Flooding in Marathon, Temperance and Port Watson Gang

The Cortland News, Friday, February 19, 1886.

TOWN CORRESPONDENCE.

Preble, Feb. 17, 1886.

   We are glad to see the South Cortland correspondent so interested in the temperance movement, but I think that high license will have more influence in suppressing the liquor traffic than Prohibition from the fact it will do its work quicker than moral suasion. But, the Knights of Labor would have a more powerful influence in suppressing intemperance if they will boycott all saloons and places where liquor is sold. We hope this will be their next step.

   It has been said that Scott takes the lead in law suits. But Preble is five paces ahead. Some of our citizens, whom we supposed to be peaceable, have gotten so that if they can't make trouble themselves with their neighbors they will get a substitute.

   Our correspondent of the Homer Republican stated that Mr. and Mrs. Jay Taylor passed last Sunday with Isaac Wilbur. We want to say for their benefit that Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur have passed the last three months there. Please tell us some news.

   Grace Woolston is employed to teach school in the Briggs district on the East Hill.

   Those who desire the Early Rose potatoes for seed the coming spring will do well to call upon Geo. M. Vanderbilt in Bennett Hollow.

 

SOME HIGH WATER

   The most exciting time that we have had in Marathon, since the tannery fire, occurred last Saturday and Sunday. A heavy jam of ice was formed at the island opposite the residence of L. A. Burgess, Esq., which completely dammed the river channel and caused the water to set back out and over the flats.

   Saturday afternoon it came up sufficiently to surround the cooperage of S. M. Wood and the Marathon Creamery. Corporation hall under the Fireman's hall had two inches of water on the floor at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon. At 9 o'clock Saturday night John H. Boyd's blacksmith shop was surrounded and there was some seven inches of water in Corporation hall.

   Sunday morning the water had lowered somewhat, but at about 11 o'clock the ice came out of the pond above the village, and came down joining the other jam but not having sufficient force to break it. This caused another rise of water which came up within three inches of the floor of the Independent office, and stood some two inches deep on the kitchen and dining room of Brown's hotel.

   Sunday afternoon some two or three hundred people congregated on Front street to view the jam, which then extended from opposite the residence of Burgess Squires to the residence of O. Courtney at the foot of the street. Crowbars, scantling, axes and levers of all kinds were brought into use, and an attempt made to loosen the jam by starting it at the southern end. Cake after cake was pried out, and at 5 o'clock the [whole] jam moved southward a few rods, but was again stopped by the ice below which had not yet broken up.

   Sometime during the night this ice gave away and the jam moved out down the river half a mile, where at the present writing [Monday] it rests. The water at once resumed its former channel, and all danger of inundation, any further, was at an end.

   The damage done was not so great as was at one time feared. The fairground fence along the riverside and at its south end was knocked over and torn to pieces by the ice. A few cellars were wet up, and the flat lands of J. L. Brink and G. P. Squires are some cut up and injured.—Marathon Ind.

 

HE IS A BAD BOY.

   On Monday last Jesse Peck, a son of Lyman Peck, who lives on Port Watson street, stole a certificate of deposit on the National Bank of Cortland, of $1,100 from his father, forged the endorsement on it and presented it to the bank for payment. Frank Peck, his cousin, who works in the bank, thought it strange that the boy should be sent to the bank for so large a sum of money and called on his uncle and found that the certificate had been stolen.

   On returning to the bank Frank found his cousin at the S. & B. depot and taxed him with the theft. The boy at first denied having stolen the certificate but finally confessed and returned the money with the exception of eight or nine dollars which he had spent. He then went to McLean, where he passed Monday night and came back to Cortland Tuesday morning and gave himself up, a warrant being out for his arrest. He also gave up another certificate for $300 which he had stolen.

   Lyman Peck and family are highly respected citizens of our town, but his boy seems to be the black sheep of the family.

   The officers have known him for some time as being the leader of what they [are] pleased to term the "Port Watson Gang," which is made up of boys from 13 to 16 years of age, and who have been committing petty misdemeanors for a year or more, and one of whom was sent to the Western House of Refuge about two months ago.

 

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Great bargains in watches, clocks and jewelry at C. F. Baldwin's for the next thirty days.

   Work was begun in the Fisher Gear works this morning by the Homer Manufacturing Company Co-operative. They have rented the shops, it is said, for one year with the privilege of buying the property at any time during the continuance of the lease.—Homer Republican.

   The case of the People vs. Hugh O’ Neil [charged with setting fire to his business for insurance money—CC editor] is still on trial at the court house. The People have finished their evidence and the defense is now examining witnesses. District Attorney Bronson, ex-District Attorney Palmer, A. P. Smith, O. U. Kellogg and N. C. Moak appearing for the People and Riley Champlin and Hon. Jerry McGuire for Defendant.

   About 7 o'clock Tuesday evening a stranger registered at the Hotel Windsor, in Homer, and engaged lodging and breakfast. A few minutes after he had gone to his room an officer from McGrawville arrived and wanted the stranger for jumping a board bill at that place and one at the Arnold House in this place. The man refused to accompany the officer without requisition papers, which the officer had neglected to provide himself with. While the papers were being made out the man jumped out of the window of his room and made his escape, and has not since been seen.

   Since General Hancock and Horatio Seymour died nineteen of our exchanges have contained the wormy "chestnut," "all the great men are dying and we don't feel well ourselves." This joke was sprung on an unwilling people somewhere in the dark ages, or before that, and has made its appearance periodically ever since, being palmed off as original matter. These “dying” men better cease their joking of this sort before an enraged populace rise up in their might and use an overcoat of tar and feathers, as in such a case they won't "feel very well themselves."