Your TR Source
President Roosevelt points a gun at a “statehood bill” animal while a “Panama” alligator, a “R.R. rates” walrus, a “Philippine tariff” water buffalo, and a “Morocco” leopard look on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-21
Explorer Robert E. Peary thanks President Roosevelt for his interest in and assistance with his expedition and updates Roosevelt on their progress. Navigating the Strait proved difficult and tested the ship. Continuing forward will be difficult, “the element of luck may play a stronger hand than experience, hard work, and most careful provision, combined.” Peary wishes Roosevelt well in his future plans and hopes he deservedly enjoys his trip to Africa. He sends his regards to Edith Kermit Carrow Roosevelt and the boys. Additionally, he sends Roosevelt three narwhal horns and some fox skins for Edith.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-17
The SS Roosevelt is stuck in ice. The edges of the postcard are decorated with illustrations of Arctic scenes. The description on the back of the postcard describes the ship as “but an eggshell in [the icebergs’] grasp.” The men on Commander Peary’s arctic expedition had to be willing to sacrifice their lives for the “great work” of the exploration.
1909
Vignettes show how it might look if the summer were as cold as spring. In the central image, bathers at the seashore wear fur clothing and must step over steam-pipes for heating the surf. Surrounding images show a couple in the midst of a proposal being interrupted by walruses, patrons enjoying hot-sauce drinks “At the Fizz Fountain,” people bundled up on the resort porch happy to be free of mosquitoes which “die at a temperature of 14° or less,” and a guest getting a hot water bottle delivered to his room.
Puck‘s increasing reliance on genre cartoons in its center-spreads — non-political, humorous news commentary — had grown to every four to six weeks by 1907; and increasingly the assignments went to S. D. Ehrhart and L. M. Glackens.