Nov. 26, 1906 (Monday)

ADVERTISERS HAVE FIGURED OUT THIS SPELLING REFORM STUFF: Amid all the furor about President Roosevelt's efforts to reform and simplify the spelling in the United States, an add such as this one for eyeglasses (right) stands out. Look at that: "Rite-Tite Shur-On". That saves two letters (from "Right-Tight Sure-On") and probably passes Roosevelt's simplification test. There's nothing that can be done about the proprietor's name, though.

CARUSO IS FINED $10; HE WILL APPEAL: Tenor Enrico Caruso says he will appeal the guilty verdict -- and $10 fine -- slapped on him because he annoyed women in the monkey house at Central Park. Today's afternoon papers say that Caruso plans to sing as scheduled on Wednesday night at the Metropolitan Opera House. The dust-up over Caruso's arrest has had a positive impact on ticket sales for that night's production of "La Boheme." It turns out that the monkey that figured in the Caruso case -- named Knocko -- died yesterday. The alleged incident that took place between Caruso and his accuser took place in front of that monkey's cage. One article hints darkly that Knocko might have been knocked off: "The monkey was in good health while the Caruso case was on in court and large crowds of visitors were in front of his cage daily. There is a suspicion among the keepers that his death was brought about by some one of his visitors."







DEADLY GERMS -- ANTHRAX INCLUDED -- SET LOOSE: An explosion and fire in a laboratory at Pittsburg(h)'s Mercy Hospital (at right, in 1913) worries many because the place was stocked with all kinds of dangerous germs. Today's New York Times says, "There were hundreds of these tubes holding millions of bacilli of such deadly ailments as anthrax, tetanus or lockjaw and hydrophobia, as well as those of such dreaded maladies as typhoid fever and diptheria." (Hydrophobia was a term for rabies, as found in humans.) Bucketsful of "disinfectant" were poured on the firefighters who came in contact with the stuff. Many are worried about the fate of the people exposed to the cultures.

Nov. 25, 1906 (Sunday)

A LESS-THAN-FLATTERING LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT: Here's a cartoon in today's New York Times that shows President Teddy Roosevelt keeping a door to opportunity shut on members of the all-black regiment based in Brownsville, Texas, whom he forced to resign their commissions from the army. For reference, see the entry for Nov. 7.

Nov. 24, 1906 (Saturday)

AN 'EVE' OF DESTRUCTION: The Charlton (Mass.) Public Library recently bought about 100 books. Nestled among them was a copy of Mark Twain's "Eve's Diary" (right). One of the library's trustees -- Frank O. Wakefield -- has banned the book. The problem appears to be the pictures by Lester Ralph, the detail of one of which is above. Here's how the article on the front page of today's New York Times describes the problem pictures:
"On every left-hand page is a picture, fifty of which represent Eve in Summer costume. Her dresses are all cut Garden of Eden style. In one of them Eve is seen skipping through the bushes unrestrained and not at all afraid. The bushes do not seriously cut off the view of Eve. After looking long and earnestly at one picture depicting Eve pensively reclining on a rock, Mr. Wakefield decided to act."
A reporter for the Times contacted Mark Twain for a reaction, and he sent word that the libary's action didn't interest him in the slightest.

EPSOM DERBY WINNER SOAKS UP ACCOLADES: Jockey Danny Maher arrived in New York yesterdayon board the Cedric. He was listed with the title of "Capt." in the passenger list. He suspects that this is in honor of his recent win of the Epsom Derby on board Spearmint. The article on the front page of today's New York Times says that the jockey "was loath to talk with reporters because he said he had been so often misquoted. He did mention that he had run 500 races in the 18 months since he was last in America. He said he doesn't plan to ride in America. He's heading home to Hartford, Conn.

Nov. 23, 1906 (Friday)

CHINA TARGETS OPIUM: A special cablegram for both the London Times and New York Times announced that China issued regulations on Nov. 21 that will put into place an "anti-opium edict." These are reportedly stronger than any similar proposals in the past and are supported by Viceroy Yuan Shikai (right). The edict targets both cultivation and use -- both of which must stop within TEN YEARS. Ground under cultivation for the poppies must be reduced by 10 percent each year. High officials (no pun intended) such as Dukes and Tartar Generals younger than 60 must tell the Throne that they will cease the use of the drug within "a certain time." All other officials must stop use within six months. Teachers, scholars, soldiers and sailors have three months to quit. And, importantly, the government is going to ask ministers from Britain, France, Holland and Persia to stop exporting the drug within 10 years. And, importing of morphia and hypodermic syringes is to stop. In deference to the elderly, people older than 60 will be treated leniently, the report says. So, it's true what they say. The elderly are respected in China.

CARUSO TRIAL CONTINUES: Afternoon papers report that all seats were filled in the Yorkville Police Court today for the trial of Enrico Caruso (at left, in a sketch he made of himself). He is accused of annoying a mysterious woman named "Hannah Graham" and various other "girls" in the monkey house in Central Park. In addition, another 1,000 people were outside the court. A huge bouquet of roses was delivered to the singer while he was in court. Things got a little disruptive in court when Deputy Police Commissioner Mathot said the accuser was not willing to come to court because she was afraid to face "a crowd of perverts such as commonly attended such a hearing." Needless to say, Mathot's words were greeted with hisses.

Nov. 22, 1906 (Thursday)

ROOSEVELT VISITS PUERTO RICO: President Roosevelt, on his way back from Panama, stopped by Puerto Rico yesterday. A huge crowd greeted him in Ponce, where he landed (shown at right, dressed in white). In a speech at that city, he concluded with this: "I salute you from my heart as fellow-citizens." He then traveled to San Juan over the island's famous military road. The 11-vehicle caravan covered the 80 miles in six hours and 30 minutes -- meaning he stopped quite often along the route.

CROWING FOR CARUSO: Enrico Caruso was cheered wildly yesterday -- and hissed at by some. This was not in response to his remarkable tenor-talents. Rather, this happened yesterday at Yorkville Police Court (right, in the late 1800s, I think) in New York City, facing accusations that he had annoyed women at the Monkey House in Central Park. This was in the news on Nov. 17. Here's how The New York Times described the scene yesterday at the court:
He left the courtroom to be greeted by a crowd of nearly a thousand people on the stairways and in the hall, and he was received with salvos of "Vivas" by his countrymen present, but many Americans hissed him.
It's not clear how the Times writer knew who were Americans and who were "his countrymen."

Nov. 21, 1906 (Wednesday)

A REMARKABLE PICTURE: This might not look like much. It's a full page photograph that was published on Nov. 11, 1906 in The New York Times. It shows the huge searchlight beaming from the top of the Times' building on Election night, when the beam was used to let people know that Charles E. Hughes had won the election as governor of New York. This photo was taken from the Astor Hotel. Four exposures were made in 20 minutes and all were successful. I'm putting it here because today's Times includes an item from the Louisville Courier-Journal. Here's what that Kentucky paper said:
One of the greatest advancements made by modern journalism has been in the field of illustration, but until a few years ago, very little was attempted in the way of illustrating by photograph events that transpire between the days. The achievement of The New York Times in presenting an accurate picture of "election night in New York" is notable, and is of importance in that it demonstrates he possibilities of th camera as a factor in newspaper illustrating."

A TASTE OF NASCAR IN CENTRAL PARK: More details have surfaced about the car wreck in Central Park on Monday night. Evidently, driver "Tom" Cooper, who was killed after crashing his high-powered Matheson (right, a 1911 model) into a car, was racing a third vehicle. He was going about 50 miles an hour when his car glanced of the side of a parked car, which had run out of gas. Witnesses said Cooper's car "suddenly turned at a right angle after the bump. The sudden turn, rather than the crash, they think, caused the machine to turn two somersaults in the air and fall on its wheels again. In its aerial revolution it pitched Cooper and everybody in the car high into the air." Cooper was widely known as one of the great bicycle and automobile racers of the day. The car Cooper was racing zipped right past the crash and didn't stop to help out.


A BOOK TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO: Today's New York Times has this ad (right) for "White Fang" by Jack London. The ad quotes from the Times, the New York Times Saturday Review and the Chicago Evening Post. Of special note: The list price is $1.50. (For 2006 prices, multiply by about 20.)