December 31: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 31, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1841, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle said, “In accordance with the usual custom, and in order that all in our office may enjoy the festivities of New Year’s Day, we shall not issue our paper to-morrow.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1901, the Eagle reported, “PARIS ― All the newspapers here today publish an address to the shareholders of the Panama Canal Company, issued by M. Bunau-Varilla, a large shareholder, who, as cabled December 21, made an appeal to the shareholders and others, at the beginning of the year, to contribute funds to carry on the work of the canal, and who only secured promises of 200,000 francs. In this address, which takes up half a page of space in the papers, M. Bunau-Varilla gives the text of the letter, which he recently wrote to the new president of the Canal Company, M. Bo, condemning the decision to attempt the ‘impracticable task’ of reopening the negotiations with Washington for the sale of the company’s property and urges that the only course open, in order to clear the situation, is for the company to make, before January 7, a straightforward offer to sell the property for $40,000,000, or, better still, notify the Isthmian Commission that it can itself fix the reasonable purchase price at which, its report said, it would have recommended the Panama route.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1924, the Eagle said, “The year 1925, on the eve of which we wish our readers the usual compliments, bears every promise of bringing good fortune to the American public in general and to the New York public in particular. The country has at its head a President who is applying his native New England thrift to national expenditures, and it appears that Congress is gradually acquiring the idea that Calvin Coolidge means what he says when he preaches economy, and proposes to agree with him in all substantial respects. This is bright prospect No. 1. Railroad freight traffic statistics show clearly that business is on the upgrade, this being of much greater importance than the prevailing Wall Street boom. This is bright prospect No. 2. Both Washington and Albany are talking of a further reduction in national and state income taxes, and as public opinion is unmistakably in favor of these reductions the outlook in respect of both forms of taxation may be regarded as bright prospect No. 3. The coming year should also afford the people of this great city a definite promise of relief from the present intolerable transit conditions. The city administration has been driven to action by the pressure of the inquiry which the Governor instituted. Whether further action shall be left to the authorities who have deliberately obstructed action for seven years, or whether it shall be entrusted to new men, must be determined by the voters in November next. But action of some kind is now reasonably assured. This is bright prospect No. 4. When The Eagle says ‘Happy New Year’ to its readers it feels that 1925 is going to be one.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “PARIS (U.P.) ― A critical new battle is raging around Bastogne, where German forces have launched a two-way attack against the U.S. 3rd Army’s corridor through the city but thus far have failed to stem Lt. Gen. George S. Patton’s troops in their drive to cut off the enemy salient into Belgium, dispatches said today. The Luxembourg radio, heard in London, said the U.S. 1st and 3rd Armies had taken between 16,000 and 20,000 German prisoners since the start of the German offensive Dec. 16. Patton’s men were reported in censored field dispatches to have smashed five miles northwest of Bastogne, narrowing to 12 miles the waist of the enemy salient, although a contradictory announcement from Supreme Headquarters said the width of the gap was 16 miles. American tanks and the doughboys at the same time were reported storming the road center of Rochefort at the apex of the bulge street by street in an effort to throw the Germans into complete reverse after knocking back Panzer spearheads 11 miles from the high-water mark of their drive.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “Only President Eisenhower, it appeared today, can avert a bitter longshoremen’s strike on the New York waterfront this weekend. If the strike comes, warned Capt. William V. Bradley, president of the now independent International Longshoremen’s Association, there will be chaos on the docks and a ‘disastrous’ situation like that of the 25-day ‘wildcat’ walkout in 1951. The President had before him an appeal from Captain Bradley to name a ‘personal representative’ with powers to investigate the waterfront confusion and issue a report with recommendations. Bradley pointed out that a dock strike last October had been recognized as a national emergency and had been prevented by a Taft-Hartley Law 80-day injunction.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “SAN FERNANDO, CAL. (U.P.) ― Instead of placing traffic court citations on autos parked overtime, police have been giving out Christmas cards reading: ‘The City of San Fernando and the Police Department, in the spirit of the season, sends you this notice of violation instead of a citation and wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1959, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter said, “Watching the old year out and the New Year in is an American tradition. Some like to follow the crowds to Times Square; others prefer the atmosphere of a restaurant or nite spot; and of those who so desire the majority may do it the easy way ― relaxing in their favorite chair and watching TV. No matter how the ‘watching’ and ‘waiting’ is done, someone will probably say, ‘I remember when…’ As certainly as we all look for good things in the year ahead, we’re sure to take note of the fact that some important event is slipping deeper and deeper into the pages of history.”

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Gabby Douglas
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins, who was born in 1937; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Andy Summers (The Police), who was born in 1942; Oscar-winning actor Ben Kingsley, who was born in 1943; fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, who was born in 1946; “Animal House” star Tim Matheson, who was born in 1947; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith), who was born in 1951; “V” star Jane Badler, who was born in 1953; “Cheers” star Bebe Neuwirth, who was born in 1958; “Top Gun” star Val Kilmer, who was born in 1959; Replacements co-founder Paul Westerberg, who was born in 1959; former N.Y. Mets pitcher Rick Aguilera, who was born in 1961; Anthrax co-founder Scott Ian, who was born in 1963; “MADtv” star Michael McDonald, who was born in 1964; “The Notebook” author Nicholas Sparks, who was born in 1965; businessman Donald Trump Jr., who was born in 1977; former NFL quarterback Jason Campbell, who was born in 1981; and gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, who was born in 1995.

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ON THE MONEY: The first bank in the U.S. was founded on this day in 1781. The Bank of North America was organized by Robert Morris — a signer of the Declaration of Independence — and received its charter from the Confederation Congress. It began operations in Philadelphia on Jan. 7, 1782.

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FROZEN IN TIME: The coldest game in professional football history was played on this day in 1967 when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 to win the NFL Championship. Known as the “Ice Bowl,” the game was played in temperatures that reached minus-14 (and minus-44 windchill) in Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.

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

Quotable:

“There is no shortcut to happiness. You have to live your life.”

— Oscar-winning actor Anthony Hopkins, who was born on this day in 1937