Sig. Sautelle, Weather and DeRuyter Reservoir History

Sig. Sautelle's Circus Wagon

 

 

Transcribed from Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, December 20, 1899.

 

 

POSSIBLE REAL ESTATE CHANGE.

Sig. Sautelle Erecting a Fine Barn and Running an Excellent Hotel.

   Sig. Sautelle, the well-known showman of DeRuyter has the lumber on the ground for the erection of a large barn, 40 by 80 feet, on a farm recently purchased by him just east of that village. The barn is being built to shelter a large number of the fine circus horses owned by the popular showman who has his winter quarters in that village. Mr. Sautelle is also proprietor of one of the handsomest and best equipped hotels in central New York which is located at DeRuyter. The rooms are all finished and furnished in up-to-date style and are heated by hot air and steam and no pains are spared for the entertainment and comfort of guests. There is a widespread rumor afloat in the northern part of the county and in DeRuyter that Mr. Sautelle is making an effort to exchange a certain parcel of real estate in the village of DeRuyter with parties in Cortland for a fine piece of property here. The deal has not been consummated as yet, but if the report proves to be true valuable property in both villages will change hands.

 

 

Hotel Windsor, DeRuyter, N.Y.
 

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 10, 1903.

Sig Sautelle Sued.

For Damages Because Wind Blew Down His Tent.

THE CLAIMS AMOUNT TO $38,000.

Seventeen Plaintiffs Asking Damage from $130 to $5,000 Each—Deputy Sheriff

Appointed as Keeper of the Show Till Bond Can be Executed—Sig will Fight the Suits—Claims Wind Was so Strong it Was Beyond all Power to Prevent the Accident.

   The blowing down of Sig. Sautelle's tent in Machias, Me., on July 2 last as detailed in these dispatches at the time promises to make a host of trouble for the Cortland showman.

   On Wednesday at Calais, not far from Bangor, attachments aggregating about $38,000 were put on the personal property, tents and animals of Sautelle's circus by the sheriff on actions brought by seventeen persons who were injured by the collapse of the tent at Machias. The following plaintiffs and amounts for which each has brought suit are: Grace White, Emery Maynard, Catherine D. 0'Donnell, Teressa 0'Donnell, James Clement, $5,000 each; Hannah Thurlough, Edward Pearl $2,000 each; Grant Scott, Nellie Hoyt, Annie Donovan, $1,000 each; Lena Nash, Lottie Clark, Nellie Rafter, $500; Susie Crowley, Nellie Mollar, $200; Elmer Bryan, Harriet Parker $100.

   By arrangement, Sheriff Tarbox put in as keeper of the attached property Deputy Sheriff George W. Ross, who will accompany the circus on its tour until the required bond is secured from a surety company.

   The proprietors of the circus deny all liability, claiming that the wind storm that caused the tent to collapse came so suddenly upon them that the accident could not be avoided by any means in their power. They say the tent was made especially for use in the West and is what is called a windproof tent, and that all necessary precautions for the safety of the people who were present had been taken. After the accident they did everything possible for the relief and care of the injured and there their duty ceased.

   The velocity of the wind at the time of the accident jumped from eight miles to forty miles an hour in almost an instant, and this they say, could not be foreseen by them and comes under that class of cases under which they would not be liable. They express a determination to fight the suits.

THE  DERUYTER  RESERVOIR.

Something of its History and Use—Very Low This Year.

 

   Lucius Hathaway of the extreme northern part of the town of Cuyler recently informed a STANDARD man that the DeRuyter reservoir has been lower this season than at any time during the past thirty years. Mr. Hathaway said he could well remember when what is now the reservoir proper was only a large never failing spring covering an area of nearly five acres. About forty years ago the state purchased the farms of Merchant, Britton Allen, Reed and John Pope at a nominal price for the purpose of flooding the same and making head water for a state feeder for the Erie canal. The reservoir is still used for that end. Its outlet is near Fayetteville and Manlius. The state authorities built a large dam 70 feet high and the four farms besides other adjoining lands were submerged and a body of water covering over 800 acres has been maintained by the state ever since. When at high water mark, the surface measures 2 miles in length and 1 mile wide. Last season a steam launch of about thirty passenger capacity was placed upon the reservoir for the accommodation of summer visitors and all others who wished to avail themselves of a ride, affording much pleasure to the people of that section of country. The craft was purchased by John McAllister of parties in Freeville and was transferred over land on trucks last spring to DeRuyter. Many will recollect seeing it pass through this village.

 

MENTIONS.

 

"David Harum" and "Richard Carvel" the most popular books of the year reduced to 89 cents at Smith & Beaudry's.



Railroad Street (Central Avenue), east from Main Street

 

Zithers! Zithers! Look at the fine guitar zithers for Christmas presents at Harrington's music house, 20 Railroad St., sole agent for Cortland. You can buy one for cash or weekly payments. Anyone can play them. Come and see them before you buy.

Concert every evening this week between 7 and 8 o'clock by the Peerless Piano Player at Walter's music store, Cortland House block.

A new line of footrests, footstools, ottomans, ladies' work baskets, scrap baskets,

music racks and music cabinets just received at Beard&Peck's. If you are looking for handkerchiefs for Christmas go to Mrs. J. T. Davern & Co.

Special prices on candy all this week, 8 cents up at Beaudry's.

Tickle your wife under the chin and ask her how she would like a nice piece of furniture from Beard & Peck's for a Christmas present and see what she will say.

Free.

   For Friday and Saturday, Dec. 22 and 23, the Grand Union Tea Co.'s Christmas souvenir, a beautiful screen calendar photo receiver. This beautifully decorated and unique art novelty of threefold usefulness is undoubtedly the most artistic as well as the handsomest souvenir we have ever presented to our patrons. It will be presented absolutely free to purchasers of goods amounting to 25 cents or more during the period mentioned. See them in our windows. Tickets given as usual.

GRAND UNION TEA CO., 32 Main St., Cortland, N. Y.

RAINFALL IS LIGHT

Little Water in the Ground as the Winter Comes On.

   From every side come unusual complaints of springs and creeks dry. In some sections of Cortland county farmers are now drawing water upwards of a mile in barrels from creeks to furnish water for their stock. The water in Cayuga lake is said to be eight inches lower than it was Sept.1. A resident of DeRuyter living alongside the reservoir says he has not seen the water there so low in thirty years. Wells all through the country are low. The secret of the matter is that the rain has not fallen. The STANDARD has been looking up the record of the rainfall In Cortland for the past four years and presents herewith the statement by months. The record is taken from a United States weather bureau standard rain gauge which is placed upon the roof of the Standard building, and the record in consequence is accurate and authentic. In making up the record snow is counted as rain, a special measure being used for it as directed by the weather bureau. It will be noticed that the rainfall for 1898 was the greatest of the four years. The record of 1899 la not yet complete and only includes Dec. 19. The total to that date for this year is 25.49 inches, only 1.35 less than the total for 1897. One or two good rains between now and Jan.1 would carry the record above that of 1897.

The record complete to Dec. 19 is as follows:

1896.

Total for January 1.86 inches

February 4.50
March 4.54
April .93
May 2.73
June 3.44
July 4.36
August 2.15
September 3.70
October 3.32
November 3.17
December 2.32

Total 37.02

1897.

Total for January 2.68 inches

February 1.11
March 1.51
April .67
May 4.30
June 1.68
July 4.74
August 1.52
September 2.05
October .74
November 2.90
December 2.94

Total 26.84

1898.

Total for January 2.96

February .70
March 2.07
April 3.43
May 4.27
June 2.80
July 3.44
August 9.44
September 3.46
October 6.27
November 3.10
December 2.09

Total 44.03

1899.

Total for January 1.83

February .69
March 1.83
April .56
May 3.09
June 2.25
July 2.69
August 1.50
September 2.40
October 2.99
November 2.99
Dec. 1-19 2.67

Total 25.49

Annual rainfall records, Ithaca, N.Y. Slide mouse cursor across precipitation graph and read annual rainfall in space below graph.