SATURDAY NIGHT FIRE HAD ALARM PROBLEMS AND DOCTORS CAUGHT OFF GUARD

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, March 18, 1895.

FIRE SATURDAY NIGHT.

Dwellinghouse of John Fitzgerald on Owego-st. Badly Damaged.

   Saturday evening at about 9 o'clock Mr. John Fitzgerald, who lived with his wife and three sons at 57 Owego-st, was sitting alone in the house reading, the rest of the family being out. Suddenly a bright light flashed up behind his back. Turning about be discovered a blaze of fire around the stovepipe where it passed through a thimble to the kitchen. He sprang to the kitchen for a pail of water and threw it upon the flames, extinguishing them. Another pail of water was thrown up to the pipe on the kitchen side, where there were also flames. Then Mr. Fitzgerald opened the stair door and discovered that the whole upper part of the house was full of fire and smoke. The flames seemed to be centered about the chimney and undoubtedly proceeded from some defect in the chimney.

   It was impossible to go up stairs and Mr. Fitzgerald closed the door to stop the draft. He shouted fire and the neighbors quickly responded.  Some one ran to box 124 at the corner of Union and Owego-sts., to send in an alarm and the others devoted themselves to helping to clear out the lower part of the house. A large share of the household goods down there were taken out.

   The box failed to work, and though the lever was pulled down it gave no response. Two houses above the corner Dr. A. G. Henry has a telephone and this was used to send the alarm to Fireman's hall. Box 333 was pulled and the hose carts were speedily on their way to the fire. It was a long run down there and by the time Orris and Water Witch had each laid a line of hose from the nearest hydrant and had got water, the flames had burst through the roof and were appearing under the eaves. Emerald and Hitchcock laid a combined line of 1,000 feet of hose from the hydrant at the corner of Owego and Union-sts., and the three streams soon extinguished the flames.

   The house was a small one and the inside of it was pretty thoroughly burned out, though the frame and outside walls remain. The total loss is estimated at about $800.

   The building was owned by Mrs. Bridget Fitzgerald, though Mrs. Jennie C. Myers, as administratrix, had a lien upon it. It was insured for $500 in the American Fire Insurance Co. of New York, the policy being placed with Davis, Jenkins & Hakes. The policy is in favor of Mrs. Jennie C. Myers, as administratrix, and Mrs. Bridget Fitzgerald.

   John Fitzgerald had an insurance of $600 on his household goods placed with G. J. Maycumber in the Phoenix Fire Insurance Co.

   A STANDARD reporter was present when Chief Bosworth and ex-Chief Peck made an examination that night of the alarm box to see why it didn't work. They found that the difficulty lay in the machinery of the box as when the inner door was opened and the magnet was touched the bell responded. Ex-Chief Peck struck two taps upon the bell to test the apparatus and at the same time to indicate that the fire was out.

   At 1:15 Sunday morning an alarm of fire was sounded from this same box and the whole department hurried down there to find that it was a false alarm. It was a query how the alarm could be rung in from that box at that time when the previous evening it would not work. The one who attempted to pull the box at the 9 o'clock fire must have forgotten that it is impossible to get the key out when once it is used until the chief of the fire department comes with a release key and turns another lock which releases the alarm key. An attempt had evidently been made to get the key out which resulted in breaking it off in the lock. The consequence was that the box could not be locked again that night. When the 1 o'clock call proved to be a false alarm, it was thought that some one had been experimenting with the open box and had succeeded in making it work. But it had been snowing, and those who first reached the box when the department got down there found no tracks in the snow anywhere near the box and the conclusion was that in some way the machinery of the box finally got to work and sent in the alarm as a result of the pulling down of the lever earlier in the evening.

   F. A. Bickford, who is in charge of the alarm system has to-day put this box in order. It seems as though a test of these boxes should be made more frequently or that in some way greater care should be taken to see that they are in working order and that they will respond correctly every time they are pulled, and that they will not go to working on their own account when they are not pulled.

HOMER DEPARTMENT.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   George Haskins of Cincinnatus is visiting his mother, Mrs. Haskins, of Cortland-st.

   Mr. [Linus] Paddock of Syracuse was the guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Paddock, at the Hotel Windsor yesterday.

   Fred Corbin of Cortland spent Sunday at the home of his mother, Mrs. Delette Corbin, on Pine-St.

   Miss Cooley of Morrisville, Madison Co., is the guest of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Bean on Cortland-st.

   Owing to the illness of the pastor, Rev. W. R. Hermans, who is confined to the house with grip, there were no services in the Methodist church yesterday.

   The funeral of Mrs. Nathan Randall was held from her late home in this village this morning at 9 o'clock, Rev. Parker Fenno officiating. The interment was made in the family lot in Truxton cemetery.

   Clouds of smoke which were seen issuing from the rear of the Chollar block on Main-st. at about 10 o'clock last evening, raised the cry of fire and soon the department were on hand. The barn belonging to Mrs. T. D. Chollar of Cortland, in the rear of her property on Main-st. which is occupied by County Treasurer W. H. Foster, situated next to the Chollar block, was found to be on fire. Sheets of flame shot up into the air and for a few minutes the barn and business block, all wood structures on Main and James, seemed doomed to destruction. A strong west wind was blowing and until the streams of water were turned on, the buildings near by were in imminent peril. The firemen went to work with a will and soon had the flames turned into smoke which was suffocating and which swept across Main-st. in volumes. As soon as the fire was discovered Mr. Foster's horse was led from the barn to a place of safety and the vehicles and harnesses removed. After working about an hour the flames were extinguished and the fire department retired from the same. The fire was confined to the east gable and the building was only partially destroyed. The loss on the contents will not exceed $100 and is covered by insurance. The damage to the barn is slight. The cause is supposed to have been incendiary and had it occurred an hour later the result would undoubtedly have been seriously disastrous. Many of the spectators recalled the fact that it was one year ago last night that the Gage shops burned, one of the largest fires that has visited Homer in several years.

AN ANSWER FROM SPAIN.

She Expresses Regret at the Allianca Incident.

SAYS IT WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN.

The Message Couched In Courteous and Conciliatory Phrases—Will Investigate the Incident and Provide Against Future Repetitions.

   WASHINGTON, March 18.—The state department has received a dispatch from Minister Taylor at Madrid.

   The Spanish government has given assurance to the United States that there will be no more repetition of such offenses as the firing upon the mail steamer Allianca.

   The reply of the Spanish government is couched in courteous and temperate phrases, and expressed the determination of Spain to avoid further cause for complaint on the part of this government.

   As to the attempted detention of the Allianca, the Spanish minister of foreign affairs says he is as yet without information, and adds that as soon as he shall have received the report from the captain general of Cuba concerning that incident a reply will be made to the demand contained in Secretary Gresham's telegram.

"AN INFERNAL LIE."

Capt. Crossman Says No Steam Launch Left the Allianca.

   NEW YORK, March 18.—When a reporter called upon Captain Crossman of the steamer Allianca this forenoon and showed him a dispatch from Tampa, Fla., telling how passengers on the steamer Olivette from Havana, had heard that there was a semi-official report current there that a steam launch had been seen leaving the Allianca by a Spanish war vessel, the captain said emphatically:

   "It's an infernal lie. I have no steam launch, and never had one. Neither did I see a steam launch on my trip from Colon [Columbia]. If the Spanish people have seen a steam launch, as reported, they certainly would have seen the gunboat that fired on us and would of course have known what boat it was. They pretend not to know what Spanish war vessel fired on us. In my opinion they certainly do know what vessel was stationed on the east coast of the island of Cuba and, of course, that is the vessel that chased us. It is a contemptible lie for the Spanish officials to say that we lowered a steam launch or received a steam launch or any other kind of a launch from the shore of Cuba."

Spaniards Gain a Victory.

   MADRID, March 18.—Advices from the Manila are to the effect that the Spanish forces under the command of General Sarranado have defeated the Malay Mussulmans at Mindanao. The enemy lost 108 killed, including the Sultan of Mindanao and his son. The Spanish loss was two officers and 15 men killed and 21 officers and 172 men wounded. The Spaniards captured four cannon and a number of rifles.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Doctors Off Guard.

   When doctors disagree, there is fun indeed. This is especially the case if an outsider can slip into one of their meetings unknown to them and hear their unrestrained outpourings. A reporter of the Kansas City Star thus slid into a meeting of the Academy of Medicine at that city. They thought he was a stranger physician and did not in the least curb themselves, but let out a number of secrets which wild horses could not otherwise have torn from them.

   A large part of the exercises of the evening consisted in whacking druggists over the head for usurping the duties of the physician. Yet one of the learned gentlemen cried out boldly: "We all believe homeopathy to be a fraud; nevertheless it has taught us to be more careful of our patients' stomachs. And who is responsible for the army of opium fiends? Who made the morphine eater? You—you did it, gentlemen, with your damnable prescription of the drug, whereby the innocent and unsuspecting have become your wretched victims."

   Another doctor declared that nowadays graduates of medicine did not know the drugs they prescribed when they saw them, while yet another said emphatically that hardly one doctor in ten knew how to write a prescription properly. A druggist present got in his work by declaring that often doctors did not know the nature of their own prescriptions, and that druggists had to step in and save them from killing their patients by explaining to them the kinds of drugs they were mixing together.

◘ Are mashers to be abolished and have no more rights any more? It looks so since Mrs. Minerva Taylor of Oklahoma shot and killed a man who was annoying her with his attentions.

◘ A system has been put on foot which promises to be of benefit to farmers who wish to save money or to borrow money. A plan has been adopted similar to that of the ordinary building and loan association. An organization is formed with shares at $100 each. Farmers and others, in a given neighborhood, men and women, become members. The share is payable in weekly or monthly installments, as arranged. If money paid in is sufficient, it may be invested in ironclad securities, such as are employed by saving banks. If a member wishes to borrow money, he can do so by paying interest and giving a real estate mortgage. If at any time a member must withdraw his money, he can do so by giving 30 to 60 days' notice. He receives back all he has paid in, with accrued profits, if there are any. This system promises well.

◘ If legislatures undertake to pass laws that women shall not wear large and high hats to the theater, they ought also, while they are about it, to affix to the law a clause declaring that all men who go out for drinks between acts should take seats next the aisle, so that a whole row of people will not have to rise each time they dodge out. It is a poor rule that will not work both ways. Meantime, however, the sympathies of the public are entirely with the movement against the high hats. They are an annoyance and an exasperation that only those who have sat behind one of them at a public meeting can appreciate. One way to abate the nuisance might be for a section of a theater to be set specially apart for the big hatted ladies, where they could have it all to themselves and annoy nobody but themselves with their towering Gainsboroughs.

"Wild Cat" To-night.

   The Pittsburg Post of January 23 contains the following: "Miss Carrie Louis is a soubrette of more than ordinary ability. She possesses vivacity and magnetism to a great degree and her perfect naturalness is a refreshing characteristic in her work. She is truly ingenious and entirely free from the would-be kittenish style so common to actresses in her line. She also possesses the faculty of spontaneously winning her audiences, and this alone assures her success.

   Miss Louis will this season be the central figure of the famous Waite's Comedy Co., Premium band and solo orchestra. It requires thirty people to represent this attraction, and every one is claimed to be an artist in their respective lines. They will appear all this week at the Opera House. The play to-night will be the merry comedy "Wild Cat." Popular prices.

Health Officer's Report.

   Health Officer W. J. Moore makes the following report of vital statistics for the month of February:

   Total deaths 16—males 10, females 6; nativity of the United States 16; social condition—single 5, married 6, widowed 5; ages—under five years, 5; between forty and fifty years, 1; between sixty and seventy years, 4; between seventy and eighty years, 3; between eighty and ninety years, 3; causes of death, bronchitis, 5; pneumonia, 2; cancer, 1; cystitis, 2; paralysis, 1; heart disease 2; consumption, 2; grip, 1.

   Total births 15—males 13, females 2; marriages, 8.

BREVITIES.

   —Every bar in town was closed yesterday as tight as any of the bank vaults. J. J. Murphy was kept busy nearly all day Saturday painting signs something like the following: "This bar closed on Sunday," "Boys not allowed," etc.

   —The splendid band of Waite's Comedy Co., which to-night begins a week's engagement at the Opera House, gave a very fine open air concert between 12 and 1 o'clock to-day on Main-st. in front of the Wallace building. A large crowd was attracted and enjoyed the music.

   —The Fortnightly club have kindly consented to assist the Ladles' Literary club in the entertainment to be given at the Hatch library on Wednesday night for the benefit of the King's Daughters. They will repeat the little play, "The Story of a Mirror," which was given so successfully at the Misses White's on Wednesday evening, March 6.

   —It is rumored in Syracuse that Marshall Field & Co. of Chicago, one of the largest dry goods firms in the world, are about to establish a branch house in that city in the block soon to be vacated by the Hamburger Furniture Co. Syracuse Herald reporters tried to interview upon the subject a number of people who must know if it is true, and they would neither affirm or deny the report.

A HANDSOME HOUSE.

Now Building on Tompkins-st. by Duane E. Call.

   Mr. Duane E. Call is now building a remarkably handsome house which will be an ornament not only to Tompkins-st., upon which it is situated, but to the whole town as well. It is fortunate in its location, being upon a large lot with pleasant surroundings and a fine outlook.

   The plans were drawn by Architect M. F. Howes of Cortland. The exterior is very handsome with graceful lines and broad and commodious piazza. The arrangement is convenient and the rooms open into each other in fine style. The entrance hall is large and airy. The sides are finished to the height of five feet ten inches with quartered oak in handsome panels. The ceiling is of the same. The diningroom which is immediately in the rear of the hall has its sides finished like the hall. These two rooms have hard wood floors with fancy patterns in mosaic work.

   The parlors which are at the right present a very chaste and dainty appearance. The woodwork is poplar finished white. The rear parlor is made doubly attractive by the circular tower which forms part of the room. In one corner is an Aldine grate which is both a heater and a ventilator. It is furnished by the Aldine Mfg. Co. of Grand Rapids, Mich. The mantel above it is in white and gold and has a large bevel-edge French plate glass mirror. The opening between the two parlors is what is known as grill work with pillars and open work. It is very handsome.

   There is one sleepingroom down stairs, opening from the back parlor. Like all the other sleepingrooms in the house it has connected with it a very large clothespress with abundant space and plenty of drawer room.

   The kitchen and pantry are furnished with every equipment and convenience.

   A remarkably handsome staircase of solid oak with two landings leads to the second floor. The upper hall is finished in poplar in the natural color. There are four sleepingrooms up stairs. The front room has its woodwork and all its decorations tinted baby blue. The tower room, which is over the rear parlor is finished in ivory tint.

   The bathroom is splendidly fitted up. It has a tile floor and the sides to the height of four feet are of tile. The equipments are very complete. It has what is known as sanitary plumbing.

   The house was built by B. H. Stark, who has done all the carpenter work except the entire finishing of the seven principal rooms. The contract for this was let to the Phoenix Sliding Blind Co. of Phoenix, N. Y., and the work has been superintended here in Cortland by Messrs. E. O. Gifford and F. W. Blodgett. The mason work was done by Riley & White. The plumbing has been done by Bates & Muncey. The house is heated by a Standard furnace furnished by Giblin & Co. of Utica and set up by Bates & Muncey.

   The stained glass windows and those of French plate add very much to the appearance of the house. These were all furnished by J. F. Blanchard of Syracuse.