REPUBLICAN RALLY AT SCOTT AND HITCHCOCK HOSE FAIR

Cortland Standard and Weekly Journal, Friday, October 28, 1892.

Republican  Rally at Scott.

   Oct.27.—The Republican meeting at Scott last night was a success in every particular. It was a rainy, cold night, disagreeable for people to get out, but when Mr. E. T. Frisbie called the meeting to order there was a large audience. Mr. Frisbie, in opening the meeting, referred to articles recently appearing in the Cortland Democrat from the correspondent of that paper in Scott, and branded them as Democratic lies, emanating from Democratic sources.
   The Scott Glee club then rendered some very appropriate songs and Mr. Frisbie introduced Mr. E. E. Mellon of Cortland, who held the close attention of the audience for about thirty-five minutes. He appealed to his hearers not to take the false words of Democratic stump speakers or Democratic newspapers, but to look the facts up for themselves, from statistics and history, looking on both sides of the issues, and go the polls on the 8th day of November and cast their vote for Harrison and Reid.

   After a song by the Glee club, Mr. Frisbie introduced Mr. A. M. Dewey of Washington, the orator of the evening. Mr. Dewey is an able and brilliant speaker, and well posted on the political situation in the present campaign. He spoke for an hour and thirty minutes, holding the closest attention of his audience, taking the four political parties casting the largest number of votes in this country at the last presidential election, and discussing the platform and principles advocated by each, showing clearly to his audience the folly of the people of this country accepting of Democratic doctrines for four years to come, as announced by the Chicago platform, and urging the support of Protection, Reciprocity, Harrison and Reid.

  Mr. Dewey is master of the political situation. At the close of the meeting, he distributed Republican literature to all present, and the meeting closed with singing the song under the leadership of Mr. A. M. Dewey that has been so well received in this campaign, “Good-bye, Old Grover, Good-bye.”

Wreck on the Syracuse & Binghamton.

   Oct. 26.—There was a smash-up at Rock Cut last night in which two gondola freight cars were wrecked. A freight train going down the steep grade there broke in two in the middle, eight cars and the caboose being cut off. Brakes were immediately put on at the caboose, when the four forward cars broke loose and running wild down the grade dashed into the rear end of the freight. It took about three hours to clear up the wreck.

Killed by the Cars.

   Oct. 25.--Mr. P. H. Kiernan , yardmaster at the E., C. & N., received a telegram this morning from Sayre, Pa., announcing the death of P. B. Kane of Cortland, killed there last night by the cars. Mrs. Kane left this morning for Sayre. Mr. Kane was an employee of the E., C. & N., being a car inspector and located at Elmira. It is supposed he was on a flying trip to Sayre or visiting there when he met his death.

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   Later information received by the operator at the E., C. & N. station shows that Kane is all safe and that the man who was killed is Martin Kelley, a brother-in-law of Kane, who was at Sayre. He had a number of papers belonging to Kane on his person and that led to the mistaken identification.

They did not Set but Ran.

   Oct. 25—Mr. A. D. Wallace has lost a valuable setter dog. Two young dogs belonging to Mr. Wallace, which he has had away being broken, were let out by him Saturday morning to take a run. As they did not come back to dinner Mr. Wallace drove out to look for them. He traced them down to Cooper Bros. foundry, where they struck for the woods and went to hunting.

   Sunday Mr. Wallace found one dog out near Virgil but had to give up the hunt for the other one. This morning he heard that it had been shot by a farmer near Messengerville. Outside of the fact that Mr. Wallace was much attached to the dog, it was really valuable, being considered worth $75.

Hitchcock Hose Fair.

   Oct. 25—The Hitchcock Hose company fair was opened last evening with every promise of a successful run through the week. The large barn-like armory [we suppose the armory was located on South Main Street, the former Mammoth Skating Rink. If readers have better evidence of the armory location, please enter a comment--CC editor] has been transformed by means of the distribution of beautifully-draped booths, long strings of Japanese lanterns, three or four brilliant arc lights and American flags and bunting galore into a warm cosey [sic] hall. [This] has appeared in the Armory for a long time, in which such taste has been used in the decorating. There are six booths, all of them so well arranged and prettily draped as to give the plebeian cheese cloth the aristocratic sheen of silk. Much credit is due Mrs. G. J. Mager for her successful supervision of this part of the display.

   On entering the hall at the right is the large red booth for soft drinks presided over by Mr. Thomas Allen.

   Opposite is the ice cream garden, a veritable bower formed by evergreens. The furniture used here is from the parlors of the Hose company, and the patrons are agreeably surprised to find upholstered chairs and oak tables, instead of the folding apparatus so generally used, and which always leaves you in doubt as to whether the chair or table will collapse first. The garden is attended by Mrs. G. W. Schermerhorn, Mrs. W. H. Dickinson and Mrs. C. C. Hitchcock. A little further on, in the middle of the floor, is the pink flower-booth, where Miss Minnie Mager and Miss May Parker pin on boutonnieres for a reasonably compensation. Further on near the stage and flanking it are the blue fancy work booth[s] looked after by Mrs. Charles Reid and Mrs. C. H. Drake and the yellow fancy booth presided over by Mrs. Frank Samson and Miss Mary Callahan. Then there is a green booth where candy is sold by Mrs. C. B. Oliver and Mrs. Charles Green.

   Nor is this all in the way of booths. There are two band stands, to say nothing of the stage with its specially painted scenery and unique drop curtains, arranged by Messrs. Hakes and Cummings.

   It was about 7 o'clock last evening when the Hitchcock Hose company, headed by the Cortland City band, marched from the armory to Fireman’s hall, where the Water Witch company was taken in tow, and thence up to the Cortland House where the other guests of the evening, the Tioughnioga company No. 2 of Homer were received. All the companies then righted about and marched down to the armory. Arrived there, Mr. B. T. Wright was immediately introduced, and in an exceedingly appropriate speech declared the fair opened. The following program was then rendered:

   Overture, Fra D’avalo, Auber

   Ethiopian Sketch, Jake Widmer

   Cornet Solo—Remembrance of Switzerland, Liberate

P. Conway.

   Musical Act—Messrs. G. C. and H. S. Murphy, H. C. Howard and D. B. Kingsley.

   Contortionist Act, Everett Malick

   Song and Dance, Richard Johnson

   A Sketch—The Light from over the Range, Barton

E. B. Cummings, B. D. Hakes and Miss Kitty Mulligan.

   All of the numbers received their share of applause, although there were some slight hitches in the stage arrangements, as though Messrs. Hakes and Cummings did not have sufficient help in mounting the performance.

   The Water Witch company, through their foreman, Mr. Dell Barber, presented the Hitchcocks with a very handsome marble mantel, with a bevel glass mirror.

   After the performance the spectators nearly all stayed to dance to the music by Daniels’ orchestra.

   There were probably four hundred people present.

   To-night an entirely new program will be rendered. The dancing is free.

   The ice-cream served at the fair was delicious. It was made by the Candy Kitchen and deserves to be mentioned as one of the many attractions.

   The following program will be presented at to-night’s entertainment:

   Overture—Poet and Peasant, Suppe

   Dance—“The Happy Man’s Jig,” Wm. McAuliffe

   Baritone Solo—La Rese DeAmour—Millars

Chas. Maas

   Character Recitation, B. D. Hakes

   Trombone Solo, Harry Chapin

   Banjo club composed of the following players:

   G. C. and H. S. Murphy, H. C. Howard and Dell B. Kingsley.

   Song and Dance, Richard Johnson

   The Haunted House, Jake Widmer and E. B. Cummings.

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    Oct. 26—The attendance at the Hitchcock Hose fair last evening was very good, but really not such as it ought to have been. It was half past 7 o’clock when the Hitchcock Hose company marched up Main-st., met the Orris Hose company at their rooms, and marched on to the Cortland House, where they awaited the arrival of Tempest Hose No. 3 of Homer. On the return march to the armory the column was complimented at several points by the burning of red fire. Just before the program was commenced at the armory Mr. Dorr C. Smith, on behalf of the Orris boys, presented the Hitchcocks with a handsome oak table. Mr. C. H. Drake received the table with an appropriate speech. The entertainment program was a decided mixture. The musical numbers by the band and [Mr.] Murphy were clearly the best features. In the funny farce, however, with which the performance closed, Messrs. Widmer and Cummings redeemed the dryness of some of the preceding numbers.

   There was no lack of animation on the floor of the armory at any time during the evening. The girl with the book was numerous and no voter was allowed to escape registration; equally numerous was the backward young man who, in his desire to avoid voting for a sewing machine or a cradle, was dodging and shuffling around, often jumping from the frying pan into the fire; on the seats at the side of the hall were the girls who were fortunate enough to be neither principals nor seconds in a contest, and hardened young men, who, by repeated evasions, have gained the happy reputation of fish not to be caught on a hook and so are left in peace.

   The booths all did a good business. The contest for the most popular lawyer in Cortland was inaugurated last evening. The prize is a high grade two-seated carriage, well worth a struggle for. The leaders in the contest are Messrs. Dorr C. Smith, James Dougherty and H. A. Dickinson.

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   Oct. 27—About 7 o'clock last evening the Hitchcock Hose company headed by the Cortland City band, marched up Main-st. to Fireman’s hall, where the Excelsior Hook and Ladder company joined them. Then the two companies marched to the Cortland House where the Orient Hook and Ladder company of Homer were met. The three companies then marched to the armory drawing up in line in the hall and Mr. Edward Sherwood, on behalf of the Excelsior Hooks presented the Hitchcock boys with a handsome ebony finished clock. Mr. C. H. Drake responded with a speech of thanks after which the companies broke ranks.

   The evening’s entertainment opened with Wagner’s Overture, Tannhauser, by the band. They played it in an excellent manner. The City Band boys deserve a great deal of credit for making their organization one of the finest in this part of the state, notwithstanding their having been organized such a short time. “The Two Editors” by Cummings and Hakes was cut out of the program as was also the act by Malick, the contortionist, who did not appear. The piccolo solo, Golden Robin Polka, received deserved applause and the descriptive overture, “Nigger in the Barn Yard,” by the band called out good deal of praise for its almost perfect imitations of the inhabitants of a barn yard. Mr. Harry H. Richards of the “Full Moon” company was obliged to respond to two encores of his sentimental ballad, “Village Bells.” The management of the entertainment are certainly fortunate in securing the services of so brilliant a star. Mr. Richards has kindly consented to stay the remainder of the week and will appear at every performance.

   Mr. Lawrence Dillon made a great hit in his song, “Now he’s sorry that he spoke,” and he responded to the four encores which he received, with original verses. Cortland has turned out several good actors, and it looks as if she would turn out several more. The entertainment closed with a very laughable farce entitled “Tim Flannigan, or Fun in a Grocery.” The following is the cast:

   Tim Flannigan, an Irishman, B. D. Hakes

   Fritz Bender, a Dutchman, Jake Widmer

   Bill Wickens, a tough, E. B. Cummings

   Shorty Change, a peeler, Charles Robinson

   Boy, a hard one at that, Master Frankie Turner

   Policeman, and a dandy, H. H. Lucas

   The parts were all well taken, and Master Frankie Turner, as the boy, is especially worthy of mention. For so young an actor he carried out his part in excellent style. Dancing was begun at 10 o’clock and continued till the electric lights went out. Daniels’ orchestra seemed better than usual, and every set was filled the entire evening.

J. Dougherty.

FAIR NOTES.

   The Park phaeton, presented by the Hitchcock Mfg. Co. and valued at $225, is to be given to the most popular lawyer, E. E. Mellon stood first and J. Dougherty second last evening.

   Entries for the “Baby show” close Friday at 6 P. M. They can also be made at the pink booth to-night. There will be a lady in attendance at the Armory Friday afternoon, when they can be made. Our sister village Homer has brought down several babies, as have also other towns in the county.

   The visiting companies to-night will be the Emerald hose of Cortland and the Triumph, No. 4, of Homer.

   The entire fire department of Groton are expected Friday evening.

   Mr. Eugene Hopkins walked off under a silk hat last evening.

   Quite a number of Cortland’s 400 helped to swell the crowd at the fair last evening.

   Mr. Charles Lounsbury has presented the ice-cream booth with a large fancy cake.

   The number who attended from Homer last evening was thirty-two.

   Chief Engineer F. W. Crittenden of Groton was shaking hands with the hose boys at the fair last night.

   The scenery was specially painted for the fair by John J. Murphy. It is a good piece of work.

   The following is the program to be presented to-night:

   Overture—Italian Waltz, Jaxone

   Farce—Lodging for Two.

CAST.

   Jonathon , a Yankee from Bottle Flat, B. D. Hakes

   Chris, a Dutchman, Jake Widmer

   Landlord of a boarding house, E. B. Cummings

   Song and Dance—Heart of Hearts, H. Richards

   Cornet solo-Selected, P. Conway

   Duet, Mandolin and Guitar, Messrs. H. C. Howard and G. C. Murphy.

   Overture—Darkies’ Jubilee, Turner

   Song—Bundle of Letters, T. Allen

   The Comedy Four—Jake Widmer, Lawrence Dilion, E. B. Cummings and B. D. Hakes