HOT FIGHTING IN CUBA AND GOLDEN WEDDING OF MR. AND MRS. NATHANIEL MEAGER

Antonio Maceo.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, October 7, 1896.

HOT FIGHTING IN CUBA.

Two Battles In Which Many Were Killed.

SPANISH CLAIM THE VICTORY.

Maceo Reported as the Leader of the Cuban Forces and Made a Stubborn Defense

—Large Number Wounded on Both Sides.

   HAVANA, Oct. 7.—Details hare been received of the two engagements fought by he troops under Bernal and Colonel Granados (not Gromados) and the insurgents under Antonio Maceo at Guamo in the western part of the province of Pinar del Rio on Monday last.

   Colonel Granados, it appears, was informed that the Cantabria battalion was surrounded by a force of 3,000 insurgent infantry and 800 cavalry at Guamo. The insurgent force had been sent to Guamo by Antonio Maceo from Blanaca. Colonel Granados' troops charged the enemy after his artillery had fired 12 shots at the insurgent position. The insurgents soon commenced to fly, and the Cantabria battalion, thus relieved from its dangerous position, was enabled to join the troops under Colonel Granados, and the entire force pushed forward to attack the positions which the insurgents had taken up after having been driven away from the immediate vicinity of Guamo.

   The latter were stubbornly defended, but the insurgents were dislodged after five hours fighting and were driven back beyond Lomablanca, leaving 80 killed on the field. The troops had 12 men killed and 92 wounded, among the latter being four officers.

   While this fighting was in progress General Bernal was finishing a second engagement with the insurgents at Lomas de la Teja.

   General Bernal only had about 700 troops at his disposal, while the forces of Antonio Maceo occupied long lines of battle. The fighting commenced at 9:30 a. m. and the enemy made a very stubborn defense.

   But the insurgents were finally dislodged, leaving 100 killed on the field and the prisoners captured by the Spaniards say that the insurgents carried away over 900 wounded. On the side of the troops, Lieutenant Colonel Romero of the San Marcial battalion, one of General Bernal's aide-de-camps, and 18 privates were killed. In addition, Lieutenant Colonel Chacel of the engineer corps, eight officers and 65 privates were wounded.

Winners of Cornell Scholarships.

   ITHACA, N. Y., Oct. 7.—The list of successful competitors for the university scholarships in Cornell university is announced. Those scholarships are of the value of $200 each for two years and are open to competition to all members of the freshman class. The list follows:

   A. R. Ayres, Ithaca; Herbert L. Cowing, Brooklyn; John C. Davis, Binghamton; John T. Fitzpatrick, Brooklyn; Albert M. Garrettson, Buffalo; Florence B. Gray, Brooklyn; George A. Larkin, Olean; Roger A. Millar, Lockport; James H. Miner, Cleveland; Lewis S. Palen, Monticello; James H. Pettit, Shortsville; Eva R. Root, Skaneateles; Mabel E. Rose, Brooklyn; Joslyn Z. Smith, Buffalo; Vera M. Thompson, Gloversville and Elbert A. Wilson, Ithaca.

Colored Odd Fellows Meet.

   INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 7.—The national convention of the Grand United Colored Odd Fellows met in Masonic hall, this city, for a four-days' session. Four hundred delegates were present from every state and territory. Mr. Taggart delivered an address of welcome and James F. Needham, deputy grand master of Philadelphia, responded. Only routine business was considered and hereafter the sessions will be secret.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Lang and Army Etiquette.

   Persons who feel secure in their own social position, good blood and high breeding are never snobs. They can afford to treat ladies and gentlemen as such wherever they find them, though the lady should be a washerwoman, the gentleman a common soldier. But those sons of the barefoot emigrant mother who could not read or write, of the ignorant political ward boss, of the ginshop tender who gets a little money ahead, the sons of these highborn, high bred individuals frequently have brains, brass and influence enough to pass the examination and get appointed to a West Point cadetship, and they are naturally very doubtful about their own aristocracy.

   The fellows who have graduated from West Point and attained high army positions spring in some cases from about as low an origin as mortal could have, always providing that any son of the Almighty Creator can have a low origin.

   But no sooner do they leave the threshold of the Military academy than they become the most frothy and insufferable snobs in this universe. These army snobs and their wives have made life a purgatory for young Lieutenant Lang, who dared to brave their displeasure by marrying the daughter of a sergeant at West Point. They have employed every mean, sneaking, cruel method their petty imaginations could devise to force him to resign from the army. No wonder the young man's pluck and courage begin to give way. An old army officer is quoted as saying: "An unwritten law of the army debars any social intercourse between a commissioned and a non-commissioned officer. It would be impossible for Mrs. Lang to visit her own parents."

   If that be the case it is time for the rest of the country to give these lazy, stuck up West Point fools a lesson that will last them. West Point graduates are the servants of the common people of this country. Their way through college was paid by the money of these common people and their salaries are paid from the same source. The common soldiers of our citizen army are oftentimes better born and bred than their so-called superior officers. It will not hurt army discipline one bit to destroy the ridiculous caste system which officers doubtful of their own gentility have fostered in the army. Is this free republic India, pray, and is the common soldier a pariah and an outcast? If this be so, then let intelligent young American men shun the ranks of the United States army as they would shun leprosy.

Black Diamond Express.

NEW TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENT.

Lehigh Valley Will Run Trains to and From Chicago via Grand Trunk.

   PHILADEPHIA, Pa., Oct. 7.—A close traffic arrangement between the Grand Trunk and Lehigh Valley railroad companies will go into effect Oct. 15, by which all Grand Trunk trains to and from the East will go through Buffalo. The change is an important one and means that when spring opens the alliance between the two railroads will bring about an increase in the train service between Chicago and New York, and a shortening in the running schedule. The Lehigh Valley's Black Diamond special, instead of running only from New York to Buffalo, will run through to Chicago.

   This intention on the part of the Grand Trunk to help the Lehigh Valley with a fast schedule may result, it is said, in the decision on the part of the Vanderbilt lines to put on the long promised twenty hours' train between Chicago and the Atlantic. All New York trains of the Grand Trunk system heretofore have run to Suspension Bridge and thence by way of Tonawanda to Batavia junction. When the branch from Tonawanda to Depew goes into operation, trains will run direct to Buffalo, thus creating a new line of competition for travel between Chicago and Buffalo.

GOLDEN WEDDING

OF MR. AND MRS. NATHANIEL MEAGER OF CORTLAND.

Celebrated at Their Home on Woodruff-st. Tuesday Night. Married Oct. 6, 1846, In Plymouth Church, England. Sketch of Their Lives.

   Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Meager of 16 Woodruff-st. bear the distinction of having passed the fifty-year mark in wedded life, a privilege which statistics say comes to but one couple in about eleven thousand. Last evening the occasion was celebrated at their pleasant home by the gathering of all their children who live in this country, and a few relatives and friends. Only one of the children was absent, the one living in England.

   The following are those who attended: Mr. and Mrs. John E. Meager and children of Syracuse, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel P. Meager, Mr. and Mrs. James Meager and Mr. and Mrs. George Dickinson of Cortland, Mrs. Emma Kenfield and Miss Valentina H. Meager of Cortland, Mr. Alfred W. Meager of Syracuse, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Seeber, Mr. and Mrs. W. Lincoln Seeber, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar P. Miner, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Harrington and Mrs. M. Dickinson of Cortland, Miss Taddie Dickinson of Syracuse, Mrs. Martin and Miss Annie Martin of Homer.

   The rooms were very prettily decorated with autumn leaves and cut flowers. Very nice refreshments were served between 8 and 9 o'clock from small tables distributed about the rooms. Previous to the serving of the refreshments, remarks appropriate to the occasion were made by Mr. Oscar P. Miner, and afterwards Mrs. James Meager recited beautifully "The Golden Wedding." A large cake brought from Syracuse by their son, Mr. Alfred W. Meager had a cover of gold with the inscription in white, "Fifty Years." The evening was passed socially, a feature being music, both vocal and instrumental, by several of the guests.

   Mr. and Mrs. Meager were the recipients of many presents, among them being $50 in gold, corresponding in number to their fifty years of wedded life. Hearty congratulations were offered when the guests departed, all wishing Mr. and Mrs. Meager many more years of wedded life, quite as happy as have been the past fifty years.

   Nathaniel Meager was born in Buraton, Parish of St. Stephens, Saltash, county of Cornwall, England, April 14, 1822. His parents were James Meager and Catharine Stroude Meager. Valentina Heatham, daughter of John and Mary Heatham, was born April 4, 1828, in the Parish of Surton, county of Devon, England. They were united in marriage at Plymouth church, England, Oct. 6, 1846. They resided in England until 1872 when they came to America and settled in Cortland, where they have since lived.

   Mr. Meager's father was a mason and builder, and the latter trade was learned by Nathaniel when young, and he has always made that his business. He was at one time for over two years in the service of Her Majesty, as ship-joiner in Devenport dockyard, near Plymouth. To Mr. and Mrs. Meager eight children have been born, all of whom are living. They are Mrs. Mary Stroude Meager Vosper of Saltash, England, Nathaniel P. Meager, Miss Valentina H. Meager of Cortland, John E. Meager of Syracuse, Mrs. Florence Anna Dickinson and Mrs. Emma Kenfield of Cortland, Alfred W. Meager of Syracuse and James Meager of Cortland.

   Desiring to remove to America, Mr. Meager left England in the spring of 1872 and landed at the port of New York, March 16, 1872. From there he came to Binghamton and learning there that a great building boom was in progress at Cortland, he came here where he readily found employment at his trade. He liked the place so well that he decided to locate here permanently and accordingly Mrs. Meager, with six of the children, came to America, Sept. 22 of the same year, having been preceded in June by their oldest son, Nathaniel P. Meager, now one of Cortland's most prominent contractors and builders. They have lived in Cortland ever since, having lived at their present residence, 16 Woodruff-st. during the past ten years.

   Mr. Meager has lost few of English manners and customs by his life in the midst of American customs and institutions. Both he and Mrs. Meager enjoy the best of health and bid fair to live many more years in addition to their fifty years of wedded life. In common with the English people they are both very affable and jolly and are highly respected by all who know them. Mr. Meager points with a great deal of pride to the fact that for thirty-eight years before coming to this country he was a bell ringer in twenty-seven different churches in England. He was once called upon to ring 5,040 changes, the most that can be rung on six bells, in St. Stephens' church, Plymouth, where he was the treble man.

   A characteristic of both branches of the family is their uniform good health and long lives, the parents of both Mr. and Mrs. Meager living to be near ninety years of age.

BREVITIES.

   —Republican rally at the Churchill building this evening. Address by Hon. Thomas McVeigh.

   —New advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown, silk taffy, page 7; A. S. Burgess, clothing, page 8.

   —The Ladies' Literary club will meet to-morrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock at the home of Mrs. E. B. Nash, 28 Clinton-ave.

   —Hi Henry's colossal $60,000 minstrel company with all the latest attractions is booked for the Opera House in Cortland on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

   —Hon. Thomas McVeigh of Michigan and Hon. R. T. Peck addressed a large gathering of Republicans at Texas Valley last night. Mr. McVeigh speaks at Republicans headquarters in the Churchill block to-night.

   —It takes thirteen days each month for the Lehigh Valley pay car to get over all of the divisions of this extensive system, and a regular schedule has to be arranged each month. The car will cover the division from Elmira to Camden on Oct. 22.

   —At the annual meeting of the Presbyterian church and society held at the chapel last night Messrs. C. P. Walrad and T. H. Wickwire were re-elected trustees. The report of the treasurer was read and accepted and other routine business was transacted.

   —The Lehigh Valley management determined to secure prompt adherence to its time and schedules and accomplished it. Every engineer and conductor forfeits a day's pay for every minute of tardiness at a station, unless delay is due to wreck or, non-working machinery.—Ithaca Journal.

   —The teachers' Institute season is now at its height, and almost every day the Normal teachers have to refuse invitations from commissioners and urgent requests from conductors to go here and there. Prof. D. L. Bardwell was at an institute in Hamilton on Monday, Dr. F. J. Cheney was there yesterday and Mrs. M. C. Eastman is there to-day. Next week upon different days Dr. Cheney and Prof. J. E. Banta have appointments at an institute at Oxford, Prof. D. L. Bardwell and Miss Clara J. Robinson go to another institute at Canastota, and Mrs. M. C. Eastman and Miss Ella Gale go to a third institute at Groton.

Polling Places Named.

   The town board has designated the following polling places for the town of Cortlandville for the November election:

   Dist. No. 1—Village hall, McGrawville.

   Dist. No. 2—M. E. Corwin's shop, 71 Pomeroy-st.

   Dist. No. 3—Steam laundry, 78 Clinton-ave.

   Dist. No. 4—Watrous' livery stable, 22 Clinton-ave,

   Dist. No. 5—Warner Rood's barn, 16 Madison-st.

   Dist. No. 6—Barn rear of 22 Homer-ave.

   Dist. No. 7—Fireman's hall.

   Dist. No. 8—George Allport's shop, Tompkins-st.

   Dist. No. 9—McGraw's wagon shop, South Main-st.

   Dist. No. 10.—John Hubbard's hall, Blodgett Mills.

   The registration days for voters voting in the village are Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 9 and 10, 16 and 17. Voters outside the village who register at McGrawville or Blodgett Mills will register Saturday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 17.