Tuesday, February 3, 2026

PRESIDENT IS PLEASED, REMEMBERED THE MAINE, ANTITRUST LEGISLATION, PARK HOTEL RAIDED, AND MORE QUESTIONS FOR TRUXTON SUPERVISOR

 
President Theodore Roosevelt.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, February 16, 1903.

PRESIDENT IS PLEASED.

Mr. Knox Says Anti-Trust Legislation Is Satisfactory.

LONG ADVANCE ACCOMPLISHED.

Says Giving and Taking of Railroad Rebate Is Now Prohibited by a Law Which Can Be Enforced—Law to Take Appeals Direct to the Supreme Court.

   Washington, Feb. 16.—Attorney General Knox, who prepared the important features of the anti-trust bills now enacted into laws, on being asked how they were regarded by the administration, said:

   "The legislation affecting the trusts passed at this session of congress is satisfactory to the administration and the prompt response to the president's requests is highly gratifying. A very long stride in advance has been accomplished and the promises of last fall have been made good.

   "The giving and taking of railroad rebates is now prohibited by a law capable of effective enforcement against corporations as well as individuals, and the courts of United States are clothed with jurisdiction to restrain and punish violations.

   "The act creating the department of commerce vests in that department complete authority to investigate the organization and business methods of corporations engaged in interstate and foreign commerce, and to that end to compel the testimony of persons having the desired knowledge. The legislation is concise in its terms but very comprehensive in its scope. Under its provisions a fair opportunity will be afforded to test the effect upon the tendency towards industrial monopoly of its guarantees of no favors for the great producer as against the small one.

   "Discretion is lodged in the president as to the publication of facts useful to be publicly known and a wise administration of the law promises much that is helpful and nothing that is harmful.

   "The law to expedite the hearing of cases and giving an appeal directly to the supreme court from the court of first instance assures within a reasonable time authoritative decisions upon important pending questions, in the knowledge of which future legislation, if necessary, can be confidently framed.

   "Upon the whole the situation is eminently satisfactory and is the result of concessions, modifications of views and forms of expressions upon the part of many earnest and thoughtful men who have endeavored within a very brief session to meet a rational public demand in a rational and effective way."

 

USS Maine (ACR-1)


REMEMBERED THE MAINE.

Observance of Fifth Anniversary of Destruction of Battleship.

   Havana, Feb. 16.—Four hundred Americans Sunday observed the fifth anniversary of the destruction of the United States battleship Maine.

   The procession went out on the bay to the wreck, bearing a flag draped with crepe. A wreath was hung on the wreck as a tribute to those who lost their lives in the disaster.

   Representatives of the Cuban Veterans' association took part in the ceremony and brought the finest of all the floral offerings.

   The exercises were purely memorial references, calculated to revive animosities being purposely avoided.

   The United States legation was not represented, Minister Squires holding that any possibility of stirring up the feelings of the Spanish residents by public exercises commemorative of a bitter incident in the war ought to be avoided.

   The Cuban government officials finally decided not to attend but a government launch accompanied the procession to the wreck. United States Consul Rublee, Vice Consul Springer and representatives of the United States army were present.

   A United States quartermaster's launch led the way to the wreck, followed by two small steamers loaded with Americans and numerous little crafts. All about the harbor American and Cuban flags were flying at half-mast.

   The strains of the dead march played by the band of the United States artillery corps floated across the harbor as the procession made its way to the Maine.

   After completing the decoration of the forlorn wreck, the boats clustered around the quartermaster's launch, the awning deck of which was utilized as a platform. After a prayer offered up by the Rev. Mr. McPherson, General Nunez, the governor of Havana province, who is also the president of the Cuban Veterans' association, said the Cuban veterans would never permit such an occasion to pass without testifying their regard as comrades.

   Earnest Conant delivered the memorial address. He paid a tribute to the victims and commended the mutual respect now existing between those who for a brief period fought each other.

   In his references to the late Admiral Sampson, the speaker especially eulogized the Spanish Admiral Cervera.

   Other speakers urged the co-operation of Cubans, Spaniards and Americans in working out Cuba's destiny. The ceremony concluded with the sounding of "taps."

 

NEW YORK TIED UP

By Sleet and Snow—Difficulty of Moving Electric Cars.

   New York, Feb. 16.—New York is today in the grasp of a heavy sleet and rain storm which is seriously hampering the traction and elevated railroads and delaying business. Telegraph and telephone communication is affected by heavy wires. The elevated roads, using the third rail, were completely blocked early this morning and the rush hour found only a few trains running. Long lines of elevated trains became stalled shortly after midnight and belated passengers were obliged to walk the planks in dangerous proximity to the sizzling third rail to the station and then seek the surface cars to get home.

   There was a brilliant pyrotechnical display all along the lines, caused by the contact of the electrical metal brushes with the ice covered third rail. Railroad service was delayed and incoming trains were much behind their schedules.

 

Guest editorials.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Antitrust Legislation In Congress.

   Out of the multitude of antitrust utterances in congress it now appears probable that there will come some sort of definite action looking toward the mitigation of at least a portion of the evils charged up against capitalistic and industrial combinations. While the time of the present congress is very short, only about a month before its expiration under the time limit, it is yet possible to enact au antitrust measure before the close of the session if members of congress are inclined to act with reasonable celerity. A fair start has been made in the introduction of the Littlefield bill, which has the approval of the house judiciary committee. Its leading features may be summarized as follows:

   First.—Publicity by reports to the interstate commerce commission on the part of all corporations engaged in interstate commerce, the inclusiveness of which would be likely to convert mercantile corporations to their old favor for individual and partnership organization.

   Second.—The prohibition of rebates or preferences in transportation rates under penalty to both the carrier and the receiver of the discrimination.

   Third.—Attempt by any corporation to monopolize or control production or sale shall exclude it from interstate commerce.

   Fourth.—Common carriers engaged in interstate commerce not to transport goods for combinations or corporations seeking monopolistic control.

   Fifth.—Authorizing the writ of injunction to forbid violations of any provision of the act.

   Sixth.—Providing threefold damages for persons, firms or corporations injured by any of the prohibited acts.

   This is regarded as a judicious and conservative measure, and its supporters believe that if it were enacted and its provisions enforced in letter and spirit the day of monopolistic trusts would in a short time be ended, while corporations formed only for greater efficiency in legitimate business could continue in operation. The people demand of their representatives in congress some sort of antitrust legislation at this session, and the Littlefield act may as well be given a trial. It may not prove a remedy for all the trust ills, but it will doubtless lessen the evils of which the people justly complain.

 

PARK HOTEL RAIDED.

   The Park hotel was raided early yesterday morning by [Cortland] Chief of Police Barnes und Officers Baker and Townsend. The place was thoroughly searched and the names of about a dozen people in hiding both males and females, who were not registered as regular guests of the house, were taken. No arrests were made at the time of the raid.

   Chief Barnes stated this morning that he had received many complaints concerning the manner in which the place was being conducted. The three went to the hotel at 2:30 o'clock in the morning to make the investigation.

   City Judge Dougherty has issued about a half dozen subpoenas at present and more may be issued this afternoon. All are summoned to appear at city court tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock to give evidence as to why they were at the hotel at that hour of\ the night.

 

CORTLANDVILLE GRANGE

Received New Members and New Applications for Membership.

   At the regular meeting of the Cortlandville grange last Friday night nine new members were initiated into the mysteries of the third and fourth degree. The excellent work of this newly elected master, William A. Bean, was highly complimented by all present. This was the first time he has conferred these degrees and his part of the work was done in a manner altogether faultless.

   There were three new applications for membership and one application for reinstatement.

   Nearly one hundred members were present and extra chairs had to be provided in G. A. R. hall for the accommodation of all. A fine banquet followed the business meeting and a very pleasant social season was spent.

 

Miss Anthony's Birthday.

   A parlor social will be held at the home of Mrs. Julia K. Hyatt, 182 Main-st., this evening to celebrate the 83rd birthday of Miss Susan B. Anthony. Miss Amie A. Rathbun, the stenographer at the Normal school, who was at one time Miss Anthony's private secretary, will present a paper at this meeting.

 

A COMMUNICATION.

More Questions Asked of Supervisor O'Donnell of Truxton.

   Truxton, N. Y., Feb. 16, 1903.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—In reading the reply of Supervisor O'Donnell in Saturday evening's Standard in answer to "Taxpayer's" communication I fail to observe that he gave an explanation to the questions asked him. He states that his first thought was to ignore the article and it is very evident that he did ignore and evade the question. We wonder why? Was it in order that the facts might be withheld?

   In his reply he claims that during his term as supervisor he has never handled $100 of town money or any other money coming to the town and that all this business was done through Muller & Son's bank. If this be true why should Mr. O'Donnell charge $3 for his services to settle with the bank at Cortland, as shown by his bill on file in the town clerk's office?

   In the Friday's issue of the Democrat and to the taxpayers Mr. O'Donnell explains that the reason the tax ratio was so high this year was because he had raised $1,250 to pay principal on the town bonds. Now if he wishes to be candid and honest, why does he not state as he did at the caucus, when he was nominated for supervisor, that the $1,250 was raised through an error? Is he endeavoring to mislead the taxpayers to believe that money was raised to pay principal on town bonds, when the fact is that no principal has been raised or paid in four years?

   Mr. O'Donnell states one reason why he desires re-election is that he may refund the railroad bonds at a lower rate of interest. Now in order to refund the bonds, the question (which is to be voted upon tomorrow) must be submitted to the people and carried. If carried and the Republican candidate for supervisor elected we can assure the taxpayers of Truxton that the bonds will be refunded at as low if not a lower rate of interest than could be secured by Mr. O'Donnell.

  If Mr. O'Donnell is sincere in his desire to relieve the "overburdened taxpayers" why did he not meet with the town board of which he is chairman, at its meeting Thursday to settle with the town officers and thus save the town the expense of another session of the board? This meeting was adjourned until Feb. 19, 1903, on account of Mr. O'Donnell failing to produce the necessary vouchers and receipts so that a settlement could be made.

   Again we ask, why should the town be obliged to pay a bill of Mr. O'Donnell for $3 for services rendered settling with Charles Price for sprinkler when the fact is that the sprinkler has never been settled for and Mr. Price demands through his attorney, C. V. Coon, an immediate settlement. Will Mr. O'Donnell explain why he charged $3.20 for filing cancelled coupons on March 24, 1902, when the town clerk has the receipt from S. K. Jones, deputy county clerk, for filing the coupons on March 18, 1902, six days before?

   I ask honest taxpayers before they cast their ballots to carefully consider the facts and if not convinced to examine the records and satisfy themselves. Do not be misled by misstatements.

   We do not believe that any taxpayer will vote against his own interests. Go to the polls on town meeting day and vote for men who will work for the interest of the taxpayer and the town, and we doubt if any voter has not "sufficient intellect and education" to see that an injustice has been done them.

   If Mr. O'Donnell is an honest man and sincere in his desire to aid the overburdened taxpayers, why does he not state facts and not resort to misstatements and misrepresentations? Taxpayers, have you not had your "claws" clipped long enough? Isn't it time that you did some of the clipping? Why not begin tomorrow? Earnestly yours,

   Charles W. Beattie.

 



BREVITIES.

   —A meeting of the Woman's Relief Corp. will be held tomorrow at 2:30 p. m.

   —The National Protective legion will meet tomorrow night at 7:30 o'clock.

   —A regular meeting of Grover Post, No. 98, G. A. R., will be held this evening at 7:30 o'clock.

   —Cortlandville lodge, No 470, F. & A. M., will confer the second degree at its regular communication Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock.

   —Several Cortland nurses have gone to Ithaca to assist in caring for those who are ill with typhoid fever in the epidemic there.

   —New display advertisements today are—M. A. Case, Dress goods, page 6; G. H. Wiltsie, Skirts, carpets, etc., page 5; F. Daehler, Special sale of overcoats, page 5.

   —The Uncle Tom's Cabin Co. which will play at the Opera House this afternoon and this evening made a great parade at noon today. A great crowd of small boys and girls were delighted and followed the procession with shouts of approval.

   —The Standard is indebted to Mr. J. W. Cudworth for copies of Salt Lake City papers which contain a lengthy exposition of the Mormon faith and a description of the Mormon church with portraits of prominent Mormons and illustrations of public buildings connected with the Mormon church.

 

Monday, February 2, 2026

OPEN HEARING CLOSED, PROTOCOLS ALL SIGNED, WAR REMINISCENCES, TO LOCATE IN HOMER, AND REPLY TO TRUXTON LETTER

 
Clarence S. Darrow.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, February 14, 1903.

OPEN HEARING CLOSED.

Commission to Meet in Washington Thursday.

DECISION ABOUT END OF MONTH.

Mr. Darrow Concluded His Argument. Greeted With Long Applause—Paid a Tribute to the Union Which Had Organized So Many Men Into a Homogeneous Mass.

   Philadelphia, Feb. 14.—The anthracite coal strike commission, after being in public session for more than three months, closed its open hearings with an all-day argument by Clarence S. Darrow in behalf of the miners.

   It will meet in secret in Washington next Thursday and begin the consideration of its award. The announcement is expected the end of this month. If an increase in wages is determined upon, it will date from the first of last November.

   Mr. Darrow took up the entire time of both houses—five and one-half hours. He touched upon almost every phase of the strike, and when he closed he was greeted with long applause which Chairman Gray did not suppress. President Mitchell was in court all day.

   In the afternoon session Mr. Darrow again took up the question of violence. He said there could be no great strike without occasional violence and that it was a wonder, as the operators had insolently and cruelly rejected the requests of the men, that there was not more violence among the latter.

   He paid a tribute to foreigners in the coal regions, saying that they were warm hearted, emotional, sympathetic, religious people.

   He spoke of the strict adherence of the operators to the dead letter of the law, and the moral law of humanity, and remarked that if "each of our captains of industry would respect his fellow man, the bitter war just ended would not have occurred and those who lost their lives in that struggle would be alive today." Conflicts between capital and labor will continue, he said, until these captains of industry respect their fellow men.

   Mr. Darrow then spoke of evictions, and in strong language pictured the eviction of a sick wife and of a blind woman 100 years old, which he said exceeded in cruelty and violence anything done by the miners.

   Brigadier General Gabin, who commanded one brigade of the state troops in the field during the strike, was severely criticized and condemned by Mr. Darrow for his infamous "shoot to kill" order.

Boycott an Ancient Weapon.

   Turning to the boycott, Mr. Darrow said there was one illustrious example at least in the United States of the boycott and that was in the American revolution. "There is not one specific act that is charged to the mine workers," he said, "but what was charged to the patriots whom we teach our children to love and venerate. You and I may sit here and judge men by the dead letter of the law. We may say that this act is right and that act is wrong, but up there sits the living God and he judges the acts of men by another standard than ours. The boycott is an ancient weapon; it is respectable when the operators use it, but not respectable when we use it."

   Speaking of so-called "scabs," he said that some times they were good men, often they acted from necessity, but they were traitors to their class. They are men, he continued, who are used by the capitalists to destroy the rights and aspirations and the hopes of the workingmen. Continuing Mr. Darrow arraigned "scabs" most severely, saying that they would be despised, mistrusted, hated and reviled by all men who love liberty and who love their follow men and who have the point of view of the organized laboring man.

    Regarding the demand for eight-hours a day, Mr. Darrow said it was a demand for the right of the individual to have a better life, a fuller life, and a completer life, and that the eight-hour day was here in many industries. He said the commission was charged with one of the greatest responsibilities that ever devolved on any commission or body of men since history began, and if it is wise and broad, if it will build for the future and for that which is highest for men and grandest and best for the human race, it will be one of the milestones in the progress of the world.

Tribute to the Organization.

   Mr. Darrow then spoke of the merits of the miners' union, and of the question of the incorporation of labor unions.

   He paid a tribute to the organization which had welded 147,000 men who speak 20 different languages, of all degrees of intelligence, and all degrees of moral character, into homogeneous mass.

   In closing he said: "This contest is one of the important contests that have marked the progress of human liberty since the world began—one force pointing one way, another force the other. Every advantage the human race has won has been at fearful cost. Every contest has been won by struggle. Some men must die that others may live. It has come to these poor miners to bear this cross, not for themselves—but that the human race may be lifted to a higher and broader plane than it has ever known before.''

   After the long applause had subsided, Chairman Gray, on behalf of the commission, said: "It is due to counsel and those who represented both sides, that l should say that we leave you with a feeling on our part of regret that the long association which has been so pleasant to us is about to be broken. It speaks well for counsel on both sides that no unpleasant episode has occurred—nothing that should mar the situation in which reasonable men and citizens of a great country find themselves in mutually endeavoring to arrive at just conclusions and a just verdict in a great controversy.

   "The work is now ours, and I know that we have your best wishes that we may have a safe and a righteous deliverance."

 

PROTOCOLS ALL SIGNED.

Venezuela Gains the Immediate Raising of Blockade.

RETURN OF CAPTURED VESSELS.

As a Guarantee Mr. Bowen Pledges 30 Per Cent of Customs Receipts of Two Ports—The Hague Tribunal to Decide Whether Allies Shall Have Preference Over Other Creditors.

   Washington, Feb. 14.—Herbert W Bowen, Venezuela's representative in the Venezuela peace negotiations at Washington, last night signed with each of the allies' representatives here a protocol providing for the immediate raising of the Venezuelan blockade and for the reference of the question of preferential treatment of the claims of the allies against Venezuela to The Hague arbitration tribunal.

   The final formalities occurred at the British embassy. At 11:30 o'clock Hembert Dering, first secretary of the British embassy, announced to the press that the British protocol had just been signed and that signatures of the Italian and German protocols would follow in the order named.

   The Italian protocol was signed at 11:30 and the German protocol at 12:10 o'clock, the presence of Baron Sternberg at the White House musicale delaying a final close to the negotiations until after midnight.

   The British protocol was in English, the Italian in Italian and German and the German in German and English. Mr. Bowen signed in duplicate for Venezuela, Sir Michael Herbert for Great Britain, Signor Mayor des Planches for Italy and Baron Spec Von Sternberg for Germany.

   Immediately on signing of the last protocol cables were dispatched to London, Berlin and Rome announcing the fact. It is expected that the commanders of the blockading fleet within the next 24 hours will receive their orders to withdraw their vessels at once.

Immediate Raising of Blockade.

   By the provisions of these preliminary protocols, which have required more than three weeks of constant negotiations, Venezuela gains the immediate raising of a blockade from which she has been suffering for some weeks and the return of all her vessels, war and merchant, which have been captured by the allied fleet.

   Great Britain, Germany and Italy received advance payments of £5,500 each, Great Britain receiving her payment on the signature of the protocol and Germany and Italy within 30 and 60 days from date.

   Germany in addition will receive five monthly payments until the full amount paid her in advance aggregates $340,000.

   As a guaranty for the satisfaction of their claims, Mr. Bowen pledges the allies a share with the other creditor nations in 30 per cent of the customs receipts of the two ports of La Guaira and Porto Cabello.

   This percentage will be set aside beginning March 1 and retained in the Venezuelan treasury until The Hague tribunal shall decide whether it shall be distributed without preference among the claimant nations of whether the allied powers of Great Britain, Germany and Italy shall receive preferential payments.

Italy Gains Concessions.

   Italy, by her protocol, gains immediate payment of her first class claims without further adjudication, as soon as the joint commission at Caracas shall have passed on the remainder of her claims,

   In round numbers the adjudicated Italian claims amount to $560,000, from which will be subtracted the $27,500 to be paid her 60 days from the signature of her first protocol. The Italian ambassador also has secured for his government the insertion in his protocol of an agreement that Venezuela will insert in her treaty with Italy the favored nation clause possessed by the other nations.

   Great Britain has left her protocol unchanged since it was approved by the London foreign office some days ago.

   It is stipulated by the protocols that the claims of the creditor nations shall be adjudicated by joint commissions to consist in each instance of a Venezuelan, a representative of the claimant power and, in case of disagreement, an umpire to be named by the president of the United States.

   The protocols in providing for reference of the question of preferential treatment to The Hague do not state in detail the methods of procedure by which the case is to be laid before that tribunal. This will be done in a second set of protocols, the preparation of which will begin at once, It is provided, however, that not Venezuela alone but all the other creditor nations shall be permitted to appear with her before the tribunal in opposition to the allies for preferential payment.

 

Captain William Saxton.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

By Captain Saxton of the I57th Regiment, N. Y., Vols.

THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN.

General Patterson's Disobedience Left a Door Wide Open for Johnston—Well Laid Plans Frustrated—Defeat of the Union Army, but Heavy Loss for Confederates as Well.

Chapter 5.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   The first battle of Bull Run was fought on Sunday, July 21. Part of McDowell's force began to move on Tuesday, the 16th and on the 17th his whole army was in motion. The Union forces advanced in different lines along the parallel with, and about four miles north of the Orange and Alexandria railroad, the advance regiments reaching Fairfax courthouse, 12 miles from the Potomac on the 17th. On the 18th they arrived at Centerville, 10 miles farther. A reconnaissance was made along the road leading from Centerville to Manassas. About 4 miles south of Centerville is Blackburn ford across Bull Run and Manassas is about 4 miles south of this ford. They encountered some of Longstreet's rebel forces there and had quite a little engagement, losing about 100 men in killed and wounded.

   Bull Run is a decent mill stream rising northwest of Washington in the Bull Run mountains, running southeast through the Bull Run battlefield and flowing into the Occoquan and then into the Potomac some distance below Alexandria. It has generally a narrow, wooded valley, with bluffs on either side. It is crossed by several fords. Beginning southwest of Centerville, 7 or 8 miles, the Orange and Alexandria railroad crosses it at Union Mills. A mile or so above that is McLane's ford, then a couple of miles still further above and south of Centerville is Blackburn's ford, already spoken of on the way to Manassas. A mile above is Mitchell's ford and a couple of miles farther up, 4 miles west of Centerville on the Warrenton Pike, is the stone bridge and 3 or 4 miles above that, northwest of Centerville, is the Sudley Springs ford.

   The 19th and 20th were occupied mostly by McDowell in becoming better acquainted with the country around, and developing the enemy's position. He found all the fords strongly guarded except the Sudley Springs ford and concluded the main army of the confederates was around Manassas. So he planned his battle accordingly. He would make a strong demonstration at these fords, but his main attack would be on the enemy's left flank. He would march a considerable force to Sudley Springs ford, cross Bull Run there, and turn down its right bank and force the enemy back on his center till the stone bridge was uncovered, then his other forces could cross over and the united army would drive the enemy from the field.

   A detachment was to be sent to destroy the railroad at Gainesville so that Johnston could not join Beauregard if he succeeded in whipping Patterson, but most of Johnston's army, unknown to McDowell, had already passed Gainesville and was with Beauregard at Manassas.

Divisions of Union Army.

   McDowell's army had been previously divided into five divisions commanded as follows: The first by Brig. Gen. Tyler, second by Col. David Hunter, third by Col. Heintzelman, fourth by Brig. Gen. Runyon, fifth by Col. Miles. The first division, Tyler's, was to lead off down the Warrenton Pike and demonstrate at stone bridge. The fourth division, Runyon's, was back of Centerville 7 miles guarding our trains, and they were to march to Centerville and then down the Manassas road and protect Blackburn's ford. The fifth division was held in reserve on the ridge around Centerville. The second and third divisions, Hunter's and Heintzelman's, were to do the flank movement. The movement was to commence at 2:30 Sunday morning, the 21st.

First Gun Fired.

   Promptly on time Tyler's division moved out on the Warrenton Pike toward the stone bridge and at 6:30 the signal gun was fired, the time when the attack was to commence. He paraded his troops, planted a battery, shelled the bridge and made quite a bluster.

   Hunter's and Heintzelman's divisions followed Tyler until they crossed Cub Run, then they turned to the right and started for Sudley Springs ford, but Tyler's men had not all gotten out of the road, the distance to Sudley Springs was considerably further than was expected and the leading brigades made such slow progress that it was 9:30 before the advance reached the ford. Here they rested for half an hour to get water and for the rear of the column to close up, and it was 10 o'clock before they crossed over. They had learned that there was quite a force in front of them, and from the heights where they rested they could see a large column of the enemy moving up from Manassas to intercept their line of march. After crossing at the ford they threw out skirmishers and deployed, Hunter's division on the right and Heintzelman's on the left supported by Rickett's and Griffin's batteries. They moved south on the right bank of the stream, soon struck the enemy in force and became hotly engaged. They pressed on doubling the enemy back until they struck the Warrenton Pike. Here the rebels were reinforced by troops under Gen. Joe Johnston himself. There was some confusion caused on account of some of our regiments being dressed in a gray uniform similar to the rebels and one rebel regiment under such a mistake was permitted to approach near enough to kill nearly all the horses of Rickett's battery before our men realized they were confederates. Col. (afterward Gen.) Sherman of Tyler's division threw his brigade across Bull Run above stone bridge, and the united forces drove the enemy away from the Pike, thus uncovering the stone bridge. Gen. Tyler sent other troops across and they pushed the enemy back until the advance was checked by rebel batteries behind entrenchments on the heights above the road.

   It was now 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy was in retreat, which continued till they reached the Robinson house, where Hampton's legion were drawn up, and under the heroic efforts of Gen. Bee they made a stand. Here is where Gen. Bee exclaimed to his troops "See Jackson's brigade, they are standing like a stone wall," and Stonewall Jackson was his name thereafter.

Rebels Reinforced.

   The rebels had been receiving reinforcements all day and just at this juncture the remaining brigade of Johnston's army arrived on the field. They had come on the cars to Gainesville unloading there at noon.

   The Union troops had been up since 2 o'clock in the morning, had marched a long distance and been fighting since 10 o'clock in that hot southern sun of that July day, and were about exhausted. Many had been killed and wounded. The wounded and stragglers were stringing back to the rear. Our ranks were greatly thinned. The fresh brigade of Johnston's army came on with a rush and the "rebel yell" and struck the union forces on the right flank. About the same time some rebel cavalry charged down the Sudley road, our forces gave way and fell back to [the pike], then across the pike. The enemy pressed them hard, and soon our army was in full retreat. The retreat became a rout and the rout became a panic. They rushed across Bull Run, a lot of our baggage wagons and ambulances became tangled up on the bridge across Cub Run, a shell overturned a wagon which completely blocked the road. The teamsters cut the traces, mounted their horses and fled. The cry that the "black horse cavalry" was coming, added still further to the fright, and the disorganized mass poured through the reserves around Centerville and did not stop till they reached the fortifications around Washington. The rear guard stayed at Centerville till after midnight and then took up the march back to the Potomac.

   The rebels were so badly whipped that they made no serious demonstrations against our line in front of Centerville and soon retired to the position they occupied in the morning.

The Forces Engaged.

   The forces actually engaged in this battle were about equally divided, about 20,000 on a side. Had Gen. Patterson not disobeyed orders and opened a wide door for Johnston to reinforce Beauregard the result of the battle in all probability would have been a Union victory.

   The Union side lost 481 killed, 1,011 wounded and 1,216 missing.

   Gen. Beauregard reported his loss to be 269 killed, 1,483 wounded and does not mention the prisoners of which we took quite a number.

   I have not attempted any description of the part taken by other troops at and below Blackburn's ford and other parts of the field. The North felt terribly chagrined and discouraged by this disastrous defeat, but it taught them the lesson they had to learn that the South could not be subdued by a display of arms. They were a brave people and were fighters the same as we, their Northern brothers, were.

   W. S.

 

To Locate In Homer, N. Y.

   Dr. G. A. Tompkins, who has been devoting several months to post graduate work in special lines in dentistry, has returned to Cortland and is soon to move his office to Homer where he will permanently locate.

 


ANOTHER CARRIER SECURED.

Great Increase in Mails at the Cortland Postoffice.

   After an effort of about two months Postmaster Brown has succeeded in getting authority from the postoffice department to add another carrier to the force in this city, making eight in all. Adelbert Jennison, who has been the first substitute on the list, has been put on regularly and will enter upon his duties March 2.

   This other carrier will not mean more frequent deliveries, but a shortening of the routes of all the other carriers and a complete rearrangement of the present routes. This is made necessary by the great increase in the mails in recent weeks. First-class matter has increased, but the great increase is in magazines and that class of matter. It is said that this class of mail has almost doubled in the last year. For instance, about a thousand copies of the Delineator are now received at the Cortland Office, and each copy weighs l 1/2 pounds. One of the carriers who was interviewed has sixty-eight on his route, others have as many or more. Each carrier on certain days starts out on the first delivery in the morning with two big sacks brimming full, one on each shoulder, the two weighing about 80 pounds. Quite a load for a man to carry. On magazines day it is utterly impossible to deliver all that arrive on the first trip after arrival. They have to be taken along an the installment plan as rapidly as possible.

   The quantity of periodical literature taken is a fair standard of judgment of the prosperity of a place. In hard times people cut down on magazines. From the evidence it would appear that Cortland is enjoying a season of unusual prosperity.

 

A COMMUNICATION

In Reply to "Taxpayer" Communication from Truxton.

   Truxton, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1903.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—I am invited by last night's issue of your valuable paper to account for my stewardship as supervisor of this town particularly for the past year or two and generally for the whole of the time that I have held that office. My first impulse upon reading the article was totally to ignore it, as its authors have not had manhood enough or honesty enough to let their name or names appear in print. I have held the office of supervisor in this town for nine years and never supposed that my honesty in that capacity could very well be questioned when, during the whole of that time, I have never handled one hundred dollars of town money, school fund, local fund, highway fund or any other money coming to the town of Truxton, the same having always been paid into bank and paid out in checks, which can easily be traced by any man who has sufficient intelligence and a little education. All of this business has been done through Muller & Sons' bank of this place and I now ask, not the originators of this article, but honest taxpayers to confer with these gentlemen and also with Mr. William Atchinson, their cashier, who is a candidate for town clerk on the Republican ticket, and an honest man, and who, with the assistance of Messrs. Muller can furnish them with the actual facts and not political fiction. I did not ask for the office of supervisor this year and did not desire nomination, and there were only two reasons why I accepted such nomination.

   The first was that I had hoped to succeed in refunding the town bonds, which, if refunded at 3 1/2 per cent, would have saved overburdened taxpayers between $500 and $600 per year, and l even hoped that we might get them down to 3 per cent., which would mean $1,100 saved.

   Second. I would not refuse a nomination which was urged upon me by my friends who, for many years back, have stood by me even though I knew that there were one or two traitors in the camp who had been pampered and fed by the party until their claws had become so long that they required trimming, and who, after having had their claws trimmed by me in order to save the town, were watching the chance to pounce upon me.

   Hoping my explanation will satisfy even "Taxpayer," if he is honest, I am respectfully yours,

   John O'Donnell, Supervisor.

 


BREVITIES.

   Mr. Robert Bushby is locating his offices in rooms six and seven of the Burgess block.

   —New display advertisements today are—W. W. Bennett, Enameled ware, page 5; Chas. P. Brown, Paints, etc., page 4.

   —H. L. Bronson sold today his house and lot at 6 Graham-ave. to Nelson E. and Lena May Bugbee. Consideration $2,500.

   —The residence of J. J. Moore, 148 Homer-ave., has been connected with the Home Telephone exchange. Its number is 792.

   —A meeting of the executive committee of the First Baptist Sunday school will be held Monday evening at the home of Mr. E. M. Mansur, 40 Lincoln-ave.

   —The graduating class of the Oneonta Normal school numbers twenty-five at the mid year, but following the general custom of the Normal schools no commencement exercises will be held till June.