THE NEW UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN CORTLAND

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, August 9, 1889.

The New Universalist Church.

   Six months have now passed since the Rev. U. Mitchell and a few devoted friends commenced the work of establishing Universalist church services in this village, and in the six months a change has been brought about not only in the church edifice, but in every department of the church which is simply wonderful.  

  Every one remembers the old stone church as it was; the weeds grew rank about it, the broken basement windows were patched with pieces of board, some portions of the wood work needed paint, and so we might continue, but it is enough to say that the old edifice had a general air of being sadly out of repair, and judging from these indications one would be justified in believing that the church organization was practically dead.

   But in six months a wonderful change has been wrought. The basement is now pleasant and attractive, finished throughout in southern pine. It has been divided into a Sunday school room, a parlor, a kitchen and a furnace room, besides two passage ways, one leading by a stair-case in the audience room above, the other leading to the old entrance. A new entrance has been made on Elm street. A nice fireplace of pressed and ornamental brick has been put in the parlor, the basement has been seated with comfortable chairs, some friends have given a few pictures to hang in the parlor and this part of the church edifice has been made just as attractive as possible.

   In the audience room above a still greater change has been wrought. Many persons well remember this old, chilly, shabby room so it is not necessary to describe it. It has been so radically changed that one would imagine that they were in a modern church with all the latest improvements and comforts. There is a sloping floor, ten fine stained glass windows, a beautiful natural wood ceiling with open timber work. It is seated throughout with the best of opera chairs, the walls are nicely frescoed with appropriate designs at either end of the church, the ventilation is perfect, and it would be exceedingly difficult to plan an audience room that would be better in any respect.

   The ten stained glass windows which have been mentioned, were all given to the church by different interested parties, some of the windows being memorials. Two hundred of the opera house chairs were also given largely by the business men of the village. The audience room seats just three hundred and by bringing up chairs from the basement it can be made to seat over four hundred. W. W. Kelsey, L. S. Crandall, A. Terrill. L. V. Camp, N. J. Parsons and the pastor, Rev. U. Mitchell have been the building committee and they have endeavored to labor for the best interests of the parish.

   The exterior of the church will be left as it is. The work of repainting the woodwork is being done just now by Mr. Reynolds. The work of grading about the grounds and parsonage will begin this week, so that everything will be in readiness for the dedication which will take place Wednesday evening, August 21.

   In some respects the members of this Universalist parish are an example to the Christian people of Cortland. It is said that at a low estimate different persons belonging to this parish have contributed five hundred dollars worth of labor, and active business men have not hesitated to help in the repairs with their hand, besides giving of their means. Too much cannot be said in praise of Mr. Corwin, the contractor. He has done a noble piece of work in the interior of this church and the parish is more than satisfied. Mr. Beardsley, the architect, Mr. Reynolds, the painter, Mr. Shirley who did the frescoing, Mr. Robinson who did the letters, and many others are deserving of generous commendation.

   Not only has the church edifice been improved but the church membership has grown. The Sunday school has been re-organized, the congregations are very much larger and continue to grow and everything seems to indicate that ere long we will have in our village another active church urging its influence for the good of the entire community.

   A two days meeting will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, August 20 and 21. The following clergymen are expected to be present and take part: Rev. A. J. Canfield, D. D., Rev. E. F. Pember, Rev. Amanda Deyo, Rev. Ira C. Rider, Rev. B. Brunning, Rev. F. B. Peck, Rev. H. W. Hand and others. Services will be held on Tuesday afternoon and evening, on Wednesday afternoon and morning, to conclude with the dedicatory services in the evening. Rev. Dr. Canfield will preach. The other clergymen will all have some part in this interesting service.

   Rev. E. F. Pember, who did a noble work in this church a number of years ago will address the parish. A cordial invitation has been extended to all neighboring Universalist parishes and to all friends who may desire to attend. Entertainment will be provided for all. Dinner and supper will be served in the vestry on dedication day. An effort will be made to make this a joyous reunion.

   The pastor, next Sunday evening, begins a third series of Sunday evening talks. His subjects will be the different reasons which people give for not attending church. The subject of the first sermon next Sunday evening will be "The man who believes that church attendance is a matter of no importance." The seats are free and a cordial invitation is extended to all.

                                          A Monster Coal Dump.

   A few days since Mr. Wm. Martin completed his coal dump which has been in course of erection during the summer. A ten year lease has been secured from the Elmira, Cortland & Northern R. R. Co., of two acres of land on the north side of Elm street and west of and adjoining the company's track. On this land has been erected a building 132 feet long and 24 feet wide. In the building are eleven pockets, each one capable of holding about thirty tons of coal. The pockets are so arranged that a wagon may be placed close to the dump on the west side, a chute lowered, and as a lever is pulled the coal is conducted to the wagon.

   The chute is so built that the coal in passing through it is sifted and thoroughly cleansed of all dust, the refuse matter falling upon the ground underneath to be removed at pleasure. Each pocket is so built that coal may be let through and stored upon the ground underneath each one.

   The [track] switch by which the dump is approached is 420 feet long and rises to an elevation of 18 feet. On the east side is also built a large pocket for storage of water lime, which is loaded into the wagons the same as the coal. The dump has a storage capacity of over 500 tons, and is considered to be the most convenient and best arranged of any in town. Mr. Martin has just added another delivery wagon to his already large force, and is now able to serve the public better than ever.

The New Cashier.

   Last Tuesday the directors of the National Bank of Cortland held a meeting in their parlors and accepted the resignation of Cashier C. E. Selover, who has been elected president of a new bank in Elmira. The directors then proceeded to elect Mr. Frank J. Peck to the place made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Selover. Mr. Peck was trained to the business in this bank, having entered it several years ago as a messenger, and he has occupied every position in the bank up to chief book-keeper, which latter place he filled for four years to the entire satisfaction of its officers. The new cashier is entirely competent for the place and is a very popular gentleman.

A Good Appointment.

   Superintendent of Public Instruction Draper has appointed Dr. Thos. B. Stowell, of this place, to be principal of the Potsdam Normal school in place of Dr. E. H. Cook resigned. Dr. Stowell has been professor of Natural Science in the Normal school here ever since the school opened and is not only a very competent man for the position he now occupies, but he possesses all of the necessary qualifications to take entire charge of any of the Normal schools of the State. Besides being a man of fine scholastic attainments, he is a gentleman in every sense of the word.

   Dr. Stowell is spending his vacation at the Thousand Islands and we are unable to learn whether or not he will accept the place. Although he is devoted to the sciences, the increase in salary will be a temptation which he may not feel at liberty to resist. The people of Cortland will be sorry to part with him and his family.

LATER.—Dr. Stowell has accepted the place and is packing his goods for removal to Potsdam.

HERE AND THERE.

   The Homer Wire Fabric Co. will commence running their works again Sept. 2nd.

   Geo. W. Gage has been appointed postmaster at Taylor, in this county, in place of Levi Neal.

   R. F. McCarthy has sold his photograph gallery to Messrs. Maxwell & Mason. He intends to sail for Germany in a few days for the benefit of his health.

  

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.— A woman who was begging from house to house at Norwich, was arrested and taken to the poor house. On searching her, $160 and various receipts for taxes on personal property was found among her rags.

   Potato rot has struck Norwich and vicinity, and during the past week has made rapid progress. The indications are that the crop will prove an entire failure, many fields thus early in the season being not worth the digging.

   Last Sunday night a burglary was committed at Orrin Holmes's in Otselic. When the family arose on that morning, they found the parlor door open with Mr. H.'s trowsers [sic] near the door and his money purse gone, which contained about $22.00 in money. The entrance of the thief was made plain on finding that the putty had been cut off from the sash and a light broken out of the parlor bedroom window, so that the window spring could be drawn back and the window raised. No trace of the thief has as yet been found. This is quite a loss to Mr. Holmes.

   MADISON.— The county game law prohibits the shooting of gray squirrel, woodcock and partridge until September 1st, under a penalty of $25 for each one killed.

   Among the attractions in Earlville last week were a performing bear and two Italians, an organ grinder and monkey, scissors grinder, and a band of Gypsies.

   The estate of the late N. T. Coleman, of DeRuyter, has been finally and judicially settled by the decree of Judge Kennedy, Surrogate of Madison County. The settlement of this large estate, some $75,000, has been in the hands of C. H. Maxson, Esq., and involved a great deal of intricate and patient work.

   TOMPKINS.—Diptheria and scarlet fever are said to be prevalent in Ithaca.

   Dogs have been killing more sheep, near Dryden, during the past week. D. C. Burlingame lost, Thursday morning, seven, and Jackson Jamieson twelve, on Sunday morning. Two dogs which were thought to be doing the damage have been shot, and it is hoped there will be less sheep killing by dogs in the future.