February 28, 1900: British forces defending Ladysmith rescued after a four-month siege (painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon)February 1, 1900: Kodak popularizes snapshots by introducing the one-dollar Brownie camera
TheEastman Kodak Company introduced theBrownie camera, shipping it to dealers on this date. The inexpensive ($1.00, equivalent to $33.47 in 2022[1])box camera made photography affordable to the average person, and over the next twenty months, around 245,000 of the cameras would be sold. InOctober 1901, Eastman would introduce the next version, the No. 1 Brownie.[2]
TheManila Bulletin, the newspaper of largest circulation in thePhilippines, published its first issue. Starting as a publisher of information about shipping, thebroadsheet became "The Nation's Leading Newspaper".[3]
B. H. Roberts, would-be U.S. Representative fromUtah, was arrested inSalt Lake City for unlawful cohabitation, and released on his own recognizance. The charge arose from Roberts's practice ofpolygamy.[10]
InBuenos Aires, Argentina, a heat wave continued into its second day.The New York Times reported that "There were 219 cases of sunstroke here Sunday, of which 124 cases were fatal. The thermometer on Saturday registered 120 degrees in the shade, with 93 of 120 cases fatal."[11]
A fire inSt. Louis caused losses of more than $1,000,000 and killed fireman Charles Mebus (or Mappes), who died after a wall fell upon him. The fire started in the Penny & Gentles dry goods on Broadway and Franklin, then spread along both streets for three blocks.[13][14]
The House of Commons of the United Kingdom voted onLord FitzMaurice's motion of no confidence in the government after one week's debate. The resolution, which had been introduced following British reversals in theSecond Boer War, failed by a vote of 352 to 139.[22]
TheEmpress Dowager Cixi ofChina issued an edict abolishing the teaching of the "new, depraved and erroneous subjects of the Western schools", and providing that teachers who violated the rule would be punished. In addition, examinations for official rank would be revised to remove Western influences and to return to the teachings ofConfucius.[24]
A Chinese immigrant in San Francisco, lumber yard owner Wong Chut King, became the first person known to fall ill ofbubonic plague in theSan Francisco area, the first epidemic of the disease in the continental United States.[26][27]
In theMidwestern United States, warm weather gave way to a blizzard in the space of less than a day. "From a weather standpoint Feb. 8 was one of the most remarkable in the history of the local meteorology office", wrote one observer.[28] InChicago, the temperature was 62 °F (17 °C) at7:00 am, and fell to 10 °F (−12 °C) by11:00 pm. The drop of 52 °F (29 °C) during the day is a record that still stands.[29]
In competition at the Eisstation inDavos, Switzerland,Peder Østlund ofNorway set two new world records inspeed skating, in the 1000 and 500 meter races. The next day, Østlund set two additional records in the 1,500 meter and 10,000 meter races. Ostlund's records would stand for years. The500 m time was not broken until 1906, byRudolf Gundersen.Oscar Mathisen set new records in the other events; the 10 kilometer record stood until 1912.[36]
AristocratRoland B. Molineux was convicted of the December 1899 murder, bymercury cyanide poison, of Mrs. Katherine J. Adams, and sentenced to death. A jury concluded that Molineux had anonymously mailed a poisoned bottle of Bromo Seltzer to an athletic club rival, Henry Cornish, on December 21, 1899. Cornish's aunt, Mrs. Katherine B. Adams, was poisoned instead and died on December 27. The sentence would later be reversed, and Molineux would be acquitted in his 1902 trial. He died in 1917.[37][38]
After four years,Vladimir Lenin was released from his exile to the Siberian village ofShushenskoye. He and his wife travelled by horseback for 320 kilometres (200 mi) toUfa and arrived there on February 18.[40]
InPort Arthur, Texas, James Sweeney, a white man, waslynched by a mob at1am, only hours after being acquitted of the bayonet murder of Charles Crumbach. Tried inBeaumont, Sweeney returned by train toPort Arthur. "Word had been telegraphed ahead that he was coming, and a mob met him at the station, marched him up town, and strung him up to a telegraph pole without ceremony. In the first attempt the rope broke. The second attempt was made successful by tying Sweeney's legs so that his feet could not touch the ground, and drawing the rope taut."[41]
The Spanish steamshipAlicante arrived inBarcelona, repatriating 1,100 soldiers who had been imprisoned by rebels during thePhilippine–American War.[42]
New York GovernorTheodore Roosevelt released a statement to the public. "In view of the continued statements in the press that I may be urged as a candidate for vice president and in view of the many letters that reach me advising me for and against such a course, it is proper for me to state definitely that under no circumstances could I or would I accept the nomination for the vice presidency." He added, "And I am happy to state that Senator Platt cordially acquiesces in my views in the matter." Roosevelt later accepted the nomination to be U.S. PresidentWilliam McKinley's running mate in the upcomingpresidential election, and became the 26thPresident of the United States upon McKinley's death the following year.[43]
InNew York City, U.S. RepresentativeCharles A. Chickering was killed after falling from his bedroom window on the fourth floor of the Grand Union Hotel at 41st Street andPark Avenue. "While it may have been an accident or the result of walking in his sleep, the facts gathered indicated that the Congressman plunged head first from a window on the fourth floor of the Grand Union Hotel and was instantly killed," notedThe New York Times, adding that "The body was attired in a night robe, indicating that the congressman had retired."[44]
In a turning point in theSecond Boer War, British troops invaded theOrange Free State, crossing inside the Boer frontier for the first time since the war began. The invasion force consisted of 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry under the command ofLord Roberts.[47]
TheSiege of Kimberley was lifted, four months after the British inhabitants defended an attack by theBoers during the Second Boer War. The attack had begun on October 12, 1899.GeneralJohn French led troops to liberate the city.[49]
InParis,Albert Decrais, theMinister of the Colonies received a telegram from the Governor of theFrench Congo, reporting thatRabih az-Zubayr, the principal chieftain and warlord of centralSudan, had been defeated in battle. "He was formerly a slave of Zobohr Pasha ... but revolted and formed a kingdom of his own in Central Africa", notedThe New York Times, adding "His career of victory gained for him the name of the 'African Napoleon'. The French have been fighting his power for years, and to-day's dispatch announces his overthrow." Rabih's fortress atKouno was defended by 12,000 men with 2,500 rifles and 3 cannon. Forty-three Senegalese sharpshooters were killed and four Europeans, including Captain Robilor.[50]
Agoli-agbo, the last nominalKing of Dahomey (nowBenin), was deposed after permission was given by the French government. The monarch was sent into exile andFrance annexed the African state.[56][57]
U.S. SenatorWilliam A. Clark ofMontana testified for four hours before the Senate Committee on Elections. Clark, who had been elected by theMontana Senate, said that he had spent $115,000 but that none of it was used illegally. Following an investigation, he was refused a seat in theUnited States Senate.[58]
In a day remembered afterward as"Bloody Sunday", British imperial forces suffered their worst single day losses in theSecond Boer War.Lord Kitchener ordered a charge downhill toward the Boer trenches atPaardeberg, and there were 1,100 casualties, including 280 deaths.[59]
AtThe Crystal Palace atSydenham nearLondon, two men were killed when a pair ofelephants ran amok during an afternoon circus. One elephant was captured on the property after causing great damage, while the other one ran through the suburb ofBeckenham and was not recaptured until late evening.[60]
The New York Times published the report of Dr. J. M. Selfridge of Oakland, who believed that a cancerous tumor on his face had been cured byX-rayradiation, and that other patients at theFabiola Hospital had been successfully treated as well. A mask of thin sheets of lead was placed over the face except for an aperture over the cancer itself. "The beneficial results were noted at once, and since then the cancer began to dry up. Now it is entirely healed, only a scar remaining to show where the sore was."[62]
ChiefWashakie, who had been leader of theShoshone Indian tribe for seventy-eight years, died at the age of 97 at his home, located a mile north of theWyomingfort that bore his name.[63]Washakie, who was instrumental in the peaceful settlement ofWyoming, was buried with full military honors by theUnited States Army at his funeral on February 23. In 2000, the state ofWyoming donated a statue ofWashakie for display in theUnited States Capitol.[64]
J.F. Pickering, African American inventor, was issued U.S. Patent No. 643,975 for the first dirigible powered by anelectric motor, and the first to have directional control.[65]
The contract for theNew York City Subway was signed between theCity of New York and John B. MacDonald of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. McDonald's company would build the subway at a cost of $35,000,000 and would have the right to operate the system for 50 years, with an option to renew for another 25 years.[69][70]
SenoraRafaela Ybarra de Vilallonga died at her home inBilbao, Spain. She used her wealth to found the Holy Family Hospice and the Congregacion de los Santos Angeles Custodios (Sisters of the Holy Guardian Angels).Pope John Paul II wouldbeatify her on September 30, 1984.[77]
Died: PoetRichard Hovey, 35, at aNew York City hospital, followingminor abdominal surgery.[78] Wrote one biographer, "Few poets of the younger generation gave such promise as Hovey, and at the time of his death the outlook seemed brightest." (b. 1864)[79]
More than 150 bystanders were injured in theParis suburb ofSaint-Ouen, France, while watching a fire at a warehouse block. Six warehouses, including several that had vats of alcohol, burned down in a fire that started at 8 am. By 4 pm, the flames reached the alcohol and the first of several explosions rained debris upon the crowd.[80]
AtPaardeberg, GeneralPiet Cronjé and 3,000 Boer troops unconditionally surrendered toBritish GeneralFrederick Roberts, commander of British forces inSouth Africa during the Second Boer War. Roberts received General Cronje at 7:00 in the morning, and granted a request for safe passage for Cronje and his family toCape Town.[85]
InLondon, theDaily Mail, theDaily News and theMorning Post published an interview withE.S. Grogan, who reported that in his exploration ofAfrica, he had found "enormous lava streams, forming a veritable sea, forty miles by sixty, and a hundred feet deep", nearLake Tanganyika, and that he had encountered the Balekas, a 3,000 member tribe of cannibals.[86]
Bayern Munich, the most successful team in German football, was founded.[87]
After a siege of four months during theSecond Boer War,the British fortress of Ladysmith in South Africa was liberated.GeneralRedvers Buller's dispatch the next morning was "General Dundonald, with the Natal carbineers and a composite regiment, entered Ladysmith last night. The country between me and Ladysmith is reported clear of the enemy. I am moving on Nelthorpe." On receipt of the cable, there was celebration across theBritish Empire. An account of the time noted that "London went literally mad with joy, and throughout England the scenes witnessed have no parallel in the memories of this generation."[88]Lieutenant-GeneralGeorge White, theNatal colony commander who had led the defence of the frontier town, addressed the residents that evening, saying "Thank God we kept the flag flying." His voice breaking, he added, "It cut me to the heart ... to reduce your rations as I did." After an uncomfortable pause, he added, "I promise you, though, that I'll never do it again."[89]
Under theJulian calendar, at this time still in use in jurisdictions such asRussia, all years evenly divisible by four includedFebruary 29 as a "leap year day". However, under theGregorian calendar, used by the majority of the world, only the centennial years that were evenly divisible by 400, such as 1600 and 2000, had leap days. Thus, for most of the world the day following February 28, 1900 was March 1, 1900.
The New York Times noted a problem with technology of the day: "It is said on trustworthy authority that to-day calendar clocks, for the first time since their invention, will all go wrong unless their owners give them a little assistance ... this is not a leap year, for astronomers have decreed that, in order to keep the calendar in the present relation to the season, it is necessary to change the natural leap year to a common year when it falls on a century."[90] The calendar clock, invented by William H. Akins and Joseph C. Burritt, was patented in 1854.[91]
^Africa: the Journal of the International African Institute.Oxford University Press. 1928. p. 152.
^Perrot, Claude Hélène; Fauvelle-Aymar, François-Xavier (1999).Le retour des rois: les autorités traditionnelles et l'état en Afrique contemporaine [The return of the kings: the traditional authorities and the state in contemporary Africa] (in French). Karthala Editions. p. 165.
^"Clark Defends Himself".The New York Times. February 18, 1900. p. 1.
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