall in future be concerned in the manufacture of these articles…” He would control what type and where all the tobacco would be purchased, etc. Does it sound a little self-serving??
~The Traveler
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… June 1, 1861
June 1, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
Today’s edition, June 1, 1861, has a great illustration of “Major-General Benjamin F. Butler” and a biography of him. After reading so much about him–and other military officers–it’s very nice to see prints of them. Butler appears to be an older man than I would have suspected.
A full page print of the “Cabinet of the Confederate States at Montgomery” includes familiar & unfamiliar names, although if this war drags on much longer I suspect all will be familiar to us in the North. Included are their President, Jefferson Davis, and Vice President Stephens.
A print of a well fortified “Fort Pulaski” in the Savannah River of Georgia is supplemented by a drawing of one of the ten inch guns within the fort–simply huge! I can only imagine the destructive power it must create. The centerfold has several prints including “The Military Occupation of Baltimore” showing an encampment at Federal Hill, plus a print of the “City of Montgomery Alabama” showing slaves cultivating in the foreground with the skyline just beyond the river. The capitol of the Confederacy must be the imposing building on the left. There is also an inset of “The White House at Montgomery”, a much smaller residence than the White House in Washington.
Another print shows the Patent Office in Washington turned into a bunkhouse for troops from Rhode Island, rifles stacked at the end of the bunks. Another print shows: “Drumming out Albany Volunteers who Refused to Take the Oath”. As the article reads they are: “…stripped of their arms, a white feather stuck over each ear (because they are chicken?), & they were marched out of the Armory grounds with the drums playing the Rogue’s March. Crowds of people assembled to see them undergo the degrading penance.” There is also a nice print of the armory at Albany. What an imposing sight, almost castle-like.
Hawaii’s first “regular” newspaper…
May 30, 2011 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
In a previous post we discussed the first newspaper in Hawaii was essentially a student newspaper, titled “Ka Lama Hawaii” (The Hawaiian Luminary), done by Protestant missionaries at their school at Lahainaluna on the island of Maui. But it was just a few months later when the second newspaper in Hawaii–and considered the first “regular” newspaper on the islands–was published. “Ke Kumu Hawaii” began publication on Nov. 12, 1834 (some references cite an October beginning which cannot be verified).
We were fortunate to bring into our inventory the volume one, number two issue of this title, dated Nov. 26, 1834. Very similar in size to “Ka Lama Hawaii” it contains 8 pages, 6 of which are in the Hawaiian language. Rather than a student, or school newspaper, this was a regular newspaper for the general public.
We provide photos of this very rare newspaper for our friends to enjoy.
Today’s Front Pages… a nice newspaper app…
May 28, 2011 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
A newspaper collector recently brought to our attention a nice newspaper-related app:
“For iPhone and iPad users there is a fantastic App for collectors. The Newseum has an App called Today’s Front Pages. It has a full page photo of every major and most minor papers in the US and many foreign papers for that current day. So on the day a major event hits the news I can check all the major papers or the paper where the event occurred and see if the page is something I want. You can only check the current day. Even many small town papers are represented including the Sun-Gazette. Great for collectors!” Steve. K.
While the majority of collectors wait for history to prove-out which headlines are worthy of collecting, this app will allow those on the cutting edge of future collectible to be a bit more proactive. I’ve already downloaded the (free) app for use. You can as well at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/todays-front-pages/id418572455?mt=8
Thanks Steve. If your interest still remains in past events, feel free to browse headlines through time at: www.rarenewspapers.com
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… May 25, 1861
May 25, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
Today’s issue, dated May 25, 1861, has the entire front page taken up with a a very dramatic fire at Willard’s Hotel in the nation’s capital, showing the New York Fire Zouaves working feverishly to t out the blaze. One firemen is being held by his legs as he is suspended upside down with a fire hose!
Other prints inside deal more with the war, including: “Camp Cameron…” from Washington, D.C., a nice print of “Evening Parade at Fort Pickens…” which provides a nice overview of the fort. Another print shows troops leaving from Dubuque, Iowa, aboard two of the large paddle wheeler boats which ply the Mississippi. The interior of the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington shows a Mass. regiment resting there, with support braces for the construction work going on evident. I understand the new dome is in the early stages of completion.
A full page print shows: “The 79th Regiment (Highlanders) ” of the New York Militia marching down the street in kilts! What a sight! And there is also an impressive full page print of “Camp Scott, York, Pennsylvania” showing many troops encamped there.
Yet another page has a map of the United States showing the strategic routes in the interior of the country. I always look forward to maps concerning the war as they provide a perspective which makes the battle strategies in the various parts of the country more understandable.
The Traveler… Standard Oil dissolved… now that makes sense…
May 16, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled into The Christian Science Monitor dated May 16, 1911 and found that after being in court cases for over four and a half years, the Standard Oil case had been ruled on by the U. S. Supreme Court with the decision being for the dissolving of the company due to anti-trust practices. This issue includes a photo of the Supreme Court justices and a text block with the charges against the company.
Another article in the issue dealt with need for new street lamps in Florence, New Jersey. The election for the gas commissioners and appropriation for the lamps were to be held in May, however, there was no board to conduct the election. How’s that for politics?
~ The Traveler
First newspapers in Oklahoma…
May 9, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The history of present-day Oklahoma is different from most states, as most of the district was set apart by Congress in 1834 for the occupation of five tribes of southern Indians who were taken there from 1820-1840. In 1889 part of the area was opened for white settlement, although a considerable number moved into the territory before lawful entry, causing them to to be called “Sooners”. Oklahoma did not become a state until 1907, the third last of the continuous 48 to do so (New Mexico & Arizona were the last).
The first Oklahoma printing press came by way of Georgia & Tennessee where it published various Indian pamphlets. The first newspaper in Oklahoma was the “Cherokee Advocate” which began Se[pt. 26, 1844 at Tahlequah, printed in both English and Cherokee. It was preceded by one month by the “Cherokee Messenger” but it was more of a magazine than a newspaper, and it lasted for just 13 issues. The “Advocate” continued publishing–with some interruptions–for over 60 years.
The “Choctaw Telegraph” was issued at Doaksville in the Choctaw Nation near the end of 1848 but it did not last beyond a year. But it was then revived in 1870 and continued until 1907. Yet another newspaper was printed at Doaksville in May, 1850, called the “Choctaw Intelligencer“. Printed in both English & Choctaw it lasted for about a year. The other pre-Civil War newspaper was actually a high school publication called the “Cherokee Rosebud” and done by the students of Park Hill Female Seminary at Tahlequah. It began in 1848.
The Civil War… 150 years ago today… May 4, 1861
May 4, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We continue our weekly feature of reflecting upon the appropriate 150 year old issue of “Harper’s Weekly” from the perspective of a subscriber in 1861:
The front page of today’s May 4, 1861 issue portrays what seems to me an eerie sight. It is captioned: “The House-Tops In Charleston During the Bombardment of Sumter” and shows what appears to be hundreds of men and women watching the battle in the distance, smoke rising from the forts & what appears to be bomb blasts as well. It is as if they are watching fireworks on the 4th of July–but this is war! Several of the women are shown doubled over in grief. It must have been a distressing event to witness.
The maps are always helpful in providing a geographic perspective of the war. A full page map shows: “…Part of Maryland and Virginia, Showing the Probable Theatre of the War”. It’s a great view of Chesapeake Bay, showing Baltimore to the north and Norfolk to the south, and including Washington, D.C. & other towns as well. I didn’t realize the nation’s capital was so close to the Bay.
Another full page shows: “The Great Meeting in Union Square, New York, to Support the Government” which includes both soldiers and citizens. Two other prints show the support for the war with the “Boston Regiments Embarking for Washington…” and a parade of “The Seventh Regiment, Marching Down Broadway to Embark for the War” with cheering fans along the way, even hanging from the windows and cheering from the rooftops–flags everywhere. It must have been a very special sight!
The drama & tragedy of war is certainly depicted in the print: “First Blood–The Sixth Mass. Regiment Fighting Their Way Through Baltimore”. It shows nearly hand-to-hand fighting, long rifles involved with killed & wounded on the ground. The daily reports can’t relay the violence a single print portrays.
Other prints are interesting as well showing the huge size of the “Stevens’ Bomb-Proof Floating Battery” (but made out of wood: how can it be bomb-proof?), “The Heroes of Fort Sumter” and soldiers preparing for war.
The Traveler… election time of the year… Standard Oil anti-trust case…
May 2, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
As I began to venture into my travels, I remembered that we are also heading into a lot of the preliminary voting times. This led me to The Woman’s Journal which, as stated underneath the title, was the “Official Organ of the National American Woman Suffrage Association” founded by Lucy Stone and Henry B. Blackwell in 1870. The issue I selected was not for today’s date, but for May 27, 1911 when they announced that they would be hold their National Suffrage Convention in October. It was not until 1920 that women received the right to vote. Fifty years of persistence paid off!!
Also within the issue is an article pertaining to the recent ruling of the Standard Oil anti-trust case which dissolved Standard Oil. An interesting statement was.. “The Standard Oil trust, nominally dissolved, will no doubt recombine in a slightly different form and continue to do business at the old stand, and will raise the price of oil enough to cover its law expenses.” Shocking, right?!?!
~The Traveler
10 Most Shocking Deaths in Sports History…
April 23, 2011 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
We recently became aware of another blogger’s post we thought you might appreciate. While rare newspapers bring us news of varied events, none grabs our attention quite like the 1st reports of tragedy. In some cases, the untimely death of an athlete such as Dale Earnhardt, or a musician such as Elvis Presley, are profoundly impacting since they are often so unexpected. It is with this in mind we draw our attention to one writer’s view of the “10 Most Shocking Deaths in Sports History“. You may or may not agree with all of the names on the list, but each story reminds us of the brevity of life, and the anguish when such brevity is realized in the prime of life. Note: The writer, Jena Ellis, has included links to the 1st reports for each person on her list. Feel free to comment.
“The 10 Most Shocking Deaths in Sports History“