Years Ago

Today is Thursday, Dec. 3, the 337th day of 2009. There are 28 days left in the year. On this date in 1984, thousands of people die after a cloud of methyl isocyanate gas escape from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India.

In 1828, Andrew Jackson is elected president of the United States by the Electoral College. In 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio — the first truly coeducational school of higher learning in the United States — begins holding classes. In 1925, Concerto in F by George Gershwin has its world premiere at New York’s Carnegie Hall, with Gershwin at the piano. In 1947, the Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” opens on Broadway. In 1960, the musical “Camelot” opens on Broadway. In 1967, surgeons in Cape Town, South Africa led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard perform the first human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky, who lives 18 days with the new heart. The 20th Century Limited, the famed luxury train, completes its final run from New York to Chicago. In 1979, 11 people are killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium, where The Who were performing. In 1992, the Greek tanker Aegean Sea spills 21.5 million gallons of crude oil when it runs aground off northwestern Spain.

December 3, 1984: Woodside Receiving Hospital is one of at least nine state mental institutions recommended for closure by 1989 in a report compiled by a governor’s task force.

Former U.S. Sen. Stephen Young, who represented Ohio in both houses of Congress for 20 years, dies of anemia at the age of 95 in Washington.

Ohio Edison Co. asks the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for a 9.7 percent rate increase that would generate about $135 million annually for the utility.

Staff Sgt. James Lawson, 28, of Youngstown is badly burned in a fire in the fuel lab at the Youngstown Air Force Reserve Base. Master Sgt. James Blaser is credited with quick action in extinguishing the flames on Lawson’s clothing.

December 3, 1969: The Youngstown Board of Health becomes the first city department to formally establish a retirement age of 70.

Mayor-elect Jack C. Hunter names Martin J. Milich, a 23-year-old junior at Youngstown State University, as his administrative assistant.

Mayor A.B. Flask accepts the resignation of Robert Shipka as director of Youngstown’s Model Cities program.

December 3, 1959: Third Ward Councilman McCullough Williams Jr. asks Police Chief Paul H. Cress to investigate three reports of alleged police brutality against Negro citizens.

Teamsters President James R. Hoffa recommends that Local 377 in Youngstown conduct its coming election over two or three days and provide absentee ballots “in order to make it possible for all members of your union to exercise their privilege.”

The Youngstown Transit Co. raises the cost of tokens and school tickets by one cent. Five tokens will jump from $1.05 to $1.10 and 25 school tickets will cost $2.75, up from $2.50.

December 3, 1934: Alex Alexander is fined $100 after being found guilty of gambling for running the numbers game “big house” at Westlake Crossing.

The Rev. Eric Grimwade, pastor of the First Unitarian Church of Youngstown, suggests legalizing the numbers rackets and other forms of gambling and taxing them to help support hospitals.

City Utilities Engineer E.E. Ingersoll announces an increase in service on all city bus and street car lines except the Rayen route.