125 Years Ago 1899
From The East Hampton Star, September 15
Ninety-five men of Battery K, Fifth United States Artillery, with four heavy siege guns and an accompanying baggage train, en route from the quarters at Fort Hamilton to Montauk Point, passed through East Hampton Sunday afternoon, and arrived at Amagansett before sundown, where they went into camp near the railroad station.
The men are spending the week in target practice. The site selected for the practice camp is near the southern quarter of Camp Wikoff, not far from the Third house, the Ditch Plain Life Saving Station, the Montauk Association Club House and cottages on the oceanfront.
The command is to remain at Montauk during this week, engaged in target practice, with their four-and-a-half ton pieces, which are said to throw a five-inch, 100-pound projectile eight miles or more. They are to rejoin their thirty-five comrades left at Fort Hamilton next week, returning by the same route along the south shore villages in time to participate in the welcome to Admiral Dewey when he returns to New York City.
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The shipments of potatoes from eastern Long Island still keep up at an enormous rate, and still there are acres and acres that the farmers have as yet not entered with the digger. Last week’s shipments averaged about ten carloads or 4,000 bushels per day. The afternoon freight of Monday carried seven carloads from Riverhead station.
100 Years Ago 1924
From The East Hampton Star, September 12
One of the most remarkable auction sales in the history of Suffolk County took place Monday, when the people seemed to “fall over themselves” to bid in at very fancy prices a number of shares of bank stock sold to settle the estate of the late George M. Vail, who was president of the Suffolk County Trust Company when he died on a railroad train last winter in Florida.
Lawyer Harry G. Stephens of East Hampton, who acted as auctioneer, admitted that much of the stock had sold far above its appraised value. The sale produced a total of $38,650 for the Vail estate, to be added to the other resources. This is probably more money than was ever before produced from an auction sale of less than an hour’s duration in this county.
It was also observed that one share of stock was considered to be more valuable than an entire sedan car of a high-priced make.
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Long Island fishermen are using hydroplanes now. Capt. Bert Edwards of Amagansett, who can see a fin flip ten miles away, is the first captain of a “bunker” steamer to forsake his lookout in the crow’s nest or the pilot house for a luxurious seat in a hydroplane. He made a trial trip this week. They went out over the Sound, then across western Long Island to the ocean, and while about 200 feet up looked for menhaden, or “bunkers” as they are called down here.
75 Years Ago 1949
From The East Hampton Star, September 15
The Montauk commercial fishermen and yachtsmen are pleased to see the huge dredge at work clearing the channel at Lake Montauk. The Federal Government awarded the contract for this dredging work to the Arundel Corp. of Baltimore, Maryland, through the efforts of Congressman W. Kingsland Macy. The amount of materials to be dredged is in excess of 29,000 cubic yards. According to Supervisor Herbert L. Mulford Jr., the channel is to be 150 feet wide, 12 feet deep and 3,250 long. Supervisor Mulford also stated that efforts were being made to negotiate with the dredging concern to do the necessary work required in connection with the proposed dock which the County of Suffolk is to construct at Lake Montauk.
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At the Annual Meeting of the L.V.I.S. held at the Maidstone Tennis Club on Monday it was announced by Mrs. Russell Hopkinson, outgoing president, that as of August 8 all contributions and donations to the Society are allowable as deductions to both Federal and State income taxes. Although the Society has always been a non-commercial organization whose activities consisted solely of educational, charitable and civic work, certain changes in the Society’s charter were necessary before it could qualify as a tax-exempt organization.
50 Years Ago 1974
From The East Hampton Star, September 12
The East Hampton Village Board of Trustees has put its weight behind those who say “yea” in the continuing controversy over the construction of the Sunrise Highway Extension.
Acting at a special meeting on Thursday, the Board adopted a resolution indicating “its approval of the proposed bypass to be located north of the Village, running from its present terminus in Southampton, easterly to Napeague, provided, however, that said bypass be limited to a two-lane limited access highway with necessary restrictions prohibiting any future expansion. . . .”
The Village Board resolution was based heavily on statements that traffic “has increased tremendously in recent years and promises to increase even more,” and that “said traffic represents a threat to the health, safety, and welfare of residents of the Village.”
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All work seemed to have stopped this week on the 38-acre tract scheduled to become the “Pondview” subdivision south of Main Street in East Hampton Village as a temporary restraining order, first issued on Aug. 7 by State Supreme Court Justice William R. Geiler at the request of the Group for America’s South Fork, was continued by State Supreme Court Justice John F. Scileppi, acting in Riverhead on Friday.
The order prohibits the Barnes Building Company from altering the contours of the land in any way that would affect Hook Pond or its drainage areas and from building a proposed bridge across the pond’s dreen.
25 Years Ago 1999
From The East Hampton Star, September 16
A plan for four large and expensive house lots on Further Lane in East Hampton is raising eyebrows on some nearby residents and concern among others who thought the designation of a 31-acre parcel there as a nature preserve meant the land would remain wild and untouched.
The planned subdivision is on the north side of the road. A sign there explains that “this property has been acquired by the Rock Foundation . . . to preserve the character and wildlife of Long Island.” The Rock Foundation, whose officers live across the street on 40 acres, had acquired the parcel from the Nature Conservancy in 1979.
In June, Daniel Shedrick of Bridgehampton bought the preserved 31 acres and two adjacent parcels, bringing his property to 54 acres. He now seeks East Hampton Town Planning Board approval to subdivide the land, placing the houses on the western portion of the property.
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Should the state build 18 cabins at Camp Hero? “No!” A restaurant or concession stand? “No!” A nature center? “Maybe.” Allow camping in tents? “No!” Hiking, surfing, and surf casting? “Yes, yes, and yes.”
At Monday’s meeting of the Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee, the committee’s chair read from a state questionnaire suggesting possible uses at the former air base site. “Those other uses are wrong!” declared a committee member, adding, “This was supposed to be a nature preserve for passive recreational use only. We shouldn’t even be considering other uses.”
