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TIL in 1905, American millionaire George Kessler threw himself a birthday party at the Savoy Hotel in London that involved flooding the entire courtyard with four feet of water so his guests could dine in gondolas and a five foot birthday cake brought out to them on the back of a baby elephant.

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via reddit.com

lov5K TIL that during a London Cholera outbreak, workers at local brewery near the outbreak were saved because they only drank beer, which protected them from the infected water.
R7mj8 TIL in 1928 a mail plane crashed into Georgia's Stone Mountain. The pilot not only survived the crash, but manually picked up the mail and descended the mountain himself.
WkQ04 TIL many Romans loved their dogs and made graves for them with profoundly touching epitaphs. One read, "I am in tears, while carrying you to your last resting place as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home in my own hands fifteen years ago."
neBbB TIL from the 1930’s to the 50’s, film studios used pure white asbestos fibers to replicate the look of snow. It was used in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and the famous snow scene at the end of Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas.’ Brands of asbestos fake snow included ‘White Magic’ ‘Snow Drift’ and ‘Pure White.’
bAEQ TIL Charles Byrne (aka “The Irish Giant”) in 1783 feared grave robbers would steal & dissect his body after his death, he requested that his coffin be weighed down & buried at the bottom of the sea. Before burial, his corpse was stolen, dissected, & his skeleton still on display to this day.