Category: Open Lines

The first recorded automobile accident involving two vehicles occurred on this date in 1896 in New York City. Henry Wells of Springfield, Massachusetts, was driving a new Duryea Motor Wagon, the first automobile to be made and sold in the U.S. Unfortunately, he collided with Evelyn Thomas of New York, riding a bicycle. Thomas went to the hospital with a broken leg, and Wells spent the night in jail. Now, there are close to 11 million motor vehicle accidents a …

The nation’s first daily newspaper, the Pennsylvania Evening Post, began publication this week in 1783, printed by Benjamin Towne in Philadelphia. Americans’ hunger for news was such that by 1850, there were some 250 dailies. The number of newspapers peaked a hundred years ago, when there were 2,600 dailies published across the nation, with a circulation of over 24 million. Today, with increasing competition from the Internet, television, and radio, the number of daily newspapers in the U.S. has dropped …

May kicks off the busiest moving season of the year. It’s a time when moving vans and rental trucks show up in driveways and parking lots all across the country. Each year, 1-in-8 of us changes our address — a rate that is up slightly as of last year. Nearly two thirds of all moves are within the same county, and slightly less than 5 percent to another state. Men and women in their 20s are more apt to move, …

This holiday weekend will see the great seasonal migration begin to decks, balconies and backyards to fire up our gas or charcoal grills. May is not only National Barbecue Month but also National Hamburger Month. While cooking food outside has occurred throughout history — and prehistory — grilling became a popular recreation in the U.S. in the 1920s. The first charcoal briquettes sold for the purpose were produced by Henry Ford, using scrap wood left over from making Model Ts. …

There are few bonds in nature to rival that between pets and their owners. Most pets are rewarded for their loyalty and devotion with shelter, food, and welcome attention. Though less welcome, they are also rewarded with medical care. Pets commonly make several visits a year to the veterinarian for annual shots and a checkup. Of course, they also go to the vet if they get sick or hurt. The first veterinary school in the U.S. opened on this date …

Many things we take for granted in current society actually had their beginnings in colonial America. And many beginnings in colonial America took place in Philadelphia. The first known life insurance company was called the Corporation for Relief of Poor and Distressed Widows and Children of Presbyterian Ministers chartered this month in 1759. Given the time and location, it should not be surprising that Benjamin Franklin was involved in setting up the business. Now, there are 946 life insurance companies …

One of the most versatile and gifted people in American history announced the invention of bifocal eyeglasses this month in 1785. Benjamin Franklin had been using one pair of glasses to read with and another for distant vision. Tired of switching between pairs, he had the two pairs of lenses cut in half and mounted in the same frame. The idea of these split lenses, or bifocals, was slow to be adopted because of cost. Among Franklin’s many other inventions …

Gas prices are a frequent cause for consumer complaint –but at least purchases aren’t restricted, as they were beginning this month in 1942. That’s when 17 states began rationing gasoline to help the war effort. By December, rationing was nationwide and remained in effect until the end of World War II, along with a national speed limit of 35 miles an hour. Now, there are more than 118,000 gas stations across the country. Each year, they sell $360 billion worth …

The New York Stock Exchange, by signaling business prospects through share prices, has long been a bellwether of the nation’s economic health. The exchange started on this date in 1792, as some two dozen merchants and brokers established an organized approach to their buying and selling. In good weather, they operated under a Buttonwood tree on Wall Street. Otherwise, they moved to the shelter of a nearby coffeehouse to continue their trading. This makeshift setup eventually evolved into an economic …

Flying became more comfortable — this week in 1930 — when United Airlines made the first flight with an airline stewardess, Ellen Church. She tended passengers on a May 15th flight from Oakland, California to Chicago. The criteria for the job was that she could be no older than 25, no taller than 5 feet, 4 inches, and weigh no more than 115 pounds and be a registered nurse. The idea caught on, and being a stewardess became one of …

This week, we honor those civil servants to whom we owe much, including the peace and safety of our neighborhoods. It’s National Police Week, signed into law in 1962 by President John Kennedy, designating this day as Peace Officers Memorial Day. Nationwide, hundreds of police departments will have held observances during the week leading up to today, when a memorial service is held on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. Each year in the U.S., there are about 1.3 …

This week is the 94th annual Children’s Book Week –encouraging the joy of reading for young people. The idea began in 1913 with a drive by the librarian of the Boy Scouts, Franklin Matthiews, to promote higher standards in children’s books. He got two other key people to join him — the editor of Publisher’s Weekly and the head of children’s works at the New York Public Library. Children’s Book Week began in 1919, and over the years, its efforts …

As Americans live longer, the problems of financing their retirement and paying their medical bills continue to make headlines. But the growing number of healthy seniors also means opportunities. Both the problems and opportunities are in the spotlight in May — it’s Older Americans Month. There are just over 41 million people aged 65 and older in the U.S., over 13 percent of the population. By the year 2060, the number of elderly is projected to be 92 million. About …

This is the anniversary of an event in 1869 at Promontory Summit, Utah that symbolized the linking of America’s east and west. In the ceremony, a golden spike was driven to join tracks of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railways. Celebrated as completing the transcontinental railroad, the event actually joined rail lines from Omaha to Sacramento. But the occasion did usher in the golden age of the nation’s railroads, which enjoyed a nearly century-long monopoly on moving freight …

This is a time to recognize those nonhuman friends who add a special dimension to our lives — it’s Be Kind to Animals Week and National Pet Week. While most pets are a source of companionship, many dogs provide protection and act as eyes for the blind, as well as helping other disabled owners. And it’s said that while dogs have owners, cats have staff. Dogs are found in well over one-third of U.S. homes, cats in slightly less than …

The first disc-type phonograph record was demonstrated publicly this month in 1888. The invention of Emile Berliner of Washington, D.C. was called a gramophone, and used a flat disc of a spiraling groove to reproduce sound. Rather than the cylinders of the day. These proved easier to duplicate for the mass market. A few years later, Berliner founded the Victor Talking Machine Company. The era of the disc phonograph record lasted about a century, until replaced by compact discs in …

Before the school year draws to a close and summer vacation takes over, it’s time to say thanks to America’s teachers. Today is National Teacher Day, part of PTA-Teacher Appreciation Week. The goal is to honor the dedication and valuable contributions teachers make to the rest of their students’ lives. The idea goes back to 1944, when Mattye Woodridge of Arkansas began lobbying for a day to honor teachers. With the help of Eleanor Roosevelt, the first National Teacher Day …

This is National Nurses Day — kicking off a week honoring the outstanding efforts of nurses in helping to keep Americans healthy. The observance ends next Saturday, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who established the world’s first nursing school in England in the 19th century. In the U.S., there were some 12,000 registered nurses by 1900. Today, that figure is over 2.6 million. As their numbers have grown, so have nurses’ responsibilities, keeping up with increasingly complex medical technology. They …

One of the key sporting events of each spring is the Kentucky Derby, and tomorrow’s running will be the 139th in the race’s long history. The first event was held in 1875, won by a horse named Aristides. Patterned after the English Derby, the race was a mile and a half long until shortened to a mile and a quarter in 1896, where it remains. Some of the famous horses to win the Run for the Roses include War Admiral, …

One of the most influential motion pictures ever made was released this week 72 years ago –“Citizen Kane,” starring and directed by Orson Welles. He was already renowned for his 1938 Halloween radio broadcast of “War of the Worlds,” when he was just 23 years old. But his lasting legacy is “Citizen Kane,” which did not do well financially, although it was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning for best screen play. Many critics now consider it the best American …