FIRE AT CORTLAND WRENCH CO. AND WEEK'S HAPPENINGS

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, January 21, 1898.

TOTALLY CONSUMED.

FIRE RAZES WORKS OF THE CORTLAND WRENCH CO.

Started in Boiler Room—Cause Unknown—Loss $2,800 on Stock—Cannot yet Estimate Damage to Machinery—Insured for $3,800.

   The works of the Cortland Wrench Co. on Franklin-st. near the Lehigh Valley tracks were totally consumed by fire between 12:30 and 1:30 A. M. yesterday. About 12:30 John C. Moore, who lives nearly opposite the works, heard a muffled sound as of a slight explosion. Looking out of the window he saw flames coming from the boiler room of the Wrench Co. His son Fred rung in an alarm from box 323. The building was of wood and burned like a tinder box, and those living near and the watchman at the Forging shops were unable to get to the burning building, after the fire was noticed, in time to save anything of moment, even from the office which was in the extreme end away from the boiler room. It was a long run for the firemen and the rain which was falling made running very precarious, but they were on hand in an incredible short time, though all they could do was to prevent the east wind from carrying the flames to the coal trestle of Martin & Call. In five minutes after the fire was first seen the building was all in a blaze and in fifteen minutes it was all level with the ground. It is thought by the proprietors that the fire had probably smouldered for hours before being seen, perhaps from closing time Wednesday night.

   The Cortland Wrench Co. is composed of Messrs J. Hub Wallace, P. B. Canfield and W. W. Hout. They manufacture the Eureka bicycle wrench for which they hold the patents, and which has met with a very ready sale ever since first put on the market a year ago. The full capacity of the works was about 1,000 wrenches per day and during the past dull season, they have made from ten to twelve thousand a month. Wednesday a large shipment was made and orders received for six thousand wrenches. The yesterday morning mail brought more orders.

   Yesterday morning Mr. Wallace estimated the loss on stock at $2,800. Every foot of the building was occupied with machinery and about thirty men were employed. Many of the machines were of special design and built to order and the extent to which they were damaged is as yet very hard to estimate. They were valued from $5,000 to $7,000. The splendid nickle plant is almost a total loss. There was an insurance of $3,800 on stock and plant. The question of resuming work will depend upon the extent of damage to machinery and securing a building. It is certainly to be hoped that so promising an industry will not be allowed to lapse, and it probably will not.

USS Montgomery (C-9).

WEEK'S HAPPENINGS.

Uncle Sam Prepared—Spain Will Continue the Policy—Strike in Cotton Mills—Havana in a Ferment.

   JAN. 14.—Owing to the excitement in Havana over the outbreaks against the advocates of autonomy and indirectly at Americans, several warships of the North Atlantic Squadron are in shape to leave for that port at a moment's notice. The entire squadron sail southward from Hampton Roads to-morrow to participate in a cruise of evolution and drill in the gulf of Mexico. Should trouble occur, their close proximity to Cuba would be most opportune.

WILL CONTINUE THE POLICY.

   JAN. 15.—The Madrid correspondent of the London Daily Mail says: It was pointed out at the Cabinet Council to-day, Friday that the members of the new Cuban Government had strongly protested against the attacks made by the Havana papers on the Spanish army. The Cabinet resolved that the disorders in Havana should not affect the recent reforms. Strict military discipline will be enforced both here and abroad, and if necessary, measures will he submitted to the Cortes for reforming the army law.

SPAIN BE CAREFUL.

   JAN. 19.—A Washington dispatch to The Chicago Inter-Ocean says: The President now knows that Spanish authorities are hampering Consul General Lee in every way possible. They do not want Americans to succor the starving Cubans. But President McKinley has to-day given assurance that all donations will reach Cubans. He has given that assurance without any communication with any representative of Spain. Does it mean intervention? The Atlantic squadron is moving south.

NEW ENGLAND STRIKE IS ON.

   The fight between employer and employe [sic] in the New England cotton mills has begun. Thousands of operatives are idle. Here and there discontent cropped out all day, the most serious being at Biddleford, Me., where 3,200 persons refused to work, thus closing two mills and at Lewiston, where one mill was crippled by 400 weavers staying out. The general wages cut down is estimated to affect 125,000 persons in about 150 mills. To-night finds the textile operatives everywhere intently interested in the New Bedford struggle for here the test of strength and endurance will come and upon the outcome will depend the outcome of an industrial battle which will be watched throughout the whole length and breadth of the United States.

Fast mail train at Cincinnatus, N. Y.

CARS AND LOCOMOTIVE

Of the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. Are Now Running—Bonds for Collection—Next Station Cincinnatus.

   With each succeeding day the new Erie & Central New York railroad draws nearer to what for years has been a dream to many Cortland people and the majority of residents in the eastern part of the county. While trains have been running for some months and constantly penetrating farther into the country they have until last week been drawn by a Lehigh Valley locomotive and the cars were from the Lehigh Valley road.

   The new locomotive, the property of the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. properly lettered, has now arrived and is doing the work. It is named the "I. H. Palmer" after the illustrious attorney of the road. The passenger cars are also here, the baggage car being a combination baggage-smoker. The freight cars of the road will be here in a few days

   The track will reach almost to Gee Brook to-morrow. This was originally intended to be the terminus for this season until Cincinnatus enthusiasm found a way to continue the track to that town. White's Mills, where the track now ends, is to be a flag station and a switch has been put in there. At Gee Brook will be Willet station and trains will run there next week. "Next station is Cincinnatus."

   At a meeting of the board of directors last week a resolution was passed requesting the Hamilton Trust Co. to deposit in the National Bank of Cortland for collection the $15,000 of bonds which were subscribed by residents of the county. With this sum all outstanding local obligations of the road can be met.

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.

   CHENANGO.—The Standard Oil Company are to erect a distributing tank in New Berlin.

   Mrs. Frank Cox, the Chenango county woman who married a 60-year-old reporter that she met at the trial of her former husband's alleged murderer, has already repented her choice, and refuses to let her late acquisition live with her.

   MADISON.—Judge Kennedy's chambers at Oneida are being thoroughly renovated.

   Mrs. E. J. Preston, who was divorced from her husband in Oneida, shortly after, through an advertisement married Henry Berger of New York and went there to live. She gave him $600 to start a saloon and two weeks later he left her destitute. She recently noticed an advertisement similar to the one which caught her and tracing it up secured his arrest.

   TOMPKINS.—The [beheaded] or brainless frog at Cornell is still alive and well.

   It is estimated that 500 people visited the [new] Cornell Heights bridge on Sunday the 8th.

   Cornell University has already received [bequests] of the brains of people to the number of fifty.

   The Groton Bridge & Manufacturing Co. are to build a new machine shop on the site of the old red shop which stands at the corner of Main and Elm streets.

   A sheriff's jury last week Tuesday adjudged Mrs. Sarah V. Miller of Danby incompetent to manage her estate, and it is expected that Dr. J. E. Beers of that place will assume the responsibility of caring for her property.

   The Morse Manufacturing Company of Trumansburg has been incorporated under the name of the Morse Chain Company with paid up capital of $100,000. The officers of the company are B. F. Morse, president; E. T. Turner, vice-president; F. J. Morse, secretary and treasurer.

A FINE STORE RENTED.

D. E. Shepard Will Occupy the Samson Block Store.

   D. E Shepard, the dry goods dealer, who moved from Homer to Cortland about a year ago and has since occupied the former store of G. J. Mager & Co., has rented the large new store in the Samson building for a term of years. The store is to be rearranged to suit Mr. Shepard's ideas and needs and he will probably open for business between March 1st and 15.

   Mr. Shepard will occupy the entire ground floor and basement and about three-fourths of the second floor. The ground floor will be used for the general line of dry goods, and its large size will allow a much greater stock to be carried than formerly. In the large basement which is well lighted will be the carpet and cloak rooms and a line of carpets and cloaks to correspond with the ample space will be carried. The rooms on the second floor will comprise the millinery department and here also will be a great enlargement both in accommodations and in the variety of goods. A raised office is to be built in the store and to it a system of cash carriers will run from convenient places in every department. Mr. Shepard will embrace all the latest ideas in equipping his new quarters and he expects to have one of the finest stores in this section of the state when he opens there for business.

BREVITIES.

   Skating is fine at Cortland park rink.

   Harlan J. Potter has been appointed a loan commissioner for this county.

   A number of horses are reported to be sick with an ailment known as the western fever.

  The Annie Clarke Hanson company are drawing good audiences at the Opera House this week in repertoire.

   The Lehigh Valley is the only road that grants clerical orders to ministers of the gospel for the year 1898. The other roads have abandoned them permanently.

   C. F. Hornbeck, the jeweler, has moved from S. N. Holden's office to the Sarson building on North Main-st., the store vacated by M. S. Baker,  merchant tailor.

   P. B. Kenfield of the Cortland Wrench Co. was hit on the jaw last Friday by a flying bar. A bad cut was the extent of damage, but it was a narrow escape from serious injury.

   I. W. Peck has purchased the south half of the lot at No. 15 North Church-st. Messrs. Glann & Clark will move their house to the north and Mr. Peck will build a handsome residence on his new purchase.