Today in Johnson City History, Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2024
Thanksgiving Blessings to You!
Tuesday, November 28, 1899: One hundred and twenty-five years ago today, The Journal and Tribune reported tragic news. The dateline was from Johnson City, and the date was November 27. Readers learned that “While braking on a narrow gauge freight train at Roan Mountain station today, Walter Lindamood fell between two cars and the moving train cut off one leg below the knee and severed three fingers from one hand. He is a young man, recently married, and has been engaged with the road for some time. He was brought home here on a special train and seemed to endure the shock well.”
The Journal and Tribune was a newspaper published in Knoxville. It is now published as the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Friday, November 28, 1924: A century ago today, The Anniston Star reported sad news. The dateline was from Johnson City, and the date was November 26. The story was reported by the United Press. Readers learned that “Fred Foster, 22, of Erwin, Tenn., was killed near here yesterday when an automobile in which he was riding with his two brothers, left the highway and rolled down an embankment. Foster’s neck was broken and he died before he reached the local hospital.”
The Anniston Star is still being published in Anniston, Alabama. Anniston is located about 333 miles from Johnson City, in a southwestern direction.
Wednesday, November 28, 1934: Ninety years ago today, the Johnson City Press brought news about Santa Claus. Children of all ages learned that “Prince of Love, The Press’ messenger sent to guide Santa Claus to Johnson City, has radiogrammed that old Saint Nicholas has started on his trip.
“Leaving the North Pole at the Top O’ the World, they are traveling through Asia. Santa Claus has instructed Prince of Love to remind us that Asia is the largest continent of the east, being 6,000 miles from the east border to the west border, more than 5,330 miles from north to south border, or approximately 17 million square miles in area. North America being about eight million square miles, it will be seen that Asia is more than twice as large as the continent on which we live.
“North American has a population bf (sic for of) 138 million people, while Asia has 950 million. Just think, Santa Claus is passing up all these people to come direct to Johnson City so that we can entertain him, be close to him and actually see him and his reindeer.
“Is there a Santa Claus? Childhood has always asked that question and will always ask it. Of all the answers given to this query none is more adequate or eloquent than the answer penned for Francis Pharcellas Church, an editor of the New York Sun, who received a letter form a little girl doubting the authenticity of Santa Claus. We are going to quote part of his answer:
“’Anyone who thinks there is no Santa Claus is affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds, and all minds, men’s or children’s, are little . . . Yes, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and devotion exist . . . Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no little children. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
“’Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies . . .You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the beauty and glory beyond. In all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
“’No Santa Claus! Thank God! He lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, say, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.’
“The above answer by Francis Church was written years and years ago before Santa Claus began making his pre-Christmas visits to especially honored cities. Little children did not then get to see Santa and his live reindeer from the Northland and they needed faith to believe in something they could not see.
“Now they do not need so much faith. Santa Claus will visit Johnson City in person on Tuesday, December 11. Children living in Johnson City will not have to argue about his actual existence. They can see him, wave to him, throw kisses to him and cheer for him.
“We do not have to wait until the Yuletide season to feel Santa Claus. He can exist in many ways many times throughout the whole year if we will give him life through good thoughts and kind deeds. After all, there is no sweeter or richer self-content than that which is born within us when our hearts and minds are given unstintingly to our fellowmen.
“Most people believe in Santa Claus because they believe in love and it is for them that Santa Claus exists as he is nothing more and nothing less than the personification of love, happiness, hope, faith and charity.
“What a sad world this would be if most people did not believe in love and in Santa Claus. The sweetest love that can ever be known is the love we give away.”
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Truly, it takes several people to put together something like you’ve just read. I express profound appreciation to Heidi Dulebohn and Stephanie McClellan Houk for their thoughts and encouragement.
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