January 6: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 6, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1849, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “The boundaries of New Mexico, as reported in the House bill for organizing that territory, will take in all the northern part of Texas as that state is laid down on Mitchell’s recent maps. On the north, at the extreme western part, the boundary is the old line of latitude 42, between the Mexican possessions and the United States; thence it runs east and, following the line of the Texas boundary, drops down south along the 107th line of longitude to the sources of the Arkansas in about latitude 38; thence east along the Arkansas till you reach latitude 100 and thence again drops down south along that line of longitude to Red River; thence westerly to the Rio Grande and thence following the boundary line between the United States and Mexico, westerly till you reach California. The boundary between California and New Mexico is not laid down on maps but it is understood to follow the mountain ranges.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1874, the Eagle reported, “The Pennsylvania State Board of Supervisors has just adopted a plan offered by Collins and Autenreith, for a permanent Memorial Hall, in connection with the Centennial building. The Industrial Hall and the other buildings will belong to the nation. The Memorial Hall will be used as an art gallery during the exhibition. It will be 420 feet long, 320 feet wide, and 284 feet in height to the top of the figure above the dome. The temporary building for the exhibition will be 2,040 feet long by 680 feet wide, and will cover, with the extensions, over 44 acres.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1910, the Eagle reported, “Ernest Ruhmer of Berlin is one of several scientists who are seeking to make it possible for anyone telephoning to see the person to whom he is talking, and so be able to identify him and watch his every expression. It cannot be said that the demonstration apparatus he has invented has brought this most desirable thing to pass; it permits only the transmission of simple patterns, squares arranged in different combination. Yet it is evident that he is on the high road to success. Indeed, it is hoped that a complete and perfected set of television apparatus will be on view at the Brussels Exhibition next year. ‘Television,’ to quote a scientific correspondent of the Mail, ‘is in reality the telegraphing of a photograph instantaneously.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1916, the Eagle reported, “BOSTON — Five years of Democratic administration in Massachusetts ended with the inauguration today of the successful Republican candidates at the last election, Governor Samuel W. McCall and Lieutenant Governor Calvin Coolidge. Admission to the inauguration ceremonies in the House of Representatives was by ticket and every available place was filled. Mrs. McCall and a party of friends occupied a special gallery.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Eagle reported, “OYSTER BAY, L.I. — Colonel Theodore Roosevelt died in his sleep early today at his home on Sagamore Hill in this village. The exact time of Colonel Roosevelt’s death was 4:15 a.m., as nearly as can be determined, for there was no person at his bedside at the moment he passed away. A minute or two before, his attendant, James Amos, the young colored man who has been in the employ of the Colonel ever since he left the White House, noticed that the patient was breathing heavily in his sleep and went to call a nurse. When he returned with her, the former President was dead. Mrs. Roosevelt was immediately summoned … The former President came to his home on Sagamore Hill from the Roosevelt Hospital on Christmas Day, but a week later — on New Year’s Day — was stricken with a severe attack of rheumatism and sciatica, from which he had been suffering for some time … Flags were placed at half-mast in Oyster Bay today … The Colonel’s death came as a shock to the people of Oyster Bay, as friends knew that he was about the house the greater part of yesterday, reading and doing some writing. His two sons abroad, Kermit and Theodore, Jr., are, respectively, officers with the American Forces in France and the Army of the Occupation in Germany.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “Another legend blasted. Folks always thought that John Philip Sousa was an immigrant boy named Philipso, to which U.S.A. had been added. That’s not true, the band leader says now, because it was an invention of one of his earlier press agents.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1941, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (AP) — Franklin D. Roosevelt was officially declared by the Senate and House in Congress assembled today to have been elected to a third term. At the same time Henry A. Wallace was announced to have been chosen Vice President. The announcement was made by Vice President [John Nance] Garner, presiding in the House chamber over a joint session of the two Houses called to canvas the electoral votes of States, by which Presidents and Vice Presidents win their offices. Senators Austin (R., Vt.) and Connally (D., Texas) and Representatives Ramspeck (D., Ga.) and Tinkham (R., Mass.) served as ‘tellers’ of the electoral ballots. The counting required less than half an hour as Garner, in rapid succession, removed the electoral certificates from sealed envelopes and handed them to the tellers for inspection. The vote: Mr. Roosevelt and Wallace, 449 votes; Wendell L. Willkie and Senator Charles L. McNary, the Republican candidates, 82 votes.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1943, the Eagle reported, “Biggest building job of 1942 was the pentagon-shaped War Department Building at Arlington, Va., which has 25 miles of offices and will house 40,000 workers.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include College Football Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz, who was born in 1937; “Mr. Bean” star Rowan Atkinson, who was born in 1955; Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Elizabeth Strout, who was born in 1956; World Golf Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who was born in 1957; Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long, who was born in 1960; “The Walking Dead” star Norman Reedus, who was born in 1969; “Big Brother” host Julie Chen Moonves, who was born in 1970; volleyball player Gabrielle Reece, who was born in 1970; former N.Y. Jets linebacker James Farrior, who was born in 1975; former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel, who was born in 1981; Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, who was born in 1982; and former “Saturday Night Live” star Kate McKinnon, who was born in 1984.