100 years ago

[MORTARDUDE]

100 years ago




The year is 1903 ...
exactly one hundred years ago ...
what a difference a century makes!

Here are some of the U.S. statistics for 1903:

The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.

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 residents, 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 an hour.

The average U.S. worker made 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.

More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.

Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education.

Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents and Coffee cost 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 prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The 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 30.

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

One in ten U.S. adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores.

According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and is a perfect guardian of health."

18 percent of households in the U.S. had at least one servant or one domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

Just think what it will be like in another 100 years.

[HARDCORE]

My thoughts on the subjects (HC)
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Here are some of the U.S. statistics for 1903

The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.

Help, I'm already dead. And hey, the Wright Brothers were soaring high, and Old Hank Ford made it possible for us all to afford a fliver (Car)!
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Only 14 Percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

A Few years later, these bathtubs came in handy for brewing gin! Besides, most people only took a bath once a month (or so) whether they needed one or not!
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Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

That must be the 8% that didn't go bankrupt paying for their kid's long distance calls!
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A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

Some calls to Denver (900 calls) still can cost you that (LOL)!
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There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.

Nowadays, I doubt if the are 8000 people on those roads who know how to (genuinely) drive!
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The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

And what, pray tell, was the death rate % per rear end collision back then?
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Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.

Now that would be disturbing news to Gray and Arnold. And by- golly, who would pay all of those taxes on gasoline and the State Capitol bordellos?
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With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st- most populous state in the Union.

And what in the hell was wrong with that? Less people meant less politicians and pollution (one in the same) too!
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The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.

France still has the Eiffel Tower, a tall structure indeed, but after GWII, their people have sure shrunk a bit in the eyes of the (really) free world!
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The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents an hour, and the average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

Yeah, and now many pay that much a week (or more) in taxes! "That's some progress!?"
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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.

Hey, the damned fools should have gone into politics or prostitution- Come to think of it, not much difference there!
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More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at home.

(Probably safer, considering malpractice these days?)
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Ninety percent of all U.S. physicians had no college education.

I have run into a few who still don't, in my opinion. And is it not true, that at one point (not too long ago) some VA Doctors "DID NOT" have to be U.S. Certified? (Just a question?)
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Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."

Well, I guess that all MDs can't work at Walter Reed, around all of that hot air and endless political financing!? (opinion)
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Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents and Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.

What difference did this make? Nowadays, much of what we use is imported, and that which is worth a shit, grown, or manufactured domestically, is usually shipped abroad anyway!
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Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.

"Omelet Anyone?" (YUCK!!)
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Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

Are these the same poor people who, during Gulf War II, didn't want to leave the Country (Canada), also for any reason?
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The five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

What are they now - Terrorism, AIDS, West Nile, SARS etc., etc?
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The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

Well, they are here to stay now and damned proud of it too, I hear!
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The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30.

Well, at least the Slot Machines were kept nearly new, and just think of all of that wear and tear that was saved at the Mustang Ranch!!
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Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

Well, we still had dirty pictures, and suds on tap! And by the way, what in the Hell is iced tea and how did they inject it? LOL
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There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Yeah, but they knew by our actions that we loved them anyway, "even if the merchants didn't make a killing off of the sentiment!?"
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One in ten U.S. adults couldn't read or write.

Hell, I doubt if more than one in 10 politicos can read, even to this day!? Unless, of course, there is something in it for them!
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Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated high school.

Nowadays, most all have a high school degree, and the way that the economy is going, they may still end up in the bread lines or in the streets?
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Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores.

Nowadays, the street corner has (unfortunately) turned into the neighborhood drug store!
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According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and is a perfect guardian of health."

Some still think this way (Rest In Peace!)
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18 percent of households in the U.S. had at least one servant or one domestic.

We still do, although the percentages are now much higher! We call them the "OLD LADY" these days, however! (I'll get in trouble for this one!!)
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There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

Now most murders are listed under "I was abused as a child", unless of course, they are political in nature! They are then listed under "Plausible Denial!"
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All Kidding aside Mortardude, I loved your figures, honest!!

VERITAS

[Jerry D]

Aren't we all glad we don't die from #3 Diarrhea anymore .