Still More Nostalgia From The 20th Century
By Tom Morrow
The “Spanish Flu” pandemic continued on its rise dramatically in New York City. The count rose 5,589 in a 24-hour period. It was the largest daily increase in the city since 1918, During that 24-hour period, some 118 pneumonia “Spanish Flu” deaths were recorded.
The pandemic hit the U.S. in four waves beginning in 1918, just as troops were returning from Europe (World War I). The last wave was 1920 – 100 years ago. World-wide, the Spanish Flu infected an estimated 500 million, about one-third of the world population. The world death-toll rate has been fixed at an estimate of 17 million, though that figure has been contested with varying estimates as much as 100 million.
On May 26, 1920, Mexican President Venustano Carranza was murdered in Vera Cruz by government soldiers. Carranza came to power in 1915 largely because of the backing of rebel forces of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. When the smoke cleared and fighting stopped, the government presidency passed through a number of hands; Zapata had been assassinated and Villa pardoned, thus ending the so-called “1920 Revolution.”
Wall Street Bombing Kills 38, Injures 300
A bomb was set off on Wall Street financial district of New York City on Thursday, Sept. 16, 1920. The blast instantly killing 30 people and another eight died later of wounds sustained in the blast. There were 143 seriously injured. The total number of injured finally reported was approximately 300.
No one took responsibility for the bombing and it was never solved. Although investigators and historians believe the Wall Street bombing was carried out by Italian anarchists, a terrorist group claiming responsiblity for a series of bombing in 1918. The Wall Street attack was related to postwar social unrest, labor struggles, and anti-capitalist agitation in the United States.
Few, if any, will remember in 1910, the Los Angeles Times building was bombed killing more people than the earlier Wall Street bombing, which up to that time was the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil.
Candy cigarettes as well as summers filled with bike rides, Hula hoops, and visits to the pool, and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles. Coffee shops with Table side Juke boxes. Blackjack, Clove and Teaberry chewing gum.
Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers.
Newsreels before the movie which were a main source of the news for those of us living in the hinterlands.
Pea shooters, Hi-Fi’ record players and 45 RPM records. Mom and Dad still have 78 RPM records, but if you were “cool,” you bought the little platter with the big center holes. S&H Green Stamps. Mimeograph paper.
Mistakes were corrected by us kids simply exclaiming, ‘Do Over!’ The “Race issue” meant arguing about who ran the fastest in an impromptu foot race.
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening? Maybe a game or two of hide & seek where you could sneak a kiss with the neighborhood sweetheart. Spinning around, getting dizzy, and falling down was cause for giggles? ‘Oly-oly-oxe-free’ made perfect sense? The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team?
It wasn’t that odd to have two or three ‘Best Friends’? Having a “weapon” in School meant being caught with a slingshot? Water balloons were the ultimate weapon?
After waiting a minute or so for the TV to warm up there was Saturday morning cartoons but unlike today’s fare they weren’t thirty minutes filled of commercials for action figures. “War” was a card game. Who still remembers “Howdy Doody” and The Peanut Gallery, the Lone Ranger, “The Shadow,” Sky King, Nellie Bell, Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk. It was a running debate on which was the “smartest,” Trigger or Champion? Hopalong Cassidy thought Topper was pretty good, but don’t forget Thunder who “rolled” for Red Ryder. That proud steed was always there to warn Red when the bad guys were closing in. Don’t forget Little Beaver played by Robert “Bobby” Blake.
Hoppy, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers were there on Saturday mornings and/or Friday night on the big screen, but were often backed up by Sunset Carson, Tim Holt, The Durango Kid, Johnny Mack Brown, Lash LaRue, The Three Mesquiters with Crash Corrigan, who replaced John Wayne, and for those of you who got to the movies back during the ‘30s you no doubt remember Tim McCoy, Hoot Gibson, and Tom Mix with his horse Tony. There always was a serial on Friday nite: The Black Whip, Superman, and “The Vigilante.”
Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle? Taking drugs meant Mom giving you those orange – flavored chewable aspirin.
If you can remember most or all of these, Then you, indeed, have lived! Pass this on to anyone who may need to know what it was like to grow up in the 20th century.
Happy New Year!