FISHING BOAT WOUNDED, USS MASSACHUSETTS DISABLED, INDIAN SUN DANCE, EDITORIAL, SEVERAL SOCIAL EVENTS, AND L. G. HOPKINS

 

CGS Petrel.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, August 13, 1903.

FISHING BOAT FIRED ON.

Silver Spray of Erie In a Damaged Condition.

TWENTY SHOTS STRUCK VESSEL.

One Passed Through the Smokestack Into the Pilot House and Two Others Struck the Pilot House—Report Will Be Made to State Department at Washington.

   Erie, Pa., Aug. 13.—The Silver Spray, a fishing boat owned here, came into port in a badly shattered condition due to an encounter in mid-lake about noon with the Canadian revenue cutter Petrel. For years the Canadian authorities have had trouble with American fishermen poaching on the Canadian side of the lake.

   About noon the Petrel came upon the Silver Spray on the Canadian side and at once ordered Captain Chris Chau to stop. The Petrel is a strong steel craft and it is said attempted to ram the American boat before she could comply with the order.

   Captain Chau, remembering the fate of several other boats from this side which had been captured and confiscated, attempted to escape and started ahead at full speed.

   The captain of Petrel opened fire with all the guns he had on board and before he ceased firing some 20 shots had struck the American vessel. One passed through the smoke stack into the pilot house in which Chau stood and two others struck the pilot house. One came within a few inches of the captain.

   That no one was killed is considered wonderful, as shots entered the cabin and various other parts of the boat.

   The chase continued until the Silver Spray crossed the line into American water, when the Petrel gave up the pursuit. The cold water pump on the American boat refused to work for a time and Captain Chau was in despair for a time before he reached the line.

   The Silver Spray is a double decker and was for 12 years at Buffalo as a pleasure steamer.

   Captain Chau will report the affair to the state department at Washington as he says he was only looking for some of his nets which had drifted from this side toward the Canadian shore.

   A large number of American fishing [boats] have been confiscated by the Canadian government. One, however, belonging in Dunkirk, was a few weeks ago ordered returned.

 

USS Massachusetts (BB-2).

MASSACHUSETTS DISABLED.

Big Battleship Struck a Ledge of Rock and Several Plates Were Cracked.

   Bar Harbor, Me., Aug. 13.—While leaving the harbor during a thick fog in company with other vessels of the North Atlantic squadron, the battleship Massachusetts struck on a ledge of rocks off the western end of [Big] Rock.

   The big vessel slipped over the rocks into deep water but the two forward bulkheads soon filled with water and it was subsequently found that several plates forward had been cracked.

   The Massachusetts was brought into the harbor accompanied by the Indiana and the Scorpion. The other ships of the squadron proceeded to Long Island sound.

   The big ship will remain here until orders are received relative to repairs which will probably be made at the Brooklyn navy yard.

 

INDIAN SUN DANCE.

Dr. Dorsey Replies to Criticism of Alleged Torture.

   Los Angeles, Cal., Aug. 13.—Dr. George A. Dorsey, curator of anthropology of the Field Columbian museum of Chicago, who has just arrived here, has given out an interview concerning the published accounts of his recent visit with Dr. Mooney to the Cheyenne Indians in Oklahoma. Dr. Dorsey contends that the sun dance is religion to the Indians and that they have a right to celebrate it under the clause of the constitution granting American citizens freedom of worship.

   With regard to statements made to the Indian bureau at Washington by Mr. Seger, superintendent of the reservation school, Dr. Dorsey makes charges of duplicity and ignorance and says that Seger's allegations were not disinterested.

   "Concerning the torture itself which Mr. Seger describes," said Dr. Dorsey, "not only did Dr. Mooney and myself not instigate it, but we actually knew nothing about it until the Indian was well on his way, making his rounds at the camp circle. This torture occurred, by the way, on the morning of the final rites of the ceremony and had nothing to do with the performance of the so-called sun dance."

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

A Far-Reaching Measure.

   The postmaster-general is reported to have decided upon a measure that will make practically every railroad train in the United States a mail train. At present it is customary for railroad employees to transmit the packages of publishers to places or individuals along their route. The arrangement has not been satisfactory, as no one but the employees could be held responsible for the damaged conditions or loss of the packages. To obviate this difficulty, conductors, baggage masters and other trainmen will be designated wherever desired, as employees of the United States postal service. They will receive compensation over and above the salaries that they receive from the railroad company.

   The most important consequence of this change will be to put practically all trains under the protection of the United States government under all circumstances. In case of a strike, no interference with them will be tolerated. Freight trains will be as free from molestation by strikers as mail trains are now. The further consequence will be to make the railroad employees included in the mail service government employees. Here we come up against an anomalous state of things. The railroads will have it in their power to employ and dismiss men who are, to all intents and purposes, the employees of the government. To this extent the government will be subordinate to the railroads.

   It is obvious that the arrangement will be of particular advantage to the railroads. Not only will they have it in their power to appoint and dismiss public officials, but they will have the protection of the government from strikers. In the first place, the railroad employees made government officials will not dare to strike, as was the case with the government bookbinders in Washington recently, and in the second place, strikers outside of trainmen, such as signalmen, yardmen, machinists, and so on, will be forbidden to interfere with the movement of trains. There is no indication that the railroad, will [order] reciprocal obligations to the government or to their employees. No matter what grievances the railroad employees made government officials may have, they will not be at liberty to strike. No other railroad employees, whatever be their grievances, will be under the same restriction.

   Equity would seem to require, declares the Rochester Post Express, that for the advantages that the railroads obtain from the proposed inclusion of some of their trainmen in the postal service, there should be compensatory obligations of some kind. But what they should be no one has ventured to indicate. Were they to include some regulations as to pay, hours of work, and security of tenure for employees made public officials, we presume that the railroads would oppose the arrangement. Certainly they could not afford to permit congress to regulate the relations between them and their employees. Can the government afford, on the other hand, to permit them to employ and dismiss its employees?

 

A BRILLIANT RECEPTION

Given by Mrs. C. S. Hulbert to About 150 Lady Friends.

   A brilliant social event was the charming reception given by Mrs. C. S. Hulbert, Wednesday afternoon from 3 to 6 o'clock, at her home, 26 North Church-st. Nearly one hundred fifty guests were received by the hostess in a very pleasing manner. Although the day seemed dark and dreary everything was bright and beautiful within. The parlors were decorated with smilax, nasturtiums and sweet peas, while palms and golden rod were also a prominent feature of the adornment, especially in the hall. The rooms were darkened and the soft gaslight gave a charming effect.

   The porch was enclosed, and fine music was rendered throughout the afternoon by Harry A. Jennison, piano, and Francis Le Fevre, violin.

   After exchanging cordial greetings the guests were invited into the spacious diningroom which was a bower of beauty, yellow and green predominating. The serving was under the excellent supervision of Mrs. A. S. Burgess, with Miss Nina Seeber, Miss Anna Collins, Miss Helen Hendrick, Miss Frances Davenport and Miss Carrie Peet, assistants. Mrs. George Smith and Mrs. Robert H. Beard presided at the coffee urn. Elaborate refreshments were served, after which the guests were invited to the lemonade bowl which was in charge of Mrs. Ruth McNett Stuart.

   The unbonnetted ladies were Mrs. Charles H. Price, Mrs. Charles T. Peck, Mrs. Frank Watson and Mrs. Emmett F. Jennings.

 

A TRIP TO SOLON, N. Y.

Mrs. L. N. Frederick Entertains a Party of Ladies.

   Mrs. L. N. Frederick entertained a party of thirty lady friends this afternoon by a trip to Solon where they were for a couple of hours the guests of Miss Elizabeth Hatheway at her beautiful home. General Manager Frederick of the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. furnished a special train which left Cortland at 2 o'clock and which left Solon returning at 5 o'clock. The party was given in honor of Mrs. Frederick's sister, Mrs. James A. Robbins of Baltimore, Md., who is visiting her. Much to interest and amuse was found in the Hatheway home.

 

A PLATE SHOWER

Given Miss Gale by Her Sundayschool Class and Others.

   Miss Mildred Gale was tendered a plate shower reception by members of her Sundayschool class and Mrs. W. W. Bennett's Sundayschool class and several invited friends at the home of Mrs. Bennett, 42 North Church-st., last evening. The evening was most pleasantly passed in a social manner. There was also a short musical program, and refreshments were served. Miss Gale was the recipient of some very beautiful china plates, the presentation being made by Clyde Pierce in his usual pleasing manner.

 

Bound to go Anyway.

   L. N. Hopkins of this city, who was so badly hurt at Ithaca last week by having his launch fall over upon him while unloading it from the [railroad] car and getting it into Cayuga lake in preparation for a vacation trip of several weeks, doesn't purpose to be cheated out of the trip in any case. The Ithaca News of yesterday reports that yesterday morning he was able to hobble about upon crutches and was planning to be ready to start upon his cruise next Monday.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Snow fell in Utica yesterday afternoon.

   —The annual reunion of the Delevan family will be held at the Cortland park, Wednesday, Aug. 19.

   —Plans are now being drawn for a fine new gymnasium admirably equipped for the George Junior Republic at Freeville.

   — Mormon missionaries are now at work in Chenango and Delaware counties, but according to reports from those districts [they] are not meeting with great success.

   —The Tompkins county Veterans' association will hold its annual basket picnic at Glenwood on Saturday of this week. ''Happy Bill'' Daniels furnishes the music.

   —Pickpockets did a wholesale business at Auburn yesterday among the crowds attending the Barnum & Bailey circus. Perhaps they thought that they would be safe under the eaves of Auburn prison. They did not appear in Cortland to any extent on Monday.

   —The Empire State express on the New York Central railroad made the run from Rochester to Syracuse yesterday, 81 miles, in 71 minutes, an average of about 52 seconds to the mile. There was a strong head wind to combat all the way too. The effort was being made to make up lost time.

 

DAM IN ST. LAWRENCE RIVER, PANAMA CANAL TREATY, FREAK OF LIGHTNING, COMMUNICATION, AND COMPLIMENT TO CORTLAND CONSERVATORY

 

Senator George R. Malby.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, August 12, 1903.

DAM IN ST. LAWRENCE.

Public Hearing Held by Major Bingham at Ogdensburg,

PERMISSION ASKED BY CANADA.

Question as to Whether It Will Affect Level of Lake Ontario or Rights of American Citizens—Vessel Interests In Favor—Objection by Owner of Galoup Island.

   Ogdensburg, N. Y., Aug. 12.—By order of the secretary of war, Major Theodore A. Bingham, commanding the United States engineers in this district, held a public hearing here to ascertain whether the construction of a dam across the channel between Adams and Galoup islands will materially affect the level of Lake Ontario or the rights of citizens of the United States.

   The Canadian government has constructed a new channel to the head of the St Lawrence rapids and finding that strong cross currents interfered with traffic in the channel by forcing many vessels aground, has petitioned the United States government for permission to construct a dam 300 feet long at low level to obviate the difficulty.

   A. W. Fraser, king's counsel for the Canadian government; T. S. Rubidge, superintending engineer of the Canadian canals, and his assistant A. L. Kellaly of Ottawa; J. C. Quintos, assistant engineer of Oswego; Senator George R. Malby, representing the George Hall Coal company and the Ogdensburg Coal & Towing company, and other representatives of American forwarders appeared in favor of the plan.

   It was opposed by Alban Dawson, owner of Galoup island, who claimed that the erection of a dam would raise the water level three feet, causing a strong current and also that the water would overflow about 60 acres on the island.

   Mr. Dawson filed an objection to further proceedings before Major Bingham. He will also contest the constitutionality of the act of congress placing the consent or rejection of permission to construct the dam with the secretary of war.

 

General Miles at Omaha.

   Omaha, Neb., Aug. 12.—General Nelson A. Miles stopped half an hour in Omaha. He was met at the station by General John C. Bates and other army officers stationed here, Governor Mickey and staff and local posts of the G. A. R. He was given an informal reception. He was also presented with a floral tribute. General Miles was asked if he was a candidate for commander-in-chief of the Grand Army and had this to say: "I am not seeking it. General John C. Black is a good man for the place."

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

The Panama Canal Treaty.

   It is reported that the Panama canal treaty, instead of being either rejected or ratified by the Columbian congress, will be amended and returned to this government.

   This is most unsatisfactory and discouraging. The result will be that the treaty must go back to the dilatory senate of the United States for consideration. There will be another long and weary fight with those who, because of their preference for the Nicaraguan route, or for less respectable reasons, are opposed to the Panama treaty. There will be an indefinite postponement not merely of the Panama canal project but of any isthmian canal project. The Columbian congress could not have taken any course more likely to serve the purposes of those abroad and in this country, who do not wish an isthmian canal constructed and controlled by the United States than that which it has adopted.

   It is asserted that the Columbian congress has been guided in this course by American citizens, representatives of the great transcontinental railway lines, who are in Columbia lobbying for the defeat of the canal project. If this report is true the course of these American corporations which, for the sake of their own comparatively petty interests, are wickedly and shortsightedly fighting against their own country's progress and prosperity and imperiling its most important interests, cannot be too severely condemned. They are giving aid and comfort to the commercial enemies of the United States and their conduct is little short of treasonable.

 

Orris U. Kellogg.

STRANGE FREAK OF LIGHTNING

Killed O. U. Kellogg's Horse and Did Not Fire the Hay.

   The bolt of lightning that struck O. U. Kellogg's barn [in Cortland] during the thunder shower yesterday afternoon and killed a valuable horse is another illustration of the freaks of lightning. The bolt struck the horse, or weather vane, on top of the barn and then divided, one part following a guy wire down to a tin gutter and so into the ground, and the other followed a wire down to the rafters and through the framework of the barn to the floor, where the horse stalls are located. From there it jumped about five feet to the stall in which the horse that was killed was standing. The lightning left no trace here except where the boards in front of the stall are matched together and there two small splinters about six inches long were torn off.

   Painters at work nearby saw the lightning strike and smoke issuing from the barn. All at once hastened for pails and the hose was turned on, but strange to say there was no fire, though the barn was full of hay. No damage was done to the barn aside from splintering two or three rafters. The metal horse on top of the barn was uninjured.

   The horse that was killed was a valuable one and one that Mr. Kellogg intended to train for the track.

 

A COMMUNICATION.

Honor to Whom Honor is Due—Mayor Complimented.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—The people of the city of Cortland may congratulate themselves upon having a mayor who has the courage of his convictions. For a long period of time Charles F. Brown has been known to the people of Cortland, and vicinity as an honest, obliging and successful business man. For nearly three years he has been the mayor of the city of Cortland, and during this period of time he has, by his able, honest and faithful discharge of the duties pertaining to his office won the confidence and esteem of the people of this city, irrespective of party lines. His recent action in vetoing the resolution passed by the board of aldermen of this city, giving a foreign telephone company unlimited rights upon our streets, is but another evidence of Mr. Brown's fidelity, and thoughtfulness as a public official. The reasons given by Mr. Brown for refusing his approval of the resolution referred to are clearly stated and will meet the hearty approval of the citizens of this city.

   It is now apparent that the action of the board of alderman was hasty and inconsiderate, and so clearly is this shown in the mayor's convincing and well reasoned message that the aldermen will doubtless gladly avail themselves of this opportunity of correcting a mistake now apparent to all.

   Very respectfully, Riley Champlin.

[Mr. Champlin was an attorney from Cortland County, N. Y.—CC ed.]  

 

They Had a Fine Ride.

   A note from N. H. Gillette received this morning says that he and his two sons had a fine ride to Watertown yesterday in their Rambler automobile. They went through to Syracuse without getting out of their seats and took all the hills on their high speed gear. After stopping at Syracuse four hours they pushed on to Watertown, 110 miles from Cortland, arriving before dark. The roads were good and the trip was a fine one.

 

COMPLIMENT TO CONSERVATORY.

Pupils May Enter Emerson College of Oratory.

   The Emerson College of Oratory of Boston is so well pleased with the work of the department of oratory and physical culture at the Cortland Conservatory of Music, Miss Maud Cody, teacher, that it has notified the managers that hereafter it will gladly admit to its senior class without examinations students who have completed the first three years' work here at the Conservatory, and then after taking the other year's work they may be graduated with a diploma as from a full course at that institution. This is a decided compliment for the local Conservatory and one which reflects much credit upon the instruction and instructors.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Gilbert family held its annual reunion at the house of Mrs. Warren Livermore at Lisle today.

   —The Barnum & Bailey circus in Syracuse yesterday was attended by 25,000 people at the two performances.

   —The new display advertisements today are: S. Simmons, Inventory sale, page 5; M. A. Case, Blankets, page 6.

   —The prayer meeting at the Presbyterian church tomorrow evening will be conducted by Rev. S. H. Howe, D. D., of Norwich, Ct., who is supplying the pulpit in that church this month.

   —The annual reunion and picnic of the Morse-Robinson families was held in Ross park, Binghamton, today. Twenty-two members of the families left Cortland on the 9:20 train this morning.

   —About fifty people took advantage of the excursion rates to New York yesterday via the Lackawanna. Twenty-eight tickets were sold from Cortland to New York for the special low rate excursion Saturday night.

 

 

MILES FOR COMMANDER, DURBIN'S REPLY, T. R. DENOUNCES LYNCHING, GREAT SHOW, AND H. G. CORNELL APPRECIATES THE PHILIPPINES

 

Lt. Gen. Nelson A. Miles.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, August 11, 1903.

MILES FOR COMMANDER.

A Possible Candidate at the G. A. R. Convention.

NEW YORK MEMBERS FAVOR HIM.

Department Commander Koster Says New York May Support Him, Although Resolutions Were Adopted Endorsing General Black—Commander Stewart Against It.

   Kansas City, Aug. 11.—lf the sentiments expressed by New York state delegates passing through Kansas City on their way to the Grand Army convention in San Francisco correctly represent the situation, Lieutenant General Miles, retired, will be a formidable candidate for commander in chief of the Grand Anny.

   Members of the delegation said they had received letters to the effect that General Miles would be a candidate and urging their support. It is said the letters were from some one apparently empowered to represent General Miles.

   "General Miles lives in our state," said John S. Koster, department commander of New York, "and we may support him for commander in chief, although we may not be a unit on the proposition. Resolutions were adopted at our state encampment endorsing General John S. Black for commander in chief, but you will understand that these resolutions are not binding on delegates to the national convention."

   "General Miles has any number of friends in the Grand Army and it may be that he will be a formidable candidate," said General Nicholas Day of New York.

   J. T. Stewart, commander in chief of the G. A. R., said: "General John C. Black of Chicago will be the next commander in chief."

   He said he did not know whether any action would be taken in recognition of General Miles. He was sure General Miles could not be elected commander in chief.

 

Winfield T. Durbin.

GOVERNOR DURBIN'S REPLY.

Answers President's Letter Commending His Course in the Evansville Riot.

   Indianapolis, Aug. 11.—Governor Durbin has sent a formal reply to the letter he received from President Roosevelt concerning the recent mob [violence] at Evansville. Governor Durbin says:

   "Dear Mr. President—Acting in accordance with the suggestion made by the secretary to the president, I yesterday telegraphed you my approval of the communication you have seen I fit to address to me under date of Aug. 6. In doing this I proceeded on the well warranted belief that the commendation you have so generously accorded to my official acts was only incidental to the broader purpose of your admirable letter, which is a moving appeal to the conscience and the patriotism, destined in my opinion to profoundly affect public sentiment on a vitally important national problem. The effect of such an appeal from such a source is certain to be salutary in its widespread influences. In this instance, as in other emergencies, you have spoken with the courage of conviction, with the eloquence of earnestness and under the inspiration of the clear understanding of and devotion to the duties and responsibilities of American citizenship.

   "I feel that you have struck the keynote of a national necessity when you say that all public men, all writers of the press, all clergymen, all teachers, all who in any way have a right to address the people, should with every energy unite to denounce such crimes and to support those engaged in putting them down, and declare the correlated doctrine that 'we must show that the law is adequate to deal with crime by freeing it from every vestige of technicality and delay.

   "Your stirring words will serve to press home upon the people a responsibility which, reaching beyond all those in authority, is after all essentially their own. To arouse the realization of that responsibility and all that it implies will be to eradicate conditions which otherwise may soon become, as you point out so cleverly, an imminent menace to the very life of the Republic."

 

August 11, 1903. [Typo error in newspaper--CC ed.]

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

President Denounces Lynching.

   The letter of President Roosevelt to Governor Durbin of Indiana is a strong condemnation of mob violence—all the stronger because of the statement of the various evils which flow from that form of it known as lynching.

   The duty of a governor to preserve order in a state, where local authority fails, is so plain that it needs no discussion. Incidental evils may come, and often do come, through the exercise of his authority for that purpose; but he must exercise it, since the security of society depends on the preservation of order and the reign of law.

   The president in urging the duty of a governor to maintain the law remembers that the law is made for society, not society for the law, and that a government must administer justice if it is to command respect. He lays stress on the necessity for the speedy trial and swift punishment of criminals, and he suggests that such reform be adopted in the administration of justice as will do away with delay and remove every pretext for lawless vengeance. He says: "Men who have been guilty of a crime like rape or murder should be visited with swift and certain punishment, and the just effort made by the courts to protect them in their rights should under no circumstances be perverted into permitting any mere technicality to avert or delay their punishment." It is idle to deny that the action of many judges throughout the country has tended to lessen old respect for the courts; and it is a difficult task to argue a sentiment of reverence into a community. It is a thing that must be fairly won.

   The president has done well also to denounce the brutality of lynching in recent years, especially where colored criminals are concerned, and to utter a warning against hideous punishment for hideous crime as specially demoralizing, since it makes a whole people for the moment as inhuman as the murderer or the ravisher. He is wise to argue moreover, against the reasonableness of lynching, which is so often defended as if it were a method of infallible justice, whereas it is a method in which the innocent are doomed to death more frequently than the guilty. As the president says, there is no opportunity for investigation or discrimination, and mere suspicion in a passionate crowd passes rapidly into condemnation and execution at the stake. Men who were in California at the time of the vigilance committees, and saw many lynchings have not hesitated to say that in nearly every instance the victim was innocent,, or at least not guilty of a capital crime.

   The president, while making a manly and generous demand for the fair treatment of colored people accused of crime, makes an appeal to their right feeling and self interest, which they ought to consider. It is to this effect—that on them lies a double obligation to avoid crime, which every citizen owes to society, and that which each one of them owes to his race. They are all, so to speak, on trial as to fitness for citizenship, and while the probation may be unreasonable, it is no less a fact; and he who commits a crime, or sympathizes with a crime, discredits his own people. They are struggling against the tide; and to succeed, they need more than their share of virtue and ability. The president has shown himself the staunchest of friends; and he has given the best of counsel.

 

IT WAS A GREAT SHOW.

Many Thousands Saw it and Were Delighted With it All.

   Barnum & Bailey's mammoth circus exhibited to two large audiences yesterday. The attendance in the afternoon was especially large, nearly 16,000 people witnessing the performance. The attendance in the evening was smaller, as is the case in every city with population of less than fifty or sixty thousand.

   The crowd began to wend its way to the circus grounds during the noon hour, the number increasing as the hour approached at which the show was scheduled to begin, and at 2 o'clock the great tent was well filled, nearly every seat being occupied. In the evening this was repeated on a lesser scale.

   The show itself was all that could be desired. The first act, the grand display and drill of four hundred people, representing so many historical characters all correctly costumed, including Philistines, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Arabians, etc., as well as knights, priests, warriors, fan girls, dancing girls, pages, etc., was alone worth journeying miles to see.

   The ring display and acting of the trained elephants was wonderful, especially in the great battle scene. The elephants also kept step to music and in a series of diverse tricks, illustrated the marvelous versatility of these mountains of flesh and blood.

   The acrobatic and equestrian work was first class and the aerial feats absolutely thrilling. There was also some good juggling. The bicycle act, although short, was exciting, the equine act, where seventy trained horses formed concentric rings, is one of the most difficult ever attempted and was well executed.

   The hippodrome was interesting and contained many excellent features, among which may be mentioned the chariot race, high jumping by horses, dog race and a running race between a man and a horse. The entire show was in fact full of thrilling and brilliant features.

   One of the marked examples of the discipline under which everything in connection with the big show is done is the rapidity with which apparatus is packed up, tents taken down, etc., in preparation for moving. Even before the evening performance begins the cook tent, press tent, grocery store, meat market, etc., have been taken down, their contents packed away and all are on their way to the trains.

   While the main show is in progress the cages and "led" stock are taken to the cars and the menagerie, stable, and side show tents with their contents are removed to the trains. As soon as the performers are through with any apparatus it is removed and at once loaded into the wagons. So large a number of men are employed and so rapidly do they work that by the time the hippodrome begins the rings, stages, apparatus for the aerial, acts, etc., has all been removed. While the concert which follows the show is in progress, the seats, chairs, supports, etc., are being removed, the stakes are pulled up by machines especially designed for the purpose and all are loaded upon wagons which are driven right into the tent. The main tent it the last to come down.

   By 12 o'clock last night everything was off the grounds and nearly everything loaded upon the cars, which had been the scene of very active operations for several hours. The loading is accomplished rapidly and quietly, there being no delay and no confusion. One after another the four sections, comprising ninety-two sixty foot cars, pulled out and the circus, so far as Cortland is concerned was over. The last section to leave carried the performers and laborers in fifteen Pullman sleeping cars.

 

The Price Family.

   The annual gathering of the Price family will be held at the Cortland park, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 1903. All the relatives and friends of the family are cordially invited.

 

Uniform Examinations.

   The uniform examinations for teachers' certificates and entrance to training classes will be held at the Normal school building, Cortland, and at the Academy building, Homer, Aug. 13 and 14. The program will be as follows:

   Thursday—Morning—Arithmetic, geography, drawing, history of education.

   Afternoon—English composition, grammar, physiology and hygiene, current topics.

   Friday—Morning—American history, algebra, bookkeeping, orthography.

   Afternoon—Civil government, school law, physics, methods and school management, reading.

   Normal entrance examinations will be held on Thursday, the first day of the above dates for the regular uniform examinations. The program will be as follows:

   Morning—Arithmetic, geography, American history.

   Afternoon—English composition, grammar, orthography.

   The examinations begin at 9 a. m. and 1:30 p. m.

   All candidates must attend examinations in the school commissioner district in which they reside or in which they are teaching, or first obtain the commissioner's consent to attend elsewhere.

 

APPRECIATES THE PHILIPPINES.

Chief Barnes Has a Letter from a Former Resident of Cortland.

   Chief of Police Barnes has received a letter from H. G. Cornell, formerly of this city, who is now in Manila. It is quite apparent that the writer thoroughly appreciates some characteristics of the place and the people and that he has a very large vein of irony running through him. The letter is interesting reading, though doubtless the reader should not give full credit to every thought expressed. It is as follows:

Manila, P. I.

June 8, 1903

   Friend Bloss—I have just got back from my vacation, having taken a trip around the islands on one of the Coast Guard steamers, and as I know you to be quite a reader and like to keep posted, thought I would write you regarding some of the conditions.

   The Philippines are a bunch of trouble gathered on the eastern horizon of civilization. They are bounded on the north by rocks and destruction, on the east by typhoons and destructions, on the south by cannibals and earthquakes, and on the west by hoodooism and smugglers.

   The soil is extraordinarily fertile, producing large crops of insurrections and teachers. The inhabitants are very industrious and their chief occupations are trench building, cock fighting, three card monte, theft, and stealing. Their diet consists of fish, frogs, grasshoppers, boiled rice, fried rice, stewed rice, cooked rice, and rice. The Philippine marriage service is very impressive, and the wife has the privilege of working as much as her husband. The beast of burden is the carabao (water buffalo). The rivers are serpentine in their course, their currents running in opposition to all known laws of gravitation. Manila, the capital, is situated on Manila bay which is a large landlocked body of water, full of filth, sharks, Spanish wrecks, and submarines. Cavite, the next city of importance, is noted for being a very fine naval station, and for its large number of saloons and Chinamen. The principal imports are American soldiers, arms, ammunition, beer, and chewing tobacco. There is plenty of good tobacco here, but Filipinos do not know how to make chewing tobacco—they chew betel nuts. Malaria is so prevalent that the islands have been known to shake, and Luzon (the island I am on) looks like a pair of Bryan's old boots. Communication between the islands is very slow at present, but it is said that mosquitoes are soon to take the places of carrier pigeons which are now being used. The costume is a flour sack tied around the waist and children under 12 years of age wait until next year for their costume. The towns are an aggregation of carabao, dirt, dogs, dirt, cats, dirt, ponies, dirt, pigs, dirt, chickens, dirt, and children sleeping together on terms of equality.

   There is no milk to be had anywhere in the islands. One man attempted to run a dairy, and brought over a lot of cattle from Australia, but they all died of Rinderpest in less than two weeks. He did not lose all his money though, for he sold the dead animals to the natives for $10 a head. They will eat anything that has life or ever did have life.

   Love of gaudy finery is the utter passion of the Filipino, if it may be truthfully said that he has such a thing, over and above his love for idleness and the cockpit. Today I saw two specimens of this tribe, one driving a garbagecart, and the other, an employee of the system, both of whom wore "beyutifool" white gloves. They were consciously proud and happy, and the ruin of the gloves by the stuff the men handled, in no wise interfered with their entire enjoyment of their ludicrous hand dress.

   April and May are the hottest months here. The dry season is about at an end, and rain will be welcomed, for the roads are frightfully dusty and the crops need rain. Grasshoppers are about the worst enemy to the crops. They are larger than the American grasshopper, can fly like birds and at times are so thick you can not walk about without pushing them away from you. The natives catch them in nets, dry them in the sun, and keep them the year around to make pudding and pies out of. They can be bought in the markets at any time by the bushel. Children feast on them alive during the season.

   The bureau of agriculture recently received a consignment of garden and vegetable seed and gave out word that any one could have some by applying. I sent my muchacho (boy servant) after some and had him dig up the ground in the rear of my shack, where I planted the seed. In the course of a month or so everything was looking lovely, the vegetables being nearly a foot above the ground, but one morning when I looked out I found the ground entirely bare, not even a root of the stuff being left. I asked the muchacho what had happened. He replied that he thought the deer must have come in from San Lazaro during the night. I looked around and told him I could see no deer tracks. Then he said the ants must [have] done it. Just then I noticed a well trodden path which had not been there the day before. It was two feet wide, and I followed it up about fifty yards, when l came to an immense ant-hill, fully fifty feet in diameter, with an entrance leading to it one-foot in diameter. I had the muchacho bring the hose, and I turned the water into the entrance. The first thing that came up was a six-foot snake with a double head, or rather two heads, one being where his tail should be. The snake was quickly dispatched with a bolo, and I asked the boy what it was. Oh, he said, that is a snake that lives with the ants. They bring in the food, and he eats it all up. After the snake, came my vegetables of all kinds, leaves of trees and large ants.

   But Manila is a good place to make money in. When I came here there were twelve thousand Americans in Manila. Now there are less than five thousand, many having died of cholera and bubonic plague, others having been scared away. But the more who go, the more chances there are for those who remain.

   I hope your people are all well. Give my best regards to Mrs. Barnes and Doris, and write me when you get a chance. News from the States is very welcome to a man on another planet. 

   Yours very truly,

   H. G. Cornell.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Regular meeting of L. C. B. A. tomorrow night.

   —The regular meeting of the A. O. H. will be held tomorrow evening.

   —Ground was broken Saturday for the new Y. M. C. A. building at Oswego.

   —The new $10,000 Carnegie library at Canastota was dedicated yesterday with appropriate ceremonies.

   —Cortland's ginseng growers were all in Tully to attend the convention of ginseng growers which was held there today,

   —Medina had a $50,000 fire yesterday afternoon that for a short time threatened to destroy the entire business section of the village.

   —The new display advertisements today are: The Peck Furniture House, Furniture, page 6; Walters Shoe Store, Oxfords, page, 6; A. S. Burgess, Clothing, page 8,

   —A large number of people who were in Cortland yesterday to see the circus remained in town over night. Quite a delegation left for home on the 8:40 p. m. train over the Lehigh.

   —L. N. Hopkins of Cortland, who was badly injured last Friday morning by his launch [motor boat] falling on him near the Lehigh Valley [railroad] station, is resting very comfortably and it much better. Mr. Hopkins is at the home of his cousin, H. C. Fairbanks in East State-st. He is not a yet able to walk.—Ithaca Journal.