HOMETOWN History

May 1, 2020

135 Years Ago

Home & Vicinity – Lewis & Smith, liverymen, are about to supply a long felt want in Oneonta, and one that will prove a great public convenience, having purchased one of the Boston standard cabs, which is to be stationed at some convenient point on Main Street, where it can be secured to make trips to any part of the village at a fare varying from ten to twenty-five cents, according to distance. The cab will also do parcel carrying at the same reasonable rates. There seems no doubt that the enterprise will be heartily sustained, as it deserves to be.

May 1885

130 Years Ago

The Local News – About 200 dogs have been registered in the Town Clerk’s office in compliance with the provisions of the new state law.
Shooting at the rifle range on the Odell Brown farm began Wednesday.
Preparations are making for the fine new residence of George B. Baird at the corner of Chestnut and Church Streets. The dwelling will cost about $20,000.
The dynamo placed in Auburn prison for the first electrical execution is the machine formerly in use in the Oneonta electric light company’s plant. It is a Westinghouse machine, designed to supply 650 lights. The execution of the murderer Kemmler, who was to have died by electricity in Auburn prison this week, was stayed yesterday by virtue of a writ of habeas corpus issued by Judge Wallace of the United States Circuit Court on the application of Roger M. Sherman. The application on which the writ was granted and Kemmler’s life was spared, for a time, was made in order to determine whether the proposed killing by electricity is in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth amendments of the Constitution of the United States.

May 1890

110 Years Ago

The requests of proprietors of the overall factory which contemplates locating in Oneonta were considered at a special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Briefly, what the company asks is a building, about 110 by 70 feet, two stories high, with basement, and with heating plant installed. Such a building the company would expect rent free for five years, and in return it would employ at least 100 hands and expects to make the number 200. At the end of the five years free rental, the company is asked to agree to five years additional rental, paying nine percent annually on the investment. It is proposed to organize a stock company and to erect such a building on the Meigs Case lot at the corner of Chestnut Street and Fonda Avenue. The building will cost $14,000, and citizens are expected to guarantee six per cent rental to the company erecting the building. It is hoped to have the building ready for occupancy in the fall.

May 1910

90 Years Ago

Fire, said to have broken out on the farm of William Hungerford, behind Colliers, which swept over 1,000 acres of dry woodland yesterday afternoon, and which at a late hour threatened the city watershed, was reported under control at an early hour this morning. According to W.W. Watkins, superintendent of the city water works, he and his men were called in to aid in the fight shortly before 9 o’clock last night. Twenty men were stationed at this end of the blaze during the night, and patrols made rounds over the whole section, under the direction of H.A. Pearsall. One hundred Hartwick College students, released from their afternoon classes, together with members of the Oneonta and Cooperstown fire departments, and Colliers farmers fought the blaze on the hills behind the village through the daylight hours. The flames, running from the top of one pine to another, jumping creek beds and dirt roads, swung down to within a hundred yards of the village at one time. A valiant fight made by 40 Hartwick students equipped with five gallon hand pump tanks about 3:30 o’clock stopped the fire in that direction, but other sectors continued to burn in several directions before all were brought under control.

May 1930

70 Years Ago

A county-wide campaign to vaccinate all dogs against rabies will open on Monday of next week it has been announced by Supervisor James M. Mead of Oneonta, who is in charge of the Board of Supervisors rabies eradication program. There is no charge to dog owners for this service. Clinics will be set up at designated times and places throughout the county and it is hoped that the owners of Otsego County’s 7,000-odd dogs will take their pets for immunization shots. There will be 38 separate clinics from May 15 to 25, staffed by 13 county veterinarians. Cards will be sent to all dog-owners
in the county notifying them of clinics in their area. All clinics will be open from
7 to 9 p.m. on the days designated.

May 1950

50 Years Ago

With a flourish of bagpipe and drum, the Scout-O-Rama ’70 was opened by Ed Griffin, acting mayor of Oneonta. The scout show offered 50 different views of boys in action through the program of cub scouting, boy scouting and exploring. A stage show was also a highlight of the day on the SUCO Campus. The show was opened in SUCO’s physical education building with ceremonies presided over by the Hon. Walter Terry, Walton, Delaware County Judge and President of the Otschodela Council. Cub scouts and boy scouts from the three-county area displayed handicraft items, special projects, and their knowledge of various scouting skills. An uncountable procession of parents and the general public wandered about the show area learning more about what the scouting movement can do for youth. Highlights of the stage presentation included the Delaware Scottish Pipe Band, the Manhattan Transfers, a Rock Band from Cobleskill, Indian dancing by Troop 27, and the Rockhearts, a folk group from Troop 30.

May 1970

10 YEARS AGO

Ladies shopping for new clothes in Oneonta had something to be excited about as the newest store at the Southside Mall opened.  Maurice’s – “the leading small town specialty store and authority for the savvy, fashion-conscious customer with a 20-something attitude” – opened with a sneak peak Wednesday, April 21, and celebrated a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Friday, April 23.

April 2010