Tidbits from the Past

Some happenings from history that took place the week of March 27-April 2. For events of a Jewish nature, please go to http://thisdayinjewishhistory.blogspot.com/ 27 The biggest earthquake ever recorded strikes Anchorage, Alaska. It measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. (1964) 28 Nathaniel Briggs patents the washing machine. (1797) 28 The city of Madrid falls to the forces of Francisco Franco, ending the Spanish Civil War. (1939) 28 Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident occurs in Middletown, Pa. (1979) 29 Ice jams stop the flow of water over Niagara Falls. (1848) 29 Coca Cola is invented. (1886) 30 The 15th amendment goes into effect, giving black men the right to vote. (1870) 30 Jeopardy debuts on television. (1964) 31 The Eiffel Tower opens in Paris, France (1889) 1 Oliver Pollack invents the dollar sign $ (1778) 1 Dexter Mason Ferry and partners found Gardener, Ferry & Church Seed Company, now called Ferry-Morse, the oldest seed company in America (1856) 1 Daytime soap opera General Hospital first airs on ABC (1963) 2 Congress passes the Coinage Act and the U.S. Mint is born. (1792) Note to Readers: The earliest washing "machine" referred to above was the scrub board invented in 1797. American James King patented the first washing machine to use a drum in 1851. the drum made King's machine resemble a modern machine, however it was still hand powered. In 1858 Hamilton Smith patented the rotary washing machine. In 1874, William Blackstone of Indiana built a birthday present for his wife. It was a machine which removed and washed away dirt from clothes. The Thor was the first electric-powered washing machine. Introduced in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company of Chicago, Illinois, the Thor washing machine was invented by Alva J. Fisher [Kind of figures that a woman would invent something like this]. The Thor was a drum type washng machine with a galvanized tub and an electric motor. A patent was issued on August 9th 1910.