PEARY'S EXPEDITION, ADMIRAL'S REPORT, ERIE CANAL, TWO DEATHS, AND HE HAS APPENDICITIS

 

Robert Peary.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, October 26, 1903.

PEARY'S EXPEDITION.

Discusses Plans For His Next Trip In Search of North Pole.

   Washington, Oct. 26.—Lieutenant Robert E. Peary, U. S. N., the Arctic explorer, in an address before the National Geographical society of this city, discussed plans for his next expedition to the north pole. He said that the possible routes to the north pole have dwindled to three, and in his own personal opinion to two.

   He advocated the Smith sound route, along the west coast of Greenland to the north of Kennedy sound, thence to a still higher latitude than that reached by the Alert off Grantland. The other two routes were the drift method adopted by Nansen and the so-called Franz Josef land route.

   In disagreeing with the opinion of the president of the Royal Geographical society of London, after Nansen's voyage, "That we have practically reached the north pole and know all that is necessary to know about it," Lieutenant Peary said:

   "Two hundred and sixty miles from the pole is a long ways from the actual attainment of the pole and to assert that the secret of the pole has been penetrated and the veil lifted at that range when 3,000,000 square miles of it have not been trodden by human foot or seen by human eye is an enthusiastic view."

   Lieutenant Peary said the attainment of the south pole "is only a matter of time and patience, that the work can be carried on any season and every mile of advance can be permanently secured while the attainment of the north pole means to so refine and perfect one's equipment, supplies and party as to cover 500 miles each way without caches and without support from the country and to cover this distance in the time limit of at most 3 1/2 months."

   Lieutenant Peary pleaded for immediate financing of the expedition from private sources. He urged that an expedition which in his opinion in all probability would secure the pole can be fitted out for two years at a cost of $150,000, the only expensive item being a powerful ship to push him to the northern shore of Greenland.

 

Francis T. Bowles.

BUILDING UP THE NAVY.

Admiral Bowles' Report Shows Progress of Construction During Year.

   Washington, Oct. 26.—Rear Admiral Bowles, chief of the bureau of construction and repair, in his annual report to the secretary of the navy reviews the progress made by this government in naval construction during that period.

   It is shown that the following additions have been made to the effective force of the navy during the year: One battleship, four monitors, twelve torpedo boat destroyers, one torpedo boat and seven submarine torpedo boats. The list should have been increased by two battleships and five cruisers the report states, but owing to strikes and other causes their completion was delayed. The report states that the progress made during the last fiscal year has been very unsatisfactory.

   A complete list of the vessels in the navy shows there are 252 vessels in the navy fit for service, 45 building and 23 unfit for sea service.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

Same Canal, More Efficient.

   The International Towing and Power Co. believes it has perfected an arrangement by which the same old Erie canal in its present size, form and condition can be made to do all the business necessary without the spending of millions of dollars for its enlargement. For a long time this company has been working on a scheme of electric towing, That invention is now completed and is to be given a public test on the Erie canal opposite the works of the General Electric Co. at Schenectady on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 1:30 p. m. This demonstration will be made in conjunction with and under the supervision of the General Electric Co.

   The company is confident that this demonstration will prove to the satisfaction of all that the speed of canal boats can be increased from the present rate of 1 1/2 miles per hour to 4 miles per hour, thus accelerating canal transportation and proving that the present canal, equipped with this system is capable of handling economically the largest tonnage which experts have calculated will ever go through the canal.

   A large number of people are expected to be present to view this test and if it proves to be the success anticipated the results will be likely to have a great effect upon the minds and votes of even the most ardent advocates of the barge canal. The result will be awaited with interest.

 

Charles C. Wickwire.

A First Class Candidate.

   The young Republicans of the Third ward are all working hard for Charles C. Wickwire for alderman, and the older members of the party are supporting the candidate and the workers right heartily. It is always gratifying to be able to shift the burden of responsibility and of work to younger shoulders when a young man can be found who is in every way worthy and capable. Such a man is the Republican candidate. He is known to all. He was born and brought up in the election district in which he now resides. He holds a responsible position in the great manufacturing plant, with which he is connected and, on his own responsibility with one other, is conducting an allied line of manufacturing and is making ax great success of it. He has the energy, the push, the integrity and stability of character and the good judgment and will make an admirable alderman.

 

DIED ON HIS BIRTHDAY.

Prof. Robert H. Thurston of Cornell University Passes Away.

   Prof. Robert H. Thurston of Cornell university died very suddenly at his home in Ithaca last night. He was sitting in his library shortly before 6 o'clock, awaiting the arrival of former President Andrew D. White, Dean Huffcut of the college of law, Prof. Hewett and others who were to be his guests at dinner, this being his sixty-fourth birthday. He seemed to fall asleep, but when his wife tried to arouse him she found him unconscious and he died before a physician could be summoned. Heart disease was the cause of death.

   Dr, Thurston was one of the best known members of the university faculty and ranked high in his profession. He was born at Providence, R. I., in 1839, and was graduated from Brown university. He served with distinction in the engineering corps of the United States navy during the civil war, and at its close was assigned to the faculty of the Annapolis Naval academy. In 1871 he became professor of engineering at Stevens institute and in 1885 came to Cornell to take the directorship of Sibley college.

   In announcing the death of Prof. Thurston, President Schurman said: "The loss sustained by Sibley college and by the university as a whole is incalculable. We mourn a great organizer, a successful teacher and investigator, an ever-genial colleague, a true friend and a good and noble man."

 

Death of Mrs. Clark.

   The death of Mrs. Lucinda M. Clark, aged 86 years, occurred at her home, 12 Madison-st., yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Clark came to Cortland from Skaneateles about thirty years ago and has since resided here. She has been a confirmed invalid for the past twenty years not being able to leave her chair for the past thirteen years.

   Mrs. Clark was always cheerful and bore her affliction uncomplainingly. She was a member of the Universalist church. She is survived by one son, W. F. Clark of Baldwinsville, and three daughters, Mrs. S. J. Flock of Fulton, Mrs. J. C. Haynes of Minneapolis, Minn., and Mrs. J. A. Jayne of Cortland. She also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Zelba Clark of Marcellus and Mrs. Phineas Davis of Morris, Ill.

   The funeral will be held from the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. A. Jayne, 12 Madison-st., Tuesday at 4 o'clock. The remains will be taken on the 8:40 Lehigh Valley train Wednesday morning to the Shepard Settlement cemetery near Skaneateles for burial.

 

HE HAS APPENDICITIS.

Theron Bond Now at Rutland, Vt., Formerly of Cortland.

   Dr. S. J. Sornberger left on the early train yesterday for Rutland, Vt., in response to a telegram from Theron Bond, formerly assistant secretary of the Y. M. C. A. in this city, now holding a similar position in Rutland under General Secretary F. B. Tibbetts, saying that he was in the Rutland hospital suffering from appendicitis and he wanted Dr. Sornberger to come there and perform an operation for him.

   Mr. Bond had had several mild attacks of appendicitis before, one or two of them being while he was in Cortland, but had recovered from all of them without an operation. He was getting nervous, however, over their recurrence which seemed to be growing in frequency, and had determined to have an operation for the removal of the appendix at some time while he was in good health. He had corresponded with Dr. Sornberger and had made his arrangements to come to Cortland last Saturday night and have the operation this morning at the Cortland hospital. Instead of being able to do that, however, he had another attack and had to go to the hospital at Rutland.

   Dr. Sornberger did not know when he left whether or not he would get there in time to perform the operation. He thought it quite probable that the attack might be so severe as to require attention before he could get there. If not, he expected to perform the operation this morning and leave for home tonight. Mr. Bond's many friends here will hope for a successful result of the attack and the operation.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Regular meeting of the W. C. T. U., Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 2:45 p. m. A program of general interest will be given.

   —A flock of wild geese numbering over eighty by count was seen going south on Friday. They made a great cackling and quacking as they flew.

   —There will be a special meeting of the Woman's Relief Corps tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. All members are requested to be present.

   —The old Presbyterian church at Canastota which was sold to a syndicate when the new church was ready for use has now been turned into a dance hall.

   —A special car will leave the York hotel at 7:30 o'clock on Tuesday night for Homer. All who wish to go up to the anti-canal meeting can take this car and the transportation on it will be free.

   —The killing frost came all right on Saturday night, the first one of the season, and the ground was yesterday morning covered deep with fallen leaves. Today we have had a genuine snow squall all day long.

   —The new display advertisements today are—Warren, Tanner, & Co., Underwear, etc., page 5; Perkins & Quick, Beef, wine and iron, page 5; Syracuse Trust Co., Bank accounts, page 2; McGraw & Elliott, Kodaks, page 5.

 

WAR REMINISCENCES BY COLONEL FRANK PLACE

 

Captain Frank Place, Company C, 157th Regiment, New York Volunteers.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, October 24, 1903.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

By Colonel Place of the 157th Regiment, N. Y. Vols.

EIGHT MONTHS IN LIBBY PRISON.

Captured at Gettysburg While Trying to Recover the Regimental Color—Marched off to Richmond—"Secure Your Valuables"—Scraps With Old Gray Backs—Welcome for New Greenbacks—Killing Time—General Dow's Lecture on "Temperance"—The Tunnel Route to Liberty—"Man Here 'Tain't Here"—Back Again to the Regiment.

   A few days ago Captain William Saxton in his reminiscences of the One Hundred Fifty-seventh regiment, which are being published in these columns, referred to the capture of Colonel, then Captain Frank Place, of Company C, during the second day of the battle of Gettysburg. A Standard man called upon Col. Place who now resides in this city and asked him for some further details in regard to his capture and for some incidents of his experiences in Libby prison. The colonel spoke of them in a most interesting way, and we today interrupt the continuity of Captain Saxton's letter to give the interview with Col. Place. The Saxton letters will be resumed next week.

To Recover the Flag.

   Col. Place said he remembered the second day of July 1863, very well. The One Hundred Fifty-seventh had been ordered into the woods on Culp's hill to hold a position. They had not supposed the enemy were in possession of any part of that wooded tract, but they were fired upon and a number were killed. It was already growing dark and they thought the fire came from their own men who mistook them for Confederates. As the firing continued, supposedly from comrades, they retreated out of the woods. Upon reaching the open they discovered that their flag was gone and their color bearer likewise. Supposing that the latter had been killed or wounded near at hand in the woods Captain Place volunteered to go back and look for the colors if two men would go with him. Privates Marcus Livingston of Company C and Francis M. Gault of Company G volunteered to go.

   Together the three men started back into the dusky woods. Captain Place's attention was drawn to the groans of a wounded soldier who wanted to be helped off the field. The soldier was told that help would come soon. It was their thought to find the flag and then take the man along with them as they went back. But they never went back.

Challenged and Captured.

   Down toward Spangler's spring near the foot of the hill they suddenly came upon two men standing by a big rock. One of them challenged:

   "Who goes there?"

   "Friend," replied Captain Place.

   "What Regiment?"

   "One Hundred Fifty-seventh, New York."

   "Surrender," shouted the man by the rock, raising his musket. Captain Place said the man was so near that he could have almost touched him with the muzzle of the leveled rifle and there was no chance for escape, so he delivered up his sword and his two companions did their muskets.

   More Confederates suddenly appeared out of the gloom and the three prisoners were taken back through the woods, over the Confederate breastworks to Rock creek. There they saw General J. E. B. Stuart, commonly called "Jeb" Stuart. Their march was continued to the rear till they came to an open field where with some thirty other prisoners they lay down on the ground and slept till morning.

Disagreeable Awakening.

   They were awakened at day break by the booming of cannon and the dropping of Union shells in their immediate vicinity. The Confederate guards were as glad to get out of the range as they were and they moved still further to the rear. On the way they met a whole army corps that had not been previously engaged, going in at the double quick. All that forenoon of the third day of the battle they were in sight of Gettysburg. At noon in a change of position they passed the county almshouse and could see troops and batteries getting ready for action. At about 2 o'clock they reached Willoughby Run and were put in with from two to three thousand prisoners already collected.

   The whole afternoon was spent in this location and there they were all offered paroles. A very few accepted but the great majority declined and preferred to take their chances in Libby prison. Before night it began to rain and this continued all night.

   Before daybreak the southward march was begun, and all that Fourth of July rain fell in perfect torrents. On July 9 they crossed the Potomac river at Williamsburg on a rope ferry. The officers and enlisted men had now been separated though all were marching in the same column.

"Secure Your Valuables."

   On July 18, sixteen days after the march was begun, they reached Richmond and Libby prison. As they were drawn up on a curbstone before the prison a search was begun of all the men before they were admitted to the prison.

   Above and a little back from the windows could be seen the faces of other prisoners, chiefly General Milroy's men captured in May at Winchester. Down from one of the windows dropped a note, "Secure your valuables." The word was passed along. Captain Place secured his, and his whole pile consisted of one solitary $2 bill, but the searchers didn't find it.

A Limited Wardrobe.

   None of the prisoners were burdened with baggage, taken as they were in the midst of an active campaign. Captain Place's whole wardrobe consisted of shirt, trousers, coat, hat and shoes—nothing more.

   He was admitted to the prison July 18, 1863, and remained there till March 21, 1864, when he was sent to City Point with about 2,000 other prisoners, under the parole preliminary to exchange. From City Point he was transported to the parole camp at Annapolis, Md., and given a leave of absence during which time he came home to Cortland county. The formal exchange took place in May, and then he went South to join the regiment on June 20, at Picoolata, Fla., which town then consisted of a dock on the St. John's river forty-five miles above Jacksonville.

   During his imprisonment he had been promoted, being made a major in November, 1863, and actually mustering in in that rank on June 24, 1864.

Libby Prison.

   Libby prison, as is well known, was originally a warehouse and over the doors was the sign "Libby & Sons, Grocers and Ship Chandlers." This gave it the name. The building consisted of three stories and a basement. Captain Place was placed upon the top floor. Here there were three rooms, each about 100 by 200 feet in size. In one room most of the cooking for that floor was done. At one time they had six cooking stoves there, and the Confederates furnished green white pine for fuel, which resulted chiefly in smoke. At one time over one thousand Union officers were confined there, the enlisted men all being sent elsewhere.

   The food was plain and the rations short. A single day's ration consisted of a half pound of meat, a half loaf of bread, a gill of rice, a pinch of salt and a little vinegar.

Confederate Money.

   Anything that was to be found in the markets of Richmond, however, was at the disposal of the prisoners if they had the money to buy it. They must first get their United States money changed into Confederate script and then a negro would go and get whatever he was commissioned to secure. When Captain Place entered the prison in July, 1863, $1 of United States was worth $4 of Confederate money. When he left the next March it took $30 Confederate to equal $1 in greenbacks.

   Books were the cheapest article in the Richmond market. Captain Place paid $2.50 Confederate, for an Anthon's Virgil. A teacup of butter was worth $3 Confederate, and cigars were genuine "two-fers," two for $1.

Old Gray Backs.

   The prison was mopped out twice each week by negroes, and each man was furnished with a blanket, but floors and walls and blankets were full of lice, the genuine old gray backs. Twice each day each man found it necessary to strip and turn his garments all wrong side out and follow every seam clear through to kill every louse concealed there.

   There was a tank two or three feet wide by eight or ten feet long on each floor filled with running water from the James river, and this was used for drinking purposes and for the matter of personal cleanliness.

Killing Time.

   How to pass the time was a query. Some would read and study, but others didn't care for such things, and amusements had to be resorted to. Among the prisoners were some very bright men, notably A. D. Richardson, a correspondent for the New York Tribune, Chaplain L. N. Beaudry, an uncle of G. F. Beaudry of this city [Cortland], Chaplain C. C. McCabe, now Bishop McCabe, Major Henry of Kentucky and General Neal Dow of Maine.

   Major Henry gave a lecture on Mesmerism. A mock trial lasted two days. John Teed of Reading, Pa., was charged with disturbing the peace of the Commonwealth of Libby in that he indulged in public baths in prohibited hours. Captain Willits of Michigan was the judge. There was no end of fun over the evidence produced. The defendant was convicted and was sentenced to be deported from the Commonwealth of Libby by the first boat, but unfortunately for the defendant sentence had to be suspended.

   A paper was prepared called the Libby Chronicle. It was edited by Chaplain Beaudry and has since been published. A burlesque upon this paper called the Libby Ironical was also prepared, but never published.

   Chaplain Beaudry taught classes in phonography and French, and others also taught other branches.

Cheese Full of Greenbacks.

   All could write letters if they chose, but all letters sent out were read by prison officials before mailing and the answers were likewise read before being delivered. At the first, too, prisoners were permitted to receive boxes or packages from home. Captain Place received two packages and a third one came after he had been sent North for exchange and this he never got, of course. He needed more clothes and sent home for a uniform of the Tenth New York cavalry which he had worn during his first term of enlistment, and it came all right. His father filled the box with crackers and beans and his sister put in a cheese. She wrote him to be sure to look out for the cheese. Something in the expression caught his eye, though it looked simple, and he did look out for it and found a place where it had been bored and plugged and on removing the plug of butter he found a big roll of greenbacks which proved very serviceable.

   All these boxes of course were examined by the Confederates before delivering, but the cheese got by. Not so, however, the pail of butter of Captain John C. Johnson, a Lisle boy who belonged to a Pennsylvania regiment. He had a pail of butter filled with greenbacks and when he got the butter it had been dug out and the money extracted. He said some things when he came upstairs with his package.

Switched on to "Temperance."

   General Neal Dow of Maine was a prisoner there part of the time. For several months he was sent to a prison father south, but was returned to Libby. He called the boys together one day for a talk. Some of them were feeling rather hard at the government for not getting them exchanged or for not rescuing them. Confederate listeners were not desired at this address and as the boys circled around him some got up on the braces and girders near the rafters. The stairway came straight up into the room, with a door at the foot of the stairs and none at the top. One of the men in the rafters was so stationed that he could see the door at the foot of the stairs the moment it was opened. General Dow was telling the boys that the Confederacy was a hollow shell; that it could not last long for he had been sent far south into the enemy's country and had seen it. Just then the door at the foot of the stairs opened and a Confederate sergeant came up. He had known from the stillness above that something was doing and he had come up to see what it was. The moment his head appeared the man in the rafters lost his handkerchief and it fell in front of the speaker. Without a moment's hesitation or pause General Dow launched into an eloquent talk on temperance and when the sergeant reached that floor he was greeted with an impassioned denunciation of the evils of liquor. He hung around the outskirts of the crowd for ten minutes and listened to the report of what they were doing down in Maine to put down the liquor traffic. He inquired what was doing, and one man replied, "Oh, General Dow is talking temperance to us. You know we need that so much here." The sergeant became convinced that there was nothing very serious in the wind and went down stairs again to make a personal test of the matter and see if whiskey was as bad as it was pictured.

The Tunnel Escape.

   Captain Place was there when the 110 men escaped through the tunnel one night and departed. He had a chance to be one of the party, but had not been very well for some weeks past, having had an attack of malarial fever and he did not dare to take chances in the swamps in getting away.

   The tunnel, which was weeks in the digging, extended from the basement of the prison across under the street and came up in an open shed that faced the prison on the opposite aide of the street and which was packed full of boxes for the prisoners sent from Northern friends and not yet delivered. When Captain Place came away he says there were from 80 to 100 tons of these boxes still undelivered, for the Confederates were getting very suspicious of the boxes and examined them very carefully before delivering.

Behind Sentinels' Backs.

   From a window in the prison Captain Place could see man after man come out of the darkness of the shed after emerging from the tunnel mouth and walk for a little distance down the street under the glare of a gas lamp and then disappear around a corner. There were four sentinels pacing on short beats in the street in front of the prison. Instead of coming together anywhere at the end of a beat all faced in one direction and paced to the end of their beat and the beginning of the next man's beat, and then all faced about and paced to the other end of the beat. The prisoners watched the sentinels and came out into the light in every case when the sentinels had their faces turned and were marching in the other direction. And yet it seemed incredible to the anxious watchers in the prison windows that 110 men could get out and not one be seen. They were convinced that the guards did see and thought that the men they saw were their own comrades raiding the home boxes of the prisoners that were stored under that shed, and they wouldn't give them away or interfere with them.

"Man Here Tain't Here."

   But in the morning there was excitement. A Confederate named Ross was acting as clerk at the prison and came up twice each day to call the roll. His way of doing this was to have the men fall in by fours and count them. As fast as he counted along the files would break up without waiting for the other end of the line to be reached and the count completed. This morning Ross counted as usual till be came to the end and discovered a shortage. He couldn't understand it. Astonishment was written all over his face. "Fall in again," he shouted, "man here 'tain't here." That became a byword afterward in the prison, "Man here 'tain't here." He counted them four times over and without a word rushed down stairs. In a few minutes back he came again with Dick Turner, the civilian in charge of the prison. They counted them over several times and then hurriedly departed. And then there was a rushing about outside. Horses were quickly saddled, dogs were brought out and pursuing parties went out in every direction. And then for the next two or three days the boys came back again one or two at a time as they were recaptured, till about half of the 110 bad been returned to Libby. And after that everything was done on a much more strict plan about the prison.

   Colonel Place says that his health was good all the time he was in prison, except for the little attack of malaria, and that he was quite as well when he got out as when he went in. But he was glad enough to see the old flag again at City Point and to get back among his friends and he has never known months to be much longer than those eight months when he was a citizen in the Commonwealth O' Libby.

 

   The publishers of The Standard are frequently made aware by verbal comments and by letters received that the survivors of the One Hundred and Fifty-seventh regiment are following Captain Saxton's reminiscences with deep interest. Many are preserving them in scrapbooks, as this is doubtless the only history of this regiment that will ever be written and the only form in which it will ever appear. If these letters call to the minds of any of the comrades other incidents of those days which Captain Saxton has overlooked or has not known about we shall be very glad to publish them in connection with these letters if they are of sufficient interest and let them all be preserved together that the record be as complete as possible.

 

 

PROTESTS AT OTTAWA, GEN. CORBIN'S ADDRESS, ENTHUSIASM, DAVID HAREM, NEW PICTURES, TEACHERS' COUNCIL, AND CENTRAL TRADES ASSEMBLY

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, October 24, 1903.

PROTESTS AT OTTAWA.

Mr. Bourassa Criticizes Dividing of the Islands.

RAILWAY PROPOSED TO DAWSON.

Leader of Opposition Said Canada Should Have Withdrawn From Being a Party to the Treaty Last January. Premier Promises to Produce Correspondence Next Session.

   Ottawa, Ont., Oct. 24.—Mr. Bourassa, M. P., who started the debate in the house of commons on the Alaska boundary award, and who maintained that the decision of Lord Alverstone was correct and according to the true interpretation of the treaty of 1825 as far as the strip of land on the coast from Portland channel northward was concerned, concluded by stating that he disagreed with the decision of the majority in respect to the islands at the entrance of Portland channel.

   These islands, in the opinion of Mr. Bourassa, either belonged to Canada or the United States. They could not be divided. The fact that two were given to the United States and two to Canada showed that Lord Alverstone in the first instance acted in a judicial way and afterwards as a diplomat.

   Mr. Gourley of Colchester asked Mr. Bourassa if he had a brief from the United States, and Mr. Bourassa asked his loyal friend to keep down his disloyal feelings.

   Mr. MacPherson of Burrard, British Columbia, said that it was the duty of the government to build a railway from Kutimat on the Pacific harbor to Dawson City and leave the towns of Dyea and Skagway a monument to the selfishness and avarice of the United States.

   Mr. Borden, leader of the opposition, declared that Canada should have withdrawn from being a party to the treaty once they had seen the character of the tribunal. This was in January last. The government also should have insisted upon three Canadian commissioners. There ought also to have been an umpire.

   Sir Wilfrid Laurier in reply spoke with some feeling. He said that the position of Mr. Borden was somewhat severe on the chief justice of England. The premier was willing to wait to see the opinion of Lord Alverstone before deciding against him. In his own opinion Canada had a good case. But there were, no doubt, arguments on the other side. He was sorry that he could not lay all the correspondence before parliament, because the British government would not permit it; but next session he would do so, no matter what protest came from abroad.

   He also regretted that Canada had not treaty-making powers. More than once he viewed with regret having to live alongside a grasping and powerful nation like the United States, and suggested the building of an all-Canadian railway to the Yukon gold fields.

   In regard to the opposition members who advised the government's withdrawal after the king had ratified the treaty they should think seriously of what they meant. Suppose the United States would have placed the American flag over the disputed territory then Canada would have had to withdraw in shame or go to war,

   Mr. Gourley in ending up the Alaska boundary debate said that there was a secret understanding between Canada and Great Britain to sacrifice territory for imperial interests.

   Sir Wilfrid Laurier asked him how he arrived at this.

   Mr. Gourley said by a process of reasoning.

   Sir Wilfrid Laurier—Then your reasoning is false.

 

General Henry Clark Corbin.

GENERAL CORBIN'S ADDRESS.

Leaves Today to Assume Command of Department of the East.

   Washington, Oct. 24.—General Corbin, who leaves Washington today and assumes command of the department of the East on Monday, has issued an address to the officers and employees of the adjutant general's department, of which he has been chief for about six years.

   He speaks of coming into the office just in time to meet the responsibilities incident to a foreign war, and adds: "I was fortunate in having the aid of the best assistants and a most competent clerical force." He adds: "There is little glory even given the man behind the desk and yet, if his work is not well done, no army can be efficient. The man behind the desk in a sense enlists, pays, transports, mounts, arms, equips, feeds and provides surgical and medical treatment for the men behind the guns. That you with the other staff departments did your full share in this great work of creating the army that acquitted itself in the war with Spain with so much honor is now history."

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Enthusiasm Growing.

   As the days pass and Election Day draws near the confidence of the Republicans in the prospect of getting out a full vote grows, and the hopes of the Democrats are correspondingly on the wane. The latter had anticipated in the beginning to find dissentions in the Republican ranks, but their anticipations have fallen to the ground and, on the contrary, there have sprung up differences among themselves. The Republicans realize that this is no "off year" but a very important year in anticipation of the presidential campaign. They see that this is in reality not a local election, but a national election with David B. Hill managing the campaign for the opposition—and that one fact is enough to dispose of every bit of apathy and put vigor and enthusiasm in their work.

   And the results of registration, too, are encouraging. The only place where this can be exactly measured in advance is in this city where personal registration is required. In that Democratic stronghold, the Sixth ward, nearly the entire Republican vote is registered while the Democratic registry has fallen off in a way appalling to the Democratic leaders. There are marked Republican gains in the Third ward, and in the First ward the Democrats had hoped to gain votes, but the personal canvass of the voters shows that nearly all are in line eager for Nov. 3 and the chance to vole a straight ticket.

   And out in the several towns, too, conversations with representative men show that all, regardless of party, are coming out to vote against the canal proposition. And farmers generally are determined not to aid Tammany, in getting taxes removed from New York state and saddled back upon the up state districts. The important part which Mr. Dickerson has played as chairman of the committee on taxation and retrenchment, in getting the state tax removed, gives all additional confidence in him and adds to his strength. It is recognized, too, that he has not simply promised to do something, but he has done something without any promising in voting against the canal proposition last year and in trying to keep this great imposition from being placed upon the taxpayers.

 

Keator block, Homer, N. Y. Red brick building on left is Keator Opera House.

REPUBLICAN MEETING

To be Held at Keator Opera House, Homer, N. Y., Tuesday, Oct. 27.

   A Republican meeting will be held at Keator Opera House in Homer on Tuesday evening, Oct. 27, at 8 o'clock. The speakers will be County Judge J. E. Eggleston, State Comptroller Nathan L. Miller and Hon. Henry A. Dickinson. The issues of the campaign will be discussed. Every one is invited to attend.

 

"David Harum" Next Monday.

   "David Harum" comes to the Cortland Opera House next Monday night Oct. 26. To many readers of the book one of the very best things was the horse trade between David and the pious Deacon Perkins. There was humor in Westcott's description of this piece of business that caused hearty laughter, and it was enjoyed possibly as much as, if not more than, anything else in the book. In the play which was made from the book this horse trade is capitally shown. It comes early in the play, in fact, Harum makes his first appearance before the audience as he comes out of his barn after driving the bay "hoss," or attempting to drive it rather, on the river road. The deacon calls, brings the conversation around to David's new horse, and the shrewd old fellow has the animal brought out of the barn so the deacon can look him over. The scene is always productive of much laughter and is enjoyed presumably as much by David as by the audience, for the old fellow has been waiting to catch the deacon who once did him so brown that, to use his own expression, he was burned in places and you could smell smoke around him for some time.

 

New Story Pictures.

   In announcing the appearance of Morgan and Hoyt's Moving pictures at the Opera House next Thursday afternoon and evening special attention is called to the extraordinary features presented by Morgan and Hoyt alone. Among these are the new story pictures: Gems of Literature by Charles Dickens; Dean Swift; Hans C. Anderson; Daniel DeFoe; Cervantes and other authors are now pictured by the American vitagraph, every scene in each of the stories being reproduced replete with wonderful dissolving effects, tableaux and transformation scenes. This company is also the only one of its class carrying a Ladies' band and orchestra together with many other additional features. Prices, evening, 15, 25 and 35 cents. Matinee 10 and 25 cents. [Paid ad.]

 

Notice of the A. O. U. W.

   Cortland lodge, No. 351, A. O. U. W., will give a smoker at its lodge rooms Tuesday evening next at 8 o'clock, the regular lodge meeting being called at 7 o'clock. All members, suspended members and a few invited friends will be entertained. The other lodges of the county have been invited and some of the Grand Lodge officers will be in attendance to briefly explain the new rates.

 

TIOUGHNIOGA TEACHERS' COUNCIL

Holds a Well Attended and Interesting Session Today.

   The first fall meeting of the Tioughnioga Teachers' council was held in the Normal building today. The sessions were well attended and the program a most excellent one. After the rollcall [sic] at 10:15 this morning there was a business session which was followed by a paper on The Cultivation of the Power of Expression, by Miss M. M. Conway of Cortland. This was followed by a discussion by Miss M. F. Hendrick of Cortland and Miss Jessie L. Barnes of Cortland. Quite a number, including Prot. DeGarmo of Cornell took part in the general discussion which followed.

   Commissioner E. W. Childs of Homer gave an address on The Relation of Elementary to Secondary schools. The general discussion which followed closed the morning's program.

   At 2 o'clock this afternoon Prof. DeGarmo of Cornell university gave an address, his theme being, Apperception and Education.

 

CENTRAL TRADES ASSEMBLY

Organized In Cortland—New Officers Elected and Installed.

   The Central Trades and Labor assembly of Cortland met in Empire hall last night. Permanent officers were elected and installed by Organizer Thos. H. Wheaton of Syracuse as follows:

   President—Romeo Wheeler.

   First Vice-President—M. V. Lane.

   Second Vice-President—Wm. Lord.

   Recording and Corresponding Secretary—Wm. P. Kernan.

   Financial Secretary and Treasurer—Fred Anderson.

   Sergeant-at-Arms—Sperry Snow.

   Trustees—F. W. Lanigan, John J. Krebbs, Jas. M. Nash, Layton Cole, Emmett Grant, Marion E. Corwin, F. D. Decker.

   The charter which is issued by the American Federation of Labor was adopted. The assembly now embraces all the labor organizations in the city with the exception of the Bricklayers' union.

 

BREVITIES.

   —General Secretary Woolsey will again tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock have charge of the men's meeting at the Y. M. C. A. All men are invited.

   —The net receipts for the chicken pie supper given last evening by the Women's Home Missionary society of the First M. E. church amounted to $42.38.

   —The regular Saturday night sing for both ladies and gentlemen will occur at the Y. M. C. A. parlors at 7:30 o'clock tonight. These are proving very enjoyable. All men and women cordially invited.

   —A special car will leave the York hotel at 7:30 o'clock next Tuesday night for Homer. All who wish to go up to the anti-canal meeting can take this car and the transportation on it will be free.

   —The first snow of the season arrived last night and this morning the ground was white. But a peculiar feature of this autumn has been that up to the present time there has scarcely been a frost severe enough to kill vegetation.

   —The new display advertisements today are—Miss A. M. Eadie, Pianos, page 6; Peck Furniture Co., Furniture specials for one week, page 8; Opera House, Moving Pictures, page 5; Opera House, Grand Mandolin concert, page 5.

   —Richard E. Decker, formerly of Cortland, and a brother of A. H. Decker of this city, died at Conklin. Broome county, yesterday. His age was 61 years. The remains will be brought to Cortland tomorrow afternoon on the 4:30 train for burial.

   —Representatives of the Homer-ave. M. E. church will hold meetings at 7:30 o'clock each evening next week except Wednesday evening at the Calkins schoolhouse on the McLean road and at the gulf schoolhouse near the Kinney saw mill on the Summerhill road. All residing in the vicinity of either are invited to attend.