BONES OF A MASTODON

Mastodon skeleton, N. Y. S. Museum.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October 26, 1894.

BONES OF A MASTODON.

Piece of Jaw-Bone Found In Orleans County—To Look for the Rest of the Skeleton.

   MEDINA, Oct. 22, 1894.—The first important natural history specimen ever found in this vicinity was discovered in the channel of the feeder.

   An Italian employed by Contractor W. D. Dodge, dug up a piece of rock to which was attached something curiously shaped, and examination proved that the specimen is undoubtedly a fragment of the jaw-bone of some mammoth of historic times.

   Mr. Dodge brought the specimen to this place, but the local naturalists were at a loss to identify it.

   The fragment is evidently a portion of the lower jaw which has become solidly petrified, and is almost black. To this two teeth are attached, one evidently a large molar and the other a small one. The lower one is loose in its socket, having been broken off several inches deep, but the other is solidly embedded.

   The teeth are of a dark ivory color, and as perfectly preserved in every way as though the animal became caught in the treacherous swamp only yesterday. Rough measurements were taken with the following results: Length of a large tooth 6 3-4inches; width 3 1-2 inches; depth, including fragment of bone, ten inches. The fragment of bone is about twenty inches long.

   Nothing further could be done to day, but to-morrow the entire vicinity will be dug up for other portions of the animal's frame.

   The specimen found is in such an excellent state of preservation that contractors have great hope of finding the complete skeleton of a mastodon.

 

Tramp walking on D. L. & W. tracks between Syracuse and Cortland.

Murdered by a Tramp.

   WAVERLY, Oct. 19.—A tramp was shot dead by a companion at the Erie House shed this noon. This is the third murder which has occurred in Waverly in the past year.

   All the forenoon a crowd of about a dozen tramps were congregated at the shed where they were drinking and carousing. About twelve o'clock one of their number was asleep and a companion was going through his pockets when the sleeper awoke and struck the would-be thief, who immediately drew a revolver and shot him. The man who was shot lived several minutes. The tramps who were present did not linger many minutes but scattered, leaving the man dying, propped up against the side of the shed.

   This is the story told by one of the tramps who was arrested on the Erie crossing about an hour after the tragedy occurred. He claims his name is D. J. Thompson, and that the name of the murdered man is Mike Liverpool. He had a revolver in his pocket with all the chambers full, and the barrel was dirty and showed it had not been fired in some time. He said that he bought the revolver of a man in Waverly, and that the rest of the gang were waiting for him in a grove near the railroad tracks, and he offered to take the officers to the spot and identify the murderer.

   The murdered man was taken to Athens, where the coroner's inquest will be held. He was apparently about thirty years of age and of tough appearance.

   The shed where the murder was committed is about thirty feet across the state line in Pennsylvania. The bullet passed completely through the man's head.

   The tramp who was arrested consented to be removed to the South Waverly lock up, so that the New York State authorities are well rid of the whole matter.

Sheriff's Sale.

   On Friday Nov. 2, 1894, at 11 o'clock A. M. the sheriff will sell on the Collin farm in the town of Cuyler at public auction by virtue of one execution issued out of the supreme court, the following personal property: thirty-two cows, five two year old heifers, five yearling heifers, four heifer calves, one bull calf, one breeding sow, two fat hogs, two shoats, about 100 tons of hay, a quantity of straw, 20,000 feet of lumber, one milk cooler, five dozen milk pans, 500 tin sap buckets, four sugar pans, one drawing tub, one large storing vat, an ensilage cutter, 125 bushels oats.

National Express Company.

Cortland, N. Y., Oct. 10, 1894.

   EDITOR DEMOCRAT—We will forward, free of charge, shipments of clothing, provisions, etc., in lots not exceeding 100 pounds in weight, and donations of money consigned to any reliable committee of citizens or any authorized distributing officer for the benefit of the sufferers from the recent forest fires in Wisconsin and Northern Michigan.

   Yours truly,

   G. E. Ingraham,

   Agt. National Express Co.

The Independents.

   The Independent Republican ticket containing the name of Harlow G. Borthwick for sheriff and that only was filed in the Clerk's office on Monday last. Mr. George R. Burgess was authorized to supply the names for the other positions on the county ticket There are about 800 names on the petition. The statement made by the [Cortland] Standard that 600 of them are the names of Democrats lacks confirmation from some reliable and responsible source.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

◘ The Constitution of 1846 served the people well. It is still good enough for us. Every farmer should vote against the new constitution.

◘ A Republican exchange remarks that "Republican enthusiasm has received no check." Mr. Morton should be notified at once.—Albany Argus.

◘ The constitutional amendments adopted by the Republican constitutional convention are nearly all very bad. There is scarcely a provision in the lot worth having and the only proper thing to do is to vote against them all.

◘ A visit to Mr. Morton's palatial establishment at Ellerslie and a glance at his English flunkies and English everything else will satisfy any doubter that Mr. Morton does not practice the "protection to American labor" doctrine that he preaches in order to get popular sympathy and votes.—Exchange.

◘ The Vermont maple sugar makers and Louisiana cane sugar producers are up in arms over the abolition of the bounties they have been receiving for their productions. These thrifty patriots believe in the McKinley bill, which put $10,000,000 or $12,000,000 yearly in their pockets, in the shape of bounties.—Skaneateles Free Press—Independent.

◘ The fact that Morton was hauled up in 1888 for violating the contract labor law is evident that he knew what it was and that this time he violated it with his eyes wide open. The Republican boss who nominated him knew also that he had been a violator of this law. It is evident that neither Platt nor Morton cares a fig for the labor law or for the workingmen whom it was intended to protect.—Buffalo Times.

◘ Some one has suggested that the DEMOCRAT, some years ago, stated that it was of the opinion that Miles E. Burlingame, the Republican candidate for District Attorney, was an honest man. Recent and more reliable information upon that subject has been lodged in this office and the DEMOCRAT now desires to withdraw the insinuation. It is withdrawn. Sentimentality must not stand in the way on a question of such grave importance.

◘ The town of Cortlandville pays over one-third the entire taxes of the county. This has been brought about by a combination of a majority of the supervisors in the other towns against Cortlandville. Nearly every year the supervisors raise the valuation for this town and compel it to pay more taxes. Not satisfied with this the Republican politicians and ex-supervisors of the country towns combined this year and took all the nominations for county offices leaving Homer and Cortland to furnish the votes to elect them and pay their salaries. Will the Republicans of this town and Homer submit to the proposed rascally scheme?

◘ When Levi P. Morton, the Republican candidate for Governor, returned from Europe recently he brought John James Howard from England with him to act as second coachman. This was in direct defiance of the [foreign contract labor] law and Morton was not ignorant of the fact. Secretary Carlisle says the law must be upheld no matter who suffers by its action and Howard will be sent back to England. All of Morton's employes at his country home are foreigners and yet he asks American laboring men to vote for him for Governor. Probably he would import men from abroad to fill all his appointments if he should be elected. Levi is quite "Hinglish ye know."  

◘ The Constitutional Convention of 1894 contained 175 delegates; 140 were lawyers, 2 farmers and 33 of other pursuits. The lawyers had everything their own way and were able to pass any provision they pleased. Article III, Section 2, calls for an increase in the number of members of the legislature from 160 to 200. This alone will increase taxes to be paid by the farmers to the amount of $100,000 per annum. Article VI, Section 5 adds twelve more Judges of the Supreme Court at an annual cost to the farmers of $150,000. The expenses of the Supreme Court in 1883 amounted to $427,865.57. Some of the lawyers in the Convention undoubtedly expect to get these fat places and the farmer will pay the freight.

Albert Haight.

Standard Oil Judge.

(From the Albany Argus, Oct. 20.)

   The unexampled charity which Judge Haight, the Republican candidate for Judge of the Court of Appeals, has always displayed in dealing with corporations, particularly as concerns the Standard Oil monopoly, is a matter of general and adverse comment.

   Even with the fairest and most unbiased judicial treatment, litigation, on the part of an individual, with corporations, is a serious and well-nigh hopeless undertaking. The monopolistic concerns have the advantage of inexhaustible wealth, and with many loop-holes for stays, modifications and other legal technicalities, it is rare, indeed, that the plaintiff ever lives long enough to witness the end of his suit.

   How necessary it is, and how vital it is, for the interests of the common people to have the highest judicial tribunal made up entirely of men whose judicial lives have been pure and undefiled.

   It has been proven, without the shadow of a doubt, that Judge Haight has time and time again compromised justice for the benefit of the Standard Oil company and other monopolies. He is utterly unfit to assume the high judicial position to which he aspires and which the Standard Oil company is desirous of obtaining for him.

Some Truths About Hill.

   It is just as well that the truth should be known in regard to several circumstances from which his critics are prone to extract blame to lay upon Senator Hill. He is not responsible for the non-admittance of the Fairchild-Shepard delegates at Saratoga. He counseled their recognition, but was overruled. Before his nomination for Lieutenant-Governor, Mr. Hill suggested that somebody else would do better than Sheehan. Mr. Hill did not approve of Governor Flower's appointment of Mr. Maynard to the Court of Appeals. He advised against the nomination of Mr. Maynard by the Democratic convention last fall, and he labored with Mr. Maynard in a long and earnest letter to attend the convention and decline the nomination.

   And Maynard made preparation to do so but, through the trick of a pretended friend of the Democratic party, Maynard's intentions were not carried out. Mr. Hill is wise in counsel, but if overruled, he never sulks. He stands by his party through every vicissitude.—Rome Sentinel.

HERE AND THERE.

   The Cortland Steam Laundry has opened an uptown office at No. 3 Tompkins-st.

   Senator David B. Hill in the Opera House, Nov. 3, at 1 o'clock P. M. sharp.

   Ingalls Bros. have a new machine for clipping horses. First class work guaranteed. Call at their stables, 32 Groton-ave.

   Mr. D. B. Smith, the new proprietor of the Owego Valley House at Harford Mills, will have an opening party Thanksgiving night. Music by Daniels' orchestra.

   Some of the new electric cars were placed on the line last Saturday and are running by horse power until the electricity is harnessed. The cars bear this legion on either side "Cortland Traction Co."

   Chas. A. Ingalls has sold his stallion "Charlie Ingalls" to parties in Truxton for $1,000.

   While at work cutting wood on the "Shevalier" place, north of this village, owned by John H. Mallery, Clark Pierce discovered a birch tree on a limb of which, many years ago, a scythe had been hung. It hung there yet, but the wood of the tree had grown over the blade, next to the ring, and an indentation in the wood below shows where the now rotted snath once hung. Over a foot of the blade is covered by the wood, and the balance of it protrudes from the side. The block containing this was saved, and is on exhibition at this office.—Marathon Independent.