August 2014 - Page 8

HOMETOWN HISTORY, November 2, 2012 125 Years Ago A narrow escape from a terrible accident was had at Quaker Street last Friday, when engineer Houghton, drawing the Albany excursion train, ran into the rear of a freight train which had out no flag. Fortunately, engineer Houghton, by reversing promptly and applying sand, managed to stop the force of his train to the extent that no passengers were injured. The engine, however, was quite badly wrecked in the collision that followed, as…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, November 9, 2012 100 Years Ago A plurality of 200,000 votes for Woodrow Wilson over Taft, and Taft’s lead of 60,000 over Roosevelt, is the result of yesterday’s election in New York State so far as confirmed by nearly complete returns. The Democratic Party presidential plurality is the largest New York State has ever given to that party and it is the first time in the history of the state that the voters outside of the metropolitan district…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, November 16, 2012 125 Years Ago When found in the laboratory of his lamp factory in Newark, from which 4,000 lamps a day are now sent out, Thomas Edison said that the commercial phonograph is now the most interesting thing in the world to him. It is perfectly finished, and tools are being made for its manufacture upon a large scale. The stories which Edison tells of what his perfected phonograph will do are so extraordinary that he…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, November 23, 2012 125 Years Ago Yesterday afternoon, a passerby the residence of W.D. Bissell on Main Street, would at a glance have noted that something unusual was going on. The front porch of Mr. Bissell’s residence was fairly covered with baskets and large, carefully wrapped packages, and every few moments a wagon would be driven briskly up, one or more of the packages placed in it, and away it would dash again at a lively speed. Investigation…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, November 30, 2012 125 Years Ago On Thanksgiving evening the streets of Oneonta were for the first time lighted by electricity. The evening was stormy and disagreeable and the bright, cheerful light did not a little to dissipate the gloom which seemed in the unusual quiet of the day to have settled over the town. The American system is used for street lighting and thus far the lights have been entitled to all the praise they have received,…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, December 7, 2012 125 Years Ago The Local News – The Delaware & Hudson Canal Company recently paid out upwards of $2,000 for uniforms for its employees. The suits were furnished to employees at cost price – brakemen paying $17.20 and conductors $24. The brakemen’s coats, a double-breasted blue sack, have no pockets at all in them, and the conductors’ coats, a double-breasted frock, are also almost devoid of pockets, having only one small receptacle for cash aside…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, December 14, 2012 125 Years Ago The Local News – The D.F. Wilber Hook & Ladder Company are to give a grand minstrel show at the Metropolitan theatre on the evening of December 23rd. As is well known, this company contains among its membership some fine musical talent, all of which will be employed on the evening of the 23rd, and, in addition, four first-class minstrel performers from New York City have been engaged. The program will be…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, December 28, 2012 125 Years Ago The Local News – The “Happy Coon” minstrels gave an excellent entertainment at the theatre on Saturday evening. Though composed mainly of young men living in Oneonta, the company compares favorably with many of the traveling troupes and indeed has some talent that would be a credit to the best of them. The new engine and boiler of the Guy table company have been placed in position. It is expected that the…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, January 4, 2013 100 Years Ago The dance given Miss Ella Deitz Bull by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bull at the City Club ballroom at The Oneonta Monday night proved delightful in every way. Miss Bull, one of the season’s attractive young debutantes, had as guests about 60 of the younger set, all of whom declared the event one of the happiest occasions imaginable. Mr. and Mrs. Bull were assisted in chaperoning the party by Mr. and Mrs.…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, January 11, 2013 125 YEARS AGO The Local News: Some sixteen of the ladies of the Universalist Sunday School in Mr. Tompkins’ Bible class met on Tuesday evening and organized a society to be known as the “Murray Club.” Miss May Whipple was elected president, Mrs. Charles Paul, vice-president, Miss Anna Haswell, secretary, and Miss Alta Price, treasurer. A committee on entertainment, consisting of Misses Carrie Campbell, Ethel Doolittle and Grace Green was appointed, and it is proposed…