ANOTHER BIG FIRE

1894 map of Cortland showing location of rebuilt Door and Window Screen Co. (#20 marked on roof).

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 22, 1889.

ANOTHER BIG FIRE.

THE CORTLAND DOOR AND WINDOW SCREEN COMPANY BURNED TO THE GROUND.

The Watchman Severely Burned—The Loss Probably Fully Covered by Insurance.

   A few minutes after 4 o'clock last Monday morning, the night watchman at the Cortland Door and Window Screen Company factory located on the corner of Hyatt and Blodgett streets [near the D. L. & W. railroad track--CC editor] in this village, discovered a bright light in the boiler room, which he had left only a moment before after fixing the fire. He at once went to the room to ascertain the cause, and found the shavings in a large bin about ten feet from the boiler on fire. He threw a pail of water that stood nearby on the fire and then seized a large wooden shovel and attempted to stamp it out. The shovel made but little impression, but Mr. Ellis was badly burned about the face, neck and ears and his hands and arms up to his elbows were badly blistered.

   Failing to make any headway in putting out the fire he ran into the office and rang the telephone but could get no response. He then took the key to the fire-alarm-box on Port Watson street, from the nail where it hung, but dropped it and was unable to pick it up on account of the blisters on his hands. He then started for Col. Place's residence, corner of Port Watson and Pendleton streets, near which stands box No. 413, hallooing "fire" on the way.

   John Jordan, an Indian, who works in the factory and who lives near Col. Place, came out of his house and Ellis called to him to arouse the Colonel and have him pull the box. The box was soon pulled and the department came to the rescue. The nearest hydrants were located near the residences of D. F. Dunsmoor and Col. Place on Port Watson street. Hose was attached to these and two streams were soon playing on the fire.

   The building where the fire started had had several additions put on within the past year making it now about 55x95 feet, a part of which was one story high and other parts two and three stories. This building together with its entire contents, consisting of special machinery, boiler, engine, office furniture and fixtures, was entirely destroyed. Situated about 100 feet north east from this building was a three-story building 42x130 feet used as a store-house. A covered bridge connected the two buildings and at one time it was thought that the fire would reach the store house so rapidly did the flames run through this bridge, but the firemen succeeded in stopping them after a hard fight.

   There was an insurance of $3,400 on the burned building, $3,500 on machinery, $1,000 on boiler and engine, $4,500 on stock in building, $100 on safe and office furniture. This covers the property destroyed and will probably be nearly sufficient to pay the loss. The insurance on store-house and contents—which were not burned, was on building $3,000, and $17,000 on contents. A portion of the manufactured screens in the store house were slightly damaged by water.

   The safe, made by the Detroit Safe Company, was unlocked Monday afternoon and the contents were found to be in as good condition as if no fire had occurred. This safe was purchased of the late C. W. Barney, and went through the fire which consumed the Wallace Block a few years since [1884] and came out of that ordeal with contents uninjured.

   The company was organized in 1887, with a capital stock of $25,000. The following gentlemen compose the company: T. E. Wickwire, Ernest M. Hulbert, W. J. Greenman, Mrs. H. H. Greenman, Edward Keator, J. F. Maybury, W. J. Hollenbeck.

   The company will be crippled for some time notwithstanding the fact that the store house was filled with manufactured goods, for it will take some months to duplicate the buildings and special machinery and this is about the time their orders commence coming in for next season's trade.

   Ellis is badly burned. Both eyes were nearly closed and his hair was burned off clean to where his hat rested on his head. Drs. Edson and White were called and dressed his injuries. Although severely burned he will recover.

   During the fire Patrick McSweeney, a member of Emerald Hose, discovered that his coat was on fire. He had sufficient presence of mind to drop to the ground and after a lively roll in the snow succeeded in putting out the blaze. There was little left of the coat.

   Ellis is unable to tell how the fire occurred. He thinks a spark must have snapped out into the shavings while he was replenishing the fire or else a spark clung to the shovel and thus set the shavings on fire.

   The company will re-build at once.

Important Notice.

   Those persons living in the vicinity of Fire Alarm Boxes, or those that have occasion to send in an alarm will please take notice that in case of a fire, the box nearest the fire is the one to be pulled and no other, (the box in no case to be pulled more than twice). The number on the box is repeated 3 times necessarily on the fire bell. Thus 123, the smallest box number is pulled 1-2-3—1-2-3—1-2-3. This makes 18 strokes on the bell, pulled the second time makes 36 strokes. If this is not sufficient to bring the firemen, a general alarm will be sounded by the janitor or some one provided for the purpose. This is very important or otherwise it may mislead the firemen and cause great loss of time and the result prove disastrous.

JOHN PHELPS, [Chief] C. F. D.

Cortland, N. Y., Feb. 21, 1889.

McGrawville.

   R. Morse has purchased of O. A. Kinney the Hollister place.

   Dr. J. H. Helmer, of Lockport, was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. N. W. Smith, over Saturday and Sunday.

   The Cortland Daily Message makes its appearance each evening on our streets and meets with a ready sale.

   P. B. Holland started on Wednesday of last week for Kansas, looking after the interest of his property there.

   P. D. Grass has accepted a position with an Oneida Wagon Co., as travelling salesmen to commence March 1st.

   NEPOS. [pen name]

HERE IS A HARD FACT.

   The editor of a country newspaper in this State, having the experience of editors generally in divining the motives and the weaknesses of "supporters" of the local press, has this hard fact to record: ''There are too many men who expect an editor to slave in defense of their pet notions and. hobbies, advocate their views against the strongest opposition and coolly withhold the business support by which alone a small newspaper can live. Talk about a newspaper having a public duty to perform, and an editor having to labor for his principles, is cheap when others stand back, and. while extending a lukewarm neutrality with one hand, are filling their pockets with the other hand as a result of the editor's labor for his principles which they admire, but do not support."

TO BE OR NOT TO BE—ABSORBED.

   At the citizen meeting held in Firemen's Hall last Friday evening, to consider the question of allowing Homer village to take a portion of the town of Cortlandville into its corporation boundaries, a committee of six was appointed to cause a survey of the land which our sister village proposes to appropriate and to establish the boundary lines thereof. A committee consisting of Hon. O. U. Kellogg, Hon. W. H. Clark, J. E. Eggleston and H. L. Bronson, was also appointed to interview Member of Assembly Peck, and urge him to do all in his power to prevent the unceremonious gobbling up of a portion of Cortlandville's domains.

   The land in question is a small strip of territory running south from the southern boundary of the town of Homer bounded on the east by the Tioughnioga river and running south to a point just north of the Gas factory [near CNY Living History Center--CC editor], and is bounded on the west by the S. & B. railroad track.

   Considerable feeling has already been stirred up over the matter and Homer people show considerable rancor at the resistance offered by some of Cortland's citizens. If Homer should be allowed to take this strip of land in out of the cold, it would not alter the town line at all and people living in that district would still vote and pay taxes in the town of Cortland, while they would be residents of the village of Homer by reason of their living within its corporation boundaries.

   The committee appointed at the citizens meeting held in Firemen's Hall have decided to recommend that the boundaries of this corporation be extended to the town line between the towns of Homer and Cortland on the north and to the west line of lots No. 54, 64 and 74, and to the south line of 74, 75 and 78 and to the east line of 56, 66 and 76. This would make about nine square miles within the corporation limits. The committee have called a meeting to be held in Firemen's Hall, on Friday evening, Feb'y 22, at 7 P. M.

   Meanwhile, Homer people are threatening to retaliate by circulating a petition, which it is claimed would be signed by most of the citizens of that place, pledging themselves to do no more trading in Cortland. This is the talk of children and is arrant nonsense. No sensible person would sign such a paper and the man who went about asking for signatures would be voted a ninny. If Homer has a right to the bit of soil in question she can most certainly enforce her rights and obtain possession. If she has no right to the territory, the citizens of Homer cannot rightfully blame the people of this town for holding fast to that which belongs to them.

   It would seem as if the matter might be amicably arranged by a conference of the leading citizens of both places. There may be grave objections to allowing Homer to extend her corporation boundaries into the town of Cortlandville, but if there are, they have not occurred to us. It is unfortunate for Homer that the town line of Cortlandville runs so close to the village, but there is no use of having a very large quarrel over a very small matter.

HERE AND THERE.

   The law makes it cost $25 for killing a squirrel between Feb. 1st and Aug. 1st.

   Hereafter pension agents and attorneys will be allowed to take only $5 for securing an increase of pension.

   M. A. Newton, who has conducted the [Hanford] Fork Factory at N. Pitcher for nine years past, has vacated the shops.

   An exchange says teachers violate law and are liable to $1 fine every time they keep a scholar in during the noon intermission.

   Dr. H. C. Gazlay has relieved Mr. Chas. H. Barghusen of two tapeworms at the same time, their combined length being thirty-one feet. They may be seen in the Dr.’s office in the Wells block.

   W. H. Catching, of Loudon, Ky., has secured the contract for carrying the mails between this village and Virgil. He has the contract also for carrying the mails between this village and Summerhill.

   Dr. G. H. Smith made an excellent run for Supervisor, without any extra work. He reduced the majority of the strongest man in the Republican party (and in fact the only man the Republicans dare nominate for the office), notwithstanding the large amount of work done by the Republicans to hold his majority. If the Democrats would put forth an effort this town could be represented by their nominee.

   Cortland and Homer are having a fight over a strip of land between the two villages that both want to annex. The villages have grown together, and the sensible thing to do will be to unite them with a city charter. Together they contain sufficient population for a city. After villages grow together in city proportions they should have no further use for rival jealousies. As the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth wards of the city of Cortland, Homer would soon be quite as happy as she will be to retain her village organization.—Binghamton Republican.