125 Years Ago 1899
From The East Hampton Star, October 6
Stephen L. Mershon, president of the Hudson River Paint Company, was convicted some time ago of having violated an agreement with the company by signing checks without the consent of those invested in the company. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court reversed the decision, and ordered the discharge of Mr. Mershon. The court maintained that the verdict was a result of malice, and was against the weight of evidence.
Mr. Mershon is a son of Rev. S.L. Mershon, a former pastor of the Presbyterian church, of East Hampton.
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The residence of William Sailor, in the northern part of Southampton village, was destroyed by fire Friday. The alarm was given at sunrise and a number of people thought the bells and whistles were ushering in Dewey Day and did not respond to the call for aid in putting out the fire. A sufficient force, however, gathered to get the fire engine to the scene and prevent the flames from spreading, although it was too late to save the house. The walls are still standing, but the interior was entirely consumed and the roof destroyed. The damage is estimated at about $2,000. The origin of the fire is unknown.
100 Years Ago 1924
From The East Hampton Star, October 3
It is figured that it cost Suffolk County and its ten towns $25 for every vote cast at the primaries in some of the election districts of Suffolk County last week.
In a number of districts less than half a dozen votes were polled and the expense of each poll is estimated at more than $100. Each of the four inspectors received $10, the rent of the polling place is about $10, and the ballots, tally sheets, etc., amount to $50 additional. The overhead is the same whether there are one or 300 votes cast.
Three-fourths of the enrolled voters in this section did not realize there was a primary.
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The annual conference of the first supervisory district of Suffolk County will come this year to East Hampton. This is the first time for many years that our village has been honored by a visit of this conference. There are now more than 300 teachers in the district, headed by Superintendent Matthews, the largest in point of numbers in the State of New York. The new school building will furnish an admirable place for holding the meetings. It is expected that the many visiting teachers will become decidedly aware that East Hampton is on the map, after looking over the unusual facilities available for education here.
75 Years Ago 1949
From The East Hampton Star, October 6
All the elementary and high schools of eastern Suffolk County, both North Fork and South Fork, will be closed tomorrow to enable the five hundred odd teachers and administrators of this area to attend the annual conference of the First Supervisory District which is being held at the Southold High School of which Henry Williams is Principal.
The conference is one of a series held each fall throughout the State to enable teachers, superintendents and principals to get together to discuss new developments in educational techniques and procedures and to discuss mutual problems. In the morning the eastern Suffolk teachers, members of Harry B. Ward’s First Superintendency, will take part in a wide range of sectional meetings.
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On 6 September 1949, the Secretary of the Army approved the establishment of an area to be used as a naval aircraft bombing target area in Block Island Sound in the vicinity of Gardiner’s Point, New York, as a danger zone and prescribed regulations pertaining to its use.
The danger zone is a circular area with a radius of 2,000 feet having its center on the Ruin at Gardiner’s Point, latitude 41 degrees 08’30”, longitude 72 degrees 08’46”, which point bears 326 degrees true, 2,700 yards from the northern end of Gardiner’s Island. The regulators provide that no vessel shall enter or remain in the danger zone at any time, except as authorized by the enforcing agency.
50 Years Ago 1974
From The East Hampton Star, October 3
Something is happening to the Group for America’s South Fork, and officers of the Group are refusing to talk about it; they refuse, however, in such a way as to confirm it tacitly, and to suggest that it will have finished happening soon enough.
The Group was formed two years ago, “to protect the South Fork of Long Island from the type of development which could destroy the distinctive quality of the area,” with Ian Marceau, an Australian with a doctorate in agricultural economics who had directed Huntington Town’s Department of Environmental Protection, as its executive director.
According to several knowledgeable sources, including two who are associated with the organization, certain of the Group’s directors, led by its president, Hamilton Gregg, and vice president, Harold Wit, would like to replace Dr. Marceau.
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East Hampton Town’s readiness for heavy weather will be tested at an “emergency preparedness drill” on Oct. 16, and those participating have been given advance copies of a proposed “hurricane or storm plan.”
The plan is described as an effort “to coordinate all departments and agencies of the Town into a well-organized team in the event of a severe storm or hurricane.” Ultimate responsibility under the proposal will rest with the Supervisor, “in accordance with Civil Defense regulations.”
The plan is divided into five phases — advance tracking of approaching storms; warning residents; evacuation of residents of areas in danger; operations of police, firemen, and others during the storm; and cleaning-up operations.
25 Years Ago 1999
From The East Hampton Star, October 7
More than 1,600 birds have been found dead in Suffolk County, several dozen on the East End, since a mosquito-borne encephalitis scare put health and environmental officials on alert last month, a County Health Department spokeswoman said Tuesday.
But, by midweek, with overnight temperatures plummeting to the mid-40s, Suffolk health officials put on hold a spraying program aimed at mosquitoes that might be carrying the West Nile-like virus suspected of killing the birds.
The decision had nothing to do with public concern over the use of pesticides, the officials said, noting that mosquitoes tend not to fly around in temperatures below 50 degrees or in rainy conditions.
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The owners of two building parcels in Montauk have filed two $86 million lawsuits against East Hampton Town and virtually all its top elected officials, alleging, in a case tinged with politics, conspiracy among members of the “Democratic machine” in violation of the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
In voluminous papers filed Sept. 20 in Federal District Court, the plaintiffs detailed a “22-year regulatory odyssey” seeking permission to build on land in a subdivision west of Lake Montauk. The town long ago deemed the area to contain wetlands and to be on or near ancient Indian burial grounds.
Each suit seeks $1 million in compensatory damages on each of 10 charges, $3 million in punitive damages for two of the charges, and $10 million in punitive charges for another seven of the charges, plus all legal fees and “interest since 1994.”
