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| Admiral George Dewey. |
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| Chief Adelbert J. Barber. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, September 29, 1899.
ALL FOR DEWEY.
Perhaps some of those city-bred people down in New York think they are the whole push in welcoming Admiral Dewey to America after an absence of several months during which he won immortal fame by destroying Admiral Montojo's fleet in Manila Bay, but if the telephone wires were in working order they soon learned that Cortland is not slow when it comes to paying honor to the gallant naval hero. It must be confessed that the people of this village were unprepared for the sudden news which came more than twenty-four hours earlier than was anticipated, but with Chief A. J. Barber at the helm there was no danger of a failure, even had the news of Dewey's arrival been received at midnight.
Several of the people were apprised of the admiral's arrival in the lower bay at New York some time before noon, but the large majority were not looking for the signal so early, hence many laughable incidents occurred, chiefly with members of the fire department who are very zealous in the good work of responding promptly to alarms. Just the moment that the usual 12 o'clock bell was sounded the clapper kept up such an incessant striking that half the people rushed into the streets under the impression that the entire village was on fire. The pressman in the DEMOCRAT office is a valiant fireman, and as he heard the familiar call to duty he bounded up the stairs, five steps at a time, jumped clear over the heads of eight or ten students from the business college, and though he was hastily told that there was no fire he insisted there was and would not be convinced until he had reached Fireman's Hall. One excited member of Emerald hose company, living on the east side, heard the continued striking of the bell just as he was sitting down to dinner, and he jumped up, knocked over the table, ran out of the house and sped up town in 1:04.
The noise created by the bell became infectious and soon other bells were rung, steam whistles were blown, an admiral's salute of seventeen guns was fired on court house hill by a quartet composed of Chief Barber, Jas. F. Costello, Arthur Smith and Charley Meade, and every youngster in the village screamed and shouted the name of Dewey.
It was a glorious recognition from a comparative small town and is an evidence that Cortland people are prepared for any emergency. In Binghamton the authorities were so paralyzed by the sudden news that they were unable to make any noise until this noon when a proper salute will be fired.
Village Board.
The president and trustees of the village had a regular picnic at Monday evening's session of the board, the meeting resolving itself into a season of discussions, the pipe of peace was passed around, and an adjournment was taken at an unusually early hour. The question of sidewalks was again ventilated, the unanimous sentiment of the board being that the walks must all be placed in a safe condition. Street Commissioner Dowd was finally instructed to tear up the following walks: John Ireland's, Clinton-ave. and Railroad ave.; in front of Stevenson's and Kinney's, corner of Hubbard and Railroad-sts.; in front of C. O. Smith's, Groton-ave.
The property owners on Tompkins-st. were all ordered to bring their sidewalks to grade.
In the matter of paving Groton-ave. the board decided to cause a search to be made by County Clerk Bushnell to ascertain if the petition contains the signatures of a sufficient number of people representing a majority of feet frontage.
Dr. F. P. Howland desires to move his office and shed from Maple-aye. to his premises in Port Watson-st., and Trustee Sprague was appointed a committee to select a route.
The change in curb in Church-st. at its intersection with Port Watson-st. was informally discussed, and Engineer Allen explained why the west curb is moved into the street. He stated that the street is now laid out 50 feet in width, and each side has 39 feet inside the curb. This made the street more uniform in width, and the engineer claimed that any change from these lines would injure the appearance of the street.
New Depot Agent.
It seems to be understood in railroad circles that David H. Gourley will take charge of the D., L. & W. depot as agent within a few days, possibly October 1. Mr. Gurley is a young man well known in Cortland, having been baggageman, cashier in the freight department, and finally billing clerk, which position he has held for the past year and a half. He is a thorough business man and is personally very popular with the mercantile and manufacturing concerns of Cortland. Mark Brownell will serve the company as billing clerk, the duties of which he is thoroughly familiar with.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
The powers that be seem to have relegated Schley to a back seat while Sampson is being brought much to the front in the Dewey celebration. Never mind, the man who downed Cervera's fleet at Santiago will always have the warmest place in the hearts of the people.
The Republican Imperialistic papers yesterday told how Admiral Dewey had landed at the Brooklyn navy yards, saying it was the "first time in twenty- three months he had stepped on American soil." May be they are getting ready to have the stars and stripes "hauled down" in the Philippines.
Dewey, our greatest hero to-day, is home, having reached New York harbor Tuesday. Visitors from all over this country are flocking to the metropolis to do him honor. The number of visitors in the city is estimated at two million and the greatest celebration the world has ever seen is now going on. To-day and to-morrow have been made legal holidays in this state and every one unites in paying homage to Admiral George Dewey.
Democratic county convention this afternoon. No one seems anxious for the assembly nomination although a united Democracy and the disgruntled Republicans would elect a straight Democrat. Democrats in the Northern school commissioner district seem somewhat at sea as to the best method of defeating Ernest W. Childs, and in the southern district are three candidates, all good men, Luke J. McEvoy, C. V. Coon and Harry O'Day.
A distinction without a difference is that made by Republicans who say that Mr. McKinley will not make some speeches in Ohio, but will probably make speeches from the rear platform of the train upon which he will pass through Ohio on his coming trip to and from the West. It really looks as though that trip had been arranged solely for the purpose of giving Mr. McKinley an opportunity to make speeches in Ohio, which he has been assured by his party managers are very much needed. He and his party managers may call them "rear platform" or any other kind of speeches they please, but the people will know them for the stump speeches they will be, and they will not be inclined to think any more of the President of the United States, who is willing to engage in such business, even to help pull his party out of a very deep hole.
Political Notes.
The Maine man who is chosen to fill the vacancy can never hope to make his name a household word in the land. He will always be known as "Tom Reed's successor."—Denver Post.
We notice that Governor Roosevelt does not talk about butter and cheese and the hop crop to the farmers at the agricultural fairs, as Governor Flower used to on similar occasions.—Providence Telegram.
The silence of Senator Beveridge since his return from the Philippines is easily explained. He doesn't want to hit the Administration any more hard licks by telling the truth.—St. Paul Globe.
If the United States should sell Long Island to Germany, and the Americans now residing on that island should resist, would they be rebels? If so, then are the Filipinos rebels? Otherwise not.—Life.
Moss can "probe" from now till next election, but he cannot get "Tracy, Boardman & Platt" out of the mire, nor can he cover up the fact that it was Bird S. Coler, the Democratic comptroller, who saved the city.—Buffalo Enquirer.
Counting pensions as a military expense, we are now carrying the largest military budget in the world, and yet many Americans express sincere sympathy with the poor, downtrodden tax-payers of Europe because they are compelled to bear such heavy military burdens.—Savannah News.
Some Republican organs think they are having fun in recommending Aguinaldo for second place on the Democratic ticket. They might consistently support the Sultan of Sulu as their own candidate for vice-president, running with McKinley on a platform of imperialism, polygamy and slavery.—Concord (N. H.) People and Patriot.
By what right does the administration enter into a treaty with a "subject" acknowledging American sovereignty by which our government agrees to tolerate the "domestic institution" of slavery? The constitution of the United States expressly declares that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction."—Chicago Chronicle.
It is easy for a governor to rival the six-legged calf as a curiosity at a country fair, but it is not easy to win the friendship, confidence and support of the people by perpetually piping the holier-than-thou lay for their edification. Mr. Roosevelt's most conspicuous achievement as governor has been to cover the escape of the canal rascals, and this was why he lost his temper and became vulgar when a citizen of the State asked him what about the canals, as any citizen has a right to do.—Binghamton Leader.
Lieutenant-Governor Woodruff would not deny yesterday he would accept the Vice-Presidential nomination in 1900 if it was offered to him.—New York Times. And now will the other little men with checkered vests who would consent to be similarly honored please step up and register? And why not make out a list, too, of those who would accept a million of the late C. Vanderbilt's money as a free gift if it were offered to them? The names of all these singular persons should be preserved.—Hartford Times.
From Otisco Lake.
September 16 will always be remembered at "Camp Hank Harrington" on the shores of Otisco Lake as a red-letter day. Just as the sun went down a gang of yelling, howling dark skinned braves came into our midst, some in rags, some in jags and some in both. The farmers for miles around gathered up their flint locks, horse pistols, and all manner of civilized artillery, and after due deliberation, decided to waylay these fierce Indians.
It was decided to meet at full moon within the classic shades of Hotel Hackett. Cpl. Jas. Johnson, 29th Elmira regiment, who has seen many years of hard service in the Indian wars, was chosen to lead the small army. Old comrade Hank Harrington at this stage of the game, put in an appearance and after finding what this determined set of men intended doing, begged them to listen. Hank in a few eloquent words explained that the warriors who had disturbed the peace of our colony were anxious to smoke the pipe of peace with the inhabitants.
The multitude followed Hank, after he had brought a few hundred cases of cider vinegar to the camp of this terrible, but peaceful people. The camp presented a cheerful appearance and the hale, jolly warriors inside turned out to be a crowd of merry Redmen from Homer. With them they brought over 800 clams, 50 or 60 chickens scalped along the wayside, and other useful articles, such as perfumes and other medicinal waters.
Hank Harrington having been appointed chief cook-not-afraid-of-gangs, gave the cheering order to lay to and stow away. Among the many who enjoyed this most delicious clam bake were the following braves:
Eloquent-smooth-talk Jack Andrews, House Hank Bedell, cabbage-leaf Alec Stewart, political-wire-puller Jim Johnson, and many others. Little-man Upson took the gold medal for eating the smallest amount of clams. We trust to meet this merry crowd again.
A Toothless Generation.
This will soon be a toothless community if the dentists keep on snatching out molars, said a man "in our hearing" one day recently, and he referred to Dr. Spencer extracting eighty teeth in one day recently at Whitney's Point.
We have two dentists in Greene and they are continually yanking out teeth. If the number of teeth they extract in the course of a year was known, it would be astonishing.
What's the matter? It seems that our people lose their teeth earlier than did those of 40 years ago. It is not an uncommon sight to see young people toothless, and wearing "store teeth" in this community, and some even without the latter.
There are now twenty dentists where there was one 40 years ago, and all seem to have plenty of business. Yes, we are fast becoming a toothless community, and the time is not far distant when we will be obliged to subsist upon soft stuff.—Greene American.
HERE AND THERE.
The members of Pecos tribe, No. 353, I. O. R. M., will give a private dancing party in the new rooms in the Garrison building to-morrow evening. Music by McDermott's orchestra.
The leaves are about to leave.
When we read that snow fell in the northern part of the state last week we congratulated ourselves that Cortland landed about midway in the state.
There is a long standing dispute whether "got" or "gotten" is the preferable participle, and the recent experience of a college professor may throw some light on the subject. He telegraphed to his wife "I have gotten tickets for the opera to-night. Meet me there." The telegraph operator rendered this into "Have got ten tickets, etc." Mrs. Professor was delighted with the opportunity of entertaining her friends, and accordingly made up a party of eight, besides herself, and they all met the professor in front of the opera house that evening. We may imagine the feeling of the unfortunate man, and no one knows how he explained matters, but we may be sure that he will not use "gotten" again in a telegram.—Exchange.
The Cortland banks will be closed to-day and to-morrow, as they are holidays.
About 400 Cortland people went to Syracuse on the Knights Templar excursion Tuesday.
The most welcome sight in Cortland for several weeks was the copious rain Monday and Tuesday.
The public hearing on the Groton-ave. paving will be held in Fireman's Hall next Tuesday evening.
The annual parade and inspection of the Cortland fire department will be held on Saturday of next week at 2 o'clock.
A new dressmaking establishment has been opened at 21 1/2 Railroad-st. by Mrs. L. E Gaylord and Miss M. Alice Haynes.
The office of the Cortland and Homer Gas Light company is now located with the Water company's office, No. 11 Railroad-st.
The steam mill on Port Watson-St. has been purchased by G. W. Webster & Son of Marathon, who will take possession January 1.
You can talk with the officers of the Cortland Savings bank over the phone now, provided you have the proper connection with the other end of the wire.
Manager James Nolan of the local telephone exchange, who was operated upon for appendicitis a few weeks ago is now thought to have other complications and his condition is still dangerous.
Mr. Michael Burns of Cortland, and Miss Catharine Quinlan of Homer were married yesterday at the parochial residence in this village by Rev. Father Flynn. They left on the 9:20 train for a bridal trip.
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