Character of an Editor

The Cortland News, Friday, April 25, 1884.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Repair your sidewalks.

   The Sinton property on the corner of Groton avenue and Monroe Heights has been purchased by J. S. Barber, Esq.

   The school-house and appurtenances on South Church street is offered for sale. See notice in "business locals."

   Laborers are wanted on the waterworks. Inquire at the office of J. S. Bull & Co. Work will commence immediately.

   Mr. Samuel Freeman is preparing to lay a flagstone sidewalk by his premises on the corner of Railroad and Greenbush streets.

   The ruins of the burned O'Neil wagon shop are being removed, and it is expected that a cutter factory will be erected on the site.

   The Elmira, Cortland & Northern R. R. Company are adding facilities for the accommodation of freight, in the way of switches, etc.

   Mr. Thomas Howard is erecting an addition to his house on Railroad street, near the D. L. & W. depot, and will make it a hotel and boarding-house.

   The Standard man lately spread himself over a column or more of his paper endeavoring to prove that he had nothing to do with the removal of the post-office. And yet his proposal to the Post-office Department, at Washington, in his own handwriting, is on file in the Department, and has been seen by citizens of Cortland.

   The Hitchcock Wagon Company are manufacturing the easiest-riding vehicle we have ever seen. Over the roughest pavement and most uneven road there is no jar, shake, jerk, or other disagreeable action, but a gentle undulating motion decidedly agreeable. It is known as the Bridgeport cart, the springs being of the Perry patent.

   The character of an editor must be of the disreputable kind when he cannot make a statement in his paper to the public without being compelled for the sake of credence to back it up with an affidavit from some reputable person. And yet that is just what the editor of Standard has to do, knowing that people will not believe him.

   The employes of the Wickwire factory began on Tuesday working twelve hours a day.

   Mr. Bauder has let the contract for building his hotel [Cortland House] to Mr. Zelora Hoag, of Homer. The 25th of October is the time named tor its completion.

   Tuesday evening fifty Italian laborers came to town as employes of the Water-Works Company's contractors, and have been given quarters for the present at the Elmira, Cortland & Northern R. R. depot. Wednesday they were put to work digging for the reservoir on Calvert Hill.

   From reliable source we are informed that arrangements are now being made for putting a pony engine and coach upon the Syracuse & Binghamton Railroad to make frequent trips between this village and Cortland. The first trip will be made, both ways, before 7 A. M., to accommodate parties working in either village, and the evening trips will be made shortly after 6 P. M. The fare charged for the entire length of the line—three miles—will be five cents. — Homer Rep.

   The Elmira, Cortland & Northern road between Cazenovia and Canastota is being repaired as fast as possible and is now considered safe. Steel rails are to be laid and some sharp curves reduced.— DeRuyter Gleaner.

   A meeting of the subscribers to the capital stock of the Cortland Opera House Company will be held at the office of Duell & Benedict next Tuesday evening, at 7 o'clock, tor the adoption of by-laws and election of directors.

   To-morrow is the sixty-fifth anniversary of the introduction of Odd Fellowship into America. The day will be generally observed throughout the country by appropriate exercises, in accordance with the proclamation by the Sovereign Grand Lodge.

Homer.

   There is a movement being made to change the names of the streets leading west from Main to Cortland street. It is proposed to begin at Elm avenue and running southward. Elm will be changed to First avenue; James street to Second avenue; Cayuga street to Third avenue; the new street to be opened between the residences of Mrs. Hinckley and Carpenter, Fourth avenue [Center Street]; and that street, over which there has been so much confusion of late, from Slones' foundry to Cortland street, will be Fifth avenue [Copeland Street]. The streets west of the railroad will bear their present names. It is also proposed to erect the names of the several streets and avenues upon the corners as in cities. This will undoubtedly meet with hearty approval. One more feature might be added, that of numbering each house and business place throughout the village.—Homer Republican.

 

Editor’s note:

   In an article headed “Is he Sincere?” dated April 11, 1884, the editor of The Cortland News disclosed that William Clark, editor of the Cortland Evening Standard, replied to the alleged charges of blocking the extension of Railroad Street and having the Post Office moved to the Standard block. Unfortunately we do not have access to Mr. Clark’s editorial. From The Cortland News we learn that Mr. Clark obtained an affidavit from Mr. Beard which cleared Mr. Clark of direct involvement in the Railroad Street affair. Mr. Clark’s reply was, according to The Cortland News, “a nearly two column article, endeavoring to show, that neither he nor two other gentlemen named in personam attempted to ‘head off’ the project to extend Railroad street to Main.”

   The old post office was located on the corner of West Court and Main Streets [Smith's History], and the office of The Cortland News was located at 13 North Main Street. The office of the Cortland Evening Standard was located at its current location, the corner of Main and Tompkins Streets.