This Day In 1970's History: Monday January 17, 1977
- Gary Gilmore, a convicted murderer, got his wish and was executed by a firing squad at Utah State Prison. He was executed at 8:07 A.M. mountain standard time, after a hectic night in which state lawyers flew to Denver to overturn a last-minute stay of execution obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union, an opponent of capital punishment. [New York Times]
- At least 24 American servicemen were killed in a collision between a Navy launch loaded with sailors and Marines and a freighter in Barcelona harbor. The launch was taking the men back to ships of the United States Sixth Fleet from weekend leave. The Navy reported that 30 men were injured and that 26 were unaccounted for, but it had not been determined if they were all on the launch. [New York Times]
- Frigid weather put a heavy drain on natural gas and electricity supplies and forced the closing of thousands of factories and offices across the Eastern half of the country. Several large gas distributors said they would cut off supplies to all industrial customers and warned of cuts for commercial users if the unusually cold weather continued. [New York Times]
- Subzero temperatures, shattering records, put an Arctic hammerlock on the New York metropolitan area. Schools were shut in some suburban areas and commuter travel was in a turmoil. One degree below zero was recorded in Central Park at 8:45 A.M., the lowest temperature on a Jan. 17 since weather record-keeping in New York City began in 1869. It broke a record of 5 degrees set in 1893. [New York Times]
- President Ford's last budget was sent to Congress. It embodies his conservative philosophy by proposing a slowdown in the growth rate of federal spending and a long-term policy of continuously declining income tax rates. Major changes by the Carter administration are certain. [New York Times]
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