Saturday, February 15, 2014

TWO FIRES IN CORTLAND, AND WORST HELL-HOLE IN TOWN CLOSED UP



The Cortland News, Friday, March 4, 1887.
Two Disastrous Fires.
The Hitchcock Mfg Co.'s Building, on Port Watson Street, Partially Destroyed-- Col. Frank Place Turned out in the Cold.
   At 7:52 last Sunday morning the ringing of the fire bell summoned many of our citizens from their comfortable beds to do battle with the fiery element.
   The large brick and wood building owned by the Hitchcock Mfg. Co., and occupied by them as an office, repository and as a foundry and machine shop and by the Monitor printing company was discovered to be on fire in the ceiling over the boiler room and under the press room of the Monitor company. The snow was deep and the weather bitter cold, so that the firemen worked at a disadvantage in getting their apparatus to the scene, and yet in reality it was only a few minutes before there were five powerful streams of water from the water works pouring upon the flames which had rapidly spread to different portions of the building. However, after the firemen got to work they soon had the flames under control, although nearly two hours' time was consumed in drowning the fire out from between the partitions and. floors, and the eastern part of the front building was completely gutted.
   The loss to the Hitchcock Manufacturing company on building amounts to about $3,500 and about the same on stock, and is fully insured.
   Although the Monitor, or its proprietor, has been one of the greatest opponents to the Italian water company [over 50 Italian laborers were employed by the Water Works Co.—CC editor], as it has been pleased to term it, it can thank its lucky stars that there was such a concern as that in Cortland, otherwise the institution would have been entirely consumed, as our one steamer would have been but merely a plaything for the flames in the teeth of the fierce gale that was blowing.
   A second alarm was sounded at 12:50 the same day, the house belonging to Col. Frank Place, corner of Port Watson and Pomeroy streets, being in flames. The fire department responded promptly, but on account of the drifted roads considerable effort was necessary to get the apparatus to the scene at all, several times the hose carriages being wrong side up in the gutter. The steamer was placed at the bridge over Stevens' brook and two streams from there and one from the water works hydrant 1,000 feet away, were playing on the flames in a short time.
   The upright portion of the house was so nearly consumed that it is a total loss, and the wing to the house is badly damaged by smoke and water. The greater part of the furniture was saved, although badly damaged. The fire was first discovered in a room on the second floor where a wood fire had been burning in the morning. The loss is in the neighborhood of $3,800. House insured for $2,200, and the furniture for $900. Mr. and Mrs. Place were at church when the fire was discovered.

PROHIBITION VILLAGE CAUCUS.
   Last Saturday evening the third party people met in caucus at Good Templar's Hall to put in nomination officers to be supported at the charter election on the 15th inst. Resolutions were adopted in favor of making party nominations, making the party responsible for the acts of the officers elected; in favor of ample appropriations for school purposes; against a $5,500 appropriation for lighting the streets; against the granting of an exclusive franchise to any corporation by the trustees; in favor of the village owning its own water works, and opposed to any contract to lease hydrants from the present company.
   A committee was appointed to select candidates but after a conference asked more time, which was granted, and power given the committee to call another meeting to ratify nominations, if it  was thought necessary.

CORTLAND AND VICINITY.
   Two houses to rent. Just east of Port Watson Bridge. Inquire of George Conable.
   Insurance adjusters have been at work on the Hitchcock building and are now nearly through. The loss on building and stock is between $6,500 and $7,000.
   While Mr. and Mrs. Frank Miller were out riding Sunday afternoon the cutter was overturned and the occupants thrown out, Mrs. Miller sustaining a fracture of the arm.
   Next Sunday, March 5, is the first anniversary of Rev. John Arthur as Rector of Grace church. An appropriate service will be held in the morning, and in the evening a sermon will be preached to the young men.
   In the village of Cortland for the year ending February 28, the vital statistics as reported by Health Officer Hughes shows the following: Births, males, 105; females, 85. Deaths, males, 77; females, 53.
   Dennis Corcoran was before Justice Bouton last week charged by his wife with assault. He was sentenced to pay a fine of $10 or go to jail for ten days. Not having the requisite amount of cold cash about his person he is boarding with Sheriff Van Hoesen.
   For the first time this winter the street cars were unable to make their regular trips on Monday carrying passengers with sleighs, the north part of the road being drifted under large banks of snow. The tracks were cleared on Tuesday. however and regular trips made.
   H. R.  Holcomb and B. F. Taylor, bonesmen for Frank White in the saloon business at Main and Railroad streets, have refused to act longer in that capacity and his license has been revoked, and the worst hell-hole in town is at last closed up. The building will be used for other purposes hereafter.
   The high wind here on Saturday last was the worst for many years. Chimneys were blown down, trees uprooted and everything of a movable shape scattered about promiscuously. The tin roof of a house at Pomeroy and Cleveland streets was torn into strips and rendered utterly useless.
   Thomas S. Mourin, whose furniture store between Cortland and Homer was destroyed by fire, together with its contents, on the night of January 7th, has received the amount of his insurance from the three companies represented by N. H. Messenger, the last draft being received on Tuesday last. Mr. Mourin's entire stock, together with all his books were destroyed, so that there was absolutely nothing upon which the insurance companies could work to ascertain the exact loss. Mr. Mourin made a statement to the company and an offer for settlement at a figure but a few dollars below the face of the policies, and it was accepted. Elsewhere he publishes a card to the effect that the loss has been settled satisfactorily to him.
   Enoch Rood, a man some 60 years old of Brewery Hill, Homer, in company with a girl of "sweet sixteen" and her mother, drove into town Tuesday, with the ostensible purpose of having a marriage ceremony performed. The girl to whom the old man was to be married, did not seem to favor the prospective union and raised forcible objections by attempting to run away.  Rood drove the horse under the [stable] south of Main street, leaving the girl and her mother on the sidewalk. The girl, finally seeing a chance to take “French leave,” ran across Clinton Street and disappeared. [There is more to the story but unfortunately the newspaper copy is faded and illegible—CC editor.]
   Henry D. Freer, as fat and jolly as ever, called upon his many friends in Cortland yesterday.

No comments:

Post a Comment