April 6: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

April 6, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1895, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “Following close on the discovery of argon in the atmosphere comes a report that helium has been found on earth. Helium is one of the few things that chemists believe to exist in the sun and that has not been found here. Spectrum analysis has exploded the idea that other planets and their suns were differently composed from our own earth, which is a child of the sun like the other planets, and therefore contains, in every probability, the materials of which the sun is made. That some suns — or stars as we call them when they are far away — contain the elements in different proportion from those found on our sun and on our earth is likely enough, and the varying and sometimes variable color of the stars indicates as much; but the fact that all creation is made of about seventy elements, or substances that cannot be subdivided into anything else, is proof of the sublime order and oneness, the diversity that consists in unity, which make our humble globe — the satellite of a little star in the milky way — cousin to the grandest orbs that flash through space and lead their own retinue of worlds through the limitable oceans of eternity, trillions of miles from the little ring that we describe in our annual career. Such is the import of the finding of a grain or so of a heretofore unfound element in a chip of stone in Norway.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1896, the Eagle reported, “ATHENS — The opening of the Olympic games was observed here today as a national festival. The city was brilliantly decorated and great enthusiasm was manifested over the sports. The day opened with a Te Deum in the cathedral, which was attended by the royal family. The weather was cloudy. The members of the American teams are in excellent condition and full of confidence. The trial races today consist of one of 400 and one of 800 meters, also throwing the discus. The Greeks fear their American competitors.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1899, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON, D.C. — With full military honors, in the presence of President McKinley and his Cabinet and a multitude of people, the bodies of the 386 dead heroes who gave their lives for their country in Cuba or Porto Rico during the Spanish-American War were consigned this afternoon to their last resting place in Arlington Cemetery, where repose the remains of thousands of honored dead soldiers and officers of the Civil War. The bodies were brought to New York last week by the steamer Crook, in order that they might rest forever in the soil of their native land. In accordance with the directions of the President, every honor, military and civil, was shown to the nation’s heroes. The Government Departments and the federal courts were all closed at noon, and the flags over the government buildings, the barracks, Navy Yard and the forts along the Potomac were half-masted. The military escort comprised all the artillery troops at the Washington barracks, a troop of cavalry from Fort Meyer, a battalion of marines from the Navy Yard and the entire National Guard of the District of Columbia. Colonel Francis F. Guenther of the Fourth Artillery had command of the troops and charge of the military ceremonies. The day was perfect. The sun blazed from a cloudless sky and the scene in the historic cemetery overlooking the Potomac River and the white walls of the nation’s capital was profoundly impressive.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1900, the Eagle reported, “A large audience gathered last night in the assembly rooms of the Academy of Music to listen to a lecture which was delivered before the department of astronomy of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences by Garrett P. Serviss, president of the department. The subject of the lecture was ‘The Eclipse of the Sun, With Special Reference to the Coming Eclipse of May 28, and What May Be Learned From It.’ The lecture was to have been given by Professor Todd of Amherst College, but that lecturer decided to go to Algiers, the better to observe the eclipse, and Mr. Serviss was called on to fill Professor Todd’s place. Last night’s talk was illustrated by some very good lantern photographs, although the chief interest was centered in the lecturer’s explanations of the phenomena of eclipses.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “President Wilson at 1:11 p.m. signed the resolution of Congress declaring a state of war between the United States and Germany. The Naval Militia and Naval Reserves were called to the colors with the President’s signing of the war resolution. The President also signed a proclamation, formally declaring a state of war between the United States and Germany. In the proclamation, he called upon American citizens to give support to all measures of the Government. The President makes a call for volunteers for the Regular Army and Militia … The resolution passed the House soon after 3 a.m. by a vote of 373 to 50, in the same form as adopted by the Senate Wednesday night. It declares that a state of war exists and directs the President to employ all the naval and military forces of the United States and resources of the Government to carry on war to a successful conclusion.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1962, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter said, “A big moment in the history of the new Narrows Bridge will come Monday morning at 11 a.m. when Robert Moses, chairman of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, gives the signal to raise the first steel on the span’s Brooklyn tower. The public will be permitted to watch the ceremony from the top of the bluff near Old Fort Hamilton, inside the military reservation. Most of the activity will also be visible from vantage points along the shore. A huge crane has already been positioned to raise the 47-ton piece of steel onto the concrete foundation pedestal.”

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Billy Dee Williams
Joel C. Ryan/Invision/AP

Marilu Henner
Brent N. Clarke/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include molecular biologist James Watson, who was born in 1928; “The Empire Strikes Back” star Billy Dee Williams, who was born in 1937; Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson, who was born in 1942; “Cheers” star John Ratzenberger, who was born in 1947; Baseball Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven, who was born in 1951; “Taxi” star Marilu Henner, who was born in 1952; football player and sportscaster Sterling Sharpe, who was born in 1965; “Ant-Man” star Paul Rudd, who was born in 1969; “Scrubs” star Zach Braff, who was born in 1975; actress and TV personality Candace Cameron Bure, who was born in 1976; football player and sportscaster Tim Hasselbeck, who was born in 1978; model Hilary Rhoda, who was born in 1987; World Cup-winning soccer player Julie Ertz, who was born in 1992; and “Jessie” star Peyton List, who was born in 1998.