The first thing an alert reader might notice about the articles in this section is that they all come, not from American magazines, but from British publications! Magazines such as The Strand were always on the lookout for tales of the odd, sensational, and downright bizarre things that Americans got up to - from a town composed of railroad cars to a millionaire who hosted a feast of snakes. To our overseas cousins, such articles, perhaps, were a comforting reminder that, no matter how successful Americans might be at such things as business and trade, they were still... peculiar. "Not like us, you know." Of course, the British had their own eccentricities, and The Strand was not slow to report on those either; you'll find more about Victorian eccentric sports, performances and behaviors in the Victorian Life section.

Prescriptions from the Far West (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1888)

Some American Advertisements, by C.C. Rothwell (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1888)

Campaign Buttons, by George Dollar (The Strand, 1896B)

A Living Flag, by Arthur Lord (The Strand, 1898B)

An Iowa teacher contrived this "living flag" made of... children.

Two Railway Sensations, by Jeremy Broome (The Strand, 1899A)

A railway race between Chicago and Omaha; a railway collision staged "to order" to raise funds.

Sand Art, by Thomas Curtis (The Strand, 1899B)

The sand sculptures of Atlantic City artist James Taylor.

A New-World Sport, by H.A. Nicholls (The Strand, 1900A)

The Axemen's Association woodchopping carnival of 1899.

The Baking Cure, by W.B. Northrop (The Strand, 1900B)

"Baking alive" - a turn-of-the-century fad in American medical science.

Election Bets in America, by E. Leslie Gilliams (Strand, 1901A)

Losers of such bets performed such tasks as rolling a peanut along a street with a toothpick, playing a hand-organ in various public places, giving wheel-barrow rides to the winners, and in one case, standing on exhibit as a museum freak for a week.

Wonders from the West

Some Wonders from the West (1-3) (Strand, 1900B)

A woman who conducted the marriage of her daughter; an electric man; photographing through the body.

Some Wonders from the West (4-8) (Strand, 1900B)

A skirt dance on a cliff; an umbrella-hat; a suit of many skins; an amazing Christmas diorama; a sculptor of snakes.

Some Wonders from the West (9-13) (Strand, 1901A)

An impoverished couple living in an opulent railway car; Native Americans re-enacting "Hiawatha;" the reunion of a society composed of couples married by the Rev. Meese; dogs driving racehorses; and the most valuable cat in the world.

Some Wonders from the West (14-16) (Strand, 1901A)

The new art of creating pictures in bottles out of colored sand; the "human ostrich" (a man who consumes pins, nails, screws, knives, etc.); and the possum's love of wild persimmons.

Some Wonders from the West (17-21) (Strand, 1901A)

A solar motor in South Pasadena, CA; a man who engraved the Lord's Prayer and a great deal more (1593 characters total) on a Canadian 5-cent piece; the Gathmann arm, a projectile that carries enough explosive to destroy a warship and that can be fired a distance of five miles; the only pigeon ranch in the world (in Los Angeles); and a giant lathe for turning cathedral columns.

Some Wonders from the West (22-24) (Strand, 1901A)

A pack of bloodhounds used for tracking fugitives; the tallest woman in the world (Miss Ella Ewing of Missouri); aquatic wonders, including a "Siamese twin" tiger shark.

Some Wonders from the West (25-29) (Strand, 1901B)

A pastor turning to missionary work amongst the Indians; an amazing whittler; the skipping-rope champion of the world; a wonderful clock; beating time by search-light at a concert.

Some Wonders from the West (30-32) (Strand, 1901B)

The Burgess twins; pictures in wood inlay; the California sport of summer sledding;

Some Wonders from the West (33-36) (Strand, 1901B)

A town of street-cars; a feast of snakes; a horse cemetery; a whistle blown by natural gas.