Happenings About Bainbridge, NY - 1879

Bainbridge Republican, September 26, 1879

The Bainbridge Cornet Band favored the villagers with an out-door serenade, Tuesday evening, and many listened with pleasure to their great improvement.  At a meeting of the band held at their rooms Tuesday evening, Sept. 23rd, it was decided to call the organization the "Citizen's Cornet Band," of Bainbridge, and the following officers were elected:  Elliot Danforth, Esq., President; Walter A. Welsh, Vice President; R. Fred Tyler, Secretary; E.E. McKinstry, Treasurer; C.J. Humphrey, Leader. The band is at present composed of the following gentleman:  C.J. Humphrey, clarionett; James Newton, D.P. VanHorne, E.C. Prescott, cornetto; W.A. Welsh, baritone; T.H. Robertson, tenor; R.F. Tyler, solo alto; E.E. McKinstry, bass; M. Herrick, bass drum; M. Loomis, tenor drum.  Reversals every Monday evening; open air concerts every Saturday evening when the weather is favorable.

 

Improvements in Bainbridge this summer have been more general than many, even townsmen imagine, and considering the times, much more extensive than could have been expected.  Noticeable is the machine shop and saw mill of D.A. Gilbert & Co., the opening of a new street through the depot grounds and the building of a new bridge across the stream.  The finishing of J.M. Roberts new house and the grading of the grounds; an entire new house and barn on a vacant lot on Pearl street, owned by Mrs. E. Haynes; new house on West Main street, owned by Mrs. Gaffeny; a new barn on the same street by Mr. Nelson Pettys; new barn and improvements to house by Mr. Jewell on Kirby street; addition and repairs on house by Mr Wm. Thayer, Pearl street; new barn and improvements to premises of Mrs. A. Doolittle, East Main street; extensive shingling repairs to tenant and farm buildings by Mr. Joseph Bush, same street; remodeling of home of Mr. Charles Freiot, "Dimmock" property; same to house, occupied by Dr. Copley; on Guilford street Mrs. Daniel Bristol has built a large barn, a carriage house and horse barn; on the Coventry road Mr. Joseph Herrick has arranged all his farm buildings into one large commodious structure; Mr. James Wilsey has the frame of a new house up on West Main street; Judge Smith has added to his farm buildings during the summer, Vern Payne, a new barn on the "Notch;' Wm. Pearsall, a new barn on the "Searles Hill" street.

 

Bainbridge Republican, October 10, 1879

 

We stepped into C.P. Perry's hardware establishment the other evening and were surprised to witness the extensive display of new stoves and general hardware he has in and piled up around his store room.  Stoves to the right of us, stoves to the left of us, stoves all around us; in fact the room is completely filled with new merchandise, pertaining to the trade.  Mr. Perry informed us that he had sent in his orders for these goods prior to the recent advance, and therefore, that he could furnish his customers now with goods as cheap as they can procure them in any large city establishment.  Any one, however fastidious, can certainly find there what they want, as he appears to have stores of every known manufacture.

 

James Casey has completed the contract of laying the stone walk on north side of the village green, which leaves about one-quarter of the distance with no walk.  The job has been accepted by the trustees, and the amount of the contract, $100, ordered paid.  The funds in the treasury will not admit of the completion of the walk at present, therefore, unless some public spirited citizens club together and make an effort in that direction, the walk will undoubtedly remain as it is until another season at least.  It would be a commendable act of public charity, if some of those men who have horses and carts were to draw the stone to the spot and have the walk finished, as it would add vastly to the appearance of that part of the village, and be much pleasanter for pedestrianism.

 

A young man calling himself by the euphonious name of Smith, hired a horse and wagon of Will Hastings, Friday last, ostensibly to go to Root's Corners. After the young man had departed with the rig, Hastings was cautioned by someone that he was not all right, and taking Policeman Phinney with him, started in pursuit. After their departure, Sheriff Clark, of Otsego county, arrived in town in quest of a man by the name of Millard Fleming, who had stolen, in Cooperstown, $100 in money, a coat and a gold watch, and by comparing descriptions it was discovered that Smith and Fleming were one and the same individual. The sheriff awaited the return of Hastings and Phinney, who returned Saturday with the horse and wagon, which had been found at Coventry stations; the bird, however, had flown, having taken the train towards Binghamton, which was the last heard of him.

 

It is a matter of local interest that Col. Thomas Buford, of Owenton, Ky. who in March last shot and killed Judge Elliott, of the Court of Appeals of that state, because he had given an adverse decision in a lawsuit--for which crime he was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree, and sentenced to imprisonment for life--is the same ruffian who some eight or ten years ago, struck Ulysses Turner, formerly a school teacher in Bainbridge, and a brother of Dea. Lester Turner, of Norwich, upon the head with a cane--Mr. Turner being the counsel opposed to him in a lawsuit--causing permanent injury and subsequent blindness.  Many of our citizens will remember the unfortunate gentleman.  He died something like a year ago.

 

Master G. Paul Smith gave two entertainments at Prince Hall, Wednesday and Thursday evenings of this week, under the auspices of the order of Good Templars.  Very fair audiences greeted the young elocutionist on both evening, but not so large as it should have been.  It would be difficult for us to so criticize his performance as to make choice of his best personations, as all were equally good and natural, though we think his Juliet was a trifle overdrawn as we remember Miss Neilson in the character.  And as Mille Almee, the effect was very good at the back of the hall, though on raising up and getting a glance of those "number nines," it rather took the romance out of the impersonation.  However, laying joking aside, Master Paul is a natural elocutionist of exceeding great powers, and will unquestionably make his mark in the dramatic world in the future.