October 11: Carnegie Library opens; Lyon is premier; Bulman Block fire; Icelanders arrive.

Ashdown's in rubble (source)

October 11, 1904 - The Bulman Block on Bannatyne and Albert burns to the ground. The fire caused extensive damage to the neighbouring Duffin and Baker Block, (the former Birt’s Saddlery building), before jumping across the street and levelling the Ashdown store.

Ashdown rebuilt but curiously the Bulman Block site never did. It remains an empty lot to this day.

October 11, 1875 - A group of nearly 300 Icelanders land in Winnipeg. Their final stop would be the shores of Lake Winnipeg, a settlement they name Gimli after the home of the Gods in Norse mythology. For more on the Icelandics in Manitoba.

October 11, 1905 - Winnipeg’s first library, The Carnegie Public Library on William Avenue, is opened by Governor General Earl Grey.

The building was named in honour of Andrew Carnegie, the American steel tycoon-turned-philanthropist, who donated $75,000 to the project. He would later help fund the St. John’s and Cornish branches. This was the city's central library until the Centennial opened in 1977.

For more history of the building.

October 11, 1977 - Sterling Lyon is elected Premier of Manitoba. He died in December 2010.