Browsing: May 30

A Brief History On May 30, 1883, panicked public people pushed, prodded, poked, and pummeled each other in a mad dash to get away from the Brooklyn Bridge when an unfounded rumor circulated that collapse was imminent.  Unfortunately, 12 people were stampeded to death because of this reckless and stupid rumor.  Here we list 10 false rumors that spread through the public, often with decidedly negative effects, sometimes just a sad reflection on how gullible people can be. Digging Deeper 10.  Brooklyn Bridge Collapse, 1883.  Open only 6 days earlier, this mighty bridge cost 27 lives during its construction only…

A Brief History On May 30, 1914, the British ocean liner RMS Aquitania made her maiden voyage.  Larger than the Titanic, this giant was known as “Ship Beautiful” for self-descriptive reasons.  Serving in both World Wars, she was the last of the great 4-funnel (as smokestacks were called) liners and was the longest serving liner in history until surpassed by the Queen Elizabeth II.  Obviously famous in her day, the Aquitania is not well remembered, unlike the other 10 ships we list here whose fame has stood the test of time.  Apologies to the HMS Victory, the USS Arizona, the USS Missouri, the USS…