The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1933-08-31
How times change.
Backward Chances Il

/ o3CAWoIQ 018uCcS tulS week xSs
port that A. c. Burmeister was elect
ed to membership in the "Ramblers'
% years ago. The requirement fol
membership was that a man must
have driven "gas buggy" a total Of
$4,000 miles. It was q stiff initia.
ton. It meant buying four or five
sets Of tires, changing each severa'
times on the road, patching the tube
and pumping in 60 or more pounds
with hand pump. Gas stations were
scarce and the brands few and grades
poor. Every driver carried a com.
plete set Of tools, stopped frequently
to clean the sparkplugs-both OF
them in some cases. Roads were mar
row, winding and impossible much OF
the time. There were no highway
signs so motorists carried guide
books which called attention to a red
barn at this corner, willow grove
at the next. When a farmer painted
his barn a new color he threw dozens
| of travellers off their road. This made
him happy because the "gol dern
things" scared the horses. The RAM
blers was an exclusive club. Mr.. Bur-
meister was one of $50 members.
Only $4,000 cars were in use in the
entire country.
Today Redwood county alone has
somewhere near that number. Mil
lions of motorists have driven $4,000
miles. In fact car is still new at
that figure. Tires run twice that far
and are still good. Few motorists
carry more tools than it takes to
change tire. They never think Of
patching one. Horses don't notice
cars. Redwood Falls alone has 20
odd gas stations. It's an obscure
road indeed that hasn't been graded
and graveled and thousands of miles
are paved.
How times change.
An anonymous writer has called
attention to some Of the handicaps
which were overcome by those whom
the world now recognizes as geniuses
and leaders of the first rank. Among
those mentioned are the following:
Demosthenes, who became one of
the worlds greatest orators, stutter-
ed in his youth.
julius Caesar and Napoleon Bona
parte, two Of the greatest generals
and statesmen of all time, were cpl
leptics. So was Mohammed, who
founded a religion which now has
more than 200 million adherents.
Alfred the Great, considered "the
wisest, best and greatest king" Of
England, had lifelong internal dis.
ease.
Among authors and poets, Carlyle
was dyspeptic, Byron had club
foot, Keats had tuberculosis, Milton
was blind, and Pope was bunch.
back.
Darwin suffered from a nervous
disease, and Beethoven composed
some of his most majestic musical
works after he had become totally
deaf.
In our own generation, the great
electrical wizard, Charles P. Stein.
metz, was a deformed dwarf, and
Helen Keller, one of Americas most
accomplished women, has been deaf
and blind from childhood.
The list of world famous notables
who have labored under serious
physical handicaps might be extended
almost indefinitely. Their example
should be inspiring to any who are in
clined to complain about minor af-
flictions or difficulties.
|
| Secretary of Interior Ickes, who
administers the Federal Public Works
program, gave pretty good answer
to the spenders when he indicated the
other day that there will be on allot-
ment set aside for "pork barrel" pur-
poses. Communities that desire pub
lie works money will be required to
give rather substantial reasons to
prove that there is justification for
each expenditure.
|
Dun's insolvency index stood at
1894 for January, compared with
201.S year ago, and 1852 two years
ago. Business defaults are fewer
now and the August index is down to
1875.
"A Florida forger's defense was
that he couldn't even write his own
name. The prosecution pointed out
! that that wasn't the charge. observes