Bound Volumes

February 13, 2025

160 YEARS AGO

Lectures—By request of the Lecture Committee Rev. Mr. Balch consented to deliver two lectures, both on Syria. What he saw in that interesting country—so attractive to all travelers, and especially to the Bible student – Mr. B. has the ability to describe in a manner well calculated to please and instruct a promiscuous audience. He is an easy, off-hand speaker, with superior descriptive powers, by turns eloquent and amusing, whose lectures would perhaps be improved by the use of notes; for those who speak from memory are apt to “make no note of time,” and to detain an audience too long. Mr. B. spoke a full two hours—yet to such good effect, that doubtless most in his audience were well pleased to listen to the close.

February 10, 1865

135 YEARS AGO

Editorial: It is remarkable that labor reformers have taken no action toward prohibiting the competition in wages that comes from the “contract” immigration that is increasing to such a vast extent from Poland, Russia, Bohemia, Hungary, Austria, and other parts of Europe. These people, mostly peasants, are induced to leave their homes through the agents of foreign steamship lines running to the port of New York. They contribute nothing to the financial advantage of the country. When they arrive here they colonize among themselves, maintaining their language, and doing business, mainly by “padrones” and interpreters. The Chinese are prohibited from admission into the country because of the difficulties of their language, customs, and the cheapness of their labor. Why not apply the same limitations to other races having about the same objectionable traits?

February 14, 1890

110 YEARS AGO

Floyd Boorn and Mrs. Frank Willsey of Fly Creek are away on their second elopement, he leaving his wife and children, and taking with him, besides Mrs. Willsey, her son Theron, aged 5-years. They performed the same stunt last October, going to Scranton and other places in Pennsylvania. After several weeks they returned and were forgiven. On January 28, Mr. and Mrs. Willsey came to Cooperstown to do some trading and while he was in a barber shop getting shaved she boarded the trolley car with the boy and was met at Index by Boorn. It is believed that the return, after the previous elopement, was in order that the woman might get possession of her son, whom she forgot to take along on the first trip.

February 10, 1915

85 YEARS AGO

Favored by ideal weather conditions the 19th annual mid-Winter Carnival of the Knox School for girls proved a delightful event. The ice pageant on Friday night depicting the Legend of the Snow Queen was notable for spectacular pageantry and the exhibition of figure skating by stars who have won championships in three lands. The guest skaters were Mr. and Mrs. Eduardo Hellmund. Mrs. Hellmund is the former Miss Eleanor Berger, a Knox School alumnus. Miss Maria Schweinberg, an international skating star, partnered with Arthur Meechan, professional skating instructor at Knox.

February 14, 1940

20 YEARS AGO

Cooperstown Ghost Tours will be featured Saturday and Sunday afternoons as part of the 39th Cooperstown Winter Carnival. Tours will depart from Pioneer Park at 2 p.m. each day, providing carnival participants with an opportunity to learn more about the village’s history of ghostly sightings and haunted houses. Stops will be made at Christ Church cemetery and Pomeroy Place. The Tours will be led by Bruce Markusen, author of the novel “Haunted House of the Vampire.” Admission is $8 per person.

February 10, 2005