Ostensibly exploring the practice of law before the internet. Heck, before good highways for that matter.
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Egg Sandwich Number 4 (1910) on Sandwiches of History
Tuesday, July 10, 1900. Nipper.
It is difficult to say how the idea came to me beyond the fact that it suddenly occurred to me that to have my dog listening to the phonograph, with an intelligent and rather puzzled expression, and call it His Master's Voice would make an excellent subject. We had a phonograph and I often noticed how puzzled he was to make out where the voice came from. It was certainly the happiest thought I ever had
Barraud.
Monday, July 9, 1900. The Taiyuan Massacre
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Monday, July 9, 1900. The Taiyuan Massacre
Shanxi Province Governor Yu-Hsien ordered captive foreign missionaries and their families to be executed. 46, 34 Protestants and 12 Catholics, were.
Catholic missionaries came to Shanxi in 1633, and Protestant churches were established in 1865.
Queen Victoria signed the Act to Constitute the Commonwealth of Australia proclaiming that five of the six colonies (Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland) and "if Her Majesty is satisfied that the people of Western Australia have agreed thereto", a sixth would "unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland."
Last edition.
Saturday, July 7, 1900. Martyrs of China.
Monday, July 7, 2025
Saturday, July 7, 1900. Martyrs of China.
Bishop Antonino Fantosati and Father Joseph Gambaro were tortured and killed by Boxer rebels. They were both canonized as party of the Martyrs of China.
Last edition:
Friday, July 6, 1900. Warren Earp killed.
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Friday, July 6, 1900. Warren Earp killed.
The Eight Nation Alliance was forced to retreat from Tianjin.
Warren Earp, youngest brother of the famous Wyatt Earp, was shot and killed at the Headquarters Saloon in Willcox, Arizona. Earp, who had a local reputation as a bully, was shot by Henry Hooker's range boss, Johnny Boyett, with whom he did not get along. Boyett was apparently not that good of shot as the fatal shot was the fifth one fired at close range. Earp was unarmed.
Last edition:
Thursday, July 5, 1900. Democratic nominees and a Canadian VC.
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Thursday, July 5, 1900. Democratic nominees and a Canadian VC.
The Democratic Party nominated William Jennings Bryan for President, and former U.S. Vice-President Adlai E. Stevenson for Vice President.
Originally timed for July 4, a debate over the silver to gold ration for coinage delayed it.
British born Canadian soldier Arthur Herbert Lindsay Richardson
On the 5th July, 1900, at Wolve Spruit, about 15 miles north of Standerton, a party of Lord Strathcona's Corps, only 38 in number, came into contact, and was engaged at close quarters, with a force of 80 of the enemy. When the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Richardson rode back under a very heavy cross-fire and picked up a trooper whose horse had been shot and who was wounded in two places and rode with him out of fire. At the time when this act of gallantry was performed, Sergeant Richardson was within 300 yards of the enemy, and was himself riding a wounded horse.
The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act passed the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
Last edition:
Wednesday, July 4, 1900. Streetcar disaster.
Friday, July 4, 2025
Wednesday, July 4, 1900. Streetcar disaster.
A streetcar in Tacoma Washington plunged 100 feet into a ravine, killing 43 people who were coming from a July 4 celebration.
The Standard Oil refinery in Bayonne, New Jersey, was destroyed when lightening hit a 40,000 gallon petroleum tank.
Such incidents were fairly common in pre World War Two refining.
Last edition:
Monday, July 2, 1900. Measles.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Monday, July 2, 1900. Measles.
A quarantine was declared in Nome, Alaska, due to a measles outbreak in the Native American community. Mortality rates in some communities reached 100%.
Let that sink in. 100%. Up to 2,000 people died.
And now, you have this:
Wyoming reports first measles case since 2010
Wyoming reports first measles case since 2010: Infected child may have exposed people in Casper hospital’s ER waiting room to highly contagious virus.
Of course, you can vaccinate for measles, but with the current anti scientific atmosphere, and somebody like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., in charge of HHS, well. . .
The LZ1 Zeppelin, the first rigid airship, flew from the Manzell district of Friedrichshafen, Germany, near Lake Constance for 3.75 miles (6.04 km) in 18 minutes before being forced to land due to a broken part.
Last edition:
Sunday, July 1, 1900. A battle in Peking and a royal wedding.
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Sunday, July 1, 1900. A battle in Peking and a royal wedding.
The Chinese army drove off German and American defenders within the legation area but failed to exploit their advantage before the situation was recovered.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, married Sophie Chotek von Chotkova at Reichstadt in Bohemia.
Last edition:
Tuesday, June 26, 1900. Prejudice and Equality.
Friday, June 27, 2025
French Dip Sandwich (1908 0r 1918) on Sandwiches of History
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Sunday, Juue 3, 1900. Cold reception in a hot climate.
William Howard Taft arrived in Manila on the USS Hancock as Governor-General of the Philippines, replacing General Arthur MacArthur. the last military governor.
Taft would later say; "I cannot describe the coldness of the Army officers and the Army men who received us any better than by saying that it somewhat exceeded the coldness of the populace." Given the attitude of career Army officers at the time, that can't be doubted.
The International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) was founded in New York City.
Germany's comprehensive meat inspection laws in the world, to that time.
Boxers cut the rail line between Beijing and Tianjin.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Clothing, then and now, and a lost manufacturing base.
derek guy@dieworkwear
at the turn of the 20th century, working class men had something like two pairs of pants, three shirts, and a pair of boots. middle class men wore detachable collars bc shirts were expensive. one man died bc he got drunk. his head drooped & he choked to death on his stiff collar
Very interesting, really, and not just in the context of the Very Stable Genius and his trade war with China, but in terms of the focus of this page.
I've discussed this before, but cheap clothing is a post World War Two thing. The entire series of jokes about people having vast numbers of shoes, or t-shirts that are decades old, reflects a bonafide change in how people live. I recall my father mentioning that at one time it was considered ideal to buy a suit with two pairs of pants, as you could stretch out the cleaning.
Clothing now costs less, and frankly it lasts a lot longer, than it once did.
Indeed, how often do you really wear out clothing? I'm do wear out shits, but waistline expansion over time is more likely to render my trousers unwearable than really wearing them out is. Granted, part of that is because I have a fair number of them. If I was wearing the same two or three pairs of trousers every day, the story would be different. But they also simply last longer than they once did.
This is really intended to be an observation on clothing, then and now, but a little remark about now is warranted.
I have a cotton Colorado Rockies kelly green baseball hat sitting here where I'm typing. If you look at the label, it's made in China. Lots of Levis are made in Vietnam. We have, truly, exported clothing manufacturing overseas, which is to say, the producers did. I do lament that, but do U.S. consumers want to pay more for clothing? I wonder.
I guess with tariffs, we'll find out.
I have, as readers here know, a fondness for M65 Field Jackets. I'd like to have an OG 107 one for every day wear. I thought one would be easy to find, but they aren't, so I ordered one, to my present regret, from Propper. It came Chinese made (of course) and the size is completely wrong. I should have sent it back, but I didn't, as my extreme introverted nature precludes me from doing so. I thought maybe I could shrink it, but it doesn't look like I'll be able to. Anyhow, it's just wrong.
I note this as US military uniforms are in fact made in the U.S., and indeed I believe there may be a statutory requirement to that effect. Some years ago there was a scandal when the US ended up with some berets that were made overseas. I've heard of the military actually checking to make certain that soldiers don't deploy with foreign made gear, but that must be tougher than ever, with the loss of so much of the US manufacturing base.
All of which is to say that I'm sympathetic with those who lament that loss. But the time to really address it came and went some thirty to forty to fifty years ago and, if could be addressed, which is a huge if, it can't be done all at once.
And, my Propper M65 Field Jacket aside, things made overseas are not, by and large, of cheap quality anymore. Some things surely are. The stuff you get at Harbor Freight might be second rate. . . or not. As overseas manufacturing has increased, quality has too.
Monday, January 20, 2025
Tuesday, January 20, 1925. The Soviet–Japanese Basic Convention
The Soviet–Japanese Basic Convention between the Soviet Union and Japan was signed. It provided:
JAPAN and the UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS, desiring to promote relations of good neighbourhood and economic co-operation between them, have resolved to conclude a Convention embodying basic rules in regulation of such relations and, to that end, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say :
His MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN :
Kenkichi YOSHIZAWA, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of China, Jushii, a member of the First Class of the Imperial Order of the Sacred Treasure ;
THE CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS :
Lev Mikhailovitch KARAKHAN, Ambassador to the Republic of China ;
Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed as follows :
Article I.
The High Contracting Parties agree that, with the coming into force of the present Convention, diplomatic and consular relations shall be established between them.
Article II.
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees that the Treaty of Portsmouth of September 5th, 1905, shall remain in full force.
It is agreed that the Treaties, Conventions and Agreements, other than the said Treaty of Portsmouth, which were concluded between Japan and Russia prior to November 7, 1917, shall be re-examined at a Conference to be subsequently held between the Governments of the High Contracting Parties and are liable to revision or annulment as altered circumstances may require.
Article III.
The Governments of the High Contracting Parties agree that, upon the coming into force of the present Convention, they shall proceed to the revision of the Fishery Convention of 1907, taking into consideration such changes as may have taken place in the general conditions since the conclusion of the said Fishery Convention.
Pending the conclusion of a convention so revised, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics shall maintain the practices established in 1924 relating to the lease of fishery lots to Japanese subjects.
Article IV.
The Governments of the High Contracting Parties agree that, upon the coming into force of the present Convention, they shall proceed to the conclusion of a treaty of commerce and navigation in conformity with the principles hereunder mentioned, and that, pending the conclusion of such a treaty, the general intercourse between the two countries shall be regulated by those principles.
(1) The subjects or citizens of each of the High Contracting Parties shall, in accordance with the laws of the country : (a) have full liberty to enter, travel and reside in the territories of the other, and (b) enjoy constant and complete protection for the safety of their lives and property.
(2) Each of the High Contracting Parties shall, in accordance with the laws of the country, accord in its territories to the subjects or citizens of the other, to the widest possible extent and on condition of reciprocity, the right of private ownership and the liberty to engage in commerce, navigation, industries and other peaceful pursuits.
(3) Without prejudice to the right of each Contracting Party to regulate by its own laws the system of international trade in that country, it is understood that neither Contracting Party shall apply in discrimination against the other Party any measures of prohibition, restriction or impost which may serve to hamper the growth of the intercourse, economic or otherwise, between the two countries, it being the intention of both Parties to place the commerce, navigation and industry of each country, as far as possible, on the footing of the most-favoured nation.
The Governments of the High Contracting Parties further agree that they shall enter into negotiations, from time to tune as circumstances may require, for the conclusion of special arrangements relative to commerce and navigation to adjust and to promote economic relations between the two countries.
Article V.
The High Contracting Parties solemnly affirm their desire and intention to live in peace and amity with each other, scrupulously to respect the undoubted right of a State to order its own life within its own jurisdiction in its own way, to refrain and restrain all persons in any govern mental service for them, and all organisations in receipt of any financial assistance from them, from any act overt or covert liable in any way whatever to endanger the order and security in any part of the territories of Japan or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
It is further agreed that neither Contracting Party shall permit the presence in the territories under its jurisdiction :
(a) of organisations or groups pretending to be the Government for any part of the territories of the other Party, or
(b) of alien subjects or citizens who may be found to be actually carrying on political activities for such organisations or groups.
Article VI.
In the interest of promoting economic relations between the two countries, and taking into consideration the needs of Japan with regard to natural resources, the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is willing to grant to Japanese subjects, companies and associations concessions for the exploitation of minerals, forests and other natural resources in all the territories of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
Article VII.
The present Convention shall be ratified.
Such ratification by each of the High Contracting Parties shall, with as little delay as possible, be communicated, through its diplomatic representative at Peking, to the Government of the other Party, and from the date of the later of such communications this Convention shall come into full force.
The formal exchange of the ratifications shall take place at Peking as soon as possible.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention, in duplicate in the English language, and have affixed thereto their seals.
Done at Peking, this twentieth day of January, One thousand nine-hundred and twenty-five.
(L. S.) K. YOSHIZAWA.
(L. S.) L. KARAKHAN.
Japan and Russia, and then Japan and the Soviet Union, never got along well. They had fought the Russo Japanese War some twenty years prior, and Japan had heavily intervened in Siberia during the Russian Civil War. There remains tension between them over the the Sakhalin.
Last edition:
I had no idea Sanka was this old.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Japanese Artillery. National Museum of Military Vehicles.
A lot of Japanese weapons tended to reflect an earlier era, sometimes only slightly so, and sometimes greatly, than that of the 1940s. Japan tended to adopt a weapon, of a copy of a good Western design, and stick with it for a long time, savor for naval and air weapons, where they were advancing all the time. In terms of artillery, much of it was light and antiquated.
Last edition:
Monday, May 27, 2024
Theodore Roosevelt at Arlington.
On this day…we call to mind the deaths of those who died that the nation might live, who wagered all that life holds dear for the great prize of death in battle.
President Roosevelt at Arlington National Cemetery, Memorial Day, 1902.
I have to say, I wouldn't have referred to death as a "prize" in this context.
Friday, March 1, 2024
Blog MIrror: The American Springfield Krag–Jørgensen Rifle
Thursday, February 22, 2024
February 22, 1874. Birth of Bill Klem.
"The Old Arbitrator", Klem was a Major League (National League) umpire from 1905 to 1941, and served in eighteen World Series (1908, 1909, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934 and 1940), more than any other umpire.
He lived until 1951 and passed away at age 77, writing his attorney just before his death that "This is my last game, and I'm going to strike out this time." He and his wife Marie had no children.
Last prior:
February 18, 1874. Disputed crown.
Monday, September 25, 2023
Sunday, July 23, 2023
Monday, July 23, 1973. Old Faithful Inn added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Today In Wyoming's History: July 23: 1923 1973 Old Faithful Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Attribution: On This Day.President Nixon refused to turn over tape recordings to the Senate or special prosecutor.