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ON THIS DAY IN 1945: Peace jitters sweep world

August 13, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “New Yorkers today awaited the news that peace again reigned in the world in a state of high expectancy but, at the same time, in a skeptical frame of mind. They had traveled the emotional roller coaster culminating in the high thrill and spill of a false United Press flash announcing the end of the war … The fires of celebration flared high shortly after 9:30 o’clock when the United Press unglued people’s ears from their radios and sent them cheering into the streets. In Brooklyn, Navy Yard whistles screeched as the streets filled rapidly … GIs and civilians in bars rushed into the streets with joy unconfined. Shipyards up and down the river joined in the tooting, auto horns melted into the din and tons of paper scraps were fluttering from windows when, at 9:36 p.m., the U.P. wired editors: ‘Hold that flash!’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “More than 1,000 curious onlookers lined the Battery sea wall this afternoon when the two-masted auxiliary fishing schooner ‘Annie Louise,’ with approximately 500 cases of liquor valued at $30,000 secreted beneath 500 pounds of codfish, was brought to the barge office and tied up by the Customs authorities. The captain and members of the crew abandoned the ship under the nose of the Coast Guard authorities at Fulton Market and the East River where the vessel tied up last evening … It is understood that the Customs authorities will ask the Board of Health to condemn the codfish, as they believe the fish has been aboard to vessel too long to be edible.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1846, the Eagle reported, “Another Lightning Line. It is stated to be the opinion of the President of the New York and Buffalo Telegraph Company that the Telegraph between New York and Albany will be in operation this week.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Eagle reported, “Lenox, Mass., Aug. 12 — Doubt as to the religious beliefs of Andrew Carnegie is believed to be one of the reasons for the delay in deciding definitely upon the funeral services to be held at Shadowbrook tomorrow morning. Reports connecting Mr. Carnegie with this or that church have no foundation, so far as is known here. While he contributed liberally to various denominations, he apparently was not a member of any church society. It had been thought that among his private writings there would be found after his death, Monday, some expression regarding his funeral.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1951, the Eagle reported, “Striking employees of the Staten-Island Manhattan Ferry reported back to work at noon today after a walkout that delayed thousands of commuters during the morning rush hour and jammed the facilities of the 69th Street Ferry in Brooklyn, which was not affected by the walkout. Shuttle service was set up this morning to take extra Staten Island commuters from the 69th Street Ferry in Bay Ridge to the Fourth Ave. subway line as a result of the sick strike of crews on six city ferries which usually ply between the island and downtown Manhattan. Only two boats were operating on the struck ferry line, the second going into service at 6:45 a.m., union agreeing to service. An extra detail of four cops was stationed at the Brooklyn terminal as the 69th Street Ferry took on the extra load of commuters. The Manhattan line carries 80,000 passengers and 4,500 vehicles daily.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “The Brooklyn Dodger management has been forced to change its plan to admit 8,000 youngsters belonging to the Knothole Club to tomorrow’s game at Ebbets Field with the Giants. Instead the small fry will be enabled to watch the Dodger-Philly game Monday night. It had been feared that the children would go to the ball park tomorrow and be turned away … [Dodger Vice President Buzzy] Bavasi explained that there generally are 12,000 general admission seats available for day games … except when the Dodgers play the Giants or Braves.” George C. Wildermuth, chairman of the board of the Knothole Club, said, “Now the boys are going to see a night game for the first time. I think that’s wonderful.”

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THE BERLIN WALL WAS ERECTED ON THIS DAY IN 1961. Early in the morning, the East German government closed the border between the east and west sectors of Berlin with barbed wire to discourage further population movement to the West. Telephone and postal services were interrupted, and later in the week, a concrete wall was built to strengthen the barrier between official crossing points. The dismantling of the wall began Nov 9, 1989.

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“SOUTH PARK” PREMIERED ON THIS DAY IN 1997. Comedy Central’s irreverent, satiric and often profane animated cartoon for adults features the misadventures of four boys–Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick–in South Park, CO, as well as a cast of hundreds. Trey Parker and Matt Stone are the creators of the tremendously popular show, which features purposefully crude animation.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events,” the Brooklyn Public Library and the Associated Press.

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