Bound Volumes

January 12, 2023

210 YEARS AGO
Charleston – On Monday last, twelve British seamen were taken from on board the prison ship in this harbor and conducted to jail as hostages to abide the fate of those six men taken from the crew of the privateer Sarah Ann, Capt. Moon of Baltimore, (carried into Nassau sometime since) and sent to Jamaica to be tried for their lives as British subjects; although five of them were stated by Acpt. Moon to be American born, and the other one a naturalized citizen. Let this practice be continued and there will soon be an end to taking and hanging American citizens by the British.

January 9, 1813

160 YEARS AGO
The Abolition Proclamation – The President has finally issued a Proclamation (not a military Order, as Commander-in-Chief) proclaiming the freedom of the slaves in certain States over which he does not exercise any present authority, either civil or military! He says this is done as “a war measure for the suppression of the rebellion.” How it is going to affect anything, he does not tell us. Perhaps he could enlighten the people by telling them “a little story!” He also says “the military and naval authority will recognize and maintain the freedom of the slaves. How? Our soldiers are fighting to maintain the Union – and not to maintain slavery, or to put down slavery. The President of the U.S., as such, has no right or constitutional authority to liberate a single slave.

January 9, 1863

135 YEARS AGO
The valuable remedies prepared and advertised by Dr. M.A. Bassett, in this paper, and used so extensively and effectively for a few years past in our own country are recognized for their worth in other lands, as is attested by an order received last week from Tokio, eastern capital of Japan, formerly known as Yedo, a city of about 700,000, where in 1871 the entire power of the empire was centered.
Not a week occurs that we do not see recorded in some exchange paper evidence of the injurious effects of cigarette smoking. But what is the use of copying such statements? – Just as many will be smoked. They are doing more home today to young lads 12 to 18 years of age than is all the liquor drank by them.

January 13, 1888

110 YEARS AGO
The new parcels post system which went into effect New Year’s Day was welcomed in Cooperstown despite the fact that it was a holiday and most of the stores were closed. The thirteen packages received at the local post office were far beyond the anticipation of Postmaster Wedderspoon. On the second day 49 packages were taken in. The first package taken in at 8:05 a.m. New Year’s morning by postal clerk Gerald D. Ellsworth, was sent by Mrs. John Ledwith and was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. George Conkling, 71 East Street, Rondout, N.Y. It was general merchandise. Other articles sent out have included butter, dressed fowls, and sausage. A party residing at Fergusonville mailed to a party at Schenevus a nice new, juicy and highly perfumed skunk skin. Postmaster Esmay put it on ice in the cellar.
January 8, 1913

85 YEARS AGO
Lake Otsego at Cooperstown was chosen as the site for the ninth annual intercollegiate and interscholastic outboard racing championship regatta Saturday at the annual motorboat show meeting of the Eastern Intercollegiate Outboard Association at the Lexington in New York City. The event is scheduled for June 25-26. The racing, as usual, will be sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association and the National Outboard Racing Commission. The first intercollegiate regatta was held in 1930 at Lake Skaneateles under the auspices of the Colgate University Outing Club.

January 12, 1938

60 YEARS AGO
Lynn E. Green, Jr., a senior at Cooperstown Central School, was one of three high school seniors who won recognition in Youth Leadership last Wednesday when they were named to awards by a judging team of the Oneonta Elks. Lynn, the top award winner, will receive a $50 savings bond as his prize. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Green of Cooperstown, RD 3. The second-place winner was Miss Judith Ellen Vandenbord of Delaware Academy and Central School at Delhi. Her award is a $25 savings bond. Third prize was given to Miss Marilyn Elizabeth Chase of Oneonta Senior High School. She won $10 in savings stamps.

January 9, 1963

35 YEARS AGO
On January 16 at 8 p.m. The Sportsman’s Tavern will be “where it is at” when the “Fabulous 60s Dance” comes to town. Advance tickets are on sale at Moon Dreams and will be available at the door. Music will be orchestrated by D.J. Ronnie the W. (a close friend of Murray the K.) with a special appearance by the Ronnettes Revue. All proceeds will benefit the Kid City playground project. If you remember Psychedelia, Motown, the British invasion, surfing music, car crash songs, go-go-girls and flower power, the Fabulous 60s Dance is the place to be. Why not dust off your paisley and polka dots, your varsity letter sweater, your tie-dye tee shirts, your Jackie Kennedy pill box hats, your granny glasses and join the fun. Groove to the tunes while you do the Jerk, Mashed Potato, the Twist, the Swim, the Frug, and the Boogaloo.

January 13, 1988

20 YEARS AGO
The recent announcement by National Baseball Hall of Fame officials that the annual Hall of Fame Game will be held more than a month before induction ceremonies has many locals wondering how village traditions will adjust to a two-weekend summer tourist season. The major league exhibition scheduled for June 16 will pit the Philadelphia Phillies against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are scheduled for July 27. The change in the date is due to difficulties in securing two teams able to fit a Cooperstown game into a hectic major league schedule. Hall of Fame officials said that there was no alternative but to schedule the two events on different weekends.

July 10, 2003