January 28: ON THIS DAY in 1948, schools cut fuel oil use 15 percent

January 28, 2019 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1854, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Printers Can Read Anything. – The above remark is often made by correspondents and advertisers, as an excuse for half spelled words, abbreviated technicalities, and slovenly unreadable writing in general. There is no doubt that printers are better decipherers of bad manuscript than any other class of persons. But when, for instance, a merchant writes, even in his plain and beautiful hand, that he has received five barrels Bts., ten pounds Cl., it is somewhat difficult to determine whether the merchant really means boots, biscuits, butternuts; chalk, cheese, or churns, cloves, clocks or clams.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today in Larchmont for Mrs. Irene Sumner Van Brunt, widow of Cornelius Bergen Van Brunt, until his death in 1921 a well-known real estate lawyer with offices at 190 Montague St., and a descendant of a family which settled in Bay Ridge in 1650. Mrs. Van Brunt, who died Thursday in her home in New Rochelle in her 74th year, will be buried in Green-Wood Cemetery. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Roger L. Lyon, of Larchmont. The Van Brunts formerly lived at 249 78th St. Mr. Van Brunt was born in the old Van Brunt homestead at Shore Rd. and 81st St., once a farm which had been in the possession of the family since 1650. A large portion of the estate was purchased by the Crescent Athletic Club, of which Mr. Van Brunt was a member, for its former country club in Bay Ridge.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “Washington, Jan. 28 (U.P.) – The American government, outraged by Japanese extermination of at least 7,700 American war prisoners, has given up hope of getting relief supplies to surviving prisoners of war in Japanese hands, the White House said today. The documented account of Japanese brutality toward war prisoners in the Philippines was published by the Army and Navy last night. Today White House Secretary Stephen T. Early said explained the timing of the release. ‘The time has come,’ he said, ‘to release factual, carefully authenticated reports on Japanese atrocities. The government can no longer expect to get further relief to American prisoners of war in the hands of the Japanese.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “Albany, Jan. 28 – A bill to penalize indifferent voters by making them subject to a $25 fine if they fail to go to the polls and cast ballots was introduced in the Legislature today by Assemblyman Max H. Turshen, Brooklyn Democrat. The bill is modeled on the Australian law applying to all persons eligible to vote, and would permit the imposition of the penalty if they fail to register and also if, after having registered, they fail to vote in November in local, state and national elections. ‘The ballot is such a vital and important function, as well as a duty, of every citizen that it is high time that all persons who are citizens and qualified to vote shall be required to do so by law,’ Mr. Turshen said in offering his bill. ‘If this bill becomes law, everyone will be conscious of his civic duties and obligations and will take a real interest in politics and in the affairs of government. It will make for a more representative and real democracy.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “Fuel oil consumption in every one of the city’s 51 oil-heated school buildings will be slashed 15 to 20 percent in an effort to conserve oil during the current shortage School Superintendent [William] Jansen today announced in an order to principals and custodians. Twenty-two of the schools, 15 elementary and seven highs, are in Brooklyn. Dr. Jansen revealed that the present supply of fuel oil in the schools is only 42 percent of capacity although coal-heated buildings have an adequate supply of fuel. He also asserted that two buildings, which he did not name, had only a three-day supply on hand. Dr. Jansen said that a temperature of 68 degrees would be maintained in the classrooms.”