BOUND VOLUMES

May 5, 2022

150 YEARS AGO
The Daily Papers – For years past the people of Buffalo have received the New York daily papers several hours in advance of the people of Cooperstown. Under the new arrangement of the “newspaper express train,” we now receive those papers the same day they are printed — and one day in advance of the U.S. mail. This shows what private enterprise may accomplish. Mr. Beadle has the New York papers each day, on the arrival of the first stage from Fort Plain.

May 4, 1860

137 YEARS AGO
Summary News – On Thursday of last week James Cockett, a painter who came here from Laurens about three years ago, attempted suicide by poison and cutting his throat. This was frustrated by Dr. Hills, who was promptly called to attend the poor man, whose mind
was evidently affected. It is said that his father and grandfather died by their own hands.

May 9, 1885

112 YEARS AGO
On June 1, the Hotel Fenimore will change its dining room service to the European plan. That is, guests will be presented with a menu card from which they may select what they please and pay for what they select. If a man has a big appetite he will pay accordingly, and if he be an editor he will have to look the dinner programme over very carefully and give his order with discretion. Since Manager F.A. Pierce took hold of the place two years ago there has been a constant increase in the popularity of the hotel and many improvements have been made.

May 7, 1910

87 YEARS AGO
Miss Elizabeth Topaz Brazee, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard L. Brazee of this village, and an alumnus of the Cooperstown high school is the newly elected president of the next senior class at Wellesley College where she is completing her junior year. Miss Brazee holds the same office in the present junior class. For the office to fall to the same girl both of the upper class years is a circumstance that breaks all traditions of the college and speaks highly of Miss Brazee’s popularity.

May 8, 1935

62 YEARS AGO
One of the key phases of the program to provide Cooperstown telephone users with fast, fingertip dial service will be completed by Sunday, D.F. Parce,
New York Telephone Co. manager, announced this week. Mr. Parce said that virtually all of Cooperstown’s 3,000 telephones now are equipped for dial and that the remaining visits to customer’s premises will be made after summer residents open their homes for the season. From two to ten men have been working on the project since early in February. Parce noted that many Cooperstown customers had taken advantage of the company offer to save money by having color telephones and extensions installed at the same time as the dial equipment. He also said that many four-party line customers also had decided to change to individual and two-party line service. Plans are now underway to eliminate party line service within the village later this year.

May 4, 1960

37 YEARS AGO
Patty Gracey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Gracey of Toddsville, received two awards at the Honors Convocation held May 1 at the State University at Potsdam. She was named departmental scholar for the department of psychology. This award is given to graduating seniors who maintain high standards of academic excellence. Ms. Gracey also was presented with the Maxey-Molner Award, presented each year to the top senior female athlete at the school, in recognition of athletic ability, scholarship and leadership qualities. Ms. Gracey played four years of varsity field hockey at Potsdam and was senior captain for the 1985 season. She was also named to the first team, all-state field hockey team, the first female athlete in any sport so named from Potsdam. She also played two seasons of varsity basketball.

May 8, 1985

22 YEARS AGO
Petitions circulated by the Committee to Save the Station have attracted 300 signatures since April 20 according to Tom Heitz, one of three local historians seeking to preserve Cooperstown’s 1916 Delaware & Hudson Railway passenger station. Unsuccessful efforts to sell the building over nearly a decade have led the owners to explore every potential means of marketing the property. Demolition of the historic structure might lead to a sale of the property and subsequent development of the site for housing. The site, which includes about four acres, is zoned for residential use. The building has been owned and used as a residence by members of the Welch family for nearly 60 years. “No one I’ve talked with personally wants to see it demolished. The station is a community asset,” Heitz said.

May 5, 2000