July 2: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 2, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1842, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “‘The revolving wheel of time,’ as the pyrotechnists say, has again brought us near to that memorable epoch in the world’s history — the Fourth of July. It is a period fraught with recollections of the deepest interest, and one whose recurrence must ever awaken in the breasts of freemen the liveliest sensations of gratitude and joy; for the influence of the great truths on that day promulgated has not been confined to the nation that gave them birth, but has diffused itself, to a greater or lesser extent, throughout the whole civilized earth.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1869, the Eagle reported, “The national monument at Gettysburg was dedicated yesterday with a prayer by Henry Ward Beecher, a brief and well-considered speech by General Meade, a poem written by Bayard Taylor, and a long oration by Senator Morton of Indiana.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1903, the Eagle reported, “BUTTE, MONT. — Snow began falling in the vicinity of Butte last night and indications are that it will be heavy. It is predicted that Helena will also experience a snowstorm.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Eagle reported, “The big White Star liner Olympic, sister ship of the ill-fated Titanic, sporting the third largest gross tonnage afloat, hove into the Quarantine this morning and was promptly taken in charge by the Quarantine officials. It was claimed she had on board 193 steerage passengers who had not been properly physically examined at Cherbourg. Her first and second cabin passengers were taken off in small boats by the company agents, but her 1,122 steerage passengers must go to one of the Government’s quarantine stations tomorrow, there to be examined. This is the first voyage of the Olympic to this port since the war. The big ship was laid up in drydock to be equipped with oil-burning engines, and is today the biggest oil-burner on the seas. Her voyage, made in seven days, was considered completely successful.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1926, the Eagle reported, “Lock the front door and don’t forget to find a home for the cat. The summer travel rush is on. Those who believe the motorcar has supplanted other means of travel are advised to try to reach a ticket agent today or tomorrow. All records are broken. Surging tides are migrating to seashores and mountains in huge numbers, the password of the moment being, ‘Gimme a ticket.’ Traffic experts estimate that, before the rush from the city ends tomorrow night, between 1,500,000 and 2,000,000 persons will be off for beaches and countryside. Some, of course, will return to their desks on Tuesday morning; others will remain away for two weeks’ vacation and still others will be away for two months. The above estimate does not include motor tourists. Brooklyn shows an increase of 35 percent in the number of travelers this year over last, as registered at the consolidated ticket offices, where all railroads and boats combine at Fulton St., off Court St. The staff, augmented to summer strength, has its hands full. It is working far into the night, sometimes not being able to get things in shape for the next day’s rush until nearly midnight.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “BERLIN (U.P.) — The East German revolt spread into the ranks of the Russian army itself and 18 Russian soldiers have been executed for defying orders, it was reported today … The news reports came from the West Berlin Telegraf and came amid frantic Russian and East German Communist efforts to stem unrest which spread through five East German provinces and even into former German territory in Poland. Approximately 20 high Soviet officials have been called to Moscow to report on the rebellion.”

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Michelle Branch
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Alice” star Polly Holliday, who was born in 1937; NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, who was born in 1937; former White House Chief of Staff John H. Sununu, who was born in 1939; Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist Richard Axel, who was born in Brooklyn in 1946; “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator Larry David, who was born in Brooklyn in 1947; three-time Super Bowl champion Troy Brown, who was born in 1971; “The Game of Love” singer Michelle Branch, who was born in 1983; Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, who was born in 1984; “High School Musical” star Ashley Tisdale, who was born in 1985; “Mean Girls” star Lindsay Lohan, who was born in 1986; two-time Women’s World Cup soccer champion Alex Morgan, who was born in 1989; “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” star Margot Robbie, who was born in 1990; and rapper Saweetie, who was born in 1993.

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FOUNDERS DAY, PART 1: On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia which said “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.” This resolution prepared the way for adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

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FOUNDERS DAY, PART 2: The U.S. Constitution went into effect on this day in 1788. Cyrus Griffin of Virginia, the president of Congress, announced that the Constitution had been ratified by the required nine states (the ninth being New Hampshire on June 21), and a committee was appointed to make preparations for the change of government.

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

Quotable:

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.”

— U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, who was born on this day in 1908