March 25, 1907 (Monday)

IT'S CALLED 'A NIGHTMARE MADE OF BRONZE': The "Washington at Prayer" tablet that was put in place last month at the Sub-Treasury building in the Wall Street area (now known as Federal Hall) is drawing some fire from The New York Times, apparently prodded to comment by a reader named "A. Hoosier." The tablet (shown at right) has added "a new and needless gloom" to the Wall Street area, the Times says. It adds, "Horses shy at it, automobiles explode their tires as they pass it, and there isn't the slightest hope that 'the public' will return to Wall Street while it remains there." It's the work of sculptor E.J. Kelley. He shows the Good General in the wilderness, at prayer with his hands -- clasped in kid gloves -- clasped on high. On Feb. 14, the Times noted that the sculptor was mindful that Washington was "ever fastidious in dress" and handled the gloves with, well, kid gloves when it comes to detail -- "even to the three ribs running up and down the back."

From the "I DON'T HAVE TO SHOW YOU NO STINKIN' BADGES" Dept.: The New York City police face a big problem because someone is selling counterfeit police badges for $20. It turns out that some are being used by crooks. For example, one man knocked on the door of a woman's house, showed her the badge and told her he needed to search the house. He ransacked the place and left with "considerable loot" according to the New York Times. Other badges are used for other illegal activities, flashing the badges to theater doorkeepers, street-car conductors and at race tracks and baseball parks, all for free admission. The police don't know how many fake badges are out there. Some patrolmen are even thought to be illegally using genuine Detective Sergeant badges. There's a plan afoot to recall all badges and re-issue them with names and ID numbers engraved on them.

March 24, 1907 (Sunday)

DID PENNSYLVANIA TAXPAYERS GET RAILROADED IN THE BUILDING OF THE NEW CAPITOL BUILDING? A headline in today's New York Times says, "Pennsylvania's Colossal Temple of Fraud." It's talking about the state capitol building, which was opened in the fall. The article says an investigation has begun in an attempt to uncover just what happened in the construction of the building (right). The article describes the "lavishment of its ornament without and the barbaric splendor of its decoration within." One fact that puts the lavishness in perspective: How could a building that cost $3.5 million to BUILD need $8.5 million in "furniture"? The article claims, "There has never been in the whole history of corrupt politics in America anything quite equal to the work of the daring thieves who built the Pennsylvania Capitol." The Times acknowledges that New York has had its own sordid history of such abuse (mentioning Tweed, for instance). Still, this appears to dwarf anything that's happened in New York to date.

A HUSBAND GIVES THE MATTER SOME REAL THOUGHT -- IN A COURTROOM TWIST ON 'THE LADY OR THE TIGER' DECISION: An article in today's Washington Post passes on some tales generated from court cases in the Criminal Court Building in Chicago, calling the place "The Home of Pathos." The main source for the tales is Judge John R. Newcomer (right). One anecdote stands out -- regarding the trial of a man who was facing a BIGAMY charge. Wife No. 1 offered some evidence against him. As Newcomer recalls it, she was not all that pretty. In fact, he said she was "one of the most unattractive women I ahve ever seen -- homely of feature, slovenly of dress, greasy and sallow of complexion." The judge in the case, whose last name was Kersten, heard the case and gave the man a choice -- either go back to WIFE No. 1 or go to the PENITENTIARY. Here's what happened, in Newcomer's :
The man looked across the room at the woman, studied her carefully for some time, and seemed to be in a quandary. He took so long to make up his mind that the situation became quite dramatic. Finally, he turned to the court with a bright, cheeful expression on his face, and said blithely, "Well, judge, I guess you can send me to the PEN."

March 23, 1907 (Saturday)

MAXIM'S AT IT AGAIN: Inventor Hudson Maxim announced last night that he has developed yet another EXPLOSIVE DEVICE and EXPLOSIVE POWDER. Today's New York Times says this powder, which he calls STABILLITE, is "safer" because it's a smokeless powder that is not affected by impurities. He explained the benefits of this material -- and a special fuse for shells -- to the Canadian Society at its meeting at the Hotel Astor. During his talk, he suggested that the explosions of the U.S. battleship Maine (in Havana) and the French battleship Iena could have been caused by spontaeous combustion. He also had this to say regarding peace and war, according to today's New York Times:
The general public does not appreciate the condition of our military forces. They know, having been told about it very frequently of late, that peace perches on the banner of those who are prepared for war; that while we may trust our neighbors, we should cut the cards before they deal. The British lion has been taught by self-interest to be good, that the fruits of friendly commerce are better compensation that the results of battle.
He raised a concern about a threat from the Far East:
You should remember that Japan has 750,000 veteran troops, and that we have 50,000, most of whom are engaged in shoveling or waiting upon the officers. Why, Japan could land 250,000 men on our Pacific Coast before we could get scarcely a handful of troops to repulse them, and California is rich enough to support the entire Japanese Nation.
That's grist for a good Alernative History book.

SO MANY ARE TYING THE KNOT; MIGHT THEY RUN OUT OF ROPE IN FORT DODGE? Many young men are dutifully obeying a new ordinance in Fort Dodge, Iowa, by getting married. Nineteen couples were married by the mayor on March 21; another 14 were married on March 22 -- after the city council passed a law that virtually all young, adult men must get married within the next 60 days or face a fine. Mayor Bennett has had little time for other official duties. Work is piling up, according to today's Times, including a stack of letters and telegrams from across the county -- criticizing the city for its ordinance.

March 22, 1907 (Friday)

THERE'S NO AVOIDING IT; BACHELORS MUST MARRY OR PAY FINE IN FORT DODGE:
According to an ordinance passed on Tuesday, every
young man In Fort Dodge, Iowa, (shown above in a 1907 postcard) must become a married man. The plan was introduced by Mayor Charles Bennett and passed by the city council. In part, the ordinance demands: "That all able bodied men between the ages of 26 and 45 years, whose mental and physical propensities and capabilities are normal, and who are not now married, shall be required to obtain a license and a bride and straightway be exalted to a state of connubial bliss."
Those who fail to do so, within 60 days, face a fine of $10 to $100. That might be worth it, considering the cost of a fine wedding ring.
The paper in Middletown, N.Y., protests the ordinance, adding, "It's a good thing Iowa has a free-and-easy divorce law if this sort of thing is coming in style there."

IT CERTAINLY LOOKS AS IF THE BUTLER ACTUALLY DID IT: Police are looking for Arthur Lane, the butler who works, er worked, for Mr. Charles Morgan, son of the founder of the Morgan Line of steamers (The logo is at right.). Mr. Lane was hired about a week ago. Authorities think he took nearly $20,000 worth of jewelry from the Morgan home on Ludington Road in West Orange, N.J. The missing items include a diamond necklace ($2,000), a pendant of 6-carat diamonds and other stones ($4,000), a diamond horseshoe ($900), a pair of diamond studs ($1,000).
The jewels were taken yesterday, evidently around midday. Here's why Mr. Lane is a suspect, according to today's Times:
Lane had performed his customary duties, and about luncheon time he asked and received permission from Mrs. Morgan to visit a dentist. He went upstairs, changed his clothing and went out without exciting any suspicion. A few minutes later Mrs. Morgan went to her room and found it in confusion. Bureau drawers had been opened and the contents tossed about the floor. A jewel casket and all the jewely it contained were missing.

HE'LL DO THE TIME, THEN HE'LL DO JUST FINE: Archie Hart, a mechanic who lives on Long Island, is in the county Jail. Soon, he will be sentenced for forging a check in the name of a Connecticut blacksmith. Just before his arrest, he patented a lock nut for an axle. The device allows someone to remove a wheel using a spring -- not a wrench. A New York manufacturer has offered him $18,000 for the rights to the patent in New York. The money awaits him after his jail time. Sentencing is Monday. By the way, the check he forged was for $27.

March 21, 1907 (Thursday)

COMEDIAN AVERTS PANIC IN DARKENED THEATER: The electric light dynamo in Pittsburg's Belasco Theatre broke down last night during a production of Joseph Herbert's "About Town." The lights went out just as actor Joseph Herbert finished his "Piccadilly Crawl." The audience began to make a panic-stricken rush for the exits, but disaster was averted when cast members Peter F. Bailey strolled on stage with actress Blanche Ring (shown at right on the cover of a songbook). He carried a brakeman's lantern in one hand and a candle in the other. He said, "Enter the light comedian" and cracked some jokes to calm the audience. At one point, Ring became so panicked by the dark, that she raced off stage. Bailey calmly explained to the audience that Ring had put her makeup on in the dark and left the stage because she realized she had forgotten to shake off the excess powder. As the New York Times' front-page article put it, he "jollied them along until enough candles were obtained to dispel the darkness."
Ring, incidentally, was the one who made the song "In the Good Ol' Summertime" famous in 1902.

MEDIA STAKEOUT AT THE ROCKEFELLER HOME, BUT THE MAGNATE IS NOT TALKING -- ABOUT RAILROADS OR HAIR RESTORATION: After returning to his New Jersey home from Georgia, John D. Rockefeller is "indisposed." He stayed indoors and declined to talk with members of the press. Today's New York Times says the home was "beseiged all day by reporters seeking an audience with him about Federal control of railroads and othor matters, but Mr. Rockefeller could not even be induced to confirm or deny printed statements on tho subjects attributed to him."
Newspaper reporters wanted to know about topics such as the General Education Fund and a "press agent yarn about a recipo for a hair restorer which an actress was alleged to have sent him and which was said to be accomplishing marvelous results." Evidently, some reporters got a little pushy. The article says that Mr. Rockefeller's valet, John; his secretary Miss Adams and his sister-in-law Miss Lucy Spellman took turns answering the telephone. Their stock reply was "Mr. Rockefeller has nothering whatever to say." The article noted that they all put the STRESS on the word "whatever."

March 20, 1907 (Wednesday)

PITCHER THINKS HE CAN MAKE A HIT WITH LUMBER: The word out of Central and Western Massachusetts is that baseball pitcher Jack Chesbro (right)thinks he can make more money by selling lumber than by making batters look foolish swinging their lumber at his pitches. Today's New York Times passes on word from "Tuck" Blanchard of Whitinsville, Mass., that Chesbro -- a good friend of Blanchard's, will not accept a cut in pay from New York's American League team. Evidently, the champion spitballer prefers to continue to buy up timber lands in the Berkshires. Chesbro, who was born in Western Massachusetts, thinks he can make as much money selling wood as playing ball -- if he can devote his whole attention to it.

JAMESTOWN EXHBIT PRESENTED BY BLACKS TO BE MEMORABLE, POST SAYS: Thomas J. Calloway, who's one of the people in charge of the negro exhibit at the Jamestown Tercentennial Exposition, has gone to Norfolk to prepare for the show. Today's Washington Post says "there is every indication" that the "negro exhibit" will be memorable. The display will include inventions, electrical devices. One of the "striking features" will be something submitted by the Armstrong Manual Training School (right, shown in 1910, with students performing a military drill) of Washington, under the direction of Arthur C. Newman.(One student who will be at the school in about 10 years is Duke Ellington.)

March 19, 1907 (Tuesday)

COULD WIRELESS HAVE CAUSED AN EXPLOSION ON A BATTLESHIP? Last week's explosion that damaged the French battleship Iena (right)-- described in French -- is drawing great speculation. Now, experts wonder if the explosion was caused by a spark that was part of a WIRELESS electrical system. The ship's wireless apparatus might have caused a buildup of waves in the powder magazine, according to French wireless expert, M. Naudin. The New York Times posed the question to experts in this country, including Michael Pupin (who said Naudin might be right, if the powder were stored carelessly, outside of grounded, metal containers) and Lee De Forest (who seemed doubtful). It brings to mind Nicola Tesla's experiments with a wireless torpedo.

A CLOSER LOOK AT EGGS: Today's Washington Post relays an item from The New York Times that says the Egg Inspectors' Union has ordered a strike against F. M. Shaffer & Co., which, the union says, is using strike breakers (hopefully, they aren't egg breakers). The article notes how eggs are examined. Here's the routine, and the classifications:
The egg inspectors test the eggs In dark rooms by holding each egg before a lighted gas jet or electric light. He throws them into baskets [!] as they are
tested, each basket indicating the quality of the eggs it contains. The first grade
is marked "Warranted strictly fresh," the second, "Warranted fresh eggs," the third, "Fresh eggs," and the fourth, "Eggs."
At one time the egg inspectors were known as candlers. This was because they held the eggs before lighted candles in the days before the age of gas.
I like that -- "the age of gas." It's still going strong -- in Washington, D.C.

March 18, 1907 (Monday)

KING RICHARD MIGHT, INDEED HAVE PROMISED A KINGDOM FOR A HORSE; BUT WHAT WOULD HE HAVE GIVEN FOR A MULE; IT APPEARS THAT TWO NATIONS THINK SO HIGHLY OF SUCH A BEAST THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO GO TO WAR: Readers probably will get a kick out of a story in today's New York Times that says that the theft of a MULE might be the cause of the ongoing war between Nicaragua (led by President Jose Zelaya (right)) and Honduras. Here's how the headlines stack up on the tale:
MULE CAUSED WAR IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Honduas Said Nicaraguan Troops Took Senor Salgado's Animal
WHAT OF IT? THE REPLY
Nicaragua Said It Was None of Honduras's Business -- Arbitration Failed and War Began
Evidently, it all started on Jan. 26, when Honduras's minister for foreign affairs sent a note to his counterpart in Nicaragua, complaining that Irenos Salgado's mule had been taken by 35 Nicaraguan cavalrymen who had crossed into Honduras territory. Somehow that led to a diplomatic back-and-forth that plunged the nations into war.