Conduct on Cortland Streets

1873 Map of Cortland Village. Otter Creek bridge on Groton Ave. (Cortland St.) lower left; Tompkins St. lower right.

The Cortland News, Friday, May 15, 1885.

The Streets of Cortland.

The Impression Some Will get by a Sunday Evening Walk.

   Take, for instance any beautiful Sunday afternoon and join us in a walk from the Messenger to the Cortland House on one side [west] of Main street and return on the other.

   Starting in at the post-office we see a group from four to eight young gentlemen standing in the hallway of the Standard Building discussing in dulcet tones the merits of every passerby, and particularly so if the passer happens to be one of the gentler sex, young and good looking; continuing along we next approach a conclave of obscene talking and vile looking young ruffians lining the top of the stone wall in front of Wm. R. Randall's residence.

   By this time we are becoming somewhat accustomed to the vernacular of the street and are not disturbed as much as at first. The next point of interest is the corner of Main and West Court streets, where about a dozen would-be dudes assemble and insult every lady, be she young or be she old, by a look or a word as she passes by. Then also they at irregular intervals eject the amber juice of soothing tobacco from between their lips, forming a little pool on the flagging [flag stones] until it gradually extends its boundaries and trickles gently across the sidewalk to join the tide in the gutters.

   We will again move onward and as we pass Smith & Bates' hardware store, the County Clerks’ office, Fireman’s Hall, First National Bank and the Calvert block, we again see enacted and hear the same vile language that has greeted our ears since the start. Reaching Samson's corner we find eight well dressed young men working hard to keep two dry goods boxes in place, and incinerate numerous opium laden cigarettes.

   Crossing the street we wend our way backward, being greeted ever and anon with snatches of some vile and obscene anecdote until we reach the corner of East Court street, where we will quietly conceal ourselves from view, and listen for a half an hour to the conversation of the half hundred roughs that here do congregate. We will suppose that the church bells are ringing for evening services, as it at that particular time we can get a little better idea of the pure cussedness of the situation than at any other.

   Well, here are a couple of young ladies, on their way to church, and there is a row of gentlemen (?) completely across the walk, who see them coming. Do they step aside to let the ladies pass? Oh, no; they let them get through the best way they can, by going outside, inside, or squeezing between them as best they may. Then as the ladies walk onward, one young galoot with a two for five cigar at an angle of 45 degrees stuck in between his yellow teeth whispers out just loud enough for the ladies to hear; "By G—d, but that 'un on the outside is a daisy," while another sotio voce "If she'd wash the powder off, she wouldn't look half so good," and similar remarks from almost every one of the gang. By this time, we are thoroughly disgusted with the corner of Court street and pass on.

   In front of the Schermerhorn grounds, numerous people are propped against the fence trying to keep that in a vertical position; in front of Beaudry's, Nelson & Calls, A. R. & Jay Peck's and Squires & Co.'s more loafers are coming the dry goods box act, and as we pass by we catch snatches of obscene stories, oaths and Billingsgate in one great and massive conglomeration.

   As we cross Port Watson street and enter the Messenger house each one mentally concludes that a good thorough reading of the mob law, and a few arrests would be a wholesome panacea for the pestilential talk of the gang on Main street.

   Some of our readers will ask, "Why don't the officers arrest all those who are conducting themselves in a rude manner?" Don't fool yourselves reader, these gangs each have sentrys out, and on the approach of an officer, or someone that would play the long roll on the bosom of the pants of these penitentiary candidates, they are each and all of them as quiet as lambs, and meek as Moses. It is only when a civilian, in a quite manner passes by or takes the pains to stop and listen, that the pure unadulterated cussedness of the situation can be taken in.

The Electric Lights.

   Tuesday an expert from the Sperry Electric Light company of Chicago, Ill., together with the committee from the Board of Trustees were looking the ground over with a view of locating the position of the twenty lights to be furnished the village for the ensuing year, and we understand this was done satisfactorily, although the Trustees refused to give the location at present.

   The Trustees had a meeting Tuesday evening and the matter was talked over, the contract with Light Company discussed pro. and con., and finally approved and is now ready to be signed.

   The lamps will be located in the most advantageous positions to give the most light to the corporation, and will no doubt give entire satisfaction to the majority of our citizens. Where the buildings are not high enough to suspend the lights to a proper distance from the surface, tall poles, about the height of the telephone poles, will be used.

   It is understood that one of the lamps will be placed on the hill at the intersection of Monroe Heights and Orchard street; that Main, Tompkins, Church and Railroad streets will also be thoroughly supplied, and the remainder put on the by-streets in such a manner as to do the most good to the most people.

A New Scheme.

   It is rumored about town that during the excitement of the closing hours of the legislature, a new charter for the village of Cortland is to be put through without being printed or discussed, and the claim is to be made that it is the unanimous wish of our people, that it pass.

   The same hand framed it that drew the "Union Free School bill" for us 4 or 5 years ago and which was passed in the same way and which even its father was ashamed of after it had been exposed, and even then asked to have it amended in a good many particulars. Within a month after its passage the same Legislature voted 98 to 3 to repeal it entirely, and its absolute repeal was only prevented by one man in the Senate.

   Gentlemen, go slow. It you have a good thing print it and let the people see it, and if it provides for jobs and a further taxation of our over burthened people let it be exposed before it is passed by unanimous consent.

   We have a general statute in this State for the incorporation of villages. It has been carefully considered year after year and is as neatly perfect as the wisdom of successive Legislatures can make it. It was not passed in the interests of jobbers and schemers. It was not rushed through unread in the closing hours of the session. It was not drawn by novices, whose exploits in that line have become a by word. We better go slow and if there is need of haste let us pass a temporary act about in these words, after the formal part:

   "The charter of the village of Cortland, Cortland county is hereby repealed and the general laws of the State of New York for the incorporation of villages are hereby made applicable to said village, which is hereby incorporated under said general laws."

   Then publish your proposed scheme and let the people see and discuss it.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.

   It is rumored that Cortland is to be afflicted with a Salvation Army ere long,

   D. B. Goff, of New York city, has purchased the chestnut horse "Pegasus" of H. H. Greenman.

   The steam mill property on Port Watson street was sold at assignee's sale Wednesday to Seymour & Brown for $8,000.

   E. M. Keator has purchased a pair of handsome bay horses. They are only four years old and measure sixteen hands.

   The polo game at the Mammoth rink Tuesday evening between the Cortland Wagon Company team and the Rink team was won by the latter after a closely contested game, they getting the first and third goals, to the Wagon Company's getting the second.

   The new hose carts tor the fire department arrived on Wednesday. They are much lighter and narrower than the old ones and are capable of carrying 600 feet of hose. The framework is made entirely of gas pipe, as is also the tiller. They each cost $37.50 and weigh 272 pounds.

   On Tuesday last, under the treatment of Dr. L. A. Strowbridge, Edward Caligan, one of the foremen in the wire mill of Wickwire Bros., was relieved of a twelve foot tape worm. Mr. C. has been suffering from the effects of it for several years past and has been treated by at least a dozen different physicians without relief.

   Claire Scott, the young English actress, is playing to fair audiences at Taylor Hall [located on Main Street—CC editor] this week. Monday evening between the acts the manager appeared before the curtain and announced that had the company known that there was to have been an opening of the Opera House this week they would not have made the engagement.

   An Onondaga county man having advertised in his town paper that his wife had left his bed and board, the woman has addressed a letter to the editor in which she pointedly remarks: "It seems to me that he has gone to a needless expense, for I was refused credit on his account while I lived with him, and as regards his bed, he never had any. I had to work for my board the greater part of the time after I married him. I have not left anything but the man. and I have no regrets for him."

   The [horse] streetcar now makes regular hourly trips from 6 a. m. to 10 p. m., except at 7 a. m.

   The sale of tickets to the opening of the Opera House at Mahan's music store last Saturday amounted to nearly $900.

   The Mexican Oil Advertising Concert Company opened their tent show Tuesday evening to quite a large audience. They give a good entertainment and Mr. Lockwood, the "King of Dentists" shows his skill in the teeth extracting business.

   Saturday afternoon last L. R. Hopkins, of Keeler & Hopkins, architects and builders, purchased tickets to the second night of the opening of the Opera House for their entire force of workmen employed on that building, forty six in all, which goes to show that these gentlemen have a proper appreciation of the work done by their men.

   A Homer correspondent says: One of the most important discoveries of the many made in this prolific held of Indian mounds was made near here today. Beneath a small mound five feet below the normal surface five gigantic skeletons, with their feet to the east, were found in a grave with a stone floor. Remnants of burned bones and charcoal are plentiful, together with numerous stone vessels and weapons. The skeletons are of an enormous size, the head of one being the size of a wooden bucket, The most striking articles beside the skeletons were a beautiful finished stone pipe, the bowl being large and polished and engraved with considerable care in a simple way, with figures of birds and beasts; a knife shaped like a sickle reversed and having a wooden handle held by leather thongs, and a kettle holding perhaps six quarts. Those who know say this find is one of the oldest in America and perhaps the most valuable. [Authenticity, principals, location and date unspecified—CC editor.]

Reference maps:


1) Interactive 1876 map of Village of Cortland: http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/14995/Cortland/Cortland+County+1876/New+York/
 

2) Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, Interactive 1873 map of Village of Cortland, N.Y.: http://maps.bpl.org/id/10199?srch_query=1873