The United States in 1904

[LynnDel]

I ran across these statistics, and though I have not researched them for accuracy, I find them interesting:

The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years. (Note: A physician once explained to me that this statistic doesn't mean that a 50-year-old person was considered old; that old people have always lived to around 70. The statistic is skewed by the high rate of infant mortality and deaths due to childhood diseases that are now mostly eradicated due to vaccinations, medicine, and better health habits. -- ld)

Only 14% of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.

Only 8% 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 U.S., 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 U.S. was 22 cents an hour.

The average U.S. 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% of all births in the U.S. took place at home.

99% of all U.S 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 was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo. (This makes my head itch just to think about it. -- ld)

Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.

The five leading causes of death in the U.S. 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 was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two of 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write. Only 6% of all Americans had graduated 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 bowels; and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."

18% of households in the U.S had at least one full-time servant or domestic.

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire U.S.

[Nicodema]

I wonder how strange and in some cases "backwards" our day will look to those in 2104 (assuming the Lord tarries that long, which I can't conceive of Him doing but I certainly know NOT the day nor the hour) ... or even in 2054 ... in which (Lord willing) I will turn 90 ... ROFL

[Amelia]

I'll be 95 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon_smile_sick.gif" alt="" /> Ok, I wont mind being 95 if somewhere along that line, I get to see Jesus' return. Thats worth living for. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

[Nicodema]

Amen to that, Amelia!