HORSELESS CARRIAGES RACE IN CHICAGO

Duryea Motocycle.

Morris & Salom Electrobat.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 6, 1895.

HORSELESS CARRIAGES.

Winner of the Race Given the Second Place.

PHILADELPHIA MACHINE FIRST.

Other Points Beside Speed Were Considered And Several Machines Received

Mention For Various Good Points—Other Races to Take Place Soon.

   CHICAGO, Dec. 6.—The judges of the Times Herald motocycle contest met and carefully considered the claims of the vehicles which competed in the Thanksgiving day contest.

   They awarded the gold medal to the Morris & Salom Electrobat of Philadelphia on the following points: Cleanliness and general excellence of design and workmanship.

   The first prize of $2,000 was awarded to the Duryea Motor Wagon company of Springfield, Mass. This motocycle came in first in the road race and also secured favorable notice for range of speed and pull with compactness of design.

   H. Mueller of Decatur, Ills., was awarded $1,500 and is mentioned for good performance in the road race and economy in operation.

   The other awards were: Sturges Electric motocycle of Chicago, $500; R. H. Macy & Co., New York, $500; G. W. Lewis, Chicago, $200; Haynes & Apperson, Kokomo. Ind., $150; Max Heretel, Chicago, $100, and T. De Lacergne company of New York, $50.

   Morris and Salom and the Sturges vehicles were propelled by storage batteries and the others by gasoline or some product of petroleum.

   The race was run on a 54-mile course, a foot deep in snow and slush, but the awards are largely based on the results shown in an elaborate series of scientific tests, conducted by Messrs. Summers and Lundie of Chicago.

   A Canadian contest is scheduled for May, 1896, and an announcement is expected in a few days of a big race to be held near New York some time next summer.

Joseph Jefferson as Rip Van Winkle.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Has an Actor Good Sense?

   A sentimental writer, bemoaning the suicide of two unhappy members of the theatrical profession, is moved to gush over thus: "Actors are generally emotional and irresponsible creatures." "An actor who loves his art is not a responsible being."

   This is not only bosh, but pernicious bosh, and the leading actors of all time would be the first to resent such imputations on their honesty and common sense. Let us see. There was the great Sarah Siddons, the most famous woman actor of the ages. She was conscientious and full of common sense, exact almost to a fault in money matters and one of the most level headed women of her time, as well as one of the most spotless morally. Shakespeare was something of an actor and playwright, and Shakespeare enjoyed the familiar friendship of the best people in his day, those who would never have countenanced irresponsibilities of any kind. Shakespeare wisely followed his own injunction to put money into his purse, so that at a comparatively early age he retired to his cottage in the country.

   Joseph Jefferson is a gentleman and a scholar and a first class business man. Would the writer above quoted hint that Henry Irving is "an irresponsible being?" Or have not any of these ''loved their art?''

   No. When compared with other people, actors will be found to be very much of a muchness with them as to conscience and common sense. They should be held to a strict accountability as to paying their debts and keeping their word. To deal with them any other way is degrading to them and their profession.

Empire Express train was wrecked at Preble, N. Y.

A STRANGE WRENCH

MAY BE CONNECTED WITH THE PREBLE WRECK.

It Was Found Near the Scene—Coroner's Inquest Adjourned Till Tuesday—More Witnesses.

   The coroner's inquest at Preble to determine the cause of the wrecking of the night express on Dec. 1 was continued by Coroner Moore Thursday afternoon.

   W. W. Wright, the station agent at Preble, was the first witness called in the afternoon. He testified that he had been in the employ of the D., L. & W. R. R. Co. since Nov. 15, 1869. He was at the depot on the morning of Dec, 1, 1895, from 9:30 to 11 o'clock A. M. and returned again at 6 o'clock P. M., worked on his monthly report until 9 P. M. When he went home at 9 o'clock he noticed that all four switch lights were lighted and in their proper position. It is his usual custom to notice these lights when leaving at night. He was called and got to the station not far from 11:20 P. M. and after lighting up reported the wreck to the Syracuse office. He remained there all night until 7 o'clock the next morning. Witness stated that not far from 1 o'clock A. M., Dec. 2, he saw James Doyle find a wrench from a milk car truck beam and did not think the wrench could have rode far in that position. No such wrench is kept around the depot. Car repairers have them.  This milk car had not been in the repair shop to his knowledge. All the milk cars came from the South. This car was shunted on the switch at about 5 o'clock Sunday afternoon, coming from the South.

   William E. Sinclair of Syracuse, a fireman, was on the wrecked train "deadheading" to Binghamton to get his train. After the wreck he went to the engine and called "Dicky" and "Dad" meaning the engineer and fireman. He looked all around, but saw neither and then went to the switch which was blocked up with a board and "dead lever," and the broken lock lay on the end of the switch tie. He put the lock in his coat pocket. He returned to the engine. Fireman Roof [or Rofe] raised up and gave a scream. He stayed by him until death came, which was at 1:50 A. M., near Little York on the train to Cortland. Every wrench the company owns is marked. Could almost swear that the wrench was not a company wrench.

   Thomas Flanagan, the head brake man of the train went ahead to Little York with a flag after the wreck, but saw no one on the way.

   Dr. W. G. McDonald of Preble reached the scene at 11:45. Roof died from an indented fracture on the top of the head.

   Dr. Jerome Angel of Cortland examined Roof's body on its arrival at Cortland. Every rib on the left side was broken.

   C. F. Black man of Cortland was a passenger on the train and his evidence was a repetition of evidence previously given.

   This closed the evidence for the day and an adjournment was taken to Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 10:30 o'clock A. M. Coroner Moore went to Syracuse last night to summon more witnesses.

ACCIDENT AT HOMER.

H. P. JONES STRUCK BY A MOVING TRAIN.

Was Crossing the Tracks—Didn’t Hear Whistle—Back Nearly Broken—Taken to Hospital.

   Another chapter was this morning added to the list of railroad accidents. This one happened at Homer when train No. 12, the southbound accommodation, was pulling into the station from the north at 8:41 o'clock. When a few rods above the station Engineer William Moran saw a man crossing from the northbound to the southbound track directly in front of his train. He immediately blew the whistle, but the man seemed to pay no heed, and before the train could be brought to a stop the man was struck squarely in the back by the engine and thrown several feet from the track.

   He was picked up by the trainmen and brought to Cortland. Beard & Peck's ambulance was summoned and he was taken to the hospital. Drs. Higgins, Reese and Didama made an examination. No visible marks were found to indicate where he was injured, but it was apparent that the trouble was in his back. Upon close examination it was found that the spinous [sic] processes of three or four vertebrae in the lower part of the back were broken, but the fractures did not extend deep enough to affect the spinal cord which was not injured as he could move his lower limbs. He was rational at times and gave his name as H. P. Jones and his residence as Lafayette, Onondaga county. He said he was sixty years old and had three sons, the oldest, of whom, Charles, lives at Lafayette.

   From papers found on his person his identity was established and it was also believed from memoranda found in a sort of diary that he had been in Newark Valley, Richford, Dryden, Freeville and Homer.

   He carried a 22 calibre revolver loaded and also had in his pockets rocks, soap, matches, tobacco, a pipe and everything usually found in a tramp's outfit. He stated that he was a hunter and fisherman and memoranda found on scraps of paper would indicate that this was so. He was seen in Cortland hanging around the depot yesterday. His son at Lafayette was notified this morning and will probably be here this afternoon.

The Case Was Dismissed.

   The case of The People against L. and M. Rood of Brewery hill charged with stealing turkeys was called in police court this morning, but was dismissed. The boy who gave the information to the person making the complaint stated to the court this morning that what he said in matter was false, that he had been hired to tell the story that he never saw the turkeys stolen and knew nothing about who stole them.

BREVITIES.

   —The first sleighs were out to-day.

   —The Y. M. C. A. penmanship class meets to-night at 8 o'clock.

   —New advertisements to-day are— C. F. Brown, page 6; Kellogg & Curtis, page 6; Warner Rood, page 5.

   —Mr. Zeno Clark has a bound volume of the work's of Rev. John Flavel, published in Glasgow in 1754.

   —The usual Friday service will not be held at Grace church this evening, but services on Sunday will be as usual.

   —The Sewing school held in the W.C. T. U. rooms will meet to-morrow at half past 1 o'clock instead of at 2 o'clock.

   —A ticket for the Franklin Hatch library makes a very acceptable Christmas present, is good for one year and costs only one dollar.

   —A new generator has been added to the machinery at the power house of the Cortland and Homer Traction Co. for running the incandescent lights.

   — Lewis M. Wheeler, postmaster at Park Station on the E., C. & N. R. R. between Erie and Swartwood, was arrested yesterday charged with the embezzlement of money order funds. He was taken to Elmira. The amount of his embezzlement is not yet made public, if known.

   —Syracuse is to have a soda fountain day on Dec. 28 for the benefit of the Woman's Christian association. The idea was suggested by the great success of trolley day a short time ago. Already eleven druggists have offered to donate the use of their fountains. Young ladies will attend to them. Regular prices will be charged.

   —A new element of danger is discovered in the binding twine used for binding grain. Mr. John Card has had the misfortune to lose two horses recently under circumstances which led to an investigation and the finding of a mass of binding twine, that had apparently been eaten with the cut feed given them of late, and, being indigestible and not of a nature to pass off, had accumulated until it stopped all passage of food and resulted in death.—Dryden Herald.

SOLD BY THE SHERIFF.

Wyoming Bill Wild West Advertising Car Disposed of Wednesday.

   Most of our readers will remember that the Wyoming Wild West Show was advertised to appear in Cortland on Aug 26, and that it got stranded in Canada and did not materialize. Its advertising car with a force of ten bill posters was in Elmira. The wages of the employees had not been paid for several weeks and the E., C. & N. R. R. had a bill against the troupe for transportation. Legal papers were secured and the car was attached by the sheriff, the claim being about $350. The car has stood on a switch on the E., C. & N. yards in Elmira ever since. On Wednesday it was sold at sheriff's sale and was purchased by M. Washburn, the circus proprietor, for $340. It will be used for advance advertising purposes for the Washburn circus. It is probably the first time on record that such a car was ever sold for so paltry a sum.

Stranded in Seneca Falls.

   The "Faust'' company which was to have appeared at the Opera House to-night is stranded in Seneca Falls without money enough to get here. Manager Rood had some intimation a few days ago that they were in straits and telegraphed to them. The reply was that they were all right and would be on hand.

   This morning he received another telegram saying that they were stranded and they asked him to advance enough money to "get twenty-three people to Cortland. Mr. Rood thought that if that was the state of affairs they might better stay in Seneca Falls than to have them spending a vacation here with himself considerably out of pocket. The result is that they will not show here to-night.