BOUND VOLUMES

February 25, 2021

200 YEARS AGO

At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Otsego, held at Captain Stephen North’s, William Sprague, Chairman and Isaac Williams, Secretary, the following nominations were made: William Sprague, Supervisor, George Pomeroy, Town Clerk; Ambrose Clark, Buckingham Fitch, Israel Loomis, Assessors; Buckingham Fitch, Israel Loomis, Postmasters; Hezekiah Loomis, Abraham Van Horne, William McCrombie, Commissioners of Highways; John H. Prentiss, Abraham Van Horne, Issac Williams, Commissioners of Schools; Stephen Williams, Constable and Captain, Ira Janner, Constant Sherman, John LaRow, Elijah Gardner, Constables.

February 26, 1821

175 YEARS AGO

Letter to the Editor, Col. John H. Prentiss: I am glad you suggested action at the town meetings on the question of dividing the County, and hope some person in every town will take it upon himself and prepare a resolution and submit the same against the Unadilla movement, which seeks to set off Butternuts and Otego in direct opposition to the wishes of the inhabitants of those towns as expressed at special town meetings. If Unadilla wants to go off from us, let her go to Chenango or Delaware. But don’t force off with her two of our most respectable towns against their consent, and to the detriment of the County by diminishing its population and territory and lessening its representation in the Assembly by at least one member. There are no merits in the Unadilla project other than the selfish desire of having a Courthouse in their village. Sig. A New Lisbon Voter.

February 28, 1846

150 Years Ago

The Freeman’s Journal Jobbing Department – When we purchased this office less than 20 years ago, all its printing, newspaper and job work was done on a single hand press. The first year we put in a Taylor printing machine, and two smaller hand presses took the place of the large one for jobbing. The second year a steam engine was added. From year to year additions have been made of type and machinery until now we have one of the best-appointed offices in the State with three printing machines, two hand presses, a proof press, patent paper cutter, card cutter, etc. The printing machine added last week is the largest size “Globe” jobber made by the Jones manufacturing company at Palmyra, N.Y., esteemed as the best press of its kind now in use. Although a very compact machine it weighs 2,300 pounds. The “raising” which took place at the Journal office on Thursday to the upper story required considerable engineering and many stout arms. Our thanks to all who gave a pull, and especially to Mr. Ellery Cory, who “bossed” the job for us with the kindness and pleasure he always evinces where there is any hard work to be done.

February 23, 1871

125 Years Ago

Local – Ladies classes at the Gymnasium meet at 3 o’clock on the afternoons of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and on Wednesday evening. The charge for boys is now only $3 a term.
The sewer constructed under direction of the Trustees last fall on Nelson Avenue, 827 feet long, was ordered assessed to the property owners on said street at 16.25 cents per foot, property measurement. The one laid on West Main Street last summer, under contract, cost 28 cents per foot.
A fireman’s discharge was granted to Chas. A. Collar, he having served in the Fire Department since 1880.
Ellison prophesies that in ten years horseless carriages will be the rule and horse-propelled vehicles the exception. This may seem to many a short-distance prophecy, but it may prove to be correct. Those electric carriages will be made large enough to carry big loads and they will be run rapidly.

February 27, 1896

75 Years Ago

In its latest decision on butter the Office of Price Administration (OPA) has ruled that any person who buys cream and has it custom churned by the seller is violating the butter-pricing regulation and is liable to persecution. The ruling reads in part: “Butter so acquired has been frequently used in the manufacture of ice cream and other dairy products, with the result that consumer supplies of butter have been reduced.”
Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Ellsworth of this village are the parents of a son, weighing five pounds, eleven ounces, born February 22, at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital.

February 27, 1946

50 YEARS AGO

The annual dinner meeting of the Native Sons of Cooperstown was held February 17 at the Veterans Club with more than 60 members present. A roast beef dinner was served by Joseph M. Clancy, caterer. Arthur J. Goddard was elected President of the organization at the business session, succeeding Murray J. Lucia. Other officers elected were Ernest B. Knapp, first vice-president and Russell G. Ballard, second vice-president. M.C. Bundy was re-elected secretary-treasurer.
Milo V. Stewart presented a slide program of pictures taken from the New York State Historical Association’s Smith-Telfer collection of photographs of old Cooperstown. NYSHA owns some 65,000 glass negatives of photos taken between 1852 and 1954 by Washington G. Smith and Arthur J. Telfer. About 24,000 have been printed by NYSHA.

February 24, 1971

25 YEARS AGO

Monday night signaled the end of an era for Cooperstown area sports fans with the unexpected retirement of Cooperstown High School boys’ basketball coach Dick White.
Prior to Monday’s game with Little Falls, without any previous fanfare, a low-key announcement was made by Tom Heitz, public address announcer, that this would be the longtime coach’s last game. Those that know Coach White were not surprised in the modest, unassuming manner of the announcement. White, 56, has been the Redskins’ varsity coach since the 1969-1970 campaign. White finishes his final season with 7 wins and 13 loses. However, he leaves a career mark of 410 victories with 155 losses for a 63 percent winning pace.

February 18, 1996

10 YEARS AGO

Village Historian Hugh MacDougall was delighted to see a photograph of James Fenimore Cooper, which he contributed, published in a recent issue of “American Profile” magazine, a Sunday newspaper edition insert appearing in an estimated 10 million weekend editions across the country. The article salutes 20 of America’s iconic authors and poets. The article ranked Cooper Number 2.

February 24, 2011