Thirteen decades ago, Altamont was booming, January was still cold
— Guilderland Historical Society
To meet the great demand at the turn of the century by hotels and homes for blocks of ice to cool iceboxes for food, hired men cut ice from Black Creek near Tygert's sawmill. After being cut, the blocks were hoisted out by a drag. This scene shows blocks being loaded on a cutter to be transported to a nearby icehouse and packed in sawdust.
The following incidents were recorded in the village of Altamont's Enterprise after the New Year 100 years ago. A column "From Our Files," captured by newsman Shorty Vroman in the late 1970s tells the tales. It is quite a change from what will be the Altamont 2015 year community events.
Saturday, Jan. 2nd, 1886
“Where are the new building sites for the next season to come from in our village? This is a question of some importance to those who are expecting to locate themselves in the near future. Without considerable grading, no further improvement can be made on Prospect Avenue.
“Church Street, with the exception of Lockwood Square, is now on Maple Avenue across from the present Enterprise building; where the Masonic Temple now stands is already taken. School Street [now Lincoln Avenue] could be made a popular thoroughfare if Jacob Crounse were to open the same.
“There are some desirable building sites on Grand Street. There are also projected openings in the VanAuken Square on Main Street. Let us be permitted to give a suggestion to those parties who have large tracts of land to dispose of, to have your streets graded and trees planted, will give added value to the adjoining property."
Saturday, Jan. 9, 1886
Knowersville Station: "The great importance of our station on the line of the D & H road is far from being appreciated. Our reporter called Mr. Smith Philley, the agent who furnished us with the number of passenger tickets sold during 1885 — 10,115 tickets sold.
“This does not include school tickets or commutation books. A large percentage of summer travel is by Albanians who purchase return tickets. The actual amount of cash received for the year, exclusive of express and telegraph receipts is $11,532.69. This indicates somewhat the sources of our prosperity."
Saturday, January 16, 1886
“The day car made the employees of the railroad happy Thursday.
“Parties were drawing ice from Tygert's Pond Thursday for Mel VanAuken, which measured 14 inches.
"The thermometer here ranged from 12 to 18 degrees below zero Tuesday morning and from 18 to 22 degrees below on Wednesday morning."
Saturday, January 23, 1886
"We learn that John H. Pangburn intends putting in a full line of hardware in his projected new store and that there will also be accommodations for a meat market in the same building. He has already commenced the erection of an ice house."
Saturday, January 30, 1886
"A carload of apples was shipped from here Tuesday.”
"Sand's Mill commenced sawing for the first Wednesday afternoon."
South Bethlehem: "An old colored gentlemen by the name of Lot Van Deusen died Jan. 21. His funeral was held at the church on the Sunday following. According to the best authority, his age was 112 years."
Voorheesville: "The sleighing is good and many farmers are taking advantage of it by drawing hay and straw to our merchants and logs to the mill."
Saturday, January 22, 1887
"If you want to keep warm during the cold weather, go to the depot where you will always find a rousing fire and plenty of good company."
"The thermometer ranged from 10 to 20 below zero in this locality Wednesday morning which is the coldest weather of the season."
Saturday, January 29, 1887
"Frank Mynderse is filling his ice house with ice 22 inches thick from Tygert's Pond."