Movie Blood, Zombies & More-- Part 2: The Horror Stats Guaranteed to Shock

$2,500--  What Stephen King was paid for the rights to "Carrie" (1976), his first novel adopted to a movie.

1,000--  Gallons of movie blood director Kimberly Peirce says were used to film the prom scene of her 2013 "Carrie" remake.

$146--  Dollars 2015 horror moviegoers spent on snack bar carbonated beverages, $21 more than average moviegoers.

$114,000--  Budget for George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead."

20--  Number of days Romero needed his "Night of the Living Dead" star Duane Jones to work without pay in exchange for back-end points.  (Not sure what this means?)

0--  Number of times the word "zombie" is used in the "Night of the Living Dead."

0--  Number of main characters alive at the end of "Night of the Living Dead."

Now You Know.  --CootZom

The More "Psycho" You Get- Part 1: Horror Movies By-the-Numbers-- Part 1

From the October 29, 2017, Chicago Tribune "'Psycho' pay gap, movie blood, zombies and more"  LA Times.

Here are some numbers to eat.

$806,947--  Estimated budget of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (1960)

$40,000--  What Anthony Perkins was paid for hsi role in psycho.

$35,000--  What Janet Leigh was paid for "Psycho."

$40,000--  The amount Leigh's character Marion Crane stole in "Psycho."

$32 million--  Estimated domestic gross of "Psycho,"  Hitchcock's most profitable film.

What's That Sound?  --CootScared

A Coal Shortage in DeKalb in 1917

From the February 8, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The coal situation in DeKalb is tighter right now than it has been in some time, especially as to coke and hard coal.  There is a fairly good supply of soft coal but hardly a wagon load or so of other varieties.

"One local coal merchant informs the Chronicle that he has only half a ton in his own cellar and not a pound of coke in the yard.  Others are also hard up for coal to supply their customers.  Another manager of a coke concern states that he will be having to use soft coal in his own house furnace within another day."

Looks like cold days ahead for DeKalb.  Was this a result of the United States preparing to get into World War I or a particularly bad winter?

Hard Coal Better Than Soft Coal.  --Cooter

Camp Grant Boys Need Blankets: World War I

From the October 25, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Perhaps DeKalb folks do not know that the boys at Camp Grant (Rockford, Illinois) are in need of comforts and blankets these chilly nights.

"The Chronicle received word from one who visited the camp very recently that the boys there do not hesitate to say that an extra blanket or comfort from the folks at home would be appreciated more than anything else."

Warm and Snugly for the War.  --DaCoot

DeKalb's MidWeek Celebrating 50 Years

I use a section from the weekly MidWeek published in DeKalb, Illinois, called "Looking Back" a whole lot in this blog as well as my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog and Tattooed On Your Soul World War II Blog.

A group of history-minded folk get together at the Joiner Library in Sycamore, Illinois, and go through old newspapers and report on things that happened 100, 75, 50 and 25 years ago.  I always find these to be of extreme interest so you get to see them often in these blogs.

The MidWeek began back in 1967 as "The Citzen's Shopper" and at the time mostly covered items for sale.  It was started by J. Frederick Baker with first issue published April 6, 1967.  Under its second owner, James Morel, the amount of news content was expanded and that is where we get the "Looking Back" columns.

Keep Up the Good Work MidWeek and "Looking Back."  --CootWeek

Chief Illinewek, 1967. 50 Years Ago: Univ. of Illinois in 1967

From the October 25, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."


"Chief Illinewek may just (jump) a little higher at the University of Illinois football game Saturday.

"He's wearing the first new costume he's had in 37 years.  The Chief is Illinois' traditional gridiron fight symbol."

So Sad Seeing What They Are Doing Now.  --DaCoot

Icing It in 1917

From the February 8, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)   "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Will Myers and Pete Larson of Cortland are filling the ice house from Myers pond.

"The ice is about a foot thick."

Before Refrigerators and Bags of Ice.  --Cooter

Blacksmith Phineas Vaughan-- Part 2: About That Anvil

His wife, Phebe Vaughan (1830-1898) is also buried beside him on the plot with the anvil.

His home was on DeKalb's Main Street on the north side between Third and Fourth streets.  It was later moved to North second Street adjacent to the Russell Smith Garage at 212 N. Second Street.

He has a big headstone at Evergreen Cemetery with the anvil he used in the back left corner.

I'll have to look for his grave and Evergreen Cemetery the next time I'm in DeKalb, Illinois.  I've never seen an anvil on somebody's grave.

That is, if I can find Evergreen Cemetery.

--CootAnvil

Phineas Vaughan-- Part 1: Helped Invent Barbed Wire

From the Joseph F. Glidden Homestead and History Center.

PHINEAS VAUGHAN  1827-1897

Played a pivotal role in helping his friend, Joseph F. Glidden, invent "The Winner,"  one of the most widely used types of barbed wire.  Ultimately, he and Glidden would patent a hand-operated machine for making barbed wire.

The site of his original blacksmith shop is on the north side of Lincoln Highway between 3rd and 4th streets in downtown DeKalb.  It is marked by a horseshoe embedded in the concrete sidewalk, believed to be one from Vaughan's shop.

--Cooter

The Local Blacksmith Gets Anvil for Headstone

From the Feb. 1, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Bygone sites in DeKalb include the blacksmith shop on the 300 block where P.W. Vaughan pounded out many of the devices that improved Uncle Joe's barbed wire machine.

"The anvil on which he worked was first to come into this territory and it now serves as a headstone on his grave in Evergreen Cemetery."

Uncle Joe would be Joseph Glidden, barbed wire's inventor.

Not Your Usual Headstone.  --Cooter

A Milk Bottle Shortage in 1942

From the January 25, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Milk bottles are again scarce with the dairymen in Sycamore, according to reports heard yesterday, and another appeal is made to householders everywhere in the city, not to throw the bottles in the ash can but put them out that they may be picked up when milk is delivered."

Not sure if the milk bottle shortage was because of the war effort.

--GreGen

World War I Chronology, October 1917-- Part 2: Marines Organized, First U.S. Artillery Fire

OCTOBER 23--  U.S. 5th and 6th Marine Regiments in France are organized as the 4th Marine Brigade, part of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division.

OCTOBER 23--  C Battery, 6th Field Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, fires the first U.S. artillery shells of World War I.  The same day, D.H. harden, of the 26th Infantry, becomes the first U.S. combat soldier wounded in action on the Front.

--Cooter

Bizarro Looks At the Ancient Egyptians

From the January 28, 2017, Bizarro comic strip.

Ancient Egyptians are standing by the pyramids.  They are talking.  One says to the other, "Well, I heard the pharaoh sent all out pyramid-building jobs to the Mayans."

A Bit of Ancient Humor.  --CootHaHa

People Stealing Bicycles

From the Feb. 1, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1942. 75 Years Ago.

"Warning!!  Lock your bicycle inside your garage or home.  A bike stealing blitz is believed started.

"Sycamore police reported that three bicycles were stole from two front porches within a few blocks of each other Thursday night."

I liked the newspaper calling it a "blitz."  A little war terminology goes regular.

And, you thought people were so honest back then.

Sounds Like a Crime of Opportunity.  --Cooter

Sycamore Gets a New High School in 1917

From the February 1, 2017, MidWeek "Looking Back."

Sycamore, Illinois.  Wonder of it is still there?

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The Sycamore high school pupils will occupy the new school building beginning next Monday.

"The public will be invited to inspect the building the following Sunday."

A New School.  --Cooter

The Great Gumball Heist

From the February 1, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"In the men's waiting room at the depot in DeKalb there is a penny slot gum machine and this morning when the day force got on the job, it was found that the machine had been broken and almost $1.50 had been stolen.

"Officer Rowe got on the job and says he has the guilty party located, and it is probably that he will receive a reprimand for the petty theft."

Look for the Guy Whose Pants Are Falling Off With All Those Pennies, Officer Rowe!  --Cooter

Where U.S. Presidents Were Born-- Part 2: Seven of First Twelve Born in Virginia

**  More than half of them come from just four states:  Virginia, Ohio, New York and Massachusetts with 24.

**  Most come from the East Coast, only eight born west of the Mississippi and just two west of the Rockies:  Nixon in California and Obama in Hawaii.

**  Ten of the original colonies had presidents.  Only Delaware, Maryland and Rhode Island didn't have one.

**  Seven of the first 12 presidents were born in Virginia.  Only one since, Woodrow Wilson.  Virginia was once the most populous state until overtaken by New York in 1810.

**  Seven of 17 presidents between 1869 and  1923 were born in Ohio.

**  Vermont leads in presidents per capita.  It had two presidents, Chester A. Arthur and Calvin Coolidge.

**  The three most populous states today:  California, Florida and Texas have had just three presidents between them (none from Florida).

** Trump is from New York.

--Cooter

Where U.S. Presidents Were Born-- Part 1: Two Each From Texas, N.C. and Vermont

From January 20, 2017, Yahoo! News  "MAP:  Where every U.S. president was born" by Nathan Grannini.

Virginia 8
Ohio 7
New York  5

Two each from Texas, North Carolina and Vermont

One each from :  Ca., Neb., Iowa, Illinois, Mo., Ky.,, Ga, S.C., Pa., N.J., Ct., N.H..

--Cooter

WW I Concrete Ship SS Palo Alto Smashed in Half-- Part 2

24 new concrete ships were ordered.  Concrete ships, reinforced with steel were cheaper and more available.

Concrete floating ships were an invention of the French inventor of ferro concrete, Joseph-Louis Lambol who had created a concrete dingy a half century earlier.

In 1917, Norway had built an 84-foot long ship of concrete, but no one was sure how even bigger ships like the Palo Alto would do.

Their capabilities, however, were untested during the war.  By the time the 420-foot Palo Alto was completed at the Naval Shipyard in Oakland, California, the war was over.  It remained at Oakland until 1929 when it was towed to Sea Cliff Beach and scuttled.  It soon was just referred to as the Concrete Boat and became a tourist destination.

In 1930, a pier was constructed out to the ship and the Cal-Nevada Co. installed a 54-foot long heated pool, a casino and a dance floor on it.  It lasted until 1932 when it was hit by a storm and then the Great Depression which closed it.

The State of California bought it and it has been closed to the public since 1950.

--CootRete

World War I Concrete Ship, SS Palo Alto, Smashed in Half By Storm

From the January 23, 2017, Vancouver Sun by Ben Guarino, Washington Post.

This is a curious artifact of American history, the crumbling, but famous World War I-era tanker SS Palo Alto.

Since 1930, the unusual concrete hull, a symbol of Santa Cruz County, has been sitting at the end of the pier jutting out into Monterrey Bay.

Saturday, record high 34-foot waves pounded the ship.

During World War I German submarines, U-boats,  were sinking so many Allied ships that there was a fear that we would run out of steel.  In 1917, the Emergency Fleet Corporation was formed under President Woodrow Wilson.

Twenty-four concrete ships were built.

Sounds Heavy to Me.  --Cooter

Ice Skating Fun in 1942

From the January 18, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago.

"Ice skating has again become a popular sport and during the past few days the Teachers College (NIU) pond (the Lagoon) has been crowded with skaters.

"The college pond is not the only popular spot for skaters.  The artificial pond on the Everett playground, near the Haish school, is also well patronized at the present time."

--CootFallOnMyFace

Looking Back to 1942: A Fire Break

From the January 18, 2017, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1942, 75 Years Ago

"At 8:45 o'clock this morning, the DeKalb fire department had enjoyed a 24-hour period without a fire call.  This is news because the company had its nineteenth call in thirteen days, yesterday morning."

A Much Needed Break from the Flames.  --Cooter

History Back in History

From the August 23, 2017, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Today in Sycamore, members of the Daughters of the American Revolution of which several DeKalb people are members are making final plans for the placing of two markers on historic spots in DeKalb County.  In the spring time, the board of supervisors will willingly make an appropriation of $200 for the placing of the markers and the fund has been greatly increased by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

"The markers will be placed near Hinckley the location of the first permanent settlement in the county and at Coltonville the site of the first session of DeKalb County court."

Even History Back Then.  --Cooter

"For Sammy in France" 1917

From the August 23, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb Couty, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"General Pershing has sent the request that we send our papers and magazines to the boys in France.  It is only necessary to roll two or three together, tie securely, write on the margin, "For Sammy in France," and put on a one cent postage stamp.

Just think how we miss our morning paper if for any reason it does not reach us each morning by breakfast time.  The boys will be very greatly pleased even though the news be a week or two old."

The War Effort.  --DaCoot

Some More on the Attack on Base Hospital No. 5 in WW I

Continued from September 28, 2017.

Also killed in the attack, besides Lt. Fitzsimons:

Leslie G. Woods, Streator, Illinois

Rudolph Rubino, New York City

Oscar Tugo, Boston

Army Hospital #21 in Aurora, Colorado was renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital in 1920

There is a Fitzsimons Fountain in Kansas City at the corner of 12th and Paseo del Mayo dedicated May 30, 1922.

In 1947, the American Legion Post No. 8 became the Fitzsimons-Battenfield Post.

--Cooter

SS Antilles-- Part 2: The New War Insurance Law

The S Antilles sailed from New York to France in a four ship convoy, arriving September 24, 1917.  The Antilles and another ship from that convoy, the SS Finland were torpedoed on their way back to the United States.

On 17 October, three days out of Saint Nazairere, France, the Antilles was torpedoed by the U-62 and reportedly sank in four and a half minutes.  There were 118 survivors and 67 deaths.

The survivors landed in France 21 October and were cared for by the Red Cross.

Those who died came under the new war insurance law that allowed payment of $6,000 to families of the deceased in installments of $25 a month over twenty years.

--Cooter

SS Antilles, Sunk Oct. 17, 1917-- Part 1: U.S. Army Chartered Transport

In the last post, I mentioned the SS Antilles being sunk on October  17, 1917.

From Wikipedia.

American passenger-cargo ship launched 1907.  Chartered by the Army in 1917 as a troop transport.  Sunk by a submarine and 67 lives lost, at the time of its sinking October 17, 1917, this was the largest single loss of American lives up to that point in World War I.

The ship was 6,879 tons , 421 feet long and had a beam of 53 feet.

It was selected by the Shipping Control Committee and turned over to the U.S. Army for use as a civilia,1917-crewed U.S. Army Chartered Transport (USACT).

--Cooter

World War I Combat Chronology, October 2017: Antilles Sunk, Americans relieve French Troops

From the April 2017, VFW Magazine.

OCTOBER 17--  Army transport Antilles is sunk by a German submarine on its return trip to the United States -- 70 lives are lost.

OCTOBER 21--  United States 1st ID troops relieve French forces for the first time in the Luneville Sector near Nancy, France.

--Cooter

Civil War Trust Battles of October-- Part 2: John Brown's Raid

14th--  1863:  Battle of Bristoe Station, Va.

16th--  1859:  John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, Va. (now W. Va.) begins and lasts for three days.

18th--  1859:  U.S. Marines storm engine house at Harpers Ferry and capture John Brown

19th--  1781:  British General Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, Va.

19th--  1864:  Battle of Cedar Creek, Va.

21st--  1861:  Battle of Ball's Bluff (Leesburg), Va.

25th--  1864:  Battle of Mine Creek, Kansas

--Cooter

Civil War Trust Battles in October-- Part 1: First Union Ironclad, USS St. Louis, Launched

3rd--  1862:  Second Battle of Corinth, Ms. begins

8th--  1862:  Battle of Perryville, Ky.

9th--  1864:  Battle of Tom's Brook, Va.

12th--  1861:  First ironclad in U.S. Navy, the USS St. Louis, launched at Carondelet, Mo.

--Cooter

Civil War Trust Battles in September-- Part 2: Battle of Antietam

14th--  1862:  Battle of South Mountain Gap, Md.

15th--  1862:  Capture of Harpers Ferry, Va. (now W. Va.)

17th--  1862:  Battle of Antietam, Md.

18th--  1863:  Battle of Chickamauga, Ga. begins

19th--  1864:  Battle of Third Winchester, Va.

28th--  1781:  Siege of Yorktown, Va. begins

29th--  1864:  Battle of New Market Heights, Va. begins

--Cooter

Civil War Trust Battles in September-- Part 1: Fort McHenry Bombardment

1st--  1862:  Battle of Chantilly, Va.

2nd--  Federal forces occupy Atlanta, Ga.

8th:  1781:  Battle of  Eutaw Springs, S.C.

11th--  1777:  Battle of Brandywine, Pa.

11th--  1814:  Battle of  Lake Champlain, N.Y.

12th--  1814:  Battle of North Point, Md.

13th--  1814  Bombardment of Fort McHenry, Md.  You know,  that Star-Spangled thing.

Oh, Say Can You See.  --Da Coot

Civil War Trust Battles in August-- Part 2: Burning of Washington, D.C.

19th--  1812:  The USS Constitution defeats the HMS Gueriere

23rd--  1863:  Quantrill's Raid on Lawrence, Kansas

24th--  1814:  Battle of Bladensburg, Md.

24th--  1814--  Burning of Washington, D.C.

25th--  1864:  Second Battle of Ream's Station, Va.

27th--  1776--  Battle of Long Island, N.Y.

28th--  1862:  Second Battle of Manassas, Va. begins

30th--  1862:  Battle of Richmond, Ky.

--Cooter