September 18: ON THIS DAY in 1954, Transit protests pile up

September 18, 2020 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1862, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reprinted the following dispatch from the Philadelphia Press: “Hagerstown, September 17 — A battle has been raging furiously for the past two days on the Antietam creek, a torturous stream, having its source in the mountains, and running down to the Potomac river midway between Robertsville and Sharpsburg. The rebels, cut off from the iron bridge at Harper’s Ferry by the advance of Gen. Franklin’s corps, and fearing to cross the Potomac at any of the fords, with Gen. McClellan pushing down hard upon them, took this creek for a line of defense. During yesterday the battle raged with great spirit, and the firing on either side was very heavy until towards sundown, when the rebels were flanked by Porter and Hooke, and were being severely punished. Their firing became desultory, and it was evident that their ammunition was giving out. This morning the battle was renewed by the rebels with redoubled vigor; they acted as if they had been reinforced and furnished with ammunition. The battle lasted till four o’clock this afternoon, when the rebels retreated, leaving General Longstreet and the remnant of his division in our hands as prisoners of war. Our victory is sure, but it has cost us many officers and men.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Eagle reported, “ALBANY — The first Court of Impeachment ever convened in the Empire State to try a governor charged with ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ met at noon today. It was at that hour that Edgar M. Cullen, chief judge of the Court of Appeals, took the chair to preside over the court. Within an hour the court had adjourned, to reconvene tomorrow, the rules of procedure to be drawn up in the meantime. Nine judges of the Court of Appeals and forty-eight senators took the solemn oath. One of the judges of the Court of Appeals is abroad and one senator is ill at his home. These two were the only absentees. Governor [William] Sulzer himself was not in court. It was early decided that the designated judges of the Court of Appeals should sit as members of the Court of Impeachment. Judge Cullen stated that there was no doubt in his mind of the legality of having these judges sit, and no objection was interposed by counsel for Governor Sulzer.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1918, the Eagle reported, “The epidemic of ‘Spanish’ influenza which made its appearance at Camp Upton a few days ago and has led to the quarantining of that cantonment has spread itself to five Army camps. In addition to 350 cases at Upton there are 1,500 cases at Camp Devens, Mass., and 1,000 at Camp Lee, Va., according to an official announcement made today by Surgeon General Gorges. Several hundred cases and one death have also been reported, unofficially, from Camp Dix, N.J., as well as a widespread outbreak at Camp Gordon, Ga. There have been three deaths at Camp Devens. Health Commissioner Copeland stated frankly today that the people of this city might as well reconcile themselves to a visitation from the disease. This was the first indication which has been given that the department regards the situation with concern. All utterances heretofore indicated that they made light of it.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “Community resentment flared high today over the drastic ‘economy’ curtailment of Brooklyn’s surface transit service ordered by the Transit Authority. Many protests by shocked leaders of borough civic and business groups to both the Authority and the Board of Estimate were being whipped into shape. The board will be urged to hold an immediate public hearing to hear a flood of mounting protests against the projected elimination of one Brooklyn bus line, the shortening of four others, and the curtailing of hours of operation at still five more. Setting the tone, Godfrey A. Stamm, chairman of the Surface Transportation Committee of the Brooklyn Civic Council, which is composed of 56 borough organizations, said: ‘The Brooklyn Civic Council will study the proposed curtailment of service of the Brooklyn lines, and where it is deemed necessary and proper, will make a strong protest to all proper authorities against the proposed curtailment of service.”