The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America’s First Subway

Most, Doug. The Race Underground: Boston, New York, and the Incredible Rivalry That Built America’s First Subway. 2014. 416p. ISBN 9780312591328.

The growth of cities during the Industrial Revolution was not accompanied by a much needed rethinking of traffic patterns. As a result, cities that grew from tens of thousands of inhabitants to hundred of thousands and even millions found themselves with an ever growing population concentrated in relatively small areas. Delivering goods and food into a city grew exponentially difficult, and so did the circulation of people from home to work and back. 

Several attempts were made to reduce traffic, including the omnibus pulled by horses, the trolley pulled by cables, and the elevated train, but none of them were the much hoped for solution. Horses left behind a lot of waste, were smelly, and needed to be fed and housed every day. Cable trolleys did not work well in the sinuous roads of east-coast cities. Elevated trains polluted the sky and stopped running during weather events. The solution seemed obvious: dig down and build a subway system. 

But back in the 1860s and 1870s, people still thought that digging too deep would take one straight to hell, or that noxious fumes would kill passengers. The London subway was dirty and noisy, running on coal and spewing dark clouds of sooth. The twin development of the electric motor and better digging techniques suddenly allowed subways to be dug and operated efficiently, be weather resilient, and transport hordes of people while removing traffic on the roads of the cities.

The Race Underground is the story of two cities, Boston and New York, and two brothers, Henry Melville Whitney of Boston, and younger brother William Collins Whitney of New York, and how a revolutionary transportation system was finally built in each city. Fans of history and of transportation will cheer on as, through fits and starts, a solution to traffic snarls was finally implemented.

The Wright Brothers: First in Flight

 Croimpton, Samuel Willard. The Wright Brothers: First in Flight. Part of the Milestones in American History series. 110p. ISBN 978-0-7910-9590-4. Available at 629.13 CRO on the library shelves.

Wilbur and Orville Wright are known as the first people to fly an airplane. However, nothing in their lives predisposed them to become successful fliers. Born four years apart in 1867 and 1871 in a deeply religious family in Dayton, Ohio, Wilbur and Orville showed aptitudes for mechanical things, and soon founded a bicycle repair shop. In his spare time, however, Wilbur, who was fascinated by flight, studied the movement of birds and read voraciously on the subject of flying. Aside from balloons, no man had flown like a bird.

Eventually, Orville joined Wilbur's obsession, and they collaborated together on creating a glider that would fly. Carefully documenting each step, the brothers found a windy location in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on the outer banks by the beach. Kitty Hawk had dunes they could use to start the glider, miles of sand to crash in, and a very small population that would not spill their secret.

Over the course of four years, the brothers perfected their glider and made successful attempts at flying. Wilbur solved the mystery of the warped wing, which allowed more stability and maneuverability. Meanwhile, other competitors were also trying to build their own plane. Their mechanic, Charlie Taylor, created a small propeller engine for their glider, which achieved the first powered flight.

Despite their accomplishments, the Wright brothers's discovery was not at first accepted. They had to tour Europe and sell their plane there first before the United States government agreed to purchase a plane of their own. Wilbur and Orville conducted many aerial displays, with Wilbur flying around Manhattan Island and the Statue of Liberty in front of over 100,000 people. Embroiled in litigations, Wilbur died in 1912, while Orville continued to tinker with inventions until his death in 1948.

More than their discovery, it was their process that allowed them to achieve success. Their diligent application of science and dedication to keep on trying despite multiple failures set the Wright brothers apart, and demonstrate what effort can do!

Other books in the series include:

• The Stock Market Crash of 1929
• The Wright Brothers

The Great Train Robbery

 Crichton, Michael. The Great Train Robbery. 1975. 266p. ISBN 978-0-307-81644-3. Available both at FIC CRI on the library shelves and as an ebook on Overdrive.

In 1855 Victorian England, the country was bitterly divided between those who had wealth and stood at the top of society, and those who didn't and lived in severe poverty with no social safety net to speak of. At the time, criminals were thought to be poorly educated people, though plenty of rich folks committed crimes as well. Edward Pierce dressed as a gentleman. He lived in a nice house. He dressed in fine clothes, and always had money with him. But Pierce was not a noble. In fact, his origins remain unknown. What is known, however, is that Pierce and several confederates planned and carried out the biggest train robbery in history, stealing the gold destined to pay British soldiers during the Crimean war.

The plan was simple yet devilishly complex. In a time before explosives, breaking into the safe that carried the gold from London to the coast of England where it could be shipped on a boat required keys. A professional could crack a one-key safe with ease. A two-key safe was more difficult, but not impossible. A three-key safe would require more time than the train ride lasted. This large safe had four keys. Pierce and his accomplices needed to make copies of each of the keys, which were in possession of various people of influence at the bank and at the train company, to make this work.

Over the course of months, Pierce and his associates procured the keys, planned their actions, and infiltrated the train before stealing the gold. The result was a black eye for Scotland Yard, a victory for criminals, and the lost of three large boxes of gold from the British treasury.

Based on historical events and reconstituted from court and newspaper accounts, the Great Train Robbery provides an unvarnished look at Victorian society, their morals, and the importance of industrialization in transforming Britain from an agrarian country to one filled with factories.

The Transcontinental Railroad

Bailey, Budd. The Transcontinental Railroad. Part of the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series. 2018. 64p. ISBN 978-1-5026-2642-4. Available at 385.09 BAI on the library shelves.

Born on the Atlantic, the young American nation slowly spread across the Appalachians and reached the Mississippi river. The Louisiana Purchase, negotiated with France under Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, led to a massive territory being added. Further explorations and conflicts completed the addition of land to the United States. The distances involved in settling the West were enormous and traveling from one coast to the next could take up to eight months by ship or six weeks in a wagon, assuming there were no delays or violence along the way.

This large amount of land, coupled with rising tensions between the North and the South over the issue of slavery, led the government to explore chartering companies to build a railroad to link both coasts. It wasn’t until 1862, however, during the Civil War, that Congress mandated two companies, starting from opposite ends, to build the first transcontinental railroad. By the time the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific had connected their tracks in Utah in 1869, traveling times had been cut down to a week, with some trains able to make the trip in three and a half days.

Along the way, Native Americans were pushed out and bison and buffaloes, principal sources of food, were eliminated. Settlers grabbed more and more of the land, pushing Native Americans into reservations. A lack of labor encouraged the arrival of thousands of Chinese workers, but the local population resented them. Camps of fortunes evolved into villages and towns, before growing into massive railroad hubs like Chicago and Kansas City. Thus, speedier travel also led to the destruction of a way of life.

Fans of history will appreciate the thoroughness of this book and its heavily researched information. Pictures appropriately compliment the text, providing an excellent historical read.

Books in the Primary Sources of Westward Expansion series include Native American Resistance, Homesteading and Settling the Frontier, The Gold Rush, The Transcontinental Railroad, Lewis and Clark and Exploring the Louisiana Purchase, and Manifest Destiny and the Mexican-American War.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. 1990. 215p. 387 mins. Available at FIC AVI on the library shelves and as an audiobook from Overdrive.

At age six, Charlotte Doyle and her family traveled to England when her father, a manager of a shipping company, was transferred to the British office. Seven years later, her father is promoted to the company’s board. The Doyles have to move back to Providence, Rhode Island. Charlotte’s mother, father and her two siblings departed early, but Charlotte remained behind at Barrington School for Better Girls, her exclusive girl’s school so she could finish the year. With an Atlantic crossing that could last anywhere from one to two months, her father thought it best to let Charlotte cross during the summer, so she would not lose any schooling time.

Accompanied by Mr. Grummage from school to the ship, Charlotte expects there will be two families aboard along with small children, so she should not lack in proper company. At the ship, however, Charlotte discovers that the other families will not be on board as planned. Mr. Grummage refuses to allow Charlotte to change her plans, so she boards the ship as the only female.

Aboard the Seahawk, Charlotte realizes quickly that the crew does not get along with the Captain. Her first night aboard she meets Zachariah, an old black sailor who warns her that Captain Jaggery is violent and murderous. He gives her a small dirk for protection. Hoping to get off the ship, Charlotte awakens the next morning to find that the Seahawk has already sailed. She meets Captain Jaggery, who appears gentlemanly and wise. He tells her to report to him anything strange happening aboard the ship, and he mentions that the crew is lazy and must be guided by an iron fist.

As the days progress, the tension builds up aboard the ship, with the Captain, the only one who has access to weapons, on one side, and the crew on the other. Charlotte faces a difficult choice. She can abide by the Captain’s request and support him, as her station in life and her education warrants, or she can side with the crew, as justice and right requires. Whichever she chooses, her decision will have deadly consequences.

For a lighter treatment of a girl joining a ship in the early 1800s, take a look at Jacky Faber’s adventures in Bloody Jack.

The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue

Tougias, Michael J. and Casey Sherman. The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue. 2009. 205p. ISBN 978-1-4165-6722-6. Available at 910.91 TOU on the library shelves.

The U.S. Coast Guard protects the shorelines of the United States against enemies and helps rescue sailors who run into trouble offshore. On February 12, 1952, a gigantic nor’easter hit the northern Atlantic, from New Jersey all the way to Canada. Out at sea, two oil tankers, the SS Pendleton and the SS Fort Mercer, were unable to avoid the storm and literally broke apart in half.

Built as war transports, the T2 tanker ship was prone to breaking in the middle. The steel was welded instead of riveted, and the entire construction was rushed. Instead of being dismantled after the war, hundreds of these ships were purchased by shipping companies and used as haulers.

With waves of 60 to 70 feet, and blizzard conditions, both ships split in the middle and began drifting. The bridge was located aft of the ship, while most of the crew worked and lived in the stern. Thus, in the span of a few hours four separate parts began drifting and required rescue. At first, the Coast Guard believed there was only one ship, the Mercer, which had radioed its troubles. Aboard the Pendleton, however, the radio operator had been unable to get a message out. An airplane spotted the two halves of the Pendleton drifting, and the Coast Guard was notified that two ships had broken apart.

For the crew of the Chatham Coast Guard station, it meant riding out of the safety of the harbor in the same storm with a 36 foot boat, CG36500. As ships and planes responded, the small 36500, piloted by Bernie Webber, reached the stern of the Pendleton and proceeded to one most daring rescue in the history of the Coast Guard. Retelling the events of that fateful week, this book explores the courage and bravery of the men of the Coast Guard who risked everything to rescue sailors at sea and bring them back safely to land.

How the Automobile Changed History

Bailey, Diane. How the Automobile Changed History. Part of the Essential Library of Inventions series. 2016. 112p. ISBN 978-1-62403-781-8. Available at 629.2 BAI on the library shelves.

There are many inventions that have revolutionized the way people lived and changed the course history, but the automobile had a direct environmental and visual impact on how our society changed.

The coupling of a motor to a  horseless carriage (where the word car comes from) by inventor Karl Benz allowed people a new type of freedom they did not have before: the ability to travel long distances to destinations chosen by them, at their leisure. The first cars were noisy and not very comfortable, but as features were added and got better the motorized vehicle went from an object of suspicion to an accepted mode of transportation to a beloved symbol of success second only to one’s home.

Cars were expensive, but Henry Ford adapted the assembly line and managed to standardize the building process, reduce the price of each car, and mass-produce millions of model T. The car had arrived as the mode of transportation preferred by most Americans. Subsequent generations adapted the car for their own purposes, from the explosion of models and features following the Second World War to hot rods and the drive-in theatre and restaurants. Our entire society became centered around cars as an ever increasing number of roads were built to accommodate the growing number of vehicles.

Safety features had not kept up, however, and as the number of accident deaths climbed the American public clamored to make cars safer. At the same time, gas guzzlers found themselves crippled by the Oil Crisis of 1973, and Japanese cars, which were smaller and safer, made their entrance into the American market.

Today cars are safer than they have ever been, just as they continue to evolve to different energy sources such as electricity, hydrogen and natural gas. But fundamentally, Karl Benz would still recognize today’s automobile for what it was.

The Orphan Trains

Flanagan, Alice K. The Orphan Trains. 2006. 48p. ISBN 0-7565-1635-8. Available at 362.7 on the library shelves.

Industrialization in the United States led to a migratory movement from the countryside to cities. This dislocation brought more jobs, but also reduced many people to poverty. Some parents were simply unable to take care of their children. Many immigrants who arrived in New York City lived in overcrowded tenement housing and found it difficult to care for their offsprings. Sickness and poor health often killed one or both parents, leaving children orphaned and alone.

As cities grew in size, the number of orphans roaming increased as well. Concerned citizens created orphanages, but there were not enough people in cities to adopt these children. Thus orphan trains were born. The brainchild of the Children’s Aid Society, trains were chartered and sent to the Midwest and as far away as Texas with orphans on board ready to be adopted. Trains would stop in towns, and locals were invited to adopt a child and treat them as their own until the child reached the age of 18. Over the next eighty years, over 200,000 children were transported from New York City to new parents.

At first parents and orphans were concerned, but as reports of ideal environments and decent country living filtered back to New York City, more and more children joined the trek. An interesting period in history, the orphan trains reveal an innovative way to solve a problem.

The Pullman Strike of 1894

Burgan, Michael. The Pullman Strike of 1894. 2008. 48p. ISBN 978-0-7565-3348-9. Available at 331.892 BUR on the library shelves.

The industrial revolution forever changed the way people in the United States lived and worked. The expansion of the railroad suddenly allowed travel and shipping across vast distances over a short period of time, making the country suddenly accessible to most. Many train travelers of the time enjoyed the luxurious Pullman car, with its fancy woodwork and comfortable seating and sleeping arrangements.

Build in Chicago by the Pullman Palace Car Company, the Pullman car at first took the country by storm and provided for better traveling conditions. Workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company were comparatively well paid and had access to company housing in Pullman’s own town. George Pullman, owner and founder of the company, wanted to provide the best possible working environment for his workers.

But as the economic conditions deteriorated during the 1893 recession, the number of travellers declined, train companies stopped purchasing cars for their trains, and Pullman suddenly found himself having to cut costs. He laid off 1,500 workers and significantly cut the remaining workers’ pay. At the same time, however, he refused to lower the rents he was charging for living in company housing. This led to a volatile situation where workers were no longer making enough to pay for their rent. Some workers received paychecks worth pennies after their rent and utilities were deducted.

The workers decided to fight back, and organized a union which called for a strike in 1894. Eventually, the strikers were repressed by federal soldiers, and many were killed or imprisoned. The labor movement continued, however, and eventually led to better working conditions across the United States.

This short book effectively tells this story of workers rising against the capitalists who controlled the means of production, and the changes that occurred during and after the strike. Fans of history will enjoy the description of this conflict. Click on this link for more information about the Pullman Strike of 1894.

Waiscoats and Weaponry

Carriger, Gail. Waiscoats and Weaponry. Book 3 of the Finishing School series. 2014. 298p. ISBN 978-0-316-19027-5. Available at FIC CAR on the library shelves.

Still enrolled at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality, Sophronia Temminnick continues her spy and assassin studies with the faculty. Spending time with her best friends Dimity, Sidheag, and Agatha, they are getting ready to attend the bethrothal of Sophronia’s eldest brother. This will be the perfect time to practice their new seduction skills.

When an emergency letter arrives for Lady Kingair, everything changes. Sidheag flees the flying school with Captain Niall, leaving Sophronia behind to cover her tracks. Meanwhile, things are heating up with Soap and with Lord Felix, and the two of them end up rivals for Sophronia’s affection as they both attend the party at the Teminnick’s estate. The mechanicals suddenly begin singing before being knocked out of commission. Sidhead and two werewolves show up at the estate and report that the Kingair alpha is no more and the pack must be protected at all costs. She must head to Scotland right away.

Accompanied by Soap, Lord Felix, Sidhead and Dimity, Sophronia uses her small air dirigeable and lands on a moving train, hoping to reach Scotland. But then, her old nemesis Monique, now in the service of the vampires, is on board for some nefarious purpose. And the train seem to be following a flywayman airship allied with the Picklemen. What is going on here? Soon, Sophronia and her friends uncover a conspiracy that could destroy the British Empire. Finally, Sophronia will have to make difficult decisions: To whom should she give her heart? Where does her loyalty lie? And, most importantly, can she protect all of her friends?

The story concludes in Manners and Mutiny.

Around the World in Eighty Days

Vernes, Jules. Around the World in Eighty Days. 2007. 160p. ISBN 978-1-40277615-1. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Phileas Fogg is a marvel of English self-control and quiet dignity. He leads a life regulated like clockwork, having his meals at precisely the same time every day, attending the Reform Club, and playing his favorite card game, Whist.

On this particular day, Fogg has just hired a new manservant, a Frenchman named Passepartout. He provides him the schedule, then leaves for the Reform Club at the appointed time. There, other members of the Reform Club are engaged in a vigorous discussion about how long it would take to go around the world. Fogg tells them that it would take precisely 80 days, no more, no less. His friends are impressed. Surely, they argue, it would take longer as Fogg’s schedule is dependent on everything working like clockwork. On the contrary, replies Fogg, his schedule makes allowances for such delays.

A wager is quickly placed, and Fogg announces he will forthwith leave England for France, thence through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, and back to England, all in 80 days or less. Returning home, Fogg tells Passepartout to pack, they’re off on a round the world trip that will change both of their lives forever!

Blizzard of Glass

Walker, Sally M. Blizzard of Glass. 2011. 160p. ISBN 0805089454. Available at 971.6 WAL on the library shelves.

The massive war effort during the First World War meant that thousands of ships were needed to transport soldiers, horses, equipment, and munitions from North America to Europe. Atlantic harbors were very busy, and the presence of German submarines forced those harbors to take defensive measures and to keep ships protected within their confines.

Thus, it would have seemed absolutely normal for residents of Halifax to see  a large number of ships moving in and out of the harbor. But on December 6, 1917, one of those ships carried a full cargo of explosives, explosive powders, and explosive chemicals. Heavily laden, the Mont Blanc was entering the harbor when it collided with the Imo, a Belgian Relief ship carrying supplies and food to Europe. Fire ignited aboard the Mont Blanc, and knowing the ship lost, the crew fled. The drifting and burning ship hit a pier and, as people tried to put out the fire and as many onlookers watched, exploded, resulting in the largest man-made explosion until the atomic bomb.

The Richmond neighborhood was completely destroyed, and over 1,500 people were killed and 9,000 injured. All buildings within a twelve mile radius lost their windows, leading to, as a witness reported, “a blizzard of glass.” Rescue efforts ensued, but the next day another blizzard, this time of snow, dropped more than 12 inches of snow, hampering relief.

This book describes the disaster, from the ships and the crew involved to the heroic efforts at putting the fire and the deaths and reconstruction that resulted. Weaved through are the accounts of several survivors and how this explosion affected their lives.

For another example of man-made catastrophe, take a look at The Great Fire, the history of the Chicago fire of 1871 that destroyed most of the city.

Goodbye, Gasoline: The Science of Fuel Cells

Lew, Kristi. Goodbye, Gasoline: The Science of Fuel Cells. 2009. 48p. ISBN 978-0-7565-3521-6. Available at 621.31 LEW on the library shelves.

The recent push for reducing the world’s carbon footprint is leading towards the invention and refining of existing technologies to both improve performance and reduce their environmental impact. Gasoline, the liquid that powers today’s cars and trucks, has not changed in the last several decades. And though vehicles get better gas mileage now than they did even ten years ago, gasoline still remains a polluting and non-renewable resource. It this therefore time to move beyond gasoline.

Several technologies are competing to be the next motor of the economy, but none are as promising as the fuel cell. Based on combining hydrogen and oxygen, and resulting in water, the power that comes from combining these two elements is enough to power today’s car, trucks, and even buildings.

There are several problems that remain, however, before fuel cells become the future of transportation. First, the size of the cells continue to be a problem. Second, the lack of an hydrogen infrastructure such as fueling stations and processing centers continue to be a detriment to the rapid spread of this technology. Finally, costs continue to be higher than conventional gasoline engines.

Nevertheless, this short book accurately presents the current state of fuel cells and how, in the near future, they should revolutionize how we consume energy. Only time will tell if the predictions come true (still waiting for that flying car), but fuel cells are a promising type of technology.

Astronauts

Richardson, Adele D. Astronauts. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-58340-046-X. Available at 629.45 RIC on the library shelves.

The conquest of space could not have happened without the courageous men and women who hurled themselves to outer space aboard rockets and space shuttles over the last fifty years. This book presents the pioneers of space travel and discusses the history of humans in space. Astronaut training is explored, and the various qualities necessary to become an astronaut are explained. Fans of space will enjoy reading about what it takes to be one of the few who get to go to space.

Space Shuttle

Richardson, Adele. Space Shuttle. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-58340-052-4. Available at 629.44 RIC on the library shelves.

Travelling to space with disposable rockets is very expensive. Tasked by President Nixon to come up with a more cost effective vehicle to breach gravity, NASA engineers created the Space Shuttle, a flying vehicle that could re-enter the atmosphere and be reused on another trip.

Overall, six shuttles were built. Enterprise, the first one, never flew to space but was used to test the aerodynamics and the guidance systems. The other five (Atlantis, Endeavour, Discovery, Challenger, and Columbia) have all flown countless missions, connecting with the International Space Station, releasing and fixing satellites, and conducting science experiments.

The explosion of Challenger in 1986 almost grounded the shuttle program, but after engineering fixes the shuttles returned to the skies. In 2011, Atlantis flew the last mission to space.

This short books presents information on the most famous space vehicles, including its history and capabilities, as well as an overview of the many missions accomplished over three decades.

The Living

de la Pena, Matt. The Living. 2013. 320p. ISBN 9780385741200. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Shy would never have been able to afford a cruise, but the teen is excited to begin working on a cruise ship for the summer months. His grandmother recently died of Romero disease, a deadly virus similar to Ebola that kills its victim within hours, and, since she was the main breadwinner for the family, money is now tight. Shy figures he’ll earn good money, get great tips from people who don’t know the value of a dollar, eat free food, and even meet beautiful girls in bikinis since his main assignment is the pool deck.

On his first cruise, however, he encounters a man that confides in him, telling Shy he’s done many wrong things and apologizes to him before jumping overboard. The incident startles Shy, and he can’t shake it off. When, on the next cruise, his friend tell him a man has been asking questions about him and the incident, Shy becomes suspicious. Who would want to investigate him?

Meanwhile, he’s falling hard for Carmen, who’s also from his hard-hit part of town south of San Diego. But she’s engaged, so Shy knows she’s off limits. He also meets two girls during this second cruise. Both of them are snobs and make fun of him.

When a severe storm strikes the ship, Shy is not too worried about the survival of the ship. Clearing the deck that evening, he comes upon those two girls again. And one of them is crying. She tells him her father’s got a photo of him, how can he explain that? Shy has no idea why her father would possess this photo. Combined with the presence of the strange man in the black suit, and the ranksack of his room, Shy is now worried.

Unfortunately, he doesn’t have time to think any further. Soon after the storm, a massive earthquake beyond anything ever measured strikes California, destroying most of the coast. Suddenly the ship faces the largest set of tsunami waves, and not even a large cruise ship can hope to survive it intact. Shy now finds himself in a fight against nature that will be hard to win…

This book is a great complement to The Perfect Storm, another ship disaster, and fans will enjoy this survival story.

Mir Space Station

Bernards, Neal. Mir Space Station. 2000. 32p. ISBN 1-58340-049-4. Available at 629.44 BER on the library shelves.

One of the most impressive accomplishment of the space age has been the building of the International Space Station. But the lessons learned in the first space stations were critical to ensure the success of the ISS. The Mir Space Station, built by the Soviets in 1986 and expanded upon by the Russians until 1997, was the first long-term space station built, until it crashed back to Earth in 2001.

Beginning with one module, the station grew until it could accommodate three crewmen and provide support for numerous scientific experiments. The station was also prone to a number of accidents and technical glitches, such as disabled showers, loss of power and climate control, internal fires, and was even rammed by a spaceship once.

This short book is a great introduction to humankind’s first permanent structure in space, and features gorgeous photos. Space explorers will enjoy reading about one of the most intriguing piece of spacial history.