A BIG TIME IN CORTLAND

Fourth of July Parade by Alfred C. Howland, 1886.

The Cortland News, Friday, July 2, 1886.

A BIG TIME.

The Monster Celebration Here Tomorrow.

   Cortland will to-morrow have more enthusiasm to the square inch than all the rest of the towns in the county put together. While others may imagine that they are having a celebration, their efforts will bear about the same relation to Cortland's that a poor, little squib of a firecracker bears to a 120 pounder. People from the out towns want to bear this fact in mind, and while they are seeing a celebration see a good one.

   Business will begin this evening soon after supper when the small boy and tin horn will form a partnership and march gallantly through the streets until enraged parents yank the small contingent home, and under the soothing influence of a slipper, applied where it will do the most good, put the youngster to bed. After the youngsters have made the evening hideous as long as necessary the big boy will celebrate through the midnight hours with horse-fiddles, church bells, bon fires, and beer until daybreak, when the celebration proper will begin by the firing of 13 guns; at sunrise a national salute will be fired.

   The line for the great parade will form on Clinton Ave., with right resting on Main street. At 10 a. m., the line will start going down Main to Tompkins; Tompkins to Owego, to Union, to South Main, to Port Watson, to Church, to Grant, to Main to Court where a prayer will be offered by Rev. Arthur, of Grace church. J. E. F. [?] will read the Declaration of Independence and an address will be delivered by Hon. John Morrison of New York.

   The line will form in the following order:

   Chief Marshal. B. E. Miller and staff.

   FIRST DIVISION.

   D. F. Dunsmoor, Marshal.

   Ithaca Drum Corps.

   G. A. R. Posts.

   Section Light Artillery.

   Young Ladies Representing the thirty-eight States.

   SECOND DIVISION.

   I. H. Palmer, Marshal.

   Cortland Mechanic's Band.

   Visiting Fire Departments.

   Cortland Fire Department.

   THIRD DIVISION.

   A. Van Bergen, Marshal.

   Llody's Band.

   Granges and other societies.

   FOURTH DIVISION.

   Pembroke Pierce, Marshal.

   Homer Cornet Band.

   Homer Business Display.

   FIFTH DIVISION.

   Webster Young, Marshal.

   McGrawville Band.

   Cortland Local Business Display.

   SIXTH DIVISION.

   Marshal, W. D. Cloyes.

   Hum-Drum Corps.

   Bicycle Club.

   The different divisions will assemble as follows:

   First, second, third and sixth promptly at 9:30 a. m., the fourth and fifth divisions at 9 o'clock sharp, as follows:—First, corner of Clinton avenue and Charles streets; second and third, corner Clinton ave. and North Church; fourth, corner Elm and Church, on Elm; fifth, corner Elm and Church, on Church; sixth, corner Church and Railroad [Central].

   After the services at Court street are finished, held sports consisting of sack races, climbing greased pole, foot racing. &c, etc., will be held.

   The fusiliers will assemble at Hitchcock's large store house on Clinton Ave., and at 2 p. m., the most grotesque mob of the age will be turned loose on the unsuspecting people of the town. Their line of march has not at this writing been decided on, although the address by the boss "fusil" will be delivered at the corner of Court and Main streets. Balloons will be sent up at intervals of 20 minutes throughout the day.

   The grandest feature of the day, however, will be the large display of fireworks at nine o'clock in the evening. These arrived Monday and were carefully unpacked. They will be set off from a raised platform in Wm. R Randall's pasture at the top of Court House hill, the elevation there being sufficient to enable people in all parts of the town to see them. One of the set pieces represents a steam fire engine in full operation, the cost of which alone is $200. Among the other set pieces are “Opening of the Fourth of July," "Star of America," and the grand "Gatling Battery" besides many more and the usual supply of rockets, wheels, Roman candles, &c. making fully two hours time consumed In giving the display.

   Of course there will be many other attractions which we cannot enumerate, but everything is on a big scale and those who stay away or go elsewhere will miss a celebration seldom equaled and never surpassed in Cortland county.

An Elegant House.

   Next week D. G. Corwin, the builder, will commence the erection of a palatial new house for Wm. S. Copeland [railroad director and proprietor of Messenger House--CC editor] at the corner of Fitz avenue and Adams street [most likely current hospital location at West Main and Homer Avenue--CC editor], on the lot which has so long stood vacant, known as the evergreen lot. The house will be of pressed brick with brown stone trimmings and will have frontage on Adams street of sixty-three feet, and on Fitz avenue of ninety feet. As it sets back nine rods from both streets, ample room will be given for magnificent grounds.

   The floor plan of the house is so arranged with folding doors that all the rooms and a spacious hall can all be thrown into one room in case of a large party or reception, and for convenience in all appointments it cannot be equaled in this part of the State.

Reference:

1876 Map of Cortland: http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/14995/Cortland/