Cortland County Supervisors Visit Alms House

The Cortland News, Friday, November 20, 1885.

Supervisors at the County House.

   At 12 o'clock Wednesday teams were in waiting to convey the members of the Board of Supervisors to the county alms house, pursuant to an invitation from Superintendent Murray. The teams soon started carrying as jolly a crowd of people as ever went to a county institution.

    Arriving at the county house the visitors were cordially received, and when all had arrived they were escorted to the dinner tables and partook of a substantial meal, such as Mrs. Hillsinger knows how to provide. Something over 50 persons sat down to the tables, and by the way the edibles disappeared one would naturally suppose the guests had been fasting for a week.

   After dinner the supervisors and invited guests, under the lead of Mr. Hillsinger made a tour of inspection of the entire building, which was found to be in perfect order and cleanliness. Nearly every bed was thoroughly inspected to see that no vermin infested them, and it is needless to say that they were as clean all through as on top. The insane wards were as clean as the rest of the place, and showed that they were kept in a neat manner.

   The high fences that formerly enclosed the yards connected with the insane wards have been taken down and in their place six feet palings made of two inch planks have been placed, thus giving the inmates of these departments a chance to see what is going on on the outside, and being nearly if not quite as secure as the old tight board fences sixteen feet high.

   A NEWS representative was informed by those living in the immediate vicinity that no extra pains had been taken to clean up for the occasion as a visit at any time would disclose the same degree of cleanliness as on the day of the annual visit of the Board.

   About four o'clock the visitors took their departure feeling that everything possible was being done for the comfort of the unfortunates cared for by the county.

 

Frederick Douglass

 

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Hon. Frederick Douglass, the old time champion of the slaves in slavery times, will speak in Freeville next Monday evening on the life and character of John Brown.

   The pay car on the S. & B. division of the D. L. & W., passed over the road on Tuesday and paid employees all along the line.

   People passing Baldwin's jewelry store late at night shouldn't be alarmed at the man and the gun. It's only a figure set there to scare away dogs.

   The Mechanics band have elected Myron Muncey as leader. An orchestra of ten pieces has also been formed among the members and will be known as the Mechanics Band Orchestra.

   Mr. Richardson, Superintendent of the Water company manages to keep busy now-a-days, having charge both of the Homer and Cortland plants.

   Bob Burdette says of a man who owes a subscription to a newspaper and instructs the postmaster to send it back refused, "God wasted mud when he made him."

   Mr. Frank Stevens, who has had charge of the West Shore terminal construction opposite New York city, has been appointed chief civil engineer of the E. C. & N. railway. This means scientific bridging and superstructure.

   I. S. Johnson yesterday brought in from his egg orchard a specimen produced by one of his hens, which measured 8x6 3-9 inches. This egg is hard to beat.— Marathon Independent.

   What's the matter with it, Ed, was it boiled or too ripe? [Cortland News]

   A representative of the Salvation Army was in town on Wednesday seeking a place to be used as headquarters for a branch of the organization. So far as we have been able to learn he met with little success. Cortland people are bad enough but they draw the line on Salvation Armys.

   John Sheridan, who was taken to the County [alms] house from Truxton two weeks ago as an idiot made his escape from that institution on Sunday night and the keepers have been unable to find any trace of him. He is about 25 years old and wore a Scotch cap, light coat, dark pants and a pair of heavy boots.

   On Thursday afternoon of last week while Alanson Underwood, of Freetown, was crossing the S. & B. track on Port Watson street, a switch engine on the E. C. & N. road ran into his wagon, demolishing both hind wheels and throwing Mr. Underwood out and inflicting severe bruises.

   You will find at Campbell's drug store, Cortland House, all patent medicines, drugs and chemicals, Kendalls’ Spavin Cure, condition powders, Colgate harness soap, pore spices, cream tartar and soda for family use, flavoring extracts of extra strength and purity, Diamond dyes, butter color, and dairy thermometers.

   The best family weekly newspaper in the United States is the Toledo Blade (Nasby's Paper.) They invite every reader of this paper to send for a free specimen copy. It is the largest and best dollar paper published. See advertisement elsewhere.




Kendall's Spavin Cure

LATE NEWS ITEMS.

   The house of John Terwilliger, Ithaca, was burned Sunday night. Loss, $8,000, no insurance.

   The body of John R. Powers was found in the Susquehanna river about two miles from Owego, Saturday afternoon. Powers left his home, about 12 miles from Owego, a month ago, and was last seen alive in company with Augustus Miller, Uri Short, Fred Short and Matt Kent. These men have been jailed on suspicion of having caused his death.

   Preparations for hanging Mrs. Druse, convicted of murdering her husband, are progressing at Herkimer, and an application has been made to the sheriff of Broome county for the loan of the scaffold on which Menkin was hanged. In the meantime an effort is being made by a number of sympathizers with the condemned woman to secure a commutation of the death penalty to a life penalty. Burnham Wardwell, of Tewkesbury, Mass., almshouse notoriety, has already secured 5,000 signatures to a petition to Governor Hill.

Reference:

Kendall’s Spavin Cure: http://willowhousechronicles.wordpress.com/tag/kendalls-spavin-treatment-for-human-flesh/