FROM THE ICY NORTH AND THE NEW RAILROAD

Frederick George Jackson.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 4, 1897.

FROM THE ICY NORTH.

Tales by Jackson of Franz Josef Land.

OPEN SEA TO THE NORTHWARD.

Reports Many Changes From Supposed Geographical Situations —Three  Months of Total Darkness. Forty Degrees Below Zero.

   LONDON, Sept. 4.—The British steamer Windward, having on board the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition which has spent three winters near Cape Flora, Franz Josef Land, arrived here from Franz Josef Land with F. G. Jackson and his colleagues. All the members of the expedition are in good health. They report having explored Franz Josef Land thoroughly with the exception of some odd corners.

   Before the Windward sailed the quarters of the expedition at Elmwood were fastened up, but Mr. Jackson left there a quantity of supplies in case the place is visited by Professor Andree or other explorers.

   Talking of his experiences, he said that since the Windward left Franz Josef Land last year with Dr. Hansen, the winter had been less severe and less windy than usual. Mr. Jackson and Mr. Albert Armitage, nautical astronomer of the expedition, started on March 16 with a pony and dog sledges to explore the western part of Franz Josef Land.

   They encountered boisterous weather and at the end of the first month a majority of the dogs and the pony succumbed and the explorers were compelled to abandon all but the most essential part of their equipment. The party followed the coast line, sometimes on a sea of ice and sometimes along glaciated land 1,500 feet high, bordering on Cambridge bay.

   The constant mists which prevailed made the journey very harassing. They shot a bear, the only one seen, and having procured meat and blubber, they returned to Elmwood in the middle of May after meeting a party sent out to look for them, anxiety having been felt for their safety, as they were a fortnight overdue.

   A second expedition, which went eastward during the beginning of June, was less successful, as on the second day out the explorers lost a sledge through the thin sea ice, and had a hazardous return journey.

   The result of these explorations, it is claimed, completely revolutionizes the old ideas of Franz Josef Land, and proves that the much discussed Gillies Land does not lie where Arctic geographers have been in the habit of placing it, therefore it may be considered nonexistant.

   The whole continental mass of land is replaced by a small number of small islands and the lofty mountains by long ridged hummocks and ice packs, while north of these areas has been found an open sea, which is the most open north sea in the whole world.

   Most valuable magnetic, meteorological and geological observations were made and very valuable botanical and zoological collections were brought to England.

   The winter life of the explorers were uneventful. There were about two hours twilight in the middle of the day from October to November, and from thence on it was total darkness until the end of February.

   The cold sometimes reached 40 degrees below zero and jumped up to 20 below freezing point.

   The members of the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition failed to see King Oscar land, and are convinced there is no great land northwest of Franz Josef Land. They add that the existence of Petermann land is doubtful and that in any case it must be small.

   Mr. Jackson announced his intention of heading another Arctic expedition, this time on his own account.

Confirms Klondike's Richness.

   WASHINGTON, Sept. 4.—John G. Brady, governor of Alaska, has sent to Secretary Bliss a personal letter from Juneau in which he says: Steamships are passing daily for Dyea and Skagway loaded to the utmost with passengers and supplies. The news just out of Klondike, by reliable men, is calculated to raise the excitement to a higher pitch. The shipment of dust by the mouth of the Yukon [river] will be all of two and a half tons. Rich finds have been made well up on the sides of the mountains.

HANGED IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.

Doc Kelley Dies For His Attack on Mrs. Merritt—His Victim Present.

   RALEIGH, N. C., Sept. 4.—Doc Kelley, alias Black, a negro, 23 years old, was hanged at Snow Hill for assaulting Mrs. Merritt, a white woman. The gallows was in the public square of the town, and 5,000 people were spectators. Kelley was accused of several other crimes.

   He said that he would make a full confession on the gallows of all his crimes, but he failed to keep his word, and confessed only the assault.

   He committed this crime in July, while Mrs. Merritt was alone in her house, and would have been lynched except for the plea of some influential citizens for a jury trial. He was tried on Aug. 16 and convicted.

   The people of the county urged that the execution be made public, and the commissioners so ordered. His victim witnessed the execution. She was seated within a few feet of the gallows. The trap was sprung, and in 11 minutes Kelley was pronounced dead from strangulation. Some persons traveled 30 miles to see the execution.

AGAINST LYNCH LAW.

Colored People Are Arranging For a Big Conference on the Subject.

   Bishop Abraham Grant is busy conferring with Afro-Americans regarding the proposed convention to discuss lynch law. Said he recently: "I have been overwhelmed with communications from leading men, both white and black, who have become interested in the proposed convention and who desire to know all about it. A call will be issued for the convention within a very short time, and it will be signed by five or six of the most representative men of the race in each state. The conference will not be composed of colored men and women alone, but we will invite to deliberate with us people of all races who are friendly to the negro.

   "The negro has been so long misrepresented and the sentiments of the leading men of the race relative to lynchings have been so perverted that we will ask that the press of the country shall be fully represented, so that we may go on record in this matter once for all. It is not our purpose to denounce lynchings in Georgia and Mississippi, and to say that the officials of these states are to blame for the perpetration of the great outrages upon American law and American institutions, but we will denounce lynching wherever it occurs, and will hold the officials of New York and Ohio equally culpable with the officials of Mississippi or Georgia who permit such crimes.

   "We have no apology to make for the man who commits rape, but as American citizens and lovers of our country we believe in the sanctity and majesty of the law, and feel that it can be maintained.

   "It is a grave indictment that has been brought against the negroes of the south as a class, and it will be our business to give answer to the indictment, and we will leave the verdict with the American people."—Exchange.

BELDEN AND HENDRICKS.

The Heads of the Rival Factions In Syracuse Get Together.

   SYRACUSE, Sept. 4.—After years of strife, it looks here as if James J.

Belden and Francis Hendricks have come to an understanding so far as local Republican politics are concerned, and they will be united on a candidate this fall. This was brought about by the Syracuse Citizens' union, who nominated for mayor last night Donald Dey, a prominent young business man of this city. Mr. Dey is a Republican, but he has never been identified actively with either faction. The Citizens' union consisted of 132 representative business men, and several sessions have been held, but no decision could be reached till yesterday.

   Mr. Belden last night urged the nomination of Mr. Dey and he was acceptable to Mr. Hendricks and his colleagues. The Post declared in his favor this morning, but Mr. Belden's followers in the McKinley league are not at all satisfied. The Standard, which represents the Hendricks men, also declared for Mr. Dey this morning, as will also The Journal this afternoon. The Democrats profess to be confident that they will win out and reelect Mayor James K. McGuire.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Labor Day.

   Labor day was first officially celebrated in New York in 1882. Since then the custom of making the first Monday in September a holiday to be specially observed by wage earners has spread through most of the states in the Union, and many of them have made it a legal holiday. A point for American citizens to note especially is the difference between the observance of Labor day in our republic and in Europe. May day is the recognized Labor day in the countries of Europe. Crowned beads and city authorities there look forward to it with dread. For weeks beforehand the police prepare for the contingency of anarchist plots and bombs that may blow a king's head off or a city hall up. Anarchist growls are heard in subdued murmurs, like the mutterings of a storm afar off, but coming nearer and every hour.

   In the United States the workingman parades with his comrades or goes fishing with his family as he chooses. There are meetings and speeches on the great economic problems now pressing alike on labor and capital for solution. Distinguished statesmen and professional men are glad to meet the intelligent American workingman and talk to him and hear him talk. Nobody is afraid of anybody. Nobody fears a bomb may go off somewhere near him.

   So the day passes in peace and pleasure. So may it always pass in this free and happy republic. There is the sure hope that in due time the equipoise between demand and supply, production and distribution, cost and profit, will be struck. The intelligence, firm will and good temper of the workingman himself will find the point of balance.

Pink line indicates E. & C. N. Y. R. R. between Cortland and Cincinnatus, N. Y.

THE NEW RAILROAD.

GRADING BEYOND SOLON TO BEGIN ON MONDAY.

Big Gang of Italians Coming to Push the Work—More Ties Arrived—More Ties Coming—Switches in Yard Laid—Graveling in Progress.

   Though no further progress is made in track laying on the E. & C. N. Y. R. R., because of the inability of the builders to secure ties, the time has by no means been permitted to go to waste. The yard near the junction has all been laid out, two switches and side tracks have been put down. The main switch which will connect the new road with the D., L. & W. R. R. has been laid and all that remains to complete the connection is the last length of rails and the frogs. These will be put in soon at a time convenient for the D., L. & W. R. R. The enginehouse is nearly completed and the freighthouse is progressing well. The place for the turntable has been located and the matter of putting it in will be attended to very shortly.

   The making of the connection with the D., L. & W. has opened up a fine gravel bed upon the land purchased from Mr. Randall. The cut where the track goes is about four feet deep and an abundance of gravel is being taken out here and put upon the road as far as the track is laid. It all counts toward the completion of road.

   There has been great difficulty in securing ties. They have been promised again and again and as often have the promises been broken. A STANDARD man was informed that heretofore the company had been trying to buy ties through a middle man, a dealer in railroad supplies. Hereafter they will go directly to the producer and they believe the ties will come as promised.

   For a mile of road 2,640 ties are required. A considerable quantity of rails have come, so that there is no lack in that direction. The failure of the ties to appear brought it about that the end of the end of the track is still a little short of the McGrawville corporation line, so that "Judge" Mills has now got his mouth all fixed to begin smoking Attorney Palmer's box of cigars.

   The right of way has not up to this time been graded east of Solon. The

Mellon Construction Co. has arranged with a contractor by the name of Coffin in New York to do the grading from Solon to the mouth of Gee brook. Mr. Coffin is expected to arrive in Cortland on Monday with a gang of 150 Italians and a complete grading outfit to begin that work. A sugarhouse on C. T. Peck's farm in Solon has been engaged for a camp and the Italians will occupy this while working in that vicinity.

New Candidate for County Clerk.

   Mr. H. T. Bushnell, formerly county clerk of this county, this morning announced himself as a candidate for the Republican nomination for that office at the coming county convention. Mr. Bushnell will prove a formidable candidate. A veteran soldier with a splendid record, an experienced and successful public official, accurate and careful to the last degree in everything he does, an expert accountant, a master of penmanship, a man of high character and universally liked, he promises to show a strength which will be surprising.

GOING INTO BUSINESS.

T. S. Mourin to Open a Butter and Produce Store in the Squires Building.

   W. B. Stone, who for some months past has conducted an ice cream parlor and cigar store in the Squires building at 5 Tompkins-st., will next week move to the store in the other side of the same building lately vacated by A. LeFevre, who had a meat market at 120 Main-st.

   The store which be vacated on Tompkins-st., will be taken by T. S. Mourin who will there open headquarters for butter and farm produce. Mr. Mourin was formerly in business in Cortland, but for some years has been engaged in the practical superintending of butter and produce business away from this place, and is an excellent judge of a first-class article in these lines. His many friends will be glad to welcome him back to Cortland. His success in the past is an excellent guaranty that he will do well in this line in the future. He is known as an honorable man who is square in all his dealings. When he gets fully established in his new location he will have something to say through these columns to the farmers and others which they will doubtless read with interest.

Some Premium Butter.

   Mr. B. R. Knapp, who is the possessor of one of the finest herds of Jersey cows in this vicinity, had an exhibit of butter at the State fair at Syracuse upon which he took first premium, and scored 98 points out of a possible 100. The perfect standard is flavor 45, grain 25, color 15, salting 10, packing 5. All the points in Mr. Knapp's butter were perfect in the opinion of the judges except flavor which fell two points under the perfect score. This is a remarkably fine record, and one of which Mr. Knapp may be justly proud. The official statement of this score signed by the superintendent of the dairy department forms one of Mr. Knapp's most precious documents.

Daniel S. Lamont.

VICE-PRESIDENT LAMONT

Ready for His Duties In Connection With the Great Northern R. R.

   A special from St. Paul under date of Sept. 3 to the New York Herald says: Daniel S. Lamont, the new vice-president of the Northern Pacific railroad, is in the city and says he is awaiting the arrival of the new president, Mr. Mellen, before he will be prepared to state what his duties will be. With his family, Mr. Lament is for a few days the guest of J. J. Hill, president of the Great Northern railroad. He said he expected to remain here but a short time. President Winters' duties in an official capacity ended at midnight, but he will continue at the headquarters of the road until President Mellen arrives next week.

BREVITIES.

   —The Republican county convention will be held in Taylor hall Monday at 1 o'clock P. M.

   —There will be free dancing at the park pavilion to-night with music by McDermott's orchestra.

   —Mr. W. A. Pierce has been improving his candy and cigar store at 23 1/2 North Main-st. with new shelving and new paint.

   —The regular monthly business meeting of the Epworth league of the First

M. E. church will be held Monday evening, Sept. 6, in the parlor of the church.

   —A regular meeting of the board of managers of the Hospital association will be held at the hospital on Monday afternoon next, Sept. 6, beginning at 3 o'clock.

   —The STANDARD is indebted to Mr. J. D. F. Woolston for copies of the St. Paul papers containing accounts of the Farmer's National congress, to which he was a delegate.

   —The party given by the St. Vitus club at the park last night was enjoyed by thirty-five couples. McDermott's orchestra furnished the music. The next and last in the series occurs Sept. 10.

   —One of the most attractive exhibits at the Tompkins county fair this week was that of the Gillette Skirt Co. of Cortland. All the ladies were interested in examining the fine qualities of the now celebrated Paris skirt.

   —All those who expect to become students in the Cortland Conservatory of Music for the coming term should not fail to register on Monday. The faculty is a strong one, every member of it an artist in his department.

   —The notices, the general church calendar for the coming week, and the order of service for the day will hereafter be printed by the Presbyterian church and will be distributed in the seats where they may be consulted by the congregation and may be taken home for reference.

   —Yesterday afternoon Miss Winifred Maynard entertained twelve of her young friends at her home, 108 Groton-ave., to a nasturtium tea in honor of her guest, Miss Lida B. Muckle of St. Paul, Minn. The guests were entertained with a few solo selections rendered by little Miss Anna Muckle,

   —Monday, Sept. 6, being Labor day and a legal holiday the postoffice hours will be from 7 to 10 o'clock A. M. and from 5:30 to 7 o'clock P. M. There will be one complete delivery by carriers in the morning and none in the afternoon. The last mail closes at 7 P. M. The money order department will be closed all day.

   —The Sunday services at the Y. M. C. A. will be resumed to-morrow. A very interesting program of service has been prepared and a cordial invitation is extended to all men both young and old. Rev. L. J. Christler of Homer will address the meeting. Good music will be furnished on the piano, violin and cornet. This will be a grand rally day to commence the Sunday religious services of the year.

   —The Binghamton Chronicle of recent date contains a fine half-tone cut and several complimentary notices of Mrs. Grace E. Hubbard of that city, formerly of Cortland, who is gaining an enviable reputation in Binghamton as a successful entertainer at private parties ad on other occasions by her very delightful readings. Other Binghamton papers frequently contain very nice notices of her appearances at private entertainments.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Mrs. N. B. Carpenter of Elbridge is at Mrs. Lucius Babcock's.

   Mr. and Mrs. William Briggs of Nevada, Ia., are guests at C. B . Chappin's.

Mrs. Briggs was formerly Miss Josephine Welch of Trumansburg, a daughter of John Welch who used to own the farm now owned by W. L. Bean.

   Glenn Oliver is working at Mt. Roderick.

   Vern Porter is visiting friends in Triangle.

   George Sutliff has returned from Binghamton, where he has been working for some time.

   The machinery has been ordered for the new box factory and is expected to arrive next week. The building to be used has not yet been fully decided upon, and it is possible that a new building will be erected. F. A. Purchas, formerly superintendent of the McGraw box factory, has been engaged to take charge of the new factory.

   Mrs. Rozetta Hammond, wife of Sidney Hammond, died at her home in Freetown, N. Y., Friday at 11:30 P. M. Funeral at the Baptist church in Freetown on Monday at 2 P. M.