Thomas Marshall (1854-1925) Vice President of the USA during the Wilson administration 1913-1921.. What is he famous for?

We rarely hear of this gentleman today. He was Vice President under Woodrow Wilson, who was a very powerful force. So we do not hear about Marshall much at all.
He was the Governor of Indiana. He did quite a bit. But today, to be honest, there is only one thing that he usually is remembered for. He had a rye sense of humor and at times it did show itself. Here is the moment where it truly did.

He was in a session of Congress and it was a boring slow session. Lot's of talking going on and nothing really being said. During this long session Marshall was heard to exclaim.. "What this country needs, is a good 5 cent cigar." That was it. It brought laughs and still does today. That is about all that is remembered about Thomas Marshall.
Who was in every way a great Vice President. So good, you never heard of him.

The monitor. During the civil war they were worth their weight in gold. But by the end of the war they were obsolete. Yet we kept making them!! ???

One of the old monitors from the American Civil War. Rotting at a pier in the 1870's

This was the big problem with a monitor. This is just moving rather slowly in calm waters. Can you imagine sailing at a good rate of speed or in rough water? It was a fatal flaw specially for the first monitor.




Here are a few pictures of monitors taken around 1900-1902 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City. You can see how low they are in the water. But still at this time they were sailing. They were a massive blast from the past as we entered the 20th century.

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The USS Monitor was designed by John Ericsson to be used to defend the coast and the wooden battleships that were being terrorized by the Confederate ironclad Virginia. The Virginia was built on the burnt remains of the wooden sailing ship Merrimack. The Monitor was a god send to the Union.
It was in every way an equal to the Virgina and was far more advanced. Through the war there were many monitors made. In fact there was a glut of them after the war. Many were scraped or sold to foreign governments.
But there seemed to be a hard core group who kept pushing for monitor style ships for the US navy. In the 1870's there were many designs put forward for monitors. They were finally built well into the 1880's and 90's. By then they were as obsolete as the wooden ships that they replaced in the civil war.
However Monitors were built as late as the beginnings of the 20th century!

One of the big problems with monitors was that they were very low into the water. In fact, the first monitor was called a cheese box on a raft. As it had a turret, the first ship to have such an item. The ship itself was nearly submerged in the water, which led to many difficulties. One being that the ship when even moving slowly would have water pouring over its decks and often pouring into the ship!
One must remember that as wonderful as the original monitor was it did have this problem. In fact the original monitor was not lost in battle, it was lost in stormy seas.

So through out the years that monitors were made they could not sail with other ships. As they could not sail so fast due to the fact that they would be practically submerged by doing so.
The navy had monitors in use till the time of WWI. By then the last of the monitors were scraped and every vessel built afterwards would have a higher free board.

The monitor was a great development. But sometimes we hate to let go of great developments. And we keep them till they become disasters.

My 1972 Caddy ..It was quite a limo, it was quite a car.

When we are very young we do things that may seem a bit strange and unusual. But in 1982 I bought a 1972 Cadillac Limo. It was so amazingly huge. It was a great party car. There was only one sad point I was driving.
The car had been in the use of the Warner Lambert Company before my friend Ted Spangenberg bought it. He had it for 6 years. It was a great car.

So when I needed a car I bought Ted's Limo. I was 25 and crazy ...and it looked like fun. Now looking back on it. I am glad I got it as I had a great time in it.
It was the ultimate party car.
But this car was my one venture into monster cars. The interior was beautiful and plush. It had a glass window that would raise and lower between the front and rear seats. It could seat 9 . It had an opera window in the back that was so tiny, but it was cute. It had two stereo systems..I had many parties in it.
We even made davit on the back and hung a cardboard VW bug on it as a lifeboat. That was funny and I wish I had taken a picture of it. But cameras were not everywhere then, like they are now.
In fact I did not take this picture of my car. It was taken by a friend of mine who 2 weeks after he took this picture drowned in a pool. So thanks to David I have this picture...I think of him every time I see it.
This picture was taken in Trenton, New Jersey in 1982. We were all going to the beach for a party. Of course there were about 7 in my car.

By 1984 the car was having troubles. I could not afford the repairs. The last straw was when the entire electrical system for the windows went down. I had the windows open and it started to rain...Ironically on the radio was playing the song.."Its raining again" I could not get over the irony of that moment.

But soon I traded the car in for a 1976 Dodge Dart and was happy. The Dodge had crank windows, and a slant six engine. It was good on gas. I must confess the Caddy belched every time it drove by a gas station. But what a hell of a good 2 years I had in that car!

The first American President to face an assassins gun. There seemed no way for it to fail, yet it did. In a most unusual manner.

In January of 1835 a very old, and very tired Andrew Jackson walked out of the House of Representatives. He had just attended a memorial service for Congressman Warren Davis. Jackson was so weak and infirm that he needed to lean onto the arms of many political officials. They did not mind it and considered it to be an honor.

Jackson had been ill for years. He had trouble sitting down, and had a standing desk. He had been at one time one hell of a man. Now as he slowly walked out of the House of Representatives on that cold damp day, he was but a shell of what he had once been. But the fire was not at all out in the old warrior. He was weak but had great moments of passion and battle.
These qualities had brought him to the White House and they sometimes did show at certain moments.
This day as he walked out of the Capital, he was met by an assassin, Richard Lawrence. Lawrence was a handsome young man who was dressed in a large dark cloak. He also brandished 2 single shot pistols. He lunged in front of the President pointed one pistol at his chest and fired. The gun did not go off. It misfired! The President always the fighter raised his cane and charged the assassin. As Jackson was about on Lawrence, the assassin fired his second pistol at point blank range at the charging President. This gun too, misfired! Soon Lawrence was wrestled to the ground. He was arrested and taken to prison.

Now for the pistols? Why did each misfire? No one really knows for sure, but the odds of such a thing happening are like 125,000 to 1!! Both pistols fired when tested later. Lawrence felt that he pistols did not work because of the dampness. But due to most bizarre circumstances the President of the United States was allowed to finish out his term.

Richard Lawrence was taken to court and prosecuted by none other than Francis Scott Key..Lawrence was suffering from depression and madness...He would be in and out of insane asylums for the rest of his life, dying in 1861.

This last weekend I had the chance to fire a 1770 repro of a early pistol. Is misfired 4 times before it worked. So I can see how such a thing could indeed happen. So by chance Andrew Jackson did not make it into the history books as the first assassinated President. Thirty years later the sad deed was done to another President. Abraham Lincoln.

Ok so how tall was Napoleon? Was he really so short that it gave him a complex?

I am really getting tired of hearing how short Napoleon was. He was not short, he was of average height. He was 5 feet six inches tall. Before beginning his autopsy on the body of Napoleon, Dr. Antommarchi measured it. It came to 1.686 metres.

Now five feet six inches is not that short at all. In American history John Adams was around five feet six inches, as was his son, John Quincy. President James Madison was only five feet four inches. I think there has been many issues that have messed up our understanding of Napoleon's height.
First off the measure of Napoleon was done in French metres. Secondly, Genl. Tom Thumb, who worked with P.T. Barnum, was always dressed like Napoleon. Since Tom Thumb was very small the image began to sink into the public that Napoleon must have been very short too. Well that is not so. He was of normal height for the times.

So perhaps someone who has a Napoleon complex may have to think about it a bit. Maybe they might have a James Madison complex.

King's view of New York 1911 and the future

New York of the future...I guess it was thought by them what New York would be in one hundred years. Just like every other prediction.It is way off the mark, but wonderfully amusing.



The tip of Manhattan Island in the eye of the artist. With a completed Woolworth Building on Broadway.




Something new in those days was a view from the sky. To see it like a bird.




Some of the large buildings in New York as of this time. The buildings seem as massive as the confidence of that era.







The area of Grant's Tomb and Columbia University.



The many maps and drawings in the early years of the the 20th century of New York were most often provided by King's Views of New York. This publication that came out it seems yearly. Would document New York as it was then. On it cover it showed what New York would be like in the future. But it was a great time of optimism and expansion in New York and this booklet shows it. So it is near a century since the publication came out. And I am glad that New York is not as they foresaw it.

With all the talk of Global Warming and the oceans rising...Why not make use of desalination plants?

I cannot understand why this is not a major issue with so many states and countries. We talk of dry spells in various regions of this country and how the water table is being lowered. Why isn't desalination ever considered?

Perhaps I need to explain what this is....This is a water treatment system that takes seawater and removes the salt and cleans it. Making it perfect for drinking and for use in every other way that fresh land water is used. This is a technology used on Ocean Liners, Navy Vessels, many countries in desert areas, and Australia.

I see with all the problems that seem to be happening, that this seems to be such a natural option. I am told that drinking water and rain fall may change with Global Warming. So if that IS a fact, then this seems to be a perfect solution to this upcoming crisis.
In areas like New York, New Jersey, Florida, Los Angeles and other large cites and very crowded states this should be an issue and an option. Water consumption has often been an issue. This would change the problem.
If we can build pipelines for oil that go hundreds of miles...We should be able to do the same for water pipelines to some of our crowded cities. Not only pipe lines but aqueducts...The Romans did it..Their aqueducts went for hundreds of miles.

I think it makes sense..Where there is no water, or where water is short. There can be pipelines or aqueducts.
All I hear is that the oceans will be rising...Well use some of the water!!!!
If it was a global effort to embrace such options it might give the United Nations something real to work on and make it look like a useful organization.

Take care of the farm belt..Build artificial lakes and connect them with pipelines. If we can spend billions to do so many other things we can do this!
This is where our water supply is short...Make the water go there...
If we can go to the damn moon, we can do this. I know NO ONE WILL GET RICH OFF OF THIS..that is why no one pushes for it. But let's think outside of the box and ahead of the major troubles that may be heading our way.

It may take 10 or more years to do but it will be well worth it...No more talk about great droughts...At least put some of this water where it is needed. I know that the water cannot be brought everywhere. But I think this would be a great way to work with existing water supplies.
I do not know why this has not been looked at as an option in the USA...I think it is high time that we do!
Lets use our heads for something more than a hat rack...Let's use this technology now and stop complaining of droughts..If we wait it may be too late..... I am told it is more expensive...Well guess what....

Drought is even more expensive!!!

I sure do look forward to the day when some politicians have the brains to mention this as a national, or a perhaps global option. We have the technology...Let's use it.
If global warming IS real and an issue....Why not start taking evasive actions??????

To me it only makes sense. With a growing population around the world, you need more water. And why not take advantage of the greatest source of it.

A bad book, by a bad historian, who wasn't a historian, who wasn't anything he said he was.Who was he? He built a massive home in Orange, New Jersey

There was book written in 1882 called "President Garfield's place in history" It was written by a man who was not well know as a historian. In fact he was not really know for anything. At least anything that was real.
This man was a confidential accounts clerk at Arnold Constable in New York City. This was a major department store. It seems that this man stole a great deal of money from Arnold Constable. Something to the tune of over $300.000 dollars. With this money this man built a home, designed by Henry Hudson Holly. It was magnificent.The library of this massive home was filled with over a 1000 books. Not one of them were read, they were for decoration. This massive home was most unique. Of course he had it furnished by Arnold Constable.

He lived the life of a robber barron, which is what he truly was. Then when President Garfield was assassinated. This robber barron ie, Confidential accounts clerk wrote a book. It was as good as one would imagine of someone who did not read much or study much, but stole much. The book was called "President Garfield's place in history." It was awful. As was the author.
In time this crook was caught in the act and he lost it all. He was fired by Arnold Constable, sold the house to them for a dollar and moved to the Barbados islands. It was a major scandal...

Who was this man who was a fraud, a crook, a robber barron and the builder of a massive home that he called Glenmont. His name was Henry C. Pedder.

His home today is well known. Not for being built by Henry C. Pedder, but because it was bought after, from Arnold Constable, by none other than Thomas Alva Edison. It was where Edison and his family lived from 1886 till 1947.
No one seems to know what ever happened to Mr Pedder. But his monument is his home, and that dreadful book. Which today is a collectors item.

He gave up the house

Abraham Lincoln's Presidential railway car. It was to be used by the President to travel. However it was to see its main use in his funeral.

Lincoln funeral car. With an honor guard. This was the car that would take the bodies of Lincoln and his son Willie home to Springfield, Illinois






The Presidential car pulled out of its garage in January 1865. Note the Presidential seal on the side of the car.



Lincoln's funeral train ready to leave. The 9 car train would travel from Washington DC to Springfield Illinois. Lincoln's well traveled body would be on view into early May.



The Lincoln car was a Pullman that was to be used by President Lincoln as he traveled. it was ready for use in late 1864. However Lincoln did not travel much of anywhere by train in the later years. Sadly by the spring, Lincoln was no more. the victim of an assassins bullet. The car that was to be his transportation in life, soon became the vehicle to transport his remains in death. Lincoln's car was used on the funeral train and carried his and his son's body to their last resting place.

The car was later put on exhibit, and it was destroyed by fire in 1911. All that was saved of the car was a pane of glass.

What is life, or death. What are the changes we feel or understand.

I was thinking this weekend as I read, watched youtube, tv, listened to the radio. I have reached my fiftith year on the 3rd. When one reaches that age it is the halfway mark to 100. One starts to think of their life as something that quite a bit of has passed. I am hoping that I am around for many more years and I have no plans to exit the scene just yet. But what was in my mind, was my eventual death. We all will face it.

We will all die. It happens...

But I have to think as perhaps every other human has thought throughout time .....What life is?

I am as I write this alive, breathing, thinking, wanting, acting. I have passions, dreams, desires. Tomorrow I could be dead, and all of the functions, passions, and thoughts will be gone.... Or will they?

Death is the great equalizer I agree. But this wonderful moment we have where we are living is special. I wonder how others 200 years ago felt about life? They now are moldering bones of what was once a living person.

In 50 years I can pretty much state I will be dead. All the thoughts that swirl through my head will be of the past and lost. Funny how we spend a lifetime learning and then it is all lost. Or is it?

No one knows....No one has come back from the dead and filled us in on what happens....
I guess the best way to state this all is what I recall was written on a tombstone many years ago.

It stated simply "As you are, I once was".....How truly fickle life is.

No one can tell us what it is like to die, it is the great mystery. I am in no hurry to find out about it either. Till then I will embrace life, and enjoy these moments as they are afforded me.