Alton King (born 1874)

In 1874, in the year that Alton King was born, on November 4th, the Democratic Party regained control of the US House of Representatives - the first time since 1860. The Democrats now held 183 seats - up 94 - and the Republicans held 106 - down 93.

In 1886, on February 14th, the first train left Los Angeles for the East -by the way of the transcontinental railroad - with a cargo of oranges. Due to irrigation and the import of water, Los Angeles was the ideal place to grow oranges - which became a popular addition to Christmas stockings.

In 1916, the Battle of Verdun was fought from February through December. It was the largest and longest battle of World War I, lasting 303 days. The original estimates were 714,231 casualties - 377,231 French and 337,000 German, an average of 70,000 casualties a month. Current estimates are even larger. The Battle of the Somme was also fought from July through September of the same year. Original estimates were 485,000 British and French casualties and 630,000 German casualties.

In 1922, on James Joyce's 40th birthday, his book Ulysses was published in France. The book covers the experiences of an Irishman in Dublin on an ordinary day, 16 June 1904. Now considered a classic, it was controversial at the time. Due to some sexual content, the book was banned in the U.S. during the 1920's and the U.S. Post Office destroyed 500 copies of the novel.

In 1961, on August 13th, East Germany began erection of what would become the Berlin Wall between East and West Berlin. In one day, they installed barbed wire entanglements and fences (called Barbed Wire Sunday in Germany). On August 17th, the first concrete elements and large blocks were put in place.