- Jan 1 Neth Indies colony begins opium production
- Jan 4 Stanley Cup, Aberdeen Pavilion, Ottawa, ON: Ottawa HC beats Winnipeg Rowing Club, 2-0 for 2-1 challenge series victory
- Jan 4 In 'Gonzales v Williams', the US Supreme Court rules that Puerto Ricans are not aliens and may not be refused admission into continental United States; not until 1917 will citizenship rights be granted
- Jan 5 -34°F (-36.7°C), River Vale, New Jersey (state record)
- Jan 5 -42°F (-41.1°C), Smethport, Pennsylvania (state record)
- Jan 5 England beat Australia at the MCG, Rhodes 7-56 & 8-68
Music Premiere
Jan 13 Béla Bartók's symphonic poem "Kossuth" premieres by the Budapest Philharmonic Society in Budapest
Theater Premiere
Jan 17 Anton Chekhov's play "Cherry Orchard" opens at Moscow Art Theater
- Jan 21 Leos Janacek's opera "Jenufa" premieres in Brno
Historic Event
Jan 23 Ålesund Fire: the Norwegian coastal town Ålesund is devastated by fire, leaving 10,000 people homeless and one person dead. Kaiser Wilhelm II funds the rebuilding of the town in Jugendstil style.
- Jan 25 179 die in coal mine explosion at Cheswick, Pennsylvania
- Jan 25 John Millington Synge's play "Riders to the Sea" premieres in Dublin
- Jan 28 1st college sports letters given to Seniors who played on University of Chicago's football team are awarded blankets with letter "C" on them
- Jan 29 1st athletic letters given (University of Chicago football team)