PRESIDENT MCKINLEY IN BOSTON AND CORTLAND Y. M. C. A. DEFEATS CORNELL

 

President William McKinley.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, February 18, 1899.

ROUND OF PLEASURE.

How the President Enjoyed Himself In Boston.

THE EVENTS OF THE SECOND DAY.

He Visits the Grand Army Men and Then Goes to the Legislature—A Breakfast Tendered by the Algonquin Club. The President Well Pleased With His Reception.

   BOSTON, Feb. 18.—The second and last day of the visit of President McKinley and his cabinet was spent in a round of pleasures. The day was a beautiful one as far as wind and weather were concerned, and the different events which were crowded into the few remaining hours followed each other rapidly. The president breakfasted at 9 o'clock and at 10 o'clock was en route to Tremont temple, where he spoke to the members of the Massachusetts department of the G. A. R., who were assembled in annual convention.

   Immediately following this carriages were taken for the state house, where the president visited the legislature in joint session and made an address. Here also Secretary Long created much amusement by his witticism and his allusions to the time when he wielded the gavel as speaker of the Massachusetts house of representatives. After a short reception the presidential party was taken on a tour through the subway, and thence to the Algonquin club, where a breakfast was tendered to the gentlemen by the members of the Commercial club, composed of the principal business and professional men of the city of Boston.

   At 4:50 the party was driven to the South Terminal station and left for Washington on their special train at 5:10.

   Secretary Long did not return with the party, preferring to go to his home at Hingham with Mrs. Long.

   Hon. Ferdinand Peck, commissioner of the United States to the Paris exposition, with his wife accompanied the president as far as New York. The president left in excellent health and expressed himself as having enjoyed every moment of his trip, and as being well pleased with the welcome and greeting he had received at the hands of the Home Market club, whose especial guest he has been and from the citizens of Boston and the commonwealth.

 

FRIENDLY TO AMERICA.

Ethan Allen Hitchcock Tells of the Attitude of Russia.

   NEW YORK, Feb. 18.—Ethan Allen Hitchcock, the retiring American ambassador to Russia, recently appointed by President McKinley secretary of the interior, arrived here on the steamship Teutonic.

   "My appointment was as much a surprise to me as it could have been to the public."

   Asked for some information about Russia, Secretary Hitchcock said:

   "There is little I can add to the interview which I gave to the press in England. I stated that Russia had always been most friendly towards the United States and that there was not the slightest foundation for the story in circulation here during the war that Russia was a member of a coalition of continental powers which would have intervened in the dispute if England had not refused to join them. France has also always been friendly and I don't think there could have been any such proposition broached anyway."

 

Large Order For Locomotives.

   PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 18.—The Baldwin Locomotive works has just closed a contract for the building of 81 locomotives, the largest single order ever received by that company. The locomotives are for use on new railroads now under construction in China. The contract was under consideration about a year ago, but the breaking out of the war with Spain opened up such an element of doubt regarding the safe delivery of the engines that the matter was dropped for the time. The negotiations were recently renewed and have just been brought to a conclusion.

 

Puck cartoon, pig absent.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   The pompous solemnity with which trifles are treated by official Germany continues to make the rest of mankind laugh. The American comic paper Puck recently printed a cartoon representing the nations of the earth as animals, in which Germany assumed the shape of a pig. This picture, having been copied by the Paris Figaro, that paper was thrown out of Germany neck and heels. The consequence was that half a million people in Europe who never heard of Puck and who would have forgotten the picture as soon as seen are everywhere asking for it. Several harmless foreign publications have in this manner been excluded from the German mails, and it does not appear to be at all plain to the high cockalorums who are carrying on the puerile tyranny that they are sowing the tiny seeds of discontent among the intelligent people of the empire. Count Posadowski, when recently questioned with respect to the political discontent in Germany, went off at a high rate of speed on German unity and German prestige abroad. He refused to touch upon the small ills and annoyances of the people under the present system and pointed with great solemnity to a consolidated Fatherland.

 

A NATIVE ARMENIAN

Was One of the Victims of Turkish Persecution.

   Mr. S. H. Devirian, who is now at the [Cortland] store of Graham, the tailor, showing and selling Oriental rugs, is a native of Armenia, and in a talk with a STANDARD man this morning said that he was born near Tarsus where the apostle Paul was born. He was educated at an institution of the American board of missions in Turkey. He preached the gospel for twenty years in his native city, Hadjin, Cilicia. His church grew from one of small numbers to one of over 1,000 attendants. During the massacres he did not escape attention. He was accused of cursing the sultan in his prayers and was sentenced to be hung, but fortunately made his escape to this country and worked hard to bring over his family, consisting of his wife and five children who live in Binghamton. He has letters of introduction and recommendation from Supreme Court Justice George F. Lyon and Rev. G. Parsons Nichols, D. D., of Binghamton.

   Though a minister, he has an interest in the hand woven rug line, so through the aid of people in his country he has engaged in the sale of these rugs and is supporting his family in this way. He has written a book on his experiences during the massacres, and this he is selling also.

 

Important Meetings.

   A mass-meeting for men only will be held in Taylor hall Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock. The object of this meeting will be to discuss the question of [liquor] license or no-license to be voted upon at the approaching town-meeting.

   Sunday evening at 7 o'clock mass-meetings to which all are invited, will be held in the following churches: The Presbyterian, First Baptist, Homer-ave. Methodist and Universalist. Interesting programs are being arranged for each of these meetings.

   On Monday evening at 8 o'clock, Rev. C. E. Hamilton, formerly pastor of the Homer-ave. church, will address a mass-meeting at the Opera House. This meeting will be open to all.

   Dr. Francis J. Cheney will address a meeting to be held in the Baptist church at McGraw, Sunday evening, and on Monday evening Rev. W. H. Pound and Prof. J. E. Banta are to speak at Cincinnatus.

 

Cortland Normal School.

CORNELL DEFEATED.

Another Victory Scored for the Local Y. M. C. A. Team.

   Last night in the Normal gymnasium the Cortland boys again showed their superiority and defeated Cornell university's first team in basket ball by the score of 14 to 7. And the score plainly shows that the victory was not due either to the presence of a certain rabbit's foot that one of the players always carries nor that red bandanna that Smith exhibits at the end of every victorious contest with the confident smile "I told you so." He had it at Elmira and Binghamton and it was the mascot that turned the balance our way at Syracuse.

   The game was the cleanest and yet hardest played contest ever seen in town and the enthusiasm waxed so high that even the staid and seemingly unexcitable people who were witnessing the game for the first time would often catch themselves in the act of cheering so loud that their neighbor's voice was inaudible, some even had to be forced to keep their seats. To some the result was a surprise and many never dreamed the walk away would be our way.

   It will now be interesting to watch the Cornellians in their coming game with Yale at Poughkeepsie the coming week.

   Promptly at 8 o'clock the young ladies' team of the Normal school and the Y. M. C. A. juniors trotted out on the floor for a preliminary and shortly started the play. The game as ever was of great interest; the girls, however, showing much better team work than ever before. The little fellows nevertheless managed to win out by the score 7 to 4.

   After a little practice the two teams were brought together and the ball was thrown up between the two center men, starting as it proved the best game of basket ball ever played in Cortland. Every one was nerved up to win, neither team had ever been defeated. Some time elapsed before either team could cage the ball. Capt. Ludwig broke the spell and got one, Hotchkiss shortly followed suit. Reynolds gets a goal from the 15-yd. mark, but Bodell comes in for one and Cornell leads by one point. Reynolds gets another free throw and ties the score, but Morrison in an easy and provoking manner cages the ball from his position as guard. But although our own Smith gets a basket, Cornell still leads by one point when the half ends.

   Before the game the Ithacans had been very confident, while the Y. M. C. A. men knew they were up against the hardest proposition yet put before them. It was plain that the opposition they met at every turn surprised the college men and that lofty air of confidence was not so noticeable during the intermission, although Cornell was one point to the good.

   The second half started and every one thought "Now we will see, I am afraid our boys can't stand the pace." But  they were mistaken. Whatever it was that had been administered during intermission put new life into the men and the play waxed fiercer than ever. Cornell was unable once to get a basket from the Field, so well did Smith and Richards guard. And at first even Cortland found it hard to get the ball any where near the basket. It was in the middle of the half after the college men had obtained one point from the 15-yd. mark that by the quickest and most accurate passing of the game coupled with the best team work, that Hotchkiss received the ball from a long running throw just ahead of his defense and avoiding his man by one of those peculiar twists of Jack's, made the star throw of the game and caged the ball. Now all came easy, Hotchkiss obtaining another basket while Reynolds made two accurate throws. The game ended with the score 14 to 7:

LINEUP.

Cornell.                       Cortland.

MacFarlane….center….Reynolds

Ludwig, Capt….guard….Smith

Morrison….guard….Richards

Bodell….forward….Hotchkiss

Rogers….forward….Mills

   Time, 2 twenty-minute halves; referee, R. W. Wheeler; umpires, Young of Cornell and A. R. Mosher; timekeeper, Charles Dowd and scorer, W. H. Callahan.

 

Kremlin Hotel on Court Street, Cortland, N. Y.

WAS ON THE ALERT.

Especial Vigilance Shown by Officer Nix on Discovery of Fire.

   It was no wonder that the admirers of the Y. M. C. A. basket ball team held a jollification last night after the splendid victory of 14 to 7 won by the boys against the Cornell team. And it was no wonder that many people supposed a disastrous fire was raging when they saw flames leaping high in the air from the big bonfire built in Court-st. in front of The Kremlin.

   It is stated that the Hitchcock hose boys with their cart, anxious to be first on the scene had a good start toward Court-st. before they discovered their mistake. But the members of the whole fire department do not generally understand how near they came to being called out. Policeman Nix was one of those who saw the flames and thought surely some building must be on fire, when he rushed with mighty speed to box 333 at the enginehouse and inserted the alarm key, but was pushed aside by some one who told him it was a only a bonfire. Superintendent Costello released the key. But the boys celebrated their victory in good style without being disturbed, and at the same time the vigilance of Officer Nix is to be highly commended.

 

 

"It Will Rain Business!"

   To the Editor of The STANDARD:

   SIR—Some men who either do not or will not look far enough into the question to see the absurdity of many of the excuses given for voting for a licensed liquor traffic are influenced by the cry that no-license will affect unfavorably the business interests of the town. To all such we commend the following letter written by Mr. Guy Wallace from Fargo, N. D., soon after going there to reside in 1896. Mr. Wallace is well known to the people of Cortland. He writes:

   "We have a population of 13,000. There are twenty-two churches and a Catholic cathedral in course of construction. There are five public schools, five colleges and a Y. M. C. A. that owns its building and is encouraged in its work by the business men. One remarkable feature is that there is not a saloon in the city, neither open nor blind. There are twenty-one hotels and none of them have a bar, and none of the drug stores sell intoxicating liquors as a beverage. The prohibition law does prohibit where city and county officers regard their oath of office and do their duty. There are fewer 'holdups,' burglaries and other crimes here than in any other city of its size in the United States. It is a city of schools and churches and prosperous business where investments are safe, women are never insulted by drunken loafers nor are children in danger from vagabonds. There is scarcely a business building or residence in the city that is vacant. The Fargo Morning Call of Feb. 12, 1896, contained a note from the mayor in which he declared that in the preceding three years the city had increased 3,000 in population."

   Let the facts be candidly investigated and the conclusion will be irresistible, viz, that the worst enemy of every legitimate business interest of Cortland is her enormous liquor traffic.

   O. A. HOUGHTON.

 

NO OVERSLEEPING.

The Bell Will Ring Till the Sleeper Rises and Stops It.

   Mr. Charles Mee, Jr., has invented an electrical attachment for all clocks with an alarm mechanism and has filed an application for a patent through his attorneys, Smith & Denison of Syracuse, who have informed him after a thorough search that nothing of a like construction is on file at the patent office. The attorneys will push the matter as rapidly as possible and hope to secure the patent soon.

   Mr. Mee uses the best of alarm clocks and dry batteries and manufactures a very neat case for it. The clock can be set for any hour. When that time arrives the bell begins to ring and will continue to ring indefinitely till a small switch is turned to break the circuit. This is a clock which every man should have who needs to rise early in the morning. Tardy men are not held in the best of estimation by their employers and this clock will help bring any one to time. If the clock is placed a little distance from the bedside the sleeper must rise to turn off the switch, for it is safe to say that no more sleeping can go on in the room where that bell is ringing. If he is once sufficiently aroused to turn off the switch he will not go back to bed or to sleep again.

   Mr. Mee requests us to say that if any man who depends on his day's earnings for the support of his family and who habitually oversleeps, will call upon him and examine the clock he will convince him that by its use he can be just as prompt in rising as any other man.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Cortland Political Equality club will meet with Mrs. Parsons, 88 Tompkins-st., Monday, Feb. 20, at 3 P. M. All are invited.

   —The funeral of A. W. Merritt will occur at 58 Lincoln-ave. at 4 o'clock to-morrow afternoon, and burial will be made in Cortland Rural cemetery.

   —The funeral of Mrs. Walter Morris will be held Monday, Feb. 20, at her late home west of the village at 9 o'clock and at St. Mary's church at 10 o'clock.

   —Lyman D. Carns, proprietor of the Fountain House, Slaterville Springs, is in town arranging for extensive improvements to his hotel, of which he now has sole and exclusive management.—Ithaca Journal.

   —The funeral of Charles A. Lownsberry was held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at New Woodstock. Mr. Lownsberry was a member of Cortland Council of the Royal Arcanum, and his was the first death in the council's membership.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Palmer & Co., New Goods, page 6; Model Clothing Co., Sale of Odds and Ends, page 6; Drs. Smith & Stamford, Important Announcement, page 7; H. H. Hoffman & Co., Loose Leaf Ledger, page 3.

   —Mrs. John Sherry, aged 29 years, died at 6 o'clock this morning of grip and pneumonia at her home, one and one half miles north of East River. The funeral will be held Tuesday at an hour not yet fixed. Burial will be made at East Homer.

FAIR A SUCCESS

 

Hometown baseball.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 17, 1899.

FAIR A SUCCESS.

Base Ball Association Now Have A Bank Account.

   When it is taken into consideration that the base ball fair of last week was gotten up in a week and was all over in two weeks, the fact that a net balance of $983.56 is left in the treasury, shows conclusively that Cortland people are going to support the game in the old and substantial style during the coming season. The two last nights were record breakers in attendance, on Saturday standing room being taxed to its utmost. The contests, which had been very exciting during the last of the voting, were decided as follows:

   The $50 parlor suite, the season ticket prize, went to the thirteenth ticket drawn from the box which was number 305 and was held by W. A. Stockwell.

   Misses Josie Sullivan and Helen Gray were in the contest for the ladies' bicycle and the large sum of money turned in proved that both had worked hard. Miss Sullivan had $127.85 and Miss Gray had $91, the wheel going to Miss Sullivan.

   The watch contest was conducted by Misses Lena Waters and Daisy Watkins, the former having procured $102.89 and the later $94.54. As Miss Waters was already the possessor of a watch, she was therefore presented by the association with a wheel of equal value and the watch was given to Miss Watkins.

   The firemen's contest for the Turkish lounge was very exciting and was won by the Emeralds, the final vote standing: Emeralds 707; Orris, 601; Excelsiors, 337; Water Witch, 296; Hitchcock, 136; Tioughnioga, Homer, 165; Orient, Homer, 16. The young ladies who worked so faithfully in this contest were presented with season tickets to the games.

   The kitchen range was won by Earl Barry, whose guess on the number of beans in the bottle was 2,874, the exact number being 2,866.

   The other prizes were awarded as follows: Graphophone to A. K. Weatherwax; [kitchen] range to H. L. Hartwell; Fancy cake to L. Holmes; quart bottle of perfumery to Frank Brady.

   At the close of the contests the goods remaining were sold at auction, Prof. Hugenine acting as auctioneer. Every thing was disposed of and at the stroke of midnight the fair closed, leaving after all bills were paid the sum of $983.56 in the treasury. In addition to this, the cash subscriptions already promised will bring the amount of backing for our team up to a point where we will be enabled to keep up the fast pace the larger cities of the state league will set.

 

HOW TO VOTE ON EXCISE.

   In voting on the excise question four propositions will be submitted, viz: License for saloons, license for store keepers, license for drug stores, license for hotels. To vote on either, place your mark (a cross) in the square marked Yes or No. If you vote on only one proposition the balance do not count. You must mark in the squares before each proposition how you desire to vote on it or it does not count. No mark no vote.

   If you want the liquor business continued in the well regulated manner of the past two years, put your cross in the "yes" square opposite the propositions marked number 3 and number 4.

 

McGrawville.

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)

   In the Cortland Standard of the 18th inst. the Standard says: "McGraw claims the record for cold weather." Will the Standard please state to which one of the McGraws they have reference as there are several here and several at Cortland?

   Some things the people of McGrawville would like to know:

   How much pay do the proprietors of the Standard receive for calling McGrawville McGraw? In the Standard of the 11th inst. the Standard says, "Hon. George S. Sands has introduced a bill in the assembly amending the charter of the village of McGraw." Will the proprietors of the Standard please tell us where the village of McGraw is and when was it incorporated?

   The McGrawville Baptist and the McGrawville Methodist societies would like to have the proprietors of the Standard explain by what authority they change the name of their respective societies without consulting them as they think they should have something to say in the matter.

 

State Elections in 1899.

   This fall's election in the State of New York will be, so far as state politics is concerned, of the "off-year" variety. No State officers are to be chosen; no State senators. Only members of the Assembly will be chosen, and the contest for their election will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the important municipal elections in the cities of the second class. Rochester, Albany, Syracuse, and Troy, whose new mayors, to be chosen this year, will be the first to exercise the powers conferred by the second-class cities charter, a circumstance in itself sufficient to attract statewide interest.

 

Cold and Storm.

   It was evident, when the DEMOCRAT went to press last week that the old bear had seen his shadow on Candlemas day, but no one looked for the severe cold and storms which tied up the whole country and caused incalculable damage on land and sea. Railroads everywhere were troubled and thousands upon thousands of miles of track were completely useless owing to the snow. No New York mail reached Cortland between Monday afternoon and nearly noon Wednesday. This branch of the D., L. & W. was kept partially open, trains running between Syracuse and Binghamton, although very much behind time. The E. & C. N. Y. and Lehigh Valley also kept their lines open to a certain extent. Many roads abandoned trains entirely.

   The extreme cold caused untold suffering and records for cold weather were made which had not been equalled since the '60s or '70s. From last week Thursday morning to Tuesday noon the mercury hardly got up to zero and when it did it was only for a few hours. Usually it was down from 5 to 24 below. Public and private charity has relieved much suffering, especially in the cities, but many fatalities have been recorded.

 

Plumbers Harvest.

   It is an ill wind that blows nobody good, and as nearly all have found that they suffered by the storm and continued cold, the plumbers have reaped a harvest. Many of them worked from Thursday morning till Wednesday of this week, including Sunday, with only a few hours for sleep and meals.

   Friday night a frozen water pipe in the Masonic rooms burst and the water did considerable damage to the rooms below. In the store of Warren, Tanner & Co. a considerable amount of cloth was water soaked and but for the timely discovery of the break, the amount of damage would have run into the thousands of dollars.

 

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Utica will purchase 38 voting machines at a cost of $500 each.

   Syracuse ice dealers have organized a trust with a capital of $600,000.

   During the last four years 9,000 acres of hop land have gone out of cultivation in England.

   Eleven Hornellsville young men lost their lives during the recent war and citizens are planning a monument to their memory.

   The American Collector of Customs at Havana, Cuba, advises that no passports will be required by citizens of the United States in the future.

   A resident of Conklin, Broome county, makes several hundred dollars each year extracting skunk's oil. He sells it to people afflicted with rheumatism and to baseball pitchers, the latter of whom pay him $10 a gallon.

   Mason Mitchell, the actor and rough rider who campaigned with Roosevelt in Cuba and who now wants to be appointed appraiser of the port of New York, is a former Hamilton boy, and also has relatives in the vicinity of DeRuyter.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

Give us License.

   By the provisions of the Raines law the excise question may be brought up every two years and this year it is due. A class of Republicans who became prominent in a so-called Good Government tirade four years ago, are again at the helm or this hypocritical movement. The gentle reader may think we put it too strong to call them hypocrites, but please look at both sides of the question. These people have every year had an opportunity to vote for genuine temperance candidates in the persons of the Prohibition nominees who are fighting for principle and not theory. Have any of the good government people made a cross under the fountain? It is not too much to say that probably not one has done so, but instead they have continually voted a straight Republican ticket and will do so next Tuesday. Of the present list of Republican nominees there are only three who do not indulge to a greater or less extent in the cup that, when used to excess, intoxicates. Would these men be apt to curb their own appetite and enforce laws which would deprive them of a coveted drink? No, but the so-called temperance people will vote for this aggregation of nominees in a body instead of voting the only real temperance ticket, the Prohibition.

   These men come under Webster's definition of a hypocrite, fully, and they are the ones who cry "no license" in the churches, on the street corners and will in the opera house Monday night. A nice lot of leaders.

   Now to pass from theory to facts. The Good Government movement is founded on the theory that you can legislate temperance, whereas the facts show that it cannot be done. Instead of there being less liquor sold and less intoxication without license there is really more as shown by the police court records. 1894 and 1895 were the last two no license years and the total number of arrests for public intoxication during those years was 325. Compare this with the two years just passed when we had license and there were only 262 arrests, we find a balance of 63 in favor of law and order under the license regime.

   Some will hold that this could or would not be so under the present Raines law but with Cortland dry, Homer generally goes wet and the traffic is neither restricted or regulated.

   To the conscientious Prohibitionist we have nothing to say, he actually votes as his principles dictate, but to many others there is a little matter which is dearer to him than all else—their pocket book—and to them and all who do not vote for genuine temperance candidates, we would refer a few figures.

   In 1895 Cortlandville was dry and the tax rate in the town according to the supervisor's journal was .02046. Since then we have had license and the rate has gradually decreased, being .0170 in 1896; .006092 in 1897 and .00766 in 1898. We have not at hand figures showing the exact share of the Raines law money in the town in 1898, but both the Cortland Standard and Homer Republican last fall printed figures for the year ending April 1, 1898, which give the saving to this town for the year by the excise revenue of $7,765.27. Now had you rather make up this sum out of your own pockets, or take it from the liquor men in pay for licenses?

   If the standard of morals in the town had been lowered during the past two years there would be no question but that it would be preferable to collect the extra $7,765.27 out of the taxpayers at large but when this sum is saved to them, with at the same time a betterment in the morals, less drunkenness, as shown by the police court records, there can be but one conclusion for the sane, thinking man—give us license.

 

CORTLAND OPERA HOUSE.

Fanny Rice is at the French Ball Thursday Next Evening.

   Fanny Rice is unquestionably the funniest woman on the American stage. Her humor is spontaneous, her laughter infectious, and she is intensely magnetic. These qualifications are primarily responsible for her great popularity, although it may be partially due to her pretty face and her trim shapely figure. She is indeed "A thing of beauty and a joy forever." Her voice is not the least of her attractions although its quality is silvery and whether in song or speech its resonance and sweetness permeates every corner of the theatre.

   "At The French Ball," in which she appears at the opera house next Thursday is one of those frothy, effervescent comedies that makes the average person beat time to its rhythmic movements. It is an adaption from the German and while possessing the marked elements of Teutonic humor, it is Americanized and brought thoroughly up to date. With a mediocre cast it would be acceptable, but with an excellent cast its rare comedy points are accentuated, but when that cast is headed by the Queen of Comedy, Fanny Rice, the acme of comedy interpretation is achieved.

 

HERE AND THERE.

   News reached us yesterday of the death at Jones Point, on the Hudson river near New York, of Charles A. Lounsbury. He formerly conducted a bakery in Cortland and two years ago moved to Syracuse. He was in the employ of the Onondaga Construction company and had charge of their asphalt refining plant at Jones Point. The cause of death is not known nor the funeral arrangements but the remains will probably be taken to New Woodstock for burial, that having been his home before coming to Cortland.

   The Loyal Circle of Kings Daughters will meet with Mrs. J. E. Hyatt, 182 North Main-st., this afternoon at 3 o'clock.

   The Cortland Political Equality club will meet with Mrs. Parsons, 88 Tompkins-st., Monday, Feb. 20, at 3 P. M. All are welcome.

   On account of increasing business Dr. P. Howland has added to his Proprietary Medicine department a new Smith Premier typewriter and cabinet, bought of Smith Premier Typewriter Co. of Syracuse.

CAMP LETTER FROM ERNEST BUTTERFIELD, AND FRESH COMPLICATION FOR PEACE TREATY

 

Camp Witherill, 4th Missouri Volunteers.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, February 17, 1899.

SNOW IN THE SOUTH.

SOLDIERS' EFFORTS TO SECURE A SLEIGHRIDE.

Local Residents Want the Military Camps Made Permanent, so Great Is Their Financial Gain—Colored People Enjoy the Castoff Uniforms—Doings of the Cortland Boys at Greenville.

GREENVILLE, S. C., Feb. 13.

   Camp Wetherill is within the cold weather belt and as a result there is much suffering among the soldiers. All kinds of camp duty have had to be abandoned, and even the rollcalls are omitted. The oldest citizens shake their heads and say, "I done reckin this is the coldest snap since the wah." The canvas tents are of little use in keeping out cold, and there is not much difference in the temperature whether one is inside or out, although the small stove is kept at a red heat, when wood is obtainable. There are five or six inches of snow, and fine sleighing but, as there is not such an article as a sleigh or cutter in the city, wagons are still used. A major of the Fourth New Jersey was seen driving a mule attached to a rude sleigh, which consisted of two long, small oaks, this acting for both shafts and runners. On the rear end of these a rude box was constructed, in which the officer sat.

   The colored people are seldom seen on the street without old horse blankets or bagging encasing their head and feet, and one old fellow was recently seen on the street with a bed quilt, much the worse for wear, enclosing the whole head and upper part of body, with round holes cut in blanket opposite the eyes.

   All the troops were paid last week, and as it takes about $20,000 to pay a regiment, there is $100,000 distributed among the soldiers here every month, and as the largest part of this is left in town, it is no wonder the business men wish this to be made a permanent camp.

   As it is thought that the colored people smuggle liquor into the camp, none are now permitted inside the lines except on business, and are then accompanied by a guard.

   Many of the men are receiving their discharges. All who apply and truthfully give as a reason physical disability or dependence of others obtain them easily, but without these it takes much longer. As it is reasonably certain that we shall soon be mustered out the Cortland boys will undoubtedly stay until that time.

   The men of the Missouri regiment which was mustered out here a few days ago have returned to their homes. The government gave each man between $90 and $150. As many of the men could not wait to get home before donning citizens' clothes the clothiers did a large business, and the prices doubled. But the clothiers were not the only gainers, and many of the "culled gentry" have almost brand new clothes, and what pleases them most the color is blue.

    About half the Two Hundred Third is quartered in the city doing provost duty. They have their headquarters in the city armory, which much more resembles a barn than a New York armory.

   The Cortland boys are very grateful to The STANDARD for sending them free copies, and the papers are eagerly watched for.

   ERNEST BUTTERFIELD.

 

Joe Cannon.

FRESH COMPLICATION.

House Not Inclined to Pay Spain $20,000,000.

STRUCK FROM THE SUNDRY BILL.

Mr. Cannon, Chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, Is Confident That a Way Will Be Found to Have the Appropriation Made Before Congress Adjourns.

   WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.—Two very sensational and unexpected things happened in the house during the consideration of the sundry civil bill. The paragraph carrying the appropriation of $20,000,000 for payment to Spain under the terms of the peace treaty was stricken out upon a point of order made by Mr. Wheeler, a Kentucky Democrat, who declared that he opposed the appropriation on principle and would resort to any technicality to defeat it. The point of order was debated for hours, its determination hinging upon the question of whether the ratification of the treaty by the senate and its signing by the president vitalized it without the action of the Spanish cortes. Warrant of law was necessary to make the appropriation in order. Mr. Hopkins, an Illinois Republican, who was in the chair, sustained the point of order against it and upon an appeal his decision was sustained—149 to 56.

   Mr. Cannon then attempted to have the appropriation inserted by unanimous consent but Mr. Wheeler again objected.

   A strong intimation was given by Mr. Cannon that a way would be found within the rules to make the appropriation before the adjournment of congress. He referred undoubtedly to the probability that the appropriation would be placed on the bill by the senate.

   After the sundry civil bill had been completed and reported to the house, Mr. Hepburn of Iowa, the champion of the Nicaragua canal bill, moved to recommit it with instructions to report it back with the canal bill incorporated in it. This was an unexpected movement, as it was generally understood that Mr. Hepburn had abandoned all hope after his previous defeat. But he believed that his motion would have additional strength in the house where members could be put on record. The motion was promptly declared out of order by the speaker, whereupon Mr. Hepburn appealed and Mr. Payne of New York moved to lay the appeal on the table. Upon the latter motion the vote was taken and the result was 97 yeas to 67 nays. As no quorum was developed on the vote owing to the lateness of the hour the friends of the canal bill managed to carry an adjournment. This gives them a breathing spell in which to marshal their forces for the final encounter.

 

QUESADA TALKS.

He Says That Many People In Cuba Are Trying to Cause Trouble.

   NEW YORK, Feb. 17.—Gonzales de Quesada, head of the Cuban republic at Washington, was a passenger on the Ward line steamer which arrived here from Havana. De Quesada went to Cuba three weeks ago with United States Commissioner Robert Porter, and was with the latter when he met General Gomez.

   Mr. De Quesada spoke enthusiastically of the present condition on the island. He also defended Gomez from the charge of seeking to raise a rebellion in Porto Rico. He said: "There are many people in Cuba who are trying to create bad feeling between both the Cubans and Spaniards in the island, and the United States and Cuba. The letter was written by General Gomez two months ago when the conditions in the island were different."

 

NOT NECESSARY.

Strong Objections Against Two Locomotive Engineers on Each Engine.

   ALBANY, Feb. 17.—The executive committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers of New York state waited upon the Assembly judiciary committee to protest against the bill introduced by Mr. Philips of New York which provides that all railroad companies must employ two regularly licensed engineers to run a locomotive or steam engine and making it a misdemeanor in failing to comply with the provisions of this act.

   Jeremiah Harris acted as spokesman of the delegation. Mr. Harris said that the railroad companies were not only opposed to the bill, but the engineers were also. Moreover, he was sure that the engineers could get along very comfortably if the bill was dropped right where it was.

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

   ◘ Not the least of the curious facts brought out by the beef controversy, and a fact that is not generally known, relates to the beef that is bought for the merchant marines of the world. An old ship's surgeon has furnished a statement that the beef served to the men on the best of the steamship lines has often been in the stores of the British navy for three years, after which it is sold at auction and is generally bought up by the commissary department of the steamship lines. If it is not used up within a year or so, it is resold and bought up by smaller lines and tramp steamers and finally reaches the whaling craft. This authority says that he has seen many a cask of meat on a transatlantic steamer bearing the marks of Aden, Calcutta, Bombay, Melbourne and San Francisco, showing that the meat had been making voyages for three or four years and traveling all over the world, and he testifies from personal knowledge that meat kept in this way so long becomes green and black around the bone and the bone becomes soft. That it is fit food for men is absurd, but the poor sailors have grown accustomed to it and they take it rather than go without meat at all.

   ◘ The engineers of the Brooklyn bridge made an allowance of 15 feet for contraction by cold in a change of 100 degrees of temperature. At the coldest period in the recent blizzard, 6 below, the contraction of the structure was 14 1/2 feet, figuring from the July record of temperature 99 in the shade. The contraction raised the center of the bridge 30 inches above its July point. The engineers' allowance, 15 feet for 100 degrees of temperature, is shown to have been conservative, the contraction being 14 1/2 feet for 105 degrees.

 

TO SUBDUE THE ISLANDS

And Establish the Jurisdiction of the United States.

   WASHINGTON, Feb. 17.—Administration has determined to rapidly extend the jurisdiction of the United States over the whole Philippine group, acting on the theory that delay is dangerous; that anarchy and a general paralysis of such interests as the islands support will be brought about through the failure to promptly replace Spanish sovereignty on the islands by that of the United States. The decision involves the necessity of a naval campaign, and this will be instituted as soon as Admiral Dewey receives reinforcements in the shape of the gunboats now on their way to Manila.

 

The Animotiscope.

   Those who saw the animotiscope in Homer, N. Y., Monday night say it is the best of its kind they ever saw. Among the forty and more moving pictures shown are the bombardment of Mantanzas, the charge up San Juan hill and other scenes in the Spanish war. Don't fail to go. Normal hall, [Cortland], Saturday evening at 8 o'clock.

 

Ansill W. Merritt.

   Ansill W. Merritt, one of the oldest of Cortland's residents, died last night at his home, 53 Lincoln-ave., at the age of 70 years. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Mr. Merritt was one of the three pensioners in Cortland county who w a s receiving $72 per month, the other two being Egbert Peak and Franklin B. Rice. On Jan. 8, 1898, The STANDARD published the following interview with Mr. Merritt:

   Mr. Merritt enlisted at Herman, St. Lawrence Co., May 1, 1861, in the Sixteenth New York regiment of volunteers. He was corporal of company G, and his captain was N. M. Curtis now of Ogdensburg, who afterward became a general. Mr. Merritt served in the army sixteen months, when he became subject to chronic diarrhoea, and was removed to the West Philadelphia hospital. When taken sick he was located at Harrington's Landing, and had just passed through the famous "seven days' battle." He remained in the hospital from July 10 until his discharge Jan. 12. His discharge papers read "discharged by reason of surgeon's certificate of disability for pain and tyrannies in the lumbar regions, failing strength and loss of flesh." When he enlisted he weighed 145 pounds, and when he reached home his weight was less than 100 pounds, and his most intimate friends of former days hardly knew him. He removed to Syracuse, and in 1866 came to Cortland, where he has since resided. The sickness contracted in the army has never left him and to-day he has no use whatever of his lower limbs.

   In 1880 he was granted a pension of $4 per month, and at the time of his death was getting $72 per month. Mr. Merrit lay in his bed a large share of the time, and passed the time in reading, so that he was well posted on the affairs of the world.

 

RANDOLPH BEARD,

A Man Prominent in Business Affairs, who Expired Yesterday.

   One of Cortland's most honored citizens and business men died at 2:45 o'clock yesterday afternoon, when Randolph Beard breathed his last at his home on Church-st.

   Mr. Beard was born in Pompey, Onondaga county, June 24, 1831, and up to 1875 continued to live on the same farm upon which he was born. He was married to Miss Helen A. Knapp of Pompey on Sept. 22, 1852, and is survived by her.

   In 1875 Mr. Beard came to Cortland and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business with Rufus B. Fletcher, which business they continued for four years, when they dissolved partnership, Mr. Beard taking the furniture and Mr. Fletcher the undertaking. Mr. Beard continued the furniture business for four years longer, when he took his son Robert H. Beard into partnership, the firm name being R. Beard & Son. This partnership continued up to Oct. 1, 1888, when the deceased sold his interest to N. Jay Peck, and the business has since been continued under the firm name of Beard & Peck.

   Mr. Beard suffered a shock of paralysis May 20, 1886, which was the commencement of his long suffering. He had for nearly twelve years been almost or entirely helpless up to Monday of this week, when he suffered a second shock which caused his death.

   During his business career, Mr. Beard built up and sustained a reputation second to none for the strictest honesty and integrity, and no one knew him but to admire him. While residing in Pompey he was a member of the Disciple church and on removing to Cortland united with the First Baptist church of which he remained a faithful and consistent member up to his death. His kindly Christian spirit was often made manifest to those with whom he associated, and it could well be said of him that his was a life which could be looked upon with emulation. He knew no caste in society; he was a friend to the rich and the poor alike.

   Aside from his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Gertrude L. Price, wife of Charles H. Price of Cortland, and one son, Mr. Robert H. Beard, of the firm of Beard & Peck. Two other daughters have died, Mrs. Minnie A. Baker of Syracuse and Miss Frances A. Beard.

   Funeral services will take place from the family home, 11 Church-st., Monday at 2 o'clock P. M., the sermon being delivered by Rev. George H. Brigham. Interment will be made in Cortland Rural cemetery.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Gutches Surprised.

   A very pleasant surprise was given Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gutches, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, by about twenty-three of their friends and relatives at their home near East Homer, in honor of Mr. Gutches' birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Gutches were taken completely by surprise, when at about eleven o'clock A. M. their friends began to arrive, but made their guests very welcome. At about 2 P. M., in behalf of the company, Mr. Daniel McNish presented Mr. and Mrs. Gutches with nine handsome diningroom chairs. Acknowledgments were made by both the recipients and then a bountiful dinner wife served.

   Those present were Hon. and Mrs. B. F. Lee of Cuyler, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel McNish and daughter of South Cortland, Mr. and Mrs. John Beattie, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Knapp. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Russel and son, Mr. and Mrs. Dell Preston, Mr. and Mrs. Will Preston, Mr. and Mrs. John DeBarr, Miss Jessie Gutches, Raymond Knapp, P. J. Wilson and Earl Gutches.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Wideawake Literary club will meet at the home of Mrs. M. Medes, 41 Fitz-ave., to-night at 7:30 o'clock.

   —Particulars of an attempt at suicide yesterday at the Brockway blacksmith shop are given in our Homer letter today.

   —The funeral of Mrs. Walter Morris, who died yesterday, will be held Monday morning but the hour has not yet been fixed.

   —The Cortland Political Equality club will meet with Mrs. Parsons, 88 Tompkins-st., Monday, Feb. 20, at 3 P. M. All are invited.

   —The Republican village committee will meet at the office of Dr. C. E. Ingalls this evening to take steps for calling the Republican village caucuses and convention next week.

   —The Thomasville (Ga.) Enterprise of Feb. 10 contains a lengthy item in regard to a progressive euchre party at the Mitchell House in that city in which Miss Minnie Graves of Cortland won a first prize.

   —Otsego county on Tuesday elected twelve Republican and twelve Democratic supervisors and the board is consequently tied. Long delays in organization and in other matters pertaining to the annual session are anticipated.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—C. F. Thompson, Saturday's Pickups, page 6; Glann & Clark, Closing Out Sale, page 6; Buck & Lane, Plumbing, page 5; Warren, Tanner & Co., Sale of Damaged Goods, page 6; McGraw & Osgood, A Good Bluff, page 8.

   —Dairymen will all be interested in an item in our McGraw letter to-day concerning the proposed visit for scientific purposes of Dr. James Law of Cornell university to the dairy of L. C. Greenwood on Feb. 21, and to any other dairies where the conditions may make it wise or expedient to call him.

   —One of the most noticeable changes in the 1899 wheels [bicycles] is the drop of the crank bracket between two and three inches, thus requiring a shortening of the steering head to an average of about 6 inches. Longer cranks and higher gears are also in favor; the cranks for men's wheels running to 7 inches, against 6 last year.