August Letters
100 Years Later
I read your piece on the “Great Flag” in the July issue. I’ve always been fascinated by that photo and the effort it took to create the flag. There is another photo from that period that I love. Like the flag photo, it was taken at Amoskeag Mill #11. In 1903, Alphonso Sanborn took a series of four photos from the rooftop and created a panorama of the millyard.
I wanted to attempt a recreation of this photo someday. When I realized that it had been 100 years since the original, I decided it was time to act.
This photo, as well as some of my other Manchester images, can be seen at www.hatfieldart.com. It is #PA008. I created a limited edition that will be signed by all the surviving mayors of Manchester. I have commitments from all of them and we’re looking at doing the signing at a Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting. [It] may happen as soon as mid-July.
We’re also planning to do a show at the Manchester City Hall in September for their “Art of the Wall at City Hall” program. Thanks for a great article.
Ron Boucher
Goffstown
Found the Flag
I just finished reading Rick Broussard’s column regarding the Great Flag [July issue]. It is available at www.allposters.com. Just search the word Amoskeag, and you will find it. I’ve also attached a letter I recently sent to Ken Burns at Florentine Films.
Do you think a new documentary history of Amoskeag Manufacturing would have any merit? I have a written history, which was published in 1915, but like most histories of that period it’s pretty dry.
Dave Morin
Bedford
Editor’s reply: Ken Burns could do much worse than a documentary of the Amoskeag mills, but he is probably deluged by such great ideas. N.H. Magazine will be interviewing him soon about his new film and we’ll ask him.
Don’t Make Him Mad
In Phil Englehardt’s “Biker Chic: N.H. Rides in Style” story in your July issue, he writes that some people would like to have “… one of those California dream bikes” from the famous Orange County Choppers.
Paul Teutul, owner of Orange County Choppers, would probably chop Englehardt’s keyboard with an acetylene torch for this blooper. It’s Orange County, New York!
Mark Decker
Nashua
Take a Deep Breath
I would like to thank Jeff Feingold for his article in July’s Capitol Offenses. He was referring to some out-of-state drivers/people and the things they say and do when they arrive in New Hampshire. Having once been an “out-of-state” arrival, I can attest to having to become accustomed to the less-frenzied pace found in border and other states.
So, my first point being made in reference of Mr. Feingold; when you see an out-of-town plate on a car, let them go first — it’s their loss. My second point is to comfort Mr. Feingold. In his article, he makes mention of the “trend” worsening, and that the influx of “these people” is slowly eating away at the preferred pace (and behavior) of old.
Having once been part of that influx of maniacs, and now having gotten to know many others, you can rest easy. One can still “live free” and peaceably (except for the occasional deeply troubled individual), and kindness and generosity among many other great qualities are easily found. So this is still New Hampshire, Jeff — calm down.
Paula Leven
Portsmouth
No Sense Complaining
In reference to “Capitol Offenses” by Jeff Feingold [June Issue], I would like to take exception to the part about lack of control over noise production. Plain logic indicates that if you knowingly move to a dwelling near an area that is obviously going to generate objectionable sound, you are not in a position to complain when you do hear the noise. Something like diving into the ocean and then complaining about getting wet.
James E. Berger
Bedford
Freedom Isn’t Free
If a hundred move to New Hampshire as Free State Project members [June issue], what will they do here? Would they solve the education funding crisis? If they lower taxes, they would provide an inadequate education for our children and that would leave New Hampshire residents with a serious problem.
Joan M. Shaw Jeffrey
Concord
You Shouldn’t Have …
Thank you to you and to the readers of New Hampshire Magazine for selecting me Best TV Reporter (male) for 2004. This honor, coupled with last year’s Editor’s Pick of my New Hampshire Radio Theatre, has truly been humbling.
It goes to show that just by singing karaoke in the shower on television, dressing like a Christmas elf, and getting gang tackled by a woman’s football team is all it takes to get noticed around here.
Kevin Flynn
WMUR-TV
Editor’s reply: Gang tackled?
