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| General Lord Paul Methuan. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, December 5, 1899.
WATERLOO OF CAMPAIGN.
Battle of Modder River So Designated by Correspondents.
LONDON, Dec. 5.—A correspondent of the press with General Lord Methuen's column, telegraphing from Modder river last Thursday says: "The Waterloo of the campaign has been fought and won. The battle was conducted with unprecedented stubbornness on both sides.
"There was one continuous roar, like the explosion of countless fire-crackers. There was no flinching on either side, and not a moment's pause.
"For five hours the British batteries poured tons of shrapnel grape and shells into the Boer positions. Lord Methuen had 22 guns, and each fired an average of 200 rounds. The Boers had an almost equal number of guns which, it is reported, were mostly served by French and German artillerists.
"It is believed that the Boers had occupied the position seven weeks before, and they spent the interval in fortifying and rendering it, as they considered, impregnable. They did not seem to fear to expend their ammunition and their guns were well and smartly handled.
"Owing to the bend in the river on the right, the Boers had an opportunity of cross-firing on the British attack. A Boer Hotchkiss was directed with marvelous accuracy against a British Maxim, killing the sergeant in charge, wounding an officer, and disabling the gun. This occurred quite at the beginning of the engagement. Whenever the Boer fire was silenced in one direction, it was immediately reopened in anther.
"Owing to the terrific fire, nobody on the plain was out of range. Stretcher bearers found it impossible to go forward in the few cases they were called upon to attend were compelled, if possible, to crawl out of the lines.
"No quarter seems to have been given on either side. The British assert that amid the bullets, the ambulance wagons displayed their flags prominently to no advantage. These were repeatedly driven back and compelled to take refuge out of sight.
"It is alleged that the Boers used dum-dum bullets and made special targets of the horses on the plain in the hope of hitting the riders. While the Argyll Highlanders were pushing across the river they were fired upon from a house and several fell. Thereupon the Highlanders stormed the house and, although the Boers hoisted a white flag, no attention was paid to it and all the Boers were shot.
"It is reported that General Cronje with his contingent retreated toward Langeberg at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Others followed in the direction of Jacobsdale, and the main body of the Boers retired with the guns about 8 in the evening."
Will Illustrate the Fight.
The attraction at the [Cortland] Opera House on Thursday evening, Dec. 7, will be the pictures of the Jefferies-Sharkey fight by the New York Giograph Co. These pictures wherever shown have attracted the greatest attention, as they are by far the best and clearest pictures taken of the fight. Every little detail is shown, especially the incident in the twenty-fifth round, when in a mix up, Jeffries' glove came off. Sharkey is running around...in his efforts to reach the champion, while Referee Siler is busy trying to replace the mit, and at the same time prevent Jim from being punched by the sailor. The machine used by other picture companies did not catch the last round complete, and Jeffries and Sharkey had to go to the Coney Island club several days later and box the last round over. As the last round is much the most interesting one of the fight the whole effect is spoiled. The machine used by the Giograph company was expressly made to take these pictures, and that it did its work well, is a fact shown in the completeness and detail of the pictures.
VILLAGE TRUSTEES.
Little Business Transacted—Some Resolutions—Bills Audited.
The village fathers met last night at 7:30 o'clock at the office of Clerk Hatch. Mr. Benj. L. Webb came before the board and presented an application requesting that there be kept by the village and in the clerk's office a permanent record of the unpaid taxes of the village, in order that any person might have information thereupon, and presented a proposed resolution to be adopted for that purpose. Action on this was deferred.
Mr. W. W. Kelsey requested the board to take some appropriate action, looking to the prevention of streetcars remaining on the sidewalks at the S., B. & N. Y. railway station. Referred to Trustee Sprague to examine into and report upon.
Mr. S. P. Bulkley asked, and was granted, an extension of his warrant for the collection of taxes. Mr. Bulkley was given till Jan. 1.
Mr. Wm. D. Tuttle requested, in behalf of M. L. Alexander, that measures be taken to drain the sluices on Port Watson-st., as water was being backed up on account of the great amount of water in these sluices, injuring Mr. Alexander's property. On motion, Mr. Sprague was made committee to examine into such matters. The following bills were audited:
Street commissioner's payroll, $221.20
D. F. Waters, driving village team, 40.00
C. Fred Thompson, hay for village team, 12.50
Wm. R. Hill, firemen's supplies, 15.80
Beers & Warfield, supplies, 15.55
A. H. Decker, crosswalks and corners, 11.40
A. H. Decker, labor, 6.25
L. T. White, sand, 1.05
D. E. Call, coal, 11.00
S. N. Holden, coal, removing tree, etc., 11.40
Grove T. Maxon, coal, 11.00
J. C. Seager, coal, 12.21
A. J. Barber, supplies, 46.05
James F. Costello, janitor services, 10.00
Martin & Sprague, hay and coal, 11.83
Wickwire Roller Mill Co., horse feed, 8.20
Police payroll, 270.00
H. T. Bushnell, preparing ballots and blanks, 26.00
F. W. Higgins, examination, 10.10
H. T. Dana, examination, 10.00
Henry C. Allen, on contract with Port Watson-st. pavement, 41.94
Harry W. Chaplin, exempt from taxes, 4.00
Fred C. Bennett, exempt from taxes, 4.00
Cortland Water Works Co., use of 135 hydrants, 6 months, 2,250.00
E. D. Parker, D., L. & W. mileage, 10.00
Fred Hatch, clerk services, 300.00
Henry C. Allen, supervision Port Watson-st. pavement, 84.36
Henry C. Allen, preparing assessments Lincoln-ave., Tompkins-st. and Port Watson-st., 125.00
Cortland Democrat, printing, 6.25
Cortland STANDARD, printing, 18.25
POISON BY MISTAKE
But White of Eggs Promptly Given Prevented a Fatality.
What might have proved a fatal accident to Policeman John Corcoran last night was happily averted by timely medical assistance. It appears that Mr. Corcoran took from a bottle containing bi-chloride of mercury three or four grains in solution thinking it was some stomach medicine that he was accustomed to use. As soon as the mistake was known, the family began giving the whites of eggs, and a physician was summoned who gave a hypodermic emetic. To-day Mr. Corcoran is about, but little inconvenienced except a smarting of the throat. When it is taken into consideration that two or three grains of this powerful drug generally prove fatal, the officer may well count himself fortunate in the way the matter terminated. The physician is quoted as saying that the dose of eggs was the best help possible under the circumstances.
Grover Post, G. A. R., Election.
Grover post. No. 98, G. A. R., met last night and elected the following officers for the ensuing year:
Commander—H. B. Greenman.
Senior Vice-Commander—H. R. Burroughs.
Junior Vice-Commander—O. P. Miner.
Surgeon—Dwight Geer.
Chaplain—H. M. Kellogg.
Quartermaster—M. E. Corwin.
Officer of the Day—Geo. W. Edgcomb.
Officer of the Guard—H. M. Robinson.
Delegate to State Encampment—G. W. Wolcott.
Alternate—G. W. Edgcomb.
Trustee—H. T. Bushnell.
BREVITIES.
—The dancing school will meet Thursday evening in Empire hall.
—Pomona grange has been holding its annual meeting in Good Templars' hall to-day.
—Norwich is having a reign of terror over bicycle thievery. Sis wheels were stolen in six days. There are no clues.
—A regular meeting of Cortland tent, No. 304, K. O. T. M., will be held this evening. All members are requested to be present.
—The annual election of officers of the Homer-ave. M. E. church that was to have occurred last evening was postponed till Friday evening of this week.
—A rehearsal of the Jolly Tar minstrels will be held at the Cortland Athletic association rooms to-night at 8:30 o'clock. All members of the chorus are requested to be present.
—Special attention is called to the review in the editorial columns to-day of the leading features in the message of President McKinley which was transmitted to both houses of congress at noon to-day.
—An English pheasant is the bird which is attracting so much attention in Mitchell & Strowbridge's front window for a few days. It was hatched out in July, Mr. Mitchell having procured the eggs at considerable expense.
—New display advertisements to-day are—M. A. Case, Dry goods, page 6; Opera House, "Hearts of Blue Ridge," Jeffries-Sharkey fight, page 5; Smith & Beaudry, Souvenir day, page 6; McKinney & Doubleday, Holiday opening, page 8.
—Last Friday little Margaret Norton, the 4-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Norton of 180 Main-st., fell from a chair sustaining a fracture of the right arm just below the elbow joint. The fracture was reduced and the little patient is doing well.
—The sixth annual meeting of the entire membership of the Cortland Athletic association has been called for Wednesday evening, Dec. 6, at 8:30 sharp for the election of officers for the ensuing year, and the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting,
—Both Phoenix and Moravia have meetings of farmers called by their Business Men's associations to secure pledges of vegetables and fruits in case canning factories can be established. Why doesn't Cortland get a move on and secure the location of a canning factory here and insure a good market for the farmers, besides making certain the employment of plenty of help?
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