Bloody Destructive Terminology

The History Detectives Team | October 19, 2009 October 19, 2009 | 0 Responses

Can the mass deaths of Native Americans at the hands of Europeans be considered genocide? Was John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry an act of terrorism? The language used to qualify historical conflicts invariably shapes our perceptions of them. A couple of lines from our Civil War pontoon bridge story caught the ear of University of Mississippi History Professor John F. Marszalek who writes:

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Where is Appomattox, VA?

| September 8, 2009 September 8, 2009 |

A number of viewers have contacted us with a correction to the Civil War Bridge story. Stephanie Wilson writes:

In the end of the segment on Sherman's pontoon bridge in Columbia, SC there is mention to Appomattox, VA where Lee surrendered. The narration located Appomattox in Northern Virginia, but it is actually in Central Virginia. 

History Detectives would like to thank Stephanie and the other viewers who corrected our geography. The producers regret the error.

The Dangers of Filmmaking - Lubin Studio Photo Albums

| August 25, 2009 August 25, 2009 |

To say the films were destroyed by a fire at Betzwood, (by the route 422 Betzwood Bridge) was a bit of an understatement. One of the reasons for the move from Philadelphia to Montgomery county was to create a safer site for the flammable cellulose film. I'm told that as it ages and disintegrates the goo you sometimes find in the film can is very close in chemistry to Nitroglycerine.

What happened to the Lubin films was a large and loud explosion in the vault that was heard for some distance. It was a little more spectacular than a simple fire.

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What's with the huge turntable?

| August 25, 2009 August 25, 2009 |

During high school in the sixties, I spent a lot of time with my best friend listening to records in her father's music room. He was a retired navy officer. I loved listening to his system, but I was always curious about the turntable. It was very, very large. My friend only knew that her father had brought it from the military. When I watched (the Tokyo Rose Recording) segment, it answered that question from long ago. Thanks for the show. My husband just discovered it, and now he watches with me.

Kitty F.
(Note: Viewers will recall the Tokyo Rose Recording was on an unusually large vinyl disc. History Detectives had to search to find a turntable large enough to play the recording.)

Another Piece of Amelia's Airplane

| August 25, 2009 August 25, 2009 |

I thoroughly enjoyed your story on Amelia Earhart's plane. I thought you should know that the International Women's Air & Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio has part of the landing gear from the plane as well.

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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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