How To Use This Site




How To Use This Site


This blog was updated on a daily basis for about two years, with those daily entries ceasing on December 31, 2013. The blog is still active, however, and we hope that people stopping in, who find something lacking, will add to the daily entries.

The blog still receives new posts as well, but now it receives them on items of Wyoming history. That has always been a feature of the blog, but Wyoming's history is rich and there are many items that are not fully covered here, if covered at all. Over time, we hope to remedy that.

You can obtain an entire month's listings by hitting on the appropriate month below, or an individual day by hitting on that calendar date.
Use 2013 for the search date, as that's the day regular dates were established and fixed.

Alternatively, the months are listed immediately below, with the individual days appearing backwards (oldest first).

We hope you enjoy this site.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

March 19

1864  Charles Russell born.  The Missouri born artist would move to Montana at a young age and leave a record of unique and accurate depictions of ranching on the Northern Plains.

1868  Sioux led by Crazy Horse attacked Horsecreek Station, which is on the Wyoming Nebraska border

1890  A party of wagon traveling emigrants stopped at La Grange to inquire about the availability of land.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1917     The Supreme Court upheld the eight-hour work day for railroads.

1918     Congress approved daylight-saving time thereby dooming legions of commuters to biannual time adjustments.

 

1919  St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Buffalo achieves regular self support parish status.

1920     The U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty of Versailles for a second time.

March 19, 1920. Kapp gone, but Germany in turmoil, Storms in southern Wyoming, Storms in Chaplin marriage, Senate fails to ratify Versailles Treaty.


Ebert's government was restored, but still challenged.  In the Ruhr a Communist rebellion was still very active.

On the same day, news of a huge storm in southern Wyoming was making headlines, . . . and a century later another blizzard is expected in the state.


In Cheyenne the new of the marital troubles of the Chaplins, which involved the former Mildred Harris of Cheyenne, Chaplin's first wife, were front page news.  The couple would in fact divorce that year.


A majority of the Senate voted to ratify the Versailles Treaty, but it was still seven votes short of the number needed to ratify the treaty.

The Senate did vote support for Ireland's independence.


Yaqui Indians surrendered to Mexican troops causing a headline that proclaimed that the Mexican Revolution was now over.  On the same day Soviet newspapers were reporting that Alaska wished to succeed from the United States and join the Soviet Union, an early example of "fake news" involving Russia.


1942   President Roosevelt ordered men between 45 and 64 to register for non military duty.

1952   The 1,000,000th Jeep was produced.  One of the first popular civilian 4x4 vehicles, the Jeep had, of course, started off as a military car.  The 4x4 revolutionized the ranching industry in Wyoming, although principally through the introduction of the 4x4 truck, not the Jeep.  The Power Wagon had also received its start as a military vehicle.  The Dodge Power Wagon would be the first widespread 4x4 truck to be used in the ranching industry, and up until quite recently a fair number of Wyoming ranches were still using Power Wagons purchased in the 40s and 50s.

 1958 Willys M38A1 Army Jeep, that I once owned.  My first car.

The 4x4 also revolutionized wintertime travel in Wyoming and allowed for winter access to the backcountry for many people, including many town people, for the first time during the winter months.

Early Dodge Power Wagon 1/2 ton Army vehicle, on the Laramie Plains, 1985.  This variant was rapidly replaced by a 3/4 ton variant, as this variant proved too top heavy and therefore unstable.

Elsewhere:  

1931     Nevada legalized gambling.

1953     The Academy Awards ceremony was televised for the first time.

1966   The South Korean Assembly votes to send 20,000 additional troops to Vietnam to join the 21,000 already serving there.

2020  Governor Gordon and the State Health Officer ordered certain businesses closed state wide due to the Corona Pandemic.  The statement from the Governor's office read:

Governor Gordon and State Health Officer issue statewide closure order for public spaces


Governor Gordon and State Health Officer issue statewide closure order for public spaces

CHEYENNE, Wyo. –  Governor Mark Gordon has endorsed a decision by the Wyoming State Health Officer to close public places for a two-week period to help slow the community spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The closure order extends through April 3 and includes schools, theaters, bars, nightclubs, coffee shops, employee cafeterias, self-serve buffets, salad bars, unpackaged self-serve food services, gyms, conference rooms and museums. 
“This Governor has never been inclined to overstep local authority, but these are unprecedented times. It is critical that there is uniformity across the state in how social distancing measures are implemented,” Governor Mark Gordon said.
“Wyoming, like all Americans, must commit to reducing the strain on our healthcare system. These are hard measures and they will be difficult for employees and businesses alike, but they are warranted.”
Restaurants will be closed to dine-in food service, but may remain open for curbside take-out or drive-through food service. Under the order, childcare centers will be closed except for those serving essential personnel. 
Dr. Alexia Harrist, state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health, said “We realize this action will be very difficult for many of our residents. But it is an important step to help them avoid becoming ill and to help them avoid spreading COVID-19 to those who are most vulnerable. We should all work together to help keep our friends and neighbors safe.”
Wyoming currently has 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the Wyoming Public Health laboratory has completed nearly 300 tests, as of March 19, 2020. Additional testing is occurring at commercial laboratories.  A nationwide shortage of testing supplies is impacting Wyoming, like all states. Social distancing measures are the most effective means of slowing the spread of COVID-19, according to Dr. Harrist. 
 While most individuals will likely not experience serious illness related to COVID-19, older residents and people with certain health conditions put them at higher risk of developing a serious or life-threatening illness.

Monday, March 18, 2013

March 18

1836 Hudson's Bay Company paddle wheel steamer Beaver arrives at Fort Vancouver becoming the first steamboat on the Pacific Coast.

1883 Cheyenne newspapers report on a shocking total of 37 executions within a reportable time frame having been conducted by vigilantes.

1886  Edwin Booth, the brother of John Wilkes Booth, appeared in a Cheyenne production of Hamlet in the title role.

1909.  Guernsey hotel keeper John "Posey" Ryan murdered his estranged wife, and her daughter, in the Palmer Restaurant in Cheyenne.  From WyoHistory.org. 

1916:  The Punitive Expedition: The Casper Daily Press, March 18, 1916
 

1917  The Laramie Boomerang for March 18, 1917. Extra Edition
 
Pancho Villa was poised to attack Chihuahua again, which made the front page of the Laramie Boomerang, but which surely didn't cause the extra edition. The increasingly disastrous Atlantic news was causing that.


1918  The City of Casper reported twenty two arrests during the weekend, perhaps because of an outbreak of excessively boisterous St. Patrick's Day celebrations.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1921  Spotted Horse post office established.  Spotted Horse was a Crow leader, and the junction is named for him.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1929  The coal mine at Cambria was closed.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1931  Legendary University of Wyoming geology professor S. H. Knight took these photographs.

1942 US Army Engineers start building Alcan (Alaska) Highway.  I've been surprised how many times I've met Wyomingites from that era who worked on it in some capacity.

1968 The U.S. Congress repeals the requirement for a gold reserve to back US currency.

1974 The oil embargo against the US by oil producing Arab states, called in protest of U.S. support of Israel during the 1973 October War, is lifted. U.S. dependency on Arab oil was already well known to the government, given successful efforts to have the Arabs keep the price of oil from rising during later stages of the Vietnam War.

1983  The Redlick (Chambers) Lodge added tot he National Registry of Historic Places.   Attribution:  On This Day.

1994  The Triceratops was adopted as the official State Dinosaur.

2003  A major snowstorm blanketed Wyoming and Colorado.

Elsewhere:

1892    Former Canadian Governor General Lord Stanley says he will donate a silver challenge cup as an award for the best hockey team in Canada.

1931 Schick Inc. marketed the first electric razor.

1938   Mexico nationalizes all oil properties of the US and other foreign-owned companies.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

March 17: St. Patrick's Day

Today in St. Patrick's Day.  The feat day falls on the anniversary of his death in Saul, Ireland, in the year 461 or 493. 

St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland Wyoming has a relatively large Irish community with the Irish being significant in the ranching industry in particular well in to the mid 20th Century.  Almost every region of the state had Irish ranchers with many Irish ranches being established in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century.  Irishmen were prominent in both the cattle and sheep industries.

In some communities the day was recognized by celebratory parties in the Irish community and in organizations associated with them.  In Casper, for example, the Knights of Columbus hosted a St. Patrick's Day party for many years.  This is less the case today, but the Irish in Wyoming still are part of the state's cultural heritage.

Irish American Wyomingites have figured prominently in other fields as well, and have notably contributed to politics and law in the state.  Wyoming has contributed one Irish American, Mike Sullivan, to the Ambassadorship to Ireland.  The former Governor Sullivan was Ambassador to Ireland during the Clinton Administration. 

1863   Thomas Francis Meagher, eclectic Irish revolutionary and general of New York volunteers during the Civil War, who would later go on to become Territorial Governor of Montana (and ultimately who would be lost in the Missouri River when he fell over, while ill, on a mission to receive firearms for the Montana Militia), hosted a St. Patrick's Day celebration for his command.







1869  Carbon post office established.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1876     Gen. Crook raids Cheyenne and Oglala Sioux camps in the  Battle of Powder River, in Montana.  The conditions of this campaign were grueling and the weather dropped to -40F during the campaign.  Crook had taken to the field from Ft. Fetterman on March 1 and marched north.  Blizzard conditions slowed their march.  On March 16 Crook divided his command sending part of it away under the command of Col. John J. Reynolds, following an Indian trail, and with one days rations.  Shortly before dawn on March 17 his scouts located a large Indian village on the west bank of Powder River. The Cheyenne camp of 600 was 600 to 1,000 feet below the soldiers, who were on a high plateau. Reynolds led his men and horses down the bluffs to form an attack, but only with great difficulty due to the terrain.. He ordered Company K to make a charge with drawn pistols through the village but he failed to support this attack with the rest of his command, and the warriors quickly escaped to the bluffs to the north, where they raked the unit with fire, allowing the women in children in camp to make their escape, and soon join a Sioux village that was nearby.  They left, however, lots of firearms, ammunition, and food.

By 9:00 a.m., Reynolds had full possession of the abandoned village and he ordered it destroyed.  He then withdrew 20 miles southward to the mouth of Lodge Pole Creek, where he was to rejoin General Crook. The village and supplies proved difficult to burn and the resulting exploding ammunition proved to be a hazard to the troops.  By 2:30 p.m. the command began to withdraw to Lodge Pole Creek, arriving at 9:00 p.m., in a greatly exhausted condition.  The withdrawal was conducted in a somewhat hasty fashion and Reynolds left three dead troopers who were subsequently mutilated by the returning Indians. Crook was not at the established rendezvous point as he had camped ten miles to the northeast and had failed to inform Reynolds of his new location.

Reynolds had captured a large number of Cheyenne ponies but they soon recaptured them during a snowstorm early on the morning of March 18, as the exhausted guards were too fatigued to be attentive.  Later that day Reynolds command rejoined Crook's.  The column returned to Fort Fetterman on March 26.

Colonel Reynolds was accused of dereliction of duty for failing to properly support the first charge with his whole command; for burning the captured supplies, food, blankets, buffalo robes, and ammunition instead of keeping them; and for losing the 800 captured ponies. He was court-martialled at Ft. D. A. Russell that following January and found guilty, receiving the sentence of suspension from rank and command for one year.  President Grant, remitted the sentence, but Reynolds never served again. He retired on disability leave on June 25, 1877, exactly one year after the Battle of Little Bighorn.  He is, however, remembered in the form of a street name in Laramie.  I once rented a house on that street.

1887    The Colorado, Wyoming & Eastern Railroad incorporates.  Attribution:  On This Day.

1890   The Sundance Hose Company #1, a fire company (fire department) held "grand dance".  Whether coincidence or not, late 19th and early 20th Century fire departments and police departments were heavily Irish in many US localities, although I would not have expected that to be the case in Sundance. Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1915  Gale McGee born in Lincoln, Nebraska.  He was Wyoming's Senator from 1959 to 1977.  He was later Ambassador to the Organization of American States.  McGee was a popular U.S. Senator and it is often noted that he was a surprisingly liberal politician from a state that had become quite conservative.  It was noted by some that his votes grew more conservative towards election time.

He was defeated in his final run by Malcolm Wallop, which has often been a subject of debate in Wyoming.  At the time, the national press oddly associated it with his support for the Vietnam War, which was almost undoubtedly unrelated to his defeat.  Wallop, for his part, ran a brilliant campaign featuring a television add with a cowboy burdened with a porta potty on his horse, symbolizing being weighted down by Federal regulations, indicating a theme that would be prevalent in Wyoming campaigns ever since that date.  Most savvy local commentators, however, have noted that McGee simply did not campaign, and the suspicion is that he did not really wish to retain the office any longer.

McGee was a history professor in terms of his occupation.

1916:  The Punitive Expedition: Congruess authorizes the expedition. March 17, 1916


While it was, in fact, already on, on this day Congress authorized military action in Mexico "for the sole purpose of apprehending and punishing the lawless bands of armed me" who had raided into the United States. 
 

 The Punitive Expedtion: Forces reach Colonia Dublán
 




The U.S. Army's 2nd Provisional Cavalry Brigade reaches Colonia Dublán where the U.S. Army establishes its main base of operations for the Punitive Expedition.  The town was 52 miles south of the border and was a Mormon colony in Mexico.


1917  The Cheyenne State Leader for March 17, 1917. Shades of the Spanish American War
During the Spanish American War Wyoming was strongly associated with volunteer cavalry.  The 2nd U.S. Volunteer Cavalry, Torrey's Rough Riders, to be specific.


The story of the 2nd is disappointing.  A really early effort along the same lines as the famous 1st US Volunteer Cavalry, the much more famous Rough Riders associated with Theodore Roosevelt, Torrey's unit never saw combat. Which isn't to say that it didn't see casualties.  The unit was involved in a terrible railroad accident on the way to to Florida resulting in loss of life to men of the unit.  Partially because of that, it never deployed.

Indeed no Wyoming volunteers or militiamen saw action in Cuba, but Wyoming's National Guard units, recruited during the war in part, much like the National Guard units raised during the Punitive Expedition, saw action in the Philippines.  Those units, like the ones raised and deployed in the Punitive Expedition, were infantry, however.  They did serve very well.

Well, cavalry is more glamorous, without a doubt, and even though the Wyoming National Guard had just come home, the looming entry of the United States into World War One, which was appearing to be increasingly certain, was causing thoughts to return of the glamorous idea of raising a volunteer cavalry unit.  Major Andersen, the Adjutant General of the Wyoming National Guard, was backing just such and idea and touring the state to try to get it rolling.

Cavalry saw a lot more action in World War One than people imagine.  And Wyoming was a natural for cavalry really.  Given the small population of the state Andersen surely knew that any infantry units provided to a mobilized Army for deployment to France would simply be swallowed up into other units.  Cavalry had a better chance of remaining distinct and intact, so the idea had some merit, in spite of the excessively romantic way that it must appear, reading it now.

Which isn't to say, frankly, that all the boys "from the border" who had just returned would have been horsemen. Far from it. The idea that every Wyomingite knew how to ride at the time is just flat out false.  Young men with little horse experience must have been cringing a bit at the thought of being converted to cavalry. 


1918 St. Patrick's Day, 1918. 
 

A poem about March, as a seventeen year old Irish lass, greeted Cheyenne's newspaper readers on this day in 1918.

Along with news the Soviets had taken Russia out of the war. . . unless the Russian Socialist had their way.

Casualties were starting to mount.  An oil prediction that came true in the 2010s appeared in this day's newspaper.

And Villa was back on the front page, having been reported to have taken Durango. 
 
1924  Work began on a dial telephone system at Guernsey. 

1963  Dedication of St. Patrick's Parish in Casper






St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Casper Wyoming was completed in 1962. The church came about due to the expansion of Casper in the 1950s, and this church is the newest of the three Roman Catholic churches in Casper. Unlike Our Lady of Fatiima, which represented an expansion to the west side of Casper, this church is located in east Casper.

Plans for the church commenced in 1955. Like Our Lady of Fatima, a school was constructed on the site but was never used as a regular grade school. The church is also the largest of the three Catholic churches in Casper, having a very large interior.

1989  Dick Cheney confirmed as Secretary of the Defense. Attribution:  On This Day.

1992  Combined Special Session of the Legislature concludes.

1997  Ranch A added to the National Registry of Historic Places.   

_______________________________________________________________________________

Sa lá atá inniu i Lá Fhéile Pádraig. Tagann an lá feat ar chothrom a bháis i Sabhall, Éire, sa bhliain 461 493.

Naomh Pádraig Is é an pátrún ar Éirinn Wyoming pobal réasúnta mór na Gaeilge leis an nGaeilge a bheith suntasach sa tionscal ranching go háirithe go maith i do na haois lár an 20ú. Tá beagnach gach réigiún de na stáit a bhí RANCHERS na hÉireann le ranches Gaeilge go leor a bheith bunaithe i haois déanach 19ú agus 20ú haois go luath. Éireannaigh bhí chun tosaigh sa dá an eallach agus tionscail caorach.

I roinnt pobail aithníodh an lá ag páirtithe ceiliúrtha sa phobal na hÉireann agus in eagraíochtaí a bhaineann leo. I Casper, mar shampla, d'óstáil an Ridirí Columbus páirtí Lá Fhéile Pádraig ar feadh blianta fada. Tá sé seo níos lú an cás lá atá inniu ann, ach na hÉireannaigh i Wyoming atá fós mar chuid de na stáit oidhreacht chultúrtha.

Wyomingites Meiriceánach Gaeilge figured go suntasach i réimsí eile chomh maith, agus chuir go háirithe le polaitíocht agus dlí sa stát. Wyoming tar éis cur ar cheann Gael-Mheiriceánach, Mike Sullivan, an Ambassadorship go hÉirinn. Ba é an iar-Ghobharnóir Sullivan Ambasadóir na hÉireann le linn na Riarachán Clinton.

1863 Thomas Francis Meagher, eclectic Gaeilge réabhlóideach agus ginearálta na Nua-Eabhrac oibrithe deonacha i rith an Chogaidh Chathartha, a bheadh ​​ag dul níos déanaí ar a bheith Gobharnóir Críche de Montana (agus ar deireadh thiar a bheadh ​​caillte i an Abhainn Missouri nuair a thit sé os a chionn, cé go tinn, ar a bhfuil misean de do airm tine a fháil don mhílíste Montana), d'óstáil ceiliúradh le Pádraig as a chuid ordú.


 
 
 


1869 oifig an phoist Carbóin bunaithe. Attribution: Wyoming Stát Cumann Staire.

1876 ​​Gen Crook ruathair Cheyenne agus Oglala campaí Sioux i g-Cath Púdar Abhainn, i Montana. Na coinníollacha an fheachtais a bhí grueling agus an aimsir thit-40f le linn an fheachtais. Bhí tógtha Crook leis an réimse ó Ft. Fetterman ar 1 Márta agus mháirseáil ó thuaidh. Coinníollacha Blizzard mhoilligh a máirseáil. Ar Márta 16 roinnte Crook a ordú a sheoladh mar chuid de sé ar shiúl faoi cheannas Col John J. Reynolds, tar éis rian Indiach, agus le ceann amháin ciondálacha lá. Go gairid roimh breacadh an lae ar 17 Márta a gasóga suite i sráidbhaile mór Indiach ar bhruach thiar den Abhainn Púdar. Ba é an campa Cheyenne 600 600 go 1,000 troigh faoi bhun na saighdiúirí, a bhí ar ardchlár ard. Reynolds faoi stiúir a chuid fear agus capaill síos Bluffs chun ionsaí, ach amháin le deacracht mhór mar gheall ar an tír-raon .. D'ordaigh sé K Cuideachta a dhéanamh ar chúiseamh le piostail tharraingt tríd an sráidbhaile, ach theip air chun tacú leis an ionsaí leis an chuid eile dá ordú, agus na laochra éalaigh go tapa ar an Bluffs ar an taobh thuaidh, áit a raked siad an t-aonad leis an tine, ag ceadú an mná i leanaí i gcampa a dhéanamh a n-éalú, agus go luath sráidbhaile Sioux a bhí in aice láimhe páirteach. D'fhág siad, áfach, go leor de arm tine, armlón, agus bia.Faoi 09:00, bhí Reynolds seilbh iomlán ar an sráidbhaile tréigthe agus d'ordaigh sé scriosadh é. Tharraing sé ansin 20 míle ó dheas ar bhéal na Lodge Pole Creek, áit a raibh sé aontú athuair Crook Ginearálta. An sráidbhaile agus soláthairtí deacair chun é a dhó agus an lón lámhaigh mar thoradh air exploding bhí le bheith ina guais do na trúpaí. Faoi 14:30 thosaigh an t-ordú a tharraingt siar go Lodge Pol Creek, teacht ar 09:00, i riocht mór ídithe. Rinneadh an tarraingt siar ar bhealach beagán hasty agus Reynolds fhág triúr troopers marbh a bhí mutilated ina dhiaidh sin ag an Indians comhairimh. Ní raibh Crook ag an bpointe rendezvous a bunaíodh mar a bhí sé camped deich míle soir ó thuaidh agus gur chlis ar an eolas Reynolds a suíomh nua.Bhí a gabhadh Reynolds le líon mór de capaillíní Cheyenne ach athghabháil siad go luath orthu le linn snowstorm go luath ar maidin an 18 Márta, de réir mar na gardaí ídithe bhí fatigued ró a bheith aireach. Níos déanaí an lá i ndiaidh teacht Reynolds ordú Crook ar. An colún ar ais chuig Fort Fetterman ar 26 Márta.Cuireadh ina leith Colonel Reynolds de dhearóiliú na dleachta toisc gur theip chun tacú i gceart leis an táille den chéad uair lena ordú iomlán; chun dhó na soláthairtí a gabhadh, bia, blankets, róbaí buabhall, agus armlón ionad iad a choinneáil, agus a chailleadh an 800 capaillíní a gabhadh. Bhí sé chúirt-martialled ag Ft. DA Russell, tar éis mí Eanáir agus fuarthas ciontach, a fhaigheann an phianbhreith ar fionraí ó rang agus orduithe ar feadh bliana. Uachtarán Grant, loghadh na pianbhreithe, ach Reynolds riamh sheirbheáil arís. D'éirigh sé ar saoire míchumais ar 25 Meith, 1877, go díreach bliain amháin tar éis Cath Little Bighorn. Tá sé, áfach, cuimhne i bhfoirm d'ainm sráide i Laramie. Cíos mé uair amháin sa teach ar an tsráid.Ionchorpraíonn 1887 An Railroad Colorado, Wyoming agus an Oirthir. Attribution: On This Day.


1890 an Chuideachta Hose Sundance # 1, cuideachta dóiteáin (tine roinn) i seilbh "grand rince". Cibé chomhtharlú nó nach bhfuil, a bhí ranna 19ú agus go luath ranna dóiteáin an 20ú hAois agus póilíní go mór Gaeilge i gceantair US go leor, cé go ní ba mhaith liom a bheith ag súil go a bheidh an cás i Sundance. Attribution: Wyoming Stát Cumann Staire.


1915 Gale McGee a rugadh i Lincoln, Nebraska. Bhí sé Seanadóir Wyoming ar 1959-1977. Bhí sé ina dhiaidh sin Ambasadóir leis an Eagraíocht na Stát Mheiriceá. Ba McGee ar tóir Seanadóir na Stát Aontaithe agus tá sé faoi deara go minic go raibh sé ina polaiteoir ionadh liobrálach ó stát a tháinig chun bheith go leor coimeádach. Tugadh faoi deara ag roinnt gur fhás sé níos mó vótaí coimeádach i dtreo an toghcháin.Briseadh sé ina rith deiridh ag Malcolm Wallop, a bhí go minic ábhar díospóireachta i Wyoming. Ag an am, an phreas náisiúnta a bhaineann oddly sé a thacaíocht don Dara Cogadh Vítneam, a bhí beagnach gan amhras nach mbaineann le ar a defeat. Wallop, le haghaidh a chuid, feachtas iontach featuring teilifíse a chur le cowboy burdened le potty Porta ar a chapall, symbolizing á ualú síos le rialacháin Chónaidhme, rud a léiríonn an téama a bheadh ​​forleithne i bhfeachtais Wyoming riamh ón dáta sin. Tráchtairí an chuid is mó savvy áitiúla, áfach, faoi deara go McGee ní raibh ach feachtas, agus is é an t-amhras nach raibh sé ag iarraidh i ndáiríre chun an oifig ar bith níos faide.


Ba McGee ina ollamh staire ó thaobh a shlí bheatha.


1924 Cuireadh tús le hobair ar chóras teileafóin a dhiailiú ag Guernsey.


1963 Tiomnú Pharóiste Naomh Pádraig i Casper.


1989 Dick Cheney deimhnithe mar Rúnaí an Defense. Attribution: On This Day.

Críochnaíonn 


1992 Seisiún Speisialta Comhcheangailte an reachtas.

1997 feirm A leis an gClárlann Náisiúnta na Áiteanna Stairiúla.




Saturday, March 16, 2013

Blog Mirror: Lex Anteinternet: The Post World War One Homesteads

Lex Anteinternet: The Post World War One Homesteads: Recently, on our companion site Holscher's Hub , I posted two photo threads about Post World War One homesteads.  Those posts are here...

March 16

1836   The Republic of Texas approved a Constitution.

1907  The post office at Ralston established.

1908  Fire destroyed Shoshoni's downtown. Attribution:  On This Day.


1916  The 7th and 10th Cavalry Regiments enter Mexico to join the Punitive Expedition.  The 10th had been garrisoned in Wyoming early in the 20th Century, although I don't know where it was garrisoned at this point in time.

The Punitive Expedition: The Casper Daily Press, March 16, 1916
 

This may be the first one of these that was really fairly correct in that the American intervention was indeed very unpopular in Mexico.
 
1942  Cheyenne's USO recognized as the best in the nation. Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1963  Workmen commenced pouring cement for the Yellowtail Dam for the Big Horn Reservoir.

2020  The Diocese of Cheyenne suspends public Masses due to the Coronavirus

Yesterday we reported on some regional actions by Catholic churches to address the Coronavirus.  Since we made that post, the Diocese of Cheyenne has suspended public Masses due to the virus, effective as of the Masses today.

It's now known when they'll resume.  Confessions remain unaltered for the time being and the directive does not extend to other Catholic observances.


Friday, March 15, 2013

March 15

1784  The Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania floods.

1916  US forces cross into Mexico in search of Pancho Villa.


 Pershing in Mexico some days later.

The force was made up of 4,800 men from the 7th, 10th, and 13th Cavalry, 6th Field Artillery, the 6th and 16th Regiments of Infantry, the 1st Aero Squadron, and support personnel, with that force divided into two columns.  The western column entered Mexico from Culberson's Ranch New Mexico, entering Mexico at midnight and marching 50 miles that day to Colnia Duban.  A march of that rate remains a significant advance for an army on the march and in 1916, when the primary means of transportation was foot leather and the horse, that was a really remarkable march.
The second column crossed the borders south of Columbus with there being some legitimate fear that it might immediately encounter Carranaza's forces in hostile resistance.  In the days since the Columbus Raid Carranza had reluctantly entered into an agreement allowing U.S. forces to operate in Mexico against Villa, but the agreement was a reluctant one and it was not clear if Mexican forces would honor it.  The column technically entered at noon, but in fact entered some hours earlier.

1917 

The Douglas Budget for March 15, 1917: Douglas soldiers return home.


Douglas Guardsmen were returning just as Douglas JrROTC cadets were getting ready for their annual show.

The Douglas paper may not have been a daily, as the troops had actually returned that prior Saturday.
1919  The American Legion formed in Paris by WWI veterans. Here's the American Legion Memorial in Jackson.

The first Legion post in the United States, the Ferdinand Brandstetter Post, was formed in Van Tassel Wyoming, a now defunct Wyoming Town on the Nebraska border.

1924  The wreck of the six masted schooner Wyoming was located off of Pollock Rip, Massachusetts.  She went down with all 18 hands.

1939  Deputy Park County Sheriff D. M. Baker and Powell Police Marshall Charles Lewis shot by Earl Durand, soon to be dubbed the "Tarzan of the Tetons," when they were attempting to arrest him at his parents home.  Durand had been in the county jail for poaching and had escaped after assaulting a jailor.  This would commence his ten day effort flight into the local mountains which concluded in a failed attempt to rob the bank in Powell, during which he was killed.

1942  Cheyenne's USO building recognized as the best in the nation.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1943  The French Line ship Wyoming sunk by the U-524.

1943  Franklin Roosevelt used executive authority to proclaim 221,000 acres as the Jackson Hole National Monument, the predecessor to today's Grand Teton National Park.   Governor Hunt threatened to use the Highway Patrol to prevent Federal authority on its grounds.  Congress, for its part, refused to appropriate money for the monument. 

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1945  Alex McPherson becomes warden of the State Penitentiary.

1955 William R. Coe, English born businessman and sometimes Cody resident, and supporter of the University of Wyoming, died in Florida.  He left a bequest to the University of Wyoming which resulted in the Coe Library.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

March 14


1850  A post office is established at Ft. Laramie, the first to be established in Wyoming.

1890  The 11th, and last, Territorial Legislature concludes.

1890  Governor Warren signs a bill to suppress gambling, on the last day of the final session of the Territorial Legislature.

1916   The Punitive Expedition: The Casper Daily Press, March 14, 1916.
 

Chicago and Northwestern Warehouse Fire, Casper Wyoming
 

A disaster struck Casper Wyoming on this day in 1917.  A warehouse belonging to the Chicago and Northwestern, and used also by C. H. Townsend, caught fire.  It was the largest fire in the town since a 1905 livery stable fire
 
1917  The Wyoming Tribune for March 14, 1917. Germany gets control fo Mexico's finances
 

Dramatic claim. . . but at that point, what good would it have done if true? 
 
The Laramie Boomerang for March 14, 1917: Laramie welcomes home its Guardsmen
 

Laramie's Guardsmen returned to an enthusiastic welcome. . . and speeches.

1948  Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. born in Casper. He was elected U.S. Senator for Oklahoma in 1994.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

March 13

1852     "Uncle Sam" made his debut as a cartoon character in the New York Lantern.

1884     Standard Time was adopted throughout the United States.

1908  An American car reached Evanston in a New York to Paris race.  The early automobile era saw some spectacular races and efforts of this type. At the time, highways in the region were simply dirt roads.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1916   The Punitive Expedition: The Casper Daily Press, March 13, 1916

 

1917  

The Douglas Enterprise for March 13, 1917: Company F makes it home.


Douglas' Company F arrived home the prior Saturday and the news was reported that Tuesday.  If they were home, chances are that all the men from central Wyoming had likewise returned.

In other news high school baseball teams were already playing each other, even though it was only March and that's still a winter month in Wyoming.  The high schools in the state today no longer have baseball, which isn't surprising as the weather simply isn't conducive for it.

The World War One oil boom had hit Converse County, as this paper gives evidence of.  Converse County remains a major oil location today.  The oil fields referenced in the paper largely spread out towards Casper, which was having a huge oil boom at the time.
The Cheyenne State Leader for March 13, 1917: Eight Wyoming Guardsmen enlisted in Navy.
 

Some Wyoming Guardsmen were already back under orders. . . but in the Navy.

What motivated the switch in services isn't clear, but in the immediate pre World War One period in the US the news was full of the Navy.  Whether that motivated their switch in services or not, those eight would serve out the upcoming war in a new service.  Of course, they couldn't have known that their fellows in the Guard would be back in active duty very soon.

1918  The Ohio Oil Company commences drilling a well that would become the first Lance Creek area producing oil well.

1918   An accurate prediction? The Wyoming Tribune, March 13, 1918.
 

The Belgian minister of war was predicting a big German offensive. . . followed by Germany's defeat.

A big German offensive was widely predicated at the time.  A defeat behind it?  That's the first I've read of such a prediction.  We'll be seeing how accurate it was.

In other news, the American Army was starting to see some action.  And T.R.'s son Archie had been wounded in action.
1974   Arab nations decided to end the oil embargo on the U.S.

2009  Cmdr. William C. McKinney relieved Cmdr. William M. Combes as commander of the SSBN Wyoming during a change-of-command ceremony.

2018  The Casper City Council votes to keep Casper park and historic site Fort Casper open all year long.  Closing it during the winter months had been studied as a cost savings matter but was, in the end, turned down.

2019  A winter storm so intense it qualified as a mid latitude cyclone hit Wyoming shutting things down in southeastern Wyoming. Governmental entities all over that region, and all over the state in some instances, closed due to the massive winter storm.

Early morning street scene in Casper during the "bomb cyclone".

2020  Governor Gordon declared a State of Emergency due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.  President Trump had declared a national State of Emergency earlier in the day.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

March 12

1836  The Battle of Refugio commences in the Texas revolution.  Attribution:  On This Day.

1886  The Legislature appropriated $500.00 for Governor William Hale's funeral and for a monument in his honor.  Attribution:  On This Day.

1888  Territorial Governor Thomas Moonlight hires the legendary Elwood Mead as state engineer.  Mead was the founder of Wyoming's water law, which he worked on from the period of 1888 to 1899.  He also worked on Colorado's water law during this period.  In 1907 he was appointed Chairman of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission in Victoria Australia.  He returned to the US in 1911 and became a professor of Rural Institutions at the University of California.  He lead the Bureau of Reclamation in the Coolidge Administration.  Lake Mead is named after him.


1890  Big Horn and Weston Counties created.

1917  Buffalo Bill Memorial Association created.   Attribution: Wyoming State Historical Society.

1917   The Laramie Boomerang for March 12, 1917: Laramie Guardsmen to arrive on No. 19.
 

On Monday March 12, the news came that the Laramie contribution to the Wyoming National Guard had been mustered out of service and taken down to the Union Pacific depot in Cheyenne.

 
The unit was expected in Laramie that evening.

1918  Arthur D. Gilbert of Lost Cabin received a patent for a fish hook.

1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the first of his radio "fireside chats".

1944  Nineteen cars of a Union Pacific train derailed near the location of old Ft.Steele.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

Monday, March 11, 2013

March 11

1824  The War Department creates the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

1881  The Laramie Boomerang, Laramie's newspaper, first published. It's still being published today.

1883.  Alfred Packer arrested near Ft Fetterman, Wyoming.  Packer was wanted for murder, and the following cannibalism, of his fellows in the Colorado mountains while they were wintering over in a gold seeking expedition in the winter of 1873-74.  Packer denied the charges at first, but ultimately confessed, but was twice convicted.  His 1883 arrest reflects his attempt to flee in 1874, after his first confession.  He received a 40 year sentence for his crimes, but was released in 1901, and thereafter went to work as a guard for the Denver Post.

A dining hall at the University of Colorado is mischievously named the Alfred G. Packer Memorial Grill and sports the motto: "Have a friend for lunch!".  A menu item is the "El Canibal"  The school features an "Alfred Packers Days" event.

Packer was twice enlisted in the US Army during the Civil War.  He first served in the 16th Infantry, but was discharged after several months due to epilepsy.  He later joined the 8th Iowa Cavalry, but was again discharged for the same reason.

1887  Calamity Jane reported in town by a Cheyenne newspaper.

1888     The blizzard of 1888 struck the northeastern United States resulting in some deaths.

1888 Sheridan County organized.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

1916  The Punitive Expedition: The March 11, 1916 news


The Cheyenne State Leader for March 11, 1917: Laramie planning welcome for its Guardsmen
 

Laramie's troops were still delayed in Cheyenne, but Laramie was planning a big welcome for them when they returned.  Otherwise, Ft. D. A. Russell's contingent of Guardsmen were leaving for all points.

1919  Tuesday March 11, 1919. The Arrival of Company L

In yesterday's paper it was Company I and Company L for the same company. Today that was cleared up, it was apparently Company L, and they were back in Casper.

And by back, we mean the men were back, given a rousing welcome and then discharged, set out in their civilian lives once again.

It was a handful of men, all NCOs, actually.  Their names all appeared in the paper.

1941  Roosevelt signs the Lend Lease Act.

March 10, 1941 Lend Lease, War Production,

An already weary looking FDR signs the Lend Lease Bill on March 11, 1941.

President Roosevelt signed the Lend Lease Bill, which we've written about previously, and it became law.

More on that here:

Today in World War II History—March 11, 1941

The law stated:

AN ACT 
Further to promote the defense of the United States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate add House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as "An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States".
SEC. 2. As used in this Act -
(a) The term "defense article" means -
(1) Any weapon, munition. aircraft, vessel, or boat; (2) Any machinery, facility, tool, material, or supply necessary for the manufacture, production, processing, repair, servicing, or operation of any article described in this subsection; (3) Any component material or part of or equipment for any article described in this subsection; (4) Any agricultural, industrial or other commodity or article for defense.
Such term "defense article" includes any article described in this subsection: Manufactured or procured pursuant to section 3, or to which the United States or any foreign government has or hereafter acquires title, possession, or control.
(b) The term "defense information" means any plan, specification, design, prototype, or information pertaining to any defense article.
SEC. 3. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the President may, from time to time. when he deems it in the interest of national defense, authorize the Secretary Of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or the bead of any other department or agency of the Government -
(1) To manufacture in arsenals, factories, and shipyards under their jurisdiction, or otherwise procure, to the extent to which funds are made available therefor, or contracts are authorized from time to time by the Congress, or both, any defense article for the government of any country whose defense the President deems vital to the defense of the United States. (2) To sell, transfer title to, exchange, lease, lend, or otherwise dispose of, to any such government any defense article, but no defense article not manufactured or procured under paragraph (1) shall in any way be disposed of under this paragraph, except after consultation with the Chief of Staff of the Army or the Chief of Naval Operations of the Navy, or both. The value of defense articles disposed of in any way under authority of this paragraph, and procured from funds heretofore appropriated, shall not exceed $1,300,000,000. The value of such defense articles shall be determined by the head of the department or agency concerned or such other department, agency or officer as shall be designated in the manner provided in the rules and regulations issued hereunder. Defense articles procured from funds hereafter appropriated to any department or agency of the Government, other than from funds authorized to he appropriated under this Act. shall not be disposed of in any way under authority of this paragraph except to the extent hereafter authorized by the Congress in the Acts appropriating such funds or otherwise. (4) To communicate to any such government any defense information pertaining to any defense article furnished to such government under paragraph (2) of this subsection. (5) To release for export any defense article disposed of in any way under this subsection to any such government.
(b) The terms and conditions upon which any such foreign government receives any aid authorized under subsection (a) shall be those which the President deems satisfactory, and the benefit to the United States may he payment or repayment in kind or property, or any other direct or indirect benefit which the President deems satisfactory.
(c) After June 30, 1943, or after the passage of a concurrent resolution by the two Houses before June 30, 1943, which declares that the powers conferred by or pursuant to subsection (a) are no longer necessary to promote the defense of the United States, neither the President nor the head of any department or agency shall exercise any of the powers conferred by or pursuant to subsection (a) except that until July 1, 1946, any of such powers may be exercised to the extent necessary to carry out a contract or agreement with such a foreign government made before July 1,1943, or before the passage of such concurrent resolution, whichever is the earlier.
(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize or to permit the authorization of convoying vessels by naval vessels of the United States.
(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize or to permit the authorization of the entry of any American vessel into a combat area in violation of section 3 of the neutrality Act of 1939.
SEC. 4 All contracts or agreements made for the disposition of any defense article or defense information pursuant to section 3 shall contain a clause by which the foreign government undertakes that it will not, without the consent of the President, transfer title to or possession of such defense article or defense information by gift, sale, or otherwise, or permit its use by anyone not an officer, employee, or agent of such foreign government.
SEC. 5. (a) The Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or the head of any other department or agency of the Government involved shall when any such defense article or defense information is exported, immediately inform the department or agency designated by the President to administer section 6 of the Act of July 2, 1940 (54 Stat. 714). of the quantities, character, value, terms of disposition and destination of the article and information so exported.
(b) The President from time to time, but not less frequently than once every ninety days, shall transmit to the Congress a report of operations under this Act except such information as he deems incompatible with the public interest to disclose. Reports provided for under this subsection shall be transmitted to the Secretary of the Senate or the Clerk of the House of representatives, as the case may be, if the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, is not in session.
SEC. 6. (a) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated from time to time, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, such amounts as may be necessary to carry out the provisions and accomplish the purposes of this Act.
(b) All money and all property which is converted into money received under section 3 from any government shall, with the approval of the Director of the Budget. revert to the respective appropriation or appropriations out of which funds were expended with respect to the defense article or defense information for which such consideration is received, and shall be available for expenditure for the purpose for which such expended funds were appropriated by law, during the fiscal year in which such funds are received and the ensuing fiscal year; but in no event shall any funds so received be available for expenditure after June 30, 1946.
SEC. 7. The Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, and the head of the department or agency shall in all contracts or agreements for the disposition of any defense article or defense information fully protect the rights of all citizens of the United States who have patent rights in and to any such article or information which is hereby authorized to he disposed of and the payments collected for royalties on such patents shall be paid to the owners and holders of such patents.
SEC. 8. The Secretaries of War and of the Navy are hereby authorized to purchase or otherwise acquire arms, ammunition, and implements of war produced within the jurisdiction of any country to which section 3 is applicable, whenever the President deems such purchase or acquisition to be necessary in the interests of the defense of the United States.
SEC. 9. The President may, from time to time, promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to carry out any of the provisions of this Act; and he may exercise any power or authority conferred on him by this Act through such department, agency, or officer as be shall direct.
SEC. 10. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to change existing law relating to the use of the land and naval forces of the United States, except insofar as such use relates to the manufacture, procurement, and repair of defense articles, the communication of information and other noncombatant purposes enumerated in this Act.
SEC 11. If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision to any circumstance shall be held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the Act and the applicability of such provision to other circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Approved, March 11, 1941.

We've gone into this before, so we won't dwell on it here, but the amount of material supplied to Allied nations, starting before the US was an official Ally, was massive, and included everything from shoes and food to heavy weapons.

P40s being assembled in Iran for delivery to the Soviet Union.

Indeed, some of the equipment supplied became more associated, to some degree, with our Allies, than it did with the US, while other items were used, but not really liked.

P-39 in late war Italian service, after Italy had switched sides in the war.  Large numbers of P39s were supplied to the Soviet Union, which loved them.

And some items went on to such universal Allied use, that hardly any thought is given now to the items being supplied in this fashion.

Early British M4 Sherman (note the extra front firing machineguns.  The Sherman came to be one of the most common tanks in British service.

Soviet Sherman's in Brno, Czechoslovakia.

1942      Gen. Douglas MacArthur left the Philippines for Australia.

1973  A FBI officer shot and killed at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

2005  Wyoming's largest movie theater opened in Cheyenne.  Attribution:  Wyoming State Historical Society.

2019  Cold weather drew down propane supplies to such an extent that Governor Gordon declared a state of emergency which allowed propane delivery drivers to exceed the normally allotted number of hours on the road.  The same measure was taken in neighboring states.

2020  President Trump addressed the nation on the Coronavirus Pandemic.
At the same time, a run on toilet paper and hand sanitizer was occuring in Central Wyoming.

Elsewhere:

1811   Englishman Ned Ludd led a group of British workers in a wild protest against mechanization.