Local Visiting Committee, County Directory and "It's"

The Cortland News, Friday, February 20, 1885.

The Annual Report of “The Local Visiting Committee of the Cortland County Poor House, State of New York.”

To the State Charities Aid Association of the State of New York:

    Since the last annual report no marked changes have taken place in the condition of affairs at the Cortland County Poor-House.

   The keeper having had charge in 1883 resigned. The position is now held by Mr. Hillsinger, a former assistant whose ability in the conduct of the institution seems to be highly commended both as regards an interest in the comfort of the inmates, and the cleanliness and good order of its general surroundings.

   Whilst the local committee has noted many minor improvements falling under its observation, such as the renewal of wall paper and more cheerful painting of rooms. The removal of the high board fence around the grounds set apart tor the insane, and the approved substitution of an open work enclosure, etc., — the desire for a more important one viz, the erection of a laundry in connection with the main building is still unsatisfied but the local committee hope to be able at no distant day to report its accomplishment.

    Arrangements have been entered into with the clergy of Cortland, Homer, and McGrawville to hold religious services every second Sunday. Religious papers have been pretty thoroughly distributed among the inmates through the hands of the keeper. The committee has the pleasure to report the general good health and condition of the county poor.

   Under the lists of questions the committee report:

   Present number of inmates, 100.

   Highest number during the year, 101.

   Lowest, 95.

   Males, 48.

   Females, 52.

   Able to work, 75.

   Able bodied men and women came in for the winter, none.

   Separate hospital tor male and female and efficient medical attendance.

   There are of the insane who have a separate building, 29.

   Outdoor exercise good and sufficient diet, and comfortable lodgings.

   It any improvements have been made during the year beyond that the authorities were wont to make, they may have arisen from hints suggested by the visiting committees. As to evils, none have come under the observation of the visiting committees save the matter of the laundry referred to in the general report.

   Following is a list of present membership:

Cortland.

   Rev. J. L. Robertson, President; Hon. W. H. Clark. Vice-President; Miss Editha Stephens, Vice-President; Edward D. Webb, Secretary; Col. J. C. Carmichael; Rev. J. A. Robinson; Mrs. L. J. Street; Prof. J. M. Milne; Miss E. F. Stephens; Miss C. Booth; Mrs. R. M. Smith; Mrs. L. K. Shankland; Mrs. J. C. Carmichael; Dr. M. Wood; Rev. G. H. Brigham;

Homer.

   Mrs. W. H. Crane; Dr. C. Green; Miss H. Carpenter; Mrs. F. T. Rauney; L. M. Ballard; Mrs. C. Hitchcock; Hon. A. J. Kneeland; Mrs. C. Green.

   Respectfully Submitted, Edw. D. Webb. Sec.

   To Miss E. L. Enininger, Sec., State Charities Aid Association. 

 

Cortland County to Have a Directory.

   We learn that the Messrs. Boyds, directory publishers, who publish a large per cent of the directories of the country and the most accurate and complete published, have commenced work on a directory of Cortland county, combined with a directory of Syracuse and Onondaga county. It will give the names, business, profession, occupation, street and number where all persons of Cortland village, Homer, Marathon, etc. etc., can be found, or in other words, a general directory of those places. Also the names, business, etc., of all business and professional persons, and manufacturers, in all other towns and villages of Cortland county, and will give the names of all farmers by townships in Cortland county, giving the name and post-office address of each. The same of Onondaga county and a general directory of Syracuse city, all to be combined in one volume.

   This will be a very valuable book for manufacturers, merchants, professional, and in fact for the entire communities of both (and adjoining) counties. It is something that has never before been attempted, and we trust that it will be appreciated. It will be a work that will have a large circulation, and consequently will be a good advertising medium, and being the first of the kind will be read with more care and attention on that account, and as it may be years before another will be published, those who advertise in it will have the benefit of it for a long time in every town, village and hamlet and the rural districts of Cortland and Onondaga counties and in adjoining counties. Its giving a directory of each place and the names of the farmers with their post-office address will make it a valuable and useful book, as farmers are a class who do not move around much.

   The price of the book is put at a very low figure for a work of the kind, so that it will come within the reach of all, and thereby benefiting advertiser. Those who advertise get a copy of the book, and those who subscribe for the book or those advertising, have their names put in capitals, and are also classified under their special business headings in the business portion of the directory.

   We trust the directory will receive encouragement and patronage as it is something much needed by the people of Cortland county.

 

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   The regular meeting of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union will be held in the parlors of the Baptist church on Saturday next at 3 o'clock p. m., a large attendance is desired.

   W. F. Burdick has leased the Pioneer [roller skating] rink on Orchard street and took possession on Monday last; he proposes to make the rink more popular than ever. Success to him.

   Dave Hoag, who has been manager of the Mammoth rink since the opening at that institution has accepted a position with Mine Host, Bauder, of the Cortland House, where he will be pleased to see all his friends.

   While Mrs. O. D. Allen was passing the Wallace building yesterday afternoon a nail keg fell from a scaffolding over the bow window, striking her on the head. She was taken into Overbaugh's drug store in Taylor Hall block, where it was found that she had received several scalp wounds, but no serious injury is apprehended.

   The shanty near the Otter creek springs, used by the Italians last summer, was burned to the ground Tuesday night about 11 o'clock. Some of our citizens who saw the blaze made an investigation and found a [few of the] natives of Italy's sunny clime deserting from the burning shanty with their property upon their shoulders. The supposition is that alter moving out all their goods the It's set fire to the structure just to see it burn.

   In our issue of January 30th we called attention to the fact that the Water Works company had made application to the board of health to have the nuisance of cows polluting the waters of the spring abolished. Since that time an agreement has been entered into with Mr. Fairchild by which the water company will purchase three acres of land from him for $1,250. This is the same price which the water company paid for a like amount of land purchased of the Hubbard estate over a year ago. This is the most satisfactory solution of the much mooted question, as now the company own and can control the entire supply of the springs.

Reference:
   Boyd's Syracuse, Onondaga and Cortland County Directory 1885-6, Onondaga Historical Association, Research Center Shelf List, page 37: http://www.cnyhistory.org/pdf/RC_shelf_list_web.pdf