January 17: ON THIS DAY in 1952, city hails Capt. Henrik Kurt Carlsen

January 17, 2019 Meaghan McGoldrick

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ON THIS DAY IN 1883, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Last night a meeting was held in the Common Council Chamber of those interested in seeing rapid transit provided for Brooklyn. The meeting was held in response to an invitation issued last week by Mayor [Seth] Low calling upon citizens of all parties and representing every shade of opinion to meet together for the purpose of discussing the question of rapid transit as it relates to Brooklyn. Invitations were issued to the leading railroad men of the city asking them to attend and give their views on a subject in which as they are largely interested, they are supposed to have formed some clear opinions.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1921, the Eagle reported, “The second attempt of the Brooklyn City Railroad to put into effect a double fare on its Flatbush line for passengers riding beyond Foster Ave. was made today without a recurrence of the riots of last summer. Evidently realizing the futility of offering physical resistance to the railroad officials in view of the latter’s victories in the courts, the public adopted a new weapon – the boycott. The second fare charge went into effect at 5 a.m. From that hour on, car after car of the line, watched by impartial observers, made the two-mile trip from the car barns at Avenue N and E. 49th St. without a single passenger.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1942, the Eagle reported, “Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 17 (U.P.) — Film star Clark Gable joined miners, Indians, and soldiers cutting a path up Table Rock Mountain today in search of the wreckage of an air liner in which his actress wife, Carole Lombard and 21 others were believed to have been killed. Miss Lombard was accompanied by her mother and publicity representative, Otto Winkler, returning from Indianapolis, Ind., where Miss Lombard had appeared at a defense bond sales rally. Also on the plane were 15 officers and men of the Army Ferry Command, stationed at Long Beach, Cal. Lois Hamilton of Detroit was the only other passenger. Ground crews were unable to sight the wreckage of the plane, although a Western Air Express pilot informed TWA that he believed he had seen the wreckage of a plane burning on the eastern slope of Table Rock Mountain, dividing Death Valley from Nevada.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “A tumultuous welcome greeted the reluctant hero of the greatest of modern sagas of the sea today. The city’s millions poured forth a thunderous ovation as Capt. Henrik Kurt Carlsen, master of the ill-starred Flying Enterprise, took over a new command – skipper of the good ship New York. The modest hero wore a winning smile as he greeted cheering Brooklynites along his route from Brooklyn Heights to Bay Ridge and, after a Coast Guard cutter trip across the Upper Bay, rode up Broadway, ‘Canyon of Heroes,’ to City Hall. The man who stayed with his listing, sinking ship through 14 days of stormy seas rode up Broadway through storms of ticker tape and confetti. Seated atop the rear seat of an open car, Carlsen waved his gold-braided cap while tons of ticker-tape and torn papers streamed down on him from Broadway skyscrapers.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “Boston, Jan. 16 (U.P.) — Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy’s Communist inquiry was thrown into an uproar today when a spectator fought with guards after they had pushed two balky witnesses from the hearing room. Television audiences saw an unscheduled boxing match when Nathaniel Mills, a former witness before the McCarthy committee, started throwing wild punches at five guards. They ducked his fists, pinned his arms to his sides and whisked him out of Boston’s Federal Building. ‘You’re a menace!’ Mills screamed at McCarthy. ‘Get him out!’ spectators shouted. McCarthy hammered with his gavel as the uproar continued.”