150 Years Ago
May 23, 1866 — First class boot jacks and toe annihilators can be found at almost any spot in the sidewalks of our village. We speak from painful experience.
A boat house, connected by a rustic bridge to the main land, is being constructed on the island situated in the channel of the outlet of the Lake. It will be jointly owned by several gentlemen of this village.
During the past few weeks we have noticed several instances of the most flagrant ignorance or carelessness of individuals in tying teams to the beautiful shade trees which ornament our streets, when a good hitching post was within a few feet of the spot. It may profit these individuals to know that a man recently tied his team to a locust tree in Pittsburgh, Pa., which the horses gnawed, and both died from the effects thereof in a short time. We feel almost inclined to say, “Served him right.” Moral- Don’t tie your horses to shade trees.
125 Years Ago
May 21, 1891 — (From the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union) Relation of Bad Cookery to Intemperance: The relation of bad cookery to intemperance is not often considered, and in fact, not generally understood. Nevertheless it is true that intemperance and unhealthful, unhygienic cookery are often related to each other by laws of cause and effect. In the first place, bad cookery leads to indigestion, and frequently the indigestion leads to the taking of bitters of some sort to correct it-a remedy which is worse than the disease. The victim goes first to some doctor who prescribes some variety of tonic bitters, ready prepared or otherwise, and in a little time the man gets to buying bitters for himself. I was reading the other day of a man found drunk on the streets with a bottle which had held “Plantation Bitters” in his pocket. A man can get drunk on almost any variety of the popular bitters advertised. Richardson’s bitters contain sixty per cent of alcohol more than the best Scotch whiskey. Saloons keep patent medicine bitters of various sorts on their shelves, for many of their customers prefer them to other drinks.
Bitter substances do stimulate the stomach, and are thus a temporary aid to digestion; but their help is simply what the whip is to the overworked horse. They impart no strength, and in the end leave the stomach worse than they find it. Using bitters today only makes the demand still more urgent for them tomorrow.
100 Years Ago
May 25, 1916 — Earlville citizens propose organizing a rifle club there for the purpose of affiliating with the National Rifle association of America. The war department furnishes rifles and ammunition to clubs organized in the conformity of the rules of the department.
At the trial term of Supreme court at Wampsville this week 29 applicants for naturalization to citizenship, mostly by Italians were received. For one reason and another only eighteen were granted citizenship papers. Among those who were turned down was a Canastota Italian because he was a wholesale beer agent.
In repainting the fire hydrants a shade of green that blends precisely with the grass plots with which most of them are surrounded, Morrisville’s street commissioner displays a taste that borders on the artistic.
50 Years Ago
May 26, 1966 — Rev. Siciliano Invited By White House: The Rev. H.R. Siciliano, Cazenovia, director of urban ministry for the Presbyterian Synod of New York, has received an invitation from President Johnson to participate in the White House Conference “To Fulfill These Rights,” June 1 and 2 in Washington, D.C.
The President first proposed the conference in June, 1965, in his speech at Howard University. He announced that he would call the conference “to help the American Negro fulfill the rights which, after the long time of injustice, he is finally about to secure.”
The President closed his speech with the prediction that “Together…we can light the candle of understanding in the heart of all America; and, once lit, it will never again go out.”
The conference will bring together 2400 citizens to provide a cross section of our society, to consider action proposals leading to the fulfillment of human rights.
Years Ago is compiled by Erica Barnes. She is a contributing writer for The Cazenovia Republican with a degree in history and communications from Flagler College. She compiles the column from the archives of the Cazenovia Public Library. It is written in the style of the time.
