A soda fountain and a circus come to the village

Continuing with Marvin “Shorty” Vrooman’s newspaper clippings from the Knowersville Enterprise “From Our Files” column dated July 4th, 1885:

Local: Our druggist’s, Messrs. Davenport and Frederick have placed a soda fountain in their store and the boys are now saving their nickels wherewith to provide his delicious drinks for their lady friends.

The show of the season — the first big show will appear in Knowersville on Monday, July 20, and give two exhibitions.  It is a Frank A. Robbins’ circus and menagerie.  They have been highly complimented by the press throughout the country where they have performed and from what we can learn have deserved all the praise that has been bestowed upon them.

Saturday, July 11, 1885 

Guilderland: As usual, the 4th passed off very quietly here.  The small boys delighted in powder crackers and torpedoes throughout the day and about 4:30 pm we had a slight shower which cleared away.

In the evening there was a final display of fireworks in front of Sloan’s Hotel.  Two balloons ascended and it was a very enjoyable evening.

Saturday, July 18, 1885

Local: The residents of the village are much concerned over several burglaries during the past week.  On Friday night, burglars entered the houses of Messrs. Crary, Hart, and Ostrander, and relieved Mr, Crary of upwards of $30 and Mr. Ostrander of about $2.  They secured nothing of Mr. Hart as they awakened the household before they accomplished their purpose.  On Sunday night, an attempt was made at the residence of Mr. Philey, but as people were on the alert nothing came of it.                   

Saturday, July 25, 1885

Local: Thursday evening, August 3rd, the Knowersville Orchestra will give an instrumental  and vocal concert in the Lutheran Church. The admission is placed at 25 cents and everyone purchasing a ticket will be entitled to a dish of ice cream, which will be served immediately after the concert.  As everyone who has heard our orchestra knows that it will be a rare treat.

Monday, July 20th, was a red-letter day in our town, the occasion being the Frank A. Robbins circus and menagerie.  People gathered from near and far and by the time of the parade, the streets were filled with strangers.

The work on the new houses and the improvements on those already built is progressing favorably. Messrs. Tice, Staley and Wilber will be able to occupy theirs soon.  Mr. Osbornlighter is ready for mason work and carpenters are still at work on the homes of Van Auken and Crounse.

Guilderland Station: The summer boarders still continue to arrive en route for the Helderbergs. It is reported that the various boarding houses are being filled rapidly.

West Township: Two gentlemen have been through this place engaging hop pickers.

Saturday, August 1, 1885

Local: Tuesday, August 18, Triumph Lodge will go on an excursion to New Baltimore.  They go by train to Albany, leaving Knowersville at 9:35 a.m., stopping at Guilderland Station and Voorheesville, thence by boat to New Batimore, arriving there at 12:15pm.  A fine grove has been secured and in the afternoon baseball and other games will be the order of the day.  They leave New Baltimore on the return trip at 7:20 thus giving everyone a chance of a moonlight ride on the Hudson and arriving at Knowersville at 10:00 pm.

The fare for the round trip has been placed at 75 cents.  Ice cream and refreshments will be served on the boat, and everything done to make the trip enjoyable for all.

Saturday, August 8, 1885

Local: Nearly all the flagstone for the walk on the east side of Church Street (now Maple) have been delayed.

Sand’s Mill will resume business Aug. 10th having added a new power and remodeled their mill in general, they will be able to turn out work in the best manner.  Feed grinding on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Saturday, August 15, 1885

Thompson’s Lake: Seventy-seven registered ay the Lake View House

Sunday.

Guilderland Center: A.V. Mynderse is building an addition to his vinegar house. Phillip Ogsbury is doing the carpentry work.

Local: We are pleased to note that improvements are taking place in  Prospect Street and Helderberg Avenue. The first mentioned street has a stone walk its entire length.  We hope that Church Street will wake up and do likewise.

Why can’t some arrangement be made with the railroad company so we can have a nice park in our village? A neat fence, shade trees, walks, flowers, etc. would transform an unsightly common into a beautiful park.

Guilderland Center: The game of baseball between the “Get There Elies” of Guilderland and the “Brown Leghorns” of this place was won by the latter, 42 to 8.

Local:  At the annual school meeting on Tuesday, the following were elected for the ensuing year:  Jacob Van Benscoten, trustee; N. Sturges, collector;  F. Keenholts, librarian;  George Lainhart, clerk.   The sum of $710 was voted to be raised to defray expenses for the current year.

Historian's note: If readers would like to read more of "Shorty” Vrooman's columns, "From Our Files," published in The Altamont Enterprise from July 28, 1978 to Dec. 13, 1984, they can be accessed through the Guilderland Public Library website along with the original McKownville Enterprise editions from which they were taken.

Continuing with Marvin “Shorty” Vrooman’s newspaper clippings from the Knowersville Enterprise “From Our Files” column dated July 4th, 1885:

Local: Our druggist’s, Messrs. Davenport and Frederick have placed a soda fountain in their store and the boys are now saving their nickels wherewith to provide his delicious drinks for their lady friends.

The show of the season — the first big show will appear in Knowersville on Monday, July 20, and give two exhibitions.  It is a Frank A. Robbins’ circus and menagerie.  They have been highly complimented by the press throughout the country where they have performed and from what we can learn have deserved all the praise that has been bestowed upon them.

Saturday, July 11, 1885 

Guilderland: As usual, the 4th passed off very quietly here.  The small boys delighted in powder crackers and torpedoes throughout the day and about 4:30 pm we had a slight shower which cleared away.

In the evening there was a final display of fireworks in front of Sloan’s Hotel.  Two balloons ascended and it was a very enjoyable evening.

Saturday, July 18, 1885

Local: The residents of the village are much concerned over several burglaries during the past week.  On Friday night, burglars entered the houses of Messrs. Crary, Hart, and Ostrander, and relieved Mr, Crary of upwards of $30 and Mr. Ostrander of about $2.  They secured nothing of Mr. Hart as they awakened the household before they accomplished their purpose.  On Sunday night, an attempt was made at the residence of Mr. Philey, but as people were on the alert nothing came of it.                   

Saturday, July 25, 1885

Local: Thursday evening, August 3rd, the Knowersville Orchestra will give an instrumental  and vocal concert in the Lutheran Church. The admission is placed at 25 cents and everyone purchasing a ticket will be entitled to a dish of ice cream, which will be served immediately after the concert.  As everyone who has heard our orchestra knows that it will be a rare treat.

Monday, July 20th, was a red-letter day in our town, the occasion being the Frank A. Robbins circus and menagerie.  People gathered from near and far and by the time of the parade, the streets were filled with strangers.

The work on the new houses and the improvements on those already built is progressing favorably. Messrs. Tice, Staley and Wilber will be able to occupy theirs soon.  Mr. Osbornlighter is ready for mason work and carpenters are still at work on the homes of Van Auken and Crounse.

Guilderland Station: The summer boarders still continue to arrive en route for the Helderbergs. It is reported that the various boarding houses are being filled rapidly.

West Township: Two gentlemen have been through this place engaging hop pickers.

Saturday, August 1, 1885

Local: Tuesday, August 18, Triumph Lodge will go on an excursion to New Baltimore.  They go by train to Albany, leaving Knowersville at 9:35 a.m., stopping at Guilderland Station and Voorheesville, thence by boat to New Batimore, arriving there at 12:15pm.  A fine grove has been secured and in the afternoon baseball and other games will be the order of the day.  They leave New Baltimore on the return trip at 7:20 thus giving everyone a chance of a moonlight ride on the Hudson and arriving at Knowersville at 10:00 pm.

The fare for the round trip has been placed at 75 cents.  Ice cream and refreshments will be served on the boat, and everything done to make the trip enjoyable for all.

Saturday, August 8, 1885

Local: Nearly all the flagstone for the walk on the east side of Church Street (now Maple) have been delayed.

Sand’s Mill will resume business Aug. 10th having added a new power and remodeled their mill in general, they will be able to turn out work in the best manner.  Feed grinding on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Saturday, August 15, 1885

Thompson’s Lake: Seventy-seven registered ay the Lake View House

Sunday.

Guilderland Center: A.V. Mynderse is building an addition to his vinegar house. Phillip Ogsbury is doing the carpentry work.

Local: We are pleased to note that improvements are taking place in  Prospect Street and Helderberg Avenue. The first mentioned street has a stone walk its entire length.  We hope that Church Street will wake up and do likewise.

Why can’t some arrangement be made with the railroad company so we can have a nice park in our village? A neat fence, shade trees, walks, flowers, etc. would transform an unsightly common into a beautiful park.

Guilderland Center: The game of baseball between the “Get There Elies” of Guilderland and the “Brown Leghorns” of this place was won by the latter, 42 to 8.

Local:  At the annual school meeting on Tuesday, the following were elected for the ensuing year:  Jacob Van Benscoten, trustee; N. Sturges, collector;  F. Keenholts, librarian;  George Lainhart, clerk.   The sum of $710 was voted to be raised to defray expenses for the current year.

Historian's note: If readers would like to read more of "Shorty” Vrooman's columns, "From Our Files," published in The Altamont Enterprise from July 28, 1978 to Dec. 13, 1984, they can be accessed through the Guilderland Public Library website along with the original McKownville Enterprise editions from which they were taken.