Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-12-16
AS SEEN IN 1897.
Many Wonders Of the Present Day
Were Prophesied Then.

| were Prophesled men.
Traversing the air with the speed
of an express train. snugly seated In
an aeroplane. biplane or monoplane:
soaring among the clouds while MAX
ing scientific research from the basket
of a balloon, racing through the cOun-
try i'm elegantly upholstered carriages
propelled by motive power, all of
which are actual realities of the pres
ent era. were foretold nearly 100
years ago, clearly indicated in an Illus
tration and description that was pub
lished I'm London, England, in the
Gallery Of Comicalities. under the
date Of May l, 1887. an original copy
of which is in possession Of w. Ar
thur Jenkins, a ST. Louis attorney. re-
siding at 1898 Temple place.
| A glance at the illustration repro
duced gives an idea Of the splendid
conception of the future had by the
author Of the article. True, modern
day motive power vehicles do not pre-
sent the grotesque appearance out
| lined I'm the picture; however. the
idea is there, and the conception has
been fully carried out, only on a more
enlarged and moderniZed scale. Un-
der the caption, What We Are To
| Come To-Or a Look Into Futurity.'|
the author Of these many years since
began a review of the achievements Of
time in common prose and concluded
in verse Following is the article,
just as it was published:
WHAT WE ARE TO COME TO-OR|
| A LOOK INTO FUTURITY.
| "Those as live longest IL see most,
and I'm thinking those as come arter
us IL have some changes to witness.
Everything now is done by machinery
steam or gas-and if one could see
into the womb Of time I'm blessed
If l don't think as we should find that
his majestys army and navy Will
hereafter will be hatched like chick
ems in an Egyptian oven; and the
trouble of bringing up family will be
altogether superseded by the self
generating principle of matter But
| no natter live and let live is my
maxim. Let us enjoy the ills we have,
without flying to others we know not
Of and let us hope the march Of
| happiness will keep pace with the
march of mind"
Farewell to old travelling, and hail to
the time
When cattle and drags will be quite
superseded;
And intellect's march, with a progress
sublime.
Will still hasten forward. by nothing
impeded.
OF steam folks will then know the
wonderful power,
Applied in a manner ne'er thought
of before;
n II
hour.
May wonder their ancestors ever
went slower.
On railroads and viaducts thousands
will throng,
Every risk Of collisions and accident
daring;
And ladies undauntedly dashing along.
On cast-iron nags. sally forth for an
airing.
No longer content with discoveries
below
Folks will hold daily converse with
men in the moon:
And, spurning the earth. it will then
be the go
To dash thro' the clouds in al
patent balloon"
Great nations in those intellectual
days
For a new and improved mode of
war will prepare:
And as soon as the wind they are able
TO raise.
Will fiercely set to in the regions of
air.
Then vessels of war. and for commerce
on high.
Thro' ether will hold their course
steady and free;
Steer'd by pilots well skilrd in the
track of the sky.
And when vessels will scarcely be
seen on the sea.
Come. who's for Calcutta?-no
longer I'll stop
So. pilot. make ready To sever the
rope:
At Madeira I've got few parcels to
drop.
And for passengers call at the Cape
of Good Hope.
Come. friends. be alive: it's begin
ming to blow
And this easterly gale is confound-
edly bleak.
My company says it is high time I"
go,
And back | must be in the course
of week."
Thrice happy who live in such mar
velous hours.
When science shall shine all un-
clOuded and clear.
While we boasting still of our Won
derful powers. -,
In knowledge and wisdom are all
in the rear |
Then farewell to coaches and horses
alas,
Doom'd 10 pass with your drivers
away like dream:
Your glory eclips'd by ballooning
and gas
And your splendid turnout superse-
ded by steam.
st. Louis Globe Democrat
1,.,,- ~,Ihc CncT c76 mn