100 Years Ago: February 1915

[George Thomas Wilson]

This is the second in a series of brief reviews of older National Geographic Magazines.

I am listing each article as they appear in the magazine.  Even though Machu Picchu gets top billing, it is in fact the last article in the magazine.

In "Munster - the Town of many Gables" the reader is taken on a photo tour of the German city still untouched by the war.  As the title suggests, the focus is on architecture: "...its winding streets, its ancient houses, gabled, arcaded, mottoed".  Most of the photos are full page and also include scenic views of Bavaria.

By contrast, the second article deals directly with the war's affect on the British fishing industry.  While most of the illustrations are photographs, one is a map of the "war zone" around the British Isles.

Photo courtesy of Philip Riviere.

The article "A Wonderland of Science" is written in praise of practical, or applied science; what today we would refer to as technology.  From the worlds most accurate clock at the U.S. Naval Observatory to balances at the U.S. Bureau of Standards this article extols American innovation.

The answer to the question: What is the "...City of Realized Dreams"? is San Francisco.  The 1906 earthquake and ensuing fire destroyed the entire business and manufacturing districts and a large part of the residential areas.  By 1915 it had been rebuilt "more beautiful than ever".

The Machu Picchu article is a followup to the iconic April 1913 article.  It boast of 60 illustrations but except for the small, black and white copy of the 1913 supplement at the top of the first page and a handful of photos at the end of the article all of these illustrations are hand sketches of artifacts found on the expeditions by the NGS and Yale University.  The article presents our knowledge of the history of the Inca civilization.

The "16 Pages of Photogravure" is place in the middle of the Machu Picchu article but has nothing to do with it.  These are full page photographs on a stock of paper that has browned with age more than the rest of the magazine.  The photos cover mountains: the Alps, the Himalayas, the Caucasus, and the Ruwenzori mountains of Africa.  They also include plant life of the Ruwenzori mountains.  The last photo seems out of place compared to the rest. it is of the giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove, California.

The last page (before the advertisements) has an announcement of the election of O.H. Tittmann as the new President of the Society succeeding the late Henry Gannett.  John E Pillsbury was elected Vice-President.  Bios on each are included.  There is also an "Important Notice" on remittances covering dues and purchases by mail.

And here is a Cover Variant for this issue (Munster instead of Hildesheim).

Tom Wilson

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

Thanks Tom!

Mel

[George Thomas Wilson]

Note: I just added a map to one of the articles.