HOMETOWN History

Feb. 7, 2020

150 Years Ago

Local: A heavy snow storm commenced on Tuesday and snow is about one foot in depth. There is tolerably good sleighing although the crossroads are badly drifted.
Advertisement: Chronic Constipation can be positively cured by the German Cathartic Lozenges, and by them alone. Thousands suffer Headache, Dyspepsia and untold ills because of a torpid and costive condition of the bowels. Especially is this the case with ladies and business men whose condition in life keeps them indoors. These lozenges were introduced in our section some months ago and although we have taken special pains to enquire about them, and they have been tried in hundreds of cases, we know not of one instance where they have not positively and speedily given relief and cure. The German Cathartic Lozenges are very pleasant to the taste, and act mildly but surely upon the bowels. We at least advise a trial. All our druggists have them.

February 1870

125 Years Ago

Needed Copyright Reform – The House of Representatives should lose no time in passing Representative Covert’s copyright amendment which the Committee on Patents has ordered to be favorably reported. Under the existing statute any publisher who prints without authority a cut of a copyrighted work of art, drawing, statue, or photograph is liable to a fine of ten dollars for every copy of the publication found in his possession. If a newspaper, for example, without any wrongful intent or knowledge of the copyright complained of, reproduces a photograph, it may be sued for a sum ridiculously out of all proportion to the value of the original or any damage done. In one suit of this kind more than eight hundred thousand dollars was claimed in the way of multiplied claims. Such a law is not only absurd, but opens the door to blackmailing suits. It should be amended so as to put a just and reasonable limit on the recoverable damages in such cases.

February 1895

100 Years Ago

War Takes 83,644 American Lives – Three Men Unaccounted For – The issuance of a final revised list of American war casualties shows the following: Killed in action (including 582 at sea): 34,844; Died of wounds: 19,960; Died of Disease: 23,738; Died from accident and other causes: 5,102; Wounded in action (Over 85 percent returning to duty: 215,423; Missing in action (not including prisoners released and returned): 3. Total: 293,070.

February 1920

80 Years Ago

Post-graduates and seniors attending Oneonta high school whose names appear on the High Honor List, having done passing work in all subjects including Post-Graduates: Howard Blanchard, Alberta Bowes, Albert Colone, Anthony Drago, Mary Gravelin, Dora Hartwell, Wanda Hartwell, Mary Hodges, Donald Starkweather; Special student: Alda Tippy. Seniors: Carmela Amarose, Shirley Anderson, Ruth Atkins, Jeanette Baldwin, Harry Bard, Phyllis Blizard, Thomas Broe, Madeline Burdick, Louise Carlson, Audrey Clark, Henry Cooley, William Drew, Robert Edwards, Marshall Elmendorf, Albert Fisher, Jane Gleason, Quentin Grant, Neal Heiner, Franklin Hall, Neil Heiner, Marion Howard, Virginia Howard, Virginia Johnson, Mary Krom, Gwendolyn Krothe, Robert Lange, Virginia Larabee, Flora MacFarlane, Virginia MacIntosh, Ellen Merchant, Charlotte Mornington, Howard Mulkins, Esther Norberg, Ethel Nordberg, Olga Panko, Gordon Roberts, Dorothy Sheldon, Bertha Sickler, Betty Southern, Dorothy Sperbeck,
Beulah Terrell, Jean Ward, June Westcott, Margaret Woods, Loretta Woolheater and Gerald Young.

February 1940

60 Years Ago

The Parks Commission has agreed to approve a request to provide lights for night baseball games during the coming season. Appearing before the Commission was Charles “Chuck” Glad on behalf of the Oneonta Indians. It was generally conceded by Mr. Glad and by Parks officials that lighting for night games might improve attendance at baseball games in Oneonta. Some concern was expressed over the cost of bulbs, estimated at 6 dollars each which sometimes “blow” the first time they are turned on. The lighting would be available for Little League games on occasion as well. The Parks Board obtained a promise from Mr. Glad that he would schedule a number of good night games during the coming season. “Your team hasn’t been too successful in the past,” John Wells, Parks Board chairman told Mr. Glad. “But, it’s a good enterprise. Our cooperation is with you.” When Mr. Glad posed the question of advertising within the park, to aid in financing the team through another season, a number of objections were posed. It was said that with advertising the park would become “commercialized, rather than for the townspeople.” Advertising within the park is currently banned, but this could be changed by a 3-1 vote.

February 1960

40 Years Ago

Eight members of Congress have been implicated in an FBI investigation of political corruption that was carefully monitored at the highest levels of the Justice Department in an effort to avert instances of entrapment. The sources said that FBI Director William Webster and top Justice Department lawyers closely policed the probe to make certain that the FBI was never the first to suggest bribes to public figures. One source said flatly that videotape evidence will show there was no entrapment. Code-named “Operation Abscam” the investigation used undercover FBI men posing as representatives of an Arab Sheik offering bribes to win a casino gambling license and other favors. FBI agents paid out almost $500,000 in cash to the officials, although fewer than ten took the money. Twenty public officials and 10 lawyers and businessmen have been implicated in the largest investigation of political corruption ever undertaken by the FBI. In addition to state and local officials in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, those Congressmen and Senators who became subjects of the probe are U.S. Senator Harrison A. Williams, D-NJ; U.S. Representatives John M. Murphy, D-NY and Franklin Thompson, Jr., D-NJ; Michael O. Myers, D-PA, Raymond F. Lederer, D-PA, John W. Jenrette, D-SC, John P. Murtha, D-PA, and Richard Kelly, R-Florida.

February 1980

10 Years Ago

First, it was the National Soccer Hall of Fame closing its doors. Then came turmoil at Foothills Performing Arts Center. News of the Oneonta Tigers plan to move to Norwich, Connecticut followed. Many were left wondering what this all means for the future of Oneonta. Is the
community in decline? Or, are these temporary setbacks for an otherwise vibrant community? What will Oneonta look like in five years?

February 2010