ONE HUNDRED DEAD BY FLOOD, GLOROUS FOURTH, PREVENTION OF FOREST FIRES, HARRIET HAMILTON, AND RED LETTER DAY

 

Curious people inspecting broken dam after the flood at Oakford Park.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, July 6, 1903.

100 DEATHS BY FLOOD.

Large Number of People Drowned by Bursting of Dam.

DISASTER AT AN OUTING PARK.

Heavy Rains and Cloudburst Weakened Dam of Lake and When It Broke Five Acres of Water Swept Down Upon the Pleasure Seekers, Houses and Cars Swept Away.

   Greensburg, Pa., July 6.—A water spout of immense proportions struck in the vicinity of Oakford park at 4 o'clock Sunday afternoon and created a flood that caused great loss of life and property.

   It is known that at least 20 persons lost their lives and rumors place the number of dead at more than 100, but up to a late hour only three or four bodies have been recovered, having been washed to the banks of the little creek that runs parallel with the park. The names of those known and believed to have been drowned are:

   Miss Gertrude Keefer, aged 19, of Jeanette.

   Edward O'Brien of Latrobe.

   Joseph Overly of Indianapolis.

   Lucy Crum of Jeanette.

   Councilman Light, wife and two children of Greensburg.

   At 3 o'clock rain began to fall in torrents in the vicinity of the park and spread over territory covering probably 10 miles.

Warned to Run to Hills.

   Half an hour later the cloudburst occurred. The waters in the lake north of Oakford park began to rise, and Manager James McGrath, believing there was danger of a final break in the great walls of the dam, hurried among the crowds of pleasure seekers who had gathered under the roofs of the eating stands, the dancing pavilion and other buildings and warned them to run to the hills.

   On both sides of the pleasure grounds are high hills, the park being located in a ravine about a quarter of a mile wide and a mile long. The people were loathe to leave their protection and not until Manager McGrath and his assistant Charles E. Thomas entered each building in turn and simply drove the crowds out into the rain did they realize that the managers were in earnest.

   The gathering flood meant the breaking of the wall that held five acres of water. Soon after the buildings had been cleared, the waters swept over the wall of the dam and in a moment a torrent of water was racing over the entire length of 400 feet of the dam.

   The park buildings, the merry-go-round and other amusement places were twisted about and all but the dancing pavilion and lunch stand were carried from their foundations.

   The rain continued to fall in torrents and it was not long before a great section of the wall gave way with a crash. The flood beat down the ravine with a roar that was heard for two miles.

   A half mile down at the junction of the Greensburg and Jeanette and the park car lines car barns are located [sic]. The entrance gates to the park were lifted and with the force of a pile driver the mammoth posts were hurled by the water against the barn.

   Beyond was located the small waiting room, and on the track was standing a car loaded with passengers on their way from Greensburg and Jeanette.

   The electric storm had rendered the power south of this place useless and the motorman was unable to move the car. The flood struck the waiting room, containing probably a dozen people. A number of them struggled to a point of safety, but it is believed that at least 10 persons were drowned. The street car was caught and swept into the creek.

Attempt to Rescue Two Women.

   Among those washed into the flood were C. M. McClain of Greensburg, Edward O'Brien and Joseph Overly and Misses Keefer and Crum. Young McClain is an expert swimmer and the cries for help from the two unknown women brought the young man to their side as they struggled in the water.

   He grabbed them about the waists and kept their heads above water as the three were carried in the direction of Jeanette by the raging torrent. He held to the women for more than a mile and then exhausted and ready to sink to his death he released his hold and the women sank. It was with the greatest difficulty that he managed to get ashore. The names of the women are not known.

   Standing on the platform near the waiting room were a man and his wife whose names have not been learned. When the flood came the husband escaped but the wife was carried away.

   Hundreds who at nightfall missed members of their families at supper time hastened with lanterns over the hills in search of their loved ones. Many of them were overjoyed to meet their relatives on their way home.

    Late at night many of those who were first reported missing turned up here.

   William Clinch, Jr., of this city barely escaped from the rush of water and was an eye witness to the awful disaster.

   His statement is as follows: "I was standing at the car barn at the time the warning was given. Two women came running down from the park and said that the dam had burst. I afterward learned that the dam broke at the upper end and at the lower end the water overflowed. The flood was headed by two immense timbers that came crashing down. The waiting room where people board the street cars was full of women and children. Scarcely any of these escaped.

   A telephone message from Jeanette says from 50 to 75 men, women and children perished by the cloudburst at Oakford park. The majority were drowned or swept to death against the rocks in Brush creek, but a number were electrocuted. At least 800 persons were at the park seeking relief from the heat.

   Mrs. Levi Baker was ill in bed when the flood came and was unable to move when the warning was given. She was caught and was drowned. John McGuskey, aged 40, was drowned. George Williams, aged 35, was drowned, but his wife was saved. Alex Victor was hurled against a tree by the torrent and was so badly injured that he died. The Nigga family consisting of the mother and seven children was caught in the flood and the mother and four of the little ones perished.

 

Cortland Traction Park.

GLORIOUS FOURTH

Celebrated in Cortland in Remarkably Fine Style.

BIG NOISE ALL FRIDAY NIGHT.

Big Bonfire—Common Crackers and Bombs With Blowing of Horns Render Night Hideous—False Alarm of Fire—Parade of Firemen—Genuine Fire in the Afternoon—Fire Works in the Evening.

   The Fourth of July was celebrated in Cortland in a way long to be remembered. A leading feature was the number of accidents that proceeded from the premature explosion of fireworks. This was especially marked during Friday night. One physician was kept busy till 3 o'clock in the morning caring for the patients that came to him.

   Night was rendered hideous in the most approved fashion. Horns were blown, fire crackers cracked, bombs boomed and skyrockets shrieked nearly all night long. There was a big bonfire on the corner of Church and Court-sts. near the soldiers' monument. Barrels and boxes were dragged from every conceivable place and everything that was not nailed down was carted off and burned up.

   Just before midnight there was an alarm of fire from South Main-st. and the fire department responded promptly. It proved to be a false alarm, and later on two boys paid fines of $10 each for interfering with the alarm system when there was no fire.

   During the forenoon the firemen made a fine parade. All the companies headed by the City band marched down to the Trout park where Orris Hose Co. held its picnic. There was a great crowd there and plenty of sports of various kinds. Fireworks in the evening crowned the effort. The firemen were called away rather unceremoniously during the afternoon to respond to a genuine alarm of fire on Pendleton-st.

   The [Cortland Traction] park did the second best day's business in its history. It falls behind the day of the Ithaca band two years ago, but aside from that it was a leader. Over 13,000 people were carried on the line at some time during the day. The City band gave two fine concerts—programs that must have made every resident of the city proud of its band. There was no exception to be taken to its playing along any line. The dance hall was crowded all day. But the crowd was handled in an easy fashion and the last car left the park for the city at 12:10.

   One conductor was heard to remark to an associate in the crowd: "We are in for an all night's job. I didn't suppose there was so many people in Cortland as we have carried up to the park this afternoon. We can't get them all home in two weeks." But he did though.

   The fireworks formed a very satisfactory closing to the evening. The side hill above was seated thick with people, and the selection of pieces was a very happy one. All were enthusiastic in praise of the display.

   The day, so far as weather was concerned, was ideal. Not a cloud, and not excessively hot.

 

MOVING PICTURES

Weekly Change of Moving Pictures at the Park.

   Arrangements have been made with the Edison company to furnish 1,000 feet of moving pictures film each week to be exhibited at the Cortland park. There will be an entire change of subjects each week and the newest and latest pictures will be shown as they come out. This insures a great variety of pictures all of which will be shown at the park for the first time in Cortland. Among the pictures that will be shown during the season are the Passion Play, Coronation Parade, various illusions, etc. These will be put on as to give as varied an entertainment as possible

   No charge of admission will be made to the park to witness these exhibitions. Quick and ample service to and from the park will be inaugurated during the evenings when the moving pictures are shown.

   The pictures will be shown for the first time tomorrow evening, July 7.

 

STOLEN FROM CEMETERY

Depredations of Various Kinds Being Carried on There.

   Superintendent Gallagher of the Cortland Rural cemetery informs us that numerous articles, such as ribbons, vases, plants, flowers, etc., have of late been stolen from the cemetery. The latest is the theft of a fine bulb-shaped blue vase from the burial lot of G. J. Mager. Its contents were deposited in front of the monument and the vase removed. This was done last week, and if the person who has taken it will return it to the place where taken from, no questions will be asked or action commenced.

 

T. D. DAVIS

Now in Homer to Build the New Passenger Station.

   T. D. Davis of New York City, who had charge of the construction of the new Lackawanna station at Cortland, is in Homer to superintend the erection of the new passenger station in that village. Since completing the Cortland station Mr. Davis has had charge of building a fine new station at Norwich, Ń. Y., and has been engaged on extensive bridge repairs in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Plans to Prevent Forest Fires.

   It is gratifying to note in connection with the recent destructive forest fires in the Adirondacks and in Maine that the bureau of forestry of the department of agriculture has been making a careful study of such fires and the methods of fighting them. This investigation differed from former efforts in this direction in that the fire data were obtained during the progress of the conflagrations instead of after they had run their course. Special agents were in the field in various parts of the country watching the movement of the fires and the methods of fighting them by state employees, the employees of corporations and the people living in the affected districts. Attention was also given to the causes, the rapidity of the fire, what natural conditions favor or hinder the progress of the flames and what damage is done to the soil and the tree growth.

   Undoubtedly a vast amount of useful information has been thus acquired, the publication of which will serve an important end. It is hoped that it may be the means of preventing the recurrence of such great destruction as has lately occurred in the forests of Maine and northern New York.

   How to prevent forest fires is a difficult problem, but it should be possible to stop in considerable measure the annual destruction of the forests by fire, which is estimated at from $25,000,000 to $50,000,000 a year in the country at large. The total loss this year will probably greatly exceed the latter figures.

 

MISS HARRIET A. HAMILTON.

Death of a Cortland Normal School Teacher at Ithaca on Saturday.

   Word was received in Cortland Saturday of the death at about 2 o'clock that afternoon at the home of her sister, Mrs. John Winslow at Ithaca, of Miss Harriet A. Hamilton, for the past eight years a [History, English and Civics] teacher in the Cortland Normal school. The funeral was held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the home of Mrs. Winslow. Her age was 56 years.

   Miss Hamilton had two very severe attacks of grip during the past winter and never fully recovered from these, though she was able to continue her teaching till May 29. On the following day she went to Syracuse for medical consultation when it appeared that she had Bright's disease, as an after result of the grip. She came back to Cortland, but on June 2 was so much worse that she returned to Syracuse to the House of the Good Shepherd hospital. The attack was acute and her decline was rapid. On June 11 it was said that nothing more could be done for her, and she expressed a great desire to get back to the home of her sister at Ithaca. It was feared that she could not survive the journey, but it was accomplished successfully. Several times within the next few days she had sinking spells and the end was believed to be near. But each time she rallied. Her vitality was strong and under skillful treatment it seemed that the disease was yielding to medicine. Within the last few days, however, her heart showed signs of weakness, and Saturday morning at 4 o'clock there was a decided sinking spell. She retained consciousness, however, till fifteen minutes before the end, then passed quietly away.

   Miss Hamilton was one of the most beloved of all the teachers who have ever been in this school. Of the highest of culture, of the greatest refinement, with one of the warmest of hearts and possessed of the deepest of sympathy for every student, she was a favorite with all with whom she came in contact. She was esteemed and respected for her genuine worth and beloved for her personal qualities. While upon the bed of illness, knowing that the end was near, she sent to the recent graduating class a message of cheer and of love and expressed her regrets that she could not be with them upon that glad day.

   She was a graduate of Cazenovia seminary and had held positions as a teacher in some of the best institutions of learning. For several years she was a teacher in the Mansfield, Pa., Normal school, for several years more in Mount Holyoke seminary and college at South Hadley, Mass., and now for the past eight years in the Cortland Normal. Quiet in manner but fascinating in conversation and with a wide knowledge of many subjects she was always the center of an interested group in whatever company she found herself. She was a constant attendant of Grace Episcopal church in this city.

   A number of the Normal teachers who are still in this vicinity attended the funeral at Ithaca today.

 

William R. George.

RED LETTER DAYS.

George Junior Republic's Big Celebration This Week.

   The last three days of this week will mark an important epoch in the annals of the George Junior Republic at Freeville. On Friday the eighth anniversary will be celebrated. It will be founder's day and the founder will be present. The morning will be devoted to a reception of visitors. Many are expected from the larger cities and there will be special cars for the Boston and the New York visitors. In the afternoon a concert will be given by the famous Ithaca band. In the evening there will be a George Junior concert, a bonfire and fireworks.

   Saturday morning the board of trustees will hold a meeting, followed by an inspection of the Republic. In the afternoon a game of baseball between the citizens and the graduates will make things lively. In the evening parlor theatricals will be given in Lyceum hall in the village of Freeville.

   Sunday will be known as dedication day. At 10:30 a. m. the assembly will form and the procession will march across the campus to the new chapel which will be dedicated with impressive ceremonies. Bishop Potter of New York will preach the dedicatory sermon. W. R. George, the founder, will make an address. The first communion service will be held in the chapel.

 

BREVITIES.

   —There were 193 students at Cazenovia seminary during this past year,

   —A regular meeting of the Women's Relief Corps will be held at 3 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.

   —Governor Odell bas promised to speak at the Seneca county fair at Waterloo the last week in August.

   —Fifteen new free delivery routes have just been added to the service in Oneida county, making fifty-one in all.

   — "Romeo and Juliet" will be produced at the Opera House by the Simvelle company next Monday night, July 13.

   —The regular meeting of the Church Protective union will be held at their rooms tomorrow night at 8 o'clock.

   —Six fire companies from Ithaca expect to attend the Central New York Firemen's convention at Homer the first week in August.

   —The new display advertisements today are—G. H. Wiltsie, Drygoods, etc., page 5; L. & K. Freeman, Clearance sale of millinery, page 8; Warren, Tanner & Co, Carpet sales, page 6.

 

WAR REMINISCENCES CHAPTER 25

 

Captain William Saxton, Company C, 157th Regiment, New York Volunteers.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 3, 1903.

WAR REMINISCENCES.

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

MORE ABOUT CHANCELLORSVILLE.

Hooker Leaves a Door Wide Open—Union Army Wholly Unprepared for Attack on the Flank—Washing and Cooking in Progress When Confederates Came Out of the Wood—Union Army Retreats.

CHAPTER 25.

   To the Editor of The Standard:

   Sir—Some time in the forenoon after Gen. Birney had reported the moving column passing in his front, Gen. Sickles took ą battery and some infantry supports, and went south to the higher ground of Hazel grove and shelled the Confederates off the Furnace road farther south. The only effect it had on Jackson's column was to cause it to deflect still farther to the south on parallel roads, but it kept moving on west. Some prisoners were captured and Sickles reported to Hooker that the Confederate army was in full retreat toward Gordonsville. In the afternoon Gen. Sickles persuaded Hooker to let him take Gen. Birney's and Whipple's divisions of the Third Corps and Gen. Williams' [division] of the Twelfth Corps and go south to the Furnace and capture some prisoners. Hooker granted permission with instructions to reconnoiter only and not bring on a general engagement. Sickles was delayed by having to bridge some small streams and corduroy some swampy roads, but he moved Birney's division to the Furnace and reported the Confederates were in full retreat. He then asked Hooker to allow him to go still farther south and strike a great blow and cut the retreating column in two. He also asked for Barlow's reserve brigade of Steinwehr's division of the Eleventh Corps. This Hooker allowed him to have and now instructed him to attack vigorously. Sickles moved Birney south to the unfinished railroad at Wolfort's farm and capture the Twenty-third Georgia regiment, Jackson's ammunition train and wagon guard, but it was too late to strike Jackson. He had passed by and at this very moment was massing on the right and rear of Howard's depleted Eleventh Corps.

The Door Stood Open.

   The position of Sickles at 5 p. m. with his 20,000 men was this: Birney's division extended south from the Furnace to Wolfort's farm. Whipple's was extended north from the Furnace to the road leading from Hazel grove to Furnace. Williams extended from the east of this road to the east of Hazel grove, while Barlow's brigade was in the woods a mile west of Birney, vainly striving to connect with him. Hooker bad sent Gen. Pleasanton with his cavalry, also Maj. J. F. Huntington, division chief of artillery, with his cannons to occupy the high ground of Hazel grove as a support to Sickles. From Wolfort's, the flank of Birney's division to Chancellorsville is at least 3 miles.

   Sickles' unfortunate move was like the swinging open of a great barn door. He had with him about 20,000 men. It left a gap in Hooker's main line between the Eleventh and Twelfth Corps of nearly a mile, and there were no reserve troops now on the east of the diminished Eleventh Corps till you came to Berry's reserve division of Sickles' Corps north of the Chancellor house in rear of Couch's Second Corps facing east 3 miles from the right of the Eleventh Corps.

The Enemy's Position.

   I want you to get these facts thoroughly fixed in your mind because momentous events are about to occur on the right of the isolated Eleventh Corps, diminished to about 10,000 men.

   Jackson had marched clear across the right front of the Union army nearly to the Wilderness tavern on the turnpike that runs from Germania ford through Chancellorsville to Fredericksburg. He then turned north and arranged his seventy regiments in three lines of battle on both sides of the pike, west of Lucket's farm and moved east about a mile in the thick woods. (Lucket's farm is a mile west of Talley's.)

   His first line was commanded by Gen. Rodes, whose frontage was about 2 miles long and consisted of some twenty regiments that extended more than a mile north of the pike to the right and rear of the Eleventh Corps. His second line was commanded by Gen. Colston, about one hundred yards in the rear of Rodes' and extended farther north. Colston also had about twenty regiments.

   Jackson's third line was commanded by Gen. A. P. Hill and had twenty-eight regiments and was arranged in the rear, part in line and part on the pike, ready to be used as circumstances might require. The whole force was advanced so that Rodes' first line was within half a mile of Von Gilsa's right and had arrived as early as 3 p. m., and had two good long hours for rest. Most of Jackson's artillery was massed along the turnpike or on Lucket's farm. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry was arranged across the Plank road south that comes into the pike at Dowdall's within a mile of Gen. Howard's headquarters. This was supported by Paxton's brigade of infantry. Detachment of Confederate cavalry had all the forenoon and later as the move progressed, kept between Jackson's line of march and the Union army. They were continually coming out of the woods, within range of the pickets as Jackson moved west. At 3 p. m. Jackson sent this dispatch to Lee: "The enemy has made a stand at Chancellor's (Melzi Chancellor's, Dowdall's), about 2 miles west of Chancellorsville. I hope to attack as soon as possible. P. S. The leading division is up and the next two appear well closed."

Union Army Unprepared.

   So early at noon, Jackson himself had arrived at the Burton farm on the Plank road about 2 miles south of Talley's. There he met Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, who took him to the top of a knoll, which gave him a pretty good view of the Eleventh Corps at Talley's, Dowdall's and Hawkins' farms except Von Gilsa's brigade on the right in the woods. This brigade was subsequently discovered by some enterprising cavalry.

   Fitzhugh Lee says when he first climbed this hill: "What a sight presented itself before me! Below but a few hundred yards distant, ran the Federal line of battle. I was in the rear of Howard's right. There were long lines of stacked arms, the soldiers were in groups in the rear, laughing, chatting, smoking, feeling perfectly safe and confident awaiting orders. In the rear of them were other parties of men driving and butchering beeves. I rode rapidly back and met Jackson and brought him there to view the scene."

   Jackson first intended to attack the Eleventh Corps from the plank road and strike it at Dowdall's, but changed his mind after the inspection. He marched farther west to the turnpike, and arranged his forces as before described.

   His troops had marched some 15 miles, but they had a rest from one to three hours. Along the Confederate front they threw out chosen skirmishers and all rested for the signal for the attack to come.

The Eleventh Corps.

   Let us see what we were doing in our part of the Eleventh Corps. In the first place we were all facing south except the two extreme right regiments. The guns were stacked and the men strolling around or lying down in the rear within easy call, some were getting supper, seemingly as secure as though there were no enemy in many miles. Some of our boys were upon a knoll by the pike looking in the direction of Hazel grove.

Captain Place Out Washing.

   I remember that Captain Place had brought some red wool shirts with him when he came back from leave of absence, and as we lay by a little brook, had improved the opportunity to wash one. He had it hung on the bushes to dry; others had washed different articles, and the bushes presented a mottled array of soldiers' clothes. When the crash came there was not time to collect these things, and some Johnny Reb was made correspondingly happy.

   Some beeves had been killed and Comrade William Chappel had been taking observations and secured a nice steak. This he was frying in his little frying pan over a small fire. When the enemy struck us he could not think of abandoning his prize, so he caught up the frying pan from the fire and thrust it and all its contents into his haversack and fell in with the rest of the company.

   He has since told me that he never had anything taste so good to him as did that bit of fresh meat the next day as he hobbled back toward U. S. ford wounded.

   The two right regiments of Von Gilsa's that were facing west, the One Hundred and Fifty-third Pa. (nine months' men) and the Fifty-fourth N. Y., were small regiments, both together not numbering over 700 or 800 men. The One Hundred and Fifty-third Pa. was a little in advance of the Fifty-fourth N. Y., which last was extended in one line obliquely to the right and rear of the One Hundred and Fifty-third, the men being three or four feet apart. They had slashed some brush around and in front of them. Their nearest support was a quarter of a mile away in double column facing south. There were no pickets at all on the north. The other regiments extended along the pike east looking south with no works worth speaking of. The whole attention seemed taken up with Sickles' move south to the Furnace and Wolfort's.

The Confederate Attack.

   "Are you ready, General Rodes?" said Gen. Jackson, as they sat on their horses at the Lucket farm at 5 o'clock on the eventful day of Saturday, May 2, 1863. "Yes sir," said Rodes, impatient for the advance. "You can go forward then," said Jackson. The headquarters bugle sounded out long and clear and before its echoes had died away the sound was taken up all along the lines. The skirmishers sprang to their feet refreshed by their long rest and started forward followed by the long lines. They were halted as though to get their breath. At 5:15 they started again and the woods rang out with the yell, the rebel yell, from 30,000 throats. The Confederate line was formed obliquely across the pike so their left extended to the rear of the Union army.

Union Army Surprised.

    The pickets in front of the One Hundred and Fifty-third and Fifty-fourth New York fell back firing as they went. A part of Stuart's horse artillery galloped down the pike to the skirmish line and fired, raking it, some of the balls reaching to the Talley house, where Division Gen. Devans was lying down resting from a hurt he had received the day before by his horse jamming him against a tree. Brigade Gen. McLean had his headquarters here also. Gen. Devans had been in command of the divisions only eight days. The division had been formerly under the command of Gen. McLean, and Col. Lee of the Fifty-fifth Ohio had commanded the brigade. A day or two before we started on the campaign, Gen. Howard had chosen Devans for the place and had ordered him to take command, sending McLean back to his brigade and Col. Lee to his regiment. Col. Lee of the Fifty-fifth Ohio of McLean's brigade, afterwards the lieutenant-governor of that state, had his regiment drawn up in line on the pike just west of the Talley house connecting with Von Gilsa's two regiments. He rode to Von Gilsa and found him ready to cover the attack from the front, not anticipating one from the rear. He then rode rapidly back to the Talley house and found Devans and McLean mounted, but undecided what to do. He asked them for permission to change the front of his regiment to the west. Devans did not answer. "Not yet," was the reply from McLean, and he returned to his post.

   Von Gilsa's two regiments on the pike facing south, finding themselves raked in the rear by artillery and musketry, began falling back down the pike. About 300 of them rushed across to the north side and formed in rear of the One Hundred and Fifty-third Pennsylvania and Fifty-fourth New York, and with this small force of perhaps 1,000 men, Von Gilsa presented the only front to meet Jackson's rapidly advancing army.

Union Guns Abandoned.

   Col. Lee again rode to Devans and again asked permission to change the front of his regiment, as they were suffering from the fire in their rear. To this request no reply was given, but he was dismissed with a wave of the hand. Von Gilsa had two pieces of artillery up the pike on his front as picket. After firing a few times their horses were shot down by the Confederates and the guns were abandoned. Von Gilsa's small line fired three volleys, checking Rode's first line in their front, inflicting some punishment. The second line coming up poured in a volley, and Von Gilsa was forced to retire. While Von Gilsa was holding in check the center of the enemy, the flanks kept moving around him, their lines assuming the form of an irregular half circle; the left hook swinging around to Von Gilsa's rear, and he being enveloped from three sides, gave the order to fall back, losing his two staff officers, shot down while he was giving the command.

   Von Gilsa's brigade lost in twenty minutes 133 killed and wounded.

   W. S.

 

N. Y. S. TEACHERS, TRAGEDY AT LE ROY, KILLING DAUGHTER'S CHILD, PASSING OF AN INSTITUTION, SEA LION, AND ORRIS HOSE CELEBRATION

 

Dr. James J. Walsh.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 3, 1903.

NEW YORK STATE TEACHERS.

Officers of the Association Elected at the Annual Meeting.

   Plattsburgh, N. Y„ July 3.—The following officers were elected at the annual election of the New York State Teachers' association at Cliff Haven:

   President, James M. Edsam of Brooklyn; vice presidents, Hugo Newman of New York city, George A Watrous of Utica, Miss Myra Ingalls of Hartford, N. Y., and Miss Margaret O'Connell of New York; secretary Richard A. Searring of Rochester; assistant secretary, Bryan J. Reilly of Brooklyn; treasurer, W. H. Benedict of Elmira; assistant treasurer, John C. Chase of Saratoga; transportation agent, James McInniss of New York; superintendent of exhibits, F. E. Boynton of Ithaca; assistant superintendent, James A. Estee of Gloversville; executive committee—terms expire 1904—George H. Wallen of Rochester, John T. Nicholson of New York; 1905—Henry P. Emerson of Buffalo and Abram F. Nischlowitz of Brooklyn; 1906—Thomas R. Kneił of Saratoga John P. Conroy of New York.

   Addresses were made by James L. Hughes of Toronto, Canada; Dr. James J. Walsh of New York city and Helen C. Putnam of Providence, R. I.

 

TRAGEDY AT LE ROY.

Mrs. Baxter Hanged Herself and Her Two Children.

FOUND BY HUSBAND IN ATTIC.

Frenzied Woman Had Carried the Two Children Up a Ladder to the Attic and Tied Them and Herself to the Rafters—Thought to Have Used Chloroform.

   Rochester, N. Y., July 3.—A horrible tragedy occurred last evening in the village of LeRoy when Mrs. William Baxter hung herself and two children, Goodson, aged 8 years, and Gladys, aged 3.

   When her husband returned to the house at 6 o'clock he could not get in. He waited for some time, then broke in a window and searched the house. In an unfinished attic over the kitchen, reached by a ladder, the horrible spectacle met his eyes.

   Hanging side by side from the rafters were his wife and the two children. The frenzied woman had used a clothes line, and must have administered chloroform to the children before attempting to hang them, as none of the neighbors heard an outcry.

   Mr. Baxter stated that he came home about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and found one of the children crying. Asking what was the matter the child replied that his mother had given him something to smell of and it hurt his nose. The mother passed it off with some remark in explanation, and the father was unsuspicious.

   Several people, who had called during the morning and talked with Mrs. Baxter had noticed nothing unusual in her actions. The family is well known and highly thought of in Leroy. Mrs. Baxter was 38 years old and has been devoted to her family.

   It is stated that Wednesday evening Mrs. Baxter handed her husband a bottle of wine to drink. He took some of it and was so sick next morning that he had to consult a physician. That the wine was drugged or poisoned seems probable. The contents remaining will be analyzed.

   From indication the woman must have carried the children up the ladder, one at a time. The room was so low that the boy's feet nearly touched the floor.

 

Charged With Killing Daughter's Child.

   Binghamton, N. Y., July 3.—Mrs. William Cairnes was last night arrested at Owego on the charge of murder in the first degree. She is accused of murdering the infant child of her daughter, Mrs. Fred Brooks, soon after it was born. Mrs. Fannie Brooks, the nurse who attended Mrs. Fred Brooks, made an affidavit in which she says that the mother and grandmother tried to get her to kill the babe, and when she refused to do it she says she saw the grandmother chloroform it. The infant was burled Wednesday, but after the nurse told her story Coroner Bauer had the body exhumed and made an autopsy, which corroborated the nurse's charges as to the cause of death.

 

Theodore Roosevelt.

Opening of Pacific Cable.

   Oyster Bay, N. Y., July 3.—Arrangements were completed for the opening of the Pacific cable on the morning of the Fourth of July. President Roosevelt will send a message to Governor Taft in the Philippines and receive a reply thereto. He also will send a message to Mr. Mackey which will encircle the world in its transmission.

 

James B. Pond.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

The Passing of an Institution.

   With the death of Major J. B. Pond there passes away both a man and an institution. The man was widely known by reason of his intimate relations with fatuous men and women of nearly every walk of life and nationality. The institution was the lecture platform as a characteristic feature of American life. There will of course continue to be lectures and lecturers, and the man who has interviewed the Grand Lama or discovered the north pole will always command a hearing, but the lecture bureau as a great, systematized national institution of popular instruction and entertainment has passed away with the death of the man who was its chief and only promoter of note.

   Taking advantage of the staid and academic lecture lyceum of New England origin and inspiration—the institution which took Emerson. Thoreau and Alcott as lecturers because it believed they "deserved encouragement"--Major Pond enlarged upon it, making it a popular institution throughout the country. By its means the people everywhere were brought into immediate contact with the highest and deepest minds of the day. Villages of 3,000 or 4,000 inhabitants were visited every year by men of every variety of mental type—Emerson, Beecher, Phillips, Garrison, Gough, Murray. Chapin, Talmage, Mark Twain, Bill Nye, James Whitcomb Riley—everybody, in fact, who had anything to say and could say it well. It is quite true that Major Pond cared little about the actual merit of the people he "starred" and was accused, not without some reason, of exploiting mere notoriety—even popular freaks were not below his consideration—yet he was at least honest in recognizing the fact that the crowd always did pay money to see and hear lecturers and singers because they were interested in personalities and not for the sake of being instructed or edified. If, incidentally, the public was instructed and edified, so much the better. Thus he brought out Ann Eliza Young and Ian Maclaren and Ellen Stone and Henry Ward Beecher with equal impartiality. He gave everybody a chance, so far as he could, to see and hear his favorite hero and heroine. In this he was an educator and entertainer whose services to the public were on the whole highly beneficial.

 

FOLLOWING THE SEA LION.

Now Taking the Other One Down to Allure Her Mate.

   The Binghamton Republican of this morning says:

   Nelson Pike, keeper of the animals at the park in Cortland, from which the sea lion escaped about three weeks ago, and an assistant were in this city yesterday afternoon for a short time with the escaped animal's mate. They are taking the female lion to Meshoppen, Pa., where the male is dodging the attempts of a large crowd to capture him in the Susquehanna river. They think that as soon as the male sees his mate he will come out of the water and allow himself to be captured.

   N. E. Overfield of Meshoppen, Pa., who was in the city yesterday, told about the efforts made to capture the sea lion.

   On Wednesday afternoon the lion was seen in a large eddy about half a mile above Meshoppen, and he remained there all night and was still there when Mr. Overfield left home yesterday morning. Many efforts are being made to capture the animal, but he seems to have great sport with his pursuers. On Wednesday night at least 150 people took part in the aquatic chase. All of the boats that could be pressed into service were used.

   The lion would permit a boat to get within a few feet of him when he would dive, swim under the boat, and the next that would be seen of him he would come to the surface of the water several hundred yards from the boats.

   When Mr. Overfield came past the eddy yesterday morning on the train quite a crowd was still on the bank watching the animal, while three boats were being used to try to capture him.

   His pursuers were beginning to think that the only way in which the animal could be captured would be to shoot him.

   Two men did shoot at him at Laceyville, and one of them thought he wounded him, for at the shot the lion turned over in the water.

   It is evident that he was not badly wounded from the activity that he displays in eluding his would-be captors at Meshoppen.

 

Sig. Sautelle.

SAUTELLE'S CIRCUS

Gets into a Breeze and the Big Tent Comes Down—Many Injured.

   Machias, Me., July 3.— Nearly 300 persons were seriously injured yesterday afternoon by the collapse of Sautelle's circus tent. When the performance was about half over, a strong gust of wind flattened out the animal tent and immediately afterward the big show tent came crashing down on the 2,500 spectators. Pandemonium reigned for a time but a number of men slashed the sides of the tent with knives, thus affording a hundred exits which enabled the people to escape. Miss Lottie Clark and James Clement are probably fatally hurt. About fifty others were more or less seriously hurt and perhaps 250 slightly injured. None of the animals escaped, with the exception of one elephant which pulled up his stake and got away, but he was soon recaptured.

 

AN INTERESTING TALK

By D. F. Wallace on the Holy Land—Continued Next Week.

   D. F. Wallace, by request, spoke at the mid-week prayer meeting of the Presbyterian church last night upon some features of his recent trip to the Holy Land. There was a very large audience, the prayer meeting room being almost full. Among the company were a number of representatives of other churches who had come to hear this talk. Mr. Wallace's words were of absorbing interest and when it came to be time for dismissal he had not covered half of the trip. The request was made at once that the subject be continued next Thursday, and since the wish to hear more was so unanimous Mr. Wallace consented and will speak next week of the horseback ride south from Nazareth through Samaria to Shechem and Jerusalem. A large number of photographs taken upon the trip held the attendance of many for a long time after the meeting.

 

FOURTH AT PREBLE LAKE.

Hon. and Mrs. D. W. Van Hoesen to Entertain the Whist Club.

    Hon. and Mrs. D. W. Van Hoesen expect to entertain the twenty-four members of the Cortland Whist club and a few invited guests at their cottage on Preble lake on the Fourth of July. They expect to drive up in private conveyances during the forenoon and will have a fish dinner. Mr. Van Hoesen has promised to catch the fish. One of the members says he knows the fisherman will secure some bullheads and perhaps a few suckers, just to show the variety of fish that are in the lake. Fireworks will cut a large figure in the evening. 

 

NEW LAW FOR BARBERS.

Must File Affidavits Telling Their Experience in Business.

   A new law is now in force for barbers. All barbers, excepting the ones now in business, must in the future pass an examination before a state commission of barbers before being permitted to engage in business, and all barbers, including those now in business, must within three months from May 15, 1903, file an affidavit with the secretary of the state barbers board setting forth his or her name, place of business, postoffice address, and pay to the treasurer $1 for the certificate to be issued by the board.

   So far as known, P. J. Peckham and his employees are the only barbers in Cortland who have already complied with the provisions of this law. Their affidavits went yesterday.

 

THE ORRIS CELEBRATION.

Other Fire Companies to Join and Help it Along.

   Tomorrow promises to be firemen's day in Cortland, and perhaps a forerunner of the big celebration of the Central New York association to be held in Homer in August. The movement set on foot by Orris Hose Co. has borne fruit and, as previously stated the other companies of the local department have joined in it. There will be a big parade at 11 o'clock in which the entire fire departments of Cortland, Homer, Marathon and McGraw will participate, and perhaps companies from some other places.

   In the afternoon there will be various kinds of attractions at the [Floral] Trout park, including races and sports of different varieties.

   In the evening there will be fireworks and the following set pieces have been secured:

   "Welcome" in letters of fire.

   Mammoth fire wheel.

   Beautiful fire tropical sun.

   The pyramid of fire.

   The wonderful moving lady.

   Niagara Falls in a blaze 35 feet long and 20 feet high.

   A great American eagle.

   Electric fountain.

   Tree of Hope.

   A novelty piece.

   Dozens of colored bombs.

   Japanese bomb shells.

   Fire balloons.

   George Washington in fire.

   Fire engine and horses.

   "Good Night" in letters of fire and many other specialties.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Tomorrow will be the Fourth of July and no paper will be published from this office.

   —The Western Union Telegraph office will be closed from 12 to 5 o'clock tomorrow. Otherwise it will be open as usual.

   —The chapter of Fourth of July accidents has begun. A small boy in Binghamton lost an eye yesterday by the premature explosion of a giant firecracker.

   —New display advertisements today are—C. F. Brown, Closed July 4 from 12 to 5, page 5; F. E. Brogden, Velvet freeze today, page 4.