Queens saw a huge population explosion in Feb. 1923
ON THE WEB
VISIT US ONLINE AT QNS.COM
CHECK OUT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES:
www.facebook.com/timesledger
www.twitter.com/TimesLedger
www.instagram.com/qnsgram
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | FEB. 27-MARCH 5, 2020 17
In conjunction with
the Greater Astoria
Historical Society,
TimesLedger Newspapers
presents noteworthy
events in the borough’s
history.
Welcome to February
1923!
That February, the
Queens Chamber of Commerce
proudly reported
that in 1922 a new building
went up every 6.5 minutes.
A total of 21,469 new building
permits were issued for
construction worth $134
million. The Chamber of
Commerce predicted an
even greater boom for 1923.
Meanwhile, at the Queens
Supreme Court, the borough
was undergoing a population
explosion. On Feb. 27,
Judge Selah B. Strong administered
the oath of citizenship
at Queens Supreme
Court to hundreds of new
Americans from all corners
of Europe and South America.
There were 31 native
Italians in the group, followed
by lesser numbers of
immigrants from Germany,
Poland, Great Britain, and
Hungary. Less well represented
were Serbia and Argentina,
with only one newcomer
taking the oath their
respective nation.
The building boom
sweeping Queens that year
brought special distinction
to the people of Forest Hills.
In February, the United
States Lawn Tennis Association
announced that the
1923 International Lawn
Tennis Challenge would be
hosted by the West Side Tennis
Club later that summer.
The popularity of the event
called for construction of a
14,000 seat stadium which
still stands today. That year,
the United States won the
event, defeating Australia
4-1. The competition is now
known as the Davis Cup.
Queens had endless attractions
for every taste
and budget. For those wishing
to avoid the winter cold,
the movie houses offered
vaudeville and the latest
silent films. Loews Astoria
lured many a theatergoer
that cold winter with their
“usual low, Loew prices.”
Some may have taken in the
romantic drama One Week
of Love, starring Elaine
Hammerstein and New
York native Conway Tearle.
Daily Star advertisements
breathlessly touted the film
as “The most unusual love
story ever filmed. Mighty
flood scenes; an airplane
crash; a railroad wreck;
stirring drama and pathos
all interwoven in this stupendous
attraction.”
Over in Woodside, near
Calvary Cemetery and
the Lincoln Avenue (52nd
Street) elevated train station,
the entertainment
was not to be found on the
silver screen but in the wild
animal performers of Louis
Ruhe’s menagerie.
Queens’ own wild animal
farm housed zebras,
camels, llamas, polar bears,
elephants, canaries and
other creatures great and
small. That month, when a
shipment of elephants arrived
at the farm from Germany
some of the elephants
were startled by their new
surroundings and caused a
great commotion when they
roared their refusal to leave
the moving truck for their
new home.
Far removed from the
commotion of the Ruhe
farm, the old “boys” of the
Flushing Institute gathered
for a nostalgia filled
reunion at the Hotel Martinique
that February.
The former students,
now bent and gray with
age, still sprang to attention
when summoned to the
dining room by the old, familiar
school bell. The men
enjoyed a series of distinguished
speakers.
One said something that
could resonate today: “The
average citizen today isn’t
digging down deep into the
things of life. The people of
America are in a rut ….. just
an empty grave leading to a
tombstone. Now if we can
get the people out of that rut
and put them back on level
ground we will be doing a
great deal.”
That’s the way it was in
February 1923!
For further info, call the
Greater Astoria Historical
Society at 718-278-0700 or
www.astorialic.org.
COLUMNS
LETTERS POLICY
Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer than 300
words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must include the
writer’s name and phone number for verifi cation. Names may be withheld
from publication if requested, but anonymously sent letters will not be
printed. Letters must be received by Thursday noon to appear in the next
week’s paper. All letters become the property of Schneps Media and may
be republished in any format.
LAST WEEK’S TOP STORY:
Forest Hills Stadium relaunches season ticket program
where fans can see shows for $19.23
SUMMARY: Forest Hills Stadium’s 1923 program aims to make
going to a show at the venue an affordable option for ticket holders.
For a one-time cost of $19.23 – a nod to the year the stadium
was built – those who join the 1923 Club will be able to purchase up
to two limited view tickets to shows at Forest Hills Stadium, with
each ticket will then cost $19.23 each.
/QNS.COM
/TimesLedger
/qnsgram
/www.astorialic.org
/QNS.COM
/timesledger
/timesledger
/TimesLedger
/qnsgram
/www.astorialic.org
