January 9: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

January 9, 2025 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1887, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle said, “The enterprising newspaper correspondents who are telegraphing from Ottawa in regard to Sir John Macdonald’s alleged anxiety not to be deserted by the Marquis of Lansdowne in view of the approaching general election do not appear to understand much about Canadian politics. A Governor General in the Dominion is a mere political cipher, with no influence whatever on public affairs and wholly incapable of doing either good or harm to either political party.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1891, the Eagle reported, “Civil Engineer R. E. Peary of the United States navy will lecture on ‘Recent Explorations in the Interior of Greenland’ before the department of geography of the Brooklyn Institute, in the lecture room of the Young Men’s Christian Association, 502 Fulton street, this evening.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1893, the Eagle reported, “The exact result of the last presidential election, as it affects the electoral college, is definitely established by decision of the contest in Oregon. Of the 444 votes cast by electors, 276 will be recorded for Cleveland, 144 for Harrison and 24 for Weaver. Twenty-two states in their entirety were carried by Democrats, 13 by the Republicans and 5 by the populists.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1904, the Eagle reported, “Although the details of the plan have not been worked out in the minds of the proposers, it is reasonably sure that there will be next year at the St. Louis Exposition a model of the Panama Canal. It has been proposed to construct a replica in earth and rock of the Isthmus itself, on a scale of a certain number of inches to the mile, so that the proportions will be complete and instructive.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1919, the Eagle reported, “Estimates of the extent of the Roosevelt estate made today by business associates and friends of the family place the total at about $500,000. It is said that the Sagamore Hill estate is worth about $150,000. However, the amount of money Col. Roosevelt had earned by his writings is entirely unknown. It is said that the Metropolitan Magazine had paid him at times $50,000 a year and that the Kansas City Star, with which he was later associated, paid him a salary of $25,000. Though he had inherited about $200,000 and Sagamore Hill from his father’s estate, it is believed that at least half of that money was put into the Western ranching experiment. After the will, which is in the hands of the firm of Bowers & Sands, is probated, at Mineola, it is said that Mrs. Roosevelt will go to France to visit the grave of her son, Quentin. In the meantime Mrs. Roosevelt will go to Florida, where she will spend the rest of the winter.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Eagle reported, “George Wesley Bellows, one of the leading artists in this country, died yesterday in the Post Graduate Hospital in Manhattan, where he was operated on for appendicitis last Saturday. He resided at 146 E. 19th st., Manhattan. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock in the Church of the Ascension, Manhattan, and the interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Mr. Bellows was born in Columbus, Ohio, and received his art training from Robert Henri. He had never been abroad. His canvases are to be found in all the big museums of the country, and have been exhibited in the leading art centers of Europe. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Emma Story Bellows, and two daughters, Anna and Jean.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1927, Eagle guest columnist C. W. Nash said, “One of the most perplexing and perhaps the most vital problems facing the automobile industry during the next few years is that of traffic congestion in the large cities of this country. No matter how great may be the advancements of the industry in economy of production or in quality of its products, it will face a very serious situation unless the problem is solved. For if the automobile is to continue to fulfill its highest degree of usefulness, it is necessary not only that present traffic conditions in our cities do not become worse, but also that they be materially improved. It is good to see that the importance of the situation is rapidly becoming appreciated not only by the average citizen and by the automobile manufacturer, but by the men in our great cities who have the handling of traffic in charge. It was only recently that we awakened to the danger which lay in store for us from the rapidly increasing number of automobiles on our streets. But in a very short time practically all of our cities have made strides forward in this regard. The City of New York, of course, faces the most difficult situation of all, and of the work which is being done in this great metropolis I shall speak later. But in many other cities of the country conditions have of recent years become so much worse that they are in almost as bad straits.” (Editor’s note: Charles W. Nash was president of General Motors from 1912 to 1916.)

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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle reported, “NORTHAMPTON, MASS. (AP) ― The old air of peace and quiet that marked the simple everyday life at Calvin Coolidge’s home, ‘The Beeches,’ returned today as his widow ‘carried on.’ Inside the house, Grace Goodhue Coolidge went about the duties necessary to the routine of the estate. Outside, a lone State trooper paced back and forth beneath the whispering trees to shoo away the curious. Northampton’s main street, which echoed Saturday to the shuffling feet of thousands bent on paying tribute to the former President, was again the bustling thoroughfare of a small Western Massachusetts community. Mrs. Coolidge appeared tired as she went about her work. Otherwise, she was her usual thoughtful and kindly self.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1945, the Eagle reported, “PEARL HARBOR (U.P.) ― B-29 Superfortresses and carrier planes have struck punishing new blows at Japanese installations along a 1,500-mile arc from Formosa to Tokyo, it was announced today, and enemy broadcasts said an American invasion armada was off Manila. Radio Tokyo said the invasion armada, including at least 100 battleships, aircraft carriers, other warships and landing craft, withdrew from Luzon’s Lingayen Gulf early Monday after bombarding the coast for 48 hours and at last reports was off Manila, capital of the Philippines under heavy Japanese air attack. The Japanese Domei Agency said 450 American carrier planes teamed with China-based B-29s in an assault today on Formosa, presumably the second in as many days and the fourth in a week for the carrier forces. Domei said 11 to 15 planes were shot down and eight others damaged. Official American sources were silent on the enemy reports, but announced that carriers of the 3rd Fleet had turned north from Luzon following a two-day strike Saturday and Sunday and sent swarms of planes against Formosa and the Ryukyu Islands Monday.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “(U.P.) — Mysterious objects seen floating in the sky over Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio revived speculation about ‘flying saucers’ today. The latest report on the phenomena was at Wilmington, Ohio, where personnel at the Clinton County Air Base reported a flaming ball of red fire which was seen for 35 minutes until it disappeared over the horizon. National Guard headquarters in Kentucky blamed the death of a pilot on a mysterious gleaming object which he was chasing. They said pilot Thomas F. Mantell, flying without oxygen equipment, apparently flew too high, became unconscious and lost control of his plane. He crashed near Franklin, Ky. A bright, bulb-shaped object also was reported seen at Clarksville, Nashville and Columbia, Tenn., and at several points in southern Kentucky yesterday. The ball of fire at Wilmington was seen by Staff Sgt. Gale F. Walter and Corp. James Hudson in the patrol tower at the air base. They watched it for 35 minutes. They described it as a flaming red cone trailing a gaseous green mist.”

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NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Joan Baez, who was born in 1941; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Page, who was born in 1944; “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” singer Crystal Gayle, who was born in 1951; “The Other Boleyn Girl” author Philippa Gregory, who was born in 1954; Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, who was born in 1955; “The Crown” star Imelda Staunton, who was born in 1956; former NBA point guard Muggsy Bogues, who was born in 1965; “Nip/Tuck” star Joely Richardson, who was born in 1965; singer-songwriter Dave Matthews, who was born in 1967; “Chasing Amy” star Joey Lauren Adams, who was born in 1968; Catherine, Princess of Wales, who was born in 1982; and “Love Hard” star Nina Dobrev, who was born in 1989.

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JUST SIT RIGHT BACK: Bob Denver was born on this day in 1935. The New Rochelle native worked as a mailman and high school teacher before landing the role of Maynard G. Krebs on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis” in 1959. When the series ended in 1963, Denver took on the memorable lead role in “Gilligan’s Island.” He died in 2005.

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BEST WESTERN: “Rawhide” premiered on this day in 1959. The CBS western kept them dogies (cattle) rollin’ home from northern Texas to Sedalia, Mo., for seven years. The series featured Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor and Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, ramrod and trail boss after Fleming’s departure from the show. It is also remembered for its rollicking theme song.

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

Quotable:

“I may not believe in myself, but I believe in what I’m doing.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jimmy Page, who was born on this day in 1944