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| Wickwire Bros.' Grand Central block, 2014 photo. |
LOST BY FIRE.
The Bursting of a Kerosene Lamp Causes a
Serious Loss in the Grand Central Block.
Cortland had a narrow escape from a disastrous
fire at 5:35 A. M. Wednesday morning,
by the explosion of a hand lamp in the front of Hulbert
H. Pomeroy's dry goods and ladies' furnishing store, 13 Railroad street [Central Avenue].
The wind blew a genuine gale but the
department quickly arrived and subdued
the flames. The goods and large plate
window in the store front were badly damaged by fire. A hole was burned through the ceiling
but the flames did not communicate
to the second story.
The building is owned by Messrs.
Wickwire Brothers, upon which
Messrs. Maybury & Macumber had
written policies as follows: Insurance
Co. of North America, $8,000; Liverpool,
London & Globe, $5,000; Hartford, $2,500;
Continental, $2,500. The loss is
estimated at from $1,000 to $1,800.
The east
half was occupied by P. H. & F.
D. Dowd, shoes, stock badly damaged by
fire and water. Loss $1,000 to $1,500.
Insured in Springfield F & M $1,000, Germania of N. Y., $1,000, with Bosworth and
Maybury's agencies.
Mr.
Pomeroy's stock comprises a full line of dress goods, trimmings, furnishings, novelties,
and fixtures valued at $6,000 to $6,800 upon which Theo. Stevenson had issued policies of $800 on stock,
$200 on fixtures in the Bowery
of N. Y.; stock $1,000 in Fire
Association of Philadelphia, furniture on second floor, $1,000 in Westchester of
N. Y. The second floor is occupied for housekeeping and the dressmaking parlors
of Mrs. Pomeroy. In anticipation of the flames coming through the floor, water was poured over the same, otherwise the
damage is light on this floor.
Mrs.
Pomeroy arose at 4:30 that morning with the expectation of going to Syracuse on the 6 o'clock train having
packed a hand bag with various articles which she would need, also placing an
envelope containing $1,800 in bills in the same. Desiring to get a larger
package in the bag Mrs. Pomeroy
took out the envelope with the intention of concealing it on her person before
starting. Desiring some article from the store she descended with a hand lamp
(being only partially dressed at the time) placing it and the envelope, which she constantly kept in her possession,
upon the front end of the
counter and having secured the article, was returning for the lamp and envelope, being within 12 feet of the former when it exploded.
Instantly she called for help and the family responded, thinking she had fallen
on the stairs.
The front
part of the store was a sea of fire in
a breath and the $1,800 has not been seen
since. Of the $1,800, eight hundred belonged
to Mr. and Mrs. Pomeroy and the
$1000 to Mr. Guy L. Wallace, Mrs. Pomeroy
being his guardian. Mrs. Pomeroy being
unaccustomed to negotiating bank
paper, thought there would be no danger
as the existence of the money had been
kept secret to herself until that morning. Mrs. Pomeroy has been an industrious
woman and the loss is a severe one.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The
Board of Trustees Refuses to Grant Their Request—Communication From the Board
of Engineers.
At the meeting of the Board of Village Trustees
held last Monday evening, Mr. Peck moved
the adoption of the following resolutions:
Whereas,
The Fire Department of this village, through a committee of its Board of
Engineers, has presented to this Board for its approval, proposed amendments of
the village charter, giving to the Board of Engineers the control and
management of the property and finances of the village relating to the fire
department and giving also to the Board of Engineers the exclusive right to
handle, pay out, and disburse all monies and appropriations for fire purposes;
and
Whereas, It is the unanimous opinion of this Board that such a precedent is wrong
in principle and dangerous in its tendency, and that such amendments giving the
control of the finances and monies of the village to any class of officers who
are not elected by the people, is not in harmony with the principles and
provisions of the village charter, therefore, it is
Resolved, That the approval by this Board of the amendment proposed, be and is
hereby refused. Adopted.
MR. EDITOR:—The Board of Engineers, believing
that the resolutions of the Board of Trustees, pertaining to the proposed amendment
of the village charter, do not correctly represent the character of said amendment,
desire to be heard through your paper.
With no other information than that gained
from reading these resolutions, one, perhaps would be justified in
concluding that the firemen had been guilty of concocting a
scheme to get control of the village finances, and that by the
defeat of the amendment the village had escaped a great calamity.
The facts briefly stated are these:
The
Board of Engineers believing several changes in the charter necessary in
order to make our fire-service more effective, made a crude draft of
the proposed changes and requested the Trustees to meet them to consult
and agree upon something which would be satisfactory to all parties. On
two different occasions the Board of Engineers have tried to get such
conference. The first failed because of the lateness of the hour, the second
because only two trustees were present. The Board at last left a copy with the
Trustees asking that they consider it, supposing that of course the whole document
would receive their careful consideration. But notice what is done as shown by
the resolutions of February 3rd. It is all bad because some things in it
are not approved.
The following synopsis embodies the chief
points to which we call attention:
1. To correct an error in the amendment of
last year, pertaining to the election of officers.
2. To restrict the exemption from taxation to
active firemen only.
3. To constitute the chief a fire marshal with
power to investigate the cause of fires which occur under suspicious
circumstances, summon witness, take evidence etc.
4. To authorize the election of a property
clerk.
5. To authorize the Board of Engineers to
make out the annual fire budget subject to approval by Board of Trustees
by a three-fifths vote.
6. Jurisdiction of Board of Engineers over
current expenditures of fire department.
7. The control and management by Board of
Engineers of all fire apparatus and all buildings or rooms which have been
assigned to fire-department use by the Trustees or by the people.
8. To empower Board of Engineers to appoint
a superintendent of fire alarm telegraph.
9. To empower Board of Engineers to fix
salaries of persons employed by the fire department, subject to approval by
Board of Trustees. [C. F. D. was a volunteer fire department at this time—CC
editor.]
10. Board of Engineers to adopt rules and
regulations for government of fire department subject to approval by Board of Trustees.
11. To empower Board of Engineers to suspend
or remove an officer or member of the department.
12. To empower board of Engineers to order
necessary repairs and pay for the same by order on village treasurer.
13. To limit the use of fire department funds
to the fire service and to require that none of such funds be paid out except
by resolution of the Board.
14. To limit the liabilities of the village in
the matter of expenditures for the fire department, to the amount appropriated by
the people.
15. To prevent the diverting of moneys voted
by the people for special purposes, to any other use than that specified in the
call for the appropriation.
16. To empower Board of Engineers to purchase
apparatus with moneys appropriated for the same.
17. To provide penalties for giving false alarm
with intent to deceive or for interfering with the fire-alarm-telegraph.
While it is true that the Board of Trustees have
power to allow the Board of Engineers to take the initiative in certain matters
of repairs etc., such power though asked for, has not been given to the
Engineers and as a result the effectiveness of the fire service is lessened.
The choice of a trustee rests upon political considerations largely, while the
members of the Board of Engineers are selected because of special qualifications
as firemen. Which would it seem would be the better fitted to judge of
the needs of the fire service?
The duties of our aldermen are yearly increasing,
and even with the best qualifications as firemen it is impossible for them to
look after the minutiae of fire matters. This is an admitted condition now.
Ought there not then to be some body of men empowered to take the initiative in
certain matters which are liable to require immediate and skillful attention?
And who are better fitted than the Board of Engineers?
It should be borne in mind that this proposed
amendment gives to the Trustees the power to check any and all action of the
Engineers pertaining to finance by a three-fifths vote. The Trustees even have
power to disband the whole department, Board of Engineers and all. Where is
there the possibility of harmful use of power by the Engineers? Would it not be
wisdom to allow this Board certain powers with proper checks?
A property clerk is needed to care for the
property of the department, to make and keep an inventory of the same etc. Such
an officer was elected in December last and the Trustees refused to ratify the election
because as they said the charter gave them no power.
Fires often occur under suspicious
circumstances. Possibly the Trustees have the power to allow somebody to
make so investigation. If so they have always had it but never an
investigation. Do we not need a man commissioned with authority to do this work?
Other towns seem to see its necessity. The section pertaining to it is
copied from the Syracuse charter. Again, does not the safety of our houses demand
a skilled superintendent of fire-alarm-telegraph? While a chief may or may
not have the requisite skill to manage it properly, he has other duties too
numerous to admit of his devoting his time to it, and it demands constant care
or else becomes unreliable.
We as a board asked for a conference for the
purpose of coming to an agreement upon the needed amendments, hardly expecting the
Trustees to be perfectly satisfied with it as at first drawn, but instead of a
discriminating discussion of the many points, all are disposed of in one
breath. Can any one tell why?
JOHN F. DOWD, Chief,
J.
GRASSMAN, 1st Asst.,
A. H. WATKINS, 2d Asst.,
C. E. THOMPSON, Sec.,
C. P. WALRAD, Treas.,
O. D. RAYMOND, M. F. CLEARY, N. J. PECK. S.
J. SORNBERGER,
F.W.
KINGSBURY, C. H. DRAKE, JOHN H. PHELPS, Representatives.
Postal
Service Report.
Assistant postmaster E. M. Seacord kindly
furnishes the following report of the work of the Cortland post-office during
the first month of 1891:
There were collected 2,010 local letters,
26,656 mail letters, 704 local postal cards, 4,576 mail postal cards, 2,150
papers and packages, making a total of 36,296 pieces collected. During the same
period there were delivered 208 registered letters, 64,149 mail letters, and 15,266
postal cards, besides 43,915 papers and packages, a total of 123,533 pieces of mail,
making a grand total of 159,829 pieces handled in the various avenues and
workings of the office as against 147,705 during January, 1890.
I. O. O.
F. Annual Banquet.
The annual banquet and ball of Vesta Lodge,
No. 255, I. O. O. F., was held in Odd Fellows' hall, on Friday evening last, and
was a decidedly interesting social affair. The attendance was all that could be
desired since the floor was filled with dancers and enough spectators were
nested around the outside of the room to form a pleasing harmony with the life
on the crashed carpet. An orchestra of nine pieces furnished the music.
It was noticed that the interest in these
annuals is increasing and better satisfaction given than the former style of only a few of those in possession of the inner workings of a lodge assembling for a
spread. The present system permits of an enlargement of acquaintances as well
as enjoyment of a social hour. An elegant supper, without doubt prepared by the
active ladies, was served by the gentlemen of the lodge. The latter deserve
credit for their vigilance in looking after the wants of guests in quest of
either coffee, tea or water. After the supper hour, dancing was resumed.
Schermerhorn
Street School.
From time to time the teachers in the Schermerhorn
[Grace] street school give interesting public exercises on Friday afternoon,
inviting parents and friends in to witness the proficiency of their children or
wards.
Last Friday the following programme was most
pleasingly and successfully presented by the third and sixth grades of this
school, under the guidance of Miss Knapp; receiving the hearty approval of the
audience—every sitting of the department being occupied:
Song—"Drive the Nail Aright Boys,"
Peter McGuire, Max Higgins, Glenn Walters, Eddie Leonard, Joseph C. Fisher.
Recitation—"My Little Partner,"
Lucy Terry.
Composition—Indians, Mamie Haynes.
Recitation—"Only Now and Then,"
Joseph C. Fisher
Vocal Duet—"The Little Fisher Maiden,"
Maud Kinney, Grace Brown.
Composition— "The West," John
McTighe.
Humorous Reading, Eva Baker.
Recitation—"There's a Boy in the House,"
Glenn Walters.
Violin Solo, Lola Bates.
Recitation—"Grandfather's Barn,"
Paul Higgins.
Composition—"Elephants," Maud
Kinney.
Instrumental Duet, Eva Baker, Maud Kinney.
Select Reading— "Doll's Cradle Song,"
Julia Nichols, Josie Sullivan, Nora Littleton. Mary Grant, Jennie Pollard, Ella
Du Chette, Dora DuBois, Carrie Schouten.
Dialogue—"The Boys," Arthur
Bradley, Arthur Morgan, Cortez Sandwick, Fred Nichols, Claud Ryan.
An Original Poem, Carrie Jackson.
Vocal Trio, Eva Baker, Nellie McGraw, Grace
Brown.
Dialogue—"Keeping Store," George
Robson. Eva Tice. Josie Sullivan, Jennie Pollard, Carrie Schouten, Joseph C. Fisher.
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