BOUND VOLUMES, February 7, 2013
200 YEARS AGO
One of the best means of acquiring that happy state of mind called contentment is to take a fair retrospect of our past lives. Can we recollect periods when we formed a certain system and imagined certain objects would make us perfectly happy? Have we not obtained those very objects; and found ourselves as far from the ever-receding horizon of expected bliss as when we were without them? The truest philosophy, then, is to give every blessing we enjoy its fullest estimate; and always to consider contingent advantages, as magnified by their distance.
February 6, 1813
175 YEARS AGO
Editorial – Every day’s observation strengthens our conviction that a large majority of the people of this county desire no change in the law prohibiting our banks from issuing small bills. The answer of almost every Democrat we meet is, “That a suspension of the operation of the small bill law during the legalized suspension of specie payments would have been satisfactory, but that now, when things are soon to resume their wonted condition, by a return to specie payments, there exists no necessity for a suspension or other alteration of the small bill law – a sufficient reason why no change should be made.” “I want no bank bills under five dollars,” said a veteran Democrat who resides about six miles out of this village, to us the other day: “and, said he, “furnish me with a remonstrance against any change in the present law, and every farmer in my neighborhood will sign it at once.” (Ed. Note: The indiscriminate, unregulated issuance of small currency by local banks without secure backing in previous years had helped bring about a bank panic; numerous banks failed and many businesses and individuals holding the worthless currency were forced into bankruptcy).
February 5, 1838
150 YEARS AGO
Stature of American Soldiers – Surgeon-General Hammond, in his forthcoming work on “Hygiene,” gives the following curious statistics relative to the superior height of America soldiers over those from other countries. “The great stature of the American, when compared with that of the English and French soldiers, is made apparent from the following statistics, gathered by the Medical Department: Of one thousand men in the British Army, there were but 65 men who were six and over in height, and in the same number of soldiers in the French Army, but four; while of 1,800 recruits for the United States Army, 251 were six feet and over in height, or somewhat more than 133 per 1,000. Out of 8,632 persons who presented themselves for examination in New York City for enlistment, only two were under the prescribed minimum height (5 feet, 3 inches).
February 6, 1863
125 YEARS AGO
Mr. Anthony Comstock, as Secretary of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, may do some rather foolish and unnecessary things in the discharge of his disagreeable duties. But nevertheless he is a fearless and honest man who is doing a great deal of good, especially in shielding the young from contamination. Let him have credit for it. A report shows that much has been accomplished during the past year in bringing offenders to justice, and in seizing and destroying immortal (sic) books, papers, pictures, etc. In all 178 persons were arrested, 121 convictions obtained, 98 sentences imposed, and fines amounting to $6,000 collected. The matter seized, besides large quantities of obscene literature, included photographic negatives by the thousand, half a ton of lottery circulars, and a ton of gambling implements.
February 10, 1888
100 YEARS AGO
In Our Town – Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Clark, who are building a magnificent new house in New York, will occupy it early in March.
Mrs. Waldo C. Johnston went to New York on Friday where she will be the guest of friends for several weeks. Mr. Johnston also goes to New York for a week’s stay and to attend the Yale dinner.
Mrs. Charles F. Zabriskie has given the new railing for the lectern in Christ Church. It is not only of great beauty, but of practical use, as the former arrangement was somewhat perilous for the reader. The railing is constructed of carved oak, in harmony with the Cooper screens. A large candle, supported by a carved candlestick at the reader’s right adds dignity and grace to the design which was planned by Mr. Frank P. Whiting, the well-known New York architect. The work was done by Edward Decker, under contract of Luther D. Robinson.
February 5, 1913
50 YEARS AGO
Rain and freezing rain which started in mid-morning coated streets and highways with a glaze of ice Saturday, causing numerous minor traffic accidents in and around the village. All schools in Otsego County were forced to suspend classes Monday because of hazardous driving conditions on main and secondary roads. Temperatures fluctuated widely late last week plunging to 18 below zero early Friday morning to a high of 40 Saturday afternoon during the rainstorm.
February 6, 1963
25 YEARS AGO
The more than a hundred fans of CCS boys’ basketball that made the trip to New York Mills were treated to a heart-stopping 84-78 overtime victory. Observers agreed afterward that the Redskins’ fourth quarter counterattack from a 12-point deficit in a hostile gymnasium filled with deafening crowd noise ranked as one of the most memorable chapters in CCS basketball history. With the score tied 74-all at the end of regulation, Ken Fetterman, Todd Murdock and Rick Reich led the CCS offense in the fourth stanza and in overtime. Murdock’s 18-footer from the wing with a minute left in OT put CCS ahead to stay at 79-78.
February 10, 1988
10 YEARS AGO
As manager of NASA’s space shuttle program, Ronald D. Dittemore has been responsible for briefing the press and nation in the wake of the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy. According to vital records maintained by the Village of Cooperstown, Dittemore was born at Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital on April 13, 1952, to Aileen June Smith and Elmer Dean Dittemore, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force.
February 7, 2003
