The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 was a blizzard with hurricane-force
winds that devastated the Great Lakes basin in the United States
Midwest and the Canadian province of Ontario from November 7 to
November 10, 1913. The deadliest natural disaster to ever hit the
lakes, it killed over 250 people, destroyed 19 ships, and stranded 19
others. The financial loss in vessels alone was nearly USD$5 million,
or about USD$100 million in present-day adjusted dollars. The large
loss of cargo, including coal, iron ore, and grain, meant short-term
rising prices for consumer products throughout North America. The
storm originated as the convergence of two major storm fronts that was
fuelled by the lakes' relatively warm waters, a seasonal process
historically called a "November gale." It produced 90 mile per hour
(145 km/hour) winds, waves over 35 feet (11 m) high, and whiteout snow
squalls.
Read the rest of this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Lakes_Storm_of_1913
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1594:
The King of Navarre was crowned King Henry IV of France at the
Cathedral of Chartres near Paris, beginning the Bourbon dynasty.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_IV_of_France)
1617:
Sweden signed the Treaty of Stolbovo to end the Ingrian War with
Russia, making large territorial gains.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Stolbovo)
1933:
The Reichstag building was set on fire, a pivotal event in the
establishment of the Nazi regime in Germany.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire)
1976:
The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic was proclaimed in Western Sahara.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara)
2002:
Ethnic conflict in India: The death of 58 Hindu pilgrims in a train
fire triggered a violent riot in Gujarat, killing at least 1,000
people, mostly Muslims, in the following days.
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Gujarat_violence)
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Wikiquote of the day:
"The writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man's proven
capacity for greatness of heart and spirit— for gallantry in
defeat— for courage, compassion and love. In the endless war against
weakness and despair, these are the bright rally-flags of hope and of
emulation. I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in
the perfectibility of man, has no dedication nor any membership in
literature." -- John Steinbeck
(
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Steinbeck)