Mississippi Central Railroad completed between Canton, Mississippi and Jackson, Tennessee

The last rail of the Mississippi Central Railroad, laid just south of Winona in Montgomery County, completed a project that had begun construction 1853 to link Canton, Mississippi and Jackson, Tennessee. With the connection available south from Canton and north from Jackson, direct rail service was established between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico for the first time. (By John Osborne)
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American ship burns at Liverpool hours before leaving for New York

The 1374 ton American ship Endymion caught fire at Liverpool in northern England at four in the morning just before sailing for New York with thirty crew, twenty-five passengers, and a valuable cargo.  Ships in the busy harbor quickly surrounded the vessel and took off her passengers but despite the efforts of the crew in beaching her, the ship was almost totally destroyed.  The estimated loss was $30,000 but no-one died.  (By John Osborne)
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John Snyder Carlile (Congressional Biographical Dictionary)

Reference
“Carlile, John Snyder,” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000150.
CARLILE, John Snyder, a Representative and a Senator from Virginia; born in Winchester, Va., on December 16, 1817; educated by his mother; clerked in a store and commenced business for himself in 1834; studied law; admitted to the bar in 1840 and commenced practice in Beverly, Va.
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present

Joseph Wheeler (Congressional Biographical Dictionary)

Reference
“Wheeler, Joseph,” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000338.
WHEELER, Joseph, a Representative from Alabama; born in Augusta, Ga., September 10, 1836; attended local schools and the Episcopal Academy, Cheshire, Conn.; was graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, 1859; attended the Cavalry School at Carlisle, Pa., 1859-1860; transferred to the Mounted Rifles June 26, 1860; second lieutenant September 1, 1860, and served in New Mexico; resigned from the United States Army February 27, 1861; appointed lieutenant of Artillery in the Confederate Army on April 3, 1861; successively promoted to the grade of colonel, bri
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774 to Present

Cornelius Conway Felton unanimously elected as new President of Harvard University

Cornelius Conway Felton, a graduate and long-time professor of Greek at the Cambridge, Massachusetts institution, was unanimously elected as President of Harvard University.  He succeeded the Reverend James Walker, who had resigned, and served till his death in February 1862.  (By John Osborne)  
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Cornelius Conway Felton

Scanned by
New York Public Library
Notes
Cropped, sized, and prepared for use here by John Osborne, Dickinson College, December 28, 2009.
Image type
photograph
Use in Day View?
No
Courtesy of
Humanities and Social Science Library, New York Public Library
Permission to use?
Yes
Original caption
[Cornelius Conway] Felton
Source citation
Pageant of America Collection, NYPL Digital Gallery
Source note
Original image at NYPLDigitalGallery

Fire destroys Forbestown in Butte County, California almost completely

Forbestown was a community of around a thousand people in Butte County, California when it was devastated by fire.  A wood frame house on the edge of town caught fire and the flames swept through the business district.  Only three brick buildings and the National Hotel survived.  Losses were estimated at around $30,000.  (By John Osborne) 
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Porter on steamship sentenced to death in South Carolina for helping escaped slave stow away

Francis Mitchell was a porter on the steamship Marion who was convicted of attempting to aid the escape of a slave by helping him to stow away on board before the vessel left Charleston Harbor in South Carolina.  He was sentenced to hang but was pardoned by Governor William H. Gist the following week.  (By John Osborne)  
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