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People and Pigeons, a story that will live Again
Bob Cudmore’s scheduled talk tonight in Hagaman has been cancelled.
The Hagaman Historical Society.
The event is on tonight November 3 at 7 pm at Pawling Hall on Pawling Street in Hagaman.
4th annual Grow Amsterdam N.Y. Pumpkin Smash Saturday
https://www.recordernews.com/
The annual Pumpkin Smash will be held this Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Veterans Park in Amsterdam.
People, pigeons and an Amsterdam fire
By Bob Cudmore
People, pigeons and a coin collection were all at risk on Friday, November 23, 1962 in a major fire at 29-31 Market Street in Amsterdam.
Information was provided by Joseph Inglese of the town of Florida. Piccolo’s Candy Store, badly damaged in the blaze, was owned by Frank and Sophie Piccolo, relatives of Inglese’s wife, Lucille. Fire Chief Samuel A. Palombo, who commanded operations that night, was Inglese’s great uncle.
The story reminded Inglese of the Gazette retrospective on Amsterdam fires that followed the recent factory building arson on Brookside Avenue.
“I’m not leaving here until you get my pigeon,” was what one female apartment resident told a firefighter trying to lead her out of the building, according to a Recorder account.
“So the gallant smoke-eater located the pet bird, resting comfortably in a cardboard box, and carried it down the stairs,” wrote reporter Richard C. Healy. “The woman followed.”
However, another pet pigeon perished. An onlooker cradled the victim in her arms and left the fire scene.
A man who had been led to safety told firefighters he had forgotten his coin collection. Firemen went back inside but gave up the effort because of heavy smoke.
No apartment dwellers were injured but two firefighters—Edward Lampkin and Stanley Lomnicki--were treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries.
About 60 men battled the flames. Chief Palombo said, “When I saw what a beating the men were taking from the smoke, I ordered all apparatus to the scene.”
One person was heard to stick up for the firemen, “Where are all these people who squawked about these guys getting a raise?”
The fire apparently started at the rear of Piccolo’s Candy Store in an area rented by John Picco, proprietor of the adjacent Vallee curtain and drapery store.
Smoke also made its way into Britell insurance agency, Ottavio’s luggage shop and Sochin’s men’s store.
The apartment dwellers who were led to safety were M.C. McLouth, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kowalski, Louis Gatto and Raymond Moore.
The Salvation Army and Nicholas Meola of the nearby Rialto Restaurant provided hot coffee to the firefighters and victims.
The flames broke out at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and firefighters finally left the scene about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
LIFE GOES ON
Advertisements that November day 48 years ago touted an active social scene in the Amsterdam area that weekend. The Oasis Café at 50-52 Market Street featured music by the Casuals and vocalist Lenny Rocco. The New Yorkers—a band “that speaks for itself”—were playing at the Wil-Ton bowling alley lounge at 31 West Main Street. Ferris Tavern out at Mariaville Lake featured round. square and polka dancing to the music of the De-Lo-Ters.
If you were into entertainment for the whole family, Auction City on the Amsterdam-Schenectady Road urged you to bring the kiddies to see the largest Christmas stocking in the world, over six feet tall. An auction was scheduled that Saturday night and Kiss’n Dolls were the weekend special at five dollars each.
If you wanted to stay at home, you could pay a visit to Eugene W. Brach at his “electronic hospital” on Broadway Avenue Extension on Amsterdam’s South Side. He would fix your TVs and radios and also offered rock bottom prices, such as a $289 console TV for just $169.95. A transistor radio with a leather case, listing at $22.95, could be had for $13.95 at Brach’s.
And for the health conscious, apples were still on sale at T.J. Murphy’s Appleland Farm on Swart Hill or at Raymond Rector’s on Scotch Bush-Scotch Church Road. In each case, you were advised to bring your own containers.
Posted early tomorrow morning, Episode 447
Friday, November 4, 2022
Highlights Edition with excerpts from Joe Collea on Ilion, N.Y.; Giovanni Ruscitti visits his Italian roots; Chris Carola discusses Mohawk chief Joseph Brant; Alyson Richman on writing historical fiction David Pietrusza dissects FDR’s landslide 1936 victory; Norm Bollen meets filmmakers interested in Mohawk Valley; Rod Correll on learning to be a Leatherman.
The first half of the weekend in The Mohawk Valley and Historians
Saturday, November 5, 2022
Author Jim Richmond discusses Milton, New York: A New Town in a New Nation. Richmond and Milton town historian Kim McCartney are co-authors of the book about a Saratoga County town that includes new information on religious conflicts, slavery, mill town history and Civil War soldiers.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, November 3, 2022
Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 38. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday
Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Thursday, November 3, 2022
Daily Gazette
Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber promotes Boles to new executive director role
The Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that it promoted tourism director Anne Boles to the new position of…
McLane to lead Vale Cemetery tour of ‘Notable Women of Schenectady’ on Sunday
The guided tour “Notable Women of Schenectady” will return to Schenectady’s Vale Cemetery this Sunday. Led by Sue McLane, the…
https://dailygazette.com/
RecorderNews
4th annual Grow Amsterdam NY Pumpkin Smash Saturday
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Make Us A Part Of Your Day
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreBob Cudmore’s scheduled talk tonight in Hagaman has been cancelled.
The Hagaman Historical Society.
The event is on tonight November 3 at 7 pm at Pawling Hall on Pawling Street in Hagaman.
4th annual Grow Amsterdam N.Y. Pumpkin Smash Saturday
https://www.recordernews.com/
The annual Pumpkin Smash will be held this Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Veterans Park in Amsterdam.
People, pigeons and an Amsterdam fire
By Bob Cudmore
People, pigeons and a coin collection were all at risk on Friday, November 23, 1962 in a major fire at 29-31 Market Street in Amsterdam.
Information was provided by Joseph Inglese of the town of Florida. Piccolo’s Candy Store, badly damaged in the blaze, was owned by Frank and Sophie Piccolo, relatives of Inglese’s wife, Lucille. Fire Chief Samuel A. Palombo, who commanded operations that night, was Inglese’s great uncle.
The story reminded Inglese of the Gazette retrospective on Amsterdam fires that followed the recent factory building arson on Brookside Avenue.
“I’m not leaving here until you get my pigeon,” was what one female apartment resident told a firefighter trying to lead her out of the building, according to a Recorder account.
“So the gallant smoke-eater located the pet bird, resting comfortably in a cardboard box, and carried it down the stairs,” wrote reporter Richard C. Healy. “The woman followed.”
However, another pet pigeon perished. An onlooker cradled the victim in her arms and left the fire scene.
A man who had been led to safety told firefighters he had forgotten his coin collection. Firemen went back inside but gave up the effort because of heavy smoke.
No apartment dwellers were injured but two firefighters—Edward Lampkin and Stanley Lomnicki--were treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries.
About 60 men battled the flames. Chief Palombo said, “When I saw what a beating the men were taking from the smoke, I ordered all apparatus to the scene.”
One person was heard to stick up for the firemen, “Where are all these people who squawked about these guys getting a raise?”
The fire apparently started at the rear of Piccolo’s Candy Store in an area rented by John Picco, proprietor of the adjacent Vallee curtain and drapery store.
Smoke also made its way into Britell insurance agency, Ottavio’s luggage shop and Sochin’s men’s store.
The apartment dwellers who were led to safety were M.C. McLouth, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kowalski, Louis Gatto and Raymond Moore.
The Salvation Army and Nicholas Meola of the nearby Rialto Restaurant provided hot coffee to the firefighters and victims.
The flames broke out at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and firefighters finally left the scene about 1:30 a.m. Saturday.
LIFE GOES ON
Advertisements that November day 48 years ago touted an active social scene in the Amsterdam area that weekend. The Oasis Café at 50-52 Market Street featured music by the Casuals and vocalist Lenny Rocco. The New Yorkers—a band “that speaks for itself”—were playing at the Wil-Ton bowling alley lounge at 31 West Main Street. Ferris Tavern out at Mariaville Lake featured round. square and polka dancing to the music of the De-Lo-Ters.
If you were into entertainment for the whole family, Auction City on the Amsterdam-Schenectady Road urged you to bring the kiddies to see the largest Christmas stocking in the world, over six feet tall. An auction was scheduled that Saturday night and Kiss’n Dolls were the weekend special at five dollars each.
If you wanted to stay at home, you could pay a visit to Eugene W. Brach at his “electronic hospital” on Broadway Avenue Extension on Amsterdam’s South Side. He would fix your TVs and radios and also offered rock bottom prices, such as a $289 console TV for just $169.95. A transistor radio with a leather case, listing at $22.95, could be had for $13.95 at Brach’s.
And for the health conscious, apples were still on sale at T.J. Murphy’s Appleland Farm on Swart Hill or at Raymond Rector’s on Scotch Bush-Scotch Church Road. In each case, you were advised to bring your own containers.
Posted early tomorrow morning, Episode 447
Friday, November 4, 2022
Highlights Edition with excerpts from Joe Collea on Ilion, N.Y.; Giovanni Ruscitti visits his Italian roots; Chris Carola discusses Mohawk chief Joseph Brant; Alyson Richman on writing historical fiction David Pietrusza dissects FDR’s landslide 1936 victory; Norm Bollen meets filmmakers interested in Mohawk Valley; Rod Correll on learning to be a Leatherman.
The first half of the weekend in The Mohawk Valley and Historians
Saturday, November 5, 2022
Author Jim Richmond discusses Milton, New York: A New Town in a New Nation. Richmond and Milton town historian Kim McCartney are co-authors of the book about a Saratoga County town that includes new information on religious conflicts, slavery, mill town history and Civil War soldiers.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, November 3, 2022
Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Patchy fog after midnight. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 38. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday
Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Calm wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Thursday, November 3, 2022
Daily Gazette
Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber promotes Boles to new executive director role
The Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that it promoted tourism director Anne Boles to the new position of…
McLane to lead Vale Cemetery tour of ‘Notable Women of Schenectady’ on Sunday
The guided tour “Notable Women of Schenectady” will return to Schenectady’s Vale Cemetery this Sunday. Led by Sue McLane, the…
https://dailygazette.com/
RecorderNews
4th annual Grow Amsterdam NY Pumpkin Smash Saturday
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Make Us A Part Of Your Day
https://www.leaderherald.com/