September 19: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

September 19, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “CANTON, OH. — William McKinley is at rest. The last tribute of loving friends and a mourning nation was appropriately paid to the martyred President in this city which he had so long honored and which had so long reverenced him. The sadness of all Canton was deepened on this never to be forgotten occasion by the knowledge that the widow of the President was on the point of collapse under her long strain. She, too, is greatly loved by the people of this city and their hearts went out to her, as never before, though today, there was no way open for them to testify the profoundness of their sympathy. While eyes were fixed on the mournful but imposing pageant of a President’s funeral, thoughts were busy with the lone woman who weeps piteously in her bereaved home and tears welled to the eyes of thousands as much for the living as for the dead.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Eagle reported, “Brooklyn has passed Manhattan in point of population. The census figures when made public sometime next month will show this. The census figures will show also that Brooklyn, Queens, Richmond and the Bronx have all made their population gains at the expense of Manhattan. The 1920 census gave Brooklyn 2,018,356 as against 2,284,103 for Manhattan. Five years ago Manhattan had 265,747 more people than Brooklyn. Since then, however, the census figures will reveal, Brooklyn has not only wiped out this difference entirely, but has established a comfortable lead over its neighbor boro across the bridge. Extensive building operations throughout this boro are said to have been the chief cause of its growth in population. Most of the increase is in the Flatbush, Bay Ridge and Coney Island sections.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (U.P.) — Defense Secretary James Forrestal was spared the headache today of choosing between an ‘army plan’ and an ‘air force’ plan for separating the two services. The army and air force themselves reached complete agreement on an initial plan for cutting the air force loose from the army’s apron strings. Army Secretary Kenneth C. Royall and Air Secretary W. Stuart Symington agreed at a news conference that all Forrestal has to do is sign the agreement. It transfers an estimated 325,000 A.A.F. officers and men into the autonomous air force, reducing army strength to about 640,000.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1950, the Eagle reported, “POPLAR BLUFF, MO. (U.P.) — Four planes chased after a ‘flying saucer’ which hundreds of persons saw roaring across the sky, but the pilots said today that they couldn’t get near it. Police, airport and radio station personnel said ‘just about everyone in Poplar Bluff’ saw the mysterious spherical object for five or six hours yesterday afternoon. Civil Aeronautics Authority workers at Malden, 28 miles southeast of here, plotted its southeasterly course from 4 p.m. until dark. But descriptions of the object and guesses as to its identity were almost a dime a dozen. National Guard authorities at Memphis who sent two F-51 fighters up to check reports that a ‘translucent washtub’ was at large in the airlines were close-mouthed. A National Guard sergeant at Memphis confirmed that the F-51s climbed to 30,000 feet but could not make contact with the object.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “INDIANAPOLIS, SEPT. 18 (U.P.) — Adlai E. Stevenson charged tonight that America’s leadership in the free world has deteriorated under Republican rule. He said President Eisenhower’s Administration is ‘a tangle of contradictions and impotence’ because the G.O.P. is split so badly it can close ranks only on ‘giveaways’ to special interests. The 1952 Presidential nominee told 1,000 Democrats at a nationally televised Congressional campaign banquet they must guard the spirit of their campaign and not ‘like Republicans, sow discord, mistrust and hate in the United States.’ ‘All around the world,’ he said, ‘American prestige — our good name and the respect of both friend and foe — has suffered, and the initiative, which the Administration boasted it had seized, is in Communist hands.’ Stevenson criticized Mr. Eisenhower’s Administration for what he said was trimming of our military programs while the Communists expanded theirs; for ‘slashing’ assistance to underdeveloped nations, and for raising barriers to imports while Communists ‘dangled dazzling promises of trade before our hard-pressed Allies.’”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Tom & Viv” star Rosemary Harris, who was born in 1927; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bill Medley (The Righteous Brothers), who was born in 1940; singer and actor Paul Williams, who was born in 1940; “Emergency!” star Randolph Mantooth, who was born in 1945; Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons, who was born in 1948; former “Good Morning America” co-host Joan Lunden, who was born in 1950; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nile Rodgers, who was born in 1952; “Kiss Me Deadly” singer Lita Ford, who was born in 1958; country music star Trisha Yearwood, who was born in 1964; U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, who was born in 1965; broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien, who was born in 1966; former N.Y. Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born in 1967; “The King of Queens” star Victor Williams, who was born in 1970; talk show host Jimmy Fallon, who was born in 1974; and “The Flash” star Danielle Panabaker, who was born in 1987.

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FINAL FOUNDER: Charles Carroll was born on this day in 1737. The Maryland native and American Revolutionary leader was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence. He died in 1832.

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TIME FLIES: William Golding was born on this day in 1911. The British author is best known for his terrifying first novel, “Lord of the Flies.” He was recognized for his contributions to literature with a Nobel Prize in 1983. He died in 1993.

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

Quotable:

“Man produces evil as a bee produces honey.”

— author William Golding, who was born on this day in 1911