January 1 Belgium disbands salt tax January 2 King Amadeus I of Spain inaugurated at 25 January 3 Oleomargarine patented by Henry Bradley, Binghamton, New York January 16 Jefferson Long of Georgia sworn in as 2nd black congressman January 17 1st cable car patented, by Andrew S Hallidie (begins service in 1873) January 18 2nd German Empire proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck January 26 British Rugby Union forms January 26 U.S. income tax repealed January 28 Paris surrenders to Prussians January 31 Millions of birds fly over western SF, darkens sky February 1 Jefferson Long of Georgia is 1st black to make an official speech in House of Representatives (opposing leniency to former Confederates) February 9 Federal fish protection office authorized by Congress February 27 Meeting of Alabama claims commission February 28 2nd Enforcement Act gives federal control of congressional elections March 1 J Milton Turner named minister to Liberia March 3 Congress changes Indian tribes status from independent to dependent March 3 Congress establishes the civil service system March 16 1st fertilizer law enacted March 17 National Association of Professional Base-Ball players organized March 18 Communards revolt in Paris March 21 Journalist Henry M. Stanley begins his famous expedition to Africa March 21 Otto von Bismarck elevated Furst March 22 William Holden of North Carolina becomes 1st governor removed by impeachment March 26 Paris Commune founded March 27 1st international rugby game-Scotland 1, England 0 March 28 San Francisco Art Association holds open reception at 430 Pine March 29 Albert Hall opens by Queen Victoria in London April 10 William Hammond Hall's maps and surveys of Golden Gate Park accepted April 14 Canada sets denominations of currency as dollars, cents, and mills April 16 German Empire ends all anti-Jewish civil restrictions April 20 3rd Enforcement Act (President can suspend writ of habeas corpus) April 23 Blossom Rock in San Francisco Bay blown up April 24 Opera "Aida" is produced (Cairo) April 30 Apaches in Arizona surrender to white and Mexican adventurers; 144 die May 4 1st baseball league game (National Association of Baseball Players), (Ft. Wayne 2, Cleveland 0) Deacon Jim White gets 1st hit, a double May 8 English - U.S. treaty ends Alabama dispute May 10 German-French peace treaty signed: France cedes Elzas May 10 Peace of Frankfurt-am-Main concluded between France and Germany May 12 Segregated street cars integrated in Louisville, Kentucky May 17 Indians fighter General Sherman escapes in ambulance vs Comanches May 28 Paris communards revolt put down June 3 Jesse James and his gang robs Obocock Bank (Corydon Iowa), of $15,000 June 10 5th Belmont: W Miller aboard Harry Basset wins in 2:56 June 13 Hurricane kills 300 in Labrador June 15 Phoebe Couzins is 1st woman graduate of a U.S. collegiate law school June 16 Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of Mystic Shrine founded, New York City June 30 Guatemala revolts for agrarian reforms July 1 The decimal currency system is made uniform in Canada July 3 Jesse James robs bank in Corydon, Iowa ($45,000) July 5 Trial against Kiowa chief Satanta (White Bear) and Big Tree, begins July 20 British Columbia becomes 6th Canadian province July 25 Carousel patents by Wilhelm Schneider, Davenport, Iowa September 17 Mont Cenis railway tunnel Switzerland opens October 1 General Dutch Werkliedenverbond (ANWV), forms in Utrecht October 2 Brigham Young, mormon leader, arrest for bigamy October 6 Fisk Jubilee Singers begin 1st national tour October 7 16-hour fire injures 30 of Chicago's 185 firefighters October 8 Gas explosion destroys Peshtigo, Wisconsin October 8 Great Fire kills 200, destroys over 4miles (10 km) of Chicago buildings, and original Emancipation Proclamation October 11 Great Chicago Fire is finally extinguished after 3 days, 300 killed October 12 President Grant condemns Ku Klux Klan October 17 Great Britain annexes Griqualand South Africa October 17 President Grant suspends writ of habeas corpus October 21 1st U.S. amateur outdoor athletic games (NY) October 23 Columbia and Sappho (U.S.) beat Livonia (UK) in 3rd America's Cup October 24 Mob in LA hangs 18 Chinese October 27 Boss Tweed (William Macy Tweed), Democratic leader of Tammany Hall, arrested after New York Times exposed his corruption October 30 Philadelphia Athletics beat Chicago for 1st National Association baseball pennant October 31 Founding of Netherland Protestant Union in Dokkum November 3 Henry M. Stanley in Tanganyka say "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" November 6 Cameroon reaches coast of Angola after trip through Africa November 6 President Grant re-elected November 10 Stanley presumes to meet Livingston in Ujiji, Central Africa November 21 Moses F Gale patents a cigar lighter (New York City) November 21 The 1st human cannonball, Emilio Onra, is shot November 23 Railway bridge over Dutch Deep opens November 24 National Rifle Association organized in New York City November 28 Ku Klux Klan trials began in Federal District Court in SC December 12 Jules Janssen discovers dark lines in solar corona spectrum December 19 Albert L Jones (New York City), patents corrugated paper December 24 Giusseppi Verdi's "Aida" premieres in Cairo, at Suez canal opening December 27 World's 1st cat show (Crystal Palace, London)
