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Oldtimer Recalls the Night Buffalo Bill Raised Rumpus in Staid Old Binghamton

One of the most interesting letters received as yet from a registrant in The Sun's Oldtimer Honor Circle sponsored in co-operation with the Chamber of Commerce in connection with the Binghamton Centennial next October, is one received at headquarters from Harry L. Leet 68 of Kirkwood who was born in Binghamton. The letter reads as follows:

" As I have read articles in The Binghamton Sun from the oldtimers I feel as if I should join the crowd as I am in that class. Have been very much interested and especially in Mr. Horton's article and it brings back several interesting memories.

"I have not so far seen the old lime kiln mentioned -on the site of the old armory. There was a canal basin at this point where the boats turned and also one on lower State Street.

"When the boats were ordered out at the time the canal was drained for good there were to boats left in the lower basin. I well remember when I was a kid, we played on the decks - one was almost new but was finally buried in the fill near the corner of Susquehanna Street.

"No one has mentioned the little red brick school on the site of the present police station. Mrs. Mantz was teacher - I well remember her for she trimmed me more than once.

"About this time the boiler blew up in front of the Shapley & Wells Foundry, killing two and leaving a hole in the ground some 10 feet deep and knocking all the windows out of the school and neighboring buildings.

"Then there was our first electric railway with the traveler overhead running on two wires. This traveler would leave the wire some times and come down through the car. Later we had a cable which took the car to Ross Park and State Hospital hill. The carbarn was located at the foot of the park hill at that time.

"Our first electric light plant was located in Commercial Avenue, having but one machine that was operated as a sample with on flaming arc light in front of the Court House. This plant was later moved to Noyes Island.

"I remember well the morning of the explosion of the Ditmar Powder Mill, located above the patch, when several tons of explosives let loose but no one was killed, I believe.

"No one has spoken of the old Academy of Music on Chenango Street opposite the Riviera Theater. I well remember the night Buffalo Bill was playing. I was there with my brother, Frank. This night Wild Bill cam in -but he was 'tight,' so his understudy cam out and impersonated Bill- and Bill raised Hell. Everybody was much excited and it took the whole police force to arrest him. There were three or four on the force and Anse Martine was the whole thing at that time. Later theater burned to the ground.

"Then there was the old Pioneer skating rink on Morgan's Flats where the old post office is located at that time the flats were used as a circus ground. Later the rink was wrecked by a heavy snow and never rebuilt and I lost a good pair of skates.
"Some times we had in those good old days! I was also a member of the old 6th Battery. The armory where I joined was located in Colonel Dwight's barn on Dickson Street. Captain Olmstead was in commend.

"I read a good bit of the old covered bridge but so far no one has mentioned the tall gate at the south approach. This calls to mind, when I used to ride with my grandfather, when we came to this toll gate he would always buy me candy from the old gentleman who kept the gate.

"I guess I have mentioned a few things but there were so many more, so let some one else take a hand at it."