1836 Brazos (Texas), History: A convention of residents, including Tejanos as well as Americanos, declared Texas independent of the distant and corrupt government in Mexico City. We saw an original of the Declaration in the excellent state museum in Austin.
1877 Washington, D.C., Politics: With a minority of the popular vote Rutherford Hayes became President. The results in four states were disputed. Electoral College representatives from two other states were replaced at the last minute. Irregularities were alleged in another four states. A joint sitting of the two houses of Congress appointed a Special Commission of five Democrats, five Republicans, and five of the Justices of the Supreme Court to resolve the impasse. The selection of the members of the Commission itself was disputed. This Commission ruled by an 8-7 vote on party lines that Hayes had won by a single electoral vote from Louisiana. The loser Samuel Tilden maintained a studied calm and accepted the result and disappeared from history. If only Al Gore had followed that example. [Sigh.]
1933 New York City, Entertainment: ‘King Kong’ premiered. With its special effects it was a sensation reversed the love of Beauty and the Beast. Of course, Fay Wray’s scream helped a lot. Could that woman scream, or what! KK, however, did not get a best actor gong. Wallace Beery did. In the picture below Kong is on the Empire State bailing which had not yet had the radio mast installed.
1949 New Milford (Connecticut), Technology: The first automated street light system turned on. Until then the lamp of each light was lit by hand by turning a switch. The New Milford system was operated for the whole town by a single operator in an office. That was soon automated by a mechanical clock. It made street lighting cheaper and simpler to operate and so it spread rapidly but the lamplighter lost the job. Many worried that such street lighting would fade the curtains. Others opposed it for destroying the ancient and honourable profession of the lamplighter. These same people today go to a check-out clerk rather than scan their own goods.
1972 Cape Canaveral, Space: Pioneer 10 was launched into the void to survey Jupiter. It navigated the perils of the Asteroid Belt and meteor showers, going on another 620 million miles to send back the first close images of the gas giant. It continued out of the solar system, transmitting data that was received until 1997. It travelled a total of six billion miles at that time. It bore the brass plate shown below, designed by Carl Sagan, to introduce us to whoever is out there.
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