CHRISTIANIZATION OF CHINA, WAR REMINISCENCES, AND NEW CORTLAND CO.

 

General Adna R. Chaffee, U. S. A.

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, April 21, 1903.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

The Christianization of China.

   General Adna R. Chaffee has been telling members of the Methodist union in New York some rather unpleasant things about the missionary field in the orient as he saw it.

   General Chaffee was asked to address this body of Christian workers on “The Conditions in China.” This he did with his accustomed frankness. While taking occasion to praise the work of the missionaries in the orient, he showed that he regarded the prospect for Christianity in China a very poor one. Of the missionaries he said:

   “They are all in earnest and hopeful, but the results of their work are not proportioned to the great labor of love. They have done all that is possible, but the burden is too great for them.”

   Referring to his talk with leading and intelligent Chinese upon the subject of religion, General Chaffee said:

   “I took occasion to meet many of the prominent Chinamen while in Peking, and I talked to many of the better class. I must say that I did not meet a single intelligent Chinaman who expressed a desire to embrace the Christian religion. The masses are against Christianity.”

   General Chaffee’s view seems to be quite generally shared by Americans in China other than missionaries. Apparently no headway has been made among the intelligent classes in China, which is a particularly discouraging feature of Christian propaganda in the orient.

 

NAME OF CHINA’S CAPITAL.

Board of Geographic Names Decides that “Peking” is Correct.

   Washington, April 18.—The United States board of geographic names has decided that Peking was the correct form in English to indicate the northern capital of China. Peking always had been spelled with a “g” from the first treaties of 1858 and 1860 down to Feb. 3, 1897, when the board of geographic names voted to shorten it to the Cantonese dialect sound, “Pekin.” The decision attracted no comment or attention until the boxer outbreak in 1900.

   A vigorous campaign against the dropping of the “g” was started by Miss E. R. Scidmore, who has spent many years in the Orient, and a mass of documentary evidence was submitted against the elimination. Miss Scidmore marshaled all the English-speaking sinologues, living and dead, to prove that "Peking" was the only correct and possible transliteration of the Chinese characters standing for “Northern Capital.”

   At the meeting of the international oriental congress at Hamburg last September, Miss Scidmore passed a paper to the leading Chinese scholars asking how the capital of North China should be spelled in English publications, and all those learned ones wrote “Peking.”

 

Main Street, Cortland, N. Y., circa 1900.

WORK ON CORTLAND CITY STREETS.

Commissioner Becker is Busy Cleaning Unpaved Streets.

   Superintendent of Public Works Becker is a very busy man these days, as the unpaved streets of the city are in bad condition owing to the many rains of the past month and more especially to the long and severe rains of the past year. For the past few days he has had a gang of men cleaning off and repairing the cross walks in various parts of the city.

   Engineer Farrington of Syracuse, who was in town Thursday taking elevations and measurements on the lower part of the Randall flats and along the D., L. & W. tracks is formulating plans relative to disposing of the surface water in that vicinity. The plans are to be completed and will probably be submitted to the board of public works at their meeting Monday night.

 

Captain William Saxton.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

By Captain Saxton of the 157th Regiment, N. Y. Vols.

GREEN TROOPS BEGIN TO MARCH

And Find Their Equipments and Food Heavy—A Day of Straggling—Censure From General Sigel—Regiment Reviewed—End of Soft Bread, Beginning of Hardtack—Accidents Fail to Release a Soldier Who Became Tired—Fall Weather in Camp.

CHAPTER 14.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—Oct. 12, Sunday. Was detailed sergeant of the camp guard. Had Sunday morning inspection; orders were read on dress parade, to be in readiness to march at 3:30 in the morning.

Green Troops on the March.

   Oct. 13. Up at 2 a. m; got breakfast, packed knapsacks, stowed one day’s rations in our haversacks, struck tents at 4 and waited till daylight to start. Marched southwest for Fairfax courthouse. After a mile or two our forty rounds of cartridges begin to weigh down, our gun becomes heavier and heavier; we shift it from one shoulder to another, and carry it on our arm. Our haversack strap cuts into our shoulders as though it were going through. Our canteens seem to hold pail full of water in weight. Our knapsacks are heavier than a pack peddler’s pack. We plod along. Soon the boys begin to fall behind and sit down to rest. The regiment strings out longer and longer; it becomes half a mile long, a mile, two miles, and before night it is strung all along the road for five miles. Some of the more stalwart ones, ever open to earn an honest penny, stipulate to carry the knapsack of some weaker one for 25 cents. I saw two husky fellows with a pole on their shoulders between them carrying half a dozen knapsacks strung on it. All regimental or company organization was lost. I saw the colonel off of his horse, carrying the gun of a soldier whom he had mounted in his saddle in his place. The rests became more frequent, the stops longer; oh! oh!! oh!!! shall we ever get to the end of our day’s march? Shall we ever live our term of enlistment out if we have to endure such interminable toil?

Sigel Objects to Straggling.

   The advance was met outside of Fairfax about 5 p. m. by an aide from General Sigel, who threatened to have every officer in the regiment arrested for allowing such disgraceful straggling. We halted to let the stragglers close up, and at dark pitched our tents a half mile beyond the courthouse. Tired, lame and hungry, we lay down to sleep, having marched 12 miles, (my diary says 20,) This was our first march and one of the hardest we ever had. We were raw and were loaded down with lots of things that we subsequently found we could dispense with. Another lesson in our school of experience as a soldier. This was the only march where our officers allowed straggling. After this the captain march in the rear of the company and no one was allowed to fall behind unless he had a written permit from him. The camp guard became the rear guard of the regiment, and they picked up all who fell to the rear without permits. If a soldier became sick or exhausted and not able to go farther the surgeon wrote him permission to ride in an ambulance if he could find one not already full. The soldier soon learned that the easiest place to march was in his proper place, in his own company by the side of his comrade. The usual mode of marching is by the flank in four ranks.

Hard Tack Begins.

   Oct. 14. Up at daylight; lame and stiff in every joint, shoulders sore as an old galled horse; we felt and acted like old men of 60 years. We have been in the field two weeks. Oh! how long they have been. Can we endure such hardships for three long years? To look forward to it, seems an age. The breaking in of raw recruits is the hardest part of the service. Good bye to soft bread. Hard crackers (hard tack) were issued to us today for the first time. From this time on hard bread was the rule.

The Regiment Reviewed.

   Oct. 15. We were reviewed by Major General Sigel and Brigadier General Steinwehr. A review is conducted something after this manner: The troops to be reviewed are marched to a suitable place, formed into line, officers in front. The reviewing officer rides slowly along the whole line from right to left. As he arrives in front of each company the officers salute with swords; the men are brought to present arms and stand in this position until the reviewer has passed. When he arrives opposite the center of each regiment the colors are dipped. The reviewing officer returns the salute by raising his cap or with his hand. When he has ridden the entire length of the line he wheels around, rides back at top speed and takes a position where he wishes the troops to march before him. The regiments are wheeled into columns by companies and they march before the reviewing officer in this formation. When they arrive in front of him they are brought to present arms, officers salute with swords, and in this manner march till they have passed about two or three rods and then are brought to shoulder arms. The colonels then take charge of their regiments and march them to camp unless otherwise directed.

A Chapter of Accidents.

   Oct. 16. A man in our company while we were in Hamilton procured leave to go home for a few days. While at home he met with an “accident.” He was splitting kindling wood, made a miss lick and cut off his right toe. He overstayed his leave on account of this, but before we left the captain sent a man for him, and he was taken along with us. Today he and a comrade went down into the timber to get wood for the cooks and met another “accident.” In some way while he was holding a dry limb on the stump for the comrade to cut into convenient lengths to carry, his right forefinger was cut off with the hatchet. He was sent to the hospital and when the finger healed, instead of being discharged from the service, was returned to the regiment for duty. Afterward when we were on the march going to the battle of Fredericksburg, I heard the report of a gun in the rear of the company, and this same man came forward holding out his bleeding right hand. His gun had “accidently” been discharged, the ball passing through his hand. He was sent to the hospital again, and deserted from there, but came back to the regiment in 1863 just before we started for Gettysburg, under President Lincoln’s proclamation of pardon. In that battle he was conspicuous for absence, and we saw him no more forever—in the army.

   Oct. 17. Was detailed sergeant of the police. Each morning a number of men and one sergeant were detailed for police work, whose duty it was to clean up the camp, or do any necessary work around it.

   Oct. 19, Sunday. After inspection, those who chose assembled in an open space and listened to a temperance sermon by the chaplain.

   Oct. 20. Started at 7 a. m. for Germantown and was reviewed by General Sigel. Returned to camp at 4 p. m., tired out and hungry, as we took nothing with us but our guns and accoutrements.

   Oct. 21. Took cold on the review the day before and felt badly all day today.

A Notable Supper.

   Oct. 22. Had a fresh beef stew for supper.

   Oct. 23. Tried squad cooking.

   Oct. 24. Mail came with letters from home.

   Oct. 25. With comrade went to a creek and washed our clothes and bathed.

   Oct. 26, Sunday. A cold rain set in with a high wind which made it very uncomfortable all day. A number of tents blew over in the night.

   Oct. 27. Wakened to find the water had run into our tent and wet us considerably while we slept. Still it rains and the wind blows harder than ever. We have to get out and dig a ditch around our tent to keep the water out. This is pretty rough soldiering, we have no warm fires to sit by but wrap ourselves in our blankets and sit on the cold wet ground. Cleared off at noon, but so muddy we have no drills.

   Oct. 28. The Tenth cavalry passed through Fairfax, C. H.

   Oct. 29. On account of the mud moved camp about a mile to the road from Fairfax to Centerville. Buried a man from Company B, who died last night.

Victim of a Spent Ball.

   Oct. 30. A man on police duty, while helping put up a hospital tent, was accidently shot and killed. Some pickets from another regiment nearly a mile away who had come off duty, discharged their guns for cleaning, one of the bullets reached our camp, struck this man in the head and killed him instantly. A man from Company F died. The hardships and exposure begin to tell on the regiment.

   W. S.

 

Albert Allen, retired railroad superintendent.

New Cortland Company Incorporated.

   Albany, N. Y., April 18.—The Beaudry-Allen company of Cortland has been incorporated with a capital stock of $15,000 to trade in wall paper and stationery. The directors are Albert Allen, A. Edward Allen, and G. Fred Beaudry of Cortland.

 

BREVITIES.

    —The New York Central [railroad] is planning an expenditure of $20,000,000 in improvements and extensions.

   —Elmira has an epidemic of measles, 370 cases having been reported to the health officer during the month of March.

   —The condition of J. Robert Kennedy, who suffered the loss of three fingers at Cooper Bros.’ foundry Thursday morning, is so much improved that he was able to leave the [Cortland] hospital Friday morning.

 

FAMOUS CARRIAGE OWNED BY GENERAL ROSWELL RANDALL

 

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, April 21, 1903.

A FAMOUS CARRIAGE

Formerly Owned and Used by General Roswell Randall.

NOW OWNED BY H. D. FREER.

A Remarkable Story Concerning it that Started as a Huge Joke—Its Real History Eliminates Some Famous Characters in Connection With it but Brings in Some Other Parties.

   The Ithaca News of Tuesday publishes the cut of a famous old carriage that was once owned in Cortland, which we reproduce herewith through the courtesy of The News, and has the following to say concerning it:

   Few Ithacans have ever known that one of the oldest, if not the oldest, coach in this state is owned near Ithaca. It is now in the dinningroom of the Taughannock Falls hotel, and may soon be sold under the auctioneer’s hammer.

   This relic of the old days, when our powdered headed great grandfathers rode out in state behind their proud negro coachman, has been in the possession of Landlord H. D. Freer for nearly fifteen years.

   The coach was built in Paris, France, about 1770. It was brought to America by a French general who accompanied Lafayette to this country during the Revolutionary war. Its ups and downs from that time were many.

   After the war the coach was presented to Alexander Hamilton and through him was brought to New York state. Upon the death of Mr. Hamilton the coach passed into the possession of the father of James Fennimore Cooper, who brought it to what was then a wilderness, but is now Cooperstown. The Cooper family used the coach for several years, and it was pointed to as the handsomest carriage in the state.

   Mr. Cooper willed it to a veteran patriot, General Roswell Randall of Cortland, in whose family it remained for years, finally coming into the possession of James Schermerhorn. It was purchased from him by Mr. Freer in 1888. Since that time the old carriage has occupied a proud place in the old diningroom at the Falls hotel amid a collection of rare old china and bric-a-brac in an environment in keeping with its age.

   The old coach is in good condition and has often been used by the guests of the hotel upon festive occasions. It has been a plan of Mr. Freer’s to have each summer the guests dress in old fashioned clothes and drive to Trumansburg in the old vehicle. The rich trimmings which once decorated the coach have now faded to a more somber hue, but the running gear and frame are still in good condition.

Explanation and Apology.

   Immediately upon seeing the above a Standard man called up The News by telephone and said that the article in question would have considerable interest in Cortland since the carriage is still remembered here. He added that the Standard building stands upon what was formerly the lawn of General Randall’s place and as he sat speaking at the telephone he was within a hundred feet of the general’s old home. He expressed his intention of reprinting the story and asked the loan of the picture, which the manager of The News very kindly promised to send him.

   Then thinking that perhaps some additional particulars could be obtained here in Cortland in regard to the history of the carriage, he made some inquiries from those in position to know and found that the real history was quite different in some respects from that published in The News. He learned that the names of some of the historical characters introduced were connected with the carriage simply as a great joke which evidently in the lapse of years had become accepted as fact. It appears that while in truth the carriage must lose its French general of Revolutionary fame, must lose Alexander Hamilton and the father of Cooper the novelist, it does gain ex-Senator David B. Hill and possibly others.

   This explanation is offered as an apology, for it seems decidedly discourteous to accept the kindness of the loan of The News’ picture and then explode its story, but The News  can now bank upon the truth of The Standard’s version of the matter.

The Real History.

   The carriage was bought in New York by General Roswell Randall over seventy-five years ago and was paid for by him and was brought to Cortland for its first use. A member of the Randall family well remembers its beauty in those early days. It was painted a dark green and its upholstery in the same color was remarkably handsome. That it was the most stylish carriage in the vicinity goes without saying. General Randall sold the carriage to his son, William P. Randall, who used it for his wedding journey in 1834 and with his bride made the trip in it from Cortland to New Jersey and back.

   William P. Randall was a famous dealer in fine horses, owned several stage lines and conducted a livery stable in Cortland. This carriage was finally put into the stable for public use. In this capacity it carried many notable people who visited the place. As the years passed it got out of date and finally was pushed into a corner of the stable and there remained.

   Early in the eighties A. M. Schermerhorn of Cortland, a son of the James Schermerhorn referred to in The News item, opened a carriage repository on Port Watson-st., next the Randall livery stable. He often saw the old carriage and thought as an antique it would be an acquisition to his salesroom. He bought it and had it all refinished so that it looked more as in earlier days. It was often out upon the streets then and Mr. Schermerhorn recalls a drive in it to Glen Haven with Dr. J. M. Milne as a companion. The long thorough braces gave the carriage a peculiar roll on a rough road which made Dr. Milne absolutely seasick.

   The indignation of W. P. Randall is recalled as one day he saw Mr. Schermerhorn driving through the streets with this carriage with a streamer on either side advertising his carriage repository and salesrooms. Mr. Randall said he supposed Mr. Schermerhorn had bought this vehicle as a family carriage and not as an advertising medium.

The History Manufactured.

   Then came a day when the State fair was held in Elmira and a fine old carriage was sought in which to convey Governor David B. Hill, the guest of honor, out to the fire grounds. This carriage was asked for and was sent to Elmira and used for that purpose, being drawn by four white horses.

   There are a few jokers in Cortland. Some of them may now be found each day swapping stories at the Tioughnioga clubrooms. If this carriage was to go to Elmira it ought to have a history, and one was prepared for it. Here the French general was first introduced. His name was never known. Perhaps it was too hard to spell or pronounce, but it was enough that he was a friend of Lafayette. Here too, Alexander Hamilton gained his first and only connection with the carriage and likewise the father of Cooper, the fiction writer. It was no effort to prepare history (?) in regard to such a carriage. As some one said of it yesterday, the story started then and it has been growing ever since. The Elmira papers were informed of the wonderful past of this carriage and they exploited it, and at intervals ever since it has been referred to. A New York paper not long ago detailed the story invented by a few jokers and now the Ithaca News is led to tell the same tale. All have no doubt done it honestly since the Elmira trip and Governor Hill’s ride in the carriage.

   In 1888 Mr. Schermerhorn sold the carriage to Henry D. Freer, formerly of Cortland, then proprietor of the Ithaca hotel and later of the Taughannock Falls House, and Mr. Freer has used it as The News says.

   It is a fine old carriage. It does go back in history over seventy-five years. It has carried in its day many notable people in Cortland and elsewhere, but it had no connection with a French general, nor with Hamilton, nor with Cooper.

 

SUNDAY FILLER: THE KISHINEV POGROM

 

TWELVE INCH GUN BURSTS, STATE UNIVERSITY, AND NORMAN WHITE SHAFTED

 

USS Iowa (BB-4).

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, April 14, 1903.

A 12-INCH GUN BURST.

Disastrous Explosion on the Battleship Iowa.

TONS OF METAL THROWN ON MEN.

Three Sailors Killed and Five Injured. Shell Exploded Midway In the Gun and Pieces of Gun and Shell Were Thrown Broadcast— Dead Taken to Pensacola, Fla.

   Pensacola, Florida, April 10.—A disastrous explosion occurred on the battleship Iowa yesterday while the vessel was at target practice in the Gulf. The forward port 12-inch gun burst from the premature explosion of a shell, 12 feet of the piece outside the turret being demolished. Three men were killed and five injured, two seriously.

   The killed are:

   First Class Seaman Kiele.

   Ordinary Seaman Percell.

   Gunner’s Mate Berry.

   The injured are: First Class Seaman Gaught, Ordinary Seamen Thursdale, Brown, Mansdale and Purucker.

   The men killed and injured were on the second or gun deck at mess. Three pieces of the exploded gun, each weighing over a ton, passed downward through the spar deck, falling upon the men, instantly killing the three named. All of the men were horribly mutilated.

   The heavy missiles after passing through the gun deck continued down to the third deck, where they came in contact with the armored deck, the heavy steel bringing them to the stop, thus saving the engineers and firemen who were at work below.

   Although the upper decks were covered with men no one there was seriously injured.

   The explosion occurred just as the mess call had been sounded. Firing was to have ceased after the shot for the dinner hour. The range had been set and the Iowa was steaming along at a speed of 12 knots an hour when Lieutenant Reed, in charge of the forward 12-inch turret, gave orders to load and fire.

   The time fuse was cut for the range, the piece charged, breech closed and the word given to fire. Following the report of the gun there was a smothered noise as the shell exploded midway in the gun and pieces of the gun and shell were scattered broadcast. Three great holes were torn through the deck.

   Those who were below began coming on deck, some bloody and mutilated, while lying on the floor, crushed almost beyond recognition, were the three unfortunate men.

   The Massachusetts, six miles distant, was signaled for aid and one of the cutters put off with surgeon and assistants. The wounded men were taken to the hospital and their injuries dressed. The dead were brought to Pensacola.

 

THREE DECKS RUINED.

Damage to the Battleship Iowa Very Serious.

ORDERED OUT OF COMMISSION.

Steel Supports Under 12-Inch Port Turret Sprung—Big Gun a Hopeless Wreck—Services Over Graves of the Three Men Killed—Fleet in Mourning For a Week.

   Pensacola, Fla., April 11.—The damage to the battleship Iowa caused by the premature explosion of a shell in the forward port 12-inch gun has developed to be more serious than was thought when the first examination was made and as a consequence the big ship has been ordered to the New York navy yard to go out of commission.

   She steamed down to the Pensacola navy yard, where she is fitting out with supplies and coal preparatory to sailing as soon as possible for the north.

   It is known that three decks, including the upper deck in the forward part of the ship, will have to be entirely removed and rebuilt. It is feared that the steel supports under the 12-inch port turret are sprung to such an extent that they will have to be removed.

   The gun itself is a hopeless wreck.

   The services over the graves of the three men killed by the explosion of the gun were conducted by the fleet chaplain, assisted by the chaplain of the Iowa, and were concluded by a naval salute over the graves and “taps.”

   Admirals Higginson and Wise with their respective staffs were present.

   Floral tributes from the citizens of Pensacola and the officers of the fleet were unusually beautiful. The entire fleet will go into mooring in one week. Various entertainments planned for next week have been postponed.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Encouraging State Universities.

   At the recent alumni dinner of the University of Michigan Dr. Hutchins, dean of the faculty, expressed the interesting opinion that state universities are to be the greatest institutions of learning in the country in the future. He said that it has taken legislators a long time to awake to the necessity of providing liberally for state universities, but that from now on their growth should be rapid. He cited the permanent provision of 1 mill in the state taxation which has recently been made for the University of Nebraska as foreshadowing the great amount of money institutions of this class are to receive.

   Dr. Hutchins’ argument appears to be sound, but it must be acknowledged that several millionaires have given some of the so called private universities a big start on the state institutions.

 

AROUND A SHAFT.

Norman White Caught at the Implement Co.’s Factory.

WHIRLED OVER A DOZEN TIMES.

Was Lacing a Belt When Accident Occurred—Will Lose His Right Arm—Probably No Internal Injuries.

   Norman White, a young man aged about 19 years, an employee of the Cortland Implement Co., was caught by a shaft while working in the factory about 9 o’clock Friday morning and sustained painful and serious injuries.

   White, with another workman named G. E. Dykeman, was engaged in repairing a belt. Dykeman was lacing the belt and White was on a step ladder several feet from the floor, holding it.

   Just how the accident happened cannot be told, but in some way White lost his balance, his right arm was caught by the belt and drawn to the rapidly revolving shaft about 2 feet below the ceiling. The unfortunate young man was hurled around the revolving shaft fifteen or twenty times before the machinery could be stopped and he could be released.

   Beard & Peck’s ambulance was summoned and White was taken to the hospital, where he was examined by Drs. H. T. Dana, F. W. Higgins and P. T. Carpenter. His right arm was badly broken and will have to be amputated. Both feet and ankles were severely bruised and he was otherwise bruised and injured. So far as can be determined now the young man is not suffering from any serious internal injuries and will probably recover with the loss of his right arm.

   He lives at 34 Cleveland-st. and has been employed by the Cortland Implement Co. since they started up their work last summer.

 

BREVITIES.

 —Cornell Heights has been annexed to the city of Ithaca.

 —Forrest Ladd of McLean has accepted a position with F. Daehler, the clothier.

   —Gideon Wright has broken ground for another new house on Stevenson-st.

   —Seymour P. Bloomfield has accepted a position with S. Simmons.

   —Harvard university is trying hard to get Charles E. Courtney, the rowing coach, away from Cornell, There seems little probability that he will accept.

   —Bishop F. D. Huntington on Wednesday celebrated the thirty-fourth anniversary of his consecration as bishop of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of Central New York.

   —One of our subscribers in Locke, who notes the fact that some in this vicinity have been picking May flowers in March, says that he secured a quantity of cowslips on March 24, and they were first rate too when prepared for the table. He thinks this discounts the May flowers.