Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby, declaring that he was "dying with my face toward the enemy", resigned before being asked to do so due to the Teapot Dome Scandal.
Ostensibly exploring the practice of law before the internet. Heck, before good highways for that matter.
Sunday, March 10, 2024
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Sunday, March 9, 1924. Disaster in Utah, Oil and War.
The French Cabinet held an emergency session over the collapsing franc.
Dangerous "boy gangs" were cruising Denver, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
Last Prior:
Saturday, March 8, 1924. The Castle Gate Disaster.
Friday, March 8, 2024
Saturday, March 8, 1924. The Castle Gate Disaster.
Three explosions at the Castle Gate coal mine in Utah killed all 171 miners working at the mine. It is one of the worst mining disasters in American history.
Nikola Tesla spoke publically for the firs time in many years to declare he had perfected a system of transmitting power without wires.
The Kingdom of Greece established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union while, on the same day, the Prime Minister was forced to resign after refusing the Army's call to abolish the monarchy.
Henry Breault, a submariner, received the Medal of Honor. He is the only enlisted submariner to have ever received the medal.
For heroism and devotion to duty while serving on board the U.S. submarine O-5 at the time of the sinking of that vessel. On the morning of 28 October 1923, the O-5 collided with the steamship Abangarez and sank in less than a minute. When the collision occurred, Breault was in the torpedo room. Upon reaching the hatch, he saw that the boat was rapidly sinking. Instead of jumping overboard to save his own life, he returned to the torpedo room to the rescue of a shipmate whom he knew was trapped in the boat, closing the torpedo room hatch on himself. Breault and Brown remained trapped in this compartment until rescued by the salvage party 31 hours later.
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Friday, March 7, 1924. End of a Revolution and a Mutiny.
The Delahueristas surrendered with President Álvaro Obregón offering them an amnesty which they largely accepted and de la Huerta entered into the US, going to Los Angeles. Mexican army officers who had been part of the revolution who held a rank higher than major were ordered to be executed.
De la Huerta's revolution came after Obregón endorsed Plutarco Calles as his successor and was favored by Catholics, conservatives and a considerable portion of the army officers. Obregón was supported by the U.S. government, agrarians, workers and it resulted in the establishment of the Mexican Air Force.
An Irish Army demobilization, resulting in reduced numbers, met the opposition of the Irish Republican Army Organization (IRAO) which delivered an ultimatum to President Cosgrave from Major-General Liam Tobin and Colonel Charles Dalton, demanding it cease. Defense Minister Richard Mulcahy ordered the arrest of both officers on charges of mutiny.
President Coolidge held a press conference:
Press Conference, March 7, 1924
Mr. President, are you approaching a decision on that matter?
Will they probably be reappointed, Mr. President?
Did the newspaper men make any suggestions, Mr. President, or give you any aid?
I noticed the statement given out yesterday, but it isn’t quite clear.
That had reference to the expiration of the terms of the two District Commissioners, didn’t it?
Last prior:
Thursday, March 6, 1924. The US Olympic Equestrian Team.
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Thursday, March 6, 1924. The US Olympic Equestrian Team.
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Wednesday, March 5, 1924. An attempted caliphate.
Following the Turkish Assemblies abolishment of the caliphate, Hussein bin Ali, King of the Hejaz and Sharif of Mecca, was proclaimed the Caliph of all Muslims by Muslim leaders in Mesopotamia and Transjordania. Global Muslim reaction was mostly negative and it didn't take. This date is somewhat disputed, and it could have taken place a couple of days earlier, or later.
Last prior:
Tuesday, March 4, 1924. Waltzing Matilda.
Monday, March 4, 2024
Tuesday, March 4, 1924. Waltzing Matilda.
Aiden de Brune became the first person to walk all he way around Australia. His return to Melbourne was the completion of a journey he began on September 21, 1921.
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Costa Rica resulted in the death of 70 people.
Last prior:
Monday, March 3, 1924. End of the Caliphate.
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Monday, March 3, 1924. End of the Caliphate.
The Turkish National Assembly ended the Ottoman Caliphate. It had been in existence for 407 years and claimed religious sovereignty over Islam. The Assembly also ordered that Abdulmejid II and his harem were to be deported by March 15. The official deposing of Abdulmejid would come at 2:00 a.m. on March 4.
He did not welcome the news and warned that the ending of the caliphate would cause the rise of extremism in Islam, which his role as the religion's leader of Muslims tempered. He proved to be correct. He lived the rest of his life in Europe, at first in Switzerland, and then in Paris, where he died in 1944. His exile was not an easy one at first, and he was disappointed that Muslims did not demand the restoration of his office.
The Teapot Dome investigation continued.
And the local Piggly Wiggly was robbed. That location is now a tattoo parlor.
Last prior:
Saturday, March 1, 1924. The Nixon Nitration Works Disaster.
Friday, March 1, 2024
Saturday, March 1, 1924. The Nixon Nitration Works Disaster.
The Nixon Nitration Works disaster occured in which an explosion of ammonium nitrate killed at least 18 people, destroyed several miles of New Jersey factories, and demolished Nixon, New Jersey.
While a very famous industrial disaster, the Nixon Nitration Works and Nixon New Jersey are remembered now principally for being mentioned in Band of Brothers as Cpt. Lewis Nixon III, a major character Ambrose's depiction of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, mentions it. Lewis Nixon was in fact a member of the family that owned the plant, and it was the case that Richard Winters, his close friend and for most of his service in Europe his superior, worked there for a time after the war.
The Nixon's were troubled in general, and Lewis Nixon III was no exception. His marriage contracted just after the start of the war failed during it, as did a subsequent one. A third marriage to Grace Umezawa, formerly a Japanese internee, was successful. She helped him overcome the alcoholism depicted during the series.
The KDP, the Communist Part of Germany, was reinstated. The KDP, together with the NADSP, the Nazi Party, would figure enormously in the destruction of German democracy as the extremes grew increasingly powerful in the remaining years of the Weimar Republic.
Alice's Day at Sea, the first of 57 Alice comedies produced by Walt Disney, appeared. They were short films meant to be shown before the feature, something at one time common.
White rats paraded in San Pedro, California.
Not a hack, but on this day, an Irish Traveler feeding his pony on this day in 1924.
Locally, a story didn't add up.
A 20-year-old marrying a 15-year-old?
And she was in 6th Grade?
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Friday, February 29, 1924. Slashing taxes. Ludendorff testifies.
The date was notable as, like this year, there was one. Most years, there isn't.
The House of Representatives used the extra day for the very popular slashing of income taxes.
Erich Ludendorff took the stand on his defense for treason in Munich, declaring that "We want a Germany free of Marxism, semitism, and papal influences."
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Some recent bios and what they tell us about the realatively recent past.
Lex Anteinternet?
Well, in reality, that broadened out pretty rapidly to taking into account looking at everything in this era in trying to get a grasp on it. Since then, it's certainly broadened out enormously, probably much too much.
Anyhow, some recent items help illuminate some of the things of this era, and the one immediately after it. Indeed, as we'll discuss, one of them helps actually define, maybe, how to property define certain eras.
The items we looked at which brings this to mind are the story of Maj. Gale "Buck" Cleven, that of Dick Proenekke, and also Lee Marvin, and the work of the Southern Agrarians, and that of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.
Quite a varied set, I'll admit.
Let's start with Dr. Gale Cleven, which is how most people who knew him, knew him as, the latter part of his life.
Another thing, and one that cuts a bit against something I've noted here in the past.
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Monday, February 26, 2024
Tuesday, February 26, 1924. The Beer Hall Putsch Trial commences.
Eight Nazis, including Adolf Hitler, went on trial for the Beer Hall Putsch.
And:
Press Conference, February 26, 1924
Dorthy Day write about the Thrills of 1924.
The Thrills of 1924 (February 26, 1924)
The City of Houston was photographed from the top of the Keystone Building.
The building still stands
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Monday, February 25, 1924. One life. Who was "Miss Anne O'Connell"?
- Published March 6, 2012
They Were Neighbors: Annie O’Connell and The Irish Block
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Sunday, February 24, 1924. Machines.
Mexican Federals defeated rebels in Tamaulipas.
The Berliner gyrocopter No. 5 gave its first successful demonstration. U.S. Army Lt. Harold R. Harris flew it for one minutes and 20 seconds at the College Park Airport, near the University of Maryland, in front of the press and members of the U.S. Navy.
Harris has been mentioned here before due to his career as a test pilot. He lived until 1988, dying at age 92.
The Beverly Hills Speedway hosted its final race, which was attended by 85,000 automobile racing fans. Harlan Fengler broke the world's record for a 250 mile race, averaging 116.6 mph.
Fengler would go on to be the Chief Steward of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1958 until 1974. He passed away in 1981 at age 78.
Friday, February 23, 2024
Saturday, February 23, 1924. Electric Trucks.
On oil, the issue had an Autocar Truck advertisement advertising gas and electric trucks. . . the latter being something that locals now insist just can't happen.