Columnist

Lawmakers should learn not to make empty threats

Published by admin on Sun, 01/14/2024 - 11:25am

Perhaps the weakest federal criminal charge against former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke was about his plot to extort the Chicago Field Museum because a friend’s daughter never heard back about an internship after Burke sent over her resume.
US District Court Judge Virginia Kendall seemed “unimpressed” by federal prosecutors’ reasoning in mid-December after Burke’s legal team moved to dismiss the charge ahead of closing arguments, according to Tribune reporter Jason Meisner.

Mine inspections finally taken seriously

Published by admin on Tue, 01/09/2024 - 11:05am

In my column I portray the men of the coal fields as a wild, hard-living group who loved to drink and fight. It is true that those men had a larger appetite for life than most. But perhaps it was because they faced death so often.

Transportation by train, a thing of the past?

Published by admin on Tue, 01/09/2024 - 9:41am

My recent train trip to New Mexico made me aware of Amtrak. Many people think that train travel is a thing of the past. From my experience it is not. The train was crowded both ways. In fact I wonder why there was only one train a day when clearly more were needed. Today we look at the beginning of train transportation in Wilmington.

Winter then and now, welcome global warming

Published by admin on Tue, 01/02/2024 - 11:58am

This column was first published Jan. 6, 2015. It is being repeated.

The poor of the Will County Poor House

Published by admin on Tue, 01/02/2024 - 11:57am

This column was first published Jan. 6, 2015. It is being repeated.
At Christmas time the famous Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol is everywhere. Bob Cratchett is in jeopardy of losing his job, and then what was to become of his poor family. They would have to be sent to the Poor House.
But that was in England, surely in this country there was no such institution. Wrong, not only was there a Poor House, known locally as the Poor Farm, but it continued operation well into the 20th century.

Citizen's arrest! Citizen's arrest!

Published by admin on Mon, 12/25/2023 - 1:25pm

As you know, I am a big fan of old westerns. And in many of them the sheriff calls out a posse and the citizens of the town become deputies. I had the thought that this was probably unrealistic.
Today if an outlaw needed chasing, I could not imagine the police chief throwing a citizen a gun and saying “Come with me!” The response would no doubt be “Say, what?” But it seems that I was wrong. Let’s climb aboard the way back machine for a few examples.

Is there a doctor in the house?

Published by admin on Mon, 12/25/2023 - 1:25pm

Students of Braidwood history know that coal mining meant coal-mining injuries. But the other side of that coin meant frequent injuries meant business for men of medicine, whether legitimate or not.

ICC declines rate increase for ComEd, Peoples Gas angering organized labor

Published by admin on Sat, 12/23/2023 - 2:50pm

Three of Gov. JB Pritzker’s appointees to the Illinois Commerce Commission have not yet been confirmed by the Illinois Senate, including the chair, Doug Scott.
All three unconfirmed appointees have recently voted against the stated interests of trade unions.
Senate President Don Harmon has assiduously courted trade union support and has raised millions of campaign dollars from them.
So, right off the bat, the legislative math is pretty clear, even though Harmon’s office opted not to comment for this story.

Who needs Sears, we had Osburn Mercantile

Published by admin on Mon, 12/18/2023 - 12:59pm

Before the internet, there was catalogues. Much like today, you could order a wide assortment of goods, then by snail mail or telegraph, now by the internet.
Again, like today, your order would be shipped to you, either by mail or by rail. But again, like today, shipping took time, and if your order wasn't what you expected there was the hassle of returning it.

To settle, move or starve - the miners' dilemma

Published by admin on Mon, 12/18/2023 - 10:09am

With so many people around the world forced to leave their homes to search for a better life elsewhere, I started wondering what it would take for me to make that decision.
It must be a hard thing to decide, moving on that is. In 1877 the miners of Braidwood had lost their grand take-over and were now forced to watch as the shafts were being worked by mainly black strike breakers, protected by the military. Most were hungry and broke.