HOME FOR AGED WOMEN IN HOMER

Elizabeth Brewster House, Homer, N. Y.

Cortland Standard and Weekly Journal, Friday, August 5, 1892.

Home for Aged Women.

   Much to be commended is the custom, now gaining ground, of disposing of either accumulated or inherited wealth during the natural life of the proprietor. Much unnecessary litigation is thereby prevented and when it is used for philanthropic purposes its work commences sooner. The best interest to which money can be put is bearing fruit for God. It was the recognition of this principle that originated the Home for Aged Women situated in Homer.

   Mrs. Elizabeth A. Brewster for the first quarter of a century of her life a resident of that town, a long-time resident of Rochester, returned to Homer in 1886 from a sojourn in California whither she had gone some years previous for the benefit of her son. She purchased the estate known as the Lewis property, fronting on Main-st. and running back to the river. Houses numbers 41 and 43 South Main-st. were then standing upon it. Its area is about an acre.

   Back from the street is a pretty cottage built by her in 1887 for the accommodation of herself and sisters. The room s are very nicely arranged, large south and east windows invite the sun, which she utilizes in winter for the cultivation of plants of which she has a great variety. Her rare cacti are her especial pride.

   Advancing years show their traces upon her physical system, but the great heart still plans and labors for the good of others. Such hearts are ever young. In spite, however, of the weight of years which she bears, she spends much time amid the fruits and flowers with which she has covered the best part of her grounds, and whose products are more for others than herself. The location is central, being opposite the village green, where are the churches and high-school building. Street-cars from Homer to Cortland make transportation from one place to the other very conveniently for those who occupy or wish to visit the Home.

   In October, 1891, Mrs. Brewster deeded to an association incorporated about that time, this property, reserving for her own use the brown cottage so long as she shall need it. The association known by the name given at the head of this article has for its president Mrs. C. O. Newton; vice-president, Mrs. J. J. Murray; secretary, Miss Sara G. Collins; treasurer, Mrs. Augustus H. Bennett.

   The buildings on Main-st. were occupied by tenants. They were allowed to remain for a time. April, 1892, house No. 41 was vacated. It was then thoroughly renovated and refitted internally and prepared for occupancy.

   On April 27 the Home was informally opened with Mrs. E. M. Gates as matron. On April 30 the first boarder, a lady from Cortland, arrived. It will be noticed that we say boarder. This is necessary now, as there are not sufficient funds on hand to enable the managers to promise to see anybody through life, the only charge now made being $2.50 per week. The trustees hope that people of the county, who are abundantly able, will hasten to endow this association that they may be able to care for those who have small means and no one to care for them. Will not the churches of the county especially look to their duty in the matter, as well as in other philanthropic moves?

   If this enterprise receives the assistance from people outside the county, it will be after an effort has been made by the residents of the county, an effort too crowned by success, in the securing of a fund whose size shall be a guarantee of permanency. Let the people then realize the duties and privileges which are theirs in this direction and contribute liberally toward the establishment of this undenominational home, made such by especial provision of the founder.

   Liberal donations of house-furnishing goods have fitted this house as a home indeed, contributions of provisions have also been frequent. More furnishings and bedding will soon be needed, as more rooms must soon be opened. The work is yet in its infancy, but its opportunity is large. Will not the people of the county help to its development?

   Rev. Geo. F. Clover, recently returned to Homer from St. Luke’s hospital, N. Y., kindly offered to visit the Home on Wednesday of each week and conduct a short religious service. His coming is warmly welcomed by the occupants. The hearts of those who are waiting for the boatman to carry them over the river, are always gladdened by kindly remembrances from those who are in the midst of life’s battle and the Christian minister often receives his best inspiration while ministering to their spiritual needs.

Trustees Meeting.

   Aug. 2.—A regular meeting of the [Cortland] board of trustees was held last evening, all of the members being present.

   The following bills were audited and ordered paid:

   Street Commissioners’ pay-roll.....................$381.70

   James O’Neil, to repairs on sandbank house ......5.60

   E. Williams, labor............................................ ...9.75

   Fred Ryan, work on stone-crusher………….. ..68.25

   Police force, salary............................................ 49.00

   E. D. Parker, to taking prisoner to Syracuse........2.40

   Fred Hatch, clerk salary.......................... 25.00

   F. M. Samson, janitor salary……………25.00

   L. R. Lewis, plumbing...............................3.20

   G. O. Gilbert, services to board of health ....75 cents

   Cortland, Homer & Electric Co.............468.93

      The bond of David C. Johnson in the sum of $80,000 as collector of Cortland village, with Messrs. Fitz Boynton, W. B. Stoppard, D. F. Wallace, H. F. Benton and James R. Schermerhorn as sureties, was approved and placed on file.

   On motion City Engineer Place was ordered to give a sidewalk grade from Monroe Heights to Graham-ave.

   A complaint was laid before the board concerning the accumulation of surface water at Barber-ave. and Homer-ave. On motion this was referred to Trustees Smith and Hodgson.

Why is This?

   The following communication from one of our leading citizens explains itself:

To the Editors of the STANDARD:

   Cortland bought a stone crusher last spring, and it does good work. In the light of this, why are our village trustees filling in Greenbush-st. with dirt and cobbles to be carted off again next spring in mud?

   CITIZEN.

Texas Flies in the Dairy.

   Another new pest to dairymen has appeared this year in the form of an insect known as the Texas fly. It is smaller than the ordinary fly and has more erect wings. It multiplies with great rapidity. Last year but a few of them were seen, but this season they appear in swarms and light upon everything of the cattle kind. One peculiarity of the insect is that instead of sucking the blood as the ordinary fly does it bites, with great apparent ferocity, driving cattle into a perfect frenzy.

   The effect as manifested in a herd of dairy cows is a marked shrinkage in the milk. One man who brings milk into Cortland estimates that his cows have shrunk about one-third in the quantity of milk produced. It would naturally be expected that at this season the cows would not he giving as much milk as in the first flush of new feed, early in June, but the proportion should not be so great and the gentleman above referred to claims that his cows should not be shrinking at the present time, as he has just turned them into a meadow, where they have a great abundance of fresh after-feed. Different dairymen have noticed the shrinkage of milk, but have not been able to explain it, though they have all noticed the swarms of flies that follow their cows.

   Dr. Baker informs us that the only apparent way to get rid of these at the present time seems to be to sponge the cows with a fluid, the odor of which is so offensive to the flies that they depart from the animal. The effect of a single sponging will last about a week if the rain does not wash it off, in which case more frequent applications are necessary. It will not do to use anything poisonous for this purpose to destroy the flies, as it would be likely to also poison the cow, either through the application of the poison to the skin, or because the cow is so likely to lick herself off at times. But there is a preparation the odor of which will drive away the flies for the time.

The Record Did Not Go.

   Aug. 2.—The scorch to Little York and return last night resulted in a very close race, but the record of 53:10 was not touched by a minute. There were only two starters, Will Jacquett and E. S. Dalton. Jacquett cut out the pace and led nearly all the way, although Dalton passed him, going through Homer, both on the trip up and on the return. At about 8 o’clock, when the time came for the finish, there was a crowd of three or four hundred gathered at the Cortland House crossing. It was almost dark when the cry went up, Here they come. Two or three friends of the riders came on ahead as pace makers and cleared the way through the crowd. Jacquett was leading by about ten yards and past [sic] the cross-walk a winner. The times taken were various, but the best accredited is put at 54:15.

William McKinley.

Another Great Speech by McKinley.

   Governor McKinley addressed a great audience Tuesday at Beatrice, Neb. People came from four states, swelling the concourse of thousands, and the speech to which they listened was one of the most masterly presentations and vindications of protection which have ever been made. At the close of his remarks Governor McKinley addressed himself especially to the farmers, and his words appeal to every tiller of the soil in New York as well as the great West. He said:

   Protection is a positive benefit to the farmers of this country. There is no class of our fellow citizens more certainly advantaged by the protective tariff than the farmers of the United Sates. It makes a home demand for his products, and home consumers are always better than foreign consumers because they are nearer the field of production. They enable the farmer to dispose of perishable products at a profit, which it would be impracticable to ship abroad. It therefore increases to that extent the demand for the products of agriculture, and widens the uses of the farm. Millions of dollars annually of the products of the farm are sold in our industrial towns which would not be raised at all but for the demand which they make. What the farmers want are consumers, and the more consumers and fewer competitor’s he has the better will be his profits, and he wants these consumers steady and regular and at all times reliable. He has such in the 65,000,000 consumers in this country, who are the best and most profitable consumers to be found anywhere on the globe. He is sure of them, while his foreign market is fitful, far removed, less certain, and dependent upon agricultural conditions in the foreign countries, whether there is a short crop or a long crop. There he has competition; here he has practically the field, with little or no competition except with his own fellow citizens.

   The agriculturists of this country do not want more farmers. They want more people who do not raise their own food, and whom they can supply. Every farmer would rather have a factory for his neighbor than another farmer. Every factory that is built up increases the farmer’s customers, the value of his product and the value of his land. Every factory that is broken down diminishes the farmer’s customers, the value of his product and the value of his land, and increases his competitors. If the workingmen of this country can not get employment in the factories, they must seek it elsewhere. They can not find it in other mechanical pursuits, so they must go to the land. There every man can go when he can not find work at his accustomed occupation, and when he goes there he takes out of the ground a living, and he is no longer/the consumer of your products, but produces for himself and becomes a competitor of yours instead of a customer of yours, as he is to-day. Every new industry increases the farmer’s home market, and furnishes him what he most wants, profitable customers.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

FOUR HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS YEARLY.

   At the great joint debate before 15,000 people at Monona Lake assembly, Wis., July 29, between Ex-Governor St. John of Kansas, Governor McKinley of Ohio, and Mr. Warren of the New York Tariff Reform club, Governor McKinley stated what is a fact known to all who give attention to the affairs of the national government, that it now costs almost $400,000,000 to meet its current expenses, or more than $1,000,000 daily. This amount increases year by year.

   This vast sum of money has to be raised by taxation. It does not grow spontaneously anywhere, but is taken from somebody by tax. How shall this enormous sum be levied? In other words, who shall pay into the government treasury daily more than one million of dollars! The Democratic party say it shall be levied by direct taxation—that is by a tax upon farm lands, houses, stores, factories and every specie of property one may have. The Republicans say it shall be paid by foreign countries through the operation of the tariff laws. In November the people will decide through the ballot box which of these two policies shall prevail.

   The following is a mere condensation of Governor McKinley's great speech, but it contains everlasting truths which ought to be treasured up by every voter in the United States:

   He said he was not present to represent the Republican party or to discuss the tariff in a partisan way, but to present in plain language the great business questions of the day. He knew of no subject so dull, he said, as taxation. Continuing he said:

   If we had power to do away with it altogether it would he the policy of the Republicans and the Democrats alike, but so long as we have a government we must have revenue. We can secure that revenue in only one way, and that is by the government invoking the constitutional power of taxation upon its own people and the taxation of other people seeking a market in the United States. It requires in this country nearly $400,000,000 every year to pay the expenses of the federal government, more than a million dollars every twenty-four hours. This is what makes the subject under discussion of importance, and that is what the citizens of this and other states are to determine, what system of taxation shall raise that million dollars required every day to prevent the wheels of this government from being clogged. You can do it in one of the ways of the constitution of the United States by direct taxation, or you can do it by tariff taxation; you can do it by taxing yourself, your land, your property, your goods, your investments, your labor, your property, real or personal, and you can do it by taxing the product of every people of the world seeking a market in the United States. How will you do it? The Democratic leaders of to-day seem to look to direct taxation or the system of Henry George to put the single tax on lands to raise the nearly $400,000,000 required annually for public purposes. The trouble with the free trader is he never particularizes, for when he does he is lost.

Item.

   A month of strike at Homestead has cost the state $320,000 for troops, the mill owners $150,000 for the loss of the use of property and capital, and the Homestead workingmen have lost $150,000 for idleness. About $200,000 more has been lost by sympathetic strikes, and there is no telling how much business has lost by stagnation. The farm mortgages issue sinks into insignificance when compared with losses by a big strike.—Binghamton Republican.