On this date in...

1878...The first New York phone directory is issued. It's just one page and lists fewer than 300 names.

1905...The city starts operating a regular commuter ferry service from Staten Island to Manhattan, hoping to replace a hodge-podge of unregulated ferries. Over the years, the Staten Island Ferry evolves into a symbol of both the efficiency and romance of our city. Today, the ferry carries some 18 million riders each year.

1915...More than 25,000 women march up Fifth Avenue demanding the right to vote.

1948...The United Nations General Assembly meets in New York for the first time at an auditorium in Flushing Meadows, Queens.