Cortland Park Pavilion Completed and Ready for July 4, 1896 Celebration

 

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, June 26, 1896.

Secured a Trainer.

   Deputy Sheriff James Edwards was quite electrified last night to read in The STANDARD that Dr. L. T. White, who is to run a footrace with him on July 4, had secured ex-Sheriff John Miller as a trainer. He knows that John is capable of setting a pretty hot pace if he only imagines he is on the trail of a fugitive from justice, and if the doctor trains steadily under the direction of the ex-sheriff he will be a formidable rival. Consequently Jim has decided to secure not one trainer, but two, and he wants the swiftest men in the place. He has made arrangements with the two well known sprinters, E. S. Mathewson and William Riley to give him points. Hereafter until the eventful day he will get up at 3 o'clock in the morning and steal away with his two coaches and train till breakfast time. He takes this early hour so that "Doc" shall not get out on his trail and steal his points or time him. He says he is going to beat the doctor if he has to train himself down to a skeleton to do it.

The New Pavilion.

   The new pavilion at the park is nearly completed and will be a very great addition to the attractions at that popular resort. No one who has not seen it can imagine how fine a building it is. It stands among the old forest trees in the midst of the north grove. It is commodious in size and substantial in structure. The first floor will be given up to a refreshment room, and general sitting room. A piazza fifteen feet wide extends along three sides of the building. The entire second floor is given to the dancing hall which will have a first-class floor. The sides of that building are shingled down and make a very pretty effect. Only a few days more will be required to complete the building. Superintendent Mooney has engaged Officer Goldsmith to be present at the park upon all special occasions and assist the regular daily officers in keeping order.

 

Cortland House

 

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, June 29, 1896.

THE GLORIOUS FOURTH.

Program of Events for the Celebration Next Saturday.

   Cortland is to celebrate the glorious Fourth next Saturday in the good old fashioned style. There will be something going on all day long, and it will all be right in the center of the town where it is accessible and can be seen by everybody.

   The day will be opened by a salute of fifty guns at sunrise. At 7 A. M. there will be daylight fire works. From 8 to 9:30 o'clock the visiting companies will be received. At 10 A. M. will occur the annual parade and review of the Cortland fire department, together with visiting companies, all to be reviewed by the president and trustees of the village.

   At 1 P. M. will occur the fusilier parade, with antiques, horribles, calithumplans, civic organizations and the bicycle parade.

   At 2:30 will occur the 200-yard hose race. Companies will lay 200 feet of hose, break coupling and attach nozzle. Prizes $50 and $25. There will also be a 600-feet hub and tub race. Prizes $15 and $10. The 300-feet hook and ladder race will follow. Prizes $15 and $10.

   At 3:30 o'clock will occur the bicycle races open to Cortland county riders.

   Two-mile handicap road race. First, Morgan & Wright quick repair tires; second, one search light lamp, Bridgeport Brass Co.; time prize, Vim tires, Boston Woven Hose and Rubber Co.

   One-half mile green race, for riders who have never started in a bicycle race. First, cyclometer; second, pair bicycle shoes.

   Half-mile boys' race, under 15 years of age. First, one pair League tires. New York Belting and Packing Co.; second, History of the World.

   4:30 P. M., fifty-yard fat men's race between Dr. L. T. White and Deputy Sheriff James E. Edwards, both of Cortland. [text highlighted-ed.]

   Amateur foot race for championship of Central New York. Mathewson and Miller matched 100 yards, 150 yards and 220 yards. Prize, diamond valued at $35.

   Further particulars in regard to the celebration will be given later.

Scared by Firecrackers.

   Mail Carrier Theodore Sheeley had finished delivering the mail on his route this forenoon and had started for dinner. He hitched his horse in front of Stokers grocery and went inside to do some trading. While there, some person with more of a bump of mischief than good judgment set fire to a bunch of crackers and threw them under the wagon. The noise frightened the horse and she started to run up Main-st. in front of the Cortland House the mall cart collided with a lumber wagon tipping the wagon over and breaking the reach. Both crossbars of the mail cart were broken. The horse was stopped without being injured or doing further damage.

 

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, July 1, 1896.

GRAND OPENING DAY.

Formal Opening of the New Pavilion at the Park.

   Friday, July  1, has been decided upon as the day for the grand opening of the new pavilion at the Cortland park. McDermott's orchestra will furnish music for dancing during the evening. A band concert by the Cortland City band will be held at 8 o'clock. The band have been in constant practice during the spring and a fine concert may be expected.

   Refreshments will be sold at the pavilion and everything will be done to make the opening a grand success. Special round trip tickets will be sold from Homer and McGrawville after 7 o'clock P. M. on the opening day for 18 cents. Tickets may be obtained at Atwater & Foster's, Homer, and at Maricle & Johnson's, McGrawville. The park presents an unusually attractive appearance this season, and with ample shelter in case of rain will prove even more popular as a pleasure resort than heretofore.

Picnic at the Park.

   One of the most enjoyable picnics of the season was held at the park yesterday afternoon and evening. The party which numbered nearly fifty consisted principally of former classmates at the Normal and their friends. The ladies had the affair in charge and as was to be expected, made the occasion a very pleasant one. They went up on the afternoon cars and by the time the gentlemen arrived the tables were neatly spread and presented a most tempting appearance. Mr. Halsey M. Collins and Miss Grace Stokes enlivened the evening with selections upon the guitar and mandolin until 9 o'clock when the picnic was declared adjourned.
 

Struck by the Electric Car.

   Car No. 18 on the cross town line collided with a delivery wagon on Homer-ave. this morning shortly after 10 o'clock.  Mr. J. S. Larrabee, who was driving the wagon, did not see the car coming and attempted to cross the track at Madison-st. The motorman tried to stop the car but was not able to bring it to a standstill before striking the wagon. The wagon was overturned and the contents scattered promiscuously about. Mr. Larrabee was thrown out but escaped with a few bruises. The wagon was badly wrecked.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 3, 1896.

THOSE FAT MEN.

All Are in Fine Shape for the Race Tomorrow.

   The entrance of two additional sprinters in the fat mens' race for to-morrow adds greater interest to the race which will be run on Church-st. at 4:30 o'clock P. M. The representatives of Dell Gross of McGrawville were in town this morning and entered him in the race. This announcement will be a surprise to a great many as it is not generally understood that for three weeks he has been in constant training on one of McGrawville's side streets. It is understood that McGrawviile will send a delegation of 600 to shout for their man who they are confident will win.

   Jack Andrews of Homer is said to have been induced to enter much against his will but for the last three days has been getting himself in shape for the event.

   Dr. L. T. White and Deputy Sheriff James E. Edwards, the two Cortland men in the race, who have been longest in training are both confident of success, notwithstanding the new entries. The doctor claims that he could win even if the deputy sheriff had not injured himself with the spikes in one heel yesterday morning while training. He thinks this is going to seriously impair the officer’s chances of winning and help his own. Mr. Edwards is not saying much but when approached on the subject slyly winks his left eye and says, "you just watch and see."

   All the sprinters are in fine shape today and their training has reduced their weights so that they may be expected to appear to-morrow weighing respectfully, Edwards 401 pounds, Andrews 396, Gross 374, White 361. It will certainly be a great race.

GRAND PARADE.

Big Demonstration for the Fourth.

Bicyclists Invited to Join.

   In addition to the annual parade of the fire department and the visiting companys which will take place at 10:30 to-morrow, the line of march of which was published in yesterday's STANDARD, there will be a grand parade at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The committee having this in charge are making every effort to have this part of the celebration a grand success.

    A special feature will be the bicycle parade. Every one who has a wheel is invited to take part in this parade and make the line of bicycles the longest ever seen in Cortland. The Wesson-Nivison Co. are making preparations to have seventy-five men in line, dressed in uniform and riding Loyal wheels. The wheelmen will assemble on Cllnton-ave, Main-st. and Groton-ave. and join the procession from there. Let every one who has a wheel, ladies as well as gentlemen, turn out and join the procession.

A. S. Burgess Store on Main and Central with four story 1896 addition at rear.

 

 

Corner Stone Laid.

   The corner stone of the addition to A. S. Burgess' building was laid yesterday by Rev. David C. Beers, with appropriate ceremonies. Copies of the Cortland Democrat—as being a near neighbor— and also of another newspaper publication devoted chiefly to immortalizing the memories of certain citizens of this village were entombed under an iron pillar. Mr. George Allport did not throw cold water on the affair, whatever rumor may say to the contrary. There was no music, but considerable "chinning'' and lots of fun.

Some Fine Work.

   Messrs. Cramer & Hollister have just completed two large plumbing jobs which are a credit to the firm and models in their line. One is for A. J. Goddard who has been thoroughly remodeling his hotel on Railroad-st. and who now has one of the best equipped houses in his line to be found anywhere.

   The other is for Messrs. Wickwire Bros., at the Central House. The firm has also taken the contract for furnishing the steam heating apparatus for the Central House and have already placed their order for two boilers and radiation for the same. When completed this house will be one of the best equipped in Central New York. Messrs. Cramer & Hollister take just pride in the work and invite inspection of any who contemplate having work of this kind done.

Editor's note:
   We made a mistake and we admit it. We misidentified the Cortland village park pavilion, built in 1896, as the Dwyer Memorial Park pavilion at Little York Lake. The error has been corrected.
   Cortland Park was located along the east side of the Tioughnioga River on Salisbury Hill. The park was developed by the Cortland & Homer Traction Co. A trolley line extended from Elm Street over a steel bridge to the park. The bridge was removed in the early 1950's.