By late September, Charles had arrived in Philadelphia to meet his ship for the Atlantic voyage. But as was his habit, he made time to see the city, and note the things that stood out to a young man from rural Oklahoma. As he says in his letter, he was “certainly getting wise by the bucket-fulls.” And he begins to feel especially like a Westerner as he compares himself to the people he sees in Philadelphia, and anticipates being an American at Oxford.
I note with some pride that Charles visited the University of Pennsylvania, though it’s football squad, who “beat everything last year” did not impress him.
Scroll below the letter for comparative pictures of Hobart and Philadelphia in the early 1900s. There couldn’t have been much greater contrast between his home town, Hobart, with a few thousand people and Philadelphia, which had just under 1.5 million people. Hobart was also brand new, founded in 1901.
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Phila 9 29 7P
Dear Home folks:
Have suffered enough for today so am going to scribble awhile. Took a sight seeing trip this morning in a tally-ho auto [a large sightseeing vehicle] all over this section of the globe. Auto held 13. Went to all the places where Penn etc. ever ate a lunch and had a wordy young man along to explain all about things thro’ a megaphone. It’s by far the best way to see a big town. Aunt Ella and I did the same thing on a car in K.C.
Saw the house where Geo. Washington took an oath or so, and where the house of Reps. & Senate first met. Went out to Germantown and to a lot of other historic places.
Came back and got a fish dinner in the market house that was surely fine. Have found a place where you can get a doz. of big fat ones on the half-shell for 15 cents. Strikes me about right.
Thought I’d go to the baseball game again this P.M. But at 11 the crowd had commenced to line up and it had been so crowded yesterday and was so much worse today that I cut baseball out.
Went out to the Uni. [The University of Pennsylvania] and put in a couple of hours there and then over at their football grounds to see practice. They play their first game, Lehigh, tomorrow. Penn. beat everything last year and has about the same team again, but I saw just enough to make me lose my reverence for the big teams. Make the same old errors that I’ve seen made a thousand times and are very weak in the kicking dept. Had over 50 men out tho.
Also did my shopping this P.M. Bought a pair of shoes and a cape. Went down to the Land Title Bldg. but didn’t get any letter. Perhaps it will be there in the morning.
Some of the Rhodesmen had been in but none that I knew anything about so I didn’t hunt them up. In fact some are in this hotel but it would be like hunting the proverbial needle.
Foster [from Idaho] nor Mohler [from Kansas] have reported yet. They were both visiting within a few hours run of here so I suppose will come in some time tonight.
I’m certainly getting wise by the bucket-fulls. Didn’t know there could be so many cars strung together. Sat on the balcony awhile tonight—it’s dark at 6—and several times counted as many as 8 in one block. Not a blockade [traffic jam] either.
Have a fine lot of cops here. Keep at least one to every corner downtown to regulate traffic and I haven’t seen a bad blockade yet. I’m getting so I can walk across crowded corners without wanting to run now.
I slandered the City Hall yesterday. It covers most four blocks with about one inside left open.
The older part of this town is all paved with cobblestones, is just a little noisy and bounces people clear of the seat in the autos. There are a lot of them. I’ve noticed numbers up to 6,000.
Saw something this morning that made me open my eyes. Piano van with a pair of mules. First I’ve seen lately. Haven’t seen a farm wagon here either and I’ve been around a good deal too. Am going to have fun getting my stuff packed this time with an additional pair of shoes. May have to [be]come Grandma Julien.
A lot of people in Olathe wanted me to write to them. One woman Mrs. Keifer when I first met her. Has to write an article on Oxf. and wanted me to furnish information. Of course I agreed to but think not. Told Aunt Ella to fix it up with her from what I write to A. E.
By the way, Aunt Ella made what they call “quite a hit” with me. Treated me mighty fine. I enjoyed visiting with her more than anybody.
Put in a lot of time with Uncle Billie too, mainly I suppose, because he was sick. He was to go to the city with me when I left anyhow but the threshers came that day so he couldn’t get off.
Wear my glasses all the time but my eyes have stood the strain a great deal better than I expected.
Went down to the river today, thinking I’d look over the [S.S.] Haverford, went on Market St. and rubbered a good while at the shipping and found I was nearly two miles from the Amer. Line pier [from which the Haverford sailed] so gave it up. Happened to think I’d perhaps see all I wanted of that ship anyhow.
Can certainly see the difference between people here and Westerners. It’s hard for me to understand most of them. Nasal twang, and brogues.
Nearly all the hacks are these deformed looking English flys with the driver up behind. Hackmen all wear [?] and frock coats and on the street a fellow won’t see one hat in 500 that isn’t a derby.
The wholesale part of the K.C. is much ahead of this town, where it is old and disreputable, in K.C. new and cleaner. Besides along the wharf, where the wholesaling is done, the smell of dead fish predominates. There are a good many sailors in town—and some mariners, also a few foreign naval men.
They have an orchestra in the cafe downstairs that hasn’t got through yet so I can go to sleep musically tonight. Believe I could sleep in an engine cab now tho. Noise doesn’t count much. I’ve written quite a lot this time and perhaps this will have to do for some time. Don’t know if I’ll have another chance to write before I land.
With love to all
Chas. D. Mahaffie
I never read these effusions over so please pardon errors.
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Pictures: Hobart, http://rebelcherokee.labdiva.com, Philadelphia, http://www.shorpy.com
What does he mean by “numbers up to 6,000”?
Had he just gotten glasses? Were they hurting him or something?
Just curious…
I think the 6,000 mention could be ab0ut license tag numbers. If he saw numbers as high as that, he might suppose there were that many motor cars, though that number sounds high for 1905, even for a big city. The old pictures show cars, trucks, and still plenty of wagons, buggies, and other horse-drawn stuff.