THE WAY WE WERE
Culled by Judy Garrison
With commentary by Jim Andrews
From April 1922 issues of
The Andes Recorder
100 Years Ago
WEEK IN AND ABOUT ANDES
Events of a week as chronicled by
the Man on the Street
Donald Dickson, appointed postmaster in Andes, went to New York City on Saturday to attend a school for postmasters.
Eva Dimmick died at her home near the Stone School House at Dunraven, March 25, aged 35 years. Last fall she had sleeping sickness while teaching at Goshen, and never fully recovered. A few days before her death she was taken with severe headache and lapsed into unconsciousness. She was born on the farm where she died. She was a graduate of Syracuse University and an excellent teacher. She had been preceptress in Andes.
Rev. G. A. Forbes of Andes, presented a memorial to the General Assembly [of the Presbytery of Delaware] asking that the home mission board take up more definite work among the Jews, but it received unfavorable action from the committee comissions to which it was referred.
Application has been made for a charter to incorporate the Andes Free Library and trustees have been appointed by the village board, each for a different term of office. The building to be used for a library is the Bohlmann property the gift of Mrs. Hugo Gorsch of New York City, to the village. The cooperation and support of the townspeople is needed and requested for the successful administration of this project. [Buffy Calvert: It worked! We were awarded a Charter later that year. Mrs. Elizabeth Gorsch was a daughter of the Bohlmann family]
Miss Ethel Page, a representative of the State Library was here Tuesday on matters relating to the establishing of a public library in Andes. The trustees of the library are, Dr. Jay D. Frisbee, Chas. B. Johnson, Mrs. W. C. Oliver, Mrs. Walter Pattberg and Miss Lillian F. Dowie.
The McNair Sisters have opened a tea room and ice cream parlor in the Goodman building. [Jim Andrews: This building, referred to as Goodman’s Hall, was located behind the Andes General Store and was adjacent to the Armstrong Feed and Flour Mill. The building was available for public use.]
George Honness, Chief Engineer of the Board of Water Supply, is authority for the statement that while New York City would probably build another dam within the next few years, that it would not be at Margaretville.
A. E. Stanley, the noted singer, has organized a class of over 30 in vocal music and will begin giving lessons May 1. He will have a piano player from New York.
County Court convened Monday afternoon at Delhi with Judge Andrew J. McNaught presiding….The first case called was the People vs. Melvin Delamater, of Margaretville. He pleaded guilty to indictment for adultery and the judge fined him $100 with the provision that he should go to work on a farm.
The next case was the people against Floyd. W. Voorman, indicted for rape, plead guilty in 2d degree. The judge sentenced him to the Elmira reformatory but suspended sentence during good behavior, on the following conditions: That Voorman obtain work on a farm at once and remain at work on a farm for two years; that he save at least one-third of his wages each month and deposit same in some bank that he attend church regularly and not visit the village at night more than once a month for two years and that he report on the first of each month to the court. Waldo Barnes, indicted for adultery pleaded guilty and was fined $200. Voorman and Barnes were involved in an escapade in a Davenport Center hotel a few months ago, when it was alleged that Ella O’Brien, a young Hobart girl, was criminally assaulted by Voorman. Mrs. Anna Dykeman, of Hobart, is awaiting trial for her alleged part in enticing the girl away from home.
New York state will provide 26 free camp sites in the Catskills, easily accessible from the highway, near good springs and with space for parking one or more automobiles. All are to be equipped with stone fire-places. The location of one of these camps will be between Andes and Margaretville.
The spring of 1857 has come down to succeeding generations as “The spring of the big snow.” Farmers had been plowing and on April 13 it begun to snow and continued until nearly four feet had fallen. This snow remained on the ground and on April 21 about three feet more was added by a second storm. Much damage was done by roofs being broken on barns under the enormous weight. Stock suffered as many farmers were out of hay. In numerous instances snow had to be melted in the houses in order to supply water for the stock. This vast body of snow melted without rain and without any considerable flood. [JA: The ASHC has a ledger from the Ballantine Store (located next to Ron Guichard’s Realty office) from 1857 which has a handwritten entry describing the unprecedented snowfall.]
Governor Miller has signed the Billiard-Pool Room bill. This bill provides that on and after September 1st no person in this State outside of New York City or Buffalo shall run a billiard room without first obtaining a state license therefore, and paying a license fee of $5.00 per year for each table used. The law prohibits gambling, lotteries and the sale of liquor or habit forming drugs on the premises; or allowing the place to become disorderly, or admitting minors under eighteen years of age unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian; or keeping place open after 12 o’clock at night or before 7 in the morning. Lower third of window must be clear glass and not screened or curtained. [ JA: Andes had a billiard parlor located in the rooms now containing Apple Tree Realty.]~