November 13: ON THIS DAY in 1904, Will science soon be able to forecast volcanic eruptions?
ON THIS DAY IN 1860, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The question of the abstract right of secession is one which has never been thoroughly discussed. The framers of the Constitution made no provision for it and no provision against it. As the Grecian legislators refused to attach penalties to certain crimes, or even mention them in their statutes, because they were deemed such as human nature in its normal condition would never perpetrate, and their mention might suggest them to the morally depraved, so the founders of the Republic thought it unnecessary to stipulate pro or con with reference to a contingency which they could hardly contemplate as even among the remote possibilities of the far-distant future. Scarcely has a generation passed away, when the question comes up for practical solution, certain States claiming the right to withdraw, and threatening to put it into execution. Putting aside the abstract right of secession, the present aspect of the South demands attention, as it is fraught with immediate and important consequences to the country at large.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1904, the Eagle reported, “Recent eruptions of some of the great volcanoes have inspired renewed discussion of the subject by scientists in all parts of the world. The fear of repetitions of the disastrous outbreaks of the past and the efforts to forecast future outbreaks have made the subject one of intense interest. In the researches that have been made, and are still being made, mere academic investigation on the part of geological experts is a minor consideration, in view of the vital points to be achieved — the preservation of life and property … The United States Weather Bureau is arranging at Mount Weather to forecast the weather for one year. In Washington there is already in complete operation a department in which floods are accurately prognosticated, enabling whole communities to seek timely shelter, and resulting in the saving of millions of dollars of property annually. Certain scientific institutions are now working and, in fact, have been seeking for years methods of foretelling the eruption of volcanoes.”
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.