August 3: On This Day in World History … briefly
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
1881: Fargo’s final journey
William George Fargo, the wealthy pioneer of the long-distance express service, dies at his home in Buffalo, New York, aged 65. Fargo was already established in the freight forwarding business when he hit upon the idea of offering transcontinental express services between New York and San Francisco.
The service went into operation in 1852 with hired stagecoaches. Their cargo was protected by armed guards on the long and perilous journey between the east and west coasts.
In time, Wells Fargo also offered a banking service to the many miners among its clientele, buying the miners’ gold dust in exchange for cash.
1916: Sir Roger hangs for treason
One of Britain’s most distinguished civil servants, Sir Roger Casement, is hanged in London for his involvement in the Easter uprising in Dublin. The former consul in Portuguese East Africa was an Ulster Protestant whose sympathy with the predominantly Catholic Irish nationalists led him to seek aid for their cause in Germany and the United States. His attempt to recruit Irish prisoners-of-war to a German brigade that would play a key role in the planned uprising was unsuccessful. Casement returned from the failed mission in a German submarine and was arrested by British forces soon after landing.
1973: Summerland fun turns to terror
At least 46 people, including children, are killed and 80 injured in a fire that sweeps through the six-storey Summerland amusement centre at Douglas, Isle of Man. The night before, an estimated 7 000 people were enjoying the amenities of the £2.5 million ($4.6 million) complex, reckoned to be the largest of its kind in the world. Just before 8pm, thick black smoke began to roll through the three-and-a-half acre (1.4 hectare) site and within minutes the whole building was ablaze. The pyramid-shaped acrylic sheeting covering the outside of the two-year old centre melted, dripping onto people as they tried to escape. Police suspected arson or an electrical fault as the cause.
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