TODAY IN HISTORY - OCTOBER 31ST

1827 – Richard Morris Hunt, American architect, designed the New York Tribune Building (d. 1895) is born.

1860 – Juliette Gordon Low, American scout leader, founded the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (d. 1927) is born.

1864 – Nevada is admitted as the 36th U.S. state.

1903 – The Purdue Wreck, a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, kills 17 people, including 14 players of the Purdue University football team.

1912 – Dale Evans, American singer-songwriter and actress (d. 2001) is born.

1913 – Dedication of the Lincoln Highway, the first automobile highway across United States.

1913 – The Indianapolis Streetcar Strike and subsequent riot begins.

1926 – Magician Harry Houdini dies of gangrene and peritonitis that develops after his appendix ruptures.

1936 – Michael Landon, American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1991) is born.

1938 – Great Depression: In an effort to restore investor confidence, the New York Stock Exchange unveils a fifteen-point program aimed to upgrade protection for the investing public.

1940 – Craig Rodwell, American businessman and activist, founded the Oscar Wilde Bookshop (d. 1993) is born.

1941 – After 14 years of work, Mount Rushmore is completed.

1950 – John Candy, Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter (d. 1994) is born.

1951 – Nick Saban, American football player and coach is born.

1961 – In the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin's body is removed from Vladimir Lenin's Tomb.

1963 – An explosion at the Indiana State Fair Coliseum (now Pepsi Coliseum) in Indianapolis kills 74 people and injures another 400 during an ice skating show. A faulty propane tank connection in a concession stand is blamed.

1981 – Mike Napoli, American baseball player is born.

1984 – Indira Gandhi, Indian politician, 3rd Prime Minister of India (b. 1917) dies.

1993 – River Phoenix, American actor and singer (Aleka's Attic) (b. 1970) dies.

1999 – Yachtsman Jesse Martin returns to Melbourne after 11 months of circumnavigating the world, solo, non-stop and unassisted.

2002 – A federal grand jury in Houston, Texas indicts former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow on 78 counts of wire fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the collapse of his ex-employer.