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Before the Jane Fonda video…
August 24, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Scientific American” issue of Nov. 18, 1911 offers this interesting solution for “…reducing abdominal weight”. I don’t think this one caught on…
The Traveler… The Olympic champion, Jim Thorpe…
August 20, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
In today’s journey I traveled to Carlisle, Pennsylvania through the Valley Sentinel dated August 20, 1912, wherein I found: “Olympic Reception a Gratifying Success”, being the home-town (college) celebration for the Olympic two-time gold medalist Jim Thorpe. His performance was amazing as he destroyed the world’s best in the decathlon and pentathlon. There is a lot of coverage in this paper on the celebration, including mention of Coach “Pop” Warner.
One hundred years later, Olympians are still breaking records in many ways, not only by performance and speed… Michael Phelps retires as the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 medals; Gabby Douglas, the first African-American to win gold in all-around gymnastics; the first ‘blade-runner’ Oscar Pistorius, and many more yet to come. Congratulations to all of the Olympians!
~The Traveler
He’ll be singing the blues…
August 17, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The “Omaha Bee News” issue of Sept. 16, 1932 has this interesting report of a a singer destined for jail…
The Traveler… Taft is notified… have we learned yet?
August 6, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to Farmington, Maine by way of The Franklin Journal (August 6, 1912). There I found that “President Taft was formally notified Thursday of his nomination by the National Republican convention at Chicago.” This would be a year in which a four-way presidential election occurred — Republican, Democratic, Progressive and Socialist.
In part of the acceptance speech, “…the president launches into a bitter attack upon ‘those responsible for the popular unrest’ of the present day… Votes are not bread, constitutional amendments are not work, referendums do not pay rent or furnish houses, recalls do not furnish clothing, initiatives do not supply employment or relieve inequalities of condition or of opportunity…” (see below). Here we are in another election year, 100 years later, with what sounds like the exact same issues…
~The Traveler
Tired of fishing him out of the well…
August 3, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This tidbit from the “Olive Branch“, Boston, Nov. 19, 1853, expresses one Californian’s frustration.
Not sure this one worked…
July 27, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Before the days of plastic surgery or rhinoplasty, here is how problems with the nose were supposedly “cured”. While subscribers were on the hunt for great baseball news, this ad is in the “Baseball Magazine” issue of June, 1923. 
The traveler… a presidential proclamation… some things never change…
July 16, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, through The Weekly Register of July 18, 1812. There I found President James Madison had issued “A Proclamation” to the people of The United States for a day of Humiliation and Prayer for “… their common vows and adorations to Almighty God, on this solemn occasion produced by the war… that turning the hearts of our enemies from the violence and injustice which sway their councils against us, he would hasten a restoration of the blessings of peace…”.
The very last item in this issue (see below) dealt with the newspaper receiving complaints on the irregularity in which it has been received. They were assuring the people that all the newspapers were being “…put into the post office at this place on the day of publication…” and that “.. The delays are upon the road… It is however, due to our excellent post office establishment to say that there are fewer complaints than were anticipated.” Some things apparently have not changed in 200 years…
~The Traveler
Constitution for the “Philadelphia Dueling Club”…
July 13, 2012 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
“The Courier” newspaper of Norwich, Connecticut has in its July 2, 1800 edition an apparently tongue-in-cheek report detailing the constitution for the “Philadelphia Dueling Club”. The fact that it was approved on May 32, 1800, and signed by “William Blood, President’ and “Charles Bullet, Secretary” seems to render this less than real, the content is nonetheless interesting reading.
Its preamble notes that dueling has become: “…the fashion to the infinite satisfaction of all men of true honor, & whereas the opinion that this practice is improper & Immoral being only held by old women, or men who ought to wear petticoats…” with more. See the photo for the full 1st article… and the link above for the full text.
The Traveler… first female aviator killed… turn-about is fair play…
July 2, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to Carlisle, Pennsylvania by way of the Valley Sentinel dated July 2, 1912 where I found the report of the first female aviator killed. Miss Margaret Quimby and her manager fell 1,000 feet to their deaths as they were ejected from their seats when the monoplane that Miss Quimby was flying was upset by gusty winds. View the link above for additional details.
The front page of this issue also has an article about a man who had just been before a magistrate on charges of wife beating, “…was taken from a policeman by thirty-five masked men, dressed in women’s clothes, and was dragged to the ball park, where he was partly stripped of his clothing, tied to a post and a ‘rubber snake’ whip was plied to the bare flesh of Bowman until his cries for mercy could be heard for blocks…” He was taken home and warned to never to it again. I guess this was a case of turn-about is fair play… Nice to find such polar opposite woman’s interest coverage (women in flight vs. battered women within the home) within a single issue.
~The Traveler
Not too much has changed in over 60 years…
June 22, 2012 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
This six-point prescription for a longer life appeared on the front page of the “Detroit Free Press” issue of March 17, 1951.