Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Year 1907

I love the early 1900 period (as you already know!) and am working on several novels set in that time frame. Someday, I hope to have them finished. I came across this article early this morning and thought I'd share it with you. What a difference time makes (and not just in women! Laugh!). Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


The Ford Model T
Ford Model T used for giving tourist rides at Greenfield Village

One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some of the U.S. Statistics for the Year 1907 :

The average life expectancy in the U.S. Was 47 years old.
Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. Had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.

With a mere 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in the U.S. Was 22 Cents per hour.
The average U.S. Worker made between $200 and $400 per year .

A competent accountant could ex pect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist made $2,500 per year,
A veterinarian $1,500 per year,
And a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. Took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all U.S. Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death in the U.S. Were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.
Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 U.S. Adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A. !


Hints for today? More sleeping hints 'cause I know we all need our beauty rest!

* Keep a bedtime ritual that will prepare you for sleep: herbal tea, warm bath, or a book.

* Keep activities to quiet times: slow walk, easy reading, meditation, prayer.

* If you wake during the night and can't go back to sleep, go to another room and do something relaxing until you get sleepy again. don't stress out.

* Focus on mindless things to help your body relax for sleep.


Quote:
When we look for the good in others, we discover the best in ourselves. --Martin Walsh

Blessings.












2 comments:

Unknown said...

Oklahoma is celebrating 100 years this year. Great time to visit.

Caroline said...

Hey, thks for letting me know! Last yr when we went to ACFW (writing conf in Dallas, we talked about stopping, but was kinda pushed for time. THIS yr (in Sept) we'll try to plan on stopping. Maybe see a few things, eat out w/you guys. How's that for a "threat"? Ooops! I meant promise. LOL

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