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.