by lbrow 01 Jul 2009

THE YEAR 1909

This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!
The year is 1909.
One hundred years ago.
What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1909:
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The average life expectancy was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles
Of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in 1909 was 22 cents per hour.
The average 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.

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

Five leading causes of death were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.

The population of Las Vegas , Nevada, was only 30!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea Hadn't been invented yet.

There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 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 the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, 'Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health' ..


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.!
(Mainly because there was a firearm of some sort in almost every home!
An armed society is a POLITE society!)

I am now going to forward this to someone else without typing it myself.
From there, it will be sent to others all over the WORLD - all in a matter of seconds!
Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.
IT STAGGERS THE MIND

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by castelyn 06 Jul 2009

Thanks so much Lillian, for sharing this with us all.

Hugs Yvonne

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by jrob Moderator 02 Jul 2009

Wow! I remember thinking about my grandmother who was born in 1901...she went from NO cars, just horse drawn buggies to MEN ON THE MOON! Can you imagine???

1 comment
lbrow by lbrow 02 Jul 2009

I have seen a lot myself Jerrilyn n my 71 yrs. I use to love to sit under the umbrella chinaberry tree n the summer while we shelled peas & listen to my grand mother tell her stories of things people use to do.

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by clawton 02 Jul 2009

Thanks for posting this so we can take a step back and think. My parents were born in 1911 and 1915, father-in-law was 1909. They have all died but I have often thought about what experiences/changes that had in their lifetime!!!

1 comment
lbrow by lbrow 02 Jul 2009

We have seen so many changes just in my 71 yers that it is unbelievable. I even remember the old iron lungs they put people in.

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by asterixsew Moderator 02 Jul 2009

The year 1909 was when my father was born. Thanks for this gives one food for thought

1 comment
lbrow by lbrow 02 Jul 2009

U r quite welcome aster. *

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by camylow 02 Jul 2009

My grandmother past away at 97...She would tell us all of the things that were invented and what she saw start in her time...yes it does boggle the mind...20 years ago you would never believed the world would be in contact everywhere...You see things coming to be as the Bible tells us would happen.....

1 comment
lbrow by lbrow 02 Jul 2009

Amen!

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