August 2014 - Page 9

HOMETOWN HISTORY, January 18, 2013 125 Years Ago The Local News: Michael Sullivan of Osborn Hollow died recently. The deceased had been in the employ of the D & H Company for the past 18 years and had lost in that time but two or three days. He was track walker between Osborn Hollow and Port Crane, and his daily trip covered twenty miles. During his 18 years of service he walked a trifle over 131,000 miles. A.N. Deuel, formerly…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, January 25, 2013 125 Years Ago The Local News: Evaporated apples have superseded the old-time dried apple. A dealer of this town has long had on hand some 18 barrels of dried apples, for which there appeared to be no sale. He challenged another dealer the other day to make him an offer for them, and accepted fifty cents a barrel. On examining the apples they were found as lively with worms as the average Italian is with…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, February 1, 2013 125 Years Ago The Local News – The directors of the Delaware & Hudson Company had a gorgeous car made for their own use, at a cost of $25,000. It was heated by a new system, which was intended to supersede the present method. The car stood Saturday forenoon near the Green Island shops and William Burt of Albany was in charge. He raked up the fire to get a higher temperature in the car,…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, February 8, 2013 125 Years Ago The Local News – The electric light company have decided to construct a building and supply their own power. A lot on Prospect Street opposite the freight house has been secured from Moody and Gould, and work will soon commence upon a new brick building 60 x 80 feet. Four steam engines will be used, for which steam will be furnished from a 250-horsepower boiler. A duplicate set of arc and incandescent…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, February 15, 2013 125 Years Ago The Local News – The tower of the Episcopal Church is to cost $1,895, and will be carried up 31 feet in stone and nine feet of galvanized iron – a total of 40 feet. The top finish square will consist of a battlement and pinnacles with crockets at the corners, and on one of the pinnacles a cross. February 1888 100 Years Ago Engineer Frederick G. McAdam of Oneonta was caught…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, February 22, 2014 125 Years Ago The Oneonta Street Railway Company was the only bidder on the 20th for the franchise to “construct, maintain, Operate, and extend” a street railroad in town. The franchise was sold for a one-hundredth part of one percent of the gross receipts of the company, to be paid annually into the corporation treasury. The company intends to commence the construction of the road the coming spring and will form a construction company from…

HOMETOWN HISTORY,  March 1, 2013 100 Years Ago Resident Manager Roberts of the Oneonta Theatre has closed a contract with C.C. Miller for a thorough rewiring of the theatre and the removal of all the lighting fixtures now in use in that playhouse, and the installation in replacement of complete and modern equipment that will be up to the minute. The new wiring will conform to the highest standards of safety and of the underwriters and will make the house…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, March 8, 2013 125 Years Ago The season 1888 opens with the biggest real estate deal yet recorded for Oneonta in the purchase by Geo. I. Wilber, from A.C. Lewis, of all remaining to the latter of the old Ford place, 156.75 feet on Main Street, at about $30,000. This includes the east half of the Union Block, 22.5 feet, a fine four-story brick building, store on the street and three flats above – as well as a…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, March 15, 2013 125 Years Ago The bright, spring-like weather of Friday and Saturday last, a warm sun shining on bare ground, was succeeded by a dark day Sunday, and that night began the heaviest snowfall of the season. The wind came up with the day, and the dry, powdery snow still falling, drifts formed very quickly. The scene on Main Street Tuesday morning was Arctic enough – nothing in sight but great heaps and long reaches of…

HOMETOWN HISTORY, March 22, 2013 125 Years Ago A Big Fire in Oneonta Early This Morning — $50,000 More Gone to Blazes – At about five o’clock this morning people were roused from slumber by a din of whistles and clang of bells that made it tolerably evident a considerable fire was underway. Those who hurried into Main Street were speedily aware that the “wooden row” was again in for it. The fire appears to have been first discovered by…