Sunday, October 26, 2014

CORTLAND BOARD OF HEALTH INFECTIOUS DISEASE PROVISION, NEW TELEPHONE SYSTEM AND MECHANICS' BAND




The Cortland Democrat, Friday, April 6, 1888.
Board of Health.
   The attention of the citizens and house holders of this village is called to the following provision in the rules of the Board of Health:
   Every householder or head of family in a house wherein any case of infectious disease may occur, shall report the same to the Board of Health or to the Health Officer, within twenty-four hours from the time of his or her first knowledge of the nature of such disease and until instructions are received from the said Board or Health Officer, shall not permit any clothing, or other articles which may have been exposed to infection, to be removed from the house, nor shall any occupant change his residence elsewhere without the consent of the said Board or Health Officer.
   Every physician who may be called to attend a case of infectious disease shall, as soon as he discovers the nature thereof, make a written report specifying the name and residence of the patient, the nature of the disease, and any other fact relating thereto which he may deem important to the public health, and affix the date and sign his name thereto, and he shall hand such report to the householder or head of family as aforesaid, who shall thereupon become responsible for its transmission to the Board of Health within twenty four hours as above provided. The diseases to be thus promptly reported, are, Asiatic cholera, yellow fever, typhus fever, small pox, scarlet fever, and diphtheria. Any violation of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be punished by a fine of five dollars.
   The Board of Health wish to call the attention of the public to the necessity of having the back yards, cesspools, vaults and cellars cleaned as soon as possible, and to other things required by the code of last year's Board.
J. F. WHEELER, Pres.,
SAMUEL FREEMAN,
D. W. BIERCE.
E. F. JENNINGS, Sec.,
W. J. MOORE, Health Officer.

The Union System Adopted.
   The contract for putting in an Electric Fire Alarm System has been let to the Union Co. of New York at $2,300. Work will be commenced as soon as possible and it is expected that the system will be in operation in a short time. After it has been put up, a sixty day's trial of it will be made and if it proves unsatisfactory, will not be accepted by the Board of Trustees. The system has just been accepted by the town of Altoona, Pa., where it has been on trial for some time and the president of that city informs us that it is in every way satisfactory.
   A new bell will also be ordered and will be hung about two feet higher than the one in use, thereby avoiding any interference of the sound waves by the adjacent buildings. The Emerald Hose Co. will place five bunks in their building on Church street and as many members of the company will lodge there nights, so that everything may be made ready to start at short notice in case of an alarm.
   With the new system and our crack fire department, the people of Cortland may rest assured that they will in the future be most admirably provided for against any damages that fire can inflict.

HERE AND THERE.
   The Gamewell Fire Alarm system was on exhibition at Firemen's Hall, last Saturday and Monday.
   Another Chinese laundry will soon be started in the Squires block by some celestials from New York.
   Farmers will do well to attend the trial of Agriculture implements to be held in Elmira, April 11th and 12th.
   The funeral of Adelia White, niece of Dr. A J. White, was held at his residence on Port Watson street, last Wednesday.
   William Kennedy, an employee at the post-office, has purchased an interest in Charles Clearly's cigar manufacturing business.
   The site of the Stearns House in Truxton has been sold to parties living in the town. A new hotel will be erected there during the summer.
   Handsome new signs, the work of Hackett, have been placed over the entrances to Hopkins Bros'., Miller's, and Dennis' stores in the Grand Central block.
   The ball given by Emerald Hose Co, at Taylor Hall, last Monday evening, was a success in every particular. The net proceeds amounted to about $60.
   Dr. S. J. Sornberger, gave his lecture on "Norway" at the M. E. Church in Whitney's Point last Tuesday evening before the Broome Co. Teachers' Institute.
   The regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. will be held in the parlors of the Congregational church, on Saturday, at 2:30 P. M. All members are urged to be present.
   Brown & Maybury, the druggists, always up to the times, have something to say about the Fireman's Convention of interest to all, in their advertising space this week.
   The date of the ball to be given by the Mechanics' Band has been changed to Wednesday evening, April 11th, on account of a previous engagement of Fischer's orchestra.
   There has been and still is a great call for houses to rent this spring. A house suitable for a small family is taken at once. If some of our capitalists would invest some of their surplus cash in building low priced houses the returns would be profitable.
   One morning last week a small flock of wild geese stopped in J. L. Gillett's lot near the marl ponds. Wilbur Sanders, of South Cortland, succeeded in getting a shot at the game with his rifle and brought one of them down. It was a very handsome bird, and weighed something over ten pounds.
   Mr. O. K. George having resigned the position of chief train dispatcher on the E. C. & N. road, Mr. F. E. McCoy has been appointed by general manager McLeod to fill the vacancy, to take effect April 1st. Mr. George will continue to act as assistant train dispatcher and car accountant until further orders.
   Patrons of the Opera House who have been annoyed by the whistling of a certain set of "hoodlums," who think themselves funny, will be pleased to learn that manager Rood has taken decided steps for the suppression of the nuisance. By keeping a close watch he has ascertained the names of a number of these smart alecks, and the next offence will probably result in their arrest and lodgment in Hotel de Van Hoesen. [sheriff's jail—CC editor]
   The iron bridge in Cuyler, just west of A. W. Crandall's, went down in last week's freshet. It was nearly new. There was high water is many places where it had never been known before. The flats along the river were inundated; water entered Will Muncy's dwelling north of the village, driving the family up stairs and covering the lower floor an inch or two; D. J. Southard’s stable floor, at the Basin, was nearly two feet under water for a day or two, and in David Rigby's cellar on the hill, the water was a foot and a half deep. The bridge near Brookton was washed out, which temporarily delayed traffic on the railroad.—DeRuyter Gleaner.

Arrested on a Serious Charge.
   Last Thursday afternoon Frank See, who lives near the fair ground on North Main street, was arrested on a warrant sworn out by Frank Cole. The complaint alleges that See met Mr. Cole's twelve year old daughter in the street and made indecent proposals to her. He was arraigned before Justice Squires and gave bonds for his appearance at an examination on Saturday last. When that date came an adjournment over to Tuesday was taken and it was then further adjourned to next Monday at the request of See's counsel.
   See is about twenty-five years of age and some two years ago married Miss Georgie Sherwood, with whom he is still living. If the facts as set forth in the warrant shall be proven true, it is to be hoped that he may be rebuked in a manner that he will remember for some years to come.


Improvement at the Telegraph Office.
   Empire State Telephone & Telegraph Co. have lately put in a new and enlarged switchboard in their central office here, to meet the demands of their growth in that direction. The new switch system is in full operation, and it seems but proper at this time to call attention to some of its features, operating, as it does, upon an entirely new and improved principle.
   The idea of each subscriber being able to open, or disconnect his own wire in the switchboard thereby registering his call, will no doubt, when fully understood, prove both valuable and satisfactory to the Company and subscribers as well. When calling the central office, one turn of the crank on the subscriber's bell is sufficient to do this, and when such a signal is given, and the subscriber's bell continues to ring, it proves that trouble of some kind has prevented his call from registering, and his line is not in working order.
   When the bell stops ringing, it is the best evidence that a subscriber has registered his call, in view of the operator by automatically opening, or disconnecting his own line. The fact that his bell ceases to ring after one turn of the crank shows s clear working line to the central office. Thus each subscriber tests and knows himself the exact condition of his line every time it is used. After the bell ceases to ring, the subscriber should remove the receiver and the operator will speak to him. Having once registered his call, it is not only unnecessary to attempt to ring again, but to do so will interfere with the operator, who may, at the same instant be trying to ask him for the number of the wire desired.
   When through conversation a short turn of the crank on the bell indicates to the operator that you are through talking, which should always be given by the subscriber calling. A strict observance of this rule will enable the operator to disconnect your wire promptly so you can call again for any numbers that you may want. So please ring off when through talking.
   All calls must be made by number with this system, as there are no names on the switchboard to guide the operator.
   Manager Bickford is very busy now, removing some cables containing wires which this system has proved to be more or less defective, replacing them by new lead cables of an improved pattern and he no doubt will soon have the satisfaction of knowing, that his old as well as the increasing list of new subscribers constantly being added to the exchange are receiving the benefits of improvements to lines and apparatus, which cannot help but prove both satisfactory and beneficial to all concerned.
   The switchboard is furnished by the Eastern Electrical M'f'g. Co., of Tonawanda, N. Y., and was put in by Messrs. Gould and Smith (the inventors) representing that company.
Miller's Millinery Store.
   The ladies of Cortland, who, for some time past, have felt the need of a millinery store which should be conducted on the plan of the Metropolitan Houses, are likely to have their wants met in a most satisfactory manner.
   The store recently opened by Mrs. Miller in the Grand Central Block is one which in completeness of detail may well challenge comparison with many more pretentious houses in the larger cities and is a credit to the owners and the town.
   The store is situated at No. 15, Grand Central, is on the ground floor and runs the entire depth of the building. The front portion is used as a show and salesroom, and is filled to overflowing with an immense stock of everything pertaining to the millinery trade. The rear room is occupied by the trimming department, which is under the personal supervision of Miss Balthasar, whose long experience in one of the largest houses in New York city, is sufficient guarantee of the excellence of her work.
   The window in front is a marvel of beauty and attracts large numbers of people daily. The walls are papered with an exquisite design in gold, and lace curtains of a choice and costly pattern form a back ground and divide it from the rest of the store. In it are displayed the latest and most approved styles in hats, bonnets, flowers &c. A small sea-gull, mounted upon a red velvet back ground is also to be seen and forms one of the chief attractions.
   During the season Mrs. Miller will visit New York regularly each month in company with her sister, Mrs. Palmer, of Auburn, who owns the largest millinery house in that city. By purchasing their goods together and paying cash for the same they are enabled to take advantage of the lowest prices and can sell at bargains with which smaller establishments cannot compete.
   Personally Mr. and Mrs. Miller are wide awake, enterprising pleasant people, of the class of which a town cannot have too many. We trust that their new venture in Cortland may be so successful that they will decide to locate here permanently.

Personal.
   Glen Tisdale has accepted an offer from the Union Fire Alarm Company, as travelling salesman.
   Fred G. McElheny, recently of the Monitor, has secured a situation with a portrait copying firm of Geneva. He will begin work in Pennsylvania.
   S. Ham Strowbridge, who for some time past has been employed as foreman in the DEMOCRAT office, left town last Tuesday for Kentucky, where he has secured a situation as foreman in the office of a large daily paper.

The Mechanics' Band.
   Two years ago last Thanksgiving Day, the Mechanics' Band played their first engagement under the leadership of Mr. M. J. Muncy at the dedication of the Odd Fellows Hall. There were at that time twenty members, of whom but few now remain. Since then, by assiduous practice and strict attention to business matters, they have been pushing their way upward, until to-day it is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the best equipped bands to be found in the state, and a credit to the town to which it belongs.
   Believing that a brief history of the band since its first appearance in November, 1885 would be of public interest, a DEMOCRAT representative called on several of the members and from them gleaned the facts given below.
   At the time of the dedication of the [Union] hall, Mr. Muncy had been with them as leader and instructor only a few weeks. The instruments were of all makes and shapes and it was with the greatest difficulty that they could be tuned nearly enough to play together. Indeed for sometime the miserable character of the instruments was one of the most discouraging obstacles with which it was found necessary to contend, though several improvements were made by exchanging and the purchase of some second-hand instruments. Last June it was decided to buy a set of new instruments throughout which should be of the latest and most improved modes.
   After a careful examination of several first class makes, it was decided to place the order with Henry Distin, of Philadelphia, which was done. The instruments were personally selected by Mr. Distin, who subjected each to a severe examination and sent only those of which he could approve. The result is that to-day the Mechanics are the owners of as fine a set of silver-plated horns as any in this vicinity.
   Before the order for the instruments was placed, an agreement was entered into by the members, by which each one was to pay for his piece on receiving it, and the earnings of the band to be wholly applied in liquidating the debt before any dividend was made to individual members. This has been adhered to, and the band is now nearly free from debt.
   It is but due Mr. Muncy to say here, that when the new instruments were purchased he generously gave his services gratis, until they were paid for in full.
   Last month the headquarters of the band were removed from Union Hall to Wells Hall, where a much more suitable room was secured, and the preliminary work of the season begun with a vigor that leaves no doubt of ultimate success. The members are men of excellent social standing, and take pride in everything that pertains to the upbuilding of their organization. They have done everything in their power to give the people a band of which they might be proud and it is but just that their efforts should be seconded by our citizens in a liberal manner. Doubtless aid from the inhabitants of the village sufficient to enable them to free themselves from debt would bring a rich reward in the form of a series of open air concerts through the summer months At any rate no harm could come from trying the experiment.
   The instrumentation and membership of the band at present is as follows:
   Leader and solo B flat cornet, M. J. Muncy, 1st B flat cornet, J. M. Joiner, 2nd B flat cornet, F. C. Jones, E flat clarinet, Fred Osborne, 1st B flat clarinet, T. J. Lannigan, 2nd B flat clarinet, E. L. Van Derveer, solo alto A. H. Barber, 1st E flat alto, Scott Robinson, 1st B flat tenor, John Kernan, 2nd B flat tenor, Fred Sherwood, baritone, John Townsend, B flat bass, Dan Lynch, E flat bass, J. D. Clark, side drum, F. J. Pike, bass drum and cymbals, Ed Lannigan.

No comments:

Post a Comment