 |
| William H. Clark, editor and publisher of the Cortland Standard. |
 |
| Samuel N. Holden, President of Cortland Board of Trustees. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, September 15, 1899.
GROTON-AVE. IN LINE.
PETITION FOR PAVING PRESENTED.
Sewer To Be Laid by Private Parties With Proviso That the Expense Be Refunded if Village So Votes—Collector Bulkley's Bond Approved.
The village board adjourned Monday at exactly 11 o'clock and the amount of business transacted, if written out in detail, would fill a good-sized volume. At the opening of the session Wm. H. Clark urged the board to act favorably upon a petition which had been circulated in the village, asking the trustees to submit to the voters of the village, at the November election, the question as to whether the primary election or caucus law, now applicable to cities of the first and second class, shall be extended to this village [Cortland]. Clerk Fred Hatch was of the opinion that the intention of the law was that the proposition should be submitted at the village election, inasmuch as only the village was interested. Mr. Clark, while admitting the force of Mr. Hatch's reasoning, believed that a strict construction of the law made it apply to the "general election," [or] so stated. It was finally decided to refer the matter to the attorney-general for his opinion.
The village collector, S. P. Bulkley, presented his bond in the sum of $100,000, with the following sureties: Horace L. Bronson, E. M. Santee, Samuel N. Holden, Charles F. Brown, A. D. Wallace, John Miller, A. S. Brown, Henry F. Benton, H. M. Kellogg and F. P. Saunders. The bond was accepted by the board.
The next question was one of great importance to the village. The condition of the Railroad-st. pavement has been the subject of much unfavorable comment, and correspondence has been had with the Jamestown Construction Co., the contractors, who laid the pavement under a ten-year guarantee. The result of the correspondence was that Mr. Mahoney came to Cortland and was present at the meeting. The matter was informally discussed, Mr. Mahoney insisting that his company was not liable for the defects in the pavement; that the work was done strictly according to contract, although his company did not favor laying the brick in the manner insisted upon by the village authorities. It was decided to inspect the pavement Tuesday morning in company with Mr. Mahoney and Engineer W. B. Landreth. One statement made by Mr. Mahoney was a surprise to the board and spectators present. He said that instead of the low strip in the center of the street having sunk, the sides had raised.
The next important question was the paving of Groton-ave. A petition asking that the street be paved from Main-st. to Otter Creek bridge was presented to the board for their consideration. Some two weeks ago the DEMOCRAT stated that the work of paving would necessarily be delayed until next year, for the reason that the sewer did not extend farther west than Graham-ave., and the board had no funds to continue the sewer. To remedy this obstruction to the improvement of the street, several residents of the avenue presented an agreement or contract, binding themselves in case the board act favorably upon the petition, to continue the sewer as far as the west end of the proposed paving with private funds, the same to be refunded if the village at the next annual election makes an appropriation for that purpose.
The petition for paving stated that the street between Main-st. and Otter Creek is 2,219 feet in length, making a frontage of 4,488 feet. The petitioners represent a frontage of 2,782 feet, or 503 feet more than a majority. The signers to the petition are: Eliza L. Barber, E. M. Santee, Beulah B. Santee, C. O. Smith, Geo. R. Leach, E. W. Bates, E. Jay Hopkins, Bettie C. Hopkins, Isaac H. Holcomb, S. J. Doyle, L. M. Loope, Delos Bauder, David C. Beers, E. J. Warfield, D. E. Smith, A. C. Gazley, Aaron Sager, Chas. Baldwin, H. W. Watkins, L. S. Watkins, Geo. L. Warren, N. P. Meager, Carrie A. Meager, Thos. Reagan, Chas. O'Leary, Geo. J. Miller, B. A. Benedict, Rachel A. Simmons, A. Denzella Squires, E. M. Watrous, Mrs. Mary Hotchkiss, E. R. Wright, I. W. Watkins, Nellie N. Buckley, Mary Street, Catherine Dix, J. A. Graham and P. Sugerman.
The board voted to accept the petition and appointed Tuesday evening, Oct. 8, at 8 o'clock, as the time for a public hearing on the matter. Mr. Wood of the third Ward alone voting nay.
Mr. Wood moved that the laborers employed on the streets be paid fifteen cents an hour, and that eight hours constitute a day's work. The motion was not acted upon.
 |
| D. L. & W. train near Blodgett Mills, N. Y. |
D., L. & W. RAILROAD NOTES.
Increase in Wages—Conductors to Buy Their Own Uniforms—Possible Removal of Shops from Syracuse to Oswego.
An agreement was reached last Friday between the D., L. & W. officials and the conductors and trainmen, and the new schedule is very satisfactory to the employes [sic]. It substitutes the mileage for the per diem system of wages and increases the pay of nearly every crew on the entire system. Conductors are granted increases ranging from $5 to $20 per month, and the brakemen's advance in pay runs in some instances as high as $18.00.
The basis for calculation was the pay of the conductors on through-freight on the main line. This was fixed at 8 1-10 cents per mile. Brakemen will get 2 6-10 cents per mile. The standard throughout the West is three cents per mile for conductors and two cents for brakemen, local freights drawing a trifle better mileage and passenger crews a little less. A 10-hour day is granted all except yard and pusher crews. They have a 12-hour day with one hour off for meals.
Ten miles an hour is allowed for overtime. If a run extends beyond 50 miles, a full day of 10 hours is allowed for it, although the run may be made in less than five hours. If a crew is kept out more than five hours it will be allowed a full day, although less than 50 miles is made. If a man is summoned from bed and not sent out he is allowed 25 miles. If his engine and caboose are taken out he is allowed 50 miles. Between Buffalo and Elmira the conductors are raised from $80 to $100 a month. Brakemen who received $2 and $2.10 per day will get $2.60. From Elmira to Great Bend the conductors are increased from $80 to $110. Brakemen are increased from $2 and $2.20 to $2.70 per day.
On the Syracuse and Utica divisions conductors are raised from $75 to $80 per month, and a brakeman from $1.75 and $1.90 to $2 a day, Conductors on the Scranton-Hallstead runs are increased from $70 to $80 and the brakemen from $1.75 and $1.90 to $2. From Scranton to Port Morris the $80 per month for conductors remains the same, but brakemen who received $1.90 and $2 are to get $2.06. Between Port Morris and Hoboken the conductors will receive an advance of $8 over their former wages of $72. Brakemen who received $1.75 and $1.90 will now get $2.00. Short-run passenger crews get a raise ranging from $8 to $12. Long-runs remain about the same. Conductors must purchase their own uniforms.
The Syracuse Journal of Saturday said: The probability that the D., L. & W. repair shops will be removed from this city to Oswego is strengthened by the action of the company making the headquarters of the train crews at Oswego. The locomotives are to be double crews.
Two of the six passenger trains running each day between Oswego and Syracuse are to be pulled off about the 20th. The trains have been looked after by one crow of men, who will be given another run. The removing of these trains will cut off the late train for Oswego.
The new method of paying employes by check is likely to cause some trouble. A dispatch from Utica says that complaint has been made to the state factory inspector's department against the company for violating the labor law. It is claimed that the workmen employed by the company, both on the road and in the car shops at Utica are receiving their wages in checks, a violation of the statutes. Copies of the complaints, together with copies of the law, have been forwarded to President Truesdale of the railroad company, and the State department will endeavor to have the matter remedied.
It is said that the employes referred to received their last month's pay in checks, much to their inconvenience. Under the labor law all railroad companies in this State are required to pay their workmen in cash. Receiving their money in checks is a source of annoyance and loss of time to them. They experience difficulty in getting the checks cashed. The banks are not open when the workmen are off duty and they cannot spare the time to visit them. Unless the company desists in these practices and compiles with the law, the Factory Inspector will commence proceedings looking to its prosecution.
Exit Coroner's Juries.
Chapter 464 of the laws of 1899, which amends Section 773 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, goes into effect next Friday, September 1. The amendment does away with the system of determining the cause of violent, accidental and suspicious deaths by a coroner's jury, except in Erie county and Greater New York.
This means a great saving every year in the counties of the state, as jurors' fees and the expenses of summoning jurors will be done away with. The law allows a juror $1 for each sitting, and in most every locality there are men who make a practice of being on as many juries as they can. The law allowed the coroner to have a jury of fifteen men, but generally only twelve or thirteen were used. In Albany county alone last year $1,842 was paid for coroners' jurors.
Probably but few counties have been so fortunate as Cortland in the matter of expense of coroners' juries, as the coroners have been very cautious in holding inquests, resorting to that expense only in cases where it was considered absolutely necessary.
The manner of investigating deaths is changed by the amendment only as regards the summoning of a jury. The coroner can hold inquests, whenever he deems best, the same as now.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
If Ohio, Kentucky and Maryland go Democratic this year, as they probably will, the office holders will have all they can do to force President McKinley's renomination.
Now that the soldiers of the volunteer regiments are mustered out, and can no longer be court-martialed for telling what they know, the truth about [General] Otis' incapacity is beginning to come out.
What's the matter with Cortland streets? With the advent of paving Cortland is taking on a new lease of life—in fact a youth renewer, and every one in town feels the impetus given business affairs to some extent.
If our Philippine war continues, Congress will have a hard nut to crack when the matter of war finances come up. The appropriation which became available last July will be gone some time during the coming November instead of lasting until next July. A bond issue would settle Republican prospects in 1900 and an increase of the number or size of ''Stamps" to be "licked" would amount to about the same thing.
Democrats, Get Together.
As the fall campaign approaches the publisher of the DEMOCRAT deems it an opportune time to define his position on the political situation, especially as it exists in Cortland county. As is well known, the present publisher assumed control of the DEMOCRAT on the first of last March, since which time politics have been at low ebb and there has been no particular occasion calling for an announcement of this paper's principles.
That the DEMOCRAT will be Democratic every week in the year will admit of no doubt. We propose to uphold the principles of the Democratic party as expressed by regularly chosen delegates assembled in national conventions, and it will be our aim to give the regularly nominated national, state, county, town and village tickets hearty support, and use all honorable means to secure their election. It is one of the cardinal principles of Democracy that the majority shall rule, and though possibly that majority may not at all times act in accordance with the views of the publisher in minor matters, we shall consider it our duty to cast aside all personal feeling and to remain loyal to the Democratic party.
It must be admitted that the party in Cortland county is not working in entire harmony; some differences have arisen which are not conducive to a successful campaign. Like the Republican party in the county, there is a little too much factionalism. The DEMOCRAT believes that instead of fighting within the party we should present a united front to the enemy. The Republican party is not so strong in Cortland county but that with harmonious action, with capable nominees and wise generalship we can overcome the adverse majority and elect Democratic officers. Hundreds of disaffected Republicans throughout the county are disgusted with the leaders of that party. They believe, as was expressed by resolution at the Independent Republican conference last Saturday, that the party is run by a clique for selfish purposes.
While many of these Independents would hesitate before they would cast their fortunes with the Democracy permanently, a very large number, enough to turn the balance of power, are ready to cut loose from the Republican party and join hands with the Democracy in securing a pure ballot, capable and honest officials, and less canal thievery, trusts and Algerism.
We repeat, hundreds of Republicans are ready to take this step provided the Democratic party in the county is harmonious. The DEMOCRAT believes that the leaders in the party are sincere and honest, and that all desire success at the polls. The differences arise over the methods of securing that success. We care not who the leaders may be, so long as they are honestly and regularly elected by delegates also regularly and honestly chosen at the primaries. Let us have honest caucuses legally called; let the Democratic voters assemble and choose such delegates as will in their opinion faithfully represent them in convention; let the nominations be made without the least suspicion of unfairness; let each town select its best men for members of the county committee, irrespective of past faction—men in whom they have confidence and who will devote their energies to the success of the party. This having been done, the DEMOCRAT will do its duty and work in season and out of season for the upbuilding of true Democracy in the county; the rank and file will feel encouraged over a united party, and Republicanism in Cortland county will be doomed.
The time has come when Democrats should get together, stay together and work together. Let every voter who believes in the principles of the party attend the caucuses! Select your best men for delegates! If your preferences are not ratified by the caucus or the convention, submit to the will of the majority and work for victory! With the caucus call at the head of this page, the fall campaign of 1899 opens.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, D. C., Sept. 11th, 1899—"End the war in the Philippines speedily, or the result will be disastrous to you and to the Republican party." This is the sum end substance of what is being daily dinned into the ears of Mr. McKinley, not by his opponents, but by leading Republicans, who know how unpopular that war is becoming all over the country. Mr. McKinley is gradually becoming convinced that the reaction in public sentiment concerning his Philippine policy, predicted more than a year ago by Co. Bryan, is at hand, and once fully convinced, there is no telling what he may do, for this country has never had a president who feared the public sentiment of the country as much as Mr. McKinley does, or who tried so hard to make his official acts meet its approval, regardless of his own opinion.
The most striking thing connected with the hearing on trusts, by the industrial commission, was a daring and somewhat scandalous attack upon Vice-Chairman Philips of the commission, who is connected with an independent oil company in Pennsylvania, by officials of the Standard Oil Trust. Mr. Philips denied the charge that he had been mixed up in an offer to dicker with the Standard Oil Trust, but the charge left a bad taste in everybody's mouth, and is not calculated to add anything to the prestige of the commission, which isn't any too great at best.
Senator Stewart is a fine specimen of stalwart radicalism in all his views. He never trims on any question, and conservatism is unknown to his mind. He has got it in for France for several reasons, the latest of which is the second conviction of Dreyfus, and says that country really has no government at all, and that we should break off diplomatic relations until France gets a government. The senator threatens to offer a joint resolution to that effect when Congress meets; also a bill repealing all official recognition of the exposition at Paris next year.
The administration appears to be still determined to leave Gen. Otis in supreme command in the Philippines, although Secretary Root is understood to have recommended a change, and to favor sending Gen. Miles over there. There is politics in this determination, and it isn't the sort of politics that reflects any credit upon Mr. McKinley. The Hanna crowd are afraid of Miles now, and if he should go to the Philippines and do what Otis has so signally failed to do, they would fear him still more. They know that Otis is not likely, under any circumstances, to develop popularity enough to make him a political rival of Mr. McKinley. That is why they wish to keep Otis in command, notwithstanding the overwhelming evidences from all sources of his unfitness, not to call it by a harsher term. The agent of the non-partisan Associated Press, in a long letter from Manila, just published, after going into details, showing the failure of Otis sums up by saying: "The secret of the whole trouble here is that the government has left a small man to deal with a most delicate problem, requiring broad statesmanship. Everyone agrees that Otis is honest, and that counts for much in a position affording such chances for dishonesty, but everyone agrees also with the most remarkable unanimity, that he has bungled affairs from the beginning."
It is evident to even the most casual observer of those political currents which are to be found by those who know how, just below the surface of party waters, that the Republican leaders are carefully paving the way to drop Mr. Hobart if they shall consider it expedient to do so. The state of Mr. Hobart's health is made the basis of all these preparatory stories. If it doesn't improve, "his family will have to veto the idea of his remaining in politics," etc. This is all tommyrot. Mr. Hobart has shown upon several occasions, during the last three months, notably by his getting Alger to resign, that his health is good enough to do what other men, not on the sick list, failed to do. His "health" is likely to remain in a precarious condition, until Boss Hanna has fully made up his mind whether it will be best to have him run again with Mr. McKinley, and he isn't likely to fully decide until the national convention meets. Then Mr. Hobart's health will take a good or bad turn, in accordance with Hanna's decision.
After wobbling around the question for about two weeks, the war department, under political pressure, issued the order for the enlistment of two negro regiments for the Philippines. They will bring the volunteer army up to the limit set by congress, which it has been clear from the first that the administration intended to do.
Col. W. J. Bryan was unanimously elected a member of the Council of Administration of the Spanish War Veterans association, which has just closed its first encampment in Washington, although he did not attend the encampment. Ex-Gov. Gates of Alabama was also elected a member of the Council, as was H. H. Blunt, a Louisiana negro, who was a lieutenant in the 9th Immunes. Gen. J. W. Keifer of Ohio was elected Commander-in-Chief of the new organization, which hopes ultimately to embrace all the state organizations of Spanish war veterans which have been formed.
 |
| Sig. Sautelle's circus on parade. |
HERE AND THERE.
Many wells in Cortland are feeling the effects of the drouth.
Game, especially partridges, is reported not very plenty by local sportsmen.
The great and only Dryden fair will receive the attention of a large portion of Cortland's population next week.
The treasurer of the Cortland county agricultural society is ready to pay the premiums awarded at the recent fair.
Henry D. Palmer of the firm of Palmer & Co. will on October 3 open a store in Scott, and will move to that place.
D. E. Shepard and family have moved from Homer to Cortland, occupying the house on the corner of Main and Grant-sts.
The Wallace Wallpaper company's building is being wired for between 200 and 300 electric lights in preparation for night work.
The great Sig. Sautelle circus, which has its winter home in DeRuyter, will close the present successful season in Cortland in about two weeks.
Over 130 trunks and other pieces of baggage were received at the D., L. & W. depot on Tuesday, the day previous to the opening of the Normal school.
James Hogan, recent night operator at the D., L. & W. station has been transferred to Tully as day operator, and A. H. Mudge takes his place in Cortland.
Chas. F. Brown has bought the house and lot on Tompkins-st., owned by the late Mrs. Sturdevant, and will occupy the premises as soon as the house can be remodeled.
Lewis Rood of Homer was arrested last Saturday on complaint of Elbert D. Crane of Blodgett Mills, who charged Rood with taking a horse belonging to complainant. The case was put down for next Wednesday.
The rehearsals at Mahan's music festivals this week have been largely attended, and at the concerts yesterday afternoon and last evening there were but few vacant seats. The conductor is Prof. John D. Beall of Ithaca, formerly of Boston, Dr. H. R. Palmer being unable to fulfill his engagement. The festival will close today with two grand concerts, one at 3 o'clock and the other in the evening.
Endorus C. Kenney of Truxton has published a little volume of poems entitled "Thusettes." printed at the DEMOCRAT office, which comprises all the verses which Mr. Kenney has written for many years, including the songs, which are already familiar to the people of this vicinity. Although the book has not been published with an idea of commercial profit, any one desiring a copy may secure one at the nominal price of twenty-five cents. The poems are likely to provoke considerable criticism pro and con; for among the one hundred and fifty-two titles touched upon, a great variety of topics have been treated, and some of them in a manner somewhat unusual.
Oliver Murray and C. C. Stone of Homer have been working for several days improvising an automobile. Two old bicycles and a gasoline engine taken from Mr. Murray's gasoline launch are used. The engine is set on a platform built between the two bicycles and the machine is driven by a bicycle chain from a small sprocket on the engine to a large one on the axle which connects the two rear wheels. The machine was tried on Copeland-ave. yesterday and ran "like a top." A public exhibition will be given soon and it will be seen that Homer is not slow when it comes to making up-to-date carriages. Watch for the new "auto."—[Homer] Republican.
No comments:
Post a Comment