A Century Passing
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:42 amThe year was 1909:
The U.S. flag had 45 stars.
The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
More than 95% of all births took place at home.
(this was true for my Dad a decade later)
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores:
pharmacists of then said, "heroin is a perfect guardian of health.
it clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, and regulates the stomach and bowels."
The five leading causes of death (at least, by general identification) were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
90% of all doctors had no collrge education!
The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour, the average worker making between $200 and $400 per year...
a competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
a dentist $2,500 per year,
a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,
and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub,
only 8% of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads....
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
Sugar cost 4 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.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been produced yet.
There was no Mother's Day nor Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults could neither read nor write.
Only 6% of all Americans had graduated from high school.
18% of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.!
One can now forward a text message to others all over the world -- all in a matter of seconds!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
8-)
The U.S. flag had 45 stars.
The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
More than 95% of all births took place at home.
(this was true for my Dad a decade later)
Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores:
pharmacists of then said, "heroin is a perfect guardian of health.
it clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, and regulates the stomach and bowels."
The five leading causes of death (at least, by general identification) were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
90% of all doctors had no collrge education!
The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour, the average worker making between $200 and $400 per year...
a competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
a dentist $2,500 per year,
a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,
and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
Only 14% of the homes had a bathtub,
only 8% of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads....
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
Sugar cost 4 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.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been produced yet.
There was no Mother's Day nor Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 adults could neither read nor write.
Only 6% of all Americans had graduated from high school.
18% of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.!
One can now forward a text message to others all over the world -- all in a matter of seconds!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
8-)
...!
...!