THOUSAND ISLAND PARK

Steamer St. Lawrence.

Steamer Island Belle.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, August 26, 1896.

THOUSAND ISLAND PARK.

Its Attractions, Diversions, etc., Described By a Cortland County Visitor.

   To the Editor of the Standard:

   SIR—Pursuant to a promise I send you a few jottings concerning this somewhat famous summer resort, where I joined my family on the 12th of August, and have since been engaged in beautifying our cottage and enjoying myself generally.

   On arriving at Clayton one will find a steamboat awaiting him, the natural drift of which is down the river on the American side. It is better to arrange so as to arrive at Clayton on Wednesday for the pleasure of the trip on the river will be heightened by the illumination of most places along the route on the two evenings named.

   The main points and stopping places in their order are as follows: Round Island comes first and contains the famous Frontenac hotel and a few elegant cottages, of which Syracuseans have the lion's share. This is considered a Baptist Island. Then, crossing the river and a little further down, is Grinnell island, which has upon it the very large and nearly new hotel called the Murray Hill House, which has a very commanding appearance—also the Pullman House and several neat cottages.

   Next is Wells island, which is about ten miles long, this being the bonanza of all the isles. Although there are a few farms on this island, its grounds are mostly very neatly shaded. It contains about 600 cottages, four large hotels, a tabernacle that has a seating capacity of about 1,400 people, besides several boarding houses, a number of stores, a school and many other buildings. Thousand island park which is the chief place upon this island, from its central location, ease of access and picturesque scenery, probably attracts more sojourners than any and all other places along the river. This is a Methodist Episcopal place, it being controlled by that society but we are informed that there are negotiations pending between the society and the Folgers, who represent the New York Central Railroad Co., for its purchase.

   Then you cross the river and pass a few miles down to Central park and Point Vivian, which are very pretty places. A little farther down is Alexandria Bay which is the oldest resort on the river and has for years been a favorite for many of the wealthy nabobs of this country. It is at this place that Mr. George J. Mager of Cortland, the well-known dry goods dealer, is said to be the owner of a hotel. It is my humble opinion that this resort is unequaled for its natural scenery by any place on this continent.

   Fishing, bathing, playing lawn tennis and croquet, dancing, boat riding, swinging and lounging are the principal diversions. Those who are of a literary turn of mind also find their wants supplied of which I will speak later.

   Now as this is a place of much water, our thoughts very naturally turn toward the inhabitants of that element—the finny tribe. First, and as I am not a crack oarsman or fisherman, rather than relate our own experiences I will speak of what I have seen and heard. On visiting the dock almost any evening, one will see many a nice catch come in of bass and pickerel, varying in weight from three to ten and twelve pounds, and occasionally a muskallonge weighing very much more. It is said that this season has been very prolific of fine catches.

   It is currently reported here at the park that the steamer St. Lawrence, on her way up the river this afternoon, spied a monster whale, and as soon as the news reached the ears of the sports here a party was quickly organized and equipped with the necessary and requisite paraphernalia with which this island is well supplied—including all the modern devices known to whale fishery—and then started out and are now in hot pursuit—the class of sports known as the ''freshmen," of course being the lead—and they confidently hope and expect to capture the whale before the(ir) sun sets.

   As to the literary part of the enjoyments here, much of it is of a very high order, and there is just enough of it to give spice to the occasion. The famous poet, Will Carleton, gave a recitation a few evenings since at the Tabernacle, the program including a composition on the river St. Lawrence and other selections which were most excellent. There was also a mock court trial on the evening of our arrival, the case being a breach of promise suit, which was conducted with all the solemnity and apparently realistic fervor imaginable in the trial of a criminal in a court of justice. Judge Vance of Potsdam presided, the attorneys being a Mr. Newton of Worcester, Mass,, and the poet, Will Carleton.

   The sermon of Chancellor Day of Syracuse, at the Tabernacle last Sunday, was laden with much rich thought and delivered in a graceful and fervent manner. It made a deep impression upon the vast audience.

   Last Tuesday, being state grange day, here brought a large crowd of people to the park. Dr. Searles gave the address of welcome and said, among other things, that his speech would be characteristic of the gold man in its brevity, as the other fellows wanted 16 to 1. He was responded to by O. H . Hale, master of the New York state grange. Hon. J. H. Hale, past master of Connecticut state grange, was the principal speaker, and gave a fairly interesting discourse which, however, was much too lengthy. He is a large peach producer, having 600 acres in Florida now under cultivation. We observed one line of thought advanced by him which was in direct opposition to the idea advanced by many grangers, viz: That the capitalist is their common foe. He cited cases wherein great capitalists had been their best friends. We noticed that J. D. F. Woolston of Cortland, past member of the state committee, was present, who took part in their counsels and was also booked for a part in the public exercises, but was shut out by the very lengthy speech of Mr. Hale, much to our disappointment. We had the pleasure of listening to a poem prepared by him for the occasion afterward, which we pronounced very good indeed.

   We have not yet determined how long our stay will be here, as we go, by request, to the Republican state convention on Tuesday.

   Yours truly, B. F. L.

Hoke Smith.

HOKE SMITH'S PLANS.

Will Speak In Georgia In Support of Bryan and Sewall.

   WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.—Secretary Hoke Smith briefly outlined his plans in an interview. He said:

   "I will retire from office on Sept. 1, and it is my purpose to return to Atlanta at once. My resignation was due alone to the fact that I intend to support Bryan and Sewall. I have always voted the regular Democratic ticket, and shall make no exception this year. It is my purpose to devote my time to the practice of law and to my private business. I have, however, signified my willingness to make two or three speeches in Georgia for the state and national ticket, but the time necessary to the resumption of attention

to my professional and private business will not permit me to enter actively into the campaign outside of my state."

   Governor Francis, Secretary Smith's successor, will reach Washington sometime before Tuesday and is now closing up his affairs in Missouri. He has already formally signified his readiness to qualify on the 1st prox., when the resignation of Mr. Smith takes effect. The latter will leave immediately for the South.

William J. Bryan.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Elegant Extracts.

   The Democratic party has begun a war of extermination against the gold standard. We ask no quarter; we give no quarter. We shall prosecute our warfare until there in not an American citizen who dares to advocate the gold standard. They ask 'why?' We reply that the gold standard is a conspiracy against the human race and that we would no more join it than we would join an army marching to despoil our homes and destroy our families.

   Our opponents say that all we need is a restoration of confidence. Whenever the confidence man is abroad in the community the man who has the least confidence gets off with the most money and I am very much afraid that the confidence man is abroad in this campaign.

   Our opponents, at least some of them, have been appealing to the ministry. Well, now, I am going to concede everything that is right to our opponents and I must confess that there is one argument that they might make that would appeal to some ministers. A gold standard makes hard times, hard times drive men out of employment, idleness is conducive to crime; therefore a gold standard, by increasing the amount of crime, increases the demand for ministers to put down crime.

  

   The above attempts at eloquence or wit or something else are not from some Cheap John, local, political slang-whanger. They are taken from the remarks of the Hon. William Jennings Bryan, Populist candidate for president, at Albany yesterday afternoon. This individual poses as a statesman, an orator and a Christian. May God have mercy on the American people if a man, whose moral and intellectual caliber is measured by the above extracts, ever gets a chance to "shuck around'' in the chair filled in better days of the republic by Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Grant and Harrison.

   Major McKinley gave the mechanics and farmers of Ohio the true reasons why the Wilson-Gorman tariff has caused idleness and starvation for labor and stagnation and poverty prices for farmers. It has destroyed the wool market and woolen industry at home, and closed the foreign markets to American exports, including agricultural productions.

In the Fall.

   We observe that some hypercritical individual is again objecting to the word "fall" to designate the time of year which our British brethren usually name "autumn." The hypercritical individual is simply silly. If there is one word which is rightly used in the English language it is the term "fall" to denote the months of September, October and November. It is a whole poem in itself, that word "fall," thus used. It means the time of the fall of the leaf.

   In September the green of summer fades a little, the more fragile and tender of the leaves begin to fall like flakes of an advancing snowstorm. In October the trees turn golden and red and glorious, the leaf storm is full on, the dying foliage descends thick and fast and covers the earth with a brightness as of flowers in bloom. October flits, November arrives, and with him the winds and the soaking rains. The last foliage is torn from the trees, the leaves swirl hither and thither in the wind and rain and finally pack away in hollows and banks to turn to rich brown mold and fertilize the earth. The last leaf has disappeared; the trees hold up their arms, brown and withered; the "fall" season is over.

   If it is incorrect to speak of the "fall" season of the year, then it is just as incorrect to speak of the spring of the year.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Mr. J. D. Gardner, who has been employed for the summer in Bridgeport, Conn., returned home Tuesday.

   The date of the game of ball between the Ponies and Freetown has been changed by mutual consent to Friday instead of Thursday, as the former go to Tully and a number of the latter to Wight's picnic.

   Mr. and Mrs. Dell Tarbell of Rockwell's Mills, who have been visiting at W. L. Pritchard's, returned home Monday.

   Mr. A. B. Griffin is home from a visit to friends.

   Rev. Carter J. Greenwood and family of Utica visited at Will Pritchard's, Tuesday.

   Miss Ettie B. Mudge of Cortland is visiting her grandfather, Seneca Mudge.

   Messrs. R. P. and Stephen H. Brownell are visiting friends in South Otselic and DeRuyter.

   Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Johnson and son Bruce spent Sunday at Leroy Taft's in

Homer.

   Thursday will be a sort of McGrawville day in Assembly park, Tully lake, for besides the debate between prominent advocates of gold and silver and other attractions there will be a game of ball between the Ponies of this place and the Tully Stars, and the Delsarte entertainment given by Miss Winifred A. Smith and her company of young ladies. The round trip fare from Cortland will be but 45 cents and admission to the grounds 20 cents. The managers expect to make the ball game free. As Messrs. Armstrong and Cook have treated the McGrawville people very liberally in the matter, it is hoped that a large delegation from here will be present. The 11 o'clock [trolley] car to McGrawville will be held by special arrangement until after the arrival of the 11:20 train that night for the accommodation of the McGrawville party.

   The convention of the Baptist Sunday-schools held here yesterday was largely attended. The program as published in The STANDARD was carried out and the visitors were entertained in the manner for which McGrawville people have a reputation. The tables were set under a large tent on the church green, and were loaded with eatables and handsomely decorated with flowers. To-day the regular meeting of the association is in session.

   Miss Celinda Taylor has returned from a visit to relatives in Virgil.

Babcock Hollow.

   BABCOCK HOLLOW, Aug. 21.—The measles are still in our midst.

   Mr. Clarence Conrad, who has been at work for Andrew Jennings in Lisle, has finished his work and is now with his parents in this place.

   Mr. .John Griswold and wife of Homer visited at Chas. Griswold's last week.

   Mr. Bert Conrad and wife of Marathon visited friends in this place Sunday.

   Mrs. David Yunk is sick with gastric fever. Dr. Butterfield attends her.

   Dudley Corwin and Allie Palmiter of Cortland were guests of her parents one day last week.

   Mr. and Mrs. Earl Ladd are rejoicing over the birth of a son.

   The Ladies' Aid of the Baptist church hold an ice cream social at Nelson Conrad's to-night.

   Mr. Erastus Strong is spending some time in Dryden as the guest of his son Francis, and was present at the Shevalier reunion which was held there.

   At the last meeting of the Creamery Co. Nelson Conrad was elected secretary in place of Geo. Tillotson.

   A Y. P. S. C. E. was organized in this place on Sunday evening with Mrs. Bunnell as president.

   Miss Hattie Shevalier and Mr. Harold Conrad attended the picnic at F. E.

Strong's in Dryden on Wednesday last.

   Miss Bertha Hammond of Cortland is spending some time with her sister, Mrs. E. Blachard.

   Mrs. J. W. Shevalier and little son Grant visited her sister, Mrs. A. H. Strong, recently.

   Mr. Dan Smith of Cortland was in the place on Friday last.