On this day, Dec. 29

1846 Pittsburgh dispatched its first telegraphic message, a report from Gen. Bowman of the Pennsylvania militia notifying President James K. Polk that the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment was ready to leave for Mexico.

1890 The Wounded Knee massacre took place in South Dakota as U.S. troops murdered an estimated 300 Sioux Indians after being sent to disarm them.

1939 “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara, was released by RKO Radio Pictures.

1940 During World War II, Germany dropped incendiary bombs on London, setting off what came to be known as “The Second Great Fire of London.”

1967 A report for the Port Authority of Allegheny County stated that Skybus would be cheaper than a conventional “steel-onsteel” mass transit system, spreading over 60 miles, but would be more costly to run.

Either could be in operation in 17 years. 1981 The city’s budget for 1982 would be $229 million.

1992 The United States and Russia announced agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.

2006 Word reached the United States of the execution of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein (because of the time difference, it was the morning of Dec. 30 in Iraq when the hanging took place). In a statement, President George W. Bush called Saddam’s execution an important milestone on Iraq’s road to democracy.

2017 Puerto Rico authorities said nearly half of the power customers in the U.S. territory still lacked electricity, more than three months after Hurricane Maria. 2019 A man opened fire at a church near Fort Worth, Texas, killing two people before being shot and killed by a member of the church’s volunteer security team. Some items are from Stefan Lorant’s “Pittsburgh: The Story of an American City” (digital.library.pitt.edu/chronology).

— Compiled by Alyssa Brown Today’s birthdays: Country singer Rose Lee Maphis, 98. Actor Inga Swenson, 88. Retired ABC newscaster Tom Jarriel, 86. Actor Barbara Steele, 83. Actor Jon Voight, 82. Country singer Ed Bruce, 81. Singer Marianne Faithfull, 74. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Laffit Pincay Jr., 74. Actor Ted Danson, 73. Singer-actor Yvonne Elliman, 69. Actor Patricia Clarkson, 61. Comedian Paula Poundstone, 61. Rock singer-musician Jim Reid (The Jesus and Mary Chain), 59. Actor Michael Cudlitz, 56. Rock singer Dexter Holland (The Offspring), 55. Actorcomedian Mystro Clark, 54. Actor Jason Gould, 54. Movie director Lilly Wachowski, 53. Actor Jude Law, 48.

Thought for today: “The wise man must be wise before, not after.”

— Epicharmus, Sicilian-Greek comic poet (530 B.C.-440 B.C.)