Historical musing at the start of a new year. U.S. statistics for 1902.... The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven (47). Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US 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 US 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 US was 22 cents an hour. The average US 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 US took place at home. Ninety percent of all US 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 a dozen. 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 US 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 were no Mother's Day or Father's Day. One in ten US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from 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 the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic. There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US. Just think what it will be like in another 100 years. It boggles the mind! Rose

I found a scrapbook oriented website that gives (much less in-depth) similar information: http://www.dmarie.com/timecap/. Here's what it will give you (I cut a lot out, so this wouldn't be so long): Monday, June 29, 1970 Top News Headlines This Week: Jun 29 - US ends 2 month military offensive into Cambodia   Jun 30 - Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium opens, Braves beat Reds 8-2   Jun 30 - 1st baseball game at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium   Jun 30 - Brazil beats Italy 4-1 in soccer's 9th World Cup at Mexico City   Jun 30 - T Smirnova discovers asteroid #2139 Makharadze   Jul 1 - Denny McLain returns, (leaves trailing) Tigers beat Yankees in 11   Top Songs for 1970 I Think I Love You by Partridge Family     [...]   1970 Prices Bread:  $0.24/loaf [...] US President Richard M. Nixon US Vice President Spiro T. Agnew Academy Award Winners Best Picture: Patton [...] On TV in 1970 The Carol Burnett Show    [...] Hot New Toys in 1970 Alien Zeroid    [...] Top Books in 1970 Sounder by William Armstrong     For the same date in 1776, there's a bit less: Saturday, June 29, 1776 Top News Headlines This Week: Jun 29 - Mission Dolores founded by SF Bay   Jun 29 - Va state constitution adopted & Patrick Henry made governor   Jul 1 - 1st vote on Declaration of Independence   Jul 2 - Continental Congress resolves "these United Colonies are & of right   Jul 2 - NJ gave all adults who could show a net worth of 50¦ right to vote   Jul 2 - ought to be Free & Independent States"  www.DianasLegacy.net -- Every man serves a useful purpose. A miser, for example, makes a wonderful ancestor. - Laurence J. Peter > From: Jerry Robke <[email protected]> > Date: Wed, 01 Jan 2003 22:53:23 -0600 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [NEWGEN] 100 Years Ago > Resent-From: [email protected] > Resent-Date: Wed, 1 Jan 2003 21:55:55 -0700 > > Historical musing at the start of a new year. > U.S. statistics for 1902....