WILL AID AMERICANS IN CUBA

John W. Daniel.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, May 18, 1897.

WILL AID AMERICANS.

Senate Passes Gallinger's Relief Measure.

AN APPROPRIATION OF $50,000.

Senator Daniel Made a Strong Plea For Recognition of Cuban Belligerency.

President Sent a Message Asking the Senate to Take Some Action.

   WASHINGTON, May 18.—Cuba engrossed the attention of the senate. The public interest in the subject was shown by the great crowds which besieged the galleries throughout the day.

   Two phases of the subject were presented. First came the question of relief to destitute and starving Americans in Cuba. This was presented in the president's message.

   Immediately following the reading of the message Mr. Davis, chairman of the committee on foreign relations, presented a favorable report on a joint resolution originally introduced by Mr. Gallinger, appropriating $50,000 for relief of American citizens in Cuba.

   There was only one brief speech—from Mr. Gallinger—and then the resolution went through by unanimous vote.

   The second phase of the subject came up when the Morgan resolution, declaring that a condition of war exists in Cuba, came up.

   Mr. Daniel of Virginia spoke in favor of the resolution. He first presented an argument on the right of congress on the subject and closed with the vigorous assertion that it was a calamity greater than war for a nation to withhold justice through fear of war.

   "It is said this means war," continued Mr. Daniel. "I deny it. If Spain should declare war against us because we recognized the belligerency of her former subjects, who had carried on a war for two and one-half years, she would have an unjust cause of complaint and war against us, and we will have a just cause of complaint and war against her. I do not wish to see the American people involved in war. I look upon war as one of the greatest calamities that can befall a people, but it is a greater calamity for the high public spirit of a great nation to be so deadened that it can look upon murder and arson and pillage with indifference, and for the public spirit of that nation to be so dead as to delay one instant in doing an act of justice because of fear of war."

In the House.

   The house confronted the Cuban question, made a party issue of it and adjourned without taking any action.

   President McKinley's message, recommending an appropriation to relieve suffering Americans in Cuba was received without any demonstration and on its heels Mr. Hitt, former chairman of the foreign affairs committee, asked unanimous consent for consideration of a bill to appropriate $50,000 in response to the president's request.

   Mr. Bailey of Texas asked for consent to consider in connection with the bill an amendment embodying Senator Morgan's resolution for the recognition of the Cubans as belligerents.

   Mr. Dingley would not consent to consider the amendment, nor Mr. Bailey to consider the bill without amendment, so for the time the question was sidetracked.

   When the house devoted two hours to debate on the conference report on the feature of the Indian appropriation bill opening to settlement the Gilsonite lands on the Uncompahgre Indian reservation in Utah, refused to accept the compromise agreed on by the conferees and asked for another conference with the senate on the bill.

   In the meantime the senate resolution, practically identical with Mr. Hitt's bill, had been sent to the house, and Mr. Hitt asked unanimous consent for its consideration.

   The deadlock between Mr. Dingley and Mr. Bailey was re-enacted, and while Mr. Bailey was endeavoring to get consent for the consideration of the two Cuban propositions together, Mr. Dingley put in a motion to adjourn. This motion was carried by a vote of 90 to 69, 13 answering present. The adjournment carries the question over to Thursday.

Planted Potatoes on Sunday.

   NYACK, N. Y., May 18.—John Farrell, who was arrested at Nanuet for planting potatoes in violation of the laws governing the Sabbath, was fined $5 for this offense. The case has caused considerable sensation in these parts.

Main Street, Cortland. Arc lamp hanging over street in foreground.

LASTED UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

IMPORTANT BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY VILLAGE TRUSTEES.

A Contract for all Night Street Lighting Authorized—Electric Company Refused a Perpetual Franchise at Present—Eight Hundred Feet of Hose Purchased—Main-st. to be Repaired—The Village Sued on Account of an Alleged Defective Sidewalk.

   The board of village trustees held a session Monday night which continued until midnight, and transacted considerable important business, the principal feature being the authorization of a lighting contract with the Cortland & Homer Electric company. The contract, which was read by Judge S. S. Knox, calls for seventy 2,000 nominal candle power arc lamps, sixty-nine to be located where the sixty-nine are now located, the extra one to be located in front of the engine house on Main-st. All lamps are to be at least 35 feet above the roadway. The contract price is to be 32 cents per light per night, the lights to be kept running from early twilight until daylight, every night in the year. Should the contract be renewed for at least five years, there is to be a rebate of two cents per light per night, and if for two and one-half years only, one cent rebate. The present contract is to run only through the current year, or until the next charter election.

   Fireman's hall and the village clerk's office are to be furnished with incandescent lights at five cents per watt hours, which is one-third the regular rate. President Call was authorized to execute a contract with the electric company on those terms. Superintendent F. P. Mooney was present, and said that he thought there was no doubt that the company would agree to the terms of this contract, but the company would like a perpetual franchise for the setting of poles and stringing of wires, to insure their own protection in the future.

   The present franchise expires next April, which is about the time the proposed lighting contract would expire, and the members of the board of trustees were unanimously of the opinion that that would be the proper time for extending the franchise. Judge Knox counseled against it at the present time, saying that it is time to cross a stream when it is reached. The individual members of the board were of the opinion that if the company gives a good lighting service, there would be no doubt about getting the franchise extended when the contract is extended.

AUDITING OF BILLS.

   The following bills were audited and ordered paid:

   Street commissioner's payroll, $202.75

   G. W. Bradford, election supplies, 3.20

   F. A. Bickford, salary, 25.10

   C. F. Brown, paint, 3.00

   R. A. Stowell, drinking cups, .50

   Police force, 121.00

   Utica Fire Alarm Telegraph Co., 12.00

   Lehigh Valley R. R., freight, .90

FOR THE RACE MEET.

   A request from the Cortland Athletic Association for the privilege of stringing a banner across Main-st. advertising the race meet June 17 was granted.

FIRE HOSE PURCHASED.

   It having been given out that the board would last night purchase fire hose, there was a spirited competition between five hose manufacturers for the contract. The five companies represented were the Revere Rubber company of Buffalo, the Fabric Fire Hose company of New York, the Mineralized Rubber company of New York, the Gutta Percha Rubber company of New York and the Syracuse Rubber company. A representative of each company was present, showed samples, addressed the board and presented a sealed proposal. When these were opened it was found that the prices ranged from 50 cents to 80 cents per foot. The contract was awarded to the Revere Rubber company, represented by W. D. Riley of Buffalo, for 800 feet of hose for $425, with a four year guaranty. The board also purchased through Mr. Riley three Foley spray nozzles at $25 each. Last year the hose cost 80 cents per foot.

CLAIMS $5,000 DAMAGES.

   The law firm of Dougherty & Miller presented a summons and complaint in an action for damages brought by Mary Conway against the village of Cortland for injuries alleged to have been sustained by reason of falling on an alleged defective sidewalk on East Court-st., bruising her back, ankle and limb, on March 10, 1897. She claims $5,000 damages. The document was placed on file.

COMPLAINTS AND PETITIONS.

   Under the head of complaints and petitions, Mr. Nodecker spoke of several sidewalks and crosswalks in his ward, where he thought action should be taken at once toward repairs. President Call said he thought some one should have authority to have defective sidewalks repaired right away. Considerable discussion followed, and it was decided to instruct the street commissioner to inspect walks and report at the next meeting those that need repairs or need to be rebuilt. The street commissioner was authorized to draw gravel to Main-st. and fill up the holes. President Call expressed the opinion that the street would not be allowed to go another year without paving. In this discussion Mr. Nodecker called attention to the Railroad-st. pavement, which he claims is defective, and said it ought to be looked after while the member of the committee of last year's board having it in charge, referring to Mr. Warfield, was on the board. Mr. Warfield said he was ready to go over Railroad-st. with Mr. Nodecker any time. Mr. Nodecker expressed some doubt about their being able to get through the street owing to the large holes that he said were coming in places.

   In the matter of sidewalks Mr. Nodecker thought some repairs ought to be ordered at once and if not done, the expense assessed against the property, and the clerk explained to him the process that is necessary in order to legally repair or build a walk and make it a charge against the property.

   Early in the session Mr. Nodecker wanted to bring up some police matters, but deferred it owing to the pressure of other business, and at the end of the session he spoke of it again, but it being so late, did not press the matter. He did not state what he intended to propose. The board at midnight adjourned until June 7.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

Committee to Investigate Academic Course and Admission to the Normal.

   The board of education held a regular meeting at the superintendent's office in the Central school building last night and besides the routine business and auditing the bills, voted to purchase a safe from C. E. Ingalls, to be used in preserving the books and records of the board. Jas. R. Brown was re-elected janitor at the Central school.

   A committee consisting of Commissioners A. A. Carley, G. J. Mager, J. A. Jayne and G. L. Warren was appointed to confer with the state authorities to see what can be done toward furnishing to students residing in town a regular academic education in the Normal, in view of the recent order of Superintendent Skinner requiring an academic education for those pupils who wish to enter a Normal school on a certificate from a school similar to the Central school. Heretofore students have been admitted to the Normal on a certificate showing completion of the course at the Central school. The state superintendent has, however, granted an exception to this rule for the present graduating class, which will be allowed to enter the Normal. The board is looking out for the future and believes that in order to insure admission to the Normal after graduation from the Central, it is probable that an addition would be necessary to the Central building, and the employment of one or two extra teachers.

PAVING OF ELM-ST.

The Securing of Signatures to a Petition Progressing.

   The residents of Elm-st. seem thoroughly roused on the subject of the paving of that street. A petition is in circulation requesting the b o a r d of trustees to take action toward paving. It is 3,100 feet from Church-st. to the Lehigh Valley tracks. This means 6,200 feet of frontage, including both sides of the street. In order to be able to present a petition to the trustees according to the provisions of our charter the petition must be signed by property holders representing over half of the total frontage on the street, or in this case over 3,100 feet. 3,100 feet and an inch would be sufficient to cause the trustees to take action upon the petition.

   Already the petition has signatures representing 1,286 feet. The latest signer was the firm of Keator, Wells & Co., who represent 473 feet. A number of people have expressed their willingness to sign after some others have done so. Several were willing to sign if Keator, Wells & Co. signed. Their name is now on the petition so that the other names will follow quickly.

   The plan is not to do any paving this year even if the petition receives enough signatures and if the trustees should act favorably upon it, but to make preparations for paving next year, get the contract awarded, etc., and be prepared to start work early in the spring. That will delay the first payment upon the ten year bonds till the following year, so that if property owners desire to take advantage of the ten year payment plan they may have one more year yet before the first payment will be due.

BREVITIES.

   —In Justice Kelley's court yesterday afternoon the case of Driscoll against

Goddard and Carr, which was on trial, was adjourned until Thursday.

   —The STANDARD is indebted to Prison Commissioner W. J. Mantanye for a copy of the second annual report of the state commission of prisons for the year 1896.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown, Death to Carpet Bugs, page 7; D. McCarthy & Co., Bargains, page 6; T. P. Bristol, Merchant Tailoring, page 6; Palmer & Co., We Don't Trust, page 4.

   —The ball game with Bainbridge was omitted this afternoon owing to the sudden death of Right Fielder Lovelock this morning. The other game with the same team will be played to-morrow according to schedule.

   —We publish to-day the corrected time table according to the new schedule of the Elmira and Cortland branch and of the Auburn division of the Lehigh Valley R. R. The connection of through trains with New York and with the West we are not able to give in detail to-day, but expect to do so in a day or two. We can say, however, in general that the passengers leaving Cortland at 6:25 A. M. reach New York at 6:30 P. M.; those leaving at 12:27 P. M. reach New York at 9:08 P. M. on the Black Diamond express: those leaving Cortland at 7:36 P. M., reach New York at 6:30 A. M., if they take a sleeping car, otherwise at 8:23 A. M. Returning, passengers leave New York at 9 P. M. and reach Cortland at 9:41 A. M.; leave New York at 8:20 A. M., and reach Cortland at 6:19 P. M,; or leave New York at 12 o'clock noon and reach Cortland at 8:20 P. M. on the Black Diamond express.

NOTHING TO SAY.

They Meant Business and Their Offer Was Practically Declined.

   A STANDARD man again inquired of H. L. Bronson, attorney for the Cortland & Homer Traction Co., if he desired to make any reply to the recent remarks in The STANDARD of I. H. Palmer, attorney for the Erie & Central New York R. R., concerning the building of the proposed road, and Mr. Bronson said that he did not care to do so. They had made a business proposition to the Erie & Central New York Railroad company and the latter had said it was not made in good faith. They had offered to back their proposition with a bond and they had been laughed to scorn. It was evident that the railroad company did not care to or was not in a position to transact any business with the Traction company. Mr. Palmer had stated that the people in the east part of the county did not want an electric road, but they did want a steam road. Well, if that is so, let them apply to Mr. Palmer and to the Erie & Central New York R. R. and get their steam road. So far as he was concerned he had nothing further to say on the subject.

 

SPICY TOM AND JERRY

Walter Wellman.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, May 17, 1897.

SPICY TOM AND JERRY.

They Will Please Pardon the Familiarity.

THE RISE OF TWO STATESMEN.

How Speaker Reed Won His Spurs—Congressman Jerry Simpson Before the

Mast—His First Public Address—Merit of Brevity.

   WASHINGTON, May 17.—(Special.)—In the little room in the Shoreham hotel which Speaker Reed uses as a library hangs a framed woodcut picture taken from the pages of an illustrated paper of many years ago. This picture marks the beginning of a good deal of the recent political history of this country. It depicts the scene when Tom Reed won his spurs as a member of congress. It was just [20] years ago that Mr. Reed came down here as a green congressman, and the Hayes-Tilden imbroglio was the sensation of the hour. Nothing else was talked of. A special committee to investigate the 1876 election was ordered, and Reed was lucky enough to get a place upon it. Garfield Hale and others who had more reputation declined to serve because they were afraid they might get into trouble. Reed accepted what they had refused, and it turned out to be a good thing for him that he did. The committee, it will be remembered, was known as the Potter committee, from the name of its chairman. Its first serious work was an examination of the witness Anderson, conducted by Colonel William R. Morrison, the famous Democrat from Illinois. He induced the witness to make revelations which scandalized the country and made the Republicans feel very sick. That was on Friday. The next morning Governor Claflin, one of the Republican managers of that day, came to Washington. He met Reed and said to him:

   "What is the matter with all our fellows? They appear to have run away since that man Anderson made his confessions. I can't find one of our men. Guess they must be in hiding somewhere."

   "Well, we'll change all that," drawled Reed.

   "What are you going to do?" inquired the governor.

   "I am going to cross examine that fellow Anderson, and I'll tear him all to pieces."

Thomas Brackett Reed.

Reed as a Cross Examiner.

   When the Republican managers heard of this, they tried to coax Reed off. They said it would be a mistake. Even if Anderson was a liar, he was a smart one, and it would be impossible to catch him. A failure to shake his testimony would hurt the Republican cause. But Reed stuck to his purpose. "I'll make that chap trot on jump the harness," he said.

   The next Monday the committee met again and Reed went at Anderson. In half an hour he had his witness on the run. It is safe to say that a witness never before had such an uncomfortable two hours of it before a congressional committee. The confessions which Reed wrung from him became the sensation of the day. All the newspapers took it up. The illustrated papers made pictures of the scene. It was a great day for the new congressman from Maine. He was an unknown man no longer. That one feat made him famous.

Jerry Simpson of Kansas.

   Jerry Simpson says he enjoys speaking to the house of representatives when things are lively. He likes a fight above all other things. When there is a storm on the legislative waters, and the spray is flying, it reminds him of his first speech.

   Many years ago Jerry Simpson was a sailor before the mast. Later he rose to be the captain of a vessel on the great lakes, and in 1878 he was in command of the barge Rutter, which left Chicago late in October and ran into a dreadful storm. The bark was in tow of a steamer, but the hawser parted in the storm and the barge was set adrift. She finally pulled up in shoal water off Ludington, Mich., where a lifeboat tried to rescue the imperiled sailors, but found the sea running too high. Then the government tug came out and tried to take the men off. The tug brought out a lot of longshoremen who were to try to save the cargo of the bark, and they would have succeeded no doubt if the storm had not just then broken out with redoubled fury. The cargo was of rye, and every sailor knows that that is slippery stuff to have in the hold of a vessel at the mercy of the winds and waves.

A Narrow Escape.

   "The rye kept running to one side" says Mr. Simpson, "till our ship was frightfully listed, and in fact the water was standing ankle deep upon the lee side of our deck. The seas were now running pretty high, and it looked as if we were in a tight fix. I ordered the longshoremen to take to the rigging and to hold on with a death grip in order to avoid being washed away. In a few minutes the crew and I had to do the same thing. We climbed into the upper rigging, with the seas boiling through and over our poor craft below us. I felt particularly sad when I saw my trunk and all my best clothes go floating by. By this time the ship was pounding very hard on the bottom, and as every big sea struck her I thought it would be the last, and that she would break in two and go to pieces.

   " Fully 5,000 people were gathered on  the shore watching our struggle against the elements and wondering if we should be able to reach the shore alive. Twenty-four hours we stuck to the rigging, and pretty dreary work it was, you may imagine. But we knew the gallant crews on the life saving service were coming, and we had encouragement to hold out. Finally the lifeboat reached us, and the longshoremen were sent ashore on the first trip. Then the crew and I followed. When we stepped upon the shore, the people gave us a royal welcome. They gathered about us with dry clothing, with hot coffee and food. Nothing was too good for us. As soon as we had been warmed and fed, they insisted I should tell them all about the shipwreck. They led the way to a public hall, set me upon the platform and told me to go ahead. In this way I was induced to make my first speech in public, and I think it was the best speech I ever made."

Felicity and Brevity.

   President McKinley is gaining quite a reputation for the felicity and brevity of his public addresses. On his way to the Grant memorial exercises in New York recently the president told one of his friends that he should speak only five minutes at the tomb.

   "I remember," said Mr. McKinley, "that General Grant once told an audience in England that since arriving in their country he had made the longest and poorest speeches of his life; the poorest, he added, because they were the longest."

   WALTER WELLMAN.

COULD NOT SCORE.

CORTLANDS PLAYED TOO FAST BALL FOR THE SHAMROCKS

And They Sent Five Men Across the Plate While the Visitors Had to Content Themselves with a Goose Egg—Each Man on the Cortland Team a Good One.

   Seeing is believing. Those who saw the baseball game at the fair grounds Saturday, and perhaps were a little skeptical before, are now firm believers in the success of the Cortland team.

   The season was opened that afternoon with the Shamrocks of Syracuse. Yerkes was in the box for the home team, and he pitched an excellent game from start to finish. Captain Berger caught a faultless game, and showed Saturday that he is the right man to captain the team. Townsend at first base also did his full share toward winning the game, and covered himself with glory in the sixth inning when he sent a long center field fly to the race track for a home run. Gorman at second and Nugent at third showed that they know their business well, and the latter distinguished himself especially by catching a couple of difficult foul flies. Kanaley in left field, bagged everything that came his way without an error. Persse at short, McManus at center and Lovelock at right also played a good game.

   Considering the fact that the team had been together but one day, their playing was certainly fine. They outclassed their opponents at every point. The attendance was very large for the first game and was very gratifying to the management. There will be a game with Bainbridge to-morrow afternoon and another Wednesday afternoon. Score:

ODD FELLOWS AT SPAFFORD.

The Cortland Contingent Thoroughly Enjoyed Themselves Saturday Night.

   Saturday afternoon a party of thirty-five Odd Fellows, members of Vesta lodge, left in carriages for Spafford to visit the lodge of that place. The lodge at Spafford is the one that was formerly located at Borodino, and the fraternal feeling existing between the members of that lodge and Vesta has always been exceedingly warm. On arriving at Spafford, the Cortland members were royally received and given their supper at the Spafford hotel, after which they attended the regular session of Spafford lodge, and the Vesta degree team exemplified the unwritten work of the three degrees in faultless style, receiving many compliments for the same. 

Steamer Ossahinta.

   After the session, a banquet was served and toasts were responded to. Other lodges represented were Marietta, Preble, Moravia and Tully. Sunday the visitors were treated to a ramble on Skaneateles lake on the popular steamer, the Ossahinta, with Captain Eades in charge. The trip extended to Skaneateles village, where the company was entertained for half an hour at the Odd Fellows' headquarters there, and return. The Cortland Odd Fellows returned yesterday afternoon, much delighted with the entire trip.

STRAYED FROM HOME.

A Little Girl from Lincoln-ave. Found on Main-st.

   Chief of Police Linderman on Sunday morning found a little girl wandering aimlessly about on Main-st. He knew from her actions that she was away from her home, and so he attempted to find out who she was, but she could or would not tell. The chief coaxed her along up Main-st., and by frequent inquiries found that the little girl's name was Winters, and that her parents reside on the extension of Lincoln-ave. The chief started to take the little girl home, and when the place had been nearly reached, the mother was met hunting for her. The mother had become much worried, as the little girl, who was about four years of age, had been missing an hour or more, and was greatly rejoiced at the child being safely returned to her.

BREVITIES.

   —The regular meeting of the Woman's Relief corps will be held to-morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.

   —Mrs. Charlotte A. Lansing, who formerly conducted a grocery at 114 Port Watson-st., is soon to erect a house on East Main-st.

   —The case of Patrick Driscoll against Henry Goddard and Thomas Carr is on trial before a jury in Justice Kelley's court to-day^

   —The annual meeting of the Cortland Union Beekeepers' association will be held at the residence of W. L. Cogswell, West Groton, N. Y., Tuesday, May 25, 1897.

   —The First Baptist Sunday-school is first in the field with a place for a Sunday-school picnic. It will be held at Long Branch on Onondaga lake on Wednesday, June 30.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—A. S. Burgess, Dress Suits, page 8; Dey Bros., Dress Goods, page 4; Case & Ruggles, For the Graduates, page 6; Palmer & Co., New Store, page 4.

   —Invitations are out for the wedding of Dr. Henry DeWitt Watson of Ludlowville  and Miss Rosabel Maricle which will occur at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Maricle at Cincinnatus on Wednesday, May 26, at noon.

   —The STANDARD has just printed a new list of subscribers for the telephone exchange. It is put up in book form with a stiff pasteboard cover and is of convenient form and size. There are on the new list eighty-nine local subscribers.

   —Henry Cook, colored, who resided at 11 Fifth-ave., died last night of a stomach difficulty. He was 65 years of age, and the funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. He was a member of the Twenty-third United States Infantry, Co. K.

HOMER.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   HOMER, May 17.—Horace K. Smith of Syracuse is in town on business to-day.

   Mr. F. H. McGuire of Virginia, who has been in town for the purpose of making mail contracts, left for Syracuse this morning.

   The members of the vested choir of Calvary Episcopal church will meet for rehearsal this evening at 7:30. Prof. Bates requests the presence of all the choristers.

   O. B. Andrews, Charles E. Wills and daughter and William H. Foster are in Syracuse to-day to be present at the ball game between Syracuse and Toronto.

   Mr. William Signor of Syracuse is in town to-day.

   Rev. Mr. F. A. S. Storer left this morning to spend the week in New York City.

   Thos. Knoble has on exhibition in his tonsorial parlors a beautiful banner which he has made for the Rescue Hose company No. 1 of Cuba, N. Y.

   Mr. Laurence Dillon of Cortland is in town on business to-day.

   Mr. Edwards, who for a number of years past has driven the mail stage between Homer and Glen Haven, is to discontinue his business here and move to Sidney, where he is to carry the mall between that place and Morrisville.

 

WILL SOMEONE ANSWER?

Fireman's Hall, Main Street, Cortland, N. Y.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, May 15, 1897.

WILL SOME ONE ANSWER

A Series of Questions Propounded by a Citizen of Cortland?

   The following communication which we are requested to publish contains a series of questions regarding the present status of the office of chief of the fire department, the regularly elected chief having resigned on account of removal from town. Our columns are open for an answer from any trustee, fireman or citizen who desires to reply.

   To the Editor of The STANDARD:

   SIR—There being much discussion by various people of our village concerning whether or not we have a chief of our [volunteer] fire department in fact, in order that the same may be positively known it is earnestly requested that you or some one who knows will kindly advise your readers the true status of the matter.

   Title IX, Sec. III, of the village charter says:

   The members of the fire department  shall meet annually on the last Wednesday of December, at some suitable place to be designated, at which meeting the chief engineer or in his absence the first or second engineer shall preside, and shall then and there elect by ballot a chief engineer, one or more assistants, a secretary and treasurer of the fire department, whose election shall be subject to the approval of the board of trustees, and who may be removed by said board for incapacity, neglect of duty, or misconduct. In case the said trustees shall disapprove of such election, they shall order another election at such time and place as they may deem proper.

   An election was duly held in accordance with this provision at which time a chief engineer was elected who was afterward approved by the trustees, and assumed the duties of the position. Soon his resignation was tendered, accepted and the board of engineers at a meeting (without all the representatives being present) saw fit to recommend the present incumbent for the position and thereupon he was approved by the board of trustees.

   Questions:

   a. If such are not the facts, what are the facts in the case?

   b. If such are the facts:

   1. Has Cortland village a chief of the fire department as provided for in the charter?

   2. If not properly elected and approved as provided by the charter, who is responsible in case of misconduct or neglect of duty by the acting chief? The trustees or the corporation?

   3. Can such a chief collect pay [$500/year] for his services? If so, should not the trustees as individuals be compelled to pay the same?

   4. One chief having been approved by the trustees, can the trustees call another election of the fire department without the first assistant being first promoted and being not approved by the trustees?

   5. Is the board of engineers [of] the fire department in the proper construction of the section of the charter above quoted?

   6. If not properly elected, are the acts performed by the board of engineers under his administration valid?

   These questions are not asked through malice, but simply for information and a proper regard for the general welfare of our village, and answers to these questions are desired. CITIZEN.

Pink line shows the railroad track between Cortland and Cincinnatus, N. Y.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

I. H. PALMER SPEAKS ON THE RAILROAD SITUATION.

E. & C. N. Y. R. R. Does Not Ask for the Gift of a Penny, Simply a Business Investment—Local Parties to Raise Ten Per Cent, Foreign Capitalists Ninety

Per Cent—Local Subscriptions Not to be Paid Till the Road is Actually Constructed.

   When I. H. Palmer, attorney for the Erie & Central New York R. R. was asked if he had anything further to say upon the railroad situation he concluded that he had, and authorized the following statement:

   I wonder it did not occur to Mr. Bronson and the Traction company, before its McGrawville branch was constructed, that two railroads to that place would not pay and as the Erie & Central New York R. R. was first in the field, it is remarkable that this suggestion did not have sufficient weight to then prevent the Traction company from building its McGrawville branch. Can it be possible that recent events have shed any new light on this subject? If not, why was it not heard and heeded when the Traction company's McGrawville branch was projected? Mr. Bronson talks strangely for the attorney of that company, under the circumstances at this late day.

   The assertion or rather the assumption that the E. & C. N. Y. Ry. Co. asks the people of this county to give it $25,000, or any other sum, is entirely false and without foundation. People whose property, profits and business interests will be enhanced by the construction and operation of this road are asked to show their confidence in its earning capacity and in the enterprise as an investment, and also as an inducement to capitalists, who have neither property nor business interests to be benefited thereby, to take more than 90 per cent of its bonds and furnish the cash wherewith to build, equip, fence and provide the road with stations and a line of telegraph complete, upon exactly the same terms and for the same consideration, for which the people of Cortland county are requested to advance as a loan less than ten per cent of their cost.

   In short, the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. Co. offers to the people of Cortland county precisely the same security for less than 10 per cent of the money necessary to build and equip its road which it asks them to loan it for that purpose that it offers to non-resident capitalists for more than 90 per cent of the money wherewith to complete it. If those whose property will be increased in value, or whose business will be benefited by the completion of this road decline to loan ten per cent of its cost, how can those who will not be thus benefited be expected to advance over 90 per cent of its cost? Nothing can be plainer than that those who expect to be benefited should show their faith in the road's earning capacity, and their belief and interest in it by subscriptions for its bonds, otherwise how can outsiders be expected to accept them as security for much the greater part of the money without which it can never be built?

   The tardiness with which the people of Cortland county have invested in this loan has already prevented outsiders from advancing their share of the money necessary to complete it. Further delay by the people along the line of this road, to take the small share of the bonds allotted to them, cannot fail to be disastrous to the success of the enterprise. It manifests an absence of public spirit truly lamentable.

   But this is not all. To secure the people of this county against any possible loss by reason of any failure to complete and operate the road, they are not required to part with their money until its completion is an assured fact, while the foreign capitalist is required to advance his proportion of the money—over 90 per cent—at the outset, so that the loss consequent upon a failure to complete the road will fall upon the foreign capitalist and not upon the people of this county, who are asked to subscribe for the bonds of this company.

   It doesn't seem possible that our people can have become so spiritless as to suffer this enterprise to fail for so little necessary aid at this critical period. If they do, and they ever come to understand it all they will have ample reason to despise themselves forever afterward. The enormous sums already spent will not only be a total loss, but the people who suffered it will be irreparably disgraced thereby.

   The money thus far spent, has been expended to construct a road connecting the stations on its line with other places and traffic facilities than those to be found within the county of Cortland. If the Traction company could secure control of it, this purpose would be forever effectually defeated; and this suggests their motive for wanting it. Such a road as this is designed to be, would give us traffic connections with the chief commercial marts of this continent, not a nickel-in-the-slot connection with McGrawville, Cincinnatus and Homer.

Tully Lake Park Hotel.

TULLY LAKE PARK.

Preparations for the Season Completed—A New Proprietor.

   The Tully Lake Park hotel has been leased for a term of years to the well-known hotel proprietor, Mr. William H. Young of the Lincklaen House, Cazenovia, N. Y., who will open the same to the public on June 7. The house will be remodeled and enlarged and everything will be put in first-class condition. The entire park, seventy-two acres, will be beautifully laid out with flower gardens, shrubs and trees, and many improvements and changes will be made. Mr. Young will devote his entire time to Tully Lake Park hotel and its interests, which will be a guarantee that everything relating to the place will be its best.

BREVITIES.

   —Mr. A. D. Randall was last night elected president of the Epworth league of the Homer-ave. M. E. church.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—L. N. Hopkins, Seeds, page 6; Wesson Mfg. Co., Bicycles, page 8.

   —The Alpha C. L. S. C. will meet with Mrs. Graves, 35 Madison-st., Monday evening, May 17, at 7:30 o'clock.

   —In police court this morning two drunks were sentenced to ten days in jail, and one tramp was discharged.

   —Rev. J. A. Robinson officiates at Grace church, Whitney Point, to-morrow and the holy communion will be celebrated.

   —The Shamrocks of Syracuse arrived at 10:17 this morning and are playing the Cortlands at the fair grounds this afternoon.

   —The Corlonor fraternity at the Normal at 8 o'clock to-night at Normal hall will give the three-act comedy "That Oxford Affair."

   —The jury in the case of Card against Munson, which was tried in Justice Dowd's court yesterday, brought in a verdict of no cause of action.

   —About twenty-five members of Vesta lodge, I. O. O. F., left this afternoon for Spafford to confer the three degrees on several candidates in Lake View lodge.

   —If the weather be favorable to-morrow a car will leave the Messenger House for the park at 2 o'clock and every forty minutes thereafter till the close of the afternoon.

   —The Benjamin Sinton place at the corner of Groton-ave. and Monroe Heights was this morning sold by Attorney Edwin Duffey to L. M. Loope for $1,190, subject to encumbrances amounting to $1,825.

   —There were seventy-six excursionists from Ithaca last night including the band who came over on the special train to attend the dance at the rink. That train left for home at about 1:30 o'clock this morning.

ELM STUMP.

   ELM STUMP, May 12.—There is every prospect now of a good crop of hay. Farmers are not doing much this week towards getting in grain, etc., on account of so much rain.

   Mr. and Mrs. Rose Grant and son of Freetown were guests at Mr. Emmett

Lang's last Saturday and Sunday.

   Mrs. George Sherman visited her sister-in-law, Mrs. Manly Price, at Virgil yesterday.

   Mr. Will Graves of Groton was a guest of Mr. Frank Lang last Saturday and Sunday.

   Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Butterfield of Cortland, Mr. and Mrs. Allport of Whitney Point and Mr. David Sweet of Cortland were guests of Mrs. Runyon last Thursday.

   The meeting which was appointed on last Thursday evening at this church by the Salvationists was adjourned indefinitely on account of so much work at Cortland.