Popular Posts

Friday, August 27, 2021

A 1910 Speed-Trap: Mr. Ketchum, of Sandusky, Ohio -- Taken from Harriet White Fisher, "World-Tour in a Motor," 1911



Harriet White Fisher was the first woman to circle the globe in a car, although she did not drive it -- she was chauffeured. "World-Tour in a Motor" is worth looking at from the perspective of an American (elite, white, a woman) describing exotic lands and people. I found the story of Fisher's encounter with a motorcycle cop in Sandusky, Ohio most interesting and amusing. His name was Ketchum, and while the speed limit was 18 miles per hour and Fisher's Locomobile traveling at 12,  the officer pulled the party over and demanded a large fee after asking for "a small renumeration," was rebuffed. A visit to an official only got Harriet even deeper, although she had won the sympathy of many observers of the incident living in Sandusky. In the end Fisher left and wished motorcycle cop an accident in which he would tumble off his wheels. As Fisher subsequently relates, two weeks later Ketchum, now fired, did fall off his bike, breaking a leg and perhaps losing his foot!




 






 

1 comment:

  1. Hi...
    A 1910 Speed-Trap: Mr. Ketchum, of Sandusky, Ohio -- Taken from Harriet White Fisher, "World-Tour in a Motor," 1911.
    You are also read more Jiodigital Tower

    ReplyDelete