Spotlight on Our Collections: War Wool

Imagine how long it would take to mow the lawn at the White House. During World War I, with the men heading to war, there was not enough labor available to maintain the White House grounds.  In a show of creative problem solving as well as wartime support, Woodrow and Edith Wilson borrowed a flock of sheep to pick up the workload of keeping the grounds. At its peak, the flock held 18 sheep!  

Photo from Library of Congress

In addition to maintaining the lawn, the sheep where sheared and the wool auctioned off to further raise money for the war effort.  The wool raised over $50,000 dollars and only further showed the First Family's support of the troops.

The label reads "Wool from President Wilson's sheep
 bought at auction May 21, 1918
 on Boston Common
for the benefit of the Second Red
 Cross War Fund."

In the Dugout of the Woodrow Wilson house we have an example of the wool sold at auction.  Each state was given roughly two pounds of wool to auction off. The wool was branded as "White House Wool" to increase interest and demand.  The wool on display in the house is from the Boston Common auction in Massachusetts.  The wool sold for over $1000 dollars a pound, making it the most expensive wool ever sold. 

-Ashley Rits

Invention Convention: You've Got Mail!

        Today we are used to the ability to get messages relatively quickly from all over the world through emails, text messages, blogs, internet, even snail mail. In Wilson’s time, however, it was not as easy for letters and messages to reach across oceans, or even across continents. The quickest forms of communication were the telegraph and the telephone. But, telegraphs were expensive and it was hard to express detail in them; and the telephone could be unreliable, and not everyone was able afford one. The easiest way to send detailed messages to your loved ones was to write them a letter and send it through the postal service. When you sent a letter overseas, or to someone on the opposite coast, the recipient would have to wait weeks to receive it by boat, or by car. This mode of delivery was not quick enough for inventor Clara Louisa Wells, so she submitted the following patent for a mail delivery system that included underwater tubes.

Invention of Miss Clara L. WELLS
Underwater pneumatic tubes
Legend:
1. Centerfugal compressor
2. Electric motor for compressor
3. Hermetically sealed manifold for release of messages
4. Tube
5. Centerfugal aspirator
6. Hermetically sealed manifold for receipt of messages

Description:

For the transport of light packages by high speed there is cause to establish, between France and America, France and England, and also in the Mediterranean, an underwater pneumatic postal service.

To achieve this it is necessary to lay two lines of tubes, one for going and one for returning.
Carefully adjusted and hermetically sealed boxes could slide through the tubes. These boxes would contain letters or packages for transport.
 These would be put into motion by the difference of pressure between their front and back, as at one end of the tube a powerful pneumatic machine would create a vacuum, while at the other end a powerful compressor would deliver constant pressure. The speed obtained in this manner would be very great and the distance very quickly covered. These tubes could follow the underwater routes already invented by the undersigned.

Signed: Miss Clara Louisa WELLS, deposited, Ste. Colombe-les-Vienne, Rhône, Ave. Garon.

Invention Convention: Can You Hear Me Now?

        We are all familiar with the invention of Alexander Graham Bell and probably use a more recent version of it on a daily basis. The telephone is arguably the most important invention of the Progressive Era. It has shaped the way we communicate and increased our availability to one another. Today, the candlestick telephone (popular in Wilson’s time) is making a comeback with modern features. But how did this telephone start?

Telephone at the Wilson House

        The first type of telephone available to the public was a wooden box that hung on the wall. We had an interactive example of this in our president electric exhibit. This style was very large and could not be easily moved. When telephone lines became more available across the country, the manufacturing companies needed a new style of telephone. They were able to condense the necessary parts to fit into what is now called a candlestick telephone, several of which can be seen at Wilson House. Due to the Bell Company’s monopoly on the telephone service business, phones had to come from companies that provided phones compatible with that company. This is similar to cell phones today; if you buy an iPhone from  AT&T it will not work with Verizon. Wilson’s Candlestick telephones come from a company called DeVeau Telephone Manufacturing Company and are Stanley-Patterson models.

        Wilson also used a candlestick phone when participating in the first transcontinental telephone call with Bell’s assistant, Thomas A. Watson. Speaking to Watson in San Francisco, from the White House, he said:

“I consider it an honor to be able to express my admiration for the inventive genius and scientific knowledge that have made this possible and my pride that this vital cord should have been stretched across America as a new symbol of our unity and our enterprise.”

        Around 1930, a new style replaced the candlestick and eventually phones evolved into what we recognize today. Imagine how our society would be different without this amazing invention!

Invention Convention: The Effects of War

        Here’s another post about our good friend, the inventor Miss Clara Wells!

        During their lifetimes both Miss Wells and President Wilson encountered two major wars. The first was the Civil War. Miss Wells lived through that dark time while in her early adult years; President Wilson lived through the war as a boy in the American South. His memories from the reconstruction years would later help inspire his idea for the League of Nations. The second was The Great War, or World War I. President Wilson led the U.S. through this conflict and the ensuing peace. Miss Wells, who had moved to Europe in 1869, lived in France during the war years and likely experienced some of the horrors of war first-hand. Her love and compassion for the people of Europe is undoubtedly what inspired the following patent.

        During the war, much of Belgium was caught in the crossfire. The following patent is one of Miss Wells’ ideas for helping to reconstruct the small country.

Invention of Miss Clara L. Wells
Belgian state farms on land affected by the war

Description: The best method for returning liberated Belgian territories to an arable and productive state would be to establish state farms in each agricultural region. The farms would be organized in a modern fashion following this description and the facing drawings.
        Before establishing such an operation, it would be necessary to analyze the composition of the land to know what type of fertilizer to use: potassium, nitrates, sulfates, or manure.
        The buildings will be organized according to the building plan: a central pavilion and, surrounding in a square, annex buildings, with roads between them leading to the farm from different fields.
        The central building with an interior courtyard will be comfortably built in a Swiss chalet style. It will be used as administrative offices, lodging for personnel, with a restaurant, meeting room, library, etc.
        The eight annex buildings will be lightly constructed using removable panels and roofing. The result, though elegant, will not be expensive, reinforced with iron or cement.
        These buildings will comprise:
1. Stables for large livestock (horses, cows)
2. Stables for small livestock (sheep, pigs)
3. Lower yard and hutches
4. Storage for vehicles and goods
5. Repair workshops and laboratory
6. Fodder warehouse
7. Grain silo and dairy
8. Fertilizer warehouse
         This method of construction and organization seems ideal for quickly cultivating lands ravaged by the projectiles of war.


        Belgium’s farmland was not the only part of the country to suffer, many of its historic landmarks and government buildings were destroyed. After the war, the King and Queen of Belgium sent Wilson a set of decorative plates featuring different landmarks in Belgium. Twelve of these plates are still on display at the Woodrow Wilson House in Washington DC.

Invention Convention: Nikola Tesla's "Death Ray"

        Even though America’s independence was gained through a long and costly war, the scope of war had changed by the 20th century and well-known inventor Nikola Tesla proposed the construction of a machine that would put an end to all wars. This machine, known as the “Death Ray,” “Peace Ray,” and “teleforce,” was designed to send concentrated beams of particles through free air with such tremendous energy that they would bring down a fleet of 10,000 enemy airplanes at a distance of 250 miles.  While this destructive power is unimaginable, Tesla had the opposite intentions in mind as he had inherited a hatred of war from his father. Tesla intended this machine to be used for peace purposes, as it would in theory provide each country with an “invisible Chinese wall” that would make countries impenetrable and thus make war impossible.

        While it is still uncertain today if Tesla actually built one of these machines, he at very least developed the technology that would have made something like this possible.  Tesla was not the first or the last to propose a machine of this sort, but he was the only one who had the science to back up his proposal. He developed a unique vacuum chamber with one end open to the atmosphere capable of directing a high-velocity air stream.

        Although unconfirmed, it is rumored that in 1908 Tesla built a prototype of his death ray, and attempted to send a ray to the North Pole, but instead overshot and potentially caused a mysterious explosion in Tunguska, Siberia.  After this explosion, one that miraculously killed no one, Tesla is said to have dismantled the machine, deeming it too dangerous for use.

        The onset of World War I, however, caused him to reconsider.  Legend has it that Tesla wrote a letter to President Wilson, revealing his secret death ray test and offering to rebuild the weapon for the War Department to be used only as a deterrent.  Tesla believed that even the threat of this weapon would be enough to deter war. Evidently President Wilson did not take Tesla up on his offer.  It is claimed that all Tesla got in response was a form letter of appreciation from the president’s secretary.

        Even though the death ray was never constructed, it still has an impressive legacy as it served as inspiration for many important inventions including radar and the charged-particle beam weapon developed by both the United States and the Soviet Union during the cold war.  Tesla’s death ray has also been credited as a precursor to laser technology, the atom bomb and the idea of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction), and even President Regan’s “Star Wars” program which roughly proposed the use of laser technology to protect and defend the nation.

        What do you think of the invention of a “death ray”? Do you think it is possible that something like this was ever created? If so, would it cause more problems than it would solve?  Should Wilson have taken Tesla up on his offer and potentially changed the course of history? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Invention Convention: This Little Machine

        We recently started a new segment presenting our readers with a look at some of the modern inventions enjoyed by the Wilsons in their home.  This segment is about a slightly older machine: the typewriter.

        The next time you used the keyboard on your smart phone, iPad, tablet, or computer remember that it all goes back to the typewriter. Different forms of the typewriter were in use through the early 1990s, and our modern computer keyboards are an extension of the keyboard used on most typewriters. However, our modern “QWERTY” keyboards were not the first type of keyboard used. The original typewriter had only one key that looked very similar to the key used on a telegraph machine which were patented around 1829. These machines were called typography machines and the single key did not stay in production after the first models. Other typewriters, more like what we know today, appeared in the late 1860s. In 1868 the “Sholes and Glidden” typewriter appeared with the “QWERTY” keyboard model, but other typewriters were still made. The most common was a keyboard with two rows, usually put in alphabetical order. Ultimately the “QWERTY” model was the easiest to use and eventually made its way to the keyboards in all English speaking countries and a few others. Today it is still used on computers, touch screens, and some phone keyboards; its even the name of a computer in a fun children’s show, Veggie Tales!

        Wilson’s typewriter (pictured below), on display in the “Dugout” at Wilson House, was manufactured by the Hammond company. It has a semi-circular keyboard with two rows of keys, but the keys are not in alphabetical order. If you look closely at the picture below you can read the order of the keys.



        Wilson purchased his typewriter while he was president of Princeton University and fondly referred to it as his “pen.” He continued to use it throughout his time as President. The type writer switched hands several times, first going to Admiral Cary T. Grayson and then being presented to President John F. Kennedy.

        Wilson’s typewriter was equipped with the ability to change fonts easily. This was advanced technology for the time. Below is a picture of the different fonts that could be produced by the Hammond typewriter.

        All typewriters soon adopted the “QWERTY” keyboard structure we use today. This three tiered organization of the keys allowed for faster typing and less keys sticking. When you visit the Wilson House there is an example of a typewriter with a “QWERTY” keyboard in our President Electric exhibit.

        Typewriters were commonly used for over 100 years. They eventually became electric, had different color ink you could put in easily, and had a wider variety of fonts. However, people do not realize how valuable a typewriter was. The original typewriter sold for around $125, that is equivalent to around $2,300 today! They did make cheaper typewriters that were less efficient. Eventually, typewriters became more affordable and more commonly seen in homes. Companies started valuing typed resumés and cover letters making a typing machine a necessity. Compare these prices with computers. The first personal computers were not affordable for most people to actually have in the home, but eventually companies started producing more affordable home computers. Today, almost every college student has a laptop that is high efficiency and was affordable for them. So, what do you think will replace computers?

Invention Convention: Political Standards

        Here’s another invention by the remarkable Clara Wells. Although this “invention” is not technological, it is interesting to look at while we celebrate the centennial of Woodrow Wilson's presidency.

        The drawing below is a patent submitted by Miss Wells outlining a new way of electing, or choosing, political leaders. Miss Wells believed that this system would be more just because it favors leaders with academic prowess instead of those who have enough money to campaign. With all the talk of campaign finance reform today, this seems particularly relevant. Interestingly, Wilson is still the only president to have an earned PhD. So what do you think? Should we hold our potential leaders to a higher academic standard? Which side of the picture do you think better resembles the election process today?
        You’ll find a translation of Clara’s description underneath the picture.

Invention of Miss Clara L. Wells
New System of Electing Leaders

Description:
My invention consists in the substitution for current elections (achieved with votes often obtained with money or advantageous promises, and where jealousy predominates creating hatred and bad actions), of a system regulated by which education will decide the choice of leaders in all careers. Thus, young people finishing a course of study ending in all the regular degrees of advancement, having successfully passed all the exams necessary for advancing from one school to a superior institution, in graduating from the highest institution will become leaders, functionaries.

The highest positions will be given to those who graduate at the head of their class, others will receive tasks and appointments based on their grades. And, as each year students graduate from the highest institutions, in the same manner each branch of politics and of public life as a whole will be filled by persons having already studied the work, and as prepared as possible to fulfill their duties. To be sure of their success and of their fidelity in important positions, exams will be taken at fixed dates, administered by the professors of the universities in approved committees.

The left half of the drawing represents the manner in which elections take place today and the right half, as they should take place. We see the square of a city decked out in flags (on the left) and stalls for selling drinks (pop, beer, lemonade, etc.) and a crowd of men tended by persons offering money, liquor, presents to obtain votes while women in kiosks smile at them while offering prepared ballots for the desired candidate. At the rear and in the foreground several men are drunk and are fighting.
The second half of the drawing shows an university on the stairs of which students of the graduating class receive, from the hands of the professors (in academic costume), titled diplomas: president, vice-president, senator, minister, ambassador, consul, etc., while around them a crowd applauds them for their talents and their work.

Ste. Colombe, Rhône, Miss Clara Louisa Wells, Deposited February 1919


We would love to know what you think about this system of choosing political leaders! Please leave us a comment.