150 Years Ago
October 14, 1868 — While the tanners were marching through Albany street last Thursday evening, the horse of Mr. J.J. Fitcher (by the way the property of a good republican, and therefore expected to know better) became so frightened by the stirring music at the head of the procession that it became necessary to unhitch him from the wagon, but this didn’t serve to allay his fears and he so conducted as soon to find himself flat upon his back on the sidewalk. As we saw him lying there, we couldn’t help thinking of the similarity between his position and that in which the democratic party will find itself on the morning of November fourth.
125 Years Ago
October 12, 1893 — For about a year there has been talk of putting a new bulkhead at the state dam on Mill street. The oak timbers have been purchased and drawn in place, and that is as far as the work has gone. The timbers lie rotting in the sun and rain, and by the time the state authorities get around to do the work a new set will probably be needed. The work should either be done at once, or abandoned, and the timbers taken care of.
Work on the new club house has already commenced, and the debris of the recent fire is all cleared away, with the exception of a few timbers found to be in good enough condition to use in the new building. The plans for the new structure contemplate a building 11 feet wider than the old one, making it more nearly square. The walls will be entirely of stone, and the arrangement of the interior will be materially altered.
100 Years Ago
October 17, 1918 — The H.H. Franklin Co. of Syracuse is to devote its entire plant to war work, discontinuing the manufacture of Franklin cars until after the war. The company employs 3,000 men and is the first company of this size manufacturing automobiles to take this step.
The War Department having requested that in the 400 colleges that have been designated for use as students training camps no football schedules be arranged for this season, it may be doubted whether football will ever again “come back.” Male students in the colleges will hereafter get their needed exercise in the form of military drill. And the change will be for the best. All the students will get the exercise-not merely the few who are members of a football team.
Mr. and Mrs. Ford Hutchinson this morning received a letter from their son, Sergeant Ulrich M. Hutchinson, written September 19th somewhere in France, which says that about a week before that date he saw Lieutenant Nicholas Kiley behind the front lines just before the latter was going into an attack. “Nick” was looking fine. Ulrich said that to see someone from home was like a little trip to heaven.
50 Years Ago
October 16, 1968 — Completion of negotiations by the New York State Historic Trust for the purchase of Lorenzo, the early 19th century home of John Lincklaen, founder of Cazenovia, has been announced by Governor Rockefeller.
The Governor said that preservation of Lorenzo, a distinguished Federal house completed in 1809, with outstanding nineteenth century furnishings and decorations, will give New York State “a dramatic opportunity to explain the life of a leading Central New York State family and its part in developing that section of the State.”
Col. Lincklaen, agent for the Holland Land Company, began in 1772 to survey 135,000 acres of land the company owned in Central New York. He opened the region to settlement and the community of Cazenovia, in Madison County, grew around his office.
Construction of Lorenzo, built of locally-produced brick and located at the south end of Cazenovia Lake, was begun in 1805 or 1805. Completed in 1809, it subsequently was enlarged over the years.
The property becomes the 27th state-owned historic site, and as such will be under jurisdiction of the New York State Historic Trust and will be maintained and operated by the Central New York State Park Commission.
It is expected to be opened to the public in the spring of 1969.
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.
