BIG ELECTRIC STORM, CAUCUS REFORM AND TRUXTON REPORT

Schulyer Street, Boonville, N. Y.

Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, Aug. 12, 1897.

BIG ELECTRIC STORM.

Boonville Dam Swept Away and Mills Wrecked.

$2,000 TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE.

Heavy Rains Cause Landslides on Both Sides of the River Near Coxsackie,

Causing Considerable Delay to the Railway Services.

   ALBANY, Aug. 12.—There has been a heavy rainfall in this vicinity. There were heavy landslides in the neighborhood at Coxsackie, on both sides of the river, that delayed trains from New York on the West Shore and Hudson River divisions.

   West Shore train No. 9 from Weehawken was two hours late. All the early trains on the Hudson River division of the New York Central were late from one-half to three-quarters of an hour.

   The Empire State express going west was 20 minutes late. The Hudson river train that connects with Montreal did not arrive until 15 minutes after its scheduled time, and all locals were behind hand.

   A terrific electric storm visited the communities along the Mohawk, and the greatest damage was done in that region.

   The Boonville dam was swept away and the mills badly damaged. The high school was struck by lightning and nearly destroyed.

   Between Rome and Booneville slate and debris of all kinds were washed into the canal, and it will require $2,000 to repair the damage.

   Barns and other buildings were struck by lightning and thousands of dollars worth of damage was done.

William West Durant at Camp Pine Knot.

Forest Commission Buys Land.

   ALBANY, Aug. 12.—The new forest preserve board, of which Lieutenant Governor Woodruff is president, has made its first purchase of Adirondack land for the preservation of the state watershed, and the first requisition upon the comptroller for a portion of the $1,000,000 is made by W. W. Durant from whom the land was purchased. The purchase is one that is deemed the most desirable land for the state purpose and the price is exceedingly advantageous. It is 25,000 acres of land surrounding Tupper lake and now gives the state all the land bordering upon that important water source. It is virgin forest land and was obtained at $6 per acre.

McKinley Visits John Brown's Grave.

   LAKE PLACID, N. Y., Aug. 12.—President McKinley and party reached Lake Placid over the Chateaugay railroad. After dinner they drove to John Brown's grave two miles away.

Abolish Mob Caususes.

   To the Editor of the STANDARD:

   SIR—I want to commend your article in yesterday's STANDARD. It seems to me to be of far less importance which faction voted the most Democrats at Saturdays [Republican] caucus, or whether on faction voted all of them, than that our caucuses should be so governed hereafter that neither faction can practice fraud. You are right in saying that this can only be done by district caucuses and district associations, and I hope you will agitate this matter till the reform is brought about.

   Every man who opposes this should be made a marked man. That he does so is prima facie evidence that he wants the way left open for fraud. A thief can raise the cry of "Stop thief" as loudly as any one, and a trickster, red-handed from fraud himself, can just as easily try to shield himself by accusing others of the very crime of which he has been guilty.

   This holding of the district caucuses should be brought up in the coming county convention, and delegates should be shown the impossibility of having a fair expression of Republican opinion in this village under the present system. Then every delegate should be compelled to vote yes or no on the question, that Republicans may know who they are who are trying to keep open the door for fraud through which either side can now pour Democrats, boys and non-residents at what you have well styled in the past our "mob caucuses."

   Keep this reform before the people and crowd it. Every one who believes in fair play will be with you. And I would like to hear the excuses of those who oppose it.

   LIFELONG REPUBLICAN.

   Cortland, Aug. 11, 1897.

Rev. Seth Burgess.

   Rev. Seth Burgess, who died in Cortland on Friday, Aug. 6, was born Jan. 10, 1813, in Pittsford, Ontario (now Monroe) county. His father died while he was an infant, and his early life was a struggle with adversity. His mother, whose maiden name was Loomis, soon removed to her relatives in Greene, Chenango county, and after her decease which occurred when he was 17 years old, he went to Frankfort, Herkimer county, where in the home of an unscrupulous farmer he shared the too common fate of an orphan boy. He obtained what education he could under severest difficulties.

   At the age of 21 he married Polly Harris of Litchfield with whom, in the closest affection, he shared the fortunes of life till her death at Blodgett Mills separated them in August, 1887. There were born to them three sons: A. Parke, Gershom B. and Frank C., and one daughter, Helen Mar, the wife of H. Cooley Greene of South Royalton, Vt. Of the sons, Frank died in 1867, G. B. resides a little south of Cortland, and A. P. has been pastor of the Presbyterian church of Newark, N. Y., the last twenty-three years.

   Rev. S. Burgess was ordained to the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal

church at Wilkes Barre, Pa., by Bishop Beverly Waugh in 1843. Being an ardent abolitionist he joined the Wesleyan Methodist connection in 1858, in which he did effective ministerial service till after the close of the war and the overthrow of slavery, when he became a member of the Congregational body, being pastor for several years of the church at West Newark, Tioga county.

   In 1891 he was married to Mrs. Anna Copeland of Cortland, and on account of broken health entirely omitted the sacred office. He was a man of great natural ability and strong logical powers, who had always used his limited advantages thoroughly; and as a man and citizen commanded the respect of his fellowmen. He was never fully himself after the first paralytic shock, received in 1892.

   At the funeral service on Aug. 9 Rev. G. H. Brigham rendered most tender and acceptable service, Mrs. Persons sang two touching selections, and the sons and grandsons acted as pallbearers, the burial being at his old home in Blodgett Mills. Mrs. Greene, owing to poor health, was not able to be present.

Camping at Glen Haven.

   The following Cortland party has taken the Westcott cottage at Glen

Haven and is spending a week there chaperoned by Mrs. H. R. Rouse and Miss Helen Shay: Misses Anna Winchell, Mabel Fitzgerald, Mabel Brewer, Bessie Benedict and Jane Humes, and Messrs. Charles and Harry Wickwire, Earl Newton, Louis Hulbert, Alexis Mahan and Hugh Robertson.

BREVITIES.

   —Grange picnic at Ithaca on Saturday.

   —The regular meeting of the Sons of Veterans occurs to-morrow night.

   —The Cuyler Republican caucus will be held on Monday at 2 o'clock P. M.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Drs. Mincer, Eye Specialists, page 4.

   —A severe hailstorm and terrific thunder shower is reported at McLean at about noon to-day.

   —The cycle run over the Little York cinder path to-night will start from Railroad-st. at 7 o'clock.

   —The entire board of engineers of the fire department will attend the state firemen's convention at Schenectady next week.

   —The ball game to-morrow will be between the Cortlands and the Montreal Eastern league team. It will be called at 3:30 and Pop Smith will umpire.

   —The Homer Republican caucus will be held in rooms over the First National bank in that village on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 18, from 1 to 3 o'clock.

   —A parlor meeting tinder the auspices of the W. C. T. U. will be held Friday evening at 7:30 o'clock at the East Side mission rooms. Everybody is cordially invited.

   —Cazenovia District conference will be held at the M. E. church Homer, Sept. 7 and 8. An interesting program has been prepared in which Rev. E. B. Gearhart takes part.

   —The Lapeer Republican caucus will be held in the tenement house of the late O. S. Parker, first house north of the House cheese factory on Saturday evening, Aug. 14, at 7 o'clock.

   —The annual picnic of the Cortland county grange occurs at Ithaca on Saturday, Aug. 14. Reduced rates from all stations. Round trip fare from Cortland 40 cents for adults and 25 cents for children.

   —About fifty teachers are trying the examinations conducted by School Commissioner N. L. Miller at the Normal [School] for first, second and third grade teachers' certificates and for entrance to the Normal. The examinations began this morning and close to-morrow.

TRUXTON.

   TRUXTON, Aug. 11.—At the annual school meetings held in the various districts of this town the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year:

   Pelham Dist:

   Trustee—Wilton Warren.

   Clerk—William Crandall.

   Keeney Dist:

   Trustee—Charles S. Pierce.

   Clerk—Thomas L. Goddard.

   Collector—William O. Pierce.

   Wicks Dist:

   Trustee—Henry Thompson.

   Clerk—William Beattie.

   Collector—Dennis Pinder.

   At the annual school meeting held in the Union school building, District No. 6, Mr. W. R. Woodward was elected a member of the board of education to succeed himself. The board is now composed of the following members: W. Ray Woodward, Otis D. Patrick, Patrick J. Dwyer. Prof. E. Day Clark of Cortland has been retained as principal of the school. Miss Mary Kerrigan of Solon will have charge of the intermediate department and Miss Jennie Wells of Tully the primary.

   Mr. William Thompson, an old gentleman who resides with Mr. George King about two miles from this village, met with a serious accident Saturday morning. He was descending a flight of stairs when he missed his footing and fell down the entire flight, striking on his head and shoulders and breaking his collar bone. Dr. Irving Van Hoesen was called and reduced the fracture.

   A large congregation attended the Methodist church Sunday evening, where they had the pleasure of listening to an address on the "Working of the George Junior Republic," which was delivered by the president of the Republic, Master Jacob Smith. The speaker was a young man about 17 years of age and his talk was confined to the object and working of the Junior Republic. Among other things the speaker said the George Junior

Republic was organized at Freeville by Mr. George of New York City in 1890. The Republic is a miniature United States. It has its own government and its citizens are boys and girls from cities who have not the means and advantages to get an education.

   Miss Iva Fenner of Holly, N. Y., is the guest of her cousins Misses Jennie and Grace Wicks.

   Miss Mabel Holl of Pitcher is visiting her cousin. Miss Julia A. Baldwin.

   Miss Eliza Fairbanks of Amsterdam is the guest of her cousin Miss Eliza Webster.

   Miss Lizzie Crandall is the guest of her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm.

Beattie.

   N. M. Wiegand and C. F. Beattie of the Truxton baseball team went to Dryden Saturday where they played ball with the Homer team against Dryden.

   Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Hilton attended the funeral of Lyman Heberd at Homer yesterday afternoon.

   The members of St. Patrick's church will hold their annual picnic in Hartnett's grove next Monday.

   A large number from here will attend the grange excursion to Ithaca Saturday.

   The W. C. T. U. meet with Mrs. H. S. Haskell Friday afternoon.

   CRAZY PAT. [local correspondent.]