Bound Volumes: 

Mar. 07 – 08, 2019

200 YEARS AGO
Republican Convention – At a meeting of Republican Delegates from the several towns in the County of Otsego, convened at the Court House in Cooperstown, pursuant to previous notice on the 24th of February, 1819 – Arunah Metcalf, Chairman and William G. Angell, Secretary, Resolved, that this meeting proceed to nominate a candidate for Senator for the Middle District of this state, and five persons to represent this county in the Assembly – and that the persons having the majority of votes of this Convention, be the candidates at the ensuing Election, for the offices aforesaid. On canvassing the votes for Senator, it appeared that Ambrose L. Jordan had a majority – Therefore Resolved that Ambrose L. Jordan, Esq. be said candidate for Senate. The meeting then proceeded to ballot for members of the Assembly, and the following persons having a majority as before – Therefore Resolved that James Hawks, Abijah H. Beach, Willard Coyle, Seth Chase and Stukely Elsworth, Esqrs., be supported at the approaching election, to represent this county in the Assembly of this state. Arunah Metcalf, Chairman. Wm. G. Angell, Secretary.
March 8, 1819

175 YEARS AGO
The City Press seem determined to annihilate the Country Press, by offering their weekly papers at the low price of one dollar per annum. This they are enabled to do with a living profit, for the reason that the matter set up for their daily sheet is transferred to their semi-weekly, and then their weekly, without any expense for composition. Added to this they have presses moved by steam, which throw off 2,000 an hour, while the hand press used in the country can work only 250 in the same time. Thus, in fact, the only expense to which they are subjected in printing their weeklies, is for paper and ink, and therefore it is that they afford a better profit to the publisher at one dollar than the country sheet receives at $1.50 or even $2.00. We mention this because we have been asked to put the price of this paper down to $1.
March 4, 1844

150 YEARS AGO
A Public Park – we believe it is generally admitted that a Public Park would be a grand addition to the attractions of Cooperstown. One gentleman said to us: “Though I have but little property in that part of the village, if the Fair Grounds can be bought for a public park, I will give $500 toward it, on subscription.” Another, of far less means and not a real estate owner, said he would give a $100. Several others have said they would cheerfully contribute. The $6,000 can be raised, and we think at any full meeting of our village tax payers, they would vote to raise $6,000 more by tax to be paid at the rate of $1,000 a year, if that would secure the grounds in question for a Public Park. Can they be had? That we presume now depends mainly on Mr. George Clarke, for since our last issue he has bargained for the entire lot, the Agriculture Society receiving $6,000 to surrender their rights in it at the expiration of their lease from Mr. Clarke in the spring of 1872. (Ed. Note: The property referred to is now the site of M.I.B. Hospital and adjoining parking lots.)
March 12, 1869

125 YEARS AGO
The Village of Cooperstown imperatively needs what it does not now enjoy – a complete and comprehensive sewer system. The matter of immediate cost is a secondary consideration, for in the long run it will prove a saving investment. The sooner it is established the better – for it must come sooner or later. The number of those connecting their homes and places of business with the water works system is steadily increasing, and everyone who does so, should have his premises connected with a sewer system. Health and comfort require that the one should follow the other. Cesspools and vaults in which all the water used in a house can empty can no longer with any safety be tolerated.
March 8, 1894

100 YEARS AGO
Otsego County has an automobile for every thirteen of its residents. The ratio of car to population in this State, is now one to twenty. Official figures made public by Secretary of State Francis M. Hugo show 463,764 motor vehicles registered in New York State last year, a gain of 52,191, or 12 percent. Pleasure cars increased 8 percent; commercials 36 percent. Motorcycles dropped from 28,775 to 28,597. Total receipts to the automobile bureau were $4,945,297.50, a gain of $661,183. Otsego County registered 3,199 pleasure cars, an increase of 401; 328 commercials, a gain of 124. The total registration for the county was 3,695. There are 13 trailers, 27 dealers, 507 chauffeurs and 166 motorcycles.
March 12, 1919

75 YEARS AGO
The only pineapple cheese factory in the United States operated at Milford since 1900, but which due to war restrictions had not turned out any of that product since 1942, has been sold to the Dairymen’s League by O.A. Weatherly & Co. Plans of the League for the use of the plant have not been announced. The adjoining large double residence of S.D. Haight and W.K. Haight, officers of the company, was not included in the sale.
March 8, 1944

50 YEARS AGO
The death of Harry W. Smith, Sr., of Cooperstown, occurred February 24, at the Beach Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was 76 years of age. Mr. Smith was born May 1, 1893 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He became a resident of Richfield Springs in 1911 where he began a life-long career in the automobile business. At first, he operated a service station on Main Street in Richfield Springs serving travelers on the famed Cherry Valley Turnpike. In 1926, Mr. Smith was awarded a Ford dealer franchise for the northern Otsego County area.
March 5, 1969

10 YEARS AGO
At a joint press briefing in Bassett President & CEO
William Streck’s Cooperstown office, he and his Fox
counterpart, John Remillard, announced that talks over
possible shared services had turned into something more
serious, and predicted the two hospitals may achieve a
formal corporate affiliation by mid-summer.
March 6, 2009