This day in history: April 23

1892

John Chester resigned his position as boss spinner at the Saxony Knitting Mills after thirty-one years of service. The spinners presented him an elegant gold-headed cane. The cane is a handsome ebony stick with a massive gold head monogramed with the letters “J. C.”

1949

Dr. Augustus B. Santry, three-time mayor of Little Falls (1908-1909 and 1931-1935) passed away today. Dr. Santry practiced medicine in Little Falls for more than half a century and served for many years as health officer of the city.

1953

Honey Russell, basketball coach at Seton Hall, was the speaker at the Varsity Club’s ninth annual Athletic Awards banquet at the Masonic Temple. Trophies were awarded to star athletes from LFHS and St. Mary’s. Russell was also reunited with three members of the 1929-30 LFHS state championship basketball team who had played for him on a Utica pro basketball team.

1963

The Little Falls Historical Society received a provisional charter from the University of the State of New York Education Department. This capped a multi-year battle with the Urban Renewal Agency to prevent the 1833 historic Herkimer County Bank building from being torn down.

1964

The Little Falls Housing Authority awarded contracts for the construction of the housing development, the Valley View Courts, on East Monroe Street Extension. Work is expected to start next month.

This day in history: April 24

1833

In the first village census, it was reported Little Falls had 1602 inhabitants of whom 85 were listed as “colored.”

1911

A huge boulder rolled 326 feet down from the Rollway cliffs on the South Side, and plunged through the roof of a German Street (Flint Avenue) residence landing on the second story bed of Frank Van Wie , carrying the bed and Van Wie through to the cellar. Mr. Van Wie was killed instantly. A mother and a young child in a room below that of Van Wie’s were unharmed.

1936

The Rovazzi Grill on Second Street advertised a mushroom stew sandwich for15 cents and spaghetti with chicken for 40 cents.

1983

The Mohawk Valley Choral Society and Orchestra, under the direction of Robert Christensen, Conductor presented Mozart’s “Requiem” at St. Mary’s Church before a large audience..

1986

The Evening Times received a letter from President Ronald Reagan congratulating the newspaper on its !00th anniversary of publishing and service to the greater Little Falls community.

This day in history: April 25

1887

A human skeleton was found in a box which had floated down the Mohawk River and grounded on Moss Island. It was joined together by wires and was evidently the property of some doctor. Queer driftwood!

1895

The Cronkhite Opera House had a program “Tent Life in Palestine”, a tale of travel in the world’s most interesting land.

This day in history: April 26

1901

Former Little Falls mayor, Hadley Jones and his wife have left the city suddenly under regrettable circumstances, never to be seen again. He was a fugitive from justice, accused of forgeries involving stock certificates of the Herkimer County Bank. Rumors are that he has fled “somewhere south of the border.”

1927

The Burrell family contributed a major portion of the cost of purchasing the property, and equipping and conditioning the new recreation park and playground on West Monroe Street. Mr. D. H. Burrell, Jr. ($6,500), E. J. Burrell ($2,000), Loomis Burrell ($1,000), and M. Elizabeth Burrell ($500.) A total of $16,729 was collected.

2014

Visitors to Moss Island will now have access to an environmentally friendly restroom. Main Street First worked as a conduit between the donor and the city to use the $50,000 donated for the project. The funds will also cover maintenance costs for the next 12 to 14 years for the facility which uses no chemicals, no water, and is completely solar powered.