I ran across this article in the Ithaca Daily Journal of April 20, 1874 and had to laugh: "The Horseheads Free Press has the following story to tell: A marked instance of the influence of the temperance movement has presented itself in Van Ettenville. Some three months ago, a liquor dealer said to Dr. Hendy, of the Van Ettenville House, that he was going to send him to a barrel of extra fine whiskey. The Dr. told him he need not do it - that he was going to close his bar, and wanted no more liquors. The daler thought he was jesting and do sent on the whiskey. It came to the depot, and the Dr. declined to receive it. Of this fact he notified the dealer. It remained in the depot, and the other day the dealer came to Van Ettenville to look after his liquor. He saw the barrel in the depot, went to town and partially negotiated the sale to another party. They went to examine it, when low the barrel was empty. There was not a drop of whiskey in it. Turning it over it was discovered that some aspiring genius had crept under the building, bored through the floor into the barrel, drawn off the whiskey in some vessel, and safely carried it away. A number of efforts had been made to hit the barrel before success was secured and the coveted prize won. There were six augur holes in the floor..."looking at photos of the Van Etten station shows both passenger and freight portions at ground level so I do not know if this story refers to an earlier depot or is just fancy.
