August 1: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1898, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “They say that [Sen.] Thomas C. Platt is now willing ‘to make or take’ Theodore Roosevelt. That is, he is now willing to have Theodore Roosevelt nominated for governor by the Republican state convention. Why not? Mr. Roosevelt has always been a ‘regular Republican.’ He has always been a machine man. We know that these will be regarded as words of reproach by some and of misdescription by others. But they are true. He never bolted a convention of his party. He never supported an opposition ticket. He never took a less than active part in every state and national campaign since manhood. Incredulity may be excited by these statements. Let examination test them. They will be found liberally true. Mr. Roosevelt’s personality is one thing. His party relationship is another. The machine has more than once stood in front of his ambition. He has never once gone against it as an independent, a reformer, a mugwump or anything of that kind.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Eagle reported, “The creation of additional playgrounds in sections of eighty-nine streets in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx, from which, during specified hours, vehicular traffic will be barred, is provided for in an order issued yesterday by Police Commissioner Enright. The order is effective on Monday morning at 8 o’clock. The streets designated are in the crowded residence sections of the three boros, and were chosen because they can be closed to vehicular traffic without serious interference with the movement of the city’s commerce. It was decided that play streets are not needed in Queens and Richmond because of their rural environments.”