Bound Volumes

July 27, 2023

210 YEARS AGO
Letter from Com. Lewis to the Secretary of the Navy—Off Sandy Hook, July 6: “Sir, I have the pleasure to inform you of the capture of the British sloop tender Eagle which for some time had been employed by Com. Beresford for the purpose of burning the coasters, &c. Her force was two officers and 11 men, with a 32 brass howitzer. This service was performed in a most gallant and officer-like manner by Sailing-Master Percival, who with volunteers from the flotilla which I have the honor to command, jumped on board a fishing smack, run the enemy alongside and carried him by a coup de main. I am sorry to add, that in this little affair, the enemy lost the commanding officer, one midshipman, mortally wounded, and two seamen badly.”

July 24, 1813

185 YEARS AGO
There is nothing that more strongly illustrates the immense power possessed by the banking and stock-jobbing interest over the politics of this country, than a reference to the means used by the United States Bank, by which it obtained so great a force through the press and in Congress, when engaged in its struggle for a re-charter. From what may be learned from the facts then developed, it will not be found difficult for one to come to a proper judgment in regard to the power now in operation throughout the whole country, by which every effort of the Administration in separating so impure an influence from the use and control of the public money, has not only been foiled, but has been most iniquitously tortured by venal presses and selfish and unprincipled legislators, into a warring of the government against the people – the very people to whose Constitution that Government has made it its chief object to observe both letter and spirit.

July 23, 1838

135 YEARS AGO
William Kinne of Warren, Herkimer County, just on the line of Richfield, commenced taking “The Freeman’s Journal” in the spring of 1822, and continued a subscriber until the time of his death a few weeks since, a period of 66 years, and it now goes to his widow. We think there is no name remaining on our subscription list that has been there for an equal period, though there are families in which the Journal has been taken through the period of its existence, eighty years.

July 27, 1888

110 YEARS AGO
In Our Town—Mr. and Mrs. August Busch of St. Louis are spending some time at Uncas Lodge. On August 9th, Mr. Busch expects to sail for Europe.
Augustus Gage, the ice man, lost one of his team on Tuesday. “Tige” who has endeavored to keep the summer visitors cool during the hot weather succumbed to the heat Monday and after passing a restless night was chloroformed by Dr. A.E. Young.

July 30, 1913

85 YEARS AGO
A bronze bust of Christy Mathewson by the American sculptor Gertrude Boyle Kanno, who died in San Francisco, California August 16, 1937 has recently been obtained by the National Baseball Museum. The bust occupies a prominent place in the museum, near other personal belongings of the beloved and prominent pitcher, which were presented by his widow. The bust was molded in plaster by Mrs. Kanno, wife of Takashi Kanno the Japanese poet. Before she started modeling Mathewson’s bust she passed dozens of afternoons at baseball parks watching him play. Later, he posed at her studio.

July 27, 1938

60 YEARS AGO
Steven A. Konchar, age 16, of Christian Hill was crushed to death last Friday beneath a car he was working on at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Konchar. According to state police authorities, Konchar jacked the Pontiac car up and then crawled beneath it to work. The car slipped off the jack and crushed the boy. He was found by his father. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Richard Ryder of the Bassett Hospital staff.

July 24, 1963

35 YEARS AGO
How Fly Creek Was Named by Florence W. Michaels – There are two versions of the origin of the name Fly Creek. One is that the brook named Fly Creek rises near the southern boundary of the Town of Springfield. It rises in a marshy area now made into a pond by beavers. The Dutch called a swampy area a “vlie”. This became “fly” over the years. Another version is that a swampy area on top of the hill west of Cooperstown was called a “vlie.” “Vlie” became “fly” and the village became Fly Creek.

July 27, 1988

20 YEARS AGO
On Monday, July 21, the Smithy-Pioneer Gallery unveiled a unique and challenging exhibit titled 2D/3D/4D. The show features the work of a trio of local artists – Barbara Murray-Sullivan, Lonnie Sue Johnson and Cheryl Wright. Included are flat, two-dimensional works and sculptural, three-dimensional pieces by the three artists as well as works of art which capture a fourth dimension of motion and time.

July 25, 2003