In 1722, French C. Hopffer patented the fire extinguisher.
In 1739, England declares war on Spain over borderlines in Florida. The War is known as the War of Jenkins' Ear because the Spanish coast guards cut off the ear of British seaman Robert Jenkins.
In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress, meeting in New York, drew up a declaration of rights and liberties.
In 1781, British troops under Lord Cornwallis surrendered at 2pm at Yorktown, VA., as the American Revolution neared its end. Taught those Brits not to pass Stamp Acts.
In 1879, Thomas A. Edison successfully demonstrates the electric light.
In 1926, John C. Garand patents a semi-automatic rifle.
In 1936, H.R. Ekins of the New York World-Telegram beat out Dorothy Kilgallen of the New York Journal and Leo Kieran of The New York Times in a round-the-world race on commercial flights that lasted 18 1/2 days. Try that with commercial passenger space vehicles some day.
In 1953, first jet transcontinental non-stop scheduled service.
In 1970, World Trade Center Finished In N.Y. City, world's tallest building for a while.
In 1973, former White House counsel John Dean pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in the Watergate cover-up.
In 1973, President Richard Nixon rejects an Appeals Court demand to turn over the Watergate tapes.
In 1977, the supersonic Concorde made its first landing in New York City after 19 months of delays caused by residents concerned about the aircraft's noise. You want a quiet environment, don't buy a house next to the airport.
In 1978, 20 years ago, President Carter orders production of elements of the neutron bomb.
In 1982, carmaker John DeLorean was arrested in Los Angeles and charged in a $24 million cocaine government-orchestrated smear attempt aimed at destroying his reputation and keeping his sportscar company out of play. He was tried and acquitted.
Edmund Beecher Wilson: 1856
Biologist, researches in embryology and cytology
Auguste Lumiere: 1862
Inventor, French, cinematograph; made first movie, "Workers Leaving Lumiere Factory".
Charles E. Merrill: 1885
Financier, Businessperson, Executive, Merrill Lynch co-developer
Walter Mack: 1895
Founder, Pepsi Cola empire builder
Robert S. Strauss: 1918 Ambassador, politician, bureau-rat, political apparatchik
Jack Anderson: 1922
Columnist, Journalist, investigative reporter
John Lithgow: 1945
Actor of stage, television, and screen. He is Dr. Dick Solomon on "3rd Rock from the Sun" and played Dr. Lizardo on Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. "Where are we going?" "Planet 10" "When will we get there?" "Real Soon!"
Born 19 October
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson: 1748
First Lady, married to Thomas Jefferson
Thought for Today: "Change the environment; do not try to change man."
R. Buckminster Fuller, Design Science, 1969.
