The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-08-27
FROM OLD york STATE"

FROM OLD york STATE"
Mrs. Tarbox Writes of Beautiful Oneonta
in the Susquehanna Valley.
ONEONTA, New York, Aug. p, 1908.
Dear Princeton UNION:-As many
Princetonians when absent from the
State write to the old home paper, I
have for some time intended to send a
letter to you.
Oneonta is an Indian name and means
''place of rest" The euphonious ap-
pellation is in keeping with the town
itself. Situated as it is in the valley of
the Susquehanna nestled among hills
and wooded mountains, no prettier spot
for location could have been found by
the first settler who came here in 1895.
The population at the present day is
about $1,000.
Bracing air, pure water from two
reservoirs fed by mountain springs,
good drainage are all conducive to
health and with the beautiful scenery
make it indeed ''place of rest.'
People who come here seem to re-
main permanently. So many individ-
uals will tell you that they have resided
here twenty, thirty or forty years.
Much wealth exists in the town and
there are several millionaires. Wat
kins and Ford avenues and Walnut,
Elm and Grand streets are noted for
their fine residences. But the people,
though kind and approachable, have
no warmer hearts than those which
beat under the sunny skies of the old
North Star State.
10 one who is eastern born yet has
spent years on the broard western prai-
rles, the mountains are an inspiration.
II love thy rocks and rills
Thy woods and tempted hills
sings itself here. But unless one climbs
hill he misses the great expanse of
sky so familiar in Minnesota, and sun
set comes SO much earlier, that there
is the feeling at twilight of being shut
in. After a time one becomes accus-
toned to that LAS the mountains are
round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is
round about his people,
OneOnta has few fences, but is like a
great park. The sidewalks throughout
town are big stone slabs and drain
quickly after a shower. They are clean
and substantial. Lawns are uniformly
well kept and are hecked with vines,
flowers and shrubbery. Roses of all
kinds grow in profusion and the climb
ers of pink, red and white over doors
and porches are especially attractive in
their season. They bloomed this year
just when the cherry trees were bright
with fruit and the effect was strikingly
beautiful. Just now great shrubs of
hydrangea are bursting into bloom.
One on our lawn has over hundred
embryo blossoms. 1t is nearly as large
as the mulberry tree on the opposite
corner Of our lot, which with it's heavy
branches dropping to the ground makes
delightful green canopy much en-
joyed by the children.
Of all the public buildings, the finest
is the state normal school, built of red
brick and granite, costing $l75,00O and
the pride of Oneonta. Also there is
the Fox Memorial hospital, a big stone
structure, the Y. M. G. A. building,
the public library, and four large
school buildings. For churches there
are Presbyterian, United Presbyterian,
Baptist, Free Baptist, Episcopal Meth
odist, Universalist, Catholic, and Chris
tian Scientist. Of the last named there
are many followers in town. This is a
church going community and on Sun
day morning the streets are thronged
with people hurrying to their various
places OF worship. No base ball is
played on Sunday, but Saturday is ball
day. Almost all the churches have
fine pipe organs which greatly enhance
the beauty OF worship. The churches
are all prosperous, but we have vet tc
hear an Oneonta pastor who is as able
and eloquent a preacher as our old
time Princeton favorite, Rev. w. E. J.
Gratz.
We have two banks, one the WILDE,
National with capital and deposits
amounting to one and one half million
Two railroad systems enter the towr
and trains are running at all hours O
day and night. The repair shops O
the Delaware & Hudson railroad arr
here, furnishing employment for three