January 1, 1894 Denmark adopts Mid-European time January 1, 1894 Manchester Ship Canal in England opens to traffic January 2, 1894 Robert Nathan, New York City, poet, novelist (Portrait of Jennie) January 4, 1894 France ratifies Duple Alliance with Russia January 4, 1894 Wesley La Violette, composer January 7, 1894 Jose Rozo Contreras, composer January 7, 1894 Motion picture experiment of comedian Fred Ott filmed sneezing January 8, 1894 Columbus World's fair in Chicago destroyed by fire January 8, 1894 Pierre-Joseph van Beneden, paleont (life of tapeworms), dies at 84 January 9, 1894 Henryk Stazewski, Polish abstract painter/graphic artist January 10, 1894 Reginald Denham, London, Broadway director (Obsession, The Bad Seed) January 11, 1894 Jaroslav Vogel, composer January 12, 1894 Billy Gilbert, Louisville KY, actor (Paradise Alley, Safari, Rio) January 13, 1894 Revolution in Sicily crushed by government troops January 15, 1894 Edmond Rubbens, Belgian attorney/minister of colonization January 16, 1894 Guy Chamberlin, early NFL end/coach (Canton, Frankford, Cards) January 18, 1894 Wilhelm HC Tenhaeff, Dutch parapsychologist January 19, 1894 Francois Haverschmidt, Dutch writer, dies at 58 January 20, 1894 Harold L Gray, creator (Little Orphan Annie) January 20, 1894 Walter Hamor Piston, Rockland Maine, composer (Incredible Flutis)