HISTORICAL DATA-1856:









  • JANUARY:    On January 9 of this year a fatal train crash occurred near Poughkeepsie, New York, in whhich 3 people are killed and many others wounded. The crash involved the southbound Albany Express train and a southbound local behind it, and occurred when the local smashed into the rear car of the Express, which was stopped because of a broken rail ahead of it.  (Source:  Report, "1856-Collision  on the Hudson River R.R." at: https://greenerpasture.com/Places/ShowNews/42084 ).

  •  FEBRUARY

  •  MARCH

  •  APRIL   

  •  MAY

  •  JUNE

  •  JULY:    At about this time in New Haven, Connecticut, when the banker James Townsend discusses the idea of drilling into the earth to extract "rock oil" (petroleum), many people here make fun of the concept. "Oh Townsend," they say, "oil coming out of the ground, pumping oil out of the earth as you pump water? Nonsense! You're crazy."  (SOURCE:  The Prize-Daniel Yergin ((paperback)), pg. 26).

  • JULY:    At about this time in New York City, upon seeing pictures in a drug-store window of salt-drilling derricks which-as a byproduct-produce "rock oil", investor George Bissel realizes that the same method can be used to intentionally drill for oil. He feels that, if such drilling were to work out, his fortune would be made.  (SOURCE:  The Prize-Daniel Yergin ((paperback)), pg. 25).

  • JULY:    At about this time some experimenters in Ontario, Canada are also working on the idea of drilling into the earth to extract "rock oil".  (SOURCE:  The Prize-Daniel Yergin ((paperback)), pg. 25).

  •  AUGUST

  •  SEPTEMBER    

  •  OCTOBER:    (No Specific Date):  At some time during this month in the United States, the Associated Press is formally organized, to pool the gathering and distribution of news items to the largest newspapers in New York City. Henry Jarvis Raymond of the New-York Daily Times is a director of this new organization.  (SOURCE: Timeline in 150th Anniversary Special Section, NEW YORK TIMES, Wednesday, November 14, 2001, Section H1, pg. YNE  F1,)

  •  NOVEMBER

  •  DECEMBER

  • WHOLE YEAR:    All during this year in Europe the Italian provinces of Lombardy and Venetia are controlled by the Austrian Empire.  (SOURCE:  A History of the ModernWorld [Since 1815]-((Fourth Edition, Paperback))-R. R. Palmer & Joel Colton, pg. 561). 

  •  NO SPECIFIC DATE:    At some time during this year, during the negotiations being conducted in Paris, France, to end the Crimean War, it is agreed that Russia should maintain no warships on the Black Sea, and that the Danube shall be an international river open to commercial shipping  of all nations.  (SOURCE: A History of the ModernWorld [Since 1815]-((Fourth Edition, Paperback))-R. R. Palmer & Joel Colton, pg. 560).   

  •     Also at this time the forces opposing change in Europe are very weak. Austria, though it has not fought in the Crimean War, has been badly strained by the effort of mobilization for that war. Russia has been defeated, and the two powers which had most seriously attempted to uphold the Vienna settlement, can do so no longer.  (SOURCE:  A History of the ModernWorld [Since 1815]-((Fourth Edition, Paperback))-R. R. Palmer & Joel Colton, pg. 561). 

  •     In the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States of America at some time this year Booker T. Washington is born into a slave family here.  (SOURCE:  The American Nation...Since 1865-Second Edition ((paperback))-John A. Garraty, pg. 68). 

  •     At some time  during this year the Council Bluffs Guards are organized in the state of Iowa to defend the citizens against atacks by the Sioux, Ponca, and Pawnee Indians.  (SOURCE:  The Story of the famous 34th Infantry Division by Lt. Col;. John H. Hougen, Reprinted in 1979 by THE BATTERY PRESS, Nashville, Tennessee, Chaper I [no pagination]). 

  •     At some time during this year in China, after Chinese authorities have detained a Chinese ship called the Arrow, which is illegally flying the British flag, Lord Palmerston of England calls for the intervention of the British Navy, which responds with a bombardment  of the city of Canton. This will lead to what will be called the Second Anglo-Chinese War.  (SOURCE:  A History of the ModernWorld [Since 1815]-((Fourth Edition, Paperback))-R. R. Palmer & Joel Colton, pg. 505). 

  •  

       

     

        BACK:  MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY        EXIT:  WELCOME SCREEN