HOMETOWN HISTORY

June 14, 2019

150 YEARS AGO

Fatal Accident – William Beach, a man about 70 years of age, was instantly killed by the locomotive of the evening train west, on Saturday last, at a creek crossing near Wells Bridge. He was discovered in the act of crawling across the bridge, and it is supposed was intoxicated. He was seen too late to stop the train, and so terrible was the blow that he fell dead between the timbers of the bridge. Mr. Beach was a native of Franklin where he lived for many years, a man of good native powers and of respectable connections. But, becoming very intemperate, he abandoned his family many years ago and has led a forlorn, wandering and homeless life which has come to a tragic ending. An inquest was held at Unadilla to investigate the facts of the accident.

June 1869

125 YEARS AGO

Local – The next game of ball in Oneonta will be played at the fairgrounds Friday of this week by the Normals and the Geises, one of the strongest amateur teams of Albany. Friday’s game will doubtless be the best contest seen in Oneonta this season, and no lover of the national game should fail to be present.
The Oneonta Wheel Club proposes to celebrate the Fourth in fitting manner at the Pine Grove riding park. In the morning there will be a fantastic parade on the streets, bicycle, potato sack and other races in the afternoon and fireworks in the evening. It is proposed to bring Jenny and Helfert of Utica into a bicycle contest with Hall of Oneonta, who has this week gone into training.

June 1894

100 YEARS AGO

Within the past week Mrs. L.J. Aldrich, who resides at 4 Potter Avenue, has received three letters from her son, Marshall S. Aldrich, who is a first-class heavy gunner aboard the United States battleship Arizona. The Arizona, which had been in French waters for some time, was dispatched to the Turkish coast in May. On May 10, the Arizona was about ten miles off Smyrna, waiting to lend a hand in straightening out matters between Turks and Armenians. In a second letter five days later, he writes: “Well, we didn’t land the day we expected, but they sent the Marines to guard the American Consul. The French and Greeks took over the forts of Smyrna this afternoon and I don’t believe it was much of a job. The Turkish warship in here is giving much trouble. The other night they had their searchlights trained on the Greeks and were going to fire when our Admiral told them to turn off their lights or we would sink them” The last letter mentions the landing of the Marines and the fight between Turks and Greeks, in which the latter were victorious, but lost 100 men, while the Turks lost 300. The Arizona was about 300 yards from the beach and had a fine view of the battle.

June 1919

80 YEARS AGO

Wedding Make-Up Requires Special Care – If there’s one time a woman doesn’t want to look “painted,” it’s on her wedding day. And, that’s the one day she’s likely to look just that way if she’s not careful. In the first place, white is a difficult color to wear. Ivory is somewhat easier. In her desire to look her best, the bride is likely to listen to well-wishers whose advice may be good for others, but may be just the wrong thing for her. These pointers may help a bride steer clear of bad advice. Don’t try any hair tints or tricky hair arrangements. When you get your hair fixed get a good thorough brushing and a shampoo you have tested by experience. If you have worn your hair up, and it flatters you that way, better use some hair lacquer to keep the strands from straying. Don’t wear too much rouge. A tiny bit of paste rouge is all right. Powder rouge is likely to rub off when people start kissing the bride. Don’t wear powder that is too light. You don’t want to look like a ghost. Don’t use mascara or eye shadow too much. Don’t wear bright nail polishes.

June 1939

60 YEARS AGO

A fuller understanding of the problems and importance of the dairy industry in Otsego County was gained by 27 local business men who toured four area farms. The tour took Chamber of Commerce members on farms operated by Lowell S. Huntington and Sons, Westford; Lawrence D. Hansen, South Valley; Owen Fassett and Sons, East Springfield, and Mrs. Gertrude Low and Son, Milford. The four farms toured were labeled “model farms” by Otsego County Agriculture Agent Dale Brown and displayed the most modern in farm equipment. Sizes of herds ranged from 32 milking cows on the Lawrence D. Hansen farm to 66 on the farm operated by Mr. Huntington and his sons.

June 1959

20 YEARS AGO

Minor league baseball returns to Oneonta’s Damaschke Field tonight with a new team, a new manager and a new mascot. The area’s much-loved Yankees farm team of years past will be visitors from Staten Island, facing Oneonta’s new team in the New York Penn League – the Oneonta Tigers in their first game. Sam Nader, president of the Oneonta Athletic Club, hopes that 1,500 to 2,000 fans will be on hand tonight to welcome the Tigers. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for children age 15 or younger. Nader said there will be fourteen sponsored games this season as in years past.

June 1999

10 YEARS AGO

Oneonta resident Del Anthony is the new owner of an adult football team formerly known as the Oneonta Stallions. Don Stanton, Sr. was extradited from the Otsego County jail on May 26 to face felony theft charges in Harrison, Arkansas. Despite Stanton’s arrest and his failure to secure a home field for the 2009 Regional American Football League season, the Stallions continued to meet at Fortin Park in the Town of Oneonta for regularly scheduled practices. “We all had a dream,” said Anthony who joined the Stallions in their infancy last summer as a coach. “I had a dream to coach. It’s a dream come true.”

June 2009