July 24: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

July 24, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1846, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A brilliant private picnic, comprising some forty ladies and gentlemen, ‘came off’ at Coney Island yesterday. There were three omnibus loads of them — part from the great Gomorrah on the other side of the river. They had a ‘first rate time,’ we are informed.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1875, the Eagle reported, “On Sunday night three sailors deserted from the U.S. man of war Powhattan, at the Navy Yard. They flung themselves into the water with the intention, it is supposed, of swimming to the New York shore. Neither of them were seen alive again. Yesterday afternoon the body of a drowned man in a sailor’s garb was discovered floating off Cobb’s dock, and within a couple of hours another drowned sailor was picked up at the Catherine Ferry … The third deserter is still missing.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, the Eagle reported, “The sharp increase that land values have undergone in all sections of the boro of Brooklyn in the last ten years continues to stand forth as more figures are available in the boro-wide survey of neighborhoods that is being conducted by the Brooklyn Real Estate Board to show the comparative assessed valuations of land in 1917 and 1927. The second installment of these figures, issued by the Brooklyn Real Estate Board yesterday, represents another limited number of sections. Still more will follow as the survey is completed. The figures cited are the more impressive because they deal only with the assessed valuations of the land, disregarding buildings and improvements entirely, the inclusion of which would make the increases even more startling.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle reported, “Aqueduct is likely to pass out of the racing picture. This is on the authority of the men in the inner circle — men in control. In saying this there is, however, an IF. And that ‘if’ is this — legislative relief from present day conditions. After pinching here and there — and the here and there were the horsemen who suffered most — Aqueduct in its Spring and Summer meeting was just able to pay running expenses. The millstone still exists, and there is no likelihood under present arrangements that it will be lifted — taxes on the property. Aqueduct pays in taxes $53,000. It’s a lot of money these days. That is the big burden. In addition another item must be met — interest on the land on Long Island which was purchased some years ago when there was a movement on foot toward changing the location of the racing plant from Aqueduct to a spot twenty-three miles from Jamaica, between the Long Island Railroad and the Motor Speedway.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1934, the Eagle reported, “ALBANY (AP) — The New York Legislature today returned to Albany for the third week of the special session ready to do battle on at least three of the controversial questions awaiting action — county government reform, Congressional reapportionment and the proposed new appropriation of $13,000,000 for State aid to schools. Senator John J. McNaboe, independent Democrat, is expected to open his fight to force a vote on his Congressional reapportionment bill despite the opposition of Democratic Leader John J. Dunnigan. McNaboe served notice last week that he would act as soon as enough Senators were present.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “COLUMBUS, OHIO (U.P.) — A Columbus television station broke its Democratic National Convention program last night to put its cameras on what were believed to be four ‘flying saucers.’ Weather Bureau officials believed, however, the ‘saucers’ were large plastic balloons at very high altitudes.”

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Kristin Chenoweth
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

Jennifer Lopez
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Laugh-In” star Ruth Buzzi, who was born in 1936; “Clueless” star Dan Hedaya, who was born in Brooklyn in 1940; “Fright Night” star Chris Sarandon, who was born in 1942; “Seinfeld” star Michael Richards, who was born in 1949; “Wonder Woman” star Lynda Carter, who was born in 1951; National Racing Hall of Famer Julie Krone, who was born in 1963; Basketball Hall of Famer Karl Malone, who was born in 1963; all-time home run champion Barry Bonds, who was born in 1964; “A Different World” star Kadeem Hardison, who was born in Brooklyn in 1965; “Wicked” star Kristin Chenoweth, who was born in 1968; “If You Had My Love” singer Jennifer Lopez, who was born in 1969; “Firefly” star Summer Glau, who was born in 1981; “Mad Men” star Elisabeth Moss, who was born in 1982; Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin, who was born in 1982; and TV personality Bindi Irwin, who was born in 1998.