One Hundred Years Ago

[Rix Gins]

The Day Book, June 17, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 17, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

Dick's Diary entry for June 17, 1916.
http://www.willisfleming.org.uk/dicksdiary/entries/1916/06/saturday-17-june-1916.html

[K_Dubb]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 17, 1916.

Of course would love to know which of the many arrangements of Crossing the Bar the Professor sang.  Probably a sappy Victorian-era rendition like this http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/3650/

But it looks like Parry's beautiful setting (here for full choir) was also in existence, dating from 1903, and was common in hymn-books, so a duet reduction may have been possible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CBHeFnH1nA

[Rix Gins]

Wow, that second recording was beautiful.  I kind of think that the Professor sounded like the first one though...but better because he had R.W. Bayless joining him on tenor.  I bet they sounded pretty nice with piano backing (don't you think they would at least have an old piano in the church?) I wonder what the acoustics were like in there.

Haha...'The Ministry of Small Things' was the theme for the evening.  It reminded me right away of Monty Python's 'Ministry of Silly Walks.'

[K_Dubb]

Wow, that second recording was beautiful.  I kind of think that the Professor sounded like the first one though...but better because he had R.W. Bayless joining him on tenor.  I bet they sounded pretty nice with piano backing (don't you think they would at least have an old piano in the church?) I wonder what the acoustics were like in there.

Haha...'The Ministry of Small Things' was the theme for the evening.  It reminded me right away of Monty Python's 'Ministry of Silly Walks.'

This was the golden age of the pump organ so I'm sure they'd at least have that, if not a fully electrified reed or small pipe organ.  That Central Nevada Museum has a couple on display, one of which might have come from that church.  The two-manual is probably a reed organ; the pipes were often just a decorative facade:



Pump organs are a blast to play.  My folks have a Kimball (I think 1902 is the date written in pencil inside, or maybe 1912) that is like brand new -- instant, snappy action (so you hear every goof -- ugh) and bellows tight as a drum.

[Rix Gins]

Ahhh,neat!  I'd much rather picture an organ in my mind's ear, than a piano.  Thanks for the info, K.

[Rix Gins]

Dick's Diary entry for June 18, 1916.
http://www.willisfleming.org.uk/dicksdiary/entries/1916/06/sunday-18-june-1916.html


British artillerymen loading an 18 pounder gun at Romani in 1916 (Wikipedia)

[Rix Gins]

The Day Book, June 19, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 19, 1916.

[K_Dubb]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 19, 1916.

I wish they'd give a little more detail on what is meant by the two weeks of rustling -- I thought in an old-west context that meant cattle thievery.  Maybe a series of challenges in more ladylike pursuits?  Who can sew the best dress, bake the best pie?

Here's Manhattan, Nevada back then; looks pretty substantial:



White Caps Mine, Manhattan, NV c. 1915:



It shows up on a few ghost-town sites now, but there was still life in it back when this beautiful Geocities page was created:



Hot coffee and a good breakfast and speculating on gold-mining stocks sounds pretty good right about now.

[Rix Gins]

Dick's Diary entry for June 19, 1916.
http://www.willisfleming.org.uk/dicksdiary/entries/1916/06/monday-19-june-1916.html

[gabrielle]

I wish they'd give a little more detail on what is meant by the two weeks of rustling -- I thought in an old-west context that meant cattle thievery.  Maybe a series of challenges in more ladylike pursuits?  Who can sew the best dress, bake the best pie?

Here's Manhattan, Nevada back then; looks pretty substantial:



White Caps Mine, Manhattan, NV c. 1915:



It shows up on a few ghost-town sites now, but there was still life in it back when this beautiful Geocities page was created:



Hot coffee and a good breakfast and speculating on gold-mining stocks sounds pretty good right about now.

I think the ladies were rustling to get ready, meaning they were quickly preparing their costumes/outfits, shoes etc. 

[Rix Gins]

Everett True, June 20, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

The Chicago Day Book, June 20, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 20, 1916.

[K_Dubb]

The Tonopah Daily Bonanza, June 20, 1916.

The Professor himself will not appear?  I am astonished!  I was sure he found the limelight irresistible.

[K_Dubb]

Perhaps this roughly contemporaneous painting of a performance at an internment camp in Germany can help us imagine:



Love those paper lanterns!

[Rix Gins]

The Professor himself will not appear?  I am astonished!  I was sure he found the limelight irresistible.

I guess as Director, the good professor found out that he would be too busy to get out there and sing.  Or maybe he felt awkward, shouting out direction in a kimono.

[gabrielle]

Our update on the situation at Ypres:

[Rix Gins]

Dick's Diary for June 20, 1916.
http://www.willisfleming.org.uk/dicksdiary/entries/1916/06/tuesday-20-june-1916.html

[Rix Gins]

Everett True, June 21, 1916.

[Rix Gins]

Some news items from the June 21, 1916 Daily Bonanza.

[Rix Gins]

Dick's Diary entry for June 21, 1916.
http://www.willisfleming.org.uk/dicksdiary/entries/1916/06/wednesday-21-june-1916.html

[albrecht]

The Chicago Day Book, June 20, 1916.

I love the way the author writes his stories. And note the butter/oleo coloring wars continue!

[RcCle]

The Chicago Day Book, June 20, 1916.

What is up with the Margarine fines? 

[albrecht]

What is up with the Margarine fines?

There was (still is some places and times) laws about coloring Oleo/Margarine so it looks like butter. Dairies were against Oleo(Margarine) (loss of sales and employment) and so places made laws. But the Oleo folks (especially in war-time when shortages etc) argue for their product because it is cheaper than real butter.
Here is a little history:
http://theplate.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/13/the-butter-wars-when-margarine-was-pink/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/25638/surprisingly-interesting-history-margarine

[Rix Gins]

The Six Brown Brothers (their last name was Brown) stopped by the Victor Recording Studio in Camden, N.J. on this date, one hundred years ago, to record three songs and here is one of them called 'The Chicken Walk.'
http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/700002937/B-17899-Chicken_walk

[Rix Gins]

Also recorded 100 years ago today, a monologue on 'Astronomy' by Charles Ross Taggart.  Kind of an early day Garrison Keillor...by cracky!
http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/700001723/B-16721-The_old_country_fiddler_on_astronomy 

[K_Dubb]

Some news items from the June 21, 1916 Daily Bonanza.

So they are rustling votes!  That makes sense.

That's the first I've heard of a bull's-head breakfast.  I wonder how it was prepared.

Here is a drilling competition in Tonopah: