Wednesday post

 

1. Annie Edson Taylor and Her Niagara Falls Journey

Annie Edson Taylor had planned to make a fortune via a one-of-a-kind PR stunt. She intended to take a barrel ride over Niagara Falls on her birthday (October 24, 1901). She had a watertight, cushioned barrel specially made for her. As a test, she sent a barrel over the falls with a cat inside. Much to her pleasure and the cat’s happiness, the feline survived the journey.

So, on that 24th day of October, the 63-year-old retired teacher got into the barrel with the help of her companions and secured the lid. She began her adventure just above the falls. After she journeyed down the waterfall, she was met by an awaiting boat. Thankfully, Annie Edson Taylor was discovered alive and well.

2. Cigarettes Bought from a Hospital Bed in the 1950s

Prior to the Surgeon General’s message connecting tobacco use to a variety of illnesses, the medical community did not consider smoking to be a bad. In fact, it was considered to soothe a worried person, suppress appetites, and generally be beneficial.

As absurd and counter-productive as it may seem, hospital patients could purchase packs from their hospital beds during this time. They could even use them in their hospital rooms if they wanted to!

3. A Manually Operated Traffic Control Machine, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1922

Cars began getting into fender-benders shortly after the automobile was introduced into the streets. It became apparent immediately that laws and procedures were required to ensure that individuals did not drive their vehicles into other cars, people, or structures.

Motorists started using signals to know when to halt and when to continue through a junction. Before electric traffic signals, the only alternative was to have manual signals, such as the one seen in the photograph above. A traffic stop operator had to manually change the sign from “stop” to “go.”

4. A Man on Top of the Golden Gate Bridge During its Construction

Building the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco required a lot of bravery. There was an unspoken rule in the 1930s about high-steel bridge-building projects like this one. Engineers should anticipate one employee incident for every $1 million spent. The $35 million Golden Gate Bridge, on the other hand, had a stellar safety record, with just 11 incidents.

At least 19 individuals are said to have been saved thanks to a huge net hanging underneath the construction site. The bridge employees’ survival rate is a marvel of forethought.

5. The Historic U.S. Route 50 (The loneliest road in America)

While looking at this photograph, it is easy to see why Route 50 is referred to as “The Loneliest Road in America.” From West Sacramento in California all the way to Ocean City in Maryland (a distance of about 3,073 miles), the roadway traverses vast swaths of barren, arid terrain. 

When Life magazine published its July 1986 edition, the road was dubbed as “The Loneliest Road in America.” Since then, the name has gained popularity, and the state of Nevada has adopted it as a marketing slogan for the road. According to the publication, there are “no places of interest” along the path.

That's all folks