Bound Volumes

January 26, 2023

210 YEARS AGO
Boston – Yesterday, the specie, amounting to about 168,000 dollars, captured by Commodore Rodgers’ squadron on board the British Swallow Packet, bound from Jamaica to England, was landed at the Navy Yard in Charlestown under the direction and order of the Marshal of the district, who caused it to be placed in six wagons, which, with colors flying and drums beating, attended by the boat’s crews of the squadron, and protected by a guard of marines, proceeded through Charlestown and this town (Boston) to the State Bank, where it was deposited, amidst the huzzahs of a large collection of spectators. Of the prize money &c. captured by national vessels, belongs one-half to the captors. Of the specie captured by the squadron one half amounts to 84,000 dollars, a twentieth of which is 4,200 dollars. We trust that a resolve will pass the Congress relinquishing the half which accrues to the public to our gallant tars.

January 23, 1813

185 YEARS AGO
Our readers will notice in the list of State Executive appointments, given this week, the name of the Hon. James D. Hammond, of Cherry Valley, as First Judge of Otsego County Courts. Mr. Hammond has been long and favorably known to the people of this county, and from the estimate which has been formed of his character as a citizen, jurist, and scholar we have every reason to believe that his appointment to this important and responsible station, will, to those interested, prove particularly acceptable.

January 22, 1838

160 YEARS AGO
From correspondence of the New York Times – It is now over a month since, on the heels of the Battle of Fredericksburg, I left the Army of the Potomac; and I return after that interval to find the situation, in all its main aspects, unchanged. The felling of the forests, carried to an enormous extent in order to keep up the giant camp fires, has in many places sensibly altered the physiognomy of the country; thousands of log huts, built by the men of their own will and motion, have advantageously replaced the miserable and worse than useless shelter tents, and there have been numerous shiftings of camps for convenience of wood and water; but in a military point of view everything is as it was. Our force is still distributed along the north bank of the Rappahannock, and from Falmouth along the line of communication to Aquia Creek; the rebel force still holds Fredericksburg and the south bank of the river.

January 23, 1863

110 YEARS AGO
A demonstration of the new chemical engine, recently added to the equipment of the Cooperstown Fire Department was held in the rear of Firemen’s Hall Saturday morning in order to acquaint the firemen and citizens with its operation. The chemical engine is mounted on two wheels somewhat after the fashion of a hose cart. It carries two large cylinders, which operate very much the same as the hand chemical extinguishers in common use. The turning of a lever brings about a mixture of sulphuric acid with the soda and water with which the tank is filled, thus forming an effervescent fire-combatting substance which projects itself through the nozzle with great force. While one of the cylinders is expending its energy the other is being loaded.

January 22, 1913

85 YEARS AGO
Registration of totally unemployed persons in Otsego County numbered 1,304, John D. Biggers, administrator of the state unemployment census conducted last November 16-20, reported to President Roosevelt on Wednesday. An additional 473 reported that they were working on WPA, CCC, NYA, or other work relief jobs and 867 signified that they were partly employed but wanted more work. The report thus indicated that 2,646 persons needed jobs or additional work in the county. The population of Otsego County in 1930 was 46,710.

January 26, 1938

60 YEARS AGO
Dr. Walter A. Noehren, who served his residence at Bassett Hospital from July 1, 1942 to November 1943, is co-author of a special article titled “Medical Care for Every Man,” which appeared in the January 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. His co-author is Jack R. Hegrenes, Jr. Dr. Noehren is now practicing in Clackamas County, Oregon. Their article states: “We propose legislation by the Congress of the United States to this effect: that each person whose income is inadequate for the purchase of his own medical care, may, upon his voluntary request, and with his eligibility automatically determined by his current income records, obtain assistance from the federal government for his own purchase of comprehensive prepayment doctoring in the open, free, competitive market of care.”

January 23, 1963

35 YEARS AGO
Bassett Hospital has been fined $3,000 by the State Health Department for operating health clinics in four different locations for a greater number of hours than authorized by their licenses. According to Vicki Zeldin, spokeswoman for the NYS Health Department, the clinics are located in Cobleskill, Walton, Herkimer and Norwich. Each clinic is licensed to operate a maximum of 60 hours per week. The clinic in Cobleskill was operating in excess of 210 hours; Walton, 230 hours, Herkimer, 95 hours and Norwich, 90 hours. “This is strictly a technical violation,” said Mike Stein, Public Relations Director at Bassett. “There is no indication that there is a problem with patient care.”

January 27, 1988

20 YEARS AGO
Before a capacity crowd at the Village of Cooperstown Open House Wednesday night, Senator James Seward (R-Milford) announced that he had secured $200,000 in state transportation funds to help clear up the logistical and safety mess that has become the Linden Avenue extension. Seward’s declaration was greeted with a boisterous round of applause.

January 24, 2003