November 30: ON THIS DAY in 1903, fire destroys BAM

November 30, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1903, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A fire that completely destroyed Brooklyn’s most historic theater, the Academy of Music, in Montague Street, broke out a few minutes before 9 o’clock this morning. The flames spread rapidly and in an hour and a half the fire had attained its height and had practically burned itself out. For the first hour of its progress the downtown portion of Brooklyn was in commotion. Business came to a standstill and a host of badly frightened folk watched the big pillar of flame and black smoke that rose above the house tops in the vicinity of Borough Hall. Not since the Brooklyn Theater was destroyed in a holocaust nearly 30 years ago has Brooklyn seen a blaze so spectacular and dramatic as that of this morning. The loss will not be less than $150,000 and may possibly reach $200,000.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “Washington, Nov. 29 (INS) — The American Government tonight tensely awaited Japan’s decision for war or peace in the Pacific as the entire Far East, from Vladivostok to the Netherlands East Indies, stood to arms. A Japanese invasion of Thailand, launched from French Indo-China, official Washington believed tonight, would touch off a major conflict that will envelop the entire Far East in flames. The decision for or against such an invasion was expected by high American officials to be made by the Tokyo government over the weekend. A closer tie-up between Germany and Japan, with the two Axis powers operating together in an effort to drive American and British interests out of the Orient, was foreseen in informed Washington quarters, the United Press reported, as a more likely alternate to acceptance by Japan of American terms.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “United Nations Hall, Flushing, Nov. 29 (U.P.) — The United Nations General Assembly, in the most important decision yet made, tonight voted to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, giving the Jews the homeland that they have sought for more than 2,000 years. The decision defied Arab threats to bathe the Holy Land in blood to prevent creation of a Jewish state in the Middle East. After the action, the Assembly adjourned until next September. The partition plan, engineered by the United States and Russia, called for Great Britain to leave Palestine by Aug. 1, letting a five-nation U.N. commission split the territory into Arab and Jewish states that will receive independence by Oct. 1. This plan won Assembly approval, 33 to 13, with 10 nations abstaining. The vote was easily the two-third majority required for the Assembly to act. In computing the two-thirds requirement, only the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ votes were counted. Arab delegates walked out of the great blue-and-tan Assembly Hall when the Assembly began electing members of a five-nation commission to administer the partition.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “London, Nov. 30 (U.P.) — Prime Minister Winston Churchill celebrated his 80th birthday anniversary today, and friend and foe alike turned out to pay him tribute greater than to any other living man. Drums of the Grenadier Guards beat out in a thunderous tattoo of Morse Code the ‘V for Victory’ signal he made famous when he led Britain through its darkest hour to its finest in World War II. Gifts showered upon him, the houses of Parliament met in joint session to honor him, and from President [Dwight] Eisenhower, former President Harry Truman and leaders around the world came messages of congratulations. And around him was all the pomp and pageantry of empire. Most of it was in his honor and Churchill loved it — even though it reduced the old bulldog to tears. There was silence only behind the Iron Curtain. And London’s Communist Daily Worker stayed true to form by urging him to resign. Churchill told the peers and commoners assembled in ancient Westminster Hall that ‘this, to me, is the most memorable public occasion of my life.’”