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| "A Try at Goal." Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, Dec. 7, 1889. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday,
December 14, 1895.
FOOTBALL.
How It
can be Played Without Injury to Any One.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—Twenty-seven years ago the writer and a
few others, lovers of the game, paid $25 for the use of the fair grounds and
formulated a set of rules to govern the play. Without any previous training of
teams, or cutting of hair a la Bowery
or collegiate style, the players were then and there selected from the crowd
who paid to see the play.
The
brief rules were, the umpire to throw up the ball midway between the two goals;
no player to handle the ball for the purpose of running away with it but, if
sufficiently ahead, to be permitted to lift and toss the ball gently upwards so
as to get a good kick at it (seldom though he got a chance to toss and kick as
the other players generally got at the ball); when the ball was on the fly
players could strike with the hand to retard or forward it on its course; if the
ball went off the prescribed limits, or foul, it was brought to center of
course, placed on ground and player allowed to kick it towards his goal or to
another player on his side; if a player had the ball ahead and the ether
players could not kick it from him it was admissible to trip him and kick the
ball away, but if he was tripped it must be done without laying hands on his
person, clinching, pummeling, wrestling, or use of the fist, which were
considered unmanly and not allowed.
This game was played about three hours and
no player was hurt, and the spectators, both ladies and gentlemen, seemed
delighted, so much so that the Honorable Henry S. Randall, coming on the
grounds after the play ended and hearing such a favorable account of it,
expressed much regret that he did not see the game. Mr. Randall being quite
popular, the writer had little trouble to get the players to consent to play a
short game so that he could see the manner of play. In praising the play he
said one thing surprised him very much, that when a player was tripped and
thrown he did not, when up, clinch the player who threw him and
retaliate—particularly when the principals were Irish-Americans and the
majority of the players were of that impulsive race, quick to resent a fancied
wrong.
Several times since those days the writer
has played football, and even last summer, at the Cortland [Traction] park, he
umpired a game of football, though being in his sixty-second year, and the only
unpleasantness he experienced was that he could not share with the players this
exciting and most innocent and pleasurable game ever played by man or boys,
when played and not abused.
I cannot conceive how the most refined or
delicate lady can take exceptions to football when played under proper and
plain rules. Our school boys are apt scholars in this direction. I witnessed about
twenty boys on one of our back streets a few weeks ago abusing football play.
They had no doubt heard, read or seen young collegians act likewise. There were
about nine boys all in a heap. I could only see the head and arms of the under
boy. I relieved him and told them all how they could play football without injuring
each other by playing the ball as the name of the game indicates, with the foot
and not with the hand. I would guarantee to select ten or fifteen young men in
Cortland who would play football on humane principles against any college team
in the country.
Before closing I will state that I went to a
neighboring city to witness a game as played by two college teams. One of the
players picked up the ball and carried it under his arm; then, when closely
pressed, he held it with both hands hugged to his breast, like a fireman clasping
a child that he was saving from a burning building. A player behind caught and
clinched him, both went down and on top went a dozen more, yelling, pulling,
and pummeling one another. That ended the game for me, and I left in disgust.
In the interest of a fair game,
UERITAS.
 |
| Burial of Armenian victims at Erzerum, Harper's Weekly, Dec. 14, 1895. |
MASSACRE STATISTICS.
Ghastly
Annals the World May Never
Peruse.
REPORTS
OF CONSULS IN TURKEY.
All Busy
Collecting Details of Moslem Atrocity For Their Respective
Governments—Condition of the Armenians is Still Critical.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 14.—At the meeting of
the ambassadors on Tuesday last the reports received from Armenia at the different
embassies were compared and thoroughly discussed with the view of enabling the
different representatives to compile full reports on the subject for the use of
their governments.
It is believed that if the result of this conference
is published it will show an unparalleled state of affairs. The misery and
distress in Armenia is said to be more severe than the most vivid reports have made
out and the number of people massacred is said to be greater than anybody here
really believed.
Letters received here from Aleppo say that
there is serious fear there of a massacre of the Christians unless the powers intervene
promptly to prevent it.
News was also received from Zeitoun saying
that the Turkish troops from Marash are surrounding the Armenians in order to
cut off their lines of communication and prevent them from obtaining
reinforcements, provisions and the supplies of arms and ammunition which are
understood to have been forwarded to them from many parts of Asiatic Turkey.
When the town of Zeitoun is completely surrounded
it is believed that the Armenians will soon be starved into submission, although
their friends say they have provisions enough stored in the town to last them
until spring, and that the Turks will have to pass the winter in the snows
around Zeitoun, a not very attractive prospect.
A Turkish official who is familiar with the
situation at Zeitoun said that the Armenians
there were inclined to surrender to the Turks, but they distrusted the promises
of the latter that their lives would be spared if they laid down their arms.
Izzet Bey, the first chamberlain of the sultan,
and the great favorite recently of his majesty, has been replaced by Hadjiali Bey
and Emitt Bey at the palace, but the last named bey has been arrested in consequence
of the charges brought against him by Said Pasha, the ex-grand vizier.
Izzet Pasha recently presented the sultan with
a long report upon the deplorable situation of the country, but the sultan
refused to read it, whereupon Izzet Pasha resigned and the sultan refused to
accept his resignation. Izzet has tendered his resignation four times since
then, but each time the sultan refused to accept it. Izzet, however, persists
in resigning.
Fresh placards have been posted in different
public places proclaiming the policy and demands of the Ottoman Progress union.
The title of the union outlines the idea of the people with whom the documents originated.
The police promptly tore them up and are hunting for the people who posted them
on the walls.
The young Turks warmly blame Said Pasha for
leaving the British embassy and hope he will insist upon his announced intention
of going abroad. On the other hand, the old Turks blame him for taking refuge
in the embassy. The result is that Said Pasha's prestige in the eyes of the
Turks is considered to have been considerably shaken, and it is believed that
his political career is terminated.
It transpires that the British vice consuls
at Van and Sivas, who have been here for some time past awaiting their ex-equators,
have not received these documents, in spite of the long delay, and they started
for their posts on Wednesday last without them.
Red
Cross to the Rescue.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.—The American Red Cross
society has decided to accept the duty of distributing the relief funds for the
Armenian sufferers and has issued the following statement: "According to
conservative estimates there are 350,000 utterly destitute people in Armenia
who will have to be assisted six or eight months—until the next harvest. Fully
realizing the difficulties and dangers to be met, the Red Cross will start for
Turkey as soon as sufficient funds are placed at its disposal, or guaranteed,
to insure success. Funds may be sent to Miss Clara Barton, president and
treasurer of the American National Red Cross, Washington."
Attempt
to Oust Japan.
LONDON, Dec. 14.—A Berlin correspondent says
that the [European] powers have addressed to Japan a peremptory demand for the evacuation
of Corea.
 |
| S. S. Knox. |
THE PUBLIC MEETING.
CALLED
TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF PAVING.
The
Proposed Legislative Bill Read and Discussed—Another Meeting Soon to be Held.
Pursuant to the call issued by the village board
of trustees about two hundred citizens of Cortland gathered at Fireman's hall
at 7:30 o'clock last night to consider the question of paving in Cortland. The
meeting was called to order by President Higgins who stated the object of the
gathering. He said that the board had been considering the question of paving
for some time and had reached some conclusions as to ways and means. They had
stated these to Judge S. S. Knox and had asked him to embody them in the form
of a bill to be presented at the coming session of the [county] legislature.
Judge Knox had drawn a bill and submitted it
to the board and it had been freely discussed. Some changes had been made in it
and now it was to be brought before the people to see what their opinion of it
was.
The board recommended the bill as it stands
as a result of their study and deliberations, but they do not claim that it is
perfect or that it will please every one. They are open to suggestions and they
hope they will be made. They want to find out what is the wish of the people
and then to see that this is followed out.
Dr. Higgins said that this meeting would not
be proper time to discuss what kind of pavement should be used; that was not
mentioned in the bill and could be settled later. The question to be considered
now would be how to divide the expenses of paving, the time of payments and how
to decide what streets should be paved.
Judge Knox was then called upon and he read
the entire text of the bill. The substance of this has already been published
in the STANDARD and, inasmuch as by a vote of the meeting taken later on the
trustees were instructed to publish the entire text of the bill in the local papers
for the enlightenment of the public, no attempt to again give an abstract of
this will be made now. Dr. Higgins then said that all present were urged to ask
any questions that they might desire to ask or to make any suggestions that
occurred to them.
W. C. Crombie thought that once having such a
bill read did not place it before any one in such a way as to discuss it
intelligently. He would favor having the bill published and then calling another
meeting for discussion.
J. A. Jayne objected to the provision of the
bill by which on streets on which the [electric] car tracks are laid the
Traction company should first pave their portion as provided for in the charter
and that the expense of the balance should be divided into thirds, the village
and the property owner on each side of the street each to pave a third. He
thought that the expense of the whole street should be first divided into
thirds. The property owners should each pay a third, making two-thirds, and the
remaining one-third should be paid for by the Traction company and the village,
the former paying the portion prescribed in its charter and the village making
up the balance of the one-third. Inasmuch as the village had first given the
charter to the Traction company and one of the considerations of the grant had
been that the Traction company should pave between the rails and two feet
outside of them whenever the village paved and of the same style and material,
it would be only a fair return for the grant that the Traction company should
help the village in paving its third. Mr. Jayne gave some statistics to show
what the saving to the village would be on this basis.
William D. Riley said he felt that his property
would be so benefitted by a first class pavement before it that he would be
perfectly willing to pave half of the balance of the street after making the
proper deduction for the Traction company and not subject the village to any
expense in the matter,
Charles H. Price approved of Mr. Jayne's
idea that property owners should pay two-thirds and that the other third be
paid for by the Traction company supplemented by the village, thus reducing the
village's expenses.
A. Sager was called upon, and said that he
was heartily for paving, but was not ready to talk upon the subject now as he
had not yet given sufficient attention to the details of the matter.
B. F. Taylor was called upon and created a
laugh by his response, ''I pass.'' He added, however, the exhortation not to
split hairs on the subject of expense. Be sure to pave anyway.
The question was raided as to what extent the
village would now be permitted to issue bonds taking in consideration the
bonds, already outstanding for other purposes, and the answer was that we could
still bond for $97,000.
Some one raised the point that a general survey
should first be made of all the streets and the grade of the whole village
should be established before a single foot of paving is laid. (The proposed
bill embraces this in one of its first provisions.)
Col. Frank Place said that profiles had been
made of every street in the village showing exact grades. He advocated the
appointing of a commission to consider the matter of adjustment of expense, the
commission to report at another public meeting.
Charles T. Peck declared that it should not
be left to a commission. The whole matter should be decided in a public meeting.
He hoped every taxpayer would be present and take a hand in the discussion. He
called attention to the fact that at the special election to vote on sewers
only about seven hundred votes were cast, including both for and against.
Theodore Stevenson said that what interested
Main-st. interested every citizen in the village. The man who rides in a carriage
or wagon, the pedestrian, the wheelman, every one is interested in paving. The
village as a whole is interested and the village as a whole should bear a
greater part than one-third of the expense of paving. The village should pay
half and the property owners half, (one quarter on each side of the street.)
Mr. Stevenson thought that three years, as proposed by the bill, was too short
a time for the property owner to pay off his share of the expense. It would
impose too great a burden upon him each year, especially if he had more than
one house on the streets to be paved. Ten years would be better, with one-tenth
each year. As the only way to secure paving under this bill is by a petition of
a majority of the property holders, there will be no paving if the expenses
must all be paid in three years, as they will not petition to burden themselves
with taxes.
B. A. Benedict advocated the idea of the railroad assisting the village upon
its one-third. The property holders derived sufficient benefit from the fact
that the railroad was before their doors to justify them in paying a greater
share of the expense of paving and permitting the railroad's portion to apply
on the village's third. Mr. Benedict recommended the appointment of a committee
to sit with the trustees at several sessions after the publication of the bill,
to hear points for and against it and to make suitable changes in the bill, if
they saw any that were expedient as a result of the bearings, and to report at
another public meeting.
Lewis Hayes said that his share of the paving
was not the only expense that would come to the property holder if pavements
were to be put down
before his premises. There would be the placing of curbstones, the enforced
connections with sewers and waterpipes. Mr. Hayes thought that the property
owner would be overburdened under the terms of the bill. He thought the system of
assessments were unjust, The corporation could get money at four per cent,
individuals could not. He did not believe that linear frontage was a good basis
upon which to make a petition for paving. Assessed valuation would be
preferable. He cited instances where the linear front basis would work
injustice. He asked who would pay the property owner's share in front of
churches, schools and other such non-taxable property. He advocated a general
tax to pay for the paving.
W. C. Crombie favored a general tax. He said
the average citizen was an encumbered citizen, and care should be taken not to
wipe out his equities by heavy taxes in property which he held subject to
mortgages.
Judge Knox said that in case the village was
to pay the whole expense, unless the expense of each year's work could be met
at the end of each year, very little paving could be done in the next twenty-five
years. The village could now only bond for $97,000 and that would not go far in
paving. Experience in other places proves that the two-thirds private and
one-third public method has brought the best results, and this is practiced in
nearly every city and town where paving has been done.
Lewis Hayes thought that if one-third of the
$5,000 annually spent on the streets was saved in the stopping of cleaning
crosswalks and devoted to paving, some results could be reached after a while
without bonding.
Mr. H. Yale thought the experience of other
cities was worth something and experience pointed to the two-thirds and
one-third plan. He, however, favored the idea of the Traction company putting
its money into the village's one-third, as the streets were public property.
C. T. Peck denied that this was so and said
that the streets were private property, all deeds were made to the center of the
streets and the public only had an easement on them for public travel and not
for any other use. He cited the recent decision of the courts in relation to
the placing of long distance telephone poles in the highway without getting the
permission of the adjoining property holder.
W. C. Crombie said that New York is the only
city in the state which owns its streets, all others are owned by adjoining property
holders.
B. A. Benedict made a motion that it was the
sense of this meeting that the village of Cortland should take some action
looking toward paving. The motion was carried without a dissenting vote.
B. A. Benedict made the further motion that
the bill should be published within a few days in both the Cortland STANDARD and
the Cortland Democrat and that then the village trustees should hold several
meetings at which points for and against the bill could be presented with the
idea of improving it and that a public meeting should then be held at the Opera
House for the further discussion of the bill. The motion was carried.
C. S. Bull said that with some others he had
been making a mental canvass of the property owners between the Cortland House
and the Messenger House and he did not believe that a majority of the linear
feet of frontage could be secured to any petition for paving, when they knew
the expense of it, and that if this was so there would be no advantage of
expending money for preliminary steps toward securing the passage of a bill in
which there was nothing to enforce paving and in which everything depended upon
a petition of property holders.
Several people affirmed their belief that
such a petition could be secured.
W. H. Clark moved that a committee of three
be appointed, of which Mr. Bull should be chairman, to make a personal canvass
of the property-holders between the points named to see what would be their
pleasure and wishes in the matter, and to report at the next meeting. The motion
was seconded by Dr. F. D. Reese and was declared carried. The chairman appointed
as such committee C. S. Bull, W. D. Riley and C. H. Price.
Notice of the open meetings of the trustees
to consider the bill after its publication, and also of the time of the next public
meeting will be given through the papers when the dates are appointed.
On motion, the meeting adjourned.
BREVITIES.
—Y. M. C. A. Bible class to-night at 8
o'clock.
—The Cortland Mfg. Co., Ltd., was yesterday
connected with the telephone exchange.
—Rev. E. A. Paddock of Idaho will preach in
the Congregational church tomorrow night.
—New advertisements to-day are—Yager &
Marshall, page 8; Lyman & Morse, page 8.
—The Syracuse Courier this morning had a
twenty-four page Holiday issue full of interesting matter appropriate to Christmas.
—The Clef society gave one of their interesting
music recitals at Miss Covil's studio last evening, after which some time was
spent in a social way.
—The ladies who take part in the
"Mikado" chorus were photographed by Butler this morning. Some of the
pictures of members of the cast may be seen in his showcase on the street.
—The Cortland friends of Mr. George Dickerson,
who had a leg crushed by the cars at Owego last week, will be pleased to know
that he is doing nicely. He is in the Packer hospital at Sayre, Pa.
—Mr. and Mrs. Edward Chubb of Railroad-st.
very pleasantly entertained an invited company last evening. Dancing was
indulged in, music being furnished by Daniels. Nice refreshments were served.
—Mr. B. B. Terry, the new proprietor of the
bitching barn, has been making some decided improvements at the barn since
taking possession. The office has been enlarged, a ladies' waitingroom has been
added and the whole has been newly painted and renovated.
—The church record of the Homer-ave. M. E,
church shows that during the first five years of its history, 223 members were
received from probation and 327 by letter from other churches of whom 141 came
from the First M. E. church of Cortland,
The present membership is about 400.
—The misplacing of two decimal points in the
list of hospital donations last night worked injustice to the donors in two
cases. Mrs. Eliza Rosa Palmer gave to the hospital $500 and the estate of Dr.
F. O. Hyatt $100. The name of Miss Blanche Hardy as one of the three little
girls who gave 75 cents was also omitted.
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