Bound Volumes
May 1, 2025
135 YEARS AGO
Preserve the Forests of the Country—The destruction of our forests, especially in the older states, should claim attention. There are hundreds of farmers even in the County of Otsego having more or less land that could profitably be devoted to the growth of forest and other trees, the timber of which is steadily growing in value. Immediate revenue would not be derived from the moderate investment, but the children of the present owners would be enriched thereby, and the value of the farms largely enhanced. The farmer who today has a large pine, black walnut, hemlock or locust tree to sell realizes a handsome little sum of money for it. And the wise farmer of forethought does not clear off his wood lot, but occasionally cuts a few trees that have reached their maturity and can be spared.
May 2, 1890
110 YEARS AGO
In Our Town—Dr. M.I. Bassett has returned from a two-week stay at Atlantic City and will be ready to resume her practice Thursday. Miss Florence V. Sill who accompanied Dr. Bassett to Atlantic City has also returned.
The O-te-sa-ga Hotel will open June 15th, an earlier date than ever before since its establishment. The number of advance booking augurs well for a very successful season. Otsego Hall will also open next month.
Charles, Grieder, W.H. Minnerly, and J. Arthur Olsen, the three young men who are to conduct a hydro-haven here this summer are busy making their preparations. At present they are located in Floral Hall on the grounds of the Otsego County Agricultural Society. They are planning to make an exhibition flight Memorial Day.
May 5, 1915
85 YEARS AGO
The ice has left Otsego Lake and there has been a little of the balm of summer in the air. But the winter is not over for the officials of the towns of Otsego County, nor for those of many other towns in the region. They have yet to pay the bill. It was a heavy winter with a great amount of snow and a number of blizzards that heaped the drifts mountain high over the highways. Modern people demand that the roads be kept open to enable them to travel by motor car at will, regardless of weather. Snow removal under such conditions costs money. In the Town of Middlefield, for example, the removal of snow from its roads cost over $4,000, several times the cost in a normal winter and far exceeding the town’s appropriation for that purpose.
May 1, 1940
60 YEARS AGO
National Law Day was observed in Otsego County on Monday with an hour-long program at the Court House here. Members of the bar, including the county judiciary, officials of the Otsego County Bar Association, clergy and others took part in the program in the Court House which was jammed with students from neighboring schools.
May 5, 1965
35 YEARS AGO
Village taxes will go up about 6.5 percent in 1990-1991 in accordance with the budget adopted last week by the Board of Trustees. The tax levy for the June 1990-1991 period will be $10.30 per thousand up from last year’s $9.67 per thousand of assessed property value. The village fathers gathered at a special meeting last Thursday before going out on “Inspection Day” to discuss the tentative budget, which had been reduced from $11 per thousand to $10.40 per thousand. The further reduction was accomplished by a decision to reduce the appropriation for unallocated insurance and increase the appropriated cash surplus fund by $10,000.
May 2, 1990
