HOMETOWN History

Oct. 25, 2019

150 Years Ago

The cost of a corrupt Congress: A session of Congress costs the country $4,000,000. Each day entails upon us an expense of $33,000. The fortieth Congress used up nearly eleven hundred penknives, costing about three dollars each, and of course, the members did not pay for them. Besides penknives, such necessary articles as snuff, tobacco, pocket scissors, hair brushes and “extra Morocco desks” have been furnished by a grateful nation to its representatives. Among the items is this starting line: “12 cotton stay laces, $6.” It costs $2,144.65 to transport the body of a defunct Congressman to his home and that when the distance is only short. Sometimes there is a “Call of the House,” and absent members have to be hunted up from all parts. The Sergeant-at-Arms is allowed to charge $2.20 for every truant that he thus captures, besides mileage. He may bring up a hundred in one day, and thus bag $520 as his perquisites. Stationery is an article which most members of Congress use by the carload. Postage is not counted here, but the mails are borne down by the weight of the legislative gun powder!

November 1869

125 Years Ago

Wealthy Democrats are not pouring out their wealth for corrupting the voters. They leave this method to the Republicans, who nominate millionaires for that purpose. The tendency of wealthy Republicans, not only this year, but every year, is quite marked. A Republican can’t get on the Republican ticket even for Coroner, without the express understanding that he will, with alacrity, walk up to the County Committee rooms and pay his assessment.
Mr. F.H. Steele of Oneonta was in Delhi on Friday, in quest of a wagon stolen October 9, by one David Oliver, alias S.D. Smith. J.D. Dreyfuss relinquished the buggy to Mr. Steele as gracefully as could be expected. A horse also stolen by the same party of his brother and sold to S.F. Colwell of the Temperance House, was driven to Oneonta by one Gibson, who purchased the animal of Colwell, identified there and returned to its lawful owner. David’s whereabouts are unknown at present. Look out for him.

November 1894

100 Years Ago

Jolly Halloween Party – Last Saturday evening, a Halloween Party was given by Mrs. Annie Eldridge at her home on Cedar Street. The guests came masked and in costume to be greeted by a speaking sheet and Baby Bliss, a fantastic figure. The evening was spent in playing games, fortune telling and music. The hostess also danced the Italian Tarantella in costume. Refreshments were served and, at a late hour, the guests departed after hearing a startling ghost story.
Mike Gilhooley, a fifteen-year-old Belgian youth, has been deported for the fourth time by American Immigration officials. However, the boy is determined to make his home in the United States. “You’ll see me again,” shouted Mike from the steamer rail in New York harbor. “I’ll be back soon, and I’ll keep right on coming back if I have to keep up this stowaway game for the next ten years because I’m going to be an American citizen. The Belgian youth is an orphan. His father, who was born in Ireland, died before the war began. His mother, a Belgian, was killed during the German invasion.

November 1919

80 Years Ago

Oneonta’s eighth annual city-wide Halloween celebration last night was declared a success. Fully 1,500 students of the city schools and three musical units march through Main Street’s business section to Neahwa Park, where a huge bonfire program was held. Police estimated that more than 5,000 witnessed the parade. Novelty costumes were outstanding this year. Two children riding a pony, both wearing costumes of the middle ages drew much applause. There were hundreds of clowns, a variety of cowboys, devils and tramps. Tall and short fat men with one youth more inflated than the other were more in evidence this year.

November 1939

60 Years Ago

Political Advertisement: James and Charlotte Georgeson are both natives of Oneonta. Their children are Christine, 7, David, 5, and Diane, 2. They are communicants of The First Presbyterian Church and live at 62 Center Street, Oneonta. Mrs. Georgeson is the former Charlotte Lunn, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Lunn of Taft Avenue, Oneonta. Mr. Georgeson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Georgeson at 36 Church Street, Oneonta. Mr. Georgeson has a special interest in education. He has served as a discussion leader for the White House Conference on Education and on a special school study Commission. He has been active in youth activities in Oneonta and is a member of the Kiwanis Club. .

November 1959

20 Years Ago

A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital plans to open its new radiation oncology facility in May 2000. The cancer center comes in the form of a 2,000 square foot addition to the rear of the Fox Care Center on State Highway 7 in the Town of Oneonta. Fox will also convert 5,000 square feet of unfinished space in the existing building into examining rooms, offices and other patient areas Fox President John R. Remillard said.

November 1999

10 Years Ago

Oneonta City Police arrested or issued tickets to 34 people
on Saturday and early Sunday morning, a total more than twice the number last year on a Friday and five times as many as 2006 when Halloween fell on a Tuesday. “I think it was definitely busier than most Halloweens because it was a Saturday,” Sergeant Andrew Thomas said. Alcohol abuse, container violations, and driving while intoxicated accounted for most of the arrests in 2009.

November 2009