VILLAGE NOTES

Among the unique decorations which were seen in Altamont on the Fourth was a flag which adorned the residence of George E. Zeh. This flag has been in the possession of the Zeh family for 59 years. It was made in 1860 at Gallupville by Mrs. Hugh Livingston, mother of Mrs. Emma Zeh and grandmother of George E. Zeh. The banner was made entirely by hand. The red stripes are of French calico and the white stripes of bleached muslin. The calico stripes have withstood the ravages of time much better than the muslin, and also retain most of their original color. In the center of the field of blue is one large star, which is surrounded by 33 smaller ones. The stars are all sewed on with buttonhole stitch. Mrs. Livingston made the flag as a gift for her son, George Livingston, who was then ten years of age. It was first used at a patriotic celebration in Berne in the early 1860s. The banner is an interesting relic of the days when flags were not as cheap or as plentiful as they are at present. 

ALTAMONT FREE LIBRARY YEARLY REPORT 

The Altamont Free Library closes its third year under very happy conditions. 

During the year the library has been open 103 days. Last year’s record showed that 429 cards had been issued. This year the librarian reports that the total number of cards on record is 529. 

The total circulation of last year was 5,628 books. The total circulation of this, the third year, is 6,527. The average circulation per library day has been 60 books, a gain of 5 books per day over last year. 

The total number of volumes now in the library is 1,044. 

The library having outgrown its first home, has been moved to more commodious quarters. The Van Aernam property, where the library is now housed, has been leased for a period of three years, with the privilege of subletting the same, if the growth of the library compels a change of residence before the expiration of lease. 

STATE HAS OVER HALF A MILLION MOTOR VEHICLES 

New York State has just passed the half million mark in its motor vehicles. Announcement to this effect by Francis M. Hugo, Secretary of State, and head of the motor vehicle bureau, carries with it the prediction that by the end of this year there will be close to 525,000 cars owned and operated in this State. 

Approximately 20 per cent of the automobiles in New York State are owned by farmers. 

THIRTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY

We are again reminded of the passage of time by the arrival of the thirty-fifth anniversary of the birth of the Altamont Enterprise, which occurs this week. The first issue of the Enterprise appeared on the 26th of July, 1884, and the paper has been published regularly every week during the past 35 years.