BOUND VOLUMES

April 9, 2020

200 YEARS AGO

Newbern, North Carolina – An alligator, weighing 900 pounds, measuring 12 feet in length, and pronounced to be 33 years old, was recently killed in this vicinity, brought to town, and exhibited as a curiosity. This hideous monster had been assailed…upwards of 100 buck shot were found in his carcass which had hardly penetrated his “coat of mail” and seemed to have caused him no inconvenience. When last discovered, the old offender was basking quietly in the sunshine – and though so often the guilty murderer of calves, lambs, poultry, pigs, and many a faithful dog, was fallen into one of those sweet slumbers that attend the innocent. But the hand of justice, which never spares, stole upon him unperceived, and put a period to his false security and his career of criminality together. His corpse has been dissected, and two lightwood knots and a raccoon were found in his insatiate maw. The remains of such a monster have been deemed worthy of preservation and have been prepared for the distinguished place which will doubtless be allotted them in the Museum of the state’s metropolis.

April 10, 1820

175 YEARS AGO

Steamboat Disaster – Loss of Lives: The papers give detailed accounts of a calamitous accident that befell the steamboat Swallow, which left Albany on Monday afternoon, April 4 with nearly 300 passengers on board. At about 8 in the evening, the night being dark and during a snow squall, she ran upon a small island in the Athens channel, situate a short distance from the shore, nearly opposite Hudson, producing a tremendous concussion, and breaking the boat apart in the center, the stern sinking almost immediately, while the bow was thrown up nearly thirty feet, resting high and dry on the island some 20 feet from the water. The
consternation among the passengers and the crew was beyond description, some throwing themselves into the water, and others in agony seeking out their companions and friends. The alarm bell was rung, and the steamboats Express and Rochester, which were on their way down the river, and craft from Athens and Hudson, came to relief. Many persons were picked from the water in a state of exhaustion. The loss of life as far as can be ascertained is thirteen. Six of the dead were females from Troy and Albany.

April 14, 1845

150 YEARS AGO

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 7, Mrs. Pomeroy, a venerable lady, passed away, closing a highly honorable life of more than four score and six years which were in a great measure spent in this village. There is scarcely a family in our little town, among the older inhabitants at least, to whom her name has not been, during four generations, familiarly associated with acts of neighborly kindness and benevolence.
Mrs. Pomeroy’s recollection of past events connected with this village, and of personal incidents attaching to its early settlers and prominent characters, was remarkable. We have often listened with pleasure to her vivid descriptions of men and things which have passed into history more than 60 years ago. Unlike many old people, Mrs. Pomeroy did not lose her hold upon society and the pleasures of social gatherings with advancing years. She was always pleased when she saw young people in the enjoyment of innocent amusement. In her death we have broken the last link of the chain which connected us with the chain which connected us with the period of the foundation of our village. Henceforth, we must rely upon history and tradition to keep our memory green.

April 14, 1870

125 YEARS AGO

The United States Supreme Court has decided that the income tax law is unconstitutional as to these two points: 1. The tax to be collected on rents from real estate as it is a direct tax and the tax on Municipal and State bonds. On the other questions involved the court is equally divided, and hence the law in these particulars will stand, according to the opinion of the Department of Justice. It is estimated that only about $15,000,000 per year will now be realized from the income tax.

April 11, 1895

100 YEARS AGO

Oneonta – Tentative plans for opening the Inter-Church World movement in Otsego County were discussed at a conference held all day Friday at the Lutheran Church on Grove Street. About 125 delegates from the various
Protestant Churches in Otsego County were present and were addressed by prominent clergymen who have kept close in touch with the Inter-Church movement and who believe it to be the only way that the church can
accomplish real good. The various meetings throughout the day were timely an interesting. Both pastors and laymen were enthusiastic over the fine send-off that the movement was given.

April 14, 1920

75 YEARS AGO

Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Tyler of Middlefield (RD 2) were notified by telephone on Sunday of the death of their son First Lieutenant J. Mahlon Tyler, of the Air Transport Service. The news was sent by their son’s mother-in-law from Dallas, Texas, where she and her daughter reside. There were no details except that the tragedy occurred as he was flying over the “hump” between India and China, one of the most hazardous runs of the entire service.
He was a graduate of Cherry Valley High School and of Cornell University and had been in the service for four years. Lieutenant Tyler died on his birthday just as his wife, who is a patient in a Dallas Hospital, became the mother of a child the day before. She has yet to learn of her husband’s death, but learned two weeks ago that her own brother was killed in Germany.

April 11, 1945

50 YEARS AGO

Last Saturday, April 4, was a big day in the history of the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. Shortly after breakfast, the big move of patients began to the new wing of the hospital. It was both an exciting and trying time for both patients and the hospital staff. The new wing consists of four floors of patient facilities, a basement and partial sub-basement. Provisions were made for adding two additional floors in the future, if needed.

April 1970

10 YEARS AGO

In a rare village shooting on Good Friday, Anthony Pacherille, 16, a Cooperstown Central School sophomore, was transported to Bassett Hospital after allegedly shooting Wesley Lippitt, also 16 and a classmate of Pacherille’s. The first bullet had passed through Lippitt’s upper left arm. He was bandaged at the scene and transported separately to Bassett, where he was treated and released.

April 2010