A Look Back: Aug. 19

200 Years Ago

■Just received and for sale by E. Hunt at his shop in Northampton, “Swaim’s Panacea,” being a recent discovery for the cure of scrofula, or King’s Evil, mercurial disease, deep-seated syphilis, rheumatism, and all disorders arising from a contaminated or impure state of the blood.

■A black eagle was fired at some time last week in the north part of Sunderland. One of his wings was broken, so that he was easily taken. This king of birds is of majestic size, and proud bearing, though disabled, measuring upwards of 2 feet in height when standing erect, and upwards of 7 feet between the tips of his wings. He is now exhibited at the village in Sunderland.

100 Years Ago

■Playing in the tall grass which his father was cutting, John Fell, the small son of Mr. and Mrs. John Fell of Pomeroy Meadow, had his right hand cut off above the wrist on Saturday afternoon by his father’s mowing machine.

■President Coolidge has written W.M. Cochran, president of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce, a letter expressing his appreciation of the message of good will received last week from the members of the Northampton Chamber of Commerce. The letter is written on note paper, heavily bordered in black and signed by our fellow townsman, now the chief executive of our nation.

50 Years Ago

■Gasoline continues to be in short supply. The Northampton City Property Committee announced Tuesday that no contractors have responded to a second advertisement for bids on supplying the city’s gas needs.

■Northampton’s Conservation Commission announced a gift of more than six acres of land along the Mill River from the Pro Brush Division of Vistron Corp., pending approval by the company’s board of directors. Pro Brush officials have expressed interest in the commission’s acquisition-for-conservation-purposes program.

]]>