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This Day in History

February 6, 1917
Just off the coast of Ireland a German submarine torpedoed and sank a U.S. steamer, The California; it was carrying 205 passengers. The damage was such that the ship sank within nine minutes; a total of 43 people died. This occurred three days after President Woodrow Wilson warned Germany that American interests at sea should not be assaulted. On April 6, 1917 the U.S. entered the war.

February 8, 1918
The U.S. resumed publication of “Stars and Stripes,” a military newsletter for Union soldiers started during the Civil War. It was published weekly from February 8, 1918 to June 13, 1919 and was distributed to American soldiers dispersed across the Western Front to keep them unified and informed about the war effort as well as to provide them with news from home. Publication was resumed again during World War II.

 
Election Day: An American Holiday, An American History

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Convention Delegation from NY Arrives (1908)

The Democratic National Convention, Denver 1908: The New York Delegation Arrives

Like other travelers, I often try to identify those traveling with me who are returning home and those who are visiting for pleasure or business. My fellow New Yorkers are usually “road warriors,” so they tend to gravitate to the front of the plane boarding lines, and the stereotype of New York women primarily wearing black generally holds true for plane travel; the men, whether wearing sweats or suits, are recognizable for a pulled-together look (without the coiffed “do’s” of Dallas businessmen.)

New Yorkers of 1908 – and to be fair, the Chicagoans’ were also recognizable by their “look.” A New York Times reporter describes these urban dwellers as “..noticeably better dressed than the average. … The delegates from the larger cities, easily distinguishable because of their clothes, are apparently held in some awe by the multitude.” Most of them don’t seem to like the distinction. They travel in groups of three and four, and if left alone for a few minutes are obviously ill at ease.

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