St. Bernard's Annual Ball

Knights of Pythias

The Cortland News, Friday, January 28, 1887.

ST. BERNARD’S ANNUAL BALL.

A Fine Time at Taylor Opera House Last Thursday Evening.

   The members of St. Bernard Lodge, K. of P., never do anything by halves, but they fairly out did themselves at their public installation of officers and second annual ball at Taylor Opera House last Thursday evening.

   The public installation of officers was witnessed by about 400 people, who were much pleased with the ceremonies. W. D. Ferguson, of Syracuse, Grand Chancellor, was the installing officer. Besides these ceremonies, the Misses Alger and Mrs. C.  L. Kinney rendered fine vocal and the Cortland Orchestra furnished instrumental music. Speeches were made by Mrs. Mee and Cap. Randall of Syracuse. The latter's remarks elicited much applause among the Knights assembled but left the poor uninitiated in the dark as to the solution of the jokes perpetrated. Fifteen Knights of the Uniform Rank were present from Syracuse and lent their aid to the ceremonies.

   At half past ten the floors were cleared and Clark & Muncey's orchestra took their place on the stage and commenced making so much noise with their string, reed and brass instruments that it was impossible for the 125 couples who remained to keep their feet quiet. The dancing was kept up until 4:30 Saturday morning, and a nicer or more orderly party than that present could not be found.

    Supper was served at the Arnold House, and a beautiful and tempting repast was spread before the hungry dancers who did full justice to the edibles before them.

   A small sum of money was netted the organization, but the benefit and good time cannot be computed into dollars and cents.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Martin Edgcomb will sell his house and lot, No. 36 Grant st., at a bargain. Call at once.

   The date of F. D. Somerby's lecture under the auspices of the order of the Iron Hall [mutual insurance association--CC editor] has been changed to February 12th.

   While coupling cars on the local freight train at this station on Tuesday, Jesse Howard, of Lisle, had the index finger of his left hand crushed. Dr. Nash dressed the wound.

   The Homer & Cortland Horse Railroad company have put on another close car, No.7, for their increasing traffic. It came over the E. C. & N. road and was unloaded last Sunday.

   A bill has been introduced in the Assembly by Mr. Tisdale authorizing the Cortland Opera House Company to issue bonds for $12,000 to pay outstanding indebtedness.

   Hugh McGuckin, of Summer Hill, was sentenced at Albany last week to one year in the Erie Penitentiary. He was convicted at Auburn for sending obscene letters through the mail.

   Lewis Chapman, Fred Hicks and Mrs. Delia Reynolds were brought here on Tuesday from Homer on warrants charging them with "willfully and wrongfully offending and outraging public decency and endangering the public peace." Their examination is set down for to-day.

   Thursday evening last B. H. Roorak, who lives near the fairgrounds met with an accident that shook him up in a lively manner and made his hair stand on end, but which luckily for him, resulted only in a scare. While crossing the D. L. & W. tracks at Clinton avenue he was struck by the engine attached to the south bound express train and thrown about thirty feet. No bones were broken and Roorak was able to walk home. Where are the crossing gates that our railroad commissioners promised us a long, long time ago?

   Considerable change has been going on in the up-town store occupied by Brown & Maybury. Messrs. Maybury & Maycumber have removed their insurance business up-stairs in the rooms with the Water Works company's office. The Western Union Telegraph office has been moved further back in the store and a new desk put up for the instruments, making it more private. The prescription room has also been partitioned off giving more room.  Altogether it is a decided improvement on the looks of the place.

   Patrick Doud, our efficient night watchman, while in Albany last week sustained a simple fracture of his right arm and dislocated the wrist by slipping down upon the icy sidewalk. He returned home on Friday and is doing well.

MEANESS PERSONIFIED.

   Some time during Saturday night unknown persons entered the new house of

A. Cook on Frank street, and with an adze or some other sharp tool hacked up the window and door casings, the stairs and railings, knocked off plastering, broke blinds, and otherwise defaced the building. The house was recently built and was not yet entirely finished. Several of the workmen were dissatisfied with Mr. Cook, alleging that he had not lived up to his agreement with them, and it is supposed that this was the method taken for revenge.

   T. F. King, a carpenter, and Mr. Bookstaver, a mason, were suspected of the mischief and were arrested. The evidence against them is strong, but entirely circumstantial. The edge of the instrument with which the chopping was done had been in contact with a nail at some time and was nicked. Some of the chips showed the marks plainly. Sheriff Van Hoesen went to a house in course of erection on Tompkins street where King and Bookstaver were employed and found, behind a tool chest, an adze belonging to King that had nicks on the edge, which fitted the marks on the chips in the house. Their examination was set down for Wednesday, but postponed until to-morrow. Fred Hatch appears for the defendants and H. A. Dickinson for the people.

CHEAP EXCURSION.

To Washington City—An Opportunity to Visit the National Capital—One of the Handsomest and Most Interesting Cities in the World.

   The General Passenger Agent of the West Shore Rail Road is arranging the details for a popular excursion from Central New York to Washington city, on Wednesday, Feb.2nd. A better time for a visit to the National capital could not be selected, as Congress will be in Session, and the galleries of the United States Senate and House of Representatives will be open to visitors as well as the public buildings. A call at the White House, the home of the President is on the programme. The capital building is the most magnificent public edifice in the world. The other public buildings are on a grand scale, and can all be visited.

   The Department of Agriculture, with its extensive green houses, museums of everything connected with agricultural methods and products; the Smithsonian Institute— known as the National Museum of Natural History, and containing the Government's Centennial exhibits, donations from foreign countries, and an endless collection of curiosities; the Botanical Gardens, which consist of a series of vast conservatories filled with rare and curious plants, flowers, and fruits; The Corcoran Art Gallery, containing a magnificent collection of paintings, statuary and art objects; the Washington Monument, which is the loftiest and finest in the world; the Soldiers Home surrounded by a beautiful park, and the many other public buildings and private residences, combine to make a visit to Washington instructive, interesting, and memorable.

   A special train will be run through to Washington over the West Shore Railroad in connection with the Pennsylvania Railroad. Excursion trains will leave Canastota at 12:00 m., Wednesday, Feb. 2nd., arrive at Washington city at 7:30 the following morning. Excursions tickets will be sold at the rate of $10.00 for round trip good for return by any regular train until Feb. 7th. Sleeping cars will be run and reduced prices have been secured for excursionists at leading hotels.


Knights of Pythias: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_Pythias