HOMETOWN HISTORY

October 22, 2020

150 Years Ago

H.L. Luther and M.H. Bissell are barreling their stock of eggs for shipment to market. Luther has about 600 barrels and Bissell 350 barrels. The barrels hold from 70 to 75 dozen each, packed in cut straw. The business is increasing and will be pushed with great energy next season. Farmers can count their eggs a standard cash article with a sure market at a good price. Feed liberally, give good shelter, and keeping poultry will pay.
The most unpleasant, hideous noise that the human mind can imagine is that produced by the patent exhaust valve now in use upon locomotives. The suddenness of the noise as well as its harshness is enough to arouse one from the soundness of slumber.
In Delaware County, a gang of horse thieves have been arrested at Shavertown.

October 1870

125 Years Ago

Where The Money Goes – Not a few people are complaining of “hard times.” They are mostly farmers who are in debt so far as Otsego County is concerned. Some people experience the bad result of unfortunate or unwise investments, which have lessened the income on which they were living. There are between seven and eight thousand female domestic servants and sewing women in Otsego County who are employed at former wages. The few thousand mechanics, teachers, clerks and farm laborers are about all employed, and but few of them will have suffered any decrease in wages. Some of these people save more or less money. The majority of them do not. Of the $8,000 now on deposit in the banks of this county, a considerable portion of it represents the surplus earnings of those who are in the employ of others.

October 1895

80 Years Ago

At Noon on October 29, Secretary of War Stimson will draw the first number in a nationwide lottery in which nearly 17 million young men hold tickets – 800,000 of them good for a year’s service in the Army. Plans for the lottery were completed Monday by Dr. Clarence Dykstra, Director of Selective Service and President Roosevelt. Secretary of War Stimson will draw the first number. The President will attend the historic ceremony to be held in the interdepartmental auditorium. Within three weeks after Secretary Stimson lifts the first blue number capsule from the big goldfish bowl, the initial contingent of 30,000 draftees will be on their way to training camps. Men
will be called to training in the order in which their numbers are drawn from the bowl unless they volunteer without waiting to be called, or unless they are deferred from service. It is expected that 800,000 men will have been called to training by next June 15.

October 1940

60 Years Ago

Last week, forestry operations in Otsego County were observed and studied by a forest management team from Japan. They were accompanied by R.F. Haussman of the U.S. Forest Service, who said the party left Philadelphia for a two-month tour of the eastern United States. In Oneonta the nine-man team conferred with District Forester R. Milton Hick at the Office of the New York State Conservation Department. They were taken on tours of state forest lands in the county and to Cooperstown where they spent two days visiting the Otsego Forest Products Cooperative at Phoenix Mills as well as the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore House. The Japanese are studying the feasibility of introducing early maturing varieties in forestation, administration and long-range planning of forest lands, the best methods of mechanization and the full utilization of forest products.

October 1960

40 Years Ago

Otsego County Republican Chairman James L. Seward of Milford has announced that the Otsego County Republican Party will hold a “Pre-Election Dinner” at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 24 at the Holiday Inn, Southside Oneonta. “I am pleased to announce that a portion of the evening’s program will feature a tribute to Adah Howe, former Republican State Committeewoman and County Committeewoman and Vice Chairman who has long been active on behalf of the Republican Party. She is an inspiration to us all as we prepare for the critical election of 1980,” Mr. Seward stated. Mr. Seward also announced that Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr., of Dutchess County will be the featured speaker. A roast beef dinner will be served.

October 1980

20 Years Ago

For nearly two decades, New York State Advocate Program, a subsidiary of Youth Advocate Program (YAP) Incorporated has served Otsego County’s youth and their families. YAP’s mission is to provide cost-effective, community-based care program for troubled adolescents and their families as a sub-contractor through the Otsego County Department of Social Services. Nationally YAP upwards of 2,000 youth across eight states and the District of Columbia. “We don’t believe that the best solution is to place kids in residential programs.” John Sparaco, YAP’s local director said. “Granted there are some kids who need placement. But, for the most part, we feel that the community is best served if we provide programs that offer a better alternative. Yap’s current programs include intensive reunification and after-care programs as alternatives to residential placement, community-based detention, diagnostic services, in-school suspension, among other practices. We are trying to instill discipline in these kids so they can remain with their families and in their communities.”

October 2000

10 Years Ago

Excerpts from an editorial: You often hear it said: “Elections are about tomorrow, not yesterday.” Absent some miracle, it appears likely now that Andrew Cuomo, son of Mario, New York State Attorney General and the Democratic Party standard-bearer will be elected governor. One important plank in his platform has been a declaration that he will take redistricting away from elected officials and give the line-drawing to a non-partisan panel. This is a critical good-government reform, tested and proved in Iowa, which has been doing it that way for two decades. It is critical now, since with completion of the 2010 Census, state legislatures will begin redrawing congressional, state senate and assembly districts next year. What State Senator Jim Seward has proved is that representatives who wake up every morning to the sight of Oyaron Hill or Otsego Lake will represent us best. The parties need to get serious about grooming our future local leaders and representatives in Albany and Washington, D.C.

October 2010