Substance of Things Hoped for, Evidence of Things not Seen

The Cortland News, Friday, August 8, 1884.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   Mr. George J. Mager has bought Mr. L. J. Fitzgerald's residence on Lincoln avenue, and will take possession April 1st next. Price paid, $5,500. Mr. Fitzgerald intends now to build a house.

   Mr. Bauder has leased the north and remaining store in the Cortland House block [rebuilt in 1884 after fire—CC ed.] to a couple of gentlemen, one a physician of Cazenovia and the other a resident of Mohawk, who will put in a stock of drugs.

   The building occupied by Mr. Chas. Price as a grocery will soon be removed to the vacant lot corner of North Main street and Lincoln avenue, in order to make way for the new brick building to be erected by R. Beard & Son.

   Mr. E. E. Crandall has sold his residence on Madison street to Mr. A. Ryan, who will take possession September 1st next. Price, $2100. Mr. Crandall's parents will reside with him in New York where he is engaged in business.

   Judge A. P. Smith, of Cortland, who has been adjusting the claims for the managers of Barnum's circus, is reported as saying that the many "internal injuries" remind him quite forcibly of the catechism's definition of faith:  “The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." One claim by a lady, for damage, itemized two pairs silk gloves, one pair kid gloves, etc., $12. What is the world coming to when a woman goes to a circus with three pairs of gloves?—Bing. Rep.

   Next Monday evening at the roller rink will be given a rare exhibition of skill and strength. Prof. Erni, a one-legged skater, will do on his one leg skating creditable to any professional with two legs. He skates without a crutch, picks up articles from the floor, balances on the forward or rear wheels, hops all over the rink on his crutch, and gives a good performance on the horizontal bar. The Lynn, Mass., Item says,  "his exhibition on the rollers was wonderful, indeed." The Professor also rides a bicycle with ease and grace.

   F. N. Harrington, of Cortland, formerly of this place, is building a rink at Fulton, N. Y.—Greene American.

   Mrs. G. J. Mager and daughter, and Mrs. C. P. Walrad and her two children, are stopping at the Hotel Raymond near Little York lake.

   Thus far about 6,000 tons of coal have been ordered in the interest of lower prices. Every one of our citizens wants this reduction, and it can be obtained by signing name and amount required. Call at almost any of our stores.

   The building committee of the Cortland Opera House Company [Opera House adjacent to Cortland House on Groton Avenue—CC ed.] have let the contract for building the opera house to Messrs. Keeler & Hopkins, of Cortland. These gentlemen are competent for the work and we are glad that they were successful in obtaining the job.

   There will be a basket-meeting in Hoxie's grove next Sunday, August 10, commencing at 10 o'clock A. M., and closing at 4 o'clock P. M. Come one, come all with lunch baskets ready for the mid-day banquet, and souls ready for moral, social and spiritual refreshing. Subject of the morning lecture, "How to carry a light." Subject of the closing lecture, "Casting out devils."

  

Taxing Savings Bank Deposits.

   The $13,000 received by Mrs. M. E. Doud in "the sale” of her residence on Court street to the Wickwire Brothers, were deposited in the Cortland Savings Bank, and Mr. Samuel Freeman, one of the village assessors, taxed the sum as personal property. Mr. Edward D. Webb, as administrator or trustee of the estate, on examining the assessment-roll and finding such to be the fact, endeavored to secure of the village trustees a correction of the error, on the ground that the deposits in savings banks are by law exempt from taxation. Failing in this, Mr. Webb, through his attorney, ex-Judge Smith, has served writs of certiorari (granted by Judge Boardman) on the assessor, the president, clerk and each member of the board of village trustees, commanding them to appear at a special term of the Supreme Court at Norwich, on the 26th day of August, inst., and certify and return all the proceedings concerning the assessment of the property of Enoch H. Doud, held by Mr. Webb as trustee, etc., and whether any other property or money on deposit in the savings bank is assessed for the year 1884, to whom it is assessed and the amount, and whether all the real and personal property in the village is assessed at its full value, and if not then at the rate or proportion to its true value at which it is assessed.

   It is claimed that the assessment of this property has been upon a higher valuation than other real and personal estate or property in the bank, and that there is a large amount of property in the village which is not assessed at over one-fourth of its full value, while the Doud property is assessed at its full value.

   Justice Murray, before whom the case will be heard, will probably appoint a referee to take evidence as to this and other property assessed, and the pro rata tax on both.

   People generally are interested in the question whether deposits in savings banks are liable to taxation, which will be decided by the Judge.

   It is the intention of Mr. Webb to examine the town assessment-roll and ascertain if the same course has been pursued in regard to the Doud property by the town assessors.

Temperance Union.

   The Woman's Christian Temperance Union will meet at the Universalist church on Saturday, August 9, at 4 o'clock.

   The Woman's Christian Temperance Union is composed of five thousand organizations numbering over one hundred and twenty-five thousand members who are all working for a common purpose and according to a well-arranged plan.

   Hundreds of working men spend a third of their daily earnings for beer, and then curse their employers because wages are so small they cannot support their families. It they would drink less beer they would likely do far less cursing.— Prohibitionist.

 

The Cortland News, Friday, September 5, 1884.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   The town assessors on application of E. D. Webb, the administrator of Enoch H. Doud, deceased, have reduced his assessment of that estate from $20,000 to $7,500. Judge Smith and Mr. Hatch argued the village case at the special term at Norwich last week. Judge Murray took the papers and reserved his decision.

   The tax payers of our beautiful village now scraping together the wherewithal to liquidate the enormous tax now levied upon them, are inquiring what new means of plunder will be devised. They won’t have to wait long for the rod is in pickle for them. THE NEWS will have some light to throw upon the subject as soon as the project is made public. But then the public has already swallowed equally foolish schemes with a seeming relish, though warned by THE NEWS of the consequences. This new scheme may be able to override the tax payers in the same way and by the same means as the other.

   The editor of THE NEWS [F. C. Kinney], who went to New York last week on business and elsewhere for recreation, writes us that he finds it necessary, through continuance of ill-health, to sever his connection with this paper.

   The mammoth roller rink on South Main street is to have its grand opening on Saturday evening, the 6th inst. It is the largest rink in this part of the State and the proprietors are doing everything they can for the comfort and convenience of their patrons. On the opening night will appear Messrs. Pressey and Lester, winners of the diamond medal and champion bicycle riders of the world, with thirty-nine specific tricks on the bicycle aside from plain and fancy riding, This will be one of the finest exhibitions of skill that will ever be seen in Cortland. Also Miss Minnie Douglass, six years old, the finest child skater in the world. She performs some wonderful teats on skates and gives an exhibition that is complete in itself. The rink will be lighted by electricity and is beautifully decorated. Admission for the opening will be 25 cents and 10 cents for use of skates.

   On Thursday evening of this week at about 12 o'clock the people of our village were awakened by the ringing of the fire-bell. It proved to be a call from Marathon asking assistance. The steamer and hose carts were taken to the depot and loaded on a flat car, but another telegram stated that they were not needed as the fire was under control. The buildings burned were the Hazen block, Smith block, Mack block and a dwelling house owned by W. O. Sanders. The loss is estimated variously at from $20,000 to $30,000. It was mostly covered by insurance.