Monday, April 30, 1900. Casey Jones

Illinois Central Railroad engineer John Luther "Casey" Jones managed to slow a passenger train he was driving down sufficiently so that he was the only one killed in a collision with two stalled freight trains at Vaughan, Mississippi.

The event was memorialized in the Balled of Casey Jones.

From Uncle Mike:

April 30, 1900: The Legend of Casey Jones

President McKinley signed into law "An act to provide a government for the Territory of Hawaii" making citizens of Hawaii citizens of the United States.

Last edition:

Sunday, April 29, 1900. Robbing the Tipton train.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Crime, Railroads, The Wild Bunch, Tipton Wyoming, Union Pacific Railroad, Wyoming

Sunday, April 29, 1900. Robbing the Tipton train.

Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan, Ben “The Tall Texan” Kilpatrick and William Cruzan, all of The Wild Bunch, robbed the Union Pacific near Tipton, Wyoming.

This is not the more famous robbery that happened that same year in August.

Last edition:

Friday, April 27, 1900. Root: You've got to fight, for your right, to . . . .

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Elihu Root, Puerto Rico, the spoken word, U.S. Grant, William McKinley

Friday, April 27, 1900. Root: You've got to fight, for your right, to . . . .

United States Secretary of War Elihu Root predicted that the United States would go to war in a few years while delivering an address at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where the birthday of the late General Ulysses S. Grant.

He stated:  

The American people will, within a few years, have to either abandon the Monroe doctrine, or fight for it, and we are not going to abandon it. If necessary we will fight for it, but unless there is greater diligence in legislation, in the future than in the past, when the time comes it may find us unprepared.

The audience was stunned.

Newly appointed Governor of Puerto Rico Charles Herbert Allen arrived at San Juan on the USS Dolphin.

Sunday, April 22, 1900. Battle of Koussér.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Africa, Battle of Koussér, Chad, Colonialism, French Army, French Empire

Sunday, April 22, 1900. Battle of Koussér.

The French defeated the forces of Rabih az-Zubayr after two years of war, bringing Chad under the jurisdiction of French Equatorial Africa.

The French were commanded by Major Amédée-François Lamy.  Both he and Rabih were killed in what is known as the Battle of Koussér

Rabih's head displayed on a pole after the battle.

Last edition:  

Tuesday, April 17, 1900. Flat Nose Curry killed.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Crime, Pacific, Pago Pago, The Wild Bunch, Tutuila, Utah, Wyoming

Tuesday, April 17, 1900. Flat Nose Curry killed.

George "Flat Nose" Curry was killed by Sheriff Jessie M. Tyler while rustling cattle in Grand County, Utah.  Curry was a member of the Wild Bunch (Hole in the Wall Gang).

Born to John and Nancy Ann (Macdonald) Currie in Prince Edward Island, Curry took up rustling as a young man while living in Nebraska.  Harvey "Kid Curry" Logan avenged the death by killing Sheriff Tyler some time thereafter, after which he returned to the Hole in the Wall.

The chiefs of Tutuila approved cession of the island to the United States.

Sunday, April 15, 1900. The Siege of Catubig.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Army, Philippine Army, Philippine Insurrection, Philippines, Siege of Catubig

Sunday, April 15, 1900. The Siege of Catubig.

Nineteen U.S. troops were killed at the Siege of Catubig.

Last edition:

Saturday, April 14, 1900. Racing.

Saturday, April 14, 1900. Racing.

The Automobile Club of America staged the first car race in U.S. history.

The race took place on Long Island, with the course from Springfield to Babylon, New York, and back.  A. L. Riker won in two hours and 3.5 minutes.

Also in racing, but in bicycles, the Union Cycliste Internationale , the controlling body, was founded in Switzerland.

Last edition:

Friday, April 13, 1900. Direct election.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, 1910s, 1913, 56th Congress, law

Friday, April 13, 1900. Direct election.

The House of Representatives, for the fourth time since 1893, passed a resolution to provide for direct election of Senators.

The measure would fail the Senate.

I"m not completely certain, quite frankly, that the ultimate change in 1913 was a good one.  It would, of course, require an amendment to the Constitution.

Last edition:

Thursday, April 12, 1900. A U.S. civil government for Puerto Rico.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Colonialism, Puerto Rico

Thursday, April 12, 1900. A U.S. civil government for Puerto Rico.

President McKinley signed the Foracker Act, establishing a civil government for Puerto Rico.  Charles Herbert Allen was appointed Governor.

Last edition:

Saturday, April 7, 1900. The US in the Far East.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Arthur MacArthur, Austin Texas, China, Disaster, Douglas MacArthur, Philippine Insurrection, Philippines, Texas, Texas (Austin), U.S. Navy

Saturday, April 7, 1900. The US in the Far East.

The USS Wheeling arrived at Taku Forts to reinforce the US presence in China.

General Arthur MacArthur, the father of Douglas MacArthur and a Civil War hero, was named to replace General Elwell Stephen Otis as military governor of the Philippines.

Over 100 people were killed near Austin, Texas, when the McDonald Dam burst.

Last edition:

Saturday, March 31, 1900. Sanna's Post.

Labels: 1900, 1900s, Boer Armies, Boer War, British Army, Disease