February 1: ON THIS DAY in 1917, ultimatum to Germany framed by Wilson

February 1, 2019 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1861, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Some of our contemporaries across the river are almost inclined to be envious of the good luck of Brooklyn in having three regular opera nights, to their dismal two. The example which the Brooklyn public have afforded, in supporting with so much spirit and good taste, their opera house, we hope may be imitated by our New York neighbors, who have so sadly neglected their academy in spite of the attractions put forth by the Artists’ Association, a group of artistic talent such as has never before been gathered together in this country. As we took occasions to say yesterday, the opera is domiciliated amongst us, and our neighbors are reluctantly conceding the fact that our people are extending a brilliant support to an opera troupe which for all practical purposes they unaccountably ignore.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Eagle reported, “Steve Brodie, the bridge jumper and sporting man of New York, died at San Antonio, Tex., last night of consumption.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle’s Washington Bureau reported, “An ultimatum to Germany is believed to have been framed by President [Woodrow] Wilson today. There can be no confirmation of this until the government makes some official announcement. Every development up to the middle of the afternoon, however, pointed to the sending of a blunt declaration by this government to the Foreign Office at Berlin. Twenty-four hours — perhaps an even shorter period of time — may witness the casting of the die for the future, pointing the way either to continued peace or war. A break in relations is imminent, and there is not a statesman in Washington who doubts that such a break will ultimately —probably soon — draw the United States into the world war.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1930, the Eagle reported, “The city’s 600 public schools, having graduated, promoted or passed in certain subjects 1,016,289 pupils this week, prepared today for an increase of 40,000 students in elementary schools, 11,000 in high schools, and 1,000 in junior high schools when the spring term opens Monday. Twelve new schools will open at that time, six of them in Brooklyn, one of them being the new Samuel J. Tilden High in East Flatbush.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle reported, “Traffic was light today on the new Brooklyn spur of the city’s Independent Subway System which opened at 6:12 o’clock this morning. The express service running on 3-minute headway out of the new Jay St. Borough Hall station during the rush period averaged barely 125 passengers per hour during the first three hours of the day. Travel after that dropped off still more as the riding to business ceased. This was not unexpected since the opening of any new service is always lighter than it will average later, because the Brooklyn public changes its riding habits slowly. Officials of the Board of Transportation who are operating the line as the Board of Estimate’s agent said that the people had not yet learned the convenience of the route and how it might serve them. Until they are educated to this it was not expected that the Brooklyn station would do a big business.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “Twenty-five-year old Hugh L. Carey of 60 Rutland Road recently received a field promotion to major in Germany. A veteran of the fighting in France, Belgium and Holland, Maj. Carey was educated in St. Augustine’s High School and St. John’s College and was an officer of a Brooklyn oil firm before entering the service. He has three brothers in service — Lt. Dennis J. Jr., a transport corps pilot in France; Lt. John R., meteorologist in the Aleutians, and Lt. (s.g.) Martin T., with the army transport corps at sea.”