Bound Volumes

January 2, 2025

185 YEARS AGO

Tobacco—We are of the opinion that tobacco has a much more deleterious effect upon the constitution than is generally apprehended, either when snuffed, chewed, or smoked. Tobacco chewers and tobacco smokers are worse off, if possible, than snuff takers. They may live longer than the rum drinker and some constitutions possibly may not suffer essential injury in the moderate use of tobacco. But there is a danger that moderate smoking and chewing may create an inordinate desire for the weed, which is certainly poisonous, and likewise create an irrepressible thirst for strong drink. Whether used for chewing, smoking or snuffing, we challenge any lover of tobacco to the proof of its having accomplished a greater good in any case than to allay the toothache for the moment, or settle the stomach after eating too much dinner.

January 6, 1840

110 YEARS AGO

The Telephone Girl sits in her chair and listens to voices from everywhere. She hears all the gossip; she hears all the news; she knows who is happy and who has the blues. She knows all our sorrows; she knows all our joys; she knows every girl who is chasing the boys. She knows of our troubles; she knows of our strife; she knows every man who is mean to his wife. She knows every time we are out with the boys; she hears each excuse every fellow employs. She knows every woman who has a dark past; she knows every man who is inclined to be fast. In fact there’s a secret beneath each saucy curl of the quiet, demure looking telephone girl. If the telephone girl would tell all she knows it soon would be a gale, engulf us in trouble and land us in jail. She would let go a story which, gaining in force, would cause half our wives to sue for divorce. She would get all the churches mixed up in a fight, and turn all our days into sorrowing night. In fact she could keep the whole town in a stew, if she told the tenth part of the things that she knew. Now, doesn’t it put your head in a whirl when you think what you owe to the telephone girl?

January 6, 1915

60 YEARS AGO

Last year (1964) went into the record books as the driest year on record in Cooperstown. Local records go back to 1854. Only 28.48 inches of rain was measured in the village during the 12-month period, 1.42 inches less than for the previous record dry year of 1864 when 29.90 inches was reported. The 1964 rainfall was 14.72 inches below the normal 43.20 inches. Last year was the 13th consecutive year in which sub-normal rainfall has been reported.

January 6, 1965

35 YEARS AGO

Forty years after William C. Smalley organized Little League locally and the village’s first Little League game was played at Doubleday Field, long-term plans are underway for the league’s own playing fields which will be located south of the village at the end of Linden Avenue. “The irony is that Doubleday Field was created for the youth of the village as a suitable place for them to play ball,” said Baseball Hall of Fame Librarian Tom Heitz, “but over the years for a number of reasons, it has been more associated with adult baseball.”

December 27, 1989

20 YEARS AGO

Four descendants of Judge William Cooper gave the Otsego Land Trust stewardship over 361 acres of land in the Red Creek Valley which has been owned by the Coopers for more than 90 years. Katherine L.F.C. Cary, Susan F.C. Weil, and their brothers, James F. Cooper, and Henry S.F. Cooper, Jr., made the gift to ensure that the rural the property will be protected for the benefit of present and future generations.

January 7, 2005