Life, 1901-12-05 · page 13 of 20
Life — December 5, 1901 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page (page 499) satirizes the dangers posed by early automobiles to pedestrians and animals in the early 1900s. **The Main Cartoon (top):** Shows an elephant at a dining table with a well-dressed man, captioned "O TEMPORA! O MORES!" ("Oh the times! Oh the customs!"). This appears to reference M. Fournier, who apparently sued the Long Island Railroad after his group collided with a locomotive—an ironic complaint, given the text's point: that dangerous vehicles (whether locomotives or automobiles) pose real hazards that deserve legal attention. **The Articles Below:** Document reckless automobile driving. A vehicle called the "White Ghost" (owned by a Vanderbilt heir) raced through Mt. Kisco at dangerous speeds, frightening horses and causing accidents. The driver ignored all damage and injuries. The text sarcastically notes that hitting someone with a car is "different" from hitting them with a wagon—implying automobiles are uniquely destructive. **The Satire's Point:** Wealthy automobile owners drive with impunity, endangering the public. The final line—"Either the law must take a hand or private citizens must carry guns"—darkly suggests frustrated citizens may resort to shooting dangerous drivers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The American Locomotive versus Fournier. AS there been a change of mind? We have heard noth- ing recently of that suit for damages against the Long Island Railroad. M. Fournier and those Americans who were with him that morning certainly had bad luck, and it must have been very annoying to col- lide with an American locomotive instead of with some old man or woman who could not get out of the way in season. Even if a horso and wagon had been in (77m ¢ 5 J the path the sporty gen- |Z => * F ‘ tlemen in the racing Ld7 | . ‘ ats ‘4 Gj ey machine could havo ! y Diy mms S J) Uff made short of it and the See y Z delay would not have been serious. But a locomotive! That was different. This item from the Ridgefield Press serves to illustrate a prevailing condition : WENT THROUGH MT. KISCO REGARDLESS OF INJUR- ING OTHERS, A handsome three-seated automobile, said to be the “White Ghost,” once the property of Willie K. Vanderbilt, but now owned by a Mamaroneck and simply turned around to see the sport, and laughed. party, went through Mt. Kisco, last Mr. Oliver McCaul's horse also shied at it and broke the shaft of week Sunday afternoon, at a terrific rate the wagon to which it was hitched. Several other horses were also of speed, the occupant apparently frightened, all of which was utterly disregarded by the driver of having no regard for the damage the machine, and the high rate of speed was kept up until he was which might be done, inthe way ut of sight. of horses becoming frightened Either the law must take a hand or private citizens at it, ete. Several horses did must carry guns, become frightened and vari- The Boer Tobacco Fund. ous accidents more or less serious resulted. (THOSE who care to send money to buy tobacco for the 5,000 Adolph Tilford was" ‘Boer prisoners in the Bermuda Islands, can send it to this office. The tobacco will be purchased from the American Tobacco Company and sent promptly to its destination. Or contributions may be sent direct to Rev. J. Albertyn, Chaplain of Boer Prisoners, Hamilton, Bermuda. Contributions to date are as follows : “© TEMPORAL O MORES!" Democrati¢ Ass; 1 WONDER WHEN 1 SUALL BE IN THERE AGAIN. driving Harry Fish’s horse, and the animal, becoming frightened at the automobile, tipped over the wagon, throwing qycsutrmmions, Mr. Tilford out. He fell PS. Hill W. H. Sm! underneath the wagov, but {sql Smit .. the automobile driver went “SHE LOVES ME; SHE LOVES ME NOT.’ “comicbooks.com