1894, 130 years ago

A quiet Fourth

It is a quiet Fourth of July in Utica, too quiet say some.

For the first time in years, there is no city-sponsored parade, fireworks display or band concert on the Parkway. City officials say that they want Uticans on this holiday to just sit back and relax. Some neighborhoods, though, do celebrate with firecrackers and picnics.

The Utica Observer editorializes: “Let us pray for no more quiet Fourths. A little noise is good in its way and tends to relieve the tensions of our citizens.”

1924, 100 years ago

Pickpockets

“Pickpocketing is a dead art,” says Sgt. David Hill, of the Utica Police Bureau. “Years ago, whenever a large crowd gathered in the area, pickpockets would make a good-sized haul. But not today.”

“The main reason,” he says, “is because men today have many places to pack their purses and wallets — hip pockets, vest pockets, watch pockets and other places. Years ago, men only carried their money in side pockets and pickpockets knew it.”

Most of today’s victims are women, Hill says, and that was not the case years ago. Older pickpockets considered it unethical to steal a woman’s purse and those who did were blackballed by other pickpockets when he sought admission into a gang.

1949, 75 years ago

Where’s the rain?

The drought in the Upper Mohawk Valley region is the worst in years. Crops are damaged and nearly 100 forest fires have been reported in the southern Adirondacks in the last three weeks. The region has received only .66 inches of rain in June compared to the normal six to eight inches. The mercury topped 80 degrees every day and over 90 for 14 days.

1974, 50 years ago

Music at Munson

The Con Amore Orchestra — conducted by Charles Budesheim — entertains more than 2,000 at the Utica Arts Festival concert at Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute (today known as Munson).

Meanwhile, Elizabeth W. Hubbard, of Clinton, is appointed to the board of trustees at Mohawk Valley Community College by New York Gov. Malcolm Wilson.

1999, 25 years ago

Remsen appointment

Judy Waligory is named superintendent of schools in Remsen. She taught third and fourth graders in Lowville for 10 years and most recently was an elementary principal in the Beaver River School District.

“Adirondack Women … in art, in story and in song” is on display at the Art Center of Old Forge. Among those receiving awards are Acrylics Division — Pamela Underhill of Barneveld; Ceramics Division — Bette Rintrona of Old Forge; Mixed Media Division — Candice Donnelly of Whitesboro, and Sculpture Division — Maria Cavo-Mrzlikar of Utica.

Art students in the Clinton Central Schools have their works displayed at the Legislative Student Art Exhibit in Albany. It is sponsored by the New York State Art Teachers Association. Students are Chris Harjung, Catrin Evans, Hilary Mead, Jessica Haines-Stephan, Stephanie Steele, Bryant Bullard and Rebecca Brockett.

In Oneida County American Legion baseball, Whitetown defeats Clonan Post, 13-3, behind the pitching of Andy Osika and John Dowling and the hitting of Jason Engelhart, Dan LaGasse, Ryan Petronio and Matt Mancini. Ryan Moore had three hits for Clonan.

2014, 10 years ago

Police appointments

The Utica Police Bureau has three new officers — Andrew Morinitti, Dzevad Bajrektarevic and James Giruzzi. Chief Mark Williams also announces the promotion of Edward Hagen to sergeant,

In other news, the Col. Marinus Willett Mohawk Valley chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution gives its “good citizenship” award to Victoria DeLuca, of the Frankfort-Schuyler Elementary School.

Trivia quiz

July 4, 1826 — the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence — is a strikingly dramatic day in American history for on that day two former U.S. presidents died. It was a highly symbolic coincidence for the two former presidents who died were the only future presidents to sign the Declaration. Name them. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week’s question: Zachary Taylor’s son-in-law was Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America. Davis and Sarah Taylor were married in 1835. Zachary Taylor was 12th president of the United States.

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com. 

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rain goes missing, Music at Munson, promotion. This week in history