Skye Bridge opened
The Skye Bridge is a road bridge over Loch Alsh, Scotland, connecting the Isle of Skye to the island of Eilean Bàn. The name is also used for the whole Skye Crossing, which further connects Eilean Bàn to the mainland across the Carrich Viaduct.
John Anthony Sydney Ritson died
John Anthony Sydney Ritson was an English mines inspector and engineer who became professor of mining at Leeds University and at the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London. Ritson remained at Royal School of Mines until 1952 when he was succeeded by J.C. Mitcheson, and in 1955 he was made a fellow of Imperial College in recognition of his work.
Nickel Plate Road opened
The Nickel Plate Road was constructed in 1881 along the South Shore of the Great Lakes to connect Buffalo and Chicago, in competition with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. At the end of 1960, NKP operated 2,170 miles (3,490 km) of road on 4,009 miles (6,452 km) of track, not including the 25 miles (40 km) of Lorain & West Virginia. That year it reported 9.758 billion net ton-miles of revenue freight and 41 million passenger-miles. It was characterized by long sections of straight track, mild grades, and impressive bridges. The Nickel Plate ran its first trains over the entire system on October 16, 1882.
Robert Stephenson was born
Robert Stephenson was an English civil engineer and designer of locomotives. The only son of George Stephenson, the "Father of Railways", he built on the achievements of his father. He designed and built Rocket, the first locomotive to bring together several innovations to produce the most advanced locomotive of its day. He also built several railway lines and bridges. Robert has been called the greatest engineer of the 19th century.
Great Hurricane of 1780 ends
The Great Hurricane of 1780 was the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record, as well as the deadliest tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere. Its wind speeds were estimated as high as 200 mph (320 km/h), greater than any in recorded Atlantic basin history. An estimated 22,000 people died throughout the Lesser Antilles when the storm passed through the islands from October 10 to October 16.
