Today In History

GUSHER AMAZES OIL EXPERTS Beaumont, Texas January 10, 1901 The Spindletop oil strike, greater than the world has ever seen, was reported today in Beaumont, Texas. At 10:30am, a roar went up as a tower of oil spewed 200 feet in to the air. Estimates are that this well will produce at least 75,000 barrels a day, as much as the 37,000 wells now operating in the eastern part of the United States. This strike is a tribute to Patillo Higgins who for years steadfastly drilled while experts from Standard Oil and other companies scoffed at his tenacity. The success at Spindletop not only confounds the experts, but could alter the global balance of Petroleum power. Russia is now the world’s leading producer with 185,000 barrels a day. The current price per barrel is $2 with estimates that the market price will drop to $.03 per barrel with this discovery.

Hailing from Ottawa, Canada, Dan Aykroyd made a name for himself as one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live. Before coming to New York, he honed his comedic skills with the Second City Comedy Troop in Toronto and began his acting career as a student at Carleton University in Canada. Aykroyd’s friendship with John Belushi and their on-screen chemistry brought success to the duo with the popular film The Blues Brothers, which he also wrote. Aykroyd still performs as Elwood in the Blues Brothers Band with Jim Belushi. As screenwriter and a star in the movie Ghostbusters, Aykroyd found movie success again with the now classic comedy in 1984. Nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actor In A Supporting Role for his role in Driving Miss Daisy, he was the first male cast member from Saturday Night Live to achieve that honor. An avid motorcycle enthusiast and music aficionado, he is co-owner of the restaurant chain House of Blues. Aykroyd has been married since 1983 to actress Donna Dixon, and the couple has three daughters.