S. M. Shaw

“ The Cooperstown railroad was built and opened for travel; a steamer was placed on the lake; the Union School and new Catholic church were built; the Susquehanna at the outlet was spanned by a new iron bridge that cost upwards of $12,000; a "Village Improvement Society" was organized, which did much good work; scores of new, and many of them costly and elegant, dwellings, and stores and public buildings, were erected. We narrate the progress of events more in detail:
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“ What was at first very naturally regarded as a public calamity, in which individuals suffered considerable loss — though only a few of them were unable easily to bear it — in the end proved of great and lasting benefit to the place. ”

“ Carelessness with fire-arms was then not so common a cause of serious accident, it seems, as at the present time, but one instance is recorded in August of this year, when a young German man-servant employed in one of the families of the village, with great recklessness, pointed a gun, not supposing it loaded, at a female servant, and discharging it, killed her instantly. ”

“ That ended the "training days" in Cooperstown. In the ranks were a large number of men who had participated in the Civil War. Several attempts at burglary were made in October of this year, one successful raid being made on the dwelling of I. K. Williams, whose house was entered on the night of Oct. 26th, robbed of $54, a silver watch, and several other articles. Ex-Gov. Seymour visited Cooperstown in October, and after a serenade by the Boston Brass Band, he made an address from the piazza of the Empire House. A large number of the villagers called on him to pay their respects. ”

“ In September the army quota of the town of Otsego was filled, and no drafted men were sent. The bounty had been raised to $1,025, for the war; and in December the town bounty was increased to $800 for "three years' men." Gov. Seymour, who was the Democratic Presidential candidate this year, addressed a political mass-meeting in this village, in Oct. 1865. Lieut. Morris Foote returned to his home in Cooperstown, in January, having happily made his escape from a rebel prison. His brother, Frank Foote lost a leg in the battle of the Wilderness, and was for a long time thought to have been killed. ”

“ Cooperstown "arose from her ashes" a new and far more beautiful town — and still the improvements are gradually going on. as store after store follows the Bundy block on the old "Eagle Hotel lot." ≈ 80 On the 25th of April, a public meeting was held in the Court House, at which steps were taken to collect funds to aid those few persons who had been impoverished by the recent fires. The buildings burned were located as follows: L. J. Walworth’s dwelling, on a lot now embraced in the grounds of Elihu Phinney ”

“ It afforded an opportunity to make Main street of uniform width throughout its entire length — a great and very desirable improvement. The expense was largely met by private subscription. And then followed the erection of the Central Hotel, the "Iron Clad’ and other fine brick and stone buildings on Main street, the Clinton House and Mr. Kipps large brick house on Pioneer street, the Nelson block of stores, corner of Main and Chestnut streets, and other improvements. ”

“ Loss on building about $14,000; on furniture, about $2.500. This was a year of great activity among builders and others in Cooperstown. During most of the summer and fall about one hundred carpenters, masons and painters were employed here. ”

“ Daniel Peck’s hotel, on the present Clinton House grounds; B. F. Kipp’s dwelling, next north; J. H. Burgess, north of alley between him and Kipp, three shops and Hall above, on ground once occupied by Stephen Gregory’s old shoe manufactory and a small residence; the Eagle Hotel on the corner, now occupied, together with a portion of the Burgess lot, by the Bundy block; a wooden building owned by Wm. Van Buskirk, and occupied by W. G. S. Hall as a saloon, next west of the Eagle hotel, now occupied by brick stores ”

“ On the north side of Main street, A. Robinson’s "town pump grocery," rebuilt; Loomis Brown’s building, occupied as a bakery, and residence above, not rebuilt; E. & H. Corys shop, occupied by. E. Edwards, part of lot vacant, partly occupied by W. E. Cory’s store; J. F. Scott & Co., store, stood next east; John J. Short, store and residence, next east; E. & H. Cory’s shop, barns and sheds, in rear of stone building now owned by A. J. Wikoff; John Wood, market and dwelling stood on same ground now occupied by him; Bingham & Jarvis and H. Hollister, two stores, now occupied by "iron clad" building ”

“ Wm. K Taylor of Binghamton; two brick buildings adjoining on the west, by the late Judge Nelson, and still owned by his estate; the large and elegant brick building, with iron front, two stores, offices and public Hall, with brick bakery in rear, by George L. Bowne, now owned by Asahel A. Jarvis; a handsome stone building, dwelling and market, by John Wood, and still occupied by him; a double frame building, with brick front, for two stores and dwelling, by John J. Short,who still occupies the dwelling part ”

“ So many persons had engaged in this business that the government wholly interdicted it. ≈ 82 Dr Lathrop and E. M. Harris, Esq., were appointed commissioners for examining the men subject to draft into the military service of the government. They were kept very busy at this work through the month of October. In November, Edwin M. Harris, Esq., was appointed County Judge, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Hon. Levi. C. Turner, who had accepted a position at Washington, under Judge Advocate-General Holt. Mr. ”