Mmmm, Lemon Fresh!

It's a
Wishy-Washy Subject

People have been washing clothes (or furs) for a long time. Most sites say that humans finally got a clue that good hygiene made for better health. I'm of the opinion that people liked to be comfortable then as now. Their skin chafed and got rashes just like ours does, so it stands to reason that they'd want to rid themselves of particulate matter just as we do. Take a look P&G's overview of laundry methods from prehistoric times until the present for good information on products used, and when.

But, lazy person that I am, I'm more interested in gadgets, so let's start a little later in the game . . . say, the 1800s.

The washboard appears to be invented in 1797 and none of the sources cite the inventor, so we'll let that one slide. Before that, in Lancaster, England, Mr. Rogerson received a patent for the machine he invented to 'wash, press out water and to press linen and wearing apparel.'

In the US, Hamilton Smith invented the rotary washing machine in 1858. Try as I might, I couldn't find a single picture of it or a facsimile. :sigh:

The next great step forward in the history of laundry is the invention of the electric motor to drive the agitation, and in 1907, the Hurley Corporation came out with the "Thor." This washer had a wooden tub, and the motor was mounted underneath to drive the paddles. It had two drawbacks: 1) many pre-WW1 houses had no electricity, and 2) because of the unprotected motor, on occasion a laundress was electrocuted, which, shall we say, dampened their spirits some.

Before I forget, if you wanna know about the Japanese evolution of washers, try the Toshiba Museum.


The 1911 Maytag Model 42 had a swinging, reversable wringer--definitely a plus for the lady of the house! You can see many vintage washing machines on the Maytag Collectors Club page.

Several other improvements were made along the way, including the Maytag 1918 model which featured a revolving cylinder that forced water through tumbling clothes.



From museumofcommunications.org:
Western Electric distributed this washing machine in 1924. As an advertisement of the time said, "Here is a Clothes Washer that combines pleasing appearance with the stoutly-built mechanism needed to get clothes really clean." I dunno . . . we're still not quite to a machine that I'd trust with a nice blouse.




How about durability? The Maytag Model E was manufactured from 1939 until 1983. My mother had one of these, and it lasted for 30 years of heavy use. I doubt very seriously that the machines manufactured today will be able to make such a boast.

Several washing methods were developed, but only two stood the test of time: agitating (top loaders) and tumbling (front loaders). Agitating landed the majority of the American market, but the Europeans preferred front loaders. Here's a 1950 front loader.


Whatever washing methods we choose, I'm just glad we have one. Happy writing, and enjoy your nice, freshly laundered clothes.

Jacquie



Jacquie Rogers
2006 PEARL Award Winner, Best Short Story
Faery Special Romances Available now!
Check out the book video
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Faery Special Romances -- A Book Video!

And an awesome new cover by Monika Wolmarans, too!

Two longs, a Short, and a Long

Communications has been a priority since the invention of larynxes. Long-distance communication could be achieved by yodeling, pounding on a drum, or some sort of visual signal.

We've come a long way, baby. So let's talk gadgets.

The first effective long-distance communication method was developed by Samuel Morse in ~1835 to 1845. Yep, the telegraph. He used the inventions of William Sturgeon and Joseph Henry to develop the "magnetized magnet," and a year later, developed Morse Code, which made the electrical pulses actually mean something.

Telegraph-History.org has many excellent articles, some of them contemporary. If you want to know how a telegraph works in lay language, try History, Theory, & Construction of the "Electric Telegraph." A good general info site is The History of the Telegraph.

Onward we go. Let's skip telephones for now and go right to teletype. It's a little hard to get to, but an excellent recap of the invention of teletype is The Teletype Story. The teletype machine was invented by several people, instigated by Frank Pearne and developed by Charles L. Krum and a few others. By 1915, a machine could type 30 to 50 words per minute.

Back a few years, the phone's ringing. Is that Alexander Graham Bell calling? Telephone History: The Early Years 1876-1900 tells about the rapid expansion of Bell Telephone (without the help of Bell). Originally, all calls went to a switchboard with teenage boy operators. Because of their rudeness, within a few years they were replaced by women, and there weren't any other male operators until the 1960s.

Using a telephone is second nature to us now, but when it first came out, people were just as technophobic about them as some are about computers now. There were other concerns as well. Henry Yesler, one of Seattle's founding fathers, wanted to know whether or not "one could swear over that thing." Still, telephone systems spread like wildfire. Here's a timeline.

I was in the midst of writing a western set in Silver City, Idaho, a city in such rugged country they couldn't even run a train there. But they did have telephones in the mid-1880s. Messed up my whole scene.

Jumping forward about 50 years, most urban homes had a phones, and phones were becoming more and more common in the rural areas, as well. I grew up in Owyhee County about six miles from Homedale, Idaho, and I remember the party lines. Each family had its own "ring." Ours was two longs, a short, and a long. Anyone could pick up the phone and listen to your conversation. Ah, the joys of a party line!

In 1962, we were introduced to another revolutionary development, the princess phone. This is the forerunner of the small phones we have today. At the time, it was considered miniscule.

And this is my point. Technology has progressed a tremendous amount in the past 150 years, especially in communications. When writing stories from 1850 on, the author has to check for technological advancements as well as availability.

Wow, what an awesome time for those whose lifetimes spanned most of the 20th Century. My grandfather was born in 1901 and died in 1999. During his lifetime, we went from horses to rockets to the moon, from corsets to thongs, from hollering across the field to cellphones. No other generation has seen what his did.

I'm astounded every time I think about it!

Jacquie



Jacquie Rogers
2006 PEARL Award Winner, Best Short Story
Keely's blog
Faery Special Romances (May 2007)
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

Mike Duncan - Awesome Music!

Have you heard
Mike Duncan?



I watched this video a couple times straight through. The music is incredible. Mike is a very talented musician/songwriter. WTG, Mike!

Faery Close Deadline

I've been neglecting all my blog friends and I'm so sorry. I've been working hard to finish the stories for Faery Special Romances. My publisher, Highland Press, wants to go to print on April 1 to make sure the book is available everywhere on May 1, Neurofibromatosis Awareness Month.

The stories aren't finalized yet, so everything might change, but here's the line up at the moment:

FAERY MUCH IN LOVE
Set in 1099 Alternate Europe

MUCH ADO ABOUT FAERIES
Set in 1597 London (theatres with Will Shakespeare)

FAERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Set in 1655 Caribbean (well duh. lol)

FAERY THEE WELL
Set in 1750 Catskills Mountains

MY FAERY LADY
Set in 1814 London

A FAERY GOOD BET
Set in 1850 New Orleans

THE DUCHESS AND THE DIRTWATER FAERY
Set in 1880 Idaho

FAERY FOXY FLAPPER
Set in 1926 Upstate New York

FAERY GOOD DATE
Set in 1968, Idaho (I'm still writing this one)

FAERY GOOD ADVICE
Set After the Frozen Time, Auburn, WA
This story won the P.E.A.R.L. Award for Best Short Story of 2006. I'll have to write a new ending for it, though, so won't be exctly the same as printed in No Law Against Love.

I'm really excited about the release of this book and I hope it makes a difference to help find a cure for neurofibromatosis. My granddaughter just had surgery to remove three plexiform fibromas last week, so will be in a wheelchair for two weeks. She's in relatively good humor, considering she's 10 and can't move.


She's such a sweetie!

I'm hoping to be back at Blogger, pestering everyone with silly posts as soon as I can.

-----
Jacquie
2006 PEARL Award Winner, Best Short Story
Keely's blog
Faery Special Romances (May 2007)
Royalties go to Children's Tumor Foundation, ending Neurofibromatosis through Research

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

Who Should Paint You: Roy Lichtenstein

Larger than life, your personality overshadows everyone in the room A painter would tend to portray you with a bit of added flair!

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

What Type of Fantasy Creature Are You?

What type of fantasy creature are you? beautiful pics!

You are a fairy! You can sometimes get into a lot of trouble, but always find a way out of it. You are very vain and think highly of yourself, but always find a big space in your heart for others. You like quiet places and nature. You let the wind take you where you want to go and you believe in fate.
Take this quiz!








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