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The Traveler… the Vanderbilt’s marry… a sheriff helps to bury…
March 5, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
I traveled to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, by the way of the Valley Sentinel of March 5, 1912, where I found the announcement of the second marriage of Alfred Vanderbilt to Margaret Emerson, former Mrs. Smith McKim. It would be just slightly more than three years later that Mr. Vanderbilt would be among the victims of sinking of the Lusitania.
A sheriff, hearing that an aged-mother was taking in washing at her home to help to defray the funeral cost of her son who was to be hanged, sent her $5.00 to help to her with the expenses. The twist with the story is he is the sheriff that will be hanging her son… how ironic is that.
~The Traveler
The Traveler… on the rails… one more time…
February 6, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
I traveled today to the Valley Sentinel in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (February 6, 1912) where I encountered an interesting article entitled “Hobos In Convention” which was being presided by “Millionaire Hobo” James Eads How. This intrigued me to see if there was further information about Mr. How. I found that he truly was a 
millionaire who dedicated his life to the homeless and migrant workers, published the Hobo News, organized the International Brotherhood Welfare Association, hobo colleges and hobo conventions.
Another article is of a man who had died at the Homeopathic hospital and then taken to the city morgue. As he was about to be embalmed, he emitted a groan and tried to turn on his side. Every effort was taken to keep him alive, but signs of life faded away again. Now the dispute is going on between the police and the hospital as to when he really died.
~The Traveler
One collector’s passion…
January 16, 2012 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Old newspapers are not only great “stand alone” collectibles, but many collect them to be used as companion pieces to a separate primary interest. A fellow collector recently obtained what would normally have been considered a rather nondescript issue of Harper’s Weekly. However, after reading his note, I was reminded of the breadth of our favorite pass-time… rare & early newspapers. Please enjoy his story:
Hello, Guy…
I received the above order this past Saturday [a Harper’s Weekly, November 12, 1904, from New York, with “A Bird’s-Eye View of New York’s Rapid Transit Plans for the Future” by H. M. Pettit]. Ordinarily, I would not go to this length to confirm receipt of your fine products, but this is about a unique affair…something very different for me, and one – quite honestly – I never imagined would “come true”.
As you know, I’ve been studying the history of New York’s original Pennsylvania Station for many years now, and these studies have taken me on some incredible “journeys” through the land of (original) archival documents that have, some how, survived the “test of time”. I purchased one of your portfolios because what I recently acquired is so exceptional, it deserves a special place to reside in my archive.
Earlier this month, I inadvertently came upon an issued/cancelled stock certificate that is directly related to the construction of Pennsylvania Station…undeniably the most distinctive “find” I’ve made since I first pursued this subject years ago. What I actually found was a PDF link to the pages of a Spink Smythe auction catalog (pictured below, as Lot #516), the event having taken place in February 2010…Spink, with offices worldwide, specializes in rare stocks, bonds, and paper currency.
The significance of this document is that the Pennsylvania, New York & Long Island Rail Road was one of two “pioneering” ventures (the other being the Pennsylvania, New Jersey & New York Railroad) created in 1902 by the Pennsylvania Railroad to basically enact the provisions of its franchise agreement with the City of New York to build Penn Station and its sub-river tunnels, uniting Manhattan (by rail) with mainland America. These two small railroads – with a combined length of less than 20 miles – were consolidated in 1907 to form one operating authority, the Pennsylvania Tunnel & Terminal Railroad. Given the short “lifespan” and relatively low profile of these two railroads during the years of Penn Station’s construction, any documents pertaining to their existence (that have survived to this day) are very scarce.
I’ve had previous – though limited – experience with the Spink auction house, so I immediately “launched” an investigation into this document, and learned it did not sell at this February 2010 auction! Within a week or so, I made contact with a Spink official (in London, their corporate location) who not only confirmed the status of this item at that auction, but referred me to its consignee, to whom Spink returned the unsold certificate.
Not knowing what I was “in for” from this point onward, I telephoned the consignee, only to discover he is a reputable vendor of stock certificates and bank notes in New Hampshire…extremely knowledgeable, and an absolute pleasure to do business with. I’m sure – privately – he couldn’t believe somebody was calling him (from California, no less!) about a certificate that didn’t sell at auction so long ago, but we, nonetheless, had a wonderful conversation. Lo and behold, after briefly searching his inventory (of Spink returns), he called me back to say he found the certificate I was interested in. He offered it to me at a good price, and I now have this most incredible document (previously, a “distant”, digitized image from a nearly two-year-old catalog) in my possession.
While the “railroad-related” signatures and seals on the certificate are “chock-full” of history (and worth everything to me), an unexpected “bonus” surfaced when the vendor made note of the individual to whom this stock was issued…Clement A. Griscom. He suggested this person might be worth researching, so – while I awaited the certificate’s arrival – I did just that! Born 1841 in Philadelphia (died in 1912), Clement Griscom – pictured in his
1899 portrait above – was not your “everyday” stockholder, but, rather, a prominent shipping magnate…President of the International Navigation (steamship) Company. In 1902, he engaged Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan to finance the merger of International Navigation with five additional steamship lines, including a portion of Holland America, and the White Star Line (of Titanic fame). The Pennsylvania Railroad also retained Mr. Griscom as a director in their Northeast region for many years.
To set this monumental document before you is nothing short of dazzling…printed on watermarked (almost parchment-like) paper, the graphics are precise and impeccably executed. Handwritten inscriptions, such as Clement Griscom’s name and a date (July 1, 1902) – presumably entered by a secretary – and two signatures along the bottom, are all in black (fountain pen) ink, and very legible. The legendary Vice President of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Samuel Rea, signed the certificate to the right, and a very curious Treasurer’s signature – that of eminent 50-year PRR veteran “T {Taber} Ashton – pictured below, graces the left hand corner.
Adjacent to Mr. Ashton’s signature is the “wonder of it all”…a perfectly-embossed seal of the Pennsylvania, New York & Long Island Rail Road, whose name encircles the words, “New York 1902”. On the reverse side of this certificate [IMG 0095] is another set (“trio”) of beautiful graphics that were intended to be “showcased” when the document was folded in “thirds”. Fortunately, it was never folded, which certainly enhances its value and charm. The certificate looks wonderful in the portfolio…a perfect place to keep it for future reference, and to ensure its posterity.
As always…many thanks…
Ed
The Traveler… seeking Governor Wilson… the cats meow…
January 9, 2012 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled to January 9, 1912. While reading The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, Massachusetts I discovered that not unlike many in 2012, scores of citizens were also looking for the right man to run in opposition of the President in the upcoming presidential election. The headline read “Democrats Turn To Gov. Wilson As Man to Defeat Mr. Taft”, with the subheads, “Decide They Must Nominate Radical to Oppose president, as Conservative, and Thus Avert a Third Party”, “Find Him Popular” and “National Committeemen Surprised to Discover Sentiment Among Rank and File for New Jersey Candidate”. It is interesting to see history playing out many of the same themes over time.
I realize that Christmas has passed, but a small article on “Presents Given To Cats and Dogs” caught my eye. I know that pampering of four-legged friends is very trendy now, but I did not know that it was “cats meow” then as well!
~The Traveler
A reason to drink?
December 31, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This front page item from the “Prescott Journal-Miner” of Arizona, October 29, 1929, is self-explanatory. Perhaps some can commiserate. There’s a New Year’s resolution here somewhere…
Curious names of newspapers…
December 26, 2011 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
There is a piece in Oswald’s “Printing In The Americas” which discusses early names of newspapers which is interesting and worth sharing with fellow collectors:
“The names selected for early American newspapers afford material for interesting study. The world “News”, now so common, was not used except in combination with some other name. Such names as “Museum” and “Repository”, that would in these hustling journalistic days be fatal designations, appear frequently in the colonial list. The most overworked word among them all was “Gazette”. Every district & nearly every town had a “Gazette”. Several had more than one. Three numbers under that name were published under different ownerships at the same time in Williamsburg, Virginia, & three with the same title but with different subtitles were published at the same time at both Richmond, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina.
The “Mercury”, signifying alertness and swiftness, was a popular newspaper name. There were militant titles like the “Scourge”, “Inquisitor”, “Anti-Monarchist and Republican Watchman” “Sun of Liberty” and “Tree of Liberty”, and conciliatory titles like the “Olive Branch”, the “Philanthropist” and the “Missionary”. The “Lighthouse” and the “Intelligencer” would each seem to give promise of a certain amount of intellectuality, while at the opposite pole we find the “Idiot”, published in 1810 in Boston…”.
Other interesting titles of the pre-1820 era found in Brigham include: “Federal Spy” “Genius of Liberty” “Mirror of the Times” “Minerva” “Oracle of Dauphin” “People’s Friend” “Polar Star” “Rural Visiter” “Torch Light” “American Constellation” “Post-Angel” “Anti-Aristocrat” “Asylum” “Backwoodsman” “Kaleidoscope & Literary Rambler” “Boston Satirist” “Strength of the People” “Bye-Stander” “Candid Review” “Cornucopia” “Crisis” “Mountain Echo” “Engine of Liberty” “Political Banquet & Farmer’s Feast” “Honest American” “Magic Lantern” “Occasional Reverberator” “Spirit of ’76” “Temple of Reason” “Trump of Fame” “Wasp” “Temperate Zone” and so many more.
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.