HERMAN
BERGHOLTZ.
PROMOTER
OF CORTLAND’S ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
He is a
Young Man, but He Has Accomplished Much—Sketch of Life and Career.
Most residents of Cortland and very many
throughout the county have come to know by name if not personally, Mr. Herman
Bergholtz of Ithaca, a director and chief promoter of the plants in Cortland
owned and operated by the Cortland & Homer Traction Co. and the Cortland
and Homer Electric Co. It is scarcely eighteen months since Mr. Bergholtz first
made his appearance in Cortland, but some of the changes wrought in that time
largely through his agency are wonderful. The old horse railroad has been
transformed to an electric road.
The cars begin running between Cortland and
Homer at 6 o’clock in the morning and continue on twenty-five minute time until
11:30 P. M., instead of one hour time from 7 A. M. until 7:30 P. M., as
formerly. The line has been extended through Homer and Groton-aves., and to the
D., L. & W. station. The Salisbury farm has been purchased and changed into
a most beautiful park and the railroad has been built to it and is being
operated to the great convenience and delight of hundreds every day and of
thousands on days of special attractions.
The road is almost completed to McGrawville
and within a few days cars will be running there. The old electric light plant
has been rebuilt, enlarged and greatly improved.
The man who has been chiefly instrumental in
the accomplishment of all this is Mr. Bergholtz. And this is but the nucleus of
still greater improvements that this farsighted and enterprising gentleman
contemplates. Mr. Bergholtz is himself a practical man of experience in every
branch of the work undertaken and has closely inspected and superintended all
of the construction, the improvements and extensions.
Not alone in Cortland has Mr. Bergholtz
established for himself a reputation, but in Ithaca, where he went a year or
more before he undertook the work in Cortland, and where he has done a work
similar to that in Cortland, only more extensive than that yet accomplished
here. He is considered one of the most popular men and best citizens of the
place. The Ithaca Journal devotes nearly two columns to a description of his
work there.
The following from that paper will interest
Cortland people as well as residents of our sister city, and we are indebted to
the courtesy of the editors of the Journal for the use of the fine half tone
cut of Mr. Bergholtz which we reproduce:
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| Herman Bergholtz, "fine half tone cut" from the Cortland Standard Semi-Weekly Edition. |
Mr. Bergholtz gave an impetus to this city
at a time when a mere maintenance of status quo would have been creditable.
Since the building of the university no more
momentous benefactions have come to it than the redemption of East State-st.
and the extension of the trolley to the campus and lake and the opening of
Renwick as a lake resort.
The improvement and embellishment of the
entire great tract adjoining the city on the north is assured by the ownership
and introduction already made in that section.
That the Fall creek ravine is to be bridged,
magnificent boulevards to open up villa sites, farther extension of the transit
system northward is to populate is as certain as that the entire lowland of the
tract is to be subdued and made ornamental instead of remaining detrimental as
it has been for a long time past.
The personality of the man whose recent and
quick accomplishments here have been so pronounced is exceedingly interesting.
Mr. Bergholtz is not yet 33. Of any group he
is the quietest, most undemonstrative, unassuming member. He is of the most
democratic of men. A laborer upon his lands or a trainman upon one of his cars
has as free access and as prompt and impartial justice awaiting as a director
or stockholder. Hesitating and slow of speech, his is an intellect which
comprehends by intuition, operates with rapidity and perspicacity and with
acumen that divines far ahead of the proposition under discussion.
Mr. Bergholtz at less than twenty years of
age and alone left his native Stockholm, Sweden, to try his fortunes in this
new world. He has been here nearly twelve years without revisiting his native
country.
He has become a court made citizen of the
United States and his future home is to be builded upon Renwick Heights in
Ithaca. The twelve years he has passed in this country have been almost evenly
divided between New York City where he studied incandescent lighting, Hartford
where he learned arc lighting, Boston and Lynn where he practiced mechanical
draughting and designing, Scranton where as manager of the Wightman motor works
he applied commercially electrical knowledge, and Ithaca and Cortland where he
has exemplified his knowledge in all these departments.
He is an electrical engineer of favorable
repute in the profession and is continuously retained by one of the two leading
companies as a consulting engineer.
He has worked with Edison, Houston, Prof.
Anthony, formerly of Cornell, and other luminaries of the electrical field. He
has evidently decided that more satisfactory remuneration attends upon the
electrical engineer than the electrician, for he has abandoned shop and
laboratory and draughting table to go out and administer in a practical way
such knowledge of the mysterious and fascinating science as has been revealed.
The plant, deep down in the Fall Creek gorge, ranks as a model of its kind.
The creation of the resort at the lake’s head
is the realization in one year of the dream of a century.
The county as well as the city has shared in
the benefits incident to the electric impulse given the county seat; and will
so continue to share in the benefits of its every vibration through all time to
come.
In no other ways could $500,000 have been
expended here in forms more advantageous of imparting more future or present
gain to the city.
Not for many times their cost would this
community now consent to the narrowing of East State-st.; the removal of the
track for East Hill; or of that to the lake.
That they are here, and here to be operated as
they should be, is more largely due to the subject of our illustration than to
the good offices of all the world besides.
Considerable as the obligation already is, Mr.
Bergholtz is by no manner of means likely to weary or rest upon his laurels earned.
He has repeatedly said that factories must come to the flat lands of Renwick as
well as mansions to the heights.
He is upon the alert and in constant quest
of opportunity to sow missionary seed in this direction, The success attained in
his operations up to date induce faith that he will not fail to grow industries
upon his cheap lands near transportation facilities to the upbuilding of the city.
If citizens of capital and influence will
co-operate in this ambition Ithaca may secure factories and speedily double its
population and prosperity.
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| Cortland Park as it appeared after a pavilion was built. |
SATURDAY
AT THE PARK.
Large
Crowds—The Evening’s Entertainment Interrupted by Rain.
Large crowds again went to the park Saturday
afternoon and evening and everyone had a fine time until shortly after 9
o’clock when rain began to fall in torrents. This put an end to all amusements
and everyone at once wished himself at home. After this all the cars were
heavily loaded until the people were all brought back safely, but not until
many were soaked to the skin.
During the early evening immense crowds were
standing at the Cortland House
corner and every car that came from the park was loaded immediately after the
passengers alighted.
The electric lights were turned on for the
first time Saturday night and the effect was beautiful. The band stand had been
removed to the north grove where the Cortland City band rendered delightful
music. A large platform for dancing had been erected in the south grove and
here the light fantastic toe was tripped to the music of McDermott’s orchestra.
The car registers on Saturday showed that
5,296 fares were collected. On Sunday the
register was 3,796 fares.
A NEW
ORGAN
To be
Placed in St. Mary’s Church by Dec. 15, 1895.
Rev. J. J. McLoghlin has just placed an
order with Morey & Barnes of Utica for a large pipe organ having seventeen complete
speaking stops and twelve mechanical stops and pedal movements. The instrument
is to be in position in St. Mary’s church by Dec. 15, 1895. This is the same
firm which built the organ for the Universalist church, with which all are very
much pleased. The members of St. Mary’s church have been planning for a long
time for an organ, and it seems likely that they will now have an instrument
unsurpassed if indeed equaled in size and quality by any in town.
NO LIQUOR
AT THE PARK.
The
Company to be Very Emphatic on This Point.
The Cortland and Homer Traction Co. are
considerably disturbed because of a report which is in circulation that the
company or its agents are selling spirituous liquors or allowing the same to be
sold in the park. Superintendent Dunston authorizes us to deny the truth of
this report absolutely and emphatically, and to say further that the only
liquor sold even in the vicinity of the park has been by unauthorized or
unlicensed parties having no connection with the company and carrying on
whatever business they have done without the company’s connivance and against
its wishes.
If visitors to the park get too much liquor
at these places and then make themselves obnoxious, all that the company can do
is to put them out—which it proposes to do. It already has two deputy sheriffs
employed for the purpose and will add as many more as may be necessary to
enforce order and preserve the high tone of the place; and it objects to being
held responsible for these imported drunks.
In Renwick park at Ithaca where there is a
licensed restaurant, the company insists just as strenuously on decency and
good order, and not a drunken man is allowed within the park.
The fact that Darwin Totman, who has been in
charge of all the improvements at the park, has been made park superintendent
and appointed as one of the deputy sheriffs with full power to act will be a
sufficient guaranty of the good order upon the grounds. He has an assistant,
Richard Wind, a strong young man.
The restaurant and refreshment privileges at
the park has been sold to Messrs. A. D. Wallace and Warner Rood & Son. A
large tent is to be erected in which refreshments and ice cream can be served. These
gentlemen will also build a storehouse about 16 by 30 feet in size to keep
their base of supplies in.
THE
STATE OF AFFAIRS.
President
Higgins Discusses Law Enforcement in Cortland.
To the
Editor of the Standard:
Sir—So much of the year has gone since the
last board of trustees of Cortland village took office that we are able to know
something about the special work for which they were elected. Last spring it
was generally felt that some attempt should be made by the village to lessen
the open violation of the excise laws in Cortland, So far as I was able to
understand even among those who voted the citizens’ ticket the ideas were very
vague and variable as to just what the village authorities had power to do, The
only pledge made was that the officers elected would be in sympathy with the
suppression of the unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor and use their best
endeavors to see that the laws were enforced.
The first act of the board looking to this
end was the passing of an ordinance prohibiting the illegal sale of liquor in
Cortland with a penalty of $100 to be recovered in civil action by the village,
like any other violation of village statutes. We next appointed a village
attorney whose duty it is to prosecute any violation of law in the village. We
already had a police justice before whom all cases occurring within the
corporate limits must be brought. We have a police force which has been
partially reorganized and which can be depended upon to make arrests in any case
in which violation of law is discovered by it. All of this machinery of
municipal government and provisions for enforcing its ordinances was provided
for in the charter, and it is safe to say that every branch of it will not fail
in the prosecution of every known violation of law.
What is the practical condition of law enforcement
at present? I am proud to say that we have as decent and orderly a town as any
of its class in the state. I doubt if
one can find a more quiet Sabbath than we have here, and but few places with
less drunkenness and disorder. I doubt very much whether one can get a glass of
ale or a drink of whiskey in town by that name. One may pass through our
streets for a long time without seeing a drunken man. The saloons are not so
crowded and not so many young boys are seen there. Very many respectable people
who used to go into them do not do so this summer. One cannot smell a saloon
half way across the street.
A few saloons have closed entirely and some
others are running simply because the proprietors have their property invested
there and cannot easily make a change. Where bars are kept in connection with
hotels and restaurants they are generally somewhat decently managed. Still
there is no doubt that ale and whiskey are yet sold in Cortland in perhaps
twenty places and in considerable amount. As near as I can estimate from very
uncertain data there is one-third as much intoxicating liquor sold now as
previously. This is a very rough estimate and may be a good deal wide of the mark,
but it is the opinion of several who know something about it.
The question arises why we do not stop the
sale altogether and close the saloons entirely. To answer the question in one
word, it is because we have no detective force. There is even some doubt
whether our charter gives us the power to organize one. At any rate it will not
be done by the village this year.
In dealing with the liquor question here in
Cortland we are exactly in
condition—open
violation of the law will not be tolerated and wherever such violations are
discovered by the police or the authorities such cases will be prosecuted just
in the same manner as violators of any other law or village ordinance. For
evasions of the law, however, and secret violations of it, the municipal
machinery, without the addition of detective force, is not entirely sufficient.
I think that it is well that the citizens should
understand the situation so that they may individually, if they so desire, supplement
this deficiency. The village authorities are undoubtedly censured for doing too
much by some, and by others for doing too little. The fact is, however, that
they have prosecuted every case of law breaking which came to their knowledge
in which the evidence offered any hope of success and will continue so to do.
They have used and will use all lawful means at hand to secure evidence of the
violation of law.
It must he remembered that our police force
was organized only seven years ago and consists of only four men. The chief idea
with the business men in its inception was to watch against fires on Main-st.,
and it is only gradually that we are beginning to understand what a police
force really means, and that their uniform prevents them from doing effective
work as detectives.
I believe that the saloonkeepers of Cortland
should literally and strictly obey the law and sell no intoxicating liquor
until such time as they can induce a majority of the people to vote for
license. If they do not do this as law abiding citizens, then, as president of the
village, I consider it is my duty to prosecute such misdemeanors. But in the
present transition state of Cortland from village to city the evidence of such
violation must in a large part be furnished by citizens interested in seeing the
law enforced. The corporation may be defeated or may have to follow cases into
the highest courts, but it promises to undertake to punish the offender in any
case in which reliable testimony can be secured that law has been violated. This
prosecution will be made without any trouble or expense to the person making the
complaint. Furthermore I undertake to say from an acquaintance with a number of
influential citizens anxious that there shall be a strict regard for law that
any trouble or expense had in securing such evidence will be amply repaid by a
private subscription.
It seems to me, therefore, that the friends
of no-license have as little cause for complaint as is possible under the
present laws, or that, at least, instead of complaining, it would be better to
go about it and secure legal evidence of its violation. Any other friends who
may think that we are doing too much I would refer to Title vi. of our charter
which makes it the duty of the president “to see that the laws of the state
applicable to said village, especially this act, and the village by-laws and
ordinances adopted in pursuance thereof, are faithfully and impartially
executed; to institute prosecutions in the corporate name for violations
thereof and civil actions for the recovery of the penalties and forfeitures
provided therein,” and I would further say that the same policy will be pursued
in the few remaining months of the year that has been in the past.
Yours truly,
F. W. Higgins, Pres.
 |
| Graham, Whitney(?) and Samson buildings on Main Street. |
THE NEW
GRAHAM BLOCK.
Nearly
Completed and Already Occupied—A
Handsome Structure.
Mr. J. A. Graham has his new block on
Main-st. nearly completed and ready for occupancy. The block has a frontage of
twenty-seven feet and a depth of forty-eight feet and is forty-eight feet high
with three stories. The front is of galvanized iron and will be sanded with gray
while the wood work will be finished in mahogany. The inside is finished in
cherry. The carpenter work was done by Contractor L. G. Viele and the painting
by Henry Bates. The plans were drawn by Architect M. F. Howes.
The first floor is to be occupied by Mrs. H.
H. Pomeroy who keeps a full line of millinery and fancy goods. The small south room
on the first floor will be occupied by John Rowlinson who will deal in bake
stuffs and confectionery. A winding staircase leads to the second story which
will be occupied by the Misses Woods’ dressmaking establishment and Miss K. Gammell’s
toilet bazaar. Miss Gammell does hair dressing and manicuring. The third story is as yet unoccupied, but Mr.
Graham is negotiating with several parties and will probably let the rooms soon.
The block is a model of convenience from top
to bottom and is an ornament not only to Main-st, but to the whole town. All of
the occupants have moved in and will be ready for business in a very few days.
THE
ELECTRIC ROAD.
Notes of
Progress in Construction and at the Park.
H. C. Harrington has entered into a contract
with the Traction company to furnish an orchestra at the park every evening and
to have charge of the dancing if the management will erect a dancing platform.
The platform will be put up at once in the south grove. The band stand is to be
removed to the north grove as it will doubtless happen many times that the band
and orchestra will be playing at the same time, and it is the intention of
separating them so far that neither will interfere with the other.
The work of bonding the rails with wire for
the transmission of electricity is rapidly progressing in the park. When this
is completed trailers can be used on this division and long trains can be taken
up the hill with ease.
The feed wire is being distributed on the
McGrawville branch. This is to be used to supplement the trolley wire and the
bonding wire of the rails in the transmission of electricity on this division
which is so remote from the power house.
New trucks are to be put upon all of the six
trailers as the old ones are pretty badly worn.
Work on the McGrawville branch is being
pushed as rapidly as possible and it is likely that cars will run to
McGrawville by Sept. 1.
THE
COUNTY FAIR.
Special
Prizes Offered for Exhibits of Farm Products.
A number of special prizes have been offered
for different exhibits at the coming fair of the Cortland County Agricultural society.
Among them are two prizes that should interest every farmer in the county. A
first prize of $15 and a second prize of $10 are offered for the largest and
finest display of farm products grown on the exhibitor’s farm in Cortland
county. The committee on awards are three of the best known and highly
successful farmers in the county, Messrs. R. Bruce Smith, Frank H. Sears and
Geo. H. Holmes.
Another prize which will interest everybody is
for the handsomest baby. The officers of the society will present to the
handsomest boy or girl baby two years old or under a silk dress or other dry
goods to the amount of $15—an outfit for the mother or child, or both, as the
recipient may select. To the second handsomest child of the same age, goods to
the amount of $5. At least five entries must be made.
The Wickwire Roller mills will give $1 for
the best loaf of bread made from “Our daily bread” flour; $1 for the best loaf
of bread made from “Snowdrift” flour; $1 for the best loaf of corn bread
and $1 for the best loaf of graham bread.
The fair will be Sept. 10, 11, 12 and 13.
BREVITIES.
—The Cortland City band give a concert at
Cortland park to-night.
— Rev. B. F. Weatherwax conducted religious
services at the county almshouse Sunday.
—The Y. P. C. U. and the Y. P. S. C. of the
Universalist church will hold meetings to-night.
—Thirty out of 120 successful candidates for
Cornell scholarships are women—Ithaca Democrat.
—The Cortlands were defeated by the Watsons
of Weedsport at the fair grounds by a score of 16 to 4.
—Work on the sewers was suspended Thursday,
as it was an Italian national holiday [Assumption Day] and the Italians celebrated in grand
style.
—Hiram Greggs died at the hospital Saturday
night, aged 88 years. The funeral will take place from the residence of Mrs. A.
L. Dunbar, 24 Madison-ave. at 11 o’clock to-day.
—It is estimated that 25,000 people saw
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show at Syracuse and 40,000 at Rochester. This company
visits Cortland Sept, 10.
—Alanson Turner of Preble was operated
upon at the hospital Saturday morning for the removal of cataract from his left
eye. The operation was performed by Dr. Higgins, assisted by Dr. Reese and Dr.
Sornberger and appeared to be wholly successful.
—Schermerhorn Brothers have put a partition
across the old rink which they are now using
for a public storage building. The rear end is used for storage and the front
part continues to be used as a practice place for new bicycle riders. A tennis
court has also been marked off in the front part and it affords a splendid
place for playing
—The death of Mr. John Payne occurred Friday
night at the residence of Dr. Neary on Maple-ave. Mr. Payne was seventy-four
years of age and Mrs. Neary is his granddaughter. He leaves one son, Deloss
Payne of Chippewa Falls, Wis. The time for the funeral has not yet been decided
upon but will be held at Lincklaen, his former home.
—The crossing of the Traction company over
the E., C. & N. R. R. on Elm-st. came Friday afternoon and was put in that
night by a gang of men who worked nearly all night. So far the street cars have
practically crossed on a piece of strap iron on a stick of wood. With the
permanent crossing in place the cars can run ahead at full speed and with no fear
of getting off the track.
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