Today in history

Today is Tuesday, February 6, the 37th day of 2018 and the 48th day of winter.

On this date in the SCV: In 1947, The Signal reported that Warren T. Graft, 89 year old Saugus recluse, owed his life and his fortune to two neighbor women. They dragged him out of his burning shack, and one of them sat on him while the other summoned the County firemen. The firemen doused the flames in a hurry, and Graft, released from restraint, scrambled into the charred shack, clawed his way in between two partially bumed mattresses on his bed, and took therefrom a flour sack containing $1,665 in currency. It was this “dough” in the flour sack that had caused him to try to rush back into the flaming cabin before the two ladies grabbed him. Battalion Chief Pierre Daries stated that the fire started from a small oil stove. Graft, who had lived in the 8 by 12 structure behind the stockpens in the Saugus railroad yards for several years, had been receiving state aid.

Today’s Highlights in History: In 1778, representatives of the United States and France signed an alliance in Paris. In 1788, Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution and became the sixth U.S. state. In 1952, Elizabeth II became queen regnant of the United Kingdom when her father, King George VI, died of cancer. In 1985, President Ronald Reagan defined the key concepts of his foreign policy, which the media dubbed “The Reagan Doctrine,” during his State of the Union Address. In 1998, President Bill Clinton signed a bill changing the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Today’s fact: Massachusetts had the third-largest population of the 13 colonies in 1770, at 235,808. The state’s population is currently estimated at 6.9 million.

Today’s sports: In 1958, the Boston Red Sox signed Ted Williams for $135,000, which was then the highest salary in baseball.

Today’s number: 74.7 – percentage of Israel’s population that is Jewish.

Today’s moon: Between full moon (Jan. 31) and last quarter moon (Feb. 7).