December 29: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 29, 2023 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1849, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “The Journal of Commerce has received a parcel of tea from China, by the way of California. This is only the first fruits of a great trade which is ultimately to take that direction. The time is not distant when the trade of all India will be distributed to the world through New York. A line of steamers will soon be running from San Francisco to some of the prominent parts of Asia, touching at the Sandwich Islands, and communicating regularly with New York through San Francisco. How we want the Pacific railroad!”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1907, the Eagle reported, “What may prove a diamond mine is now under development in Arkansas. The first diamond was found last fall, near Murfreesboro; two more were found shortly thereafter and examined by Dr. G.F. Kunz, the well-known gem expert, formerly connected with the United States geological survey. Dr. Kunz visited the locality and examined it, and reported favorably. Dr. Henry S. Washington of the United States geological survey then visited the locality with Dr. Kunz and advised a thorough prospecting of the district. A company was formed, which now holds 600 acres in Pike County; within that tract, in an area of 30 acres, upward of 130 diamonds have since been found, weighing from 1-64 carats to 6 1/8 carats, and ranging in color from dark brown to the extremely valuable blue-white. One of the largest two found, weighing over six carats, Dr. Kunz states to be a stone of the finest blue-white quality. Dr. Kunz says that while the proposition can hardly as yet be styled a diamond mine, he regards the discovery as one of the most remarkable mineral discoveries in this country; for the diamonds found are the only ones ever found on the North American content in the original matrix. Diamonds have been found before, in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, but tracing of them (by Dr. Kunz) has proved them to have been carried there in glacial drift from sources north of the great lakes. Other stones, found in California, Montana, Idaho and Virginia, were all found to have ‘floated’ there from other sources.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1910, the Eagle reported, “CHICAGO — The Negro national baseball league with eight cities represented was formed here yesterday. The league plans to incorporate in Illinois and maintain headquarters in Chicago. The cities represented at the meeting where Chicago, Louisville, New Orleans, Mobile, St. Louis, Kansas City, Mo., Kansas City, Kan., and Columbus, O. Felix H. Payne of Kansas City, Mo., was elected temporary chairman. An executive committee was elected and will meet in New Orleans Mardi Gras week, no later than February 25.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1915, the South Brooklyn Home Talk reported, “The operation of the Fourth avenue subway to Eighty-sixth street, which was scheduled to commence on Saturday, January 8, has been postponed until January 15 — and in all probability the celebration planned by the people of Bay Ridge, under the auspices of the Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton Citizens’ Association, the West End Board of Trade and kindred organizations, will be postponed until the same date. This latter postponement will be decided upon at a meeting of the general committee to be held at Dowling & Muller’s real estate office this evening. The fact that the trains will not be in operation, and the mayor and other public officials not being taken through on the earlier date set will, in all probability, cause the managers of the celebration to wait until they have something to celebrate.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1961, the Brooklyn Record reported, “The opening of the Prospect Park Wollman ice skating rink heralds the awakening of a new and vibrant community spirit in the Borough of Brooklyn, City Council President Abe Stark said recently. Mr. Stark, the Borough President-elect of Brooklyn, who pioneered the movement for the million dollar recreational facility, hailed its completion in a speech prepared for delivery at ceremonies marking its formal dedication. It symbolizes the City’s efforts to provide expanded and more effective programs for community life and becomes an incentive to expedite the development of related facilities, said Mr. Stark, who has taken his oath of office and begins his new duties on Jan. 1, 1962. ‘On the eve of a New Year let us all dedicate ourselves to the task of maintaining neighborhood identity, to the reawakening of borough pride, and to stimulating city-wide consciousness,’ Mr. Stark said. ‘There is much left to do for Brooklyn and the city at large.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight, who was born in 1938; singer-songwriter Marianne Faithfull, who was born in 1946; “Cheers” star Ted Danson, who was born in 1947; “If I Can’t Have You” singer Yvonne Elliman, who was born in 1951; “Murder One” star Patricia Clarkson, who was born in 1959; former major league outfielder Devon White, who was born in 1962; “The Walking Dead” star Michael Cudlitz, who was born in 1964; The Offspring singer Dexter Holland, who was born in 1965; filmmaker Lilly Wachowski, who was born in 1967; “Cold Mountain” star Jude Law, who was born in 1972; baseball executive Theo Epstein, who was born in 1973; “ER” star Mekhi Phifer, who was born in 1974; “Rogue One” star Diego Luna, who was born in 1979; and “Community” star Alison Brie, who was born in 1982.