September 18: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

September 18, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1881, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Under the old order of bulletins the news that was furnished to the press yesterday afternoon, gloomy as it was, would have caused a panic. The public, however, is becoming accustomed to the candor of these dispatches, and to weighing the chances without the aid of interpreters. Our news columns today present the intelligence from the sick chamber as it is. The telegrams are such as we would gladly not publish. They indicate that almost everybody whose opinion is worthy of respect believed, yesterday afternoon, that General [James] Garfield had encountered a last relapse. The temperature was as high yesterday as it has been at any time since the patient received [Charles] Guiteau’s bullet; the respiration has been higher than it ever was. There has been one of those unwelcome symptoms that the doctors call a rigor, where a deathly chill, followed by a profuse and weakening perspiration, has given warning that death is near. The temperature has fallen again somewhat below the normal standard, and has been as low as 98 degrees, without the redeeming fraction. The pulse has risen to 137, or, in ordinary phraseology, has been scarcely perceptible. The President has been near death’s door, and hope has again been abandoned.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Eagle reported, “All Brooklyn will devote tomorrow to an offering, of honor and respect to President [William] McKinley. The schools, the factories, the banks and all the big stores will be closed and at nearly every church there will be services and prayers in memory of the dead President. A most remarkable tribute of respect will be given by the street railway companies, the ferry companies, several big railroad systems, the Long Island Railroad and some of the steamboat companies. Just at the minute when the funeral procession starts from the McKinley home in Canton for the grave, at 3:30 o’clock, Eastern time, every trolley car in Brooklyn and throughout Greater New York will stop simultaneously and remain standing for five minutes. At the same moment fast flying limited trains and heavy freights on the large railroad systems will come to a standstill, while afar out on the Sound and up the Hudson the turning paddles of big steamers will be stopped while the crews gather on deck for a solemn memorial service. In New York City, tomorrow will be a legal holiday. The schools closed this afternoon until Monday, and the banks will not open again until Friday morning. Corporation Counsel Whalen has announced that the day is the same as a legal holiday, but such a decision was unnecessary, for nearly every business house in the entire city had already arranged to close.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1928, the Eagle reported, “CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The South Carolina coast from Charleston to the Georgia border today was cut off from communication by wire as a result of a heavy storm that swept up the South Atlantic coast last night. The last word received from Charleston was shortly after 3 o’clock this morning when a report was received here that the wind was blowing 50 miles an hour and kicking up a tremendous sea. The Coast Guard at Charleston was prepared to go to the assistance of vessels at sea and several ships had taken refuge in the Cooper and Ashley Rivers. A message from the Associated Press correspondent at Savannah, Ga., was received today by Amateur Station 4CQ advising that the Savannah territory so far has survived the hurricane with no loss of life and small property damage. Telephone and telegraph companies this morning reported all wires down out to Charleston, Beaufort, Georgetown and Parris Island. The Western Union Telegraph Company at 8:50 a.m. today reported that it had recovered one circuit into Charleston, but that no definite reports of any damage had been received. The company said its only report at the time was of damage to its wires.”

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Jada Pinkett Smith
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Hockey Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman, who was born in 1933; “Venus” singer Frankie Avalon, who was born in 1940; former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, who was born in 1951; Black Flag co-founder Keith Morris, who was born in 1955; Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who was born in 1959; Jayhawks co-founder Mark Olson, who was born in 1961; “21 Jump Street” star Holly Robinson Peete, who was born in 1964; Basketball Hall of Famer Toni Kukoc, who was born in 1968; “Whose Line Is It Anyway” host Aisha Tyler, who was born in 1970; “Angel Has Fallen” star Jada Pinkett Smith, who was born in 1971; “X-Men” star James Marsden, who was born in 1973; rapper and actor Xzibit, who was born in 1974; former “Saturday Night Live” star Jason Sudeikis, who was born in 1975; and soccer star Ronaldo, who was born in 1976.

Frankie Avalon
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

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OFF WE GO: The U.S. Air Force was established on this day in 1947. Although its heritage dates back to 1907 when the Army first established military aviation, it became a separate military service on this date. Responsible for providing an air force that is capable, in conjunction with other armed forces, of preserving the peace and security of the U.S., the department is separately organized under the secretary of the air force and operates under the authority, direction and control of the secretary of defense.

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UNFORGETTABLE FIRE: Jimi Hendrix died on this day in 1970. The pyrotechnic rock guitarist overdosed in London at age 27, stunning the music world. His most well-known songs include “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” “Fire” and “All Along the Watchtower.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“When I die, just keep playing the records.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimi Hendrix, who died on this day in 1970