[goofywife]

1979: 'Terrible Tuesday' tornadoes hit
Thirteen tornadoes ripped through Texas and Oklahoma today in a deadly outbreak that meteorologists later referred to as "Terrible Tuesday." The twisters destroyed thousands of homes, and one Texas resident compared the storm’s effect to bomb damage.

"Tornadoes smashed into four communities in North Texas and Oklahoma, sucking up people and property, tossing cars about and leveling homes and businesses. Authorities said at least 57 persons were killed and more than 800 were injured," reported the Syracuse Herald Journal on April 11, 1979. "Gov. Bill Clements toured the north Texas city of Wichita Falls, site of the worst damage, as National Guard troops patrolled debris-strewn streets today to ward off any looters who might want to take advantage of the disaster that struck yesterday afternoon."

NOTE: Wichita Falls, Texas, was hit the hardest, with at least 42 people reported dead and more than $200 million in property damage. The tornado that hit the city was estimated to have traveled 47 miles, remaining on the ground for at least an hour.

(We had one worse than this a few years ago)

1998: Belfast Agreement is signed
The Belfast Agreement was signed today by the British and Irish governments. The accord raised hopes for an end to the violence that ravaged Northern Ireland. On April 11, 1998, the Daily Herald commented on the agreement, explaining, "In a sweeping accord that reduced many hard-bitten politicians to tears, negotiators cleared the way Friday for a 'new beginning' for Northern Ireland after 30 years of bitter rivalries and bloody attacks. Exhilarated and exhausted, the eight participating parties approved a settlement presented by the talks chairman, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, after a 32-hour negotiating marathon."

1970: Beatles split
Paul McCartney announced today that he has split from the Beatles. "Paul, 27-year-old song writer, lead guitar and singer, blamed the break on 'personal differences, business differences, musical differences - but most of all because I have a better time with my family,'" informed The Port Arthur News on April 10, 1970. NOTE: The announcement coincided with the release of his first solo album. After the split, McCartney’s album spent three weeks at the top of the American charts.

1963: Submarine lost at sea
The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Thresher was lost at sea today during a deep-diving routine. Admiral George W. Anderson, chief of naval operations, determined that the vessel and her crew of 129 had sunk. "The Navy said an oil slick had been sighted – the traditional sign that a submarine has met disaster," reported The Post Standard on April 11, 1963. "The craft was missing some 220 miles east of Boston – in an area where the ocean is 8,400 feet deep. Underwater pressure at the depth makes rescue impossible, the Navy said, even if a submarine could survive the hydraulic force."

1919: Emiliano Zapata is shot
Mexican rebel and revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata was shot today by government soldiers. The former sharecropper had joined forces with Pancho Villa to oppose the Mexican government, fighting for agrarian reform and land redistribution. "The rebel chief is said to have been killed in an unnamed part of the mountains of southern Morelos by troops under command of Colonel Guajardo. The war department has promoted the colonel to a generalship for his feat," explained The Van Wert Daily Bulletin on April 12, 1919.

1912: Titanic sets sail
The RMS Titanic set sail on its maiden voyage today from Southampton, London to New York. "The Titanic is a sister ship to the Olympic, placed in commission last year. She is 840 feet in length and has a displacement of 60,000 tons," explained The Evening News on April 10, 1912. "She is literally a floating hotel, provided with dancing rooms, smoking rooms, cafes, a library and even a garden of Oriental palms and beds of roses and carnations. A swimming tank and a skating rink are among her other features." NOTE: The Titanic's passengers spent just five days on the ship before it collided with an iceberg and sank.