Timeline October 1883

Events in October 1883 5

• 1883 Benz & Cie founded in Mannheim The third attempt After two earlier ventures collapse, Benz & Cie Rheinische Gasmotoren-Fabrik is founded in Mannheim. It sells stationary gas engines, which finally makes money, which finally gives Carl Benz the time and cash to build a vehicle. Bertha works alongside him on the technical problems, including winding the wire induction coils for the ignition by hand.
• 1883 Orient Express makes its inaugural journey Luxury rail service begins linking Paris and the Balkans The Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits launched the first Orient Express service from Paris on 4 October, bound for Constantinople via Giurgiu. The train became a symbol of luxury rail travel and international intrigue.
• 1883 US Supreme Court decides the Civil Rights Cases Court strikes down the Civil Rights Act of 1875 On 15 October the Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment did not empower Congress to outlaw racial discrimination by private individuals or businesses. The decision gutted the Civil Rights Act of 1875 and opened the way for segregation laws across the United States.
• 1883 Treaty of Ancón ends the War of the Pacific Peru cedes territory to Chile Signed on 20 October in Ancón, the treaty ended the war between Chile and Peru. Peru ceded the province of Tarapacá to Chile and agreed to a plebiscite over Tacna and Arica.
• 1883 Metropolitan Opera House opens New opera house debuts in New York City The Metropolitan Opera House opened on 22 October with a performance of Gounod's Faust. Built by a group of wealthy New Yorkers denied boxes at the existing Academy of Music, it became one of the world's leading opera companies.