DEATH OF EFFIE ROWE

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 8, 1891.

TOWN REPORTS.

EAST HOMER.

   The house on John B. Henry's hill farm occupied by a Mr. Gilbert, was destroyed by fire with all its contents last week.

   One of the saddest affairs that ever happened in this place occurred Friday of last week, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when Effie, the 12 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Rowe, was so fearfully burned by her clothes catching fire that after lingering until 11 o'clock in the evening the angel of death came to her relief. Just how it happened will never be known. She had gone some 50 or 60 rods from the house where her father was burning some brush but did not get over the fence where the fire was. The supposition is that a spark flew from the fire and caught in the waist of her dress and she had started for the house without realizing it. The first that Mr. Rowe knew about it a neighbor living across on the other road, shouted that his little girl's clothes were on fire. When Mr. Rowe got to the child her clothes from her neck to her knees were completely burned off her, and her body was terribly burned. There were but two spots on her face that showed and her limbs below the knees were not burned. The child was a mute, never having been able to articulate a single word. Funeral services were held at the church Sunday, Rev. W. H. Robertson officiating. The house was filled to its fullest capacity with sympathizing friends and neighbors.

   UNCLE SI. [local correspondent's pen name.]

WILLETT.

   Miss Vica Bliss, of Marathon, was a guest in town over Sunday.

   May baskets seem to be the rage with our young "sports," just now.

   No school this week, the teachers being in attendance at the Teachers' Institute at Marathon.

   Mr. J. Dempster Eaton, of Brisbin, N. Y., was a guest of his father, Abel Eaton, over Sunday.

   Owing to higher prices for butter, fewer calves are reported than commonly at this season of the year.

   Quite a number of our farmers have bought new creameries, and like the new method of raising cream very much.

   Isaac Lander and Son, of Binghamton, set a very tasty [sic] monument in our village cemetery the past week for J. D. Eaton.

   Mr. and Mrs. Will McCray are the recipients of many congratulations over the arrival of a Miss McCray at their home.

   Hiram Boyd, of Cincinnatus, was in town Wednesday, looking after stock. He contemplates putting a meat cart on the road—down on one side of the river and back on the other.

TAYLOR.

   Mrs. Syra Potter continues to fail.

   Hial Tanner is very low with the grippe.

   DeLong's factory opened for business Monday morning.

   Mrs. Wilson Hawley, who has been very sick, is improving.

   Timothy Lansdown, of Truxton, visited his foster parents, Sunday.

   Miss Nellie Skinner has been spending a few days with her sister in Preble.

   DeForest Gay and wife, of Preble, visited their parents Saturday and Sunday.

   Why does our Board of Health allow the dead bodies of animals to remain above ground?

   DeLancy Fisk, while building barbed wire fence one day last week, had the misfortune to severely injure one of his eyes.

   Henry Cotton, of Bowling Green, Ohio, is visiting his cousin, F. E. Jordan, this week. Mr. C. moved from here to Ohio 25 years ago.

   Israel Allis died Sunday, aged about 88 years. For many years he has been a resident of this place, and was universally esteemed by all who knew him. The funeral will be held at the school house on Potter Hill, Wednesday.

   Mrs. Hial Tanner died last Tuesday, aged about 70 years. Although she had been in poor health for many years, her death occurred quite unexpectedly. A few days since she was attacked with the grippe, to which she quickly succumbed on account of her enfeebled condition. The funeral was held from the house Friday afternoon. She was a woman universally esteemed. Verily, a good woman has gone to her reward.

   It is with extreme sorrow that we are called upon to record the death of our beloved friend and fellow-townsman, Lewis Wight, at the early age of 26 years, Sunday, May 3d, 1891. To us who saw him, only a few short weeks ago, apparently enjoying the best of health, it does not seem possible that he has joined the silent majority, but, alas! it is only too true. "Lew," as he was familiarly called by his friends, was a most companionable person to meet. For a number of years he had been engaged in teaching in our common schools, in which vocation he was equaled by few, and excelled by none. Politically, he was a Democrat, and had he lived there was ability and intelligence enough in him to make him the recipient of high honors at the hands of his party, in the near future; but it was not to be, because cruel death came and claimed him as his own. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to the afflicted family in this their sad bereavement. The funeral was held from the house at 11 o'clock, Tuesday. Rev. Edson Rogers preached the sermon, taking for his text, the prophecy of St. John.

   CALUMET.

                                             FREETOWN.

   Mr. Andrew Rifenberg is at home on the sick list.

   Mr. Pollydore Corwin worked the past week in Cortland.

   Mrs. S. Hammond was calling on friends in Cortland Monday.

   No school this week as the teacher attends the Institute at Marathon.

   Dr. D. K. Allen has been quite sick the past week but is now on the gain.

   Miss Zelma Shepherd visits Marathon often as she takes her music lessons there.

   Mr. E. Holden, of Solon, and wife visited at Mr. H. Lennon's the first of the week.

   Mrs. Chauncey Tuttle has a sister from Herkimer visiting her at present writing.

   Mr. John Davis spent Thursday in Cortland purchasing goods for the Freetown store.

   Almeran Metzgar and family were guests at George Turners, in Gridly Hollow, recently.

   Quite a number from this place attended the funeral of Mr. Stores Bowdish, of McGrawville.

   Mrs. Emma Watrous and family, who have been staying at her fathers, Mr. C. Tuttle, has returned home to Cortland.

   The young people's dime social will meet at the M. E. parsonage next Tuesday evening, the 13th inst. The gentlemen to do the work.

   The Good Templar's Lodge is prospering not only in interest but in number. Fifteen new members in the last quarter, and still they come.

   Rev. Fred Knight has been quite sick and was unable to fulfill his duties on the Sabbath, so we had the privilege of listening to Elder McDowell of Auburn.

   The W. C. T. Union will meet at the Baptist session room next Saturday in the afternoon. All members are requested to be present and others who are interested in a good work.

   KATE.

SCOTT.

   Married in Scott by the Rev. J. A. Platts, May 9, 1891, Mr. George S. Green to Miss Dora Maxson, all of Scott.

   The Excise Board met on Monday and granted license to all three applicants. Last year there were but two.

   Several new cases of the grippe; and none who have had it have fully recovered their strength so far as we have learned. It has a long hang on.

   Another drunken family quarrel which resulted in the breaking up of a family and the breaking in to another house and assaulting the occupants. Warrant issued.

   Died at the home of the parents near Seattle, Washington state, April 18th, Carrie E. Alvord, aged 28 years. She was the daughter of Thomas M. and Maria J. Alvord.

   As we expected the Republican [State] Senate has refused to submit the Prohibitory Amendment to the people, but they could pass the "Stadler Bill" which grants the all-night sale of liquor at dance houses. It seems to us the scales must fall from the eyes of all honest temperance men who have been following after strange gods so long.

   Your correspondent had the privilege of attending a union temperance meeting at Tully last Sunday evening. Rev. Mr. Beebe of the M. E. church of that place, spoke from the words, "At the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder." We would judge him to be a temperance man 365 days in the year. We understand this to be the beginning of a series of meetings in that place. We also enjoyed the singing by the choir, it added much to the interest of the meeting.

PREBLE.

   Mr. Squires from the South, is visiting his brother here.

   Some of our farmers have got all of their oats in the ground.

   The dry, cold weather we are getting is not favorable to an early spring.

   Snowing all day May 5th and ice 1 inch thick is a cold record for Preble.

   The old store formerly occupied by F. P. Conine, has been torn down and the foundation for a new store is being laid in its place.

   Seril Pierce's brother is here on a visit from Nebraska, and intends to stay the summer. He brought four very fine horses with him, one of which is quite a fine stock horse, said to be Hambletonian and Morgan.

   It is stated on good authority that the blacksmith shop lately occupied by Al Morgan, will soon have an occupant in the person of Mr. Gillette of Cold Brook. He is very highly spoken of as a good mechanic and a desirable citizen. He will be the right man in the right place, and we wish him success.

   Last Saturday night Mr. S. Devereaux had a shock and his family feared he would not live the night through. He had been feeling unwell for a few days before, but was able to walk out through the day Saturday. He is a man about 80 years of age and has enjoyed good health through life. His many friends in town hope he may recover.

   Mrs. Eben Daily, for many years a resident of this town, went to make her daughter (Mrs. C. C. Van Hoesen, who is temporarily residing in Homer village) a visit about a week ago last Sunday, and was taken sick with typhoid pneumonia and after a few days sickness departed this life Friday night. Her funeral was held last Monday. Funeral services at the house of her son in-law, C. C. Van Hoesen in Homer, and the interment here. Mrs. Daily was a kind and affectionate mother, an obliging neighbor and will be missed by neighbors as well as by friends. The family in their sorrow have the sympathy of many of their townspeople.

   Our town can now truthfully be said to be a full-fledged temperance town. Whether this fact is going to be a benefit to the moral character and financial condition of our people is yet to be seen. Time will develop the truth and all we have to do is to stay and see. The first fruits so far are that our hotel is locked up and travelers and drummers can put up over night in the street or steal a dry goods box and crawl into it and dine on crackers and cheese at the store. Perhaps some of our christian temperance people will "feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty," that is good christian doctrine at least. Maybe the next thing we will find will be that we haven't any drug store in town; as to that I can't say, but should such a thing happen we would find that a hotel and a drug store is quite a convenience to all classes of people by times.

VIRGIL.

   Mr. O. D. Phillips of Lisle, is visiting his brother Delos.

   A son of Mr. E. V. Price is very sick with scarlet fever.

   Mr. Orrie Ingraham of Marathon, was calling on friends in town Sunday.

   Mr. Charlie Freer of Higginsville visited his aunt Mrs. Henry Hall, Sunday.

   Mrs. Charles Baker of Varna was a guest of Rev. C. J. Pendelton over Sunday.

   Mrs. E. D. Sheets and children of Ohio are visiting her sister, Mrs. Jasper Rounds.

   Mrs. Dorr Elster is at Marathon this week in attendance at the teachers' institute.

   Miss Carrie Bullfinch of Port Crane, Broome Co., visited her aunt Mrs. Nathan Gardiner, the past week.

   Mrs. Harry Ingraham and daughter of Marathon is spending the summer at her father's, Mr. Ed. Crain.

   Mrs. Samantha Rounds returned home Tuesday from Geneva, where she has been for the past three weeks, very much improved in health.

   Mr. John Cole, living about 1 1/2 miles from the village, was cutting wood Tuesday afternoon, and not feeling well went into the house and died soon after.

   TOPSY.

BLODGETT'S MILLS.

   Mrs. Solomon Carr is quite ill.

   Tanner & June's tenant house is nearly ready for occupancy.

   Miss Grace Dorward spent Sunday with Mrs. Nathaniel Stafford.

   Miss Delia Hodges is recovering from an attack of rheumatism.

   An elegant parlor organ was left at Mr. Harmon Kinney's last week.

   Mrs. John Burk has recently purchased a handsome sewing-machine.

   Miss Eva Spencer is staying with her sister, Mrs. J. H. Bloomer, in Virgil, this week.

   The scholars are enjoying a vacation this week while the teachers attend the Institute at Marathon.

   The seedtime concert at the M. E. church Sunday evening was enjoyed by a large congregation.

   Master Herbert Spencer has gone to spend some time with his grandmother, Mrs. Harris, in Lincklaen.

   Mr. Jay White and wife attended the funeral of Mrs. White's father, John Hatch, at McGrawville, Wednesday.

   Mrs. Rollinson, of Great Bend, Pa., who has been spending some time with her daughter, Mrs. Elmer Burt, returned to her home last Saturday.

   Mr. D. June says that the very convenient cupboard built by Mr. T. Westcott and placed in the June kitchen, comes under the head of "annual repairs" this spring.

   Little Mabel Stafford, who still continues quite ill, was pleasantly remembered by her young friends May day. Among her many May baskets was a very pretty crown composed entirely of pansies, fashioned by the loving hands of her little playmates.

   Gottleib Shultz's "reputation" as a horse-tamer is certainly on the decline. In the future should the horse chance to step over the tug, G declares he'll not lay down the reins to disentangle the same. The horses enjoyed a lively run and left the plow in small pieces on the wood pile. For once Gottleib was "in the soup" but uninjured. The result of this casualty—a new plow has been purchased and Moses manipulates the ribbons and Gottleib jogs quietly along behind the plow, with "reputation" untarnished as a plowman.

HARFORD MILLS.

   Winter weather and snow again.

   Wm. Stacy & Co. shipped a carload of calves and cows on Tuesday.

   Kount Short and family have gone to Apalachan to live this summer.

   Mr. Al Ellis had the misfortune to lose one of his roadsters on Tuesday last.

   Mr. George Butts, of Scott, is canvassing for a work on etiquette in our village.

   Harris, Degroat & Co. shipped five carloads of hay from this place within the last week.

   Mr. Jerome Hackett and Charles Hackett, of Greene, have been visiting relatives in this place.

   The young people of this place improved last Sabbath by pleasure riding to Dryden and elsewhere.

   Groceries are traveling quite plenty, one cart on Monday and another Tuesday passed through our place.

   Miss Blanche Parker, Miss Hattie Pollard and Miss Anna Walker attended the Teachers' Institute at Marathon this week.

   The singing school closed on Monday evening, conducted by Professor Moody, with a marked improvement in the young people's singing. The concert held on Saturday evening was a grand success as to the program, but as for a crowd it showed what an indifference a religious contention will create. It seems as if parents with nothing to detain them, ought to be interested enough in the welfare and advancement of their children to lay aside their Pharisaical religion and see what the children can do and thereby encourage the young.  

   CHIP.