HOMETOWN HISTORY

December 10, 2020

150 Years Ago

Home and Vicinity – Next year will witness the erection of more buildings in Oneonta than in any previous year. It has surpassed the expectations of the most sanguine, but we look for greater improvement next year. Many only await the opening of spring to begin the erection of business houses and residences.
Mr. Peter W. Swart, so long and well known in this town and vicinity, died quite suddenly at his residence on Monday night. Mr. Swart, though in quite feeble health was able to be about and was at the village only a few days ago. He was a man of much kindness of heart and very highly esteemed as a friend and citizen.
About 1 o’clock Monday morning a fire was discovered in the back part of Mendel’s stone building on Main Street. It was next the walls of the house, near the chimney, and directly opposite a partition, and probably caught in some manner from the chimney. When discovered the fire had made but small progress and with the help of a few citizens was quickly extinguished. If the people of Oneonta and especially those on Main Street value their lives and property, they should see that something is done in the matter of a fire engine.

December 1870

125 Years Ago

Danger of Another Money Panic – Our foreign debt exceeds $2,000,000,000. This is a subject upon which the people of the United States need more light. It is one which they should carefully study. It is one on which Congress should promptly act. If it does nothing sat this session, this country is likely to witness another severe money panic – and practical repudiation must follow if our securities again come back upon us in immense amount. To pay even ten percent of our debt abroad would call for $200,000,000 in gold. Our foreign interest and dividend account exceeds $100,000,000 a year. Neither of the two great political parties can today justly claim to be a “Sound Money Party.” Both lean toward the most unsound and impractical views. Unless there is a change in these conditions the crash that was warded off two years ago will be upon us. The President has sounded the note of alarm. Will the Congress heed it?

December 1895

100 Years Ago

The Oneonta American Legion Post 259 has adopted a French war orphan and will care for him for the coming year. The orphan, Maurice Fabre, formerly of 141 Grande Street, St. Maurice, Seine, was first adopted by Field Hospital 147, 112 Sanitary Train, A.E.F. (American Expeditionary Force) who have been caring for him for some time. The local legion will send money for the orphan’s provision for the next year. Maurice was born November 12, 1907, one of three children. Maurice is tall with black eyes and brown hair. His expression is earnest and intelligent. He is an intelligent student, always standing first or second in his class. He is very anxious to take up scientific agriculture. A photograph of the orphan is on exhibition in the front window of the Carr Clothing Company, Oneonta.

December 1920

60 Years Ago

An Oneonta workman was injured when a tank of hot pitch exploded at the Reynolds Metal Company plant at Massena has been awarded $110,000 in a U.S. District Court settlement in Albany. The workman, Donald B. Sweet, 44 of Oneonta was employed by Miner Construction Co. of Syracuse, a subcontractor in building the aluminum plant at Massena. Sweet suffered permanent injuries from the explosion and fire on March 12, 1959. His lawsuit against Reynolds and the Bechtel Corporation was settled as the trial was about to open last week.
Mrs. Robert Leamy of Oneonta was one of 45 New York State Electors who was in Albany Monday to cast ballots for president-elect John F. Kennedy and vice-president-elect Lyndon B. Johnson. While serving in Albany, Mrs. Leamy was elected temporary secretary of the morning session of the New York State Electoral College.

December 1960

40 Years Ago

Administrator Frank M. Isbell says that A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital has been fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH). This means Fox Hospital has voluntarily chosen to operate according to standards set by the JCAH and established by its member organizations which includes the American College of Physicians, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Dental Association. The current certificate expires in two years. The JCAH, formed in 1951 is a private not-for-profit Organization with the primary purpose of promoting high quality health care and related human services.

December 10, 1980

20 Years Ago

A special benefit for the Otsego County chapter of Hospice will be held December 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Nader Towers. Entertainment will include Jazz, Latin, Swing, Big Band, Dixie and Blues tunes of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Al Galllodoro, master of saxophone and clarinet, will be featured, with JoAnn Chmielowski on keyboard.

December 2000

10 Years Ago

Cherry Valley’s Greg Noonan and his Cooperstown pal Brad Feik hauled “Rudolph the Reindeer” a one-time popular Christmas-season fixture from the former Bresee’s Department Store to Danny’s Main Street Market in Cooperstown where kids will be able to ride the reindeer – for a dime – through the Christmas season. Noonan bought the attraction when Bresee’s auctioned off its goods after Oneonta’s iconic anchor store closed.Per capita income in Otsego County is $16,806 – not great – but unemployment is 6.9 percent, below New York State’s 8.2 percent and the nation’s 9.5 percent.

December 2010