101 Years Ago

RGrew176

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Not sure how much of this is accurate but an interesting read anyway.




The year was 1917


The year is 1917 "One hundred years ago.


"What a difference a century makes!





Here are some statistics for the Year 1917:


The average life expectancy for men was 47 years.


Fuel for cars was sold in drug stores only.


Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.


Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.


The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.


The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.


The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per 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 took place at home


Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!


Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."


Sugar cost four 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.


The American flag had 45 stars ...


The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30.


Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented yet. (What NO beer!?!?, LOL)


There was neither a Mother's Day nor a Father's Day.


Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.


And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.


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


Back then pharmacists said, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach, bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!" (Shocking?)


Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help...


There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.


Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason.


The Five leading causes of death were:


1. Pneumonia and influenza


2. Tuberculosis


3. Diarrhea


4. Heart disease


5. Stroke
 

tpenfield

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Nice stats. :thumb: Wouldn't that be 101 years ago . . .
 

RGrew176

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Mar 20, 2002
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I guess it can't be edited. The edit button is not available. Oops.
 

Old Ironmaker

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To add in 1907 my Great Grandmother and Grandfather landed on Ellis Island with 40 bucks in their pocket. 40 bucks was a good amount of money if wages were 22 cents an hour.

Good read thanks.
 

bigdee

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What amazes me is sears sold opioids in a candy form for various ailments yet drug abuse was mostly unheard of.
 

dwco5051

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What amazes me is sears sold opioids in a candy form for various ailments yet drug abuse was mostly unheard of.

Take a few minutes and google 19th century drug abuse and you might be surprised how wide spread addiction was back then. The late 1800's through the early 1900's were "high times" for many Americans surpassed only by today's crisis.
 

bigdee

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Take a few minutes and google 19th century drug abuse and you might be surprised how wide spread addiction was back then. The late 1800's through the early 1900's were "high times" for many Americans surpassed only by today's crisis.

AKA.....the roaring twenties!
 

sam60

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May 21, 2011
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The pain medication epidemic is a terrible issue. Opiods took my son in law away 12 years ago. I'm one of the fortunate that didn't get addicted after surgeries.

There are people who need them however. My Dad had to be on morphine before he passed.

Drinking Coke meant a different thing years ago.
 

drrpm

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Oct 24, 2008
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The American flag had 48 stars (since 1912), life expectancy was 48.4 years for men and 54 years for women. The Flexner report in 1910 lead to a rapid overhaul in medical education. The average wage per hour does not match the average wage per year. Maybe some of the other stuff is correct.
 

dwco5051

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The average wage per hour does not match the average wage per year. Maybe some of the other stuff is correct.

The average American worker earned approximately $12.98 per week for 59 hours of work in 1900—$674.96 a year. Most workers did not earn that much money. There were no paid vacations, holidays or sick leave. A laborer worked and got paid, or did not work and did not get paid. During the decade 1910-1919 the average worker’s salary increased to $750 a year.
 

Lightwin 3

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May 18, 2010
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Not sure how much of this is accurate but an interesting read anyway.




Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.


And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.


I think we're headed back to those statistics, if we haven't already surpassed them.
 

Old Ironmaker

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Dec 28, 2015
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Not sure how much of this is accurate but an interesting read anyway.




Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.


And, only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.


I think we're headed back to those statistics, if we haven't already surpassed them.

We had a co-op student from a local Community College working at the shop, he A) can not read an analogue clock or B) read a tape measure. He can however list every strain of Cannabis and it's THC levels as well as how to grow it. It is actually a course he takes. Weed will be legal here in Canada this summer.
 
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