A Christmas thought… loving our enemies…
December 25, 2011 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
As we reflect on all we’ve been given, the following historic account seems quite timely. The coverage, from WWI, appeared in the New York Times, December 31, 1914. I believe no commentary is needed:
Merry Christmas!
One never knows… Merry Christmas!
December 24, 2011 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The Christmas Season is a wonderful time of reflection for many… of love… of giving… of sacrifice. A few weeks ago a man came to us with a story involving rare newspapers (indirectly) which reminded us of the importance of caring for others. The icing on the cake is the involvement of a soldier who had given much… and received so little, until…
Richard Storrs was in the military in 1950 and had the unfortunate fate of being on a train as it traveled through Ohio when it was rammed by another. “221 Guardsman Dead” was the headline of the “Detroit News” of Sept. 11, 1950. Richard Storrs was among the survivors, but he injured his leg causing a disability.
He never received pension benefits from the incident, perhaps not believing it was possible as the years passed. But a prompt from others to pursue let to the need to prove the incident happened. Searching online in 2010 the Storrs’ found our website, which by good fortune happened to have the mentioned newspaper with details of the report on the front page. With this evidence his proof was secured and he was not only able to get pension benefits, but payments missed over the previous 60 years.
One never knows how our newspapers are actually used. We assume only collectors treasure them for historical information related to their interests, but obviously they can provide to be the missing link to family events, solve historical conundrums, and evidence needed to right a wrong from many years past.
The heros of this story are the “others” who will likely forever remain nameless, who saw a friend in need and prompted him to take action. Who can we be an “other” to during this wonderful season? We may never know the results of our kindnesses, but there is Someone who certainly will… and regardless, a child of God will be blessed.
Merry Christmas (Luke 10:25-37)!
The Staff of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers
The Traveler… Thanksgiving proclamation… schooling that maybe should be revisited…
November 28, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Happy belated Thanksgiving from “The Traveler”! Even though it is a few days past the U.S. observance, my travels found me back at Thanksgiving again with the November 29, 1911 issue of The Courier from Coldwater, Michigan. The front page of the issue features a large Proclamation from the Chase S. Osborn, Governor of Michigan, setting aside Thursday, November 30th for a day of prayer, feasting and thanksgiving.
Additionally on the front page is an article “Thanksgiving in Coldwater – At the Churches, the State School and City Schools” which begins “Every one of the ninety-two million American citizens is called upon by the President of the United States (Taft) and the Governor of his state to lift up to Heaven the praises of his heart to the Giver of All on Thursday…”. The article then continues about the programs which were held in the schools, including “In the High School, in place of the regular chapel exercises there was read the Governor’s and President’s proclamations…”.
Separation of church and state? Something about this report just seemed good. Maybe we should revisit the old school ways???
~The Traveler
Mark Twain on Mark Twain…
October 29, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This item, originally appearing in the “Edinburgh Scotsman” was picked up by the “Jerusalem News” issue of March 20, 1920.
Collector Eric Fettmann on Babe Ruth & Yankee Stadium…
October 24, 2011 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
Our website item #584134 offers a New York Times newspaper from 1914 which has the earliest mention of Babe Ruth in that newspaper, and possibly any newspaper. Has anyone found earlier mention? The listing also mentions a report of a new Yankee Stadium being built–with an illustration of it–but I could find no documentation of it elsewhere. Eric offers further information on both with his comments:
Tim,
The Traveler… we’ve come a long way baby…
October 17, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I traveled to The Woman’s Journal of October 14, 1911. This issue was celebrating after waiting two days for the outcome of the California election on the
suffrage vote… “reading first with despair, then with growing hope and finally with jubilation the conflicting reports that came over the wires… Praise God. Victory ours. Four thousand majority.” The front page contains a photo of the Statue of Liberty with six stars surrounding her. These represented the states which have passed the “equal suffrage” — Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Washington and now adding California.
The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention is traditionally viewed as the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement. It was not until June 4, 1919 that Congress sent the proposal for the 19th Amendment, the woman’s right to vote, and then it was not until August 18, 1920 that the final ratification was passed, by the vote from Tennessee. It was a long road, but “we’ve come a long way baby” since then!
~The Traveler
The Traveler… the dam burst… the judge “solomonizes” it…
October 3, 2011 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
In the travels of The New York Tribune dated October 3, 1911, I found several reports on the destruction of the town of Austin, Pennsylvania. This occurred just a few days prior and was the result of the breaking of a fifty foot high and thirty foot wide concrete dam which then flooded this small town, destroying everything in its path.
In contrast to the above tragedy… A bit of an amusing story is included of a court case which involved the owners of two cows, each of which became the mother to a calf. They wanted to have the court decide which rightfully owned the calf. The magistrate literally took to the fields (the pasture) and “solomonized” his decision by the conduct of the cows and the calf. See image for details.
~The Traveler
Actual headlines…
September 10, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
We offer thanks to fellow collector Morris Brill for some of the following headlines which appeared in recent newspapers:
“Iraqi Head Seeks Arms”
“Cold Wave Linked To Temperatures”
“Man Struck By Lightning Faces Battery Charge”
“Many Antiques At Senior Citizens’ Sale”
“Lack of Brains Hinders Research””
“Prisoners Escape After Execution”
“No Cause of Death Determined Fro Beheading Victim”
“Teacher Dies; Board Accepts His Resignation”
“Experts Are Sure The Dow Will Either Rise Or Decline”
“Lucky Man Sees Friend Die”
“Voluntary Workers Strike For Higher Pay”
Another cure for baldness…
September 3, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This advertisement for “Graham’s Glass Vacuum Cap” appeared in the Oct. 7, 1905 issue of “Scientific American“. It proclaims: “See Your Hair Grow”. The instructions say that: “…when you have caused a good, healthy, red glow in the scalp…” it will cause hair to grow. I would think a red, glowing scalp would be a sign of other problems…
What happened to this Yankee stadium?
August 22, 2011 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
A question for all the Yankee fans out there: what happened to this stadium?
The March 29, 1914 issue of the “New York Times” shows the “…Plans For Yankees Park…” with a detailed drawing captioned: “How the Yankees’ Ball Yard at 225th Street and Broadway Will Look When it is Completed.” and beneath which is a detailed article headed: “Yankees’ New Park To Hold 40,000 Fans” “Double-Deck Grand Stand of Steel and Concrete to be Completed in September“. The article (see photos) provides many details of the new ball park, however I can find no record of it being built.
The Yankee website notes that the team shared the Polo Grounds with the Giants from 1913 through the early 1920’s until the stadium called the “House that Ruth Built” was ready for use in 1923. Does anyone know the history of this “mystery stadium” supposedly built in 1914?




