Not just a Storybook

| July 28, 2009 July 28, 2009 |

Friends, your story about the house with what appeared to be a railroad car in the basement brought back a warm memory from childhood.

One of my favorite books was The Trolley Car Family by Eleanor Clymer. Published in 1947, this book tells the story of a trolley car driver whose job is phased out when the town switches to buses. He asks the company to give him his old trolley car, and tows it to the end of the line out in the countryside. There he and his family set up housekeeping, and the fun begins.

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Watching History Detectives Inspires Career Choices

| July 14, 2009 July 14, 2009 |

Comments from Morgan Laubach and Susan Johson:

My name is Morgan Laubach and I am an anthropology and history major and the University of Pittsburgh. Watching your show has not only engaged my brain, sparked my curiosity, and, to be honest, made me giddy with the "history-nerd factor", as my family calls it, but it has also shown me the variety of careers available to someone in the history field.
Thank you!
Morgan Laubach

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Hey! I knew that guy, but I didn't know THAT!

| July 13, 2009 July 13, 2009 |

In our story on the Manhattan Project Patent History Detectives mentioned inventor Harold Greene. That name rang a bell with viewer Melvyn Halbert:

The other inventor, Harold B. Greene, was someone I knew personally. I have lived and worked in Oak Ridge, TN, since 1955. I worked in one of the Calutron buildings until 1963.

In mid-1973 I bought a Model B Steinway grand piano, made about 1885, and had it shipped to Oak Ridge for one of my sons, who was then taking piano lessons. Mr. Greene advertised his services as a piano technician in the local newspaper, so I asked him to tune and regulate our "new" piano.

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Watches in History

| July 11, 2009 July 11, 2009 |

Viewer Dr. John F. Hicks expands our appreciation for Railroad Watches:

I was most interested to learn for the first time today about the federal standardization of railroad watches in 1893 because I own just such a watch, made by the Elgin Watch company in 1893, which has the newly mandated 17 jewels and is made of 14 carrot gold.

It is a family heirloom first purchased by my great uncle, Dr. John C. Hick. He was not connected with the railroads but instead was a horse and buggy doctor in Southern Illinois.

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Cemetery Alarm Story Settles Lingering Questions

| July 10, 2009 July 10, 2009 |

Phyllis Behnke had always been puzzled by her great great uncle's obituary.

It reads as follows:

Wooster Daily Republican 15 Oct 1894 p. 4
Death Came Speedily.

The funeral of Samuel Lautenschlager, who was killed by falling from a chestnut tree, took place Saturday and was very largely attended. The remains were interred in the new cemetery at Apple Creek. As the family had fears that ghouls might attempt to raise the body, they had the undertaker, D.Y. Landis, place an immense torpedo in the grave.

"I am thrilled you did a segment on these grave torpedoes. It has answered many questions I had."

Phyllis Behnke

Junius Brutus Booth "What is in a name?"

| July 9, 2009 July 9, 2009 |

Comment from viewer Pattie Williams:

After I watched your story on the letter from John Wilkes Booth's father to Andrew Jackson, I Googled "Junius Brutus Booth" and found out he was named for Marcus Junius Brutus who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar!

I just found it ironic that this man had by his name an assassination in his past then his son was to assassinate the President of the U.S.

Thanks for great stories tonight. I am enjoying the show.

Pattie Williams

Map to the Famous Train Crash Site

| July 9, 2009 July 9, 2009 |

Viewer Andrew Evridge takes us to the train wreck that changed history:

Thanks for producing an interesting and informative series.

My comment is on the brief segment that ran immediately after the story on the watch fob. Elyse Luray offered a summary of railroad timekeeping in the late 19th century, with specific mention of the accident in 1891 that led to consolidation of time zones, and more importantly, uniform regulations on timekeeping equipment and maintenance for railroads.

Throughout the entire segment, no mention was made of WHERE the accident occurred.

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Pancho Villa Watch Fob - More to the Story

| July 9, 2009 July 9, 2009 |

Comment from viewer Barclay Livker

While you are correct in noting that the Punitive Expedition, the military campaign following Pancho Villa's March 1916 incursion into Columbus, NM, featured the first use of airplanes and motor vehicles in a US military operation, it was also the Army's LAST significant mounted cavalry operation.

I would also like to point out that it was the first incursion of foreign troops on US soil since the War of 1812 and the last since that time.

I LOVE YOUR SHOW!!!!

Barclay Livker

War Dogs Track The Scent of Culture?

| July 8, 2009 July 8, 2009 |

Comment from viewer Mike Flynn:
During conversations (with my father) about the war in Europe it once came up that he could "smell" the Germans. I found that odd so I asked him how. His explanation was that the German uniforms, food, tobacco products etc. were different and had their own specific smell. When he entered a bunker that had recently be taken, he could smell their recent occupation of the bunker.

During my stint in Southeast Asia, I also noticed the same thing about the Viet Cong and was told by special forces not to use mouthwash or tooth paste in the bush, because the Viet Cong could track it as well by the smell. I was told the smell could travel for miles in the water.

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