Today is Wednesday, Feb. 15, the 46th day of the year. There are 319 days left in the year.
Today's Highlight in History: USS Maine destroyed, leading to Spanish American War On this day in 1898, an explosion in Havana harbour sank the battleship USS Maine, killing 260 American seamen and precipitating the Spanish-American War, which originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain On this date:
In 1763 Austria, Prussia & Saxony sign the Treaty of Hubertusburg, marking the end of the French and Indian War and of the Seven Years' War 1764 St. Louis, Missouri founded as a French trading post by Pierre Laclède 1799 1st U.S. printed ballots authorized, Pennsylvania 1804 New Jersey becomes last northern state to abolish slavery 1842 First adhesive postage stamps in U.S. (private delivery company), New York City 1851 Black abolitionists invade Boston courtroom rescuing a fugitive slave 1861 Fort Point, in San Francisco, California, completed & garrisoned 1862 Grant's major assault on Ft Donelson, Tennessee 1867 Johann Strauss' 'Blue Danube' waltz premieres in Vienna 1869 Charges of Treason against Jefferson Davis are dropped 1870 Ground broken for Northern Pacific Railway near Duluth, Minnesota 1879 US Congress authorizes women lawyers to practise before Supreme Court 1882 SS Dunedin leaves New Zealand for Britain with the first cargo of frozen meat.
1895 9 inches of snow falls on New Orleans 1900 Boer War: Siege of Kimberley broken by British troops under Lieutenant-General John French after a 124 day siege. Kimberley defense led by Cecil Rhodes. 1903 1st Teddy Bear introduced in America, made by Morris & Rose Michtom 1905 1st race meet at Oaklawn Park (Hot Springs, Ark) 1916 NY Yankees buy Frank 'Home Run' Baker from the Athletics for $37,500 1917 San Francisco Public Library (Main Branch at Civic center) dedicated 1918 US army troop ship torpedoed & sunk by Germany off Ireland 1922 Marconi begins regular broadcasting transmissions from Essex 1926 Contract air mail service begins in US 1931 Spring training site of NY Yankees in St Petersburg is renamed Miller Huggins Field in honor of the team's late manager 1932 As a member of gold medal winning US 4-man bobsleigh team at Lake Placid, Eddie Eagan (boxing gold Antwerp 1920) becomes only Olympian to win gold medals at both summer & winter Games in different sports Also 1932 American brothers Hubert and Curtis Stevens beat the 8-nation field to win the 2-man bobsleigh gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics 1932 George Burns & Gracie Allen debut as regulars on the 'Guy Lombardo Show' 1933 President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt survives assassination attempt but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak is mortally wounded, he would die on March 29 1936 -60°F (-51°C), Parshall, North Dakota (state record) Birthdays: John Barrymore (18821942) American actor (Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1944 Mick Avory, British rock drummer (The Kinks, 1964-84 - 'A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy'), born in East Molesey, Surrey