The Year 1903
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From: St. Pete, Florida
The Year 1903
The year is 1903, one hundred years ago...
what a difference a century makes.
Here are the U.S. statistics for 1903....
' The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven.
' 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 tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
' The average wage in the US was 22 cents an 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 in the US took place at home.
' Ninety percent of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
' 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.
' Crossword puzzles, 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.
' Coca Cola contained cocaine. 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.
' Just think what it will be like in another 100 years.
It boggles the mind ...
what a difference a century makes.
Here are the U.S. statistics for 1903....
' The average life expectancy in the US was forty-seven.
' 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 tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
' The average wage in the US was 22 cents an 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 in the US took place at home.
' Ninety percent of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
' 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.
' Crossword puzzles, 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.
' Coca Cola contained cocaine. 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.
' Just think what it will be like in another 100 years.
It boggles the mind ...
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,962
Likes: 7
From: San Fernando Valley, CA
It seems everyone likes quoting prices from the past out of context:
' The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour.
Yup, now the minimum wage is $5.15 (or $6.75 in California)
2340.9% to 3068.2% increase (to current min wage)
' The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
in 2001, the average income for a US worker was
$29,673 (W. Virginia) to $57, 363 (Alaska) -- from census data (2001)
14836.5% (W. Va wage/$200) to 14340.8% (Alaska wage/$400) increase
' Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Sugar retail is quoted at $0.42/lb, but eggs are $1.99/dz to $2.99/dz (I bought some yesterday)
Sugar: 105% increase. Eggs: 1421% to 2135% increase. Personally, I'd like to see the prices for milk,
which sells for around $4/gallon in Los Angeles.
' Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.
$3.60/lb? I'm not a big coffee drinker (never touch the stuff)
2400% increase.
So when average salaries go up 14,000+% and prices listed go up 1500-2000%, thinks don't look so bad.
Here's some more numbers:
It's not 1903, but 1909:
Model T Roadster, 4 cyl. 20 HP. $850.00
Based on 1903 wages, this is more than 2 year's salary for the upper end of the average salary $400.
Compared to the 2001 average salaries, an S2000 ($33,060) is slightly over one year's average salary for V. Virginia, Montana and Arkansas, and less than a year's salary in the other 47 states.
You also get another 220 ponies as well with the S2000.
' The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour.
Yup, now the minimum wage is $5.15 (or $6.75 in California)
2340.9% to 3068.2% increase (to current min wage)
' The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.
in 2001, the average income for a US worker was
$29,673 (W. Virginia) to $57, 363 (Alaska) -- from census data (2001)
14836.5% (W. Va wage/$200) to 14340.8% (Alaska wage/$400) increase
' Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Sugar retail is quoted at $0.42/lb, but eggs are $1.99/dz to $2.99/dz (I bought some yesterday)
Sugar: 105% increase. Eggs: 1421% to 2135% increase. Personally, I'd like to see the prices for milk,
which sells for around $4/gallon in Los Angeles.
' Coffee cost fifteen cents a pound.
$3.60/lb? I'm not a big coffee drinker (never touch the stuff)
2400% increase.
So when average salaries go up 14,000+% and prices listed go up 1500-2000%, thinks don't look so bad.
Here's some more numbers:
It's not 1903, but 1909:
Model T Roadster, 4 cyl. 20 HP. $850.00
Based on 1903 wages, this is more than 2 year's salary for the upper end of the average salary $400.
Compared to the 2001 average salaries, an S2000 ($33,060) is slightly over one year's average salary for V. Virginia, Montana and Arkansas, and less than a year's salary in the other 47 states.
You also get another 220 ponies as well with the S2000.
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 591
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From: O.C.
In 2103:
1. Man has taken residence on the moon.
2. People no longer work for wages but for the advancement of society.
3. George XYZ. Bush is the president.
4. The cure for the common cold still hasn't been found.
5. World hunger has been eradicated.
6. Microsoft declares bankruptcy.
7. Teleportation is now operational.
8. French people are still assholes.
9. The Acura NSX is FINALLY re-modeled.
10. The Anti-Christ is born.
1. Man has taken residence on the moon.
2. People no longer work for wages but for the advancement of society.
3. George XYZ. Bush is the president.
4. The cure for the common cold still hasn't been found.
5. World hunger has been eradicated.
6. Microsoft declares bankruptcy.
7. Teleportation is now operational.
8. French people are still assholes.
9. The Acura NSX is FINALLY re-modeled.
10. The Anti-Christ is born.
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