HOMETOWN HISTORY

February 4, 2021

150 Years Ago

Home and Vicinity – Donnati’s Great Comet will be again visible in the year 3858. Those who wish to see it may cut out this paragraph for reference. (Ed: 1,837 years hence as of 2021)
H.P. Skinner has done another good thing. This he has placed a large and attractive street lamp in front of his store door. Call in for he won’t skin[er] you on a deal.
Morris Brothers pay more for freight every week than all the other merchants in town – and everybody seems to be doing a good business. They frequently pay $1,500 and $2,000 a week.
Mr. Wallace, a gentleman in attendance at the Teachers’ Association last week, is the “school teacher” who E.P. Weston in a 50 mile walk at Cooperstown last fall. We are glad he is satisfied with teaching and not ambitious for pedestrian honors.
Sleep – Every man must sleep according to his temperament. Eight hours is the average. If he requires a little more or a little less he will find it out for himself.

February 1871

125 Years Ago

Breweries in the United States – There are only seven states in this country that have no breweries – namely Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Vermont and Wyoming. There are 289 in New York, 251 in Pennsylvania, 174 in Wisconsin, 122 in California, 109 in Illinois and 835 in all the other states, making a total of 1,7711,771 breweries in the whole United States.
Three failures in the piano trade were announced on Monday: the Weber Piano Co.; William E. Wheelock & Co.; and the Stuyvesant Piano Company, all of which concerns were closely connected in business.
Cashier Barnard commits suicide. George Barnard, Cashier of the Fort Stanwix National Bank, ex-Mayor of Rome, assignee of the late George Clarke of Otsego County and interested in many business affairs, hung himself in a room in the upper part of the bank building last Thursday. He was about 63 years old and leaves a wife and three grown-up sons. A dispatch from Rome says there is “bad paper” in the bank sufficient to wipe out its entire surplus and that Barnard is a defaulter to a large amount. The bank had a reported surplus of about $170,000 and may not have to suspend.

February 1896

80 Years Ago

Soldiers Win By Score of 22-19. Game Fast and Rough. In a fast game of basketball at the Walton Armory Saturday evening. It last 45 minutes in which there were ten fouls called on Oneonta and one on Walton but the Company 1 aggregation won after an extra five minutes of play was needed to decide the victor. At the end of the first half the score was 8 to 8 and at the end of the second half 17 to 17. The game was fast and somewhat rough. The local boys were somewhat dissatisfied by the referee’s decisions and so were a large number of people who attended. It is believed the Walton players felt the same way. Oneonta Wanderers team members and the S points scored: Westcott – 9; Keenan – 4; Kniskern – 4; Thomas – 2; Disbrow – 0; Tamsett – 0.
Crowds Hear Philharmonics = Standing room was at a premium at both concerts Monday evening at the Oneonta Theatre at 7 p.m; and again at 9 p.m. by Gardner’s Philharmonic Orchestra, an aggregation of fully 80 pieces. This was the twenty-third concert program rendered by that organization. Miss Lauren was the soprano soloist of the occasion. In her rendition of “Sweet Dreams” by Firml, the many charms of her voice were displayed in a manner to captivate all. Selections from “The Little Whopper” by Firml were performed by the orchestra. Alfred Wilcox, the city’s young violinist also appeared rendering “Berceuse” by Atherton. The picture program that followed included Tom Moore in “Stop Thief” and episode two in “The Son of Tarzan.” The Pathe News reel was also interesting.

February 1921

60 Years Ago

H. Granville Bush, Representative of the New York State Civil Defense Commission for the Utica-Rome Target Support Area told a community gathering at the Hinman Hollow Grange that “It is simply not true that a nuclear war would mean everybody killed in the world.” He said he is not discounting the dangers of nuclear warfare. But, our forefathers fought wars, and each war has been fought with more deadly weapons. But, we have learned how to protect ourselves. He stated that under any realistic condition, a shelter and a two or three-week supply of food and drink while the radiation fallout dies away, would save lives,” He continued: “What a nuclear war would mean is probably best summed up best by saying we would all be in the front lines. But, each individual has the responsibility to himself and future generations of Americans to protect himself from radioactive fallout.” A movie further explaining radioactive fallout was shown.

February 1961

40 Years Ago

Host families are needed to host English-speaking European teachers as guests in their homes for a seven to ten day period this coming summer. American Host is the only non-profit, non-governmental designed to show the American way of life to European teachers by pairing them with American families. The program is endorsed by the U.S. Department of State. Now in its twentieth year, American Host has opened the doors to better understanding for more than 12,000 English-speaking teachers who have passed on their new understanding to their students, friends and colleagues when they have returned to their homelands. Host families are required to provide a private room and meals for their guest, and to give their guest the opportunity to meet friends and neighbors, and to see the local sights.

February 1981

25 Years Ago

Cell Phones Have Positive Effect – With the aid of 61 cell phones collected during the recent “Donate a Cell Phone Campaign” victims of domestic violence will have quicker access to emergency help, During the campaign, old or unused cell phones were dropped into collection boxes located in Wilber National Bank branches throughout Otsego County. The campaign provides victims of domestic violence with free airtime. The phones have been repaired, if necessary, and re-programmed to dial only emergency numbers. The program was launched by NYS Senator James L. Seward with support from Wilber National Bank.

February 2001