DEATH OF JOHN WHEELER

Cortland House.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, April 22, 1892.

Death of John Wheeler.

   Mr. John Wheeler, one of the best and most favorably known citizens of this county, died quite suddenly at the home of his son-in-law, Edward G. Gauffreau, 24 Russell Place, Brooklyn, N. Y., on Sunday, April 17th, 1892. He was born in Solon, May 27th, 1807, and was the last surviving son of Col. Elijah Wheeler, an old and prominent citizen of that town. In 1832 he married Sarah, the eldest daughter of Samuel Emerson, who was a brother of the late Gen. Samuel G. Hathaway's first wife. Mrs. Wheeler died September 26th, 1882, since which time Mr. Wheeler has resided for the greater part of the time with his only child Mrs. Gauffreau.

   Mr. Wheeler represented the town of Solon in the Board of Supervisors for several terms. He was an intelligent, faithful and reliable official, and was deservedly popular with his associates.

   He was for many years proprietor of the Cortland House in this place, and was very popular with the traveling public. John Wheeler was an honest, kindly man, without a known enemy, and will be sincerely mourned by all who knew him.

   The funeral was held from the residence of his brother-in-law, Mr. William S. Copeland, in this village, on Wednesday morning, and the remains were interred in Cortland Rural cemetery.

Wickwire factory.

HERE AND THERE.

   Wickwire's wire works are running eleven hours per day in order to keep up with their orders.

   Senator Nichols' bill appropriating $58,000 for heating and furnishing the addition to the Normal school has passed the Senate, and awaits the Governor's signature.

   The Cortland Driving Park will be open next week for the training season. Season tickets for the use of the track may be procured of F. N. Harrington for $5, each additional horse, $2.

   The W. C. T. U. are planning for a dime progressive spelling social, sometime next week,—date not fixed, as yet. Light refreshments will be served, with brief musical and literary program.

   Geo. W. Houk rode down from Syracuse, last Sunday afternoon, on a new bicycle. He left the city at 1 o'clock and arrived here at 5:30. He reports the roads in bad condition north of Little York.

   The mothers' meeting (north) will be held at the residence of Mrs. A. E. Ryan, 29 Madison Ave., Wednesday, April 27th, at 3 P. M. Subject, "Character Building." All ladies are cordially invited.

   The regular semi-monthly mothers' meeting (west) will be held at the residence of Mrs. Frank Byrnes, 59 Owego street, Thursday, April 28th, at 3 P. M. Subject, "Temperance.'' All ladies are cordially invited.

   The Cortland club went to Syracuse, last Tuesday, and played a game of ball with the Stars of that city. The score stood Stars, 28; Cortlands, 0. It is but just to say that the Cortlands were out of practice and the places of some of their best men were filled with amateurs.

   The little four year-old son of Jas. Riley, 88 Madison St., tumbled into a bonfire that had been kindled by some children on Monday afternoon, and was severely burned. Mr. John Hoyer heard the child scream and ran to its assistance and pulled it out of the flames. The lower part of his body was burned to a crisp. Dr. Nash was summoned. The boy is not expected to live.

   Mike Dobbins, of Homer, was in town last Monday and by noon he had quite a jag on. Chief Sager's eagle eye chanced to fall on Mike's sturdy form and the officer placed him under arrest. The proceeding did not please Mike and he resisted, but the officer's club brought him to terms. A physician took a few stitches in his scalp and he was landed in jail.

   On Thursday, April 28th, commencing at 10 A. M., Mr. J. H. Gunn will sell at auction at the Elm Tree House, in McLean, a large stock of hotel furniture, consisting of beds, tables, stands, mirrors, sitting and dining-room chairs, stoves, carpets, crockery, table cutlery, lamps, &c. Also top buggy, democrat wagon, harness, robes, plows, and other farming tools. Six months' credit on sums of $5 and over.

   The rooms in which the National Bank of Cortland are located are to be thoroughly overhauled and new counters and desks are to be put in. A committee has been appointed to visit other towns and after looking over their banks, they are to report plans for the improvements to be made. It is understood that the bank will occupy all the rooms on the first floor, and that the gas company will vacate their rooms in rear of the bank.

   The committee appointed by Judge Forbes to report plans for repairing or rebuilding the Court House, held a meeting last Monday afternoon. The committee, consisting of Hon. O. U. Kellogg, John Courtney, Jr., and B. T Wright, decided that it would not pay to spend any more money in repairing the old court house, and all agreed that a new building on some other site would be preferable. The committee will meet again on Saturday, when it is expected that Messrs. R. B. Smith and W. H. Crane, the committee of the Board of Supervisors will be present.

   The Cortland Standard claims that the Hayes Chair Co., of Tallapoosa. Ga., was served with a temporary injunction when about to move its plant to Harriman, Tennessee, and that the injunction has been made permanent. It was procured by the Georgia-Alabama Investment and Development Co., of Tallapoosa, which company claims that the Hayes Chair Company [formerly of Cortland—CC editor] came to them under contract whereby a site was to be furnished them and $30,000 loaned to the company. They claim that they have performed their part of the contract, and that the Hayes Chair Company cannot move the plant to Harriman.

   Mail clerk Clark H. Lathrop, of this village, had his left hand caught in the clutch of a new mail bag catcher which he was operating on his [train] car at Oswego, last Saturday morning. The tips of two fingers were smashed and the hand was badly bruised. The catcher is the invention of Mr. E. M. Van Hoesen, of Preble, and this was its trial trip. It is said to be a great improvement over the old style, owing to the fact that when it once grasps the bag it will not let go. Lathrop says it was his own carelessness that caused the injury. He will be laid off for a week or so.

   A forty-six-foot pole has been erected on top of the Standard building, and weather signals are to be displayed thereon.

   The King's Daughters will meet at the residence of Mrs. A. H. Watkins, No. 38 Homer avenue, Saturday, April 23, at 3 o'clock.

   The first annual ball of Cortland Lodge, Sexennial League, will be held in Empire Hall, Friday evening, May 6. Conway's orchestra will furnish music.

   Maj. J. W. MacMurray, of the 1st U. S. Artillery, has opened a recruiting station at the Messenger House. Enlisted men will be stationed at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island.

   A spark from an engine on the D., L. & W. road set fire to the roof of Duane Howard's barn on Railroad street, Wednesday morning. The fire was extinguished by the employes before much damage resulted.

   The ladles of the Altar Society of St. Mary's church re-elected the following officers, last Tuesday evening: President, Mrs. John Quigley; vice-president, Mrs. Robert Welch; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Chas. Corcoran. The membership of the society is to be increased.

[Reminder: We copy articles as they were printed, past rules of grammar included--CC editor.]

For Sale or Exchange.

[Paid Advertisement.]

   For property of less value, my house and lot, corner of Owego and Tompkins streets. Also 100 acres of land adjoining Hon. O. U. Kellogg's farm, on the east. Also one farm of 172 1/4 acres, in the town of Virgil, bounded on the north by the town line road. Enquire of

Wm. P. RANDALL.

(46m3) Squires' Hotel, Cortland.

Home for Aged Women.

   The Cortland County Home for aged women will be formally opened on Wednesday, April 27. Upon the afternoon and evening of that date the house will be open to visitors. All persons interested in the cause are cordially invited to call between the hours of 2 and 9 P. M. at the home No. 41 Main st., Homer. N. Y.

PAGE FOUR/EDITORIALS.

   Cortland is no longer in the 25th Congressional district. Hereafter we are to be associated with Cayuga, Wayne, Ontario and Yates counties in the 28th district. It looks very much as if Cortland had unwillingly jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The district will be about as solidly republican as it is possible to make it. Madison will hereafter have Onondaga for a mate and will act as the tail to the big county's kite for the next ten years.

   Gov. Flower has vetoed the State Printing House bill. The tax-payers will save a good many hard earned dollars that would otherwise have been squandered.

   The committee of the legislature appointed to investigate the charges brought against Judge Isaac H. Maynard, for the part he took in the contested election cases last fall, have finished their labors and submitted both a majority and a minority report. The report submitted by the majority of the committee finds that Judge Maynard's action in the premises was entirely proper, while the minority of the committee have fulfilled the requirements of their selection by finding that the part he took in the matter was reprehensible and improper. Judge Maynard is an honest man, and all who know him will agree with the report of the majority.

Court House.

TOWN REPORTS.

LITTLE YORK.

   "Justice Forbes, before adjourning court, appointed a committee consisting of O. U. Kellogg, John Courtney, Jr., and B. T. Wright, to get plans for remodeling the Court House. They are to submit the plans to Justice Forbes for inspection and if the plans are satisfactory to him, in case the Board of Supervisors fail to make the change according to plans, he will order the work to be done by the sheriff."—Homer Republican. What a direct insult to the much boasted majority of Republican Supervisors. Was he afraid to trust them, or was it a nice scheme of theirs to shirk the responsibility of adding this big bill to our burdensome taxes. Last year by having a good watch dog at the head of the Board and members enough to back him, our taxes were lower than for years. But the Court House must be remodeled—even if the farmers are selling potatoes at 25 cents, butter 17 cents, eggs 12 cents and veal calves 4 cents, and have to meet 6 per cent interest. If there was such immediate need of remodeling, why not have summoned the supervisors of Homer, Willett and Cortland and made them a mandatory committee? The taxpayers would have had at least two good men to look out for them. But of the lawyers appointed only one has had any experience in building, the others we would not employ to plan any building for us. It is not long since the Court House was remodeled to suit the whim of a Judge. If the building is not "suitable for holding court" let it be sold and a new one be erected on the hill from whence it should never have been removed. There would be less indigestion among our Judges and lawyers, consequently less desire for luxurious "remodeling" if they marched up that hill [to Monroe Heights—CC editor] in grand procession as of years ago. If Judge Forbes can't hold court in the present "remodeled" court house let him resign. There are able and experienced republicans who have fought hard for the nomination heretofore, who would most willingly fill out his term with our court house as it stands to-day. To them it would be Paradise hall. We have too much of this "ipse dixit" taxation and before long shall bring up a case as gathered from last year's Supervisors' Journal. Don't put new wine into old bottles, but wait as we did with the old Clerk's office until the promised good times come and then build a new Court House.

   ULI  SLICK. [pen name of local correspondent.]

The Cortland County Court House, Grip’s Historical Souvenir, page 122: http://tcpl.org/local-history/documents/county-history-CNY/Grips_of_Cortland/grips108-123.pdf