December 28: ON THIS DAY in 1944, U.S. Army now on offensive

December 28, 2018 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “Bastogne, Belgium, Dec. 27 (Delayed) (U.P.) – An American relief column has lifted the week-long German siege of encircled Bastogne, but the rescued doughboys aren’t overjoyed about it. They are a little peeved that others are going to horn in on their personal fight with the Germans … The doughboys’ attitude reflected that of their commander. Only 24 hours after Bastogne was surrounded, he received an ultimatum from the German commander. The American reply was classically brief and to the point. ‘Nuts!’ he said.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1843, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Professor [Samuel] Morse, of the Magnetic Telegraph, says that about ten miles of pipe (enclosing the conductors) have been laid down, under the appropriation made by Congress for that purpose; but the lateness of the season will embarrass further operations until next spring.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1871, the Eagle reported, “The Tribune and Herald are raising again their cry for the consolidation of Brooklyn and New York. The only argument on which this plea can be defended is that New York needs in her government the kind of men Brooklyn already has entrusted with the management of her own affairs. Our municipal matters are run at least three hundred per cent cheaper than those of New York, allowing for all the disproportion of population. We speak deliberately and knowingly on this point. Just at present is a very opportune time to show some difference between New York and Brooklyn on the important matter of punishing election frauds. Every indictment so far found in Brooklyn has resulted in conviction. All the frauds charged in this whole city were a bagatelle to those committed in [William] Tweed’s single district. In Brooklyn, rumored fraud has resulted in swift convictions. In New York, demonstrated fraud has not been followed even by a single indictment. We convict equally the scoundrels of either party … Our own superb self-government and New York’s conceded misgovernment, are ample argument against a union of the dead metropolitan body and the healthful life of Brooklyn.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1897, the Eagle reported, “The wind-up of affairs in the boroughs so soon to become Greater New York is proceeding with less friction and with less scandal than might have been expected. Very naturally, the various boroughs are anxious to finish their business with their citizens in as orderly and liberal a manner as possible. The administrative work of the several governments is honorably coming to an end. Nor are the financial officials subjecting themselves to criticism … The old governments are going out in good form. The new government will come in with the good wishes of the masses of the people.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1909, the Eagle reported, “Commissioner [James W.] Stevenson of the Department of Bridges announced this afternoon that the Manhattan Bridge will be opened to the public immediately following the passage of Mayor [George] McClellan and party over the structure on December 31, at 2 p.m. Commissioner Stevenson will call for the mayor at the City Hall shortly after 1 o’clock, accompanied by Chief Engineer Kingsley Martin and Consulting Engineer [Alexander] Johnson, and the party will board a department automobile and proceed therein to and across the bridge. The footpaths will not be opened, even for the day, but pedestrians will on Friday be given the privilege of crossing on the roadways for vehicles. On the day following, these roadways will be closed to pedestrians, but they will remain open for vehicular traffic. There will be no celebration, according to the present outlook by the Brooklyn League, in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, as was first expected.”