The Cortland Democrat, Friday, June 6,
1890.
They Want a Franchise.
The Empire Telegraph and Telephone Company,
which has given the business men of this village an excellent telephone service
for the past eight years, are asking the Board of Trustees of this village to grant
them a franchise. The board at its last meeting very properly refused to grant their
request. Since the meeting of the board, the company have circulated a petition,
which is signed by a very large majority of their customers, asking the board
to grant the company's request.
It is an easy matter to obtain signers to a
petition. Many good business men sign petitions that they would not sign, if
they had a few moments time in which to consider both sides of the question. In
the case under consideration, several parties have expressed their regrets at
having affixed their signatures to the document without first considering the
matter.
A franchise is a privilege granted by a municipal
government to an individual or corporation to carry on business in that
municipality to the exclusion of others in the same line of trade.
The Telephone Company claim that they do not
ask for an exclusive franchise, but if they are granted a franchise,
which is to be of any value at all to them, it must operate as an exclusive
franchise, and it is believed that it would not be necessary to have the word exclusive
used to make it operate as such. The fact that they have a franchise would
make it exclusive. If not, why ask for one at all? The patent on the telephone
expires within the next two or three years, and if the Empire Company could
have the privilege of excluding other companies from locating in Cortland, they
could keep up the prices and have a monopoly of the business, but if other
companies were permitted to come here, our citizens would undoubtedly be
benefitted by a reduction in the price of the service.
If the editor of the Cortland Standard should
ask for a franchise for publishing a Republican
paper in this village to the exclusion of all others, the board of trustees would
be justified in refusing to grant the request and the people would support them
to a man. Let all business enterprises in Cortland compete for business. If
there be any that cannot stand legitimate competition let them fall. Merchants
do not ask for a franchise and it would do them no good if they should.
When a corporation once obtains a franchise
they have the village or city at a disadvantage. This will be seen by the
attitude of the old Water Company in Syracuse. They will neither furnish that
city with a plentiful supply of pure and wholesome water, nor will they permit
others to do so, and the consequence is, Syracuse has an expensive legal fight on
its hands. It is not well to put ammunition in the hands of your enemy to fight
you with.
Three or four years since [ago] the service furnished
by the Cortland Water company was inefficient and unsatisfactory, and the
people of this village were in a state of commotion and excitement for a long
time; some favored condemning the works and a purchase of the plant, which
would necessarily have burdened the town with a heavy indebtedness. Others
favored putting in new works, but as several of the stockholders of the water
company were property holders and residents of the village, the system was
enlarged and improved and is giving entire satisfaction.
A franchise ought not to be granted to any
company or corporation, and especially a foreign corporation, for any purpose,
except upon a vote of the citizens of the village, and even then action should
be indefinitely postponed.
FROM
EVERYWHERE.
The grip [influenza] caused an increase in the death rate over 1880 of 20 percent.
Upward of 1,000 Cincinnati carpenters struck
for the nine-hour system, Monday.
Francis C. Lowehorn, inventor of the
railroad turntable, died at Trenton, N. J., Sunday, at the age of 81 years.
Timothy, or herb grass, was so named from
Timothy Hanson, a Maryland farmer who was the first to cultivate it largely in this
country.
The well known aeronaut, C. Redmond, was killed
at Snahomish, Washington State last week by his balloon catching in a tree top,
throwing him to the ground.
Articles of incorporation have been filed in
the Broome county clerk's office by the Binghamton Electric Company with $200,000
capital stock for a term of fifty years.
Rose Coghlan played "Lady Gay Spanker''
as the final performance in the Brooklyn theatre, Monday evening. The play
house will be torn down and the Eagle will occupy the site.
Troy observed Memorial Day by the laying of
the corner stone for the soldiers' monument which will be 90 feet high and 29
feet square at the bottom across the spurs. It is expected the unveiling will take
place early in October.
Owners of nets are very much excited over
the law prohibiting their use in the Rondout and Esopus creeks. Wilbur
fishermen are up in arms, and think strongly of disregarding the law debarring
them from catching shad and herring in a driftnet in the Rondout creek.
A Brookfield father has just been awarded a
verdict, by the Massachusetts Superior Court, of $3,000 against Boston &
Albany railroad for the killing of his son two years ago, on the ground that
defendant neither sounded the bell or whistle when approaching the crossing
where the accident occurred.
Before the close of the year 1892 the pension
taxes alone will average over $14 a year on every head of family in the United States.
The present average per head is exactly $9 a year, or $108,000,000 annually on
12,000,000 heads of families in a population of 60,000,000.—St. Louis Republican.
During the present month the
labor federation of Massachusetts has boycotted two Springfield mercantile
houses for keeping their stores open more than two nights each week, a barber
for refusing to close at 6:15 Monday evenings, and denounces Senator Metcalf as
an enemy of labor. They are now circulating 8-hour petitions throughout the city
for signatures.
A recent decision of the
Supreme Court of the State, will interest any man in New York who proposes to
build a dam. It has been decided that when a dam is built in waters where fish
abound, a fishway must be built in the dam. The decision is on the principle
that the dam builder has no right to shut off his neighbors' food supply
further up stream.
HERE AND THERE.
Fresh fish of all kinds at
Johnson's market, James street, Homer.
Work was resumed in the Homer
brick yard, last Monday.
Children's day will be
observed in all the churches in this place, next Sunday.
A sewer is to be built under
the south cross walk at the junction of Railroad and Church streets.
July the fourth is being
agitated as deserving of local demonstration this year. Cortland can do it
proud if necessary.
A strawberry and ice cream
festival will be held in the First Presbyterian church in Preble, on Wednesday
evening, June 11th.
Monday, while fishing, Rufus
Steadman, of Groton City, fished out a watch valued at $30. It was lost the day
before by Arthur Harrington of Cortland.
Any boy under 16 years found
smoking a cigarette upon the streets is liable to arrest, Governor Hill having
signed the bill prohibiting minors from smoking.
Mr. P. B. Corwin, of this
village, aged 80 years, attended the dedication exercises of the Presbyterian
church, last Wednesday. He was also present at the dedication of the old church.
Remember that the annual
reunion of the 185th regiment takes place in Homer, on Wednesday, June 11th.
Gen. Joshua L. Chamberlain, commander of the old brigade, will be present.
Mr. W. W. Gale, who is engaged
in enumerating the children of school age in this village, informs us that ward
No. 1 contains 515. He also reports the number of inhabitants in that ward all
told to be 1991.
Four female and five male
residents of Cortland were removed by death during May. There were five births
of each sex and five marriages during the same month, according to Health
Officer Moore's monthly report.
Dr. G. E. Barber, of Tully,
has formed a partnership with Dr. S. Hinman, of Cortland, and the new firm will
carry on the practice of medicine in this place with office at Dr. Barker's
office, Railroad street, with the name of Barker & Hinman.—Tully Times.
A large force of masons and
carpenters are engaged in the work of remodeling the Bauder residence on
Lincoln avenue. The hallway and doorways on the first floor will be enlarged
and remodeled, and a general transformation will place Delos Bauder and family
in possession of a pleasant home.
Messrs. Briggs & Peck have
a litter of seven half grown foxes in one of their show windows that are
attracting notice of all passers. The little fellows were taken from a
hole in the ground a couple of weeks since, by Mr. John Hammond and Will Stoddard,
on the Wickwire farm two miles east of this village. After the store is closed
and the lights turned out in the evening, they are as playful as kittens, but
during the day they are inclined to be quiet.
A party of surveyors passed
over the E. C. & N. railroad, Monday, enroute for Camden, to survey the
proposed extension to Watertown.
President Harrison has signed
an act providing that all mail matter, of whatever class, relative to the
census and addressed to the census office, the superintendent of census, chief
clerk, supervisors or enumerators, shall be transported free by registered mail.
By this act supervisors can send schedules registered to the enumerators, and
enumerators can return them in same way. The census office is anxious the
postmasters throughout the country should take notice of this as it may be necessary
for supervisors to avail themselves of this provision before the postmasters have
time to receive official notice of its passage.
Mahan's Music Festival.
Monday of this week witnessed
the opening of Mr. A. Mahan's sixteenth music festival with the unprecedented
enrollment of 250 names of vocalists, this list being swelled to upward of 330
during Tuesday, being a larger opening register than at any previous annual. Of
the yearly increasing interest that is being awakened in the music circles the
above facts conclusively prove that Mr. Mahan's efforts to provide means for
improving the vocal culture of the masses are appreciated and crowned with success.
Besides the liberal attendance from our own village it is worthy of mention
that Homer, Scott, Preble, Little York, East Homer, Skaneateles, Auburn,
Kelloggsville, King's Ferry, Georgetown, Lansingville, Ithaca, Etna,
Dresserville, Groton, Moravia, Ludlowville, Spafford, Elmira, Seneca Fails,
Syracuse, North Syracuse, Fabius, Union Valley, Lincklean, Brocton, Dryden,
Carthage, Canastota, Truxton, Poland, Russia, McDonough, Rome, Solon, Pitcher, Cincinnatus, Taylor, New York city, and other
localities in this state, from Tyler Hill, Pa., Boston, Mass., Dennison, Iowa,
are liberally represented, showing the wide spread popularity of these
gatherings.
An elevated platform has been
constructed on the rear of the stage for the choir of about 500 voices, which
under Dr. Palmer's management are as a unit in expression, the beauty of which
is better appreciated by ear than can possibly be portrayed by pen.
BRIEF REMINDERS.
Remember the greatest of
musical works, Rossini's "Stabat Mater," will be rendered Friday
evening.
The Higgins Concert Company,
the renowned artists Miss Lilian Carll Smith, Miss Minnie E. Stevens, Mr. Thomas Impett and Dr. Carl E. Martin, and
the great festival orchestra will participate in to-day's exercises.
The Acme Glee Club will sing
at the Friday afternoon concert.
The Decker Brothers concert
grand piano which is being used during the festival will be sold at less than
usual wholesale price. A rare chance for some one to obtain an
exceptionally fine piano.
LITTLE YORK.
The ice company are loading
two cars per week for market at Cortland.
Beautiful specimens of
May-apple blossoms are brought from the mountain every day.
The Gruber family, of New York,
are expected at the Raymond House this week for the full season.
The masons are at work on the
cellar of the new milk depot. Duane Fish of Homer, is the contractor for the
completed building.
The restaurant on
No-man's-land is thus far conducted on honorable principles and found a
convenience even to temperance people who are on the lake.
We observe some flowers were
placed on graves of dear friends on Decoration day in our neglected yard. This
custom should be more generally observed.
Sunday there was almost a
continuous passing from either side of the valley. Every boat was out and the
first warm Sunday of the season was enjoyed by every one.
Where are the potato bugs this
spring? Are they mad because McKinley neglected to see that they had proper
protection? The Senate can remedy this matter perhaps.
The Scott men are not the only
ones who are violating the fish and game laws. But that is a good place to
start the reform and then it will be easy to spread it in other towns.
Miss Flora Clark is gaining
very fast and will soon be able to ride out. Some little prescription of Dr.
Johnson of Cortland has done the business with her own nerve and firmness.
Mrs. Kate Chamberlain and
family spent Saturday at this place. She was the guest of Mrs. S. D. Perkins
while the young people found pleasure on the lake and mountain.
Dr. R. A. Goodell is in New
York this week representing Homer Lodge F. & A. M. Last week he removed an enormous tape worm from Abner Bartlett.
He has a previous record in this class of practice.
"Squire" Hunt, of
Scott, was in this place on Tuesday. Time deals gently with him and gray hairs
are but honors. When we remember that he was the first patentee for barbed wire
as a fence and how little he has received as royalty, we think our patent laws
a failure. Some little worthless toy will net the inventor perhaps $100,000.
W. W. Salisbury occupies the
south tenement house of the Cushing estate. He was disturbed by peculiar
noises, and as the previous tenant had also heard the same, it began to take on
the character of a haunted house. On removing some of the clapboards a colony
of bats was found. He killed by actual count 132 and the house is no longer
haunted.
ULI SLICK. [pen name of
correspondent]
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