125 Years Ago 1901
From The East Hampton Star, June 14
The bell for the new Methodist Episcopal church arrived a few days ago. It is a thirty-eight-inch bell, weighs about five hundred pounds, and was cast at the Cincinnati Bell Foundry. The bell is the gift of David J. Gardiner, of this place.
—
Have you ever heard of Samson Occom? He was a teacher of the Montauks whose life is exceedingly interesting; not for his deeds of blood or savage stoicism, but as teacher, preacher and poet his influence and eloquence are more lasting even than the memory of his name. Occom was of the Mohegan tribe, but in youth he lived in Connecticut. Before manhood he was converted to Christianity. Having a desire to be instructed in some branches of an English education, so that he could enlighten his people, the Rev. Mr. Wheelock received him into a school at Lebanon, Conn., of which he was principal.
—
The News says the new train schedule has caused a change in the runs of the conductors and their crews. Conductor Olin now runs the “cannon ball,” Miller is on the early morning mail west, Kearney is in charge of the first train from the west and the late train to the city and Charles Cunningham remains on the “Cape Horn” train.
100 Years Ago 1926
From The East Hampton Star, June 11
Well, they did it! The members of the local Lions Club made good on the threat that they’d give the classiest shindig ever seen around here, when they pulled off their big party under the title of the “Third Annual Ladies’ Night” at the Maidstone Inn on Wednesday. To be sure, the roar had left some of the Lions as they left the inn, from 1 o’clock on, with wilted collars, depleted stiff shirts, aching toes, but a grin from ear to ear, while their wives and sweethearts complained of shiny noses but insisted that “it was a mighty nice party and we’ve had quite a time.” Yes, they went home tired, but like kids at a Christmas party, they’d had some fun.
—
The newly organized concern, Conhall, Inc., made its bow at Montauk last week, where they are engaged in feeding several hundred men employed on the Carl Fisher development. M.D. Conway, connected with the Jacobson Commissary Company of Chicago for many years, and T.J. Hallinan, also with the Jacobson people, have formed the Conhall organization. Conhall, Inc., has replaced the Jacobson people on this vast job of feeding the hungry at Montauk.
—
The Ladies’ Village Improvement Society met on Monday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Charles Gilbert Belden, Mrs. George Ethridge presiding. Mrs. Ethridge, in an opening address, spoke with appreciation of the work of Mrs. John Hand as the vice president, who has been acting president during the winter months, and of the many different lines of work that have been accomplished already this year, concluding with the statement, “You are a wonderful body of women and I am proud to be your president.”
75 Years Ago 1951
From The East Hampton Star, June 14
The Spring Concert of the Hampton Choral Society will be given tomorrow night in Guild Hall at 8:45. John A. Craft is directing the chorus as usual; Pauline Craft, soprano, will sing a group of solos. Genevieve Green (Mrs. Fay P. Green Jr.) is accompanist.
—
Plans are being made for the annual Ladies’ Village Improvement Society Fair, which will be held on the old Mulford Homestead on Main Street, overlooking the Village Green, on July 27, and will be followed by a country dance at the same place that evening. Mrs. Donald Rede Carse is Chairman for the Fair, one of the highlights of East Hampton’s summer season since 1895.
—
This is about the busiest June in the history of the E.H. Airport. Many summer residents are using the local airport. From now on things will be humming up there with plenty of in-and-out traffic.
Mel Lamb, operator of the E.H. Airport, returned last week from Marathon, Fla.
50 Years Ago 1976
From The East Hampton Star, June 10
As Arthur Roth was surveying his estate down Pantigo last Thursday morning and was castigating the groundskeepers for “some ill-conceived, salacious topiary,” he espied a box turtle.
Leaving off from belaboring the help, he picked up the animal and held it out at arm’s length, where he perceived that a date and six initials were etched into its breast plate.
Snapping his monocle into place and bringing the turtle closer, careful not to let the nasty thing nip his bulbous, malmsey nose, Mr. Roth made out “194 . . . something, perhaps a zero, and P.R.C., and three other initials too worn to recognize.”
—
Montauk’s annual “Blessing of the Fleet” will be held Sunday, beginning at 5 p.m. Over 100 boats are expected to steam past the Town Dock off West Lake Drive and receive the blessing of the clergy.
The nautical parade will be led by a 41-foot Coast Guard picket boat. The Montauk Boatmen’s Association sponsors the blessing. Two wreaths will be picked up at the Town Dock by the Coast Guard vessel, and will later be taken offshore and placed upon the water by Captain Gus Pitts, in memory of dead Montauk fishermen.
—
At the behest of Elsie Treleaven, president of the Amagansett Village Improvement Society, radio station WWRJ in Southampton has agreed to drop the words “raising Cain in Amagansett,” which the station broadcast in a promotional piece.
Some suggested substitutes: “raising children in Amagansett,” “raising tomatoes in Amagansett,” or “raising eyebrows in Amagansett.”
25 Years Ago 2001
From The East Hampton Star, June 14
Town Pond — the gateway to East Hampton Village, an oasis lined with graceful elms and spring-blooming iris, and a Currier-and-Ives tableau of ice skaters when it is frozen — might soon be shored up with a five-foot retaining wall made of recycled plastic cans and bottles.
Village officials want to re-armor the pond’s banks to prevent their sinking into the water. They claim that new bulkheading would enhance the beauty of one of the village’s most important natural landmarks and make most of its 1,800-foot perimeter safer for skaters.
—
Finding tree trunks encircled by a squirming carpet of caterpillars that leave only skeletal leaves after their meals and create a constant black rain of droppings from above, homeowners have been calling the East Hampton Town Natural Resources Department and the supervisor’s office at the rate of 10 or more a day to express dismay over this year’s gypsy moth infestation.
—
For over four hours on Tuesday, two steaming vats of hydrochloric acid held members of the Montauk Fire Department, the East Hampton Town Hazardous Waste Material Team, and a State Department of Environmental Conservation officer at bay in the parking lot of Kenny’s Tipperary Inn.
The Montauk fire chief, Dennis Snyder, and a volunteer, Patrick Keogh, who were among the first at the scene, had to be taken to Southampton Hospital, where they were treated and released after showing signs of chemical inhalation, including labored breathing and throat constriction.
