A LOOK BACK

200 Years Ago

By letters from the Rev. Jonas King, professor of oriental literature in Amherst College, it appears that he anticipates returning to America and entering on the duties of his professorship, in the course of the next spring or summer. He proposes to visit, on his way, Constantinople, Greece, Italy, France, Holland, and England, and to reside in Spain a sufficient length of time to acquire the Spanish language.

Richard Clarke has recently blasted and has on hand specimens of minerals found on his farm, such as Green Tourmaline, Cleavelandite, Rubellite, etc., equal if not superior to any yet found at his locality. Gentlemen residing in any part of the United States can be accommodated with boxes packed in the best manner and on reasonable terms by addressing a letter post-paid to Mr. Clarke.

100 Years Ago

A parade more than a mile long, including almost every civic, fraternal and patriotic organization in the city, together with its chief manufacturing and business interests, was the outstanding feature of the quietest Independence Day celebration in recent years.

Tomorrow is circus day in Northampton. The Carl Hagenbeck-Wallace Trained Wild Animal circus is due to arrive here from Westfield at six o’clock in the morning. At the end of the day, the circus trains depart for Brattleboro.

50 Years Ago

A craftsman has opened a shop on Main Street here because he feels other stores have been selling his products for too much money. Greg Strahner, a Pittsfield native now living in Hadley, this week opened a shop in Northampton called Tables. He makes all of the tables he sells.

The city’s planning department has quietly grown from no personnel and no budget two years ago, to nine full-time workers with an annual budget of $88,500 today. But the sudden emergence of a new city department may not cost city taxpayers as much as it appears. Seven of the nine employees are funded entirely by either federal or state programs.