Albert Einstein resigned from his job at the Patent Office in Zürich in order to pursue the full-time study of physics, proving that there are times in which you should indeed quit your job.
Last edition:
Monday, July 6, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Sunday, July 4, 1909. Independence Day.
The Plan of Chicago, a long range plan for the city, was unveiled.
In Scanton, Pennsylvania, a 16 foot high (including an intricately carved pedestal) bust of Abraham Lincoln was dedicated. It was a gift from Italy.
It's now missing and nobody knows what happened to it . . .which is odd.
The French battleship Denton, the first battleship to have turbine engines, was launched. It was sunk on March 19, 1917.
The first fireworks display in Major League Baseball occured at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field.
The Stanley Hotel opened in Estes Park, Colorado.
The Stanley was built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer and was a luxury hotel. It's famous, probably unfortunately, for featuring in the movie The Shining, which I've never seen. I have stayed in the hotel, however, at which time it was under renovation.
Last edition:
Saturday, July 3, 1909. Adulterated.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Saturday, July 3, 1909. Adulterated.
Federal charges were filed against Koca Nola, yes you read that right, after it was found to contain cocaine.
It was advertised, FWIW, as "dopeless".
It was the third most popular cola in the United States at the time, but would be bankrupt within a year.
Hudson debuted.
Hudson advertisement from 1910.
Hudson's were made until 1957, when the company merged with AMC. AMC would come to have substantial ownership by Renault and existed until 1987, when Chrysler bought the company's stock.
Last edition:
Thursday, July 2, 2009
1920, law, and the Geology Museum
I learned just the other day that the University of Wyoming College of Law was founded in 1920, and received ABA approval in 1923.
Shoot, that's a lot earlier than I thought. I had thought, for some reason, that the College of Law dated from after World War Two. It sort of redefines my concepts of what the university regarded as worthwhile or important early on. When the College of Law was founded, I think the school was about 30 years old.
In other news, the University has had to cut its budget fairly significantly due to the decline in mineral revenues. Nearly the entire state budget is funded through severance taxes, which have taken a real hit in the last year. The change in economic fortunes has been massive, due to the national slow down, and the regional decline in the value of natural gas. So, as a result, Gov. Freudenthal has ordered ever state agency to cut back, and also enacted a general hiring freeze.
The University has taken the ax to distance programs, I guess (I'm not really up on that). But as part of the cutbacks, the very old Geology Museum is being closed.
It's a shame. I'll admit that I find it sad, as I'm a graduate of the Geology Department. I hate to see it close. I don't know how old it is, but it's real darned old. I don't disagree with the need to cut back, but I find it very difficult to accept that a cut back in a feature of a hard science department is academically sound.
Shoot, that's a lot earlier than I thought. I had thought, for some reason, that the College of Law dated from after World War Two. It sort of redefines my concepts of what the university regarded as worthwhile or important early on. When the College of Law was founded, I think the school was about 30 years old.
In other news, the University has had to cut its budget fairly significantly due to the decline in mineral revenues. Nearly the entire state budget is funded through severance taxes, which have taken a real hit in the last year. The change in economic fortunes has been massive, due to the national slow down, and the regional decline in the value of natural gas. So, as a result, Gov. Freudenthal has ordered ever state agency to cut back, and also enacted a general hiring freeze.
The University has taken the ax to distance programs, I guess (I'm not really up on that). But as part of the cutbacks, the very old Geology Museum is being closed.
It's a shame. I'll admit that I find it sad, as I'm a graduate of the Geology Department. I hate to see it close. I don't know how old it is, but it's real darned old. I don't disagree with the need to cut back, but I find it very difficult to accept that a cut back in a feature of a hard science department is academically sound.
Friday, July 2, 1909. The 16th Amendment passes Congress
Congress passed the 16th Amendment allowing for an income tax, and it was sent to the states for ratification.
Fritz Haber and his assistant, Robert Le Rossignol, first demonstrated a nitrogen fixation process for synthesizing ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen, a process used for nitrate fertilizer.
Last edition:
Monday, June 28, 1909. Al fresco.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Monday, June 28, 1909. Al fresco.
Due to a heat wave, President Taft had dinner for guests served on the roof of the White House's West Wing.
The President had gone golfing earlier in the day.
Cincinnati adopted daylight savings time for the summer, proof that the bad idea was around prior to World War One.
Casper wasn't in danger from Pathfinder Dam, which was good news.
Last prior edition:
Tuesday, June 27, 1909. Helen of Troy.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 27, 1909. Helen of Troy.
An argument over a married Syrian woman resulted in a riot in Springfield, Massachusetts, between Turkish and Syrian communities.
Last prior example:
Saturday, June 26, 1909. Smile when you say that.
Labels: 1900s, 1909, Aircraft, Art, Medicine Bow Wyoming, Music, Personalities, Rock Music, Wyoming (Medicine Bow)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Saturday, June 26, 1909. Smile when you say that.
Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, known to history as Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager, was born in Breda, Netherlands. While he only entered the US at age 20, he could flawlessly speak English with a Southern accent.
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Labels: 1900s, 1909, Carlisle Indian School, Carlisle Pennsylvania, Education, Native Americans, panoramic, Weather
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Monday, June 21, 1909. Heat wave.
A heat wave began to take lives on the East Coast.
The now infamous Carlisle Indian School on this date in 1909:
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Sunday, June 20, 1909. Typhoid Mary.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Sunday, June 20, 1909. Typhoid Mary.
The New York American broke the tragic and odd story of Mary Mallon, Typhoid Mary, who had been quarantined at that point for two years.
Mallon never accepted that she was responsible for passing typhoid, but remained quarantined until 1910 when she was released with a promise that she would not return to cooking. Facing economic desperation, she did, and new infections commenced that were traced to her. She was returned to quarantine in 1915 where she remained until her death at age 69 in 1938.
In a modern context, this is interesting due to the recent debates on quarantines. The ethnics of essentially imprisoning a person for life as a disease carrier have been debated, but its clear that in the first half of the 20th Century, it could in fact be done.
Errol Flynn was born in Hobart, Tasmania. The Australian actor obtained a reputation as a dashing figure in Hollywood, with his reputation tarnished by being tried for two accusations of statutory rape in 1942. His career didn't end, but it did suffer thereafter, even though he was acquitted. He oddly had a late in life role as a journalist from Cuba, where he supported Fidel Castro. He died in 1959 at age 50 of a heart attack while in British Columbia. His then current girl friend, 17 years old at the time, was with him on the trip.
Last prior edition:
Friday, June 18, 1909. Medals for the Wright Brothers.
Labels: 1900s, 1909, Aircraft, Commentary, Dayton Ohio, Donald Trump, Government, Illinois, Ohio, Ohio (Dayton), Republican Party, technology
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Friday, June 18, 1909. Medals for the Wright Brothers.
Orville and Wilbur Wright were presented with a Congressional Gold Medal by Gen. James Allen, Chief of the Signal Corps, on behalf of President Taft, for their aeronautic feats. At the same time, Governor Judson Harmon of Ohio presented the brothers with the Ohio Medal, and Mayor Edward E. Burkhardt with the City of Dayton Medal.
William Lorimer was sworn in as U.S. Senator from Illinois.
His tenure would be brief. After the Senate determined that the Illinois legislative vote, which is how Senators were then determined, had been tainted by corruption, he was unseated by the Senate on July 14. This helped give rise to the 17th Amendment providing for the direct election of U.S. Senators.
Lorimer was a Republican and if this happened today, he'd declare undying allegiance to Donald Trump and Republicans in the Senate would declare that this was some sort of horrific tragedy.
Last prior example:
Thursday, June 17, 1909. Taking from the Papago's.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Thursday, June 17, 1909. Taking from the Papago's.
Executive Order 1090—Restoring to Public Domain Certain Lands in Arizona Which Were Reserved for Papago Indians
June 17, 1909
It is hereby ordered that the following land in Arizona, being a part of those withdrawn by Executive Order of December 12, 1882, for use of the Papago Indians, be, and hereby are, restored to the public domain: Section 16 and sections 19 to 36, inclusive, in township 5 south of range 5 west of the Gila and Salt River meridian.
Signature of William Howard Taft
WM. H. TAFT.
The White House,
June 17, 1909.
What the heck?
Last prior edition:
Wednesday, June 16, 1909. Tax Sanity.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Wednesday, June 16, 1909. Tax Sanity.
President Taft recommended to Congress that the Constitution be amended to allow for the Federal Government to levy an income tax. Ultimately, the 16trh Amendment was ratified on February 25, 1913, allowing the country to become a modern and great nation, although its constantly attacked by retrograde forces that somehow feel that everything should be precluded, save for what they benefit from personally.
Taft's original proposal, in that more responsible and cheaper day, was for a 2% income tax on corporations, so a personal income tax was not his proposal. Of course, in our current era, corporations are regarded as inviolate.
Wyoming voted for the proposal on February 3, 1913. No doubt today, it wouldn't, which would lead to an economic disaster.
Last prior edition:
Monday, June 14, 1909 Shackleton returns. The Age of Exploration. The Age of Assassination.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Followup to the Combs murder, discussed below
The CST's history column follows up on the murder of attorney Combs.
Casper Tribune-Herald, 1934
Evidence piles up -- Throughout the week of June 15, excited headlines screamed of the presumed solution to the previous week's top story. "MRS. COMBS ARRESTED
"WIDOW FACES FIRST DEGREE MURDER CHARGE
"In a startling climax to investigation into the murder of S. S. Combs, his widow, Mrs. Hazel Combs, was placed under arrest. ... A warrant charging the first degree murder of the former (Casper) city attorney was served on the slight, steel-nerved woman. ...
"(Combs) had been shot five times at such close range that powder burns were left by some of the shots. ...
"Prisoner Visibly Shaken When Shown Weapon
"To the rear of the (Combs) cabin, about 50 feet distant, is the outhouse where an important discovery was made. Beneath fresh wood ashes ... was found the revolver with which, the officers said, the murder was committed. It contained six empty shells. ...
"MURDER WEAPON IDENTIFIED
"EXPERT LINKS REVOLVER WITH BULLETS FOUND
"Insurance Collection Is Held Motive
"... Mr. Combs was husband No. 4. ... He was an attorney who represented her in divorce proceedings against husband number 3. ... Harley Atwood, the second husband of Mrs. Combs, died ... from asphyxiation by gas, when a coffee pot boiled over on a gas stove in the room where he lay asleep on a couch
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Monday, June 14, 1909 Shackleton returns. The Age of Exploration. The Age of Assassination.
Ernest Shackleton returned to London and received a hero's welcome. King Edward VII knighted the Antarctic explorer.
After World War One Shackleton, his health no doubt strained due to the rigors of his trials in exploration, died in the Falklands at age 47. As a practical matter, the Great War effectively ended the final age of exploration.
Japanese Prince Itō Hirobumi was forced to resign as Japan's Resident-General of Korea. Three months later, he would be assassinated, which would lead Japan to annex what had been a protectorate.
Four Caribbean monk seals (Monachus tropicalis) were brought to the New York Aquarium. They were the only ones ever held in captivity.
The last known monk seal died in 1952 and NOAA declared them extinct in 2008.
Burl Ives was born. The charming folk singer and actor was a popular folk figure for many years, in spite of a 1930s association with far left wing politics.
Last prior edition:
Thursday, June 10, 1909. The Lincoln penny introduced.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Modern Transportation
Changes in transportation methods were brought home to me again this week.On Tuesday of this past week I drove 140 miles to Rawlins Wyoming, worked all day, and returned home that evening. 140 miles isn't a long distance in modern terms. My route took me past Independence Rock, where I stopped at the rest station as I always do. Then, resuming travel, down the Oregon Trail a ways further, and then across some desert country to Ten Mile Hill, a huge topographic rise just outside of Rawlins. Then into Rawlins, whose Union Pacific station is depicted above.
I have no idea if this station is still there. A lot of Rawlin's older buildings are. Rawlins itself, still on the main line of the UP, has seen some very hard times in recent years, but it seems to be rebounding, it's recovery fueled, as it were by natural gas exploration, as well as some wind energy development.
When I wrapped up my work, I turned around and was home in the early evening. A typical day's work for a litigator in Wyoming. It was an enjoyable trip really. Armed with my company supplied Ipod, I finished the book on tape version of Alexander Hamilton for the third time, and listened to a selection of episodes of "The News From Lake Woebegone".
I was to return to Rawlins on Thursday. I didn't, as I came down with the flu. Before somebody asks, no I don't know if it was the "Swine Flu". Whatever it was, it was fast moving, and I am over it now. I crawled into work on Thursday, but a partner of mine very graciously volunteered to take my place, so he repeated by Tuesday travel on Thursday.
I was very grateful for this, as I had a motion hearing in Douglas Wyoming, fifty miles a way, on Friday. I went home on Thursday and slept most of the day. The next day, however, I was back on the road to Douglas.
The courthouse depicted above is no longer in use, and I don't even know where it was. Douglas has a nice new courthouse, built, I think, in the 1970s, or maybe 80s.
This trip too was pleasant and uneventful, except for loosing my motion (rats). On the way to Douglas, I listed to an Ipod interview of H. W. Brands, speaking about Franklin Roosevelt. On the way back, I finished up the last downloaded News From Lake Woebegone I had.
What's the point of this? Modern easy of travel.
Could I have done this a century ago? I doubt it. Even had I owned a car in 1909, there's no way that I could have traveled to Rawlins and back in a day. I wouldn't have tried. It would have been much more likely that, if I had to do that, I would have taken the train from Casper to North Platte NE, and then switched on to the UP line and rode to Rawlins on Monday. I'd have stayed over in Rawlins Tuesday evening. I wouldn't have been able to have a back to back event in Rawlins and Douglas, in all likelihood.
But what does that mean? In part, it probably means that a lawyer, in this context, a century ago, would have gone to Rawlins on a Monday, and came back on a Friday. On Wednesday, he probably wouldn't have had much to do. Perhaps, were it me, I would have gone down to Parco for amusement. If I had to go to Douglas for Friday, I would have had to catch a night train.
What about, say 1939. I could have driven then, road travel was much improved. Even so, it would have been a bit of a brutal trip.
I suspect this also shows that, while travel is easier, life is faster paced. Probably nobody would have tried to schedule back to back travel plans like this "back in the day". Now, I'll often travel up to 600 miles in a day. If something is no further than 300 miles away, I don't stay, usually. That certainly wasn't the case at one time.
History of Natrona County
I'm surprised to find that A. J. Mockler's History of Natrona County is on line.
Granted, it is one of the dullest books ever written. But what an amazing tribute to the internet in that what is truly a rare book is so easily available in this form.
Granted, it is one of the dullest books ever written. But what an amazing tribute to the internet in that what is truly a rare book is so easily available in this form.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Thursday, June 10, 1909. The Lincoln penny introduced.
The Lincoln portrait penny was introduced with the current design by Victor David Brenner. The reverse side were shocks of wheat, which gives this version which was minted until 1958 the nickname of being the "Wheat Head Penny".
Last prior edition:
Monday, June 5, 1899. Murder of Antonio Luna
Monday, June 8, 2009
Dual Careered lawyer
Here's an interesting item from today's CST history column. I'm afraid that I'm interested in it for the wrong reasons.
"Three Wounds in Head and Two in Body of S. S. Combs"
Recently retired Casper City Attorney Sewell Stanley Combs, 50, was found shot to death in his car June 10 at his ranch near Granite Canyon.
"The bullets that literally riddled his body were fired by a 'cowardly murderer' who shot the unsuspecting victim in the back of the head and body," a sheriff said.
Combs' widow, Hazel, "(h)er face ... drawn by grief, her eyes tortured by unshed tears and sleeplessness ... seemed overnight to have aged many years. She was haunted by the knowledge that while she lay asleep in their ranch home between Alcova and Leo, ... her husband was brutally murdered in his car--not a quarter of a mile away! ...
"The position of the body and other details indicated ... that Combs had been ... unaware of the menace hovering over his life when the assailant, in the back seat, shot him through the head, then emptying the gun as the man's body slumped over. ...
"Credence was ... given today to the theory that he was slain by an assailant harboring a bitter, personal grudge. ... This theory was a source of mystification, ... it being heard on every side: 'We didn't know Stan Combs had an enemy in the world.' ... Rumor was rife today that the trail of the murderer had led to Casper.
What's interesting here to me, I'm afraid, is that this lawyer apparently had a ranch way out of town. The location mentioned here is a pretty good trip out of Casper now, but in 1934, it was a very good trip indeed.
Lawyers coming from ranch families was common in Natrona County as recently as 20 or so years ago. In other counties, it remains common. But combining the professions is not common any longer. I wonder if it was at that time, and if so, how common.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Monday, June 5, 1899. Murder of Antonio Luna
A difficult personality, he seems to have been killed by his rivals. The First Philippine Republic's fortunes in the field declined rapidly after his death.
Last prior edition:
June 3, 1909. Dreadnoughts and Flyers.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
June 3, 1909. Dreadnoughts and Flyers.
The Imperial Russian Navy, down to four ships following the Russo Japanese War, began a program of rebuilding, laying down keels for four dreadnoughts.
The Wright Brothers returned to Ft. Myer, Virginian, with an improved Wright Military Flyer. The prior version had killed Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge.
Last prior edition:
Tuesday, June 1, 1909. Pathfinder Dam completed.
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