On this day, Aug. 1

1876 Colorado became the 38th state. 1914 Germany declared war on Russia at the onset of World War I.

1940 Trustees for the bankrupt Pittsburgh Railways Co. filed a reorganization plan in federal court to consolidate 55 street transit systems into a single company.

1977 A strike by 14,000 steelworkers was the first major walkout in the basic steel industry in 18 years.

1994 Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley confirmed that they had been secretly married 11 weeks earlier. In January 1996, she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

2005 The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre announced that it would replace the musicians of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Orchestra with recorded music for its 2005- 06 season. Today’s birthdays: Singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, 88. Former Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, R- N. Y., 82. Actor Giancarlo Giannini, 77. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams, 69. Blues singermusician Robert Cray, 66. Singer Michael Penn, 61. Rock singer Joe Elliott ( Def Leppard), 60. Rock singer- musician Suzi Gardner ( L7), 59. Rapper Chuck D ( Public Enemy), 59. Actor Jesse Borrego, 57. Actor Demian Bichir, 56. Rapper Coolio, 56. Actor John Carroll Lynch, 56. Rock singer Adam Duritz ( Counting Crows), 55. Movie director Sam Mendes, 54. Country singer George Ducas, 53. Country musician Charlie Kelley, 51. Actress Jennifer Gareis, 49. Actor Charles Malik Whitfield, 47. Actress Tempestt Bledsoe, 46. Actor Jason Momoa, 40. Actress Honeysuckle Weeks, 40. Singer Ashley Parker Angel, 38. Actress Taylor Fry, 38. Actor James Francis Kelly, 30. Actress Ella Wahlestedt, 21.

Thought for today: “As scarce as truth is, the supply is always greater than the demand.”