January 7: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 7, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

Share this:

ON THIS DAY IN 1853, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “It was rumored last night that a sad accident had befallen the President-elect on one of the Eastern Railways, and that he had narrowly escaped death, while Mrs. Pierce was badly injured, and his only son was instantly killed, together with some ten or twelve other persons. The material parts of this sad story are confirmed by the telegraphic dispatches published in the morning papers. About one o’clock yesterday afternoon, General Pierce and his family took the cars at Andover, for Concord, and had scarcely got under full way when the breaking of a wheel or an axle caused the passenger car to be precipitated down a steep bank. It turned completely over in its passage down the bank, and when it finally struck was crushed to pieces, wounding several of the passengers badly, and instantly killing the only son of the President, a boy of thirteen years, who was the idol of his doting parents.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1912, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON, JAN. 6 — New Mexico, the forty-seventh State to enter the Union, ceased to be a Territory at 1:35 o’clock today, when President Taft signed the proclamation of statehood. Four members of the President’s Cabinet, the two Congressmen-elect from New Mexico, a dozen prominent citizens from the new State, several White House employees and three photographers witnessed the ceremony, which took place in the President’s private office. The proclamation was signed in duplicate, one to be preserved in the records of the Government, the other to go to the New Mexico Historical Society.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON, JAN. 6 — Conversion of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado into a national park was urged at today’s session of the National Parks Conference by speakers who declared thousands of tourists last year left the great natural wonder, disgusted with conditions which rob visitors of enjoying its beauties. Guides and livery solicitors continually harass the tourists and fights among these men place visitors in danger, according to L.C. Way of the Forest Service. He declared the Forest Service, which has jurisdiction over the Grand Canyon, is not permitted by law to regulate personal conduct. It was pointed out that 106,000 persons visited the Grand Canyon in 1915. That was 64,000 more than visited the three largest national parks.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle reported, “NORTHAMPTON, MASS. (AP) — America today bade farewell to Calvin Coolidge. In Edwards Congregational Church, President and Mrs. Hoover and other high dignitaries of the Nation bowed their heads in brief and simple funeral services for the Nation’s thirtieth President. Outside the red-brick church, unable to enter, stood thousands, many of them life-long neighbors of Coolidge in Northampton, assembled to pay their last respects to their city’s greatest citizen. The funeral services began immediately after Mrs. Coolidge walked to a front pew, leaning on the arm of her son, John. The organ sounded the prelude from the New World Symphony by Dvorak, and then followed the invocation by the Rev. Albert J. Penner … Before the services, hundreds of men and women, some accompanied by children, filed through the church to look for the last time at the face of Mr. Coolidge.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “Politically minded women will hear two women political writers next Thursday night at the second session of the course in politics given by the Helen P. McCormick Women Voters League at the Plaza Bridge Club, 70 8th Ave. Marie Frugone and Margaret Mara, who do newspaper columns about women in politics, will participate in a panel discussion with Lillian Rock, president of the A-Woman-For-President League. Mrs. Charles Fasullo is chairman of the session. Announcement of the meeting was made today by Mrs. John C. Muller, publicity chairman of the league.”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “COTTONWOOD, ARIZ. (U.P.) — Ace movie director Victor Fleming, 59, died last night of a heart attack while being driven to a hospital. He was stricken earlier at the Beaver Creek Guest Ranch, 25 miles from here, where he was vacationing with his wife and two daughters. Fleming entered the film industry in 1910 under the late David Wark Griffith, and later directed such expensive productions as ‘Gone With the Wind’ and the recent ‘Joan of Arc.’ Fleming directed Douglas Fairbanks Sr. through most of his career. His vigorous direction helped make Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow top stars at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the studio where Fleming worked for many years. Fleming’s direction of ‘Gone With the Wind’ won an Academy Award in 1939. He also directed ‘Test Pilot,’ ‘Captains Courageous,’ ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘The Virginian.’”

***

ON THIS DAY IN 1949, the Eagle reported, “Eastern and mid-Western television networks will be linked next Tuesday, when Philadelphia and Cleveland are connected by ‘booster’ stations and coaxial cables. The new connection marks a major step in the development of a cross-country television chain which will include the separate West Coast network. The East-Midwest link will permit exchange of programs originating in cities as far apart as Boston and St. Louis. The inauguration of the new service Tuesday will be marked by a program shared by N.B.C., C.B.S., A.B.C. and Dumont television stations. After Tuesday the four companies will divide time on the network.”

***

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Mighty Joe Young” star Terry Moore, who was born in 1929; Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner, who was born in 1946; “Footloose” singer Kenny Loggins, who was born in 1948; painter and sculptor Robert Longo, who was born in Brooklyn in 1953; “CSI: Miami” star David Caruso, who was born in 1956; TV journalist Katie Couric, who was born in 1957; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go’s), who was born in 1959; U.S. Sen. John Thune, who was born in 1961; Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage, who was born in 1964; U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, who was born in 1964; “Avengers” star Jeremy Renner, who was born in 1971; former N.Y. Yankees second baseman Alfonso Soriano, who was born in 1976; “The Walking Dead” star Lauren Cohan, who was born in 1982; and “Nikita” star Lyndsy Fonseca, who was born in 1987.