June 23: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

June 23, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1865, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The 139th Regiment, under command of Brevet Brigadier General Roberts, arrived in this city yesterday from Richmond (where they were mustered out of the service), in the steamer John Brooks. They landed at the foot of Bridge street about 2 o’clock, and marching up to Myrtle avenue, proceeded to the rear of the City Hall in Joralemon street, where they were dismissed until 2 o’clock this afternoon, at which hour they will take up their march for Hart’s Island, where they are to be paid off. Before dismissal, a heavy storm came up and most of the veterans were completely drenched. They soon procured shelter however in the vicinity, and after the rain ceased, each man went his way to meet his family or some friend.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1939, the Eagle reported, “A successful conclusion to the city’s long drive for transit unification loomed today in an agreement between city officials and transit company representatives on a purchase price of $151,000,000 for the Interborough and Manhattan Railway properties, bringing the estimated cost for unification, including the Brooklyn-Manhattan Rapid Transit properties, to $326,000,000. Mayor LaGuardia announced the agreement this afternoon at Summer City Hall after a four-hour conference among transit negotiators. The purchase price, described by the mayor’s office as ‘the city’s final, definite and firm offer’ and concurred in by representatives for the principal bond and note holder groups of the I.R.T. and Manhattan Railway firms, will have to be ratified by the various groups of investors in the two transit companies and approved by the Federal Court because of the I.R.T. receivership. Following announcement of the offer, local traction company securities rose substantially on the New York Stock Exchange.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle published a letter which said, “The proposed nominees for mayor are now discussed by editorial writers and others who overlook a most important circumstance — the right of the largest voting borough to make a first claim upon the office this year. Since consolidation, only Brooklyn and Manhattan have contributed mayors; this was as it should be, since in our system the majority rules. The voters in these two boroughs apparently always outnumbered the others combined. That is still true, and Brooklyn has now become the largest voting unit in the city. Last year 980,350 votes were cast here, as against 669,765 in Manhattan, and smaller totals in the other three. It seems right in view of this preponderance of Brooklyn voters to expect all political parties to consider only Brooklyn residents as 1953 mayoral designees. We have had but four elected mayors from Brooklyn against seven from Manhattan; the selection has usually alternated. The discussion of Manhattan candidates seems to ignore these figures, and also the fact that ever since consolidation, Manhattan has had much more than its share of city offices and power. This year it is Brooklyn’s turn to name the mayor, and a determined attitude should produce that result.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — The Duke of Windsor is 60 today. To a new generation, that cannot mean too much. To those older, though, it must bring a tinge of sadness in the realization how fleeting are their own youth and romance. For it seems only yesterday that Edward VIII made the choice between his throne and his love. Actually it has been 18 years. Edward is 60 and he looks his years, graying and drawn, just as definitely as his 58-year-old Duchess does not look hers. Whether theirs has been a happy life only they can know. It has been in many ways a lonely one. But at 60 the Duke is still as gallantly and hotly touchy to gossip about his wife as he was when she was the twice-divorced Wallis Warfield and he was King.”

***

Jason Mraz
Troy David Johnston/Wikimedia Commons

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” author Richard Bach, who was born in 1936; “Knots Landing” star Ted Shackelford, who was born in 1946; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who was born in 1948; Misfits founder Glenn Danzig, who was born in 1955; Journey bassist and “American Idol” judge Randy Jackson, who was born in 1956; Oscar-winner Frances McDormand, who was born in 1957; “Cruel Intentions” star Selma Blair, who was born in 1972; “I’m Yours” singer Jason Mraz, who was born in 1977; former New York Giants center Shaun O’Hara, who was born in 1977; Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson, who was born in 1979; and “The Big Bang Theory” star Melissa Rauch, who was born in 1980.

***

CASH AND PRIZES: June Carter Cash was born on this day in 1929. As a member of the Carter Family, a group that included her mother, sisters and cousins, she toured as a performer from childhood. She met Johnny Cash on the road in 1961. She cowrote his hit song “Ring of Fire” and they began recording together. They married in 1968 and won two Grammys for their duets. She died in 2004.

***

GOLD STANDARD: Wilma Rudolph was born on this day in 1940. The Tennessee native won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter relays at the 1960 Rome games, becoming the first woman to win three gold medals at the same Olympics. She overcame polio as a child and went on to Tennessee State University to become an athlete. She won the Sullivan Award for most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States in 1961. She died in 1994.

***

Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“The triumph can’t be had without the struggle.”

— Wilma Rudolph, who was born on this day in 1940