LOVE'S MODEL CITY

Mills District and Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Co. on American side of Niagara River about 1900.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, January 16, 1896.

LOVE’S MODEL CITY.

An Option Secured on an Immense Tract of Land.

   NIAGARA FALLS, Jan. 16. —The largest real estate contract ever made in Western New York has been filed in the county clerk's office at Lockport, involving the transfer of 26,500 acres of land under an option to the Niagara Power and Development company, better known as Love's Model City.

   The company now control over 30,000 acres and will now push forward their canal which was commenced last year.

   The projectors announce that almost $500,000 worth of property has been sold, of which amount leading Niagara Falls business men have taken $354,000 worth.

   The company makes the positive announcement that it has made a contract to furnish 25,000 horse power to a company that will invest $10,000,000 in the manufacture of iron and steel in Model City. It is claimed that leading iron and steel men are in the enterprise and that 5,000 men will be employed and 1,000,000 tons of finished steel turned out annually. It is also stated that steel can be manufactured in Model City $2 per ton cheaper than in Pittsburg.

   The sites there will be furnished free and power will be sold for $10 per horse power per annum with 24-hour days.

Main Street, Cortland, N. Y.

REPEAL THE ORDINANCE

AND LET EVERYBODY HITCH WHERE HE DESIRES.

Largely Attended Meeting at Fireman's Hall—Resolutions Adopted Favoring Hitching.

   Fireman's hall was crowded to the doors last night at the public meeting called to consider the advisability of securing a repeal of the ordinance recently passed by the village board of trustees in regard to the hitching of horses on Main-st. A fair spirit in the main was manifested by those who spoke upon the question, though there was one descent to mud-slinging and of course the consequence of this was to lower the dignity and business like conduct of the meeting and practically to destroy the effect of the argument which in this case was attempted. With this exception the feeling seemed to be general that the trustees had the best interests of the village at heart, and that they probably thought they were serving those interests in passing the ordinance, though just how this was being accomplished by the ordinance seemed to be a conundrum to all.

   It was the general opinion that the ordinance had been passed hastily and that the trustees had not looked forward far enough to see what would be the effect on the people from outside of the village and consequently on the local trade. The fact that one by one the hitching posts had been voluntarily removed by the business men who had thereby given expression to their wish that others should hitch their horses, if at all, in front of their neighbor's place of business rather than their own, had led the trustees to go a step further and prohibit it altogether. It was the taking of this extra step which led the country people to think that they were not wanted here and which so roused the Cortland merchants that many of these who had taken out their posts were foremost in the expression of their desire to replace them.

   There was also another part of this ordinance which touched the grocers and butchers particularly—the fact that they would not longer be permitted to let their horses stand unhitched or unattended in front of their own places of business. Most of them have what they consider trusty horses and they feel that they cannot afford to employ extra help to hold horses while they are loading in groceries and meat for delivery.

   The meeting last night was called to order by L. F. Stillman, who nominated G. J. Mager for chairman. Mr. Mager was elected and Mr. Stillman was chosen secretary.

   A. Sager then called for the reading of the ordinance in question. It was read by the secretary. Mr. Sager then explained the object of the meeting. He said that he had understood, not from one but from two members of the board of trustees that the ordinance had been passed in response to complaints on the part of some of the business men here in Cortland. The trouble was, not that people would drive up and hitch for a few minutes, but that in some cases they would hitch for half a day or so. They would drive a long hay wagon with a binding pole sticking out ten feet over the end, up at right angles to the sidewalk so that a passing team often had to go half across the street to get around it. Such instances had led to the passing of the ordinance. Still such cases were extreme and unusual, and he thought that the general effect of the ordinance on the country trade was injurious. He was sure that as soon as the trustees saw the result they would unanimously repeal the ordinance, and the object of this meeting was to call their attention to the matter. He understood that some one had in his possession a resolution which would embody these thoughts and would bring them in a definite way before the trustees. He called for the reading of the resolutions.

   The chairman inquired how many signers there were to the petition calling the meeting. N. J. Peck answered about seventy-five.

   C. T. Peck said that before the resolutions were introduced he would like to hear a discussion of the question and some reasons given for departing from the rules and regulations of the city fathers. Mr. Sager insisted that the resolutions should first be introduced and then there would be something definitely before the house to talk to and about.

   N. J. Peck then offered the following preamble and resolution:

   WHEREAS, A meeting of the business men of the village of Cortland was called to assemble at Fireman's hall on the evening of Jan. 15, 1896 for the purpose of taking some action upon the resolution heretofore passed by the board of trustees of the village of Cortland in regard to the hitching of horses on Main-st. and in regard to leaving them on Main-st.; it is the sense of this meeting that the said resolution is an injury to the village of Cortland. It is unreasonable and unfair to the people who drive into Cortland to do their trading. We desire to express our opinions upon the matter, that we may be thoroughly understood and that the people throughout the country who come to Cortland to do their trading shall know the position of the business men in regard thereto.

   Resolved, That the resolution passed by the board of trustees of the village of Cortland of Jan 6, 1896, is a detriment to the business men of Main-st. in this village of Cortland, N. Y.; be it further

   Resolved, That it is a violation of all reasonable and fair treatment of people who have been trading with us in years past; be it further

   Resolved, That we do hereby petition the honorable board of trustees of our village to rescind the said resolution. Be It further

   Resolved, That we extend to all of the people outside of the village of Cortland a cordial invitation to come and see us as they have in the past and we will extend to them the same courtesy and fair treatment that we always have; and that a copy of these resolutions be given to the various newspapers.

   It was stated that these resolutions referred only to the first part of the village ordinance, relative to hitching on Main-st. and not to the part concerning leaving animals standing out in inclement weather.

   C. W. Stoker moved and A. Sager seconded the adoption of these resolutions.

   L. F. Stillman stated that within the last week he had been in Elmira, where on a portion of a business street he counted sixty-five teams hitched and on a part of Court-st. in Binghamton he counted forty-seven. He said he would like to see both sides of Main-st. lined with horses hitched as thick as they could stand.

   C. T. Peck thought that the people had a priority of right on Main-st.. over the electric railroad and that they should be permitted to drive and hitch where they please.

   C. W. Stoker stated that it was not his intention to criticize the motives of the board of trustees. He thought no one of them would intentionally do anything to harm any business man in Cortland. But he thought this ordinance would work much harm. He had heard great indignation expressed by farmers from the more remote towns in the county as well as from some near by. The papers in the neighboring towns had promptly taken advantage of the ordinance to invite the country people to come to their towns to trade, and the people would go too. They had the idea that Cortland merchants did not want them here. We all want them here and the more the better. Mr. Stoker also referred to the inconvenience to grocers and butchers who could not leave their horses unattended or hitched in front of their stores, while loading goods.

   L. D. C. Hopkins said he spoke for those who bring their produce to Main-st. for delivering. The enforcement of this ordinance would work an injury to both the outsiders and business men.

   C. H. Price called for an expression from the board of trustees.

   C. T. Peck stated that this was not the place for the board to hold its meetings and they should not be asked here to say what they would or would not do.

   A. Sager contended that the board might speak as citizens and they might throw some light on the question as to why the ordinance was ever passed.

   J. B. Kellogg said that was what he would like to know, why in the world the board ever passed such an ordinance.

   Dr. Higgins then came forward saying that he did not speak for the board, but only for himself individually. One month ago they were requested by one of the business men to remove a lamppost from in front of his place because it was used as a hitching post and such a use of it was an annoyance to him. The ordinance was passed unanimously and if it was a mistake it was one made unwittingly. Three years ago an ordinance was passed prohibiting the leaving of horses unhitched on any street in the village, sliding down hill, keeping a hog on the corporation, all with a penalty of ten dollars fine or ten days in jail. So that the part in regarding to leaving horses was nothing new. His own idea of its enforcement was that if a team was left hitched for an unreasonable length of time it should be taken to a barn and the owner would have to pay the hitching fee. A few hints of that kind would suffice without any fines or imprisonment. It was a query to him if seventy-five business men on Main-st. desired the ordinance revoked, why it was that only eleven [hitching] posts are now standing and that the posts have been voluntarily dug up and removed every year.

   N. J. Peck called for the question and ,upon a vote the resolution was adopted unanimously.

   N. J. Peck moved that the chair appoint a committee of three to present the resolution to the board at its next meeting. The chair appointed N. J. Peck,

A. Sager and F. Daehler and the meeting then adjourned.

   It may now be expected that new hitching poets will be put down in front of the premises of all those who signed the petition, and that they will be kept there and not removed as soon as the excitement has blown over.

Lehigh is Ambiguous.

(From the Binghamton Republican.)

   Superintendent Allen of the Elmira, Cortland & Northern railroad has denied that a deal has been made by which his road passes under the control

of the Lehigh Valley, but it is generally believed that the deal has been consummated. The Lehigh is at a large expense to run into Elmira over the Erie tracks from Waverly. Shipping coal over the E., C. & N,, has cost the Lehigh a large sum and the indication is that it would be a profitable investment to purchase or lease the road. If the Lehigh assumes control of the new Erie and Central New York it is their purpose to push the completion of the road through to Utica, the original terminus. It is evidently the intention of the Lehigh officials to obtain the northern New York coal trade.

BREVITIES.

   —New advertisements to-day: Stowell, inventory, page 8.

   —It is probable that a lodge of the I. O. O. F. will be instituted at Tully in the near future,

   —A large number of Odd Fellows from Cortland expect to go to Dryden to-morrow night to attend a reception given by the Dryden lodge.

   — At the annual meeting of the New York state Agricultural society held in

Albany, Wednesday, Prof. J. P. Roberts of Cornell university was elected its president.

   —A regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. will be held on Saturday, Jan. 18, at

3 o'clock. Consecration service will be followed by a business meeting and by a short program.

   —It has been decided by the powers that be that Harvard, Columbia, Pennsylvania and Cornell shall meet in a single race next June. The place will either be Poughkeepsie or Springfield.

   —The fine wire drawers organization of Wickwire Brothers' factory are arranging for a midwinter party to be given in Taylor hall on Friday evening,

Feb. 7. Fuller details will be given later.

   —A little excitement was caused at the Cortland House corner this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock by a short runaway of a drayman's horse which had been let standing unhitched. The horse was caught after it had gone only a few rods and no damage was done.

   —The oil painting donated to the Peck Memorial library by Mrs. F. O. Hyatt, is now in place on the wall of the reception room of that building, and is admired by all who have seen it. Is is a large mountain landscape, very artistic and adds greatly to the attractiveness of the room.—Marathon Independent.

   —No one should fail to read an article on the fourth page entitled "Forty years in the hardware business." The writer is Mr. W. G Hibbard, formerly of Cortland, now senior member of the great firm of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. of Chicago. It will be found of interest to everybody.

   —The members of McLean K. of P. lodge recently formed themselves into a Stock company and are erecting a substantial building in that village. The building is two stories, the upper part of which is being finished into a handsome lodge room, while the lower floor comprises a large hall for general purposes with a kitchen in the rear. The building is patterned after the one erected by the K of P. lodge in Freeville.—Dryden Herald.

A HOTEL PURCHASE.

George J. Mager Buys a Property at Alexandria Bay.

   G. J. Mager of Cortland, N. Y., has purchased of Hon. Levi H. Brown, the old St. Lawrence hotel property at Alexandria Bay. Upon the site stand at present the Columbia cottage hotel, several stores, a meat market, telegraph office, barns, etc. As soon as the weather permits, the Columbia will be repaired, enlarged and painted, and a new plank walk laid in front of the business places.—Watertown Times, Jan. 14.

   Mr. Mager states that this does not mean that he will leave Cortland.