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Seacoast Letters August 2006 |
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A complete archive of email from Augusut 2006
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AUgust 26
I HAVE A MUG
I HAVE A MUG THAT IS APPROX 4 AND A HALF INCHES TALL AND ON THE TOP IT READS SOUVENIR OF PORTSMOUTH, N.H. BELOW IT HAS A PICTURE OF THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH HOUSE AND IT READS THAT IT IS BELOW THE PICTURE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MUG IT HAS A PICTURE OF "OLD JACKSON HOUSE" AS IT SAYS BELOW THE PICTURE. IT WAS MADE IN GERMANY ON THE TOP LINE RIGHT AFTER THE N.H. I CAN MAJE OUT EITHER IT IS 1/8L OR 7/8L AND ON THE BOTTOM IT IS INSRIBED THE NUMBER 3. PLEASE ADVISE ME IF THERE IS ANY VALUE TO THIS PIECE THAT IS QUITE OLD.
JOE DOHERTY
EDITOR’S REPLY: Assuming your mug looks like our mug, it is a nice early to mid-20th century souvenir of two historic houses in Portsmouth, NH. It is not rare, but is a fun example of the kinds of German-made items that were for sale in tourist towns all across New England during the rise of the motorcar touring. I’m no expert, but it’s probably from just before WW2 or whenever the Jackson House first opened to the public. On an auction web site we’ve seen this item sell from $10 to $25. So it may be better as a pencil-holder than an investment.
August 23
READER SAYS TAKE THE BUS
Dear Editor, I’d like to share with your readers my positive experience of using mass transit. Recently I took the bus from Manchester to Boston in one hour – clean, cool, comfortable, and stress-free. I was able to meet my son at South Station and spend a day in the city without the hassle and cost of parking. My return trip was equally pleasing. And all of this for only $17. each way! Next time you’re heading into the city, you may want to seriously think of leaving the driving, the higher gas prices, and the headaches to someone else! And actually enjoy the ride in!
Judith Lindsey, Candia, NH
August 22
WHAT KIND OF STORM WAS THAT?
On August 3, 2006 there was a severe storm that hit Rye and North Hampton. No lives were lost but some houses were damaged and many trees were uprooted or snapped off some 20 or 30 feet above ground. I need some expert advice as to what kind of weather event this was. I looked up downbursts and microbursts and tornados, but i am unsure what type or mix of storms this was. I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks in advance
Al Harper
KEN MITCHEL REPLIES: Hi, Al. Not a whole lot of expert analysis has been applied to this event by forecasters who make a living (or career) going over all the data and seeing what the most likely scenario was. However, it is generally agreed from afar that this was a downburst, caused by cold air
falling from the sky at a high rate of speed, hitting the earth like a balloon full of water, radiating outward and then summing up with the storm's speed across the ground to create very strong winds. I also saw some mention that the storm may have been collapsing at that point, so that all the rain and cold air that was being uplifted in the mature phase of the storm falls suddenly (like that water balloon) and SPLAT!
It is also pretty much agreed that it was not a tornado. However, like the Exeter Hailstorm of the Century a few weeks prior, this was an unusual event for us. While it is easy to pin these severe outbreaks on global warming, almost as if delving in a convenient excuse, or even a cliché, it is also quite reasonable to apply this added wrinkle, for global warming predicts more severe outbreaks in areas that are not used to them. I was actually watching this storm go by on radar at the time,
and it was the smallest of cells. While its bright red representation spoke to its intensity, one would never have guessed it would be capable of such a feat from simply viewing radar paints. This is of course why we always suggest people seek as reliable a shelter as they can find in ANY thunderstorm scenario...
August 20
READER WANTS CHEST EXAM
I was hoping you could tell me some information regarding an Excelsior
Chest from Stampford, Conn. The number is #5985. Any information about the company or the value of the chest would be very helpful. I have attach
four pictures that I hope are useful. Thank you
Tyson
TRUNK SPECIALIST PAT MORSE REPLIES : Hi, Tyson. Your ca. 1895-1910 medium quality, flat top canvas covered steamer trunk was not made by Excelsior as your wrote. I'm not sure where you got the name Excelsior from but I suspect you saw it on the lock. Excelsior was a lock maker in Ct around the time this trunk was made and they sold their locks to many trunk makers. There was also a trunk maker named Excelsior but this is not the type of trunk that they made. Our experience with the trunkmaker, Excelsior, is that they made very high quality trunks covered with matched oak or walnut slats. Those trunks are very rare and are in high demand. Your trunk sells in most antique shops in the $50-150 range. Professionally restored it would be worth in the $900-1200 range.
August 20
THE RETURN OF EDWARD ROWE SNOW?
It would be wonderful if you could find, reproduce and either loan, rent or sell audio tapes or cd's of the radio show "Six Bells" which was hosted by Mr. Snow on a Boston radio station on Sundays. If you cannot market these directly I am sure that the web site "the radio lady" would take on this product. In order to accumulate enough for a series you may want to request those "old timers" who have tapes to loan them to you for reproduction or at least provide their names and addresses if they would like to share in this project. I know that as a young tyke living in East Boston I looked forward to the show every Sunday. I admired Mr. Snow who I had met one summer when I vacationed with my family on Greater Brewster Island in the late 1930's.
Gerald Mcvey
JEREMY D’ENTREMONT (The Lighthouse Guy) RESPONDS: I've edited and annotated new editions of seven of Edward Rowe Snow's books, published by Commonwealth Editions since 2002. I do have some recordings of some of his radio appearances. They were made back in the 1980s from records and tapes in possession of his family. Some of them are incomplete, and the sound quality is generally not good. But I have given consideration to the idea of making them available
commercially. Your email has rekindled this thought. I grew up in Lynn, MA, listening to the ER Snow in the 1960s, and he inspired my love for maritime history; I now make my living primarily from writing about and photographing lighthouses.
August 19
TAKING THE OCEAN’S TEMP
Dear SeacoastNH: I enjoy reading Ken Mitchell’s weather reports on line, but I have a question about the ocean temperatures. Ken is reporting an ocean temperature of 69° F (20.55° C). The Portsmouth Herald is reporting a (more realistic) temperature of 59° F (15° C). Where are these
temperatures taken? How does one account for the 10° F difference in the
two reports?
John Parsons in Hampton, NH
KEN MITCHEL REPLIES: Hi, John. My readings are from the buoy off Cape Neddick. I believe I mention this in the paragraph that lists the temps. Ocean temps at this time of year can vary like that based on whether or not the winds are on- or off-shore. A sea breeze blows warmer water in, and shoreline readings will indeed be in the upper 60s. A land breeze will cause upwelling and bring up much colder water to the shoreline, and then we will have the wide discrepancy as seen. So I guess the best way to use these two readings is to look to the Cape Neddick value as the temperature the water can reach with a good sea breeze. The Herald value occurs when winds are off the land. Also, I'm not sure where they take their reading...is it at a beach, or near the river...values can
fluctuate widely in the near-shore realm, which is why I choose to use the one farther out. It's a good point, though, and I think I'll add a brief note that values near the beaches can be considerably lower when winds are from the west.
August 18
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Just a note to tell you that we continue to enjoy and admire "Seacoast NH" and we hope you will be encouraged to keep on with your excellent online work.
Al and Carol Hawthorne, Portsmouth
August 18
WHERE IS MY WASHINGTON FROM?
I found this small engraving of George Washington in an old store close to my home in Washington Ga. just last week. If possible I would like to know something about its history. This picture in frame is 12.6in by 13.6in.. It appears to be an engraving of silver over copper and may have another type metal. The picture is very old.
Marion L Battle
EDITOR’S REPLY: We have the same image on SeacoastNH.com in our Tobias Lear section and our copy came from an 1860 volume entitled "Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington by his Adopted Son George Washington Parke Custis," published in New York. We figured that engraving was taken from an earlier painting and sure enough a quite web search shows that the painting is by Charles Wilson Peale. The original belongs to Washington and Lee University and can be seen in the Lee Chapel in Lexington, VA. Your copy, likely a 19th century souvenir, could have been made by just about anyone from the engraving that was widely published.
August 17
LOVES THAT NEWSLETTER
Dear Dennis, You certainly are a charmer! And, a chuckle-bringer...sometimes a belly-laugh-bringer. Your newsletter always fills holes in my education and brightens my day. THANK YOU!!
Pat Wall
August 18
PIRATE TREASURE HOAX?
Your article on pirate treasure at the Isles of Shoals reminded me of an evil thought I've sometimes had, i.e., how easy it would be to perpetrate a treasure hoax.
To do it right you'd need to spend $500 or more for some real silver. Then, in the form of some genuine old coins or aged-looking bars, plant the silver in a cove on Star or Appledore where you can guarantee it will be found. Maybe "find" the first piece yourself while visitors are nearby. Make a lot of noise. Make sure the media hear about it. Next thing you know the TV stations will have helicopters hovering overhead and (the part that makes it evil), people would be wrecking the Islands in their search. People are so gullible, the next thing you know they will believe there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq!
Sallie
THE EDITOR REPLIES: Great idea to be used only if tourism drops off in the near future. If eco-tourism and heritage tourism fail, we can go for treasure-tourism. Remember our additional articles on tourist hoaxes in Hampton, NH and Henniker, NH.
August 13
AMY’S OLD TRUNKS
I have 2 old trunks that were given to me and my husband. They have been in my attic for 20yrs. I know a little on the history of them. They came from a rich person in Maine, however; I don't want to use his name. I will be coming up to the Brunswick, ME area on 8/5/06. Is there any appraisers in that area that you could recommend? I could try to send pictures if you would like.
Amy
PAT MORSE REPLIES: Hi, Amy. Your two trunks are American made trunks from about 1900. They are both flat top steamer style trunks, one covered with canvas and the other covered with sheet steel. Both are in well used condition and can be found at NE flea markets for $25-$125. Professionally restored, they would sell in the $600-$800 range. They both need extensive work and the cost of restoration may outweigh their worth.
August 12
DESPERATELY SEEKING WIRELESS
Hi - I am coming up to York Beach, ME. tomorrow for just about two weeks and unfortunately I have to work while I am there -- I will have my computer and cell phones and I need to find a place like an internet cafe where I can take care of my morning mess!!!! (I work for the company that does the measuring for Home Depot flooring!!!) Do you have an suggestions as to where I might go for several hours every morning??? I generally start dealing with my technicians around 7am!!
Valerie H
EDITOR’S REPLY: Never fear. We’ve enclosed a list of hot spot guides to the area. We’re not going to post them because they come and go like mayflies. Hope this helps.
August 12
HELPING SELL REAL ESTATE
I just wanted to tell you, I thought your article on Atlantic Heights was great! I have sent it to clients and they really enjoyed it.
Diane Foley, CBRB
August 11
HAPPILY WON THE PRIZE
Belated thanks for selecting my May contest entry! The "Spa at Home" basket will make for a great birthday surprise for my girlfriend. Enjoy reading your historical articles. Keep up the good work!
Gerard Skalny
August 11
THANKS FOR SPONSORING US
In case you miss our "thank you" ad in this week's Spotlight, I want you to know we appreciated your support.
Denise at SOS Seacoast
August 10
DEEP SEA QUESTIONS FOR KEN
Dear SeacoastNH, I enjoy reading Ken Mitchell’s weather reports on line, but I have a question about the ocean temperatures. Ken is reporting an ocean temperature of 69° F (20.55° C). The Portsmouth Herald is reporting a (more realistic) temperature of 59° F (15° C). Where are these temperatures taken? How does one account for the 10° F difference in the two reports?
John Parsons, Hampton, NH
KEN RESPONDS: Hi, John. My readings are from the buoy off Cape Neddick. I believe I mentioned this in the paragraph that lists the temps. Ocean temps at this time of year can vary like that based on whether or not the winds are on- or off-shore. A sea breeze blows warmer water in, and shoreline readings will indeed be in the upper 60s. A land breeze will cause upwelling and bring up much colder water to the shoreline, and then we will have the wide discrepancy as seen. So I guess the best way to use these two readings is to look to the Cape Neddick value as the temperature the water can reach with a good sea breeze. The Herald value occurs when winds are off the land. Also, I'm not sure where they take their reading...is it at a beach, or near the river? Values can fluctuate widely in the near-shore realm, which is why I choose to use
the one farther out. It's a good point, though, and I think I'll add a brief note that values near the beaches can be considerably lower when winds are from the west. Thanks!!!
August 9
STOLEN WENTWORTH HOTEL CROCKERY?
Just acquired a covered flow-blue sugar bowl made by Grindley in England in the late 1800's. It is also stamped Wentworth - it must have originally come from the Hotel. Let me know whether the Hotel has any display of old items from the original hotel - if so, this might be a lovely piece to add to it. If there is any interest, let me know, and I can forward a photo to the appropriate person. (This piece must have been "acquisitioned" from the hotel when someone was vacationing there - I found it at an estate sale in St. Louis, Missouri.) It is stamped as "The Duchess" pattern, but is not the same pattern listed as Grindley "Duchess" anywhere that I can find - it must have been a special issue for the Wentworth. Thanks for your time, it was fun to research this piece.
Serenity K
EDITOR’S REPLY: Yes, I wrote the book the hotel Wentworth, but I’m no crockery expert. My amateur guess is that this “Wentworth” mark is a brand or style of pottery, rather than anything connected to Wentworth by the Sea hotel. A lot of the Victorian guests did come from the St. Louis area, but I’m betting this piece did not travel in a suitcase there from New Hampshire.
August 7
STILL NO UFOS
HI I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAVE THE MOVIE UFO INCIDENT WITH JAMES EARL JONES IF NOT IS THIS ONE AVAIABLE AND HOW MUCH COST TO ME IAM A VIDEO STORE OPPERATOR THANKS JIM IF YOU DONT HAVE THIS WHERE CAN I GET THEMMM
Harmony
EDITOR'S REPLY: Sorry, except for bootlegs versions on eBay, we know of no legitimate public release of this made ofr TV film yet.
August 6
BROOKS ASTOR
Did you know that Brooke Astor is a Portsmouth girl?
From Harmony
EDITOR’S REPLY: No, we did not know, until The Wire called to see if we knew, assuming that – if it’s history – we might have info. But we had to wait for the Wire to do the heavy lifting. And thanks for that link.
August 5
MORE KEN QUESTIONS
I look at your forecast at least once a day, and I think it's fantastic. Thank you for the time you take to keep us informed about the REALLY local weather. I noticed that in winter you put a "pet alert" notice in your forecast on especially cold days. May I suggest that you do the same on days like today, when it's 95 and humid? In addition to children and old people, dogs are particularly susceptible to extreme heat. It's so important to make sure that they have shade and plenty of clean water in weather like this.
One of your many fans
Marya,
KEN MITCHEL REPLIES -- I think you have a marvelous idea there, and given the recent tragic event locally wherein a dog was lost to car heat, a timely one, too. I have so much going on in my life that I never made the connection to the two extremes...thanks for doing it for me! My threshold for Winter Pet Alerts is when wind chills are near or below zero. For summertime, I feel temps near or above 90 will do it, for this is the bottom number on the Heat Index Chart. Thanks for caring so much...we have a little dog, a Shih Tzu named Calvin...who also thanks you.
August 2
DIRECTING THE AIRLINES
We are flying into Manchester New Hampshire at 11:30pm on (Date listed) heading coastal toward Portland. We need an inexpensive, but clean and safe hotel as soon as we can get to one once we arrive. We would like to go on out toward the Hampton, Rye Beach area. Could you please be our expert eyes and give us some options? Thank you so much in advance from a traveling airline employee seeing the sights
Darlene G
EDITOR’S REPLY: Please see our recommendations attached. (No, we’re not going to post them, but you can look in our Lodging Database for ideas.)
Please visit these SeacoastNH.com ad partners.
