WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014

Today is Wednesday, March 26, the 85th day of 2014. There are 280 days left in the year.

1668 ― England takes control of Bombay India

1812 ― Earthquake destroys 90 percent of Caracas; about 20,000 die

1824 ― First performance of Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis”

1845 ― Patent awarded for adhesive medicated plaster, precursor of bandaid

1871 ― Paris Commune founded

1885 ― Eastman Film Co manufactures first commercial motion picture film

1910 ― U.S. forbid immigration to criminals, anarchists, paupers and the sick

1936 ― Mary Joyce ends a 1,000-mile trip by dog in Alaska

1970 ― 500th nuclear explosion announced by the U.S. since 1945

1989 ― First free elections in USSR; 190 million votes cast and Boris Yeltsin wins