posted 04-09-2004 11:52 AM         

One Hundred Years Ago

The year is 1904, one hundred years ago ... what a difference a century makes. Here are the US statistics for 1904....

The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven (47).

Only 14 Percent of the homes in the US had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.

There were only 8,000 cars in the US and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.

Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.

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.

More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home.

Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee cost 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 prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the US were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.

The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was 30.

Canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented.

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

One in ten US 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 corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and the bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US.

posted 04-10-2004 11:40 AM         

Only 14 Percent of the homes had a bathtub.

Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

only 144 miles of paved roads.

The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at home.

Eggs were fourteen to a dozen.

Most women only washed their hair once a month

Tennessee passed a law prohibiting poor Kentucky people from entering the state for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the state were: 1. Gettin shot by your neighbor for trespassin at the still 2. Gettin shot by your brother/sister/spouse 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Gettin shot

Canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented. No need, what with the stills and all.

There were no Mother's Day or Father's Day. They were the same as Sister's/Brother's Day.

One in ten adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent had graduated from middle school.

Today in Kentucky ?