HOMETOWN History Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2019

150 Years Ago
There is no difficulty whatever in managing the finances of the government, provided Congress and the Secretary of the Treasury act as practical businessmen act in similar circumstances. Nothing should be attempted which cannot be done safely and surely. The government should be in a condition to defy all combinations of speculations, and all oppositions from any quarter. It won’t do to make experiments; neither will it do at all to follow any precedents furnished by other nations. Trouble would be the immediate result.
Those men who are very difficult in choosing wives seem as if they would take none of Nature’s ready-made works, but want a woman manufactured particularly to their order.
February 1869

125 Years Ago
The McCammon Piano Company apparently is not feeling the effects of the prevailing hard times. The factory is running on “full time” – ten hours per day – and the work force has been gradually increased as the orders have become more numerous. We learn that the output for January will exceed that of the previous month by twenty per cent. The company is now getting out a handsome new catalog which will be ready for distribution next week.
C.S. Hayne of Albany has commenced the canvass of Oneonta for a new directory, to appear about April 1. The book will contain the name, residence and occupation of every person over 18 years of age, a classified business directory and all the new and important features which characterize such standard publications in any city.
The ladies of Oneonta are evidently disposed not to allow their better halves to monopolize all the benefits which are popularly supposed to accrue from “belonging to the lodge.” Last fall Golden Rule Circle, auxiliary to the Conductors Brotherhood, was organized with a large membership. Less than a month ago the wives of Oneonta Odd Fellows, to the number of 60, established a lodge of Daughters of Rebecca. On Saturday evening a meeting was held around the Red Men’s campfire and it was decided to establish a degree of Pocahontas in this reservation, over 40 signatures to the application being obtained.
February 1894

100 Years Ago
The Oneonta High School basketball team had little difficulty in defeating the Herkimer aggregation on the local court Friday night and when the final ball had been shot the scoreboard read 36 to 17. Keenan starred for Oneonta, making eight field baskets while West came second with three field baskets and four foul baskets. The visitors were unsuccessful in breaking through Oneonta’s guards and were held in check throughout the entire game. The Oneonta boys maintained their early lead at all times, the score at the end of the first half being 14 to 5. The Herkimer boys said they were unable to put up a good fight as they had lost two of their best men because of scholastic standing. The preliminary game between the Oneonta High School girls and the Normal girls proved to be fast and interesting. Keenan for the high school made six of the seven points secured by her team shooting the only field baskets in the game. Carroll, for the Normal girls secured all the points for her side, making three foul baskets. The score was 2 to 0 and the half point and 7 to 3 at the end in favor of the high school girls.
February 1919

80 Years Ago
Marion W. Henderson, operator of the Hotel Oneonta, has just completed an extensive program of improvements in anticipation of increased tourist business during the summer due to the World’s Fair in New York City, and in recognition of the increased patronage which the establishment has received from regular travelers through this territory.
The redecoration of the hotel lobby provides a much brighter room and the use of Venetian blinds with light draperies accentuates its cheerfulness. Within the past two or three months 105 rooms in the hotel have been redecorated and provided with new furniture and carpets wherever needed. In addition, most of the halls have been re-carpeted. Throughout the 138 rooms of the hotel, new draperies have been provided.
February 1939

60 Years Ago
Postmaster General Summerfield projected his department into the missile age the other day. “We stand on the threshold” said he, of transmitting U.S. mail in rockets. He didn’t note how big a step it might be across that threshold, but there was a strong implication that mail rockets were not far off. The prospect is an intriguing one. With jet planes hurtling passengers across the continent in a mere four hours, rockets ought to be able to make the trip in a matter of minutes – say half an hour. With a little luck, then, a man might post a letter in New York and expect it to arrive in time to be on the recipient’s breakfast table in Los Angeles.
February 1959

40 Years Ago
A new Sears Roebuck catalogue outlet – featuring several other services as well – will be opening from six to eight weeks in a location in the East End Oneonta Plaza. William Taggart, regional supervisor for Sears, said that the firm has negotiated a lease for the site at the extreme east end of the Oneonta Plaza. The site was once occupied by the East End Branch of the National Commercial Bank and Trust Company prior to the bank building its own branch bank in the Jamesway Plaza complex. Taggart said the new quarters comprise about 10,000 square feet and will be enough not only for the Sears catalog complex but will also furnish display space for appliances.
February 1979

10 Years Ago
New York’s new U.S. Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, who has drawn fire from Hispanics over her views on immigration and gun control, says she is willing to listen and perhaps even change her positions on some subjects – but is not ready to make any commitments. “We need to recognize the heritage that the immigrant community has provided this country and put policies in place that will reflect the core value,” Gillibrand said.
February 20