THE TRACTION COMPANY DECIDES

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 3, 1895.

THE TRACTION COMPANY.

Does Not Care To Use Port Watson-st. Bridge.

   A number of residents of Cortland and vicinity are greatly concerned about the use of the Port Watson-st. bridge by the Cortland and Homer Traction Co. for the passage of the cars between Cortland and McGrawville and between Cortland and the park. The query has been raised why the STANDARD did not oppose the use of the bridge for this purpose and do all in its power to prevent the company from securing the privilege of crossing it. As a matter of fact the STANDARD does not believe it would be wise for this bridge to be used by the electric cars and is free to say so, but there was no use in setting up a straw man for the sake of knocking it down, for we have known for about two months that the Traction company did not desire to use this bridge and did not mean to use it at all if it could secure the privilege of running its cars through the extension of either Elm-st. or Railroad-st. to the Tioughnioga river, where it would build a bridge of its own and come out upon its own land on the other side.—Cortland Standard, April 26.

   It was perfectly right and proper for the people of this town to be concerned about the use of Port Watson-st. bridge and we don't wonder that the citizens thought it queer that the Standard said nothing in opposition to it. Not one word has it said until last Thursday in opposition to the use of the bridge and then its opposition is so feeble as to be hardly noticeable.

   The Standard pretends to have the confidence of the officers of the Traction company and to be the custodian of their future intentions and says it has "known for about two months that the Traction company did not desire to use this bridge and did not mean to use it at all if it could secure the privilege of running its cars through the extension of either Elm-st. or Railroad-st. to the Tioughnioga river." This is a very strange confession to make. The editor of the Standard knew that the citizens of this town were greatly agitated over this important matter and yet he refused to give them information, which he claims to have had locked up in his manly bosom for over two months, that would have settled the matter and restored quiet to the community. What a wonderful amount of consideration he exhibits for the interest of his readers and what a remarkable daily paper the Standard is. Holding valuable information from the public for two long months is an exhibition of startling newspaper enterprise. What would become of the people of this town if its enterprising daily should cease to exist, but does anybody believe that the Standard was possessed of the pretended information two months ago or at any time?

   At the adjourned meeting held yesterday afternoon before Highway Commissioner Rindge a different state of affairs was shown to exist. Either the Standard was hoodoed in its pretended information or else it never had such information. Mr. Bronson, the attorney of the Traction Company, stated that the company did not propose to surrender its franchise to cross Port Watson bridge, but proposed to hold it and use it if they chose to do so. The Highway Commissioner should come out equally as flat-footed and refuse to grant any further franchises unless the company will show a disposition to concede something. The meeting was adjourned to 1 o'clock to-day when every citizen who has the interest of the town at heart should attend.

FIRE IN PREBLE.

George Haskins Came Near Losing His Life.

   The dwelling house of James Beattie who resides about a mile north of Baltimore was destroyed by fire last Sunday morning between the hours of 2 and 4 o'clock. James Beattie, who resides alone most of the time, had some callers last Saturday night and report says they had quite a boisterous or, as some would say, a jolly old time. About 2 o'clock Saturday night or Sunday morning they ran short of kerosene oil and some of them went down to Capt. Wades to get some oil and when they came back the house was on fire. The neighborhood is quite thickly settled and in a short time quite a number of the neighbors were at the fire. It had got such a start, that they gave up all hopes of saving the house. They endeavored to save some of the contents and succeeded in getting out an organ and a few chairs. The fire appeared to have started up stairs [sic] in the front part of the building and no one seemed to know what was the cause of it.

   George Haskins who was one of the party must have gone to bed in a bedroom off the kitchen and must have been forgotten by the rest of the party as they did not seem to know he was in the house. After the roof had fallen in and the casings of the front door had burned off he was discovered coming through the fire out of the front door, with no clothes on but his night shirt. His feet and limbs were badly burned, his hair was burned off and his face and hands were terribly burned. Dr. H. D. Hunt was called to relieve his sufferings and the doctor says he don't know how the case will turn, but thinks he may recover.

   Why he did not try to escape through the bedroom window as he was down stairs or did not pass out through the kitchen door, no one knows, but it is a wonder how he could pass through the fire as he did. Haskins is a young man about 30 years old and was working out by the month.

   Beattie was asked if there was any insurance on the building and he did not seem to know.

THE ROAD WILL GO.

ARRANGEMENTS NEARLY MADE.

The Building of the Erie & Central N. Y. Railroad Will Soon Commence and Will Be Pushed to Completion.

   Mr. N. A. Bundy of New York arrived in town on Wednesday to make the preliminary arrangements for the construction of the Erie & Central N. Y. railroad from this place to the mouth of Gee brook in the town of Cincinnatus and he has been as busy as a bee ever since. One of the first things to be done will be the erection of a temporary bridge over the river at this place. Mr. Bundy is negotiating for piles to be driven in the river for this purpose. As soon as the bridge is completed track will be laid and a construction train will be put on to carry materials as the work progresses east. He is also negotiating for iron bridges to take the place of the temporary structures.

   The iron and other materials to be used in building the road are expected to be delivered here within two weeks and it is believed that the road will be completed by the first of September.

   When this much of the road is in running order, the question of extending it to Deposit or some other point on the Erie or Midland roads will be quickly disposed of.

Sold Out.

   Mr. W. T. Smith has sold his carriage making business located on Railroad-st. to Messrs E. A. & Fred Chubb and Capt G. D. Crittenden and son, who took possession yesterday morning and will continue the business under the firm name of Crittendon & Chubb. The purchasers are all first class mechanics and thoroughly understand the wants of the public. They will build new work of all kinds and do repairing at reasonable prices. Mr. Smith will remain with them until he disposes of the new jobs he has on hand. He has not yet decided what he will do after that, but it is hoped that he will remain in town.  

He Left Town.

   Two weeks ago last Wednesday, Mr. Geo. Gleason of the firm of Gleason & Lane, dealers in hardware, plumbers, steamfitters etc., left town for Albany, saying he would return in a few days. On Friday following he wrote his partner that he should not return and he has thus far kept his word in that respect. Mr. Gleason is a plumber and steamfitter by trade and Mr. Lane was the business manager. So far as can he ascertained the only reason for his leaving town was the fact, that he had given a bank note which was to fall due in a few days and being unable to meet it when due, he was frightened away. Had he let his partner know what the trouble was the note would have been taken care of. The firm was doing well and had only been in business since January, although Mr. Gleason had been in the employ of Buck & Lane for several years. Had he been as good a business man as mechanic he would have remained in town.

Fitzsimmons beats Maher with round one knockout.

Fitzsimmons and Maher.

   PITTSBURG, Pa . April 28—Bob Fitzsimmons and Peter Maher have made a contract with the Edison Kinetoscope company to fight six rounds before the camera for a gift of $5,000. The rounds will be one minute each with three minutes rest, the idea being to have a lively battle.

   If either man is knocked out before the end of the sixth round, the winner will take all the money. If both stay to a finish, the one receiving the decision will get $3,000 the other $2,000.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   TOMPKINS.— Renwick will open for the season about May 1st.

   Cornell's new veterinary college will cost $150,000.

   Some time in June the Ithaca Cycle Club expect to have a meet.

   The Ithaca salt well has reached a depth of about five hundred feet.

   The Morse Spring Co. of Trumansburg is making one hundred bicycle chains daily.

   Early Thursday morning, the general store of Fred Mulks, Brookton, was burglarized.

   The Oratorio of the Messiah, to be presented in June by the Ithaca Choral Club, has a chorus of 140 voices.

   The Woman's Auxiliary of the Ithaca Y. M. C. A., has pledged itself to raise $1,000 for the new building fund.

   We are sorry to learn that E. L. B. Curtis, of Danby, well known throughout the county, is suffering from paralysis.

   Cornell, which is only twenty-six years old, has 2,900 alumni and twenty associations in the United States and foreign countries.

   The Tompkins County Oil and Gas Co. have let the contract for drilling a well near Brookton, to Edward R. Andrews, of Walton, N. Y. The contract is for 3,500 feet.

   The Glee, Banjo and Mandolin Clubs of the University have decided to make a concert tour of England, Ireland, and Scotland during vacation. They will sail June 22d. Twenty concerts will be given in leading cities.

   Tuesday evening, Mrs. David Lowe of West Groton, while gathering eggs in the barn, fell a distance of ten feet, striking upon the floor. She was taken up in an insensible condition. At last accounts she was improving and will soon recover.

   CHENANGO.—A three-pound two-ounce trout was recently caught near New Berlin.

   The hotel at East Norwich, with an adjoining barn belonging to Billings Wheeler, were burned Monday morning. Loss about $4,000, with $800 insurance.

   One night last week the barn of Linn Babcock in Norwich was entered, and his flock of about seventy-five homing pigeons taken from the loft. They were pets of the neighborhood, and Mr. Babcock would like to know who is mean enough to commit so dastardly an act.

   The Italian colony at Norwich have been shooting the robins on the flats adjacent to the village, which they have cooked and supplied their tables with. There is a law against killing song birds in this State, and Norwich should bring their Dagos to justice for killing the robins.

  

HERE AND THERE.

   Burgess, the clothier, has a new advertisement on our last page.

   Mr. George Murphy plays the clarinet in Daniels orchestra.

   Raymond's place in Little York will be open for the season on Sunday.

   Hon. L. Coe Young will deliver the Memorial address in McGrawville.

   The children of Preble village school will celebrate Arbor day, May 3.

   Buck & Lane, the hardware dealers, have a new advertisement in this issue of the DEMOCRAT.

   The officials in charge are talking of making extensive repairs to the First M. E. church building in this place.

   W. W. Brown has sold his harness shop in the Riley building to Mr. S. D. Ballard formerly in the employ of Isaac Edgcomb.

   The Normals beat the Homers on the Fair grounds last Saturday by a score of 21 to 17. The Normals play in Groton to-morrow.

   Rev. James W. Putnam of New York, formerly pastor of the Baptist church in Cortland has sued the New York World for $50,000 damages for libel. Franklin Pierce, formerly of Homer, is his attorney.

   The Cortland Cart & Carriage Co., whose stock and tools were burned at the fire on Port Watson-st. some weeks since, have settled with the insurance companies and will occupy a part of the Cortland Specialty company's factory on Elm-st. temporarily. They commenced work this week with a force of twelve men. They hope to make arrangements to occupy larger quarters soon.

   Charles F. Brown, the druggist, calls the attention of our readers to his large stock of paints and oils in an advertisement in another column.

   The sewer contractors have three gangs of twenty men each working on the sewers. One at the corner of Elm and Pomeroy, one on East Railroad-st. and one on East Court-st. They expect to put two more gangs on to-day.