HOMETOWN History

April 3, 2020

150 Years Ago

Death of Bees – During the past few weeks, mortality among the bees about Portlandville has been very great. One gentleman having 48 hives has lost 43 out of the number, and others have lost in nearly the same proportion. The cause is attributed to a scarcity of the store laid up last season, which may be true, and if true, makes neglect on the part of the owners the more culpable.
Chicago is receiving California quail, salmon, asparagus, cauliflower, green peas, and mounting trout, by express from the Pacific Coast.
The edition of The London Times is now printed upon presses that take in the paper in a continuous roll.

April 1870

125 Years Ago

Records of a Week – The Yale faculty has ordered Harry Moffat Wilson to leave the college for refusing to be vaccinated. He is a freshman from Newburgh, New York. His father is opposed to vaccination.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rendered its decision on the income tax law. By a majority of five to three the court declares unconstitutional so much of the law as taxes incomes from rents and state, municipal and county bonds. By an even division, four to four, it fails to affirm or deny the constitutionality of what remains in the law. The first effect of this decision will be to cut down by at least one-third, the estimated revenue of $30,000,000 which the Treasury Department expected to receive from the income tax law during the first year of its operation.

April 1895

80 Years Ago

Oneonta Sports Chatter – After opening the baseball season at Utica, on the afternoon of May 9, the Oneonta Indians will play the Braves at Neahwa Park the following day. The Indians will be at home for 63 games, including two or three holiday dates. “Jumping Joe” Polcha, tall substitute center for the Troy Basketball Celtics, will be farmed by Albany to Gloversville. Polcha hit over .500 with two fast semi-pro leagues. Carl Delberta wired us yesterday that he came through his bout with Melio Theodorescu without a scratch. Delberta was a “last-minute” substitute for the Cocoa Kid and scored a unanimous 10-round decision over the Rumanian welter-weight champion. The National Boxing Association has ranked Arturo Godoy as the number one Heavyweight contender for Joe Louis’s title. But, personally, it’s about time for the boys along “Jacob’s Beach to check their fountain pens for a spell and seek a “white hope” capable of giving the “Brown Bomber” and the customers a fair run for their money.

April 1940

60 Years Ago

The United States bolted past a new frontier in space Friday by firing the first-known weather-eye satellite into orbit. It photographed the Earth and its cloud cover from 450 miles up and televised back the images. A triumphant space agency rushed the pictures to President Eisenhower who exclaimed “I think it’s a marvelous development.” NASA Chief Dr. T. Keith Glennan brought Eisenhower a four-picture sequence showing an 800-mile-square area comprising the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

April 1960

40 Years Ago

West Oneonta – Danny Forbes is ten pounds lighter this morning – and he’s glad. The ten pounds he lost yesterday comprised the weight of a metal head brace that he wore for more than two months to help heal a broken neck. The five-year-old son of David and Kathy Forbes of Route 23, West Oneonta, had the brace removed Monday afternoon, his mother said. Mrs. Forbes said Danny’s first words when he woke Monday morning were “Look Ma, my brace is all off.” He was able to come home tonight,” his mother said. Danny suffered a broken vertebra on January 27 in a sledding accident on a hill behind his home. The brace was installed by two physicians, Bruce Harris, a neurologist at Bassett Hospital, and William Hopper of Fox Hospital. Danny now wears a foam-filled neck collar.

April 1980

20 Years Ago

Construction to replace the Rose Avenue Bridge in the City of Oneonta could begin by the end of April. The concrete and steel structure which crosses Glenwood Creek on Rose Avenue at the intersection of Hudson Street was closed by the city on March 3 after a significant section of its top deck broke off and fell into the water. Work on a replacement, estimated to cost close to $90,000 is hoped to begin soon. The city is expected to award a construction contract on April 18 Oneonta City Engineer Joseph Bernier said. Meanwhile, nearby businesses have suffered as normal through traffic has been diverted. Even though local traffic is permitted past a barricade at the top of Rose Avenue, the barriers have discouraged customers from patronizing Coddington’s Florist at 12 Rose Avenue, said Kathryn Kroll, owner of the business. “I am truly affected by this,” Kroll said. The Oneonta Tennis Club and Otsego Iron and Metal are also affected by the bridge closing signs.

April 2000

10 Years Ago

The mission of the Oneonta Mural Project is “To realize a vision for original and professional murals that promotes community and economic growth.” The project, founded in 1999, is under the umbrella of the Upper Catskill Community Council on the Arts and was adopted by the City of Oneonta Beautification Committee. Now, 10 years later, at least 13 interior and exterior public murals have been painted in the Oneonta area by various artists and students. Why murals? Because public art communicates ideas.

April 2010