A Look Back, Oct. 5

200 Years Ago

■For sale, an excellent place for a mechanic, pleasantly situated about 100 rods south of the meeting house in Southampton. It consists of a large and convenient brick house, a good barn, a blacksmith’s shop, and 28 acres of land. Terms of payment made easy. Contact Silas Sheldon.

■Orenzo Parsons continues to carry on cloth dressing, wool carding, and manufacturing woolen cloth in Westhampton. His works are in readiness, and work will be well and promptly done. Most kinds of produce received in payment, if delivered within a year from the time the work is done.

100 Years Ago

■The Auto Infirmary, located on Walnut Street, has been granted a taxi license by the city council and will carry along this business in connection with the regular repair work.

■An unusually important real estate transaction was consummated today when Edith Maltby Marshall transferred to William M. Cochran and Eve Owen Cochran of this city, the colonial house on Elm Street, opposite Paradise Road, known as the Maltby house. The house has a large lot that goes with it.

50 Years Ago

■“I don’t think that we’ll run short,” City Clerk James Faulkner said as the city received 17,000 ballots for the November election. The ballots, which are printed by the state, come sealed in wooden crates. Although the turnout at general elections is usually greater than the turnout at primaries, the city actually needs more ballots for primaries. “You’ve got to have ballots for the independents now in case they want to vote in one party or another,” Faulkner explained.

■The three Catholic elementary schools serving Northampton and Easthampton show a decrease of 5.4 percent in enrollment from last year, according to a report released today by the Diocesan Schools Office in Springfield. The report also indicates that St. Michael’s High School shows an increase of four students, from 241 last year to 245 at present.