BOUND VOLUMES

April 23, 2020

200 YEARS AGO

To Agriculturalists – That valuable article SOOT, has hitherto been too much neglected. But the time has now come, that its use in some degree is understood. Although, for years past it has been used with great success in England, yet its valuable qualities have been but little known to American Agriculturalists. By my own experience it is found the best mode to preserve the Soot perfectly dry in large quantities. When the time of gardening commences, prepare your leach or large vat. Then, sift your soot, and all the coarse pound fine. Sift it again and then fill your leach or vat with soot. After this, pour in as much rain or soft water as it will hold. When your plants first come up is the time when insects commit their depredations. Draw off the lye, and while the dew is on the morning, with a water pot gently sprinkle the plants from morning to morning until weeding time. When you are sure one-half of the strength of the soot is extracted in lye, you may venture to strew the soot lightly over the ground closer to the vegetable. It will be the destroyer of the fly-bug-slug, wire worm and all kinds of insects that destroy vegetation.

April 24, 1820

175 YEARS AGO

Statistics of Pauperism from The Annual Report of the Secretary of State: “The whole number of paupers relieved or supported during the year 1844, exclusive of the City and County of Albany, was 97,961. Of the whole number thus relieved or supported, the number of county paupers was 90,744, and the number of town paupers 7,217. The number of persons temporarily relieved was 77,786, and included the whole number relieved or supported first above given. The whole number relieved or supported during the year 1843, including the City and County of Albany, was 82,754. Excess in 1844, exclusive of Albany, 15,207. The aggregate expense of relieving and supporting paupers, exclusive of the City and County of Albany, was $589,017. The total expense including Albany was $592,353. The number of persons received into the several poor houses in 1844 was 15,416; born in them 419; died 1,286; bound out 524; discharged 10,332; absconded 1,290; remaining as of December 1, 1844: 7,549 (of whom 2,775 were foreigners, 767 lunatics, 274 idiots, and 60 mutes).

April 28, 1845

150 YEARS AGO

Miss Mary J. Alger has just opened a fine stock of Millinery Goods at Fly Creek, to which she invites the attention of the public. She is prepared to do all kinds of Millinery Work in the latest styles, and feels confident she can give satisfaction to all who may favor her with their patronage.
Massachusetts proposes to appoint a Commissioner of Lunacy and Pauperism, to have a general supervision of persons confined for either of these causes in that State’s institutions. He is to make visits at least once a month to the hospitals without notice. Something of the same kind is needed in this State, where a number of persons of undoubted sanity have been shut up in insane asylums, within the past year or two.

April 28, 1870

125 YEARS AGO

The Cooperstown Athletic Association. Since the organization of the C.A.A., its financial outlook has never been better than it is at present. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Wm. Constable and Mr. Edward S. Clark, and the liberality of a number of our citizens, the large deficit from last season’s games has been paid, and our Association is free from all indebtedness. We enter the fifth year of the C.A.A.’s existence with a good balance in the treasury, and renewed hopes for a prosperous season.
Death of Paul Fenimore Cooper – This event was not unanticipated by the relatives of the deceased in this village. It occurred of paralysis at his home in Albany last Sunday evening. Paul Fenimore Cooper was born in New York City, February 3, 1824. When an infant, he accompanied his father, James Fenimore Cooper, the novelist, to Europe, and remained there until he was nine years of age. He was a graduate of Hobart College and studied law at Harvard Law School.

April 25, 1895

75 YEARS AGO

Two well-known Cooperstown residents, Lynn Temple Pier aged 71, and his wife, Jean Crawford Pier, age 65, died Monday night within two hours of each other. Mr. Pier’s death occurred in Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, at 8:55 p.m. He had been ill at his home for nearly a year and was admitted to the hospital five days ago in critical condition. Mrs. Pier was stricken with a heart attack at her home, No. 93 Pioneer Street shortly after she had returned from the hospital after the death of her husband.

April 25, 1945

50 YEARS AGO

In Cooperstown – Brief Items of Current Interest: A ladies’ ring with large stone and gold setting has been found on Delaware Street. If you have lost one, contact Ann Wilcox at 547-9725.
The Fellowship Guild of the Presbyterian Church will meet at the home of Mrs. Gilbert E. Cummings, Monday, April 27 at 6 p.m. for a covered dish supper. Mrs. Leroy L. Parshall will talk on “Planning Your Garden.”

April 22, 1970

25 YEARS AGO

Ten years after displaying his unique brand of wood carving, Lavern Kelley has risen to national prominence. Kelley got his start at Gallery 53 when it was at 53 Pioneer Street, now has works exhibited at Sate Fe’s Museum of International Folk Art and the Smithsonian Institution. He has received numerous grants from the New York Council on the Arts. Stories have been done about him on radio and television. Recently Kelley was a guest speaker at the New York Historical Society in New York City.

April 26, 1995

10 YEARS AGO

A spokesperson for UFCW Local One, which represents Great American Supermarket workers said the union is anticipating an announcement in the next few days that Price Chopper is buying the Cooperstown supermarket. Joseph E. Lapaglia, the union representative, said the date he has heard is “as soon as Wednesday, April 21.” Price Chopper spokesperson Mona Golub said she was unable to talk about the situation.

April 22, 2010