Regarding the way people used to spell, he says that the words were recommended by the 1876 Spelling Reform Association.
In 1898 they were adopted by National Education Assoc. on orders of Teddy Roosevelt.
In 1906 they were published, I think he is saying, by the US Government Printing office.
"Most of these spellings did not catch on in general usage and eventually fell by the wayside." (Steve Gansen)
He gave a couple examples. One was "tho". That seems like a common abbreviated term people will write in emails today. Maybe it's catching on again! Their "cigaret" makes sense compared to today's spelling. Maybe the cigarette makers didn't like it, like it was too much like "cigar" and they made it more sophisticated. I wonder what other words there were.
Maybe the 1906 publication is online someplace.
