CORTLAND IN 1873, TWO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, AND THE IRISH ALDERMAN

 

Unidentified Southern Central R. R. Station.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 9, 1900.

CORTLAND IN 1873.

A CAREFULLY COMPILED RECORD OF INTERESTING EVENTS OF THAT YEAR.

An Unusually Quiet Year in Cortland—Large Fire at Harford—Serious Railroad Wreck at Dryden Lake—Explosion in the House or M. M. Waters— Election Matters —Election of Officers—Cortland In 1865—A Relic of 1857.

(These historical and reminiscent sketches of Cortland events began with the year 1868, and will cover a period of a quarter century, one year's events appearing in each issue. The entire series will form a valuable record and be very interesting reading.)

   In looking over the files of Cortland newspapers for 1873 we find that the year was unusually quiet, no important events occurring in the village during the entire twelve months. The very exciting political campaign of the year previous left the people in a state of exhaustion, and they apparently had no heart for further excitement. During the summer Cortland attempted to secure a favorable vote on the question of establishing water works, but the project was defeated by an overwhelming vote.

RAILROAD WRECK NEAR DRYDEN.

   On the 14th of April a very serious wreck occurred at Dryden Lake, a small body of water located two miles south of Dryden. The Southern Central railroad had been completed but a short time, and in constructing the road a long trestle was built across one side of the lake. At that time large quantities of coal were transported over the road for shipment on Lake Ontario at Fair Haven, long trains of what were known as "jimmies" being run from Owego to the northern terminus of the road. As the engineer of a coal train was crossing the bridge on April 14 he felt the bridge settling and quickly opened the throttle valve. The locomotive reached terra firma in safety, but the bridge suddenly collapsed, letting thirty-eight jimmies, containing 5,200 tons of coal, into the lake. No effort was made to raise the coal and it was used as a partial foundation for filling in the lake at that point. The wreck was an expensive one for the company, and traffic was delayed on the road for several days.

JUDGE BOARDMAN BECOMES ANGRY.

   The board of supervisors at its annual session in 1872 failed to make an appropriations for carrying on the courts, and at the May term of supreme court, Judge Boardman directed the district attorney to procure an indictment against the board for neglecting to provide sufficient means for jury and court expenses during the year.

RAILROAD MATTERS.

   The people of Cortland had great expectation that the proposed railroad from this village eastward would be completed at an early day, a local newspaper of date June 23 stating that "Gen. Wm. L. Burt entered into a contract to finish grading the Utica, Chenango and Cortland railroad and to lay the iron. Gen. Burt will iron the road between Cortland and McGraw immediately, and the same will be put in running order as soon as possible."

EXPLOSION.

   On the first of July Attorney M. M. Waters had a very narrow escape. The gas fixtures in a certain room in his house [W. Court St., Cortland] became defective and the room soon became filled with gas. Mr. Waters entered the room and lit a match, and in an instant an explosion took place, raising the roof and doing other damage to the extent of $1,000. It is said that the entire house was moved a trifle from its original foundation. Fortunately Mr. Waters sustained no serious injury.

OFFICERS ELECTED

   First National bank, elected Jan. 9: President, Thomas Keator, vice-president, Hiram Crandall; directors, Thomas Keator, Hiram Crandall, Samuel Keator, O. F. Forbes, M. Van Hoesen, D. C. Squires, E. C. Carley, Rob't Purvis, Arthur Holmes, J. H. Holmes, R. B Smith, C. D. Hart, Ransom Warren.

   Cortland fire department: Chief engineer, John D. Benton , first assistant, W. W. Gale; second assistant, Col. Frank Place; secretary, Ed. Brewer, treasurer, Jerome Hathaway.

   Cortland Chapter, No 19, R. A. M.:  H. P., Wm. H. Crane; E. K, Aaron Sager; E. S., E. M. Seacord; C. of H., John D. Benton; P. S., H. T. Dana; R. A. C., S. L. Wright; treasurer, J. Hart; secretary, W. F. Benedict, M. 3V., S. R. Hunter; M. 2V., P. Van Bergen; M. 1V., W. D. Tisdale; tiler, O. Hitchcock; trustee, J. Hart.

   Cortland County Bible society: President, Geo. W. Bradford; vice-president, Loammi Kinney; secretary and treasurer, A. F. Tanner; corresponding secretary, Wesley Brown.

   Cortland County Lodge, I. O. G. T.: C. C. T., J. W. Strowbridge; P. W. C. T., H. L. Gleason.

   An open organization called the Cortland Temperance union was organized in June with the following officers: President, Lewis Bouton; vice-president, Rev. J. F. Stark; secretary, H. L. Gleason; treasurer, G. L. Golden.

NO WATERWORKS.

   In the early part of the year 1873 several business men of Cortland began agitating the question of municipal waterworks as a protection against fires, etc, and on May 1 a special election was held to vote upon the proposition, resulting in only 60 votes for and 374 against the scheme.

FIRE AT HARFORD.

   On the 8th of June a disastrous fire occurred at Harford, destroying two large barns belonging to D. & J. D. Hemingway, entailing a loss of $15,000 This was partially covered by an insurance of $10,000.

POLITICAL MATTERS.

   Supervisors elected in February: Cincinnatus, F. M. Benjamin, Dem.; Cortlandville, W. D. Frederick. Rep.; Cuyler, A Dunce, Rep.; Freetown, Clifton W. Wiles, Rep.; Harford, S. H. Steele, Rep.; Homer, A. W. Hobart, Rep.; Lapeer, Peter N. Gray, Dem,; Marathon, Wm. A. Bentley, Rep.; Preble, M. Van Hoesen, Dem.; Scott, D. K. Cutler, Rep.; Solon, John Wheeler, Dem.; Taylor, I. W. Phelps, Rep.; Truxton, J. C. Nelson, Dem.; Virgil, R. M. Price, Dem.; Willet, C. D Brown, Liberal.

 

Benton B. Jones.

  The Cortland Standard of April made the following humorous comment upon the election of B. B. Jones, editor of the DEMOCRAT, as village trustee: "Our citizens have done a very sensible thing in electing our neighbor of the DEMOCRAT one of the village trustees. An editor has little else to do than trot around town looking after broken sidewalks, dammed gutters, muddy crossings and accumulation of debris in forbidden places, and then being a trustee he will be estopped from grumbling in his paper and making the lives of those poor servants miserable. But it throws double duty on us to find fault for two."

TOO MANY JONESES.

   The Marathon Independent of January 14 quotes B. B. Jones, editor of the DEMOCRAT, as follows: "The editor of the Cortland DEMOCRAT enters a protest against editors and authors calling every scoundrel Jones, which their imagination conjures up. That's right, neighbor Jones, stand up for your rights. Call a few of them Kelley for a change. We can stand it as well as not."

BRIEF MENTIONS.

   January 29 was one of the coldest days in several years, the thermometer ranging from 28 to 38 below zero.

   A cooper shop owned by George Pratt, two and a half miles west of Virgil, was burned January 28.

   Early in 1873 Messrs. Mahan & Wallace bought a bookbindery of T. H. Dowd.

   It is related that on the 16th of March two young ladies residing at Hunt's Corners were carried by the wind and deposited in a snow drift.

   At a term of court held in Cortland in April, W. J. Mantanye secured a verdict of $1,492 90 against the Fireman's Fund Insurance company for insurance upon a brewery burned a year previous.

   B. F. Tillinghast was appointed postmaster at Cincinnatus in April.

   In May, 1873, Clayton E. Rowley received from Gov. Dix the appointment of railway policeman.

   A snake story came from Freetown in May. A. Brainard of that town killed a spotted adder near his barn, three feet and ten inches long. The next day he killed thirty snakes of the common striped variety.

   Alex. Mahan of Cortland was married May 21 to May J. Sherwood of Cleveland. O.

   On the 15th of June a Mrs. Dickinson of State Bridge came to Cortland, and on the trip lost her pocketbook on the cars, the wallet containing $20.

A GLIMPSE OF 1865.

   From the Cortland DEMOCRAT of date September 1, 1865, a copy of which is sent to us by our esteemed friend, Wm. E. Hunt, we glean a few items of interest.

   The DEMOCRAT was published by M. P. Callendar and C. A. Kohler, and was a small six-column newspaper. The editors devoted much more space to political editorials than to local news, not more than two or three items of village happenings appearing in its columns, the most prominent of these being the proceedings of a Democratic caucus held at Sperry's hotel a few days previous, with H. Putnam as chairman and T. Cornwell secretary. Delegates to a county convention were chosen as follows: I. A. Forshee, S. L. Thompson. H. Putnam, C. A. Kohler, R. D. Cornwell and Darius Sanders. Alternates, M. J. Robinson, Miles D. Hyde, H. M. Brewer, L. A. Salisbury and F. Freeman.

   The following military notice is interesting reading at this time: "All persons residing within the bounds of Company District F, town of Cortlandville, who have not been drafted or enlisted as members of the National guard, and who are liable to military duty under the laws of this state, are hereby required to be and appear armed and equipped as the law directs, for parade and inspection, on the first Monday of September." Signed by J. A. Todd, commandant.

   The present game of base ball was in its infancy at that time, and scores were piled up at an alarming rate for the defeated nine. A game between the Marathon and McLean clubs, played on the fair grounds in Cortland, resulted in the score of 40 for Marathon and 25 for McLean.

  H. A. Jarvis was postmaster in Cortland at that time

   Local advertisers made their announcements as follows: Kent & Sperry, clothing; Rowley & Rouse, meat market; Henry Woodruff, clothing; A. H. Hackett, coal and plaster; Bement & Pope, market; Tanner Brothers, dry goods; Mrs. L. Benedict, millinery; M. Michelson, jewelry; R. H. Spendley & Co., hats, caps and furs; Daniel Bradford, drugs.

   The annual election notice, published in the DEMOCRAT, was signed by Chauncey M. Depew, secretary of state.

 

Fireman's Hall, Main Street, Cortland, N. Y.

VILLAGE BOARD.

Regular Monthly Meeting—Collector's Warrant Extended—Shall We Have All-Night Lights?

   The regular meeting of the [Cortland] village board was held Monday evening, and several matters preliminary to closing up the year's finances and reports were acted upon. A large number of bills were audited, the most important being the following: Electric Light Co., $495.30 police, $279.00; street commissioner's $102.75; J. H. Bunnell & Co., for fire alarm service, $53.62.

   Collector S. P. Bulkley reported that about $500 of the village taxes remained unpaid, and his warrant was extended fifteen days, or until February 19. Mr. Bulkley stated that the Howe Stove works refused to pay the tax assessed upon its plant in Elm-st., and that three years taxes were unpaid. The president was authorized to confer with the village attorneys as to forcing collection of the taxes, which amount altogether to about $140.

   Trustee Thompson was authorized to select a polling place for the first ward. Messrs. Thompson and Sprague were appointed a committee to settle ^ with the village treasurer and collector.

   Two other questions came up for discussion which are of much importance to the village. It will be remembered that some time ago the Electric Light Co. offered to give an all night service for $7,500, which is $3,500 more than the trustees are allowed to raise except by vote of the taxpayers. It is now proposed to submit a proposition to the voters asking an appropriation of $2,500 for such all night service.

   Another question which received some attention was the matter of sprinkling the paved streets. It was stated that the cost of such work on all the paved streets would cost $600, and the general sentiment seemed to be in favor of letting the owners or occupants of property on such streets bear the expense of sprinkling if they desire such service.

 

New Hotel at Willet.

   Corey G. Eaton, who last spring purchased the Thomas Jones property on Main-st., has opened the same as a hotel. As soon as possible extensive repairs will be made to the house, which will make it one of the most convenient and pleasant country hotels in this section. Mr. Eaton has a wide acquaintance, and his many friends will be glad to have an opportunity to stop with him. Mrs. Eaton is a first class cook and her house is a model of neatness throughout.

   Special attention will be given commercial men, and a well equipped livery will always be at their command at reasonable prices.

   Mr. Eaton has recently built a large barn upon the premises, which is always open to the public. Corey is the right man in the right place, and we bespeak for him a large portion of the hotel business at Willet.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

   The latest puzzle: Find the governor of Kentucky.

   Just for variety, Mr. Carnegie might endow a few armories in Kentucky.

   It is somewhat curious that Spain has been enjoying splendid times since the war. Can it be because of her success in saddling her unprofitable colonial problems on the United States?

   The answer of Mr. Bryan to Bourke Cochran shows that those gentlemen who are proposing their own terms for returning to the Democratic party, will not meet with any encouragement from him. Mr. Bryan will not trim his sails to suit every favorable wind.

   The British government pays just $35,000 a year subsidy to the White Star steamship people for the privilege of using the Teutonic in time of war. Under the Hanna-Payne ship subsidy steal, the United States will pay the American line over $350,000 a year for similar privileges in regard to the St. Paul. Why this enormous difference?

   Senator Allen's remedy for trusts, as given by him in a public speech, is so plain that he who runs may read and understand. He said: "The remedy is in the ballot box. Go to the polls next November and cast your vote against the present trust-ridden administration, and you will have remedied the evil of these gigantic corporations and their purchased press. Redeem the country by the ballot."

   Mr. B. H. Roberts of Utah, who was recently excluded from membership in the House, has made a formal demand on the Sergeant-at-arms of the House for his salary and mileage, amounting in all to about $2,000. The demand was accompanied by the presentation of papers relating to the claimant's rights, and also, it is said, with a suggestion that suit would be begun to enforce the claim in case it was not paid. The Sergeant-at-arms declined to accept service of the papers.

   The best lawyers in the Senate, regardless of politics, are of the opinion that the refusal of Taylor to issue a certificate of election to Senator-elect Blackburn of Kentucky, will not prevent the seating of Senator Blackburn, when the term of Senator Lindsay, whom he was elected to succeed, expires, which by the way, will not be until March 3, 1901. It has only been a few years since Senator Call was seated without objection in the face of the absolute refusal of the governor of Florida to give him a certificate of election. Mr. Call merely presented a certified copy of the proceedings of the legislature when he was elected, and that will be all that Mr. Blackman will have to do.

   The Republicans are doing a land office business at Albany. Up to Monday the Assembly of 1900 has introduced in 33 days 679 bills against 617 by the Assembly of 1999. Within the same time last year the Assembly had on its second reading calendar 58 bills and on the third reading 63. This year the second reading bills number to February 5, 126, and the third reading bills are 110. At this time last year the Assembly had passed 21 bills but this year 57 bills have already passed the House. The Senate is, however, not hurrying itself although it has sent 16 bills to the Assembly as against 10 last year. The number of printed bills in the House to date is 713, last year, but 643 were printed up to February 5.

 

William Goebel.

The Kentucky Conflict.

   Death came to William Goebel, the assassinated governor of Kentucky, last Saturday evening. He is sincerely mourned both in his own state and in the country at large and thousands have united in paying a tribute of respect to his remains.

   However, the death of Mr. Goebel in no way alters the political situation in Kentucky. The cause which he represented will be maintained by the representatives of the party for which he stood. Goebel lived long enough after being struck down to give life to the act of the legislature certifying his title to the governorship by taking the oath of office. His death devolves the office upon Lieutenant Governor Beckham who is proceeding to execute the duties of the office.

   The violent measures adopted by Governor Taylor to retain his seat are condemned by all, Republicans and Democrats. The action of his closest friends in signing the seven articles of agreement proves this. Major Carson, the well informed and judicious Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger, is a Republican authority on this subject entitled to credence and respect. He writes to that conservative Republican paper:

   "The President is anxious that the controversy shall be submitted to and decided by the courts, and so expressed himself to both the Blackburn delegation and Senator Lindsay. It is understood that the President has sent word to Governor Taylor, through Senator Lindsay, that he must not expect interference by the Federal Government at any time, except as it may become necessary to enforce the mandate of a Federal court. He regards the present Legislature as a legally constituted body, acting within the forms of law in revising the election returns, and that Governor Taylor has exceeded his authority in proroguing the Legislature and preventing it from continuing its sessions. This opinion is sustained by Attorney-General Griggs, Secretary Root and Secretary Long, three lawyers of recognized ability.

   "The Goebel law, under which the Legislature acted, may be a very bad law, but whatever injustice may result from its execution cannot be remedied through an application to the Federal authorities, but must be remedied in the State courts. No appeal for Federal interference can be entertained unless it comes from the Legislature. Governor Taylor cannot plead that the Legislature is not in session, because that body has been forbidden to meet, and he has used the military forces to prevent it assembling until a time fixed by him in his order proroguing it."

   It now appears that there will be no further violence or bloodshed, but the question as to who is the lawful governor of Kentucky will be settled by the courts.

 

Two Presidential Candidates.

   Two presidential tickets are now in the field, that of the middle-of-the-road Populists and the Socialist Labor party. The former party nominated Wharton Barker of Pennsylvania for president and Ignatius Donnelly of Minnesota for vice-president. The Socialist Labor party's national nominees are Job Harriman of Los Angeles, California, for president, and Max Hayes of Cleveland, Ohio, for vice president. Mr. Harriman and Mr. Hayes are both young men, and are men of ability and character. Mr. Harriman is a lawyer of standing and Mr. Hayes is editor of the Cleveland Citizen and recording secretary of the Central Labor union of that city. Mr. Hayes is an intimate personal friend of Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist-Democracy leader, and it is reported that the endorsement of this organization for Harriman and Hayes will be secured at its convention to be held at Indianapolis. If such a coalition is brought about it is calculated that the new Socialist party will be the strongest of the minor parties in the coming presidential campaign.

 

THE IRISH ALDERMAN.

   An Irish comedy without a mother-in-law would be like a "pipe dream" with the dope left out. Chas. F. McCarthy is the mother-in-law of "The Irish Alderman" company, at the opera house next Tuesday. Feb. 19, and can give some of the mother-in-laws of this city "cards and spades" when it comes to asserting his rights. Mr. McCarthy was the Irish clown with the late P. T. Barnum during his balmy days of Barnum & Bailey's circus. While on tour around the world, a bare-back rider of the "Greatest Show on Earth" was taken suddenly ill, so could not appear; and as there was no other individual to take her place, "Little Charles" said that he would play "the lady" which he did with such marked degree of success that his name from that day hence was forever identified with female parts. His make-up is so good and his "pranks" so natural that no one in an audience ever believes that he is not a woman.

 

Here and There.

   This is Normal [School] week.

   The ice men have finally won the battle. Many severe falls on the slippery sidewalks Monday are reported.

   The canning factory project seems to have taken to itself wings and flown from the town.

   The street sweepers or "white wings" have cost the village of Cortland $1,212 the past year.

   Alonzo D. White, an employee at Keator & Wells shops, lost a finger in a shaper Tuesday afternoon.

   A meeting of the D., L. & W. route union of the F. S. M. P. A. will be held at Binghamton on Wednesday next.

   Tickets for the baseball fair, which begins Saturday evening, Feb. 17, and continues seven evenings, are selling well.

   The Loyal Circle of King's Daughters will meet this afternoon at 3 o'clock, at the home of Mrs. W. D. Tisdale, 111 Port Watson-st.

   Manager W. W. Wallace is giving Cortland some of the best entertainments at the opera house this season that have ever visited this town.

   Basket ball will be the attraction at the Y. M. C. A. rooms this evening, the contestants being the St. John's Military academy and the local Y. M. C. A. teams.

   John L. Lewis lodge, No. 687, I. O. O. F., initiated seven new members Tuesday evening. Both this and Vesta lodges are materially increasing In membership this winter.

   Nickel-in-the-slot weighing machines have been placed in all the stations on the Lackawanna railroad line, the intention being to eventually fix passenger rates by weight(?)

   There has not been a winter in the past five years when the police justice had as little official business before him as the present. Are our people growing more law-abiding?

   Dr. L. T. White shortly [will] move from Madison-st. to his small farm near Homer, having sold his house and lot in this village. He will still conduct his dental rooms in Cortland.

   Dr. William Thomas, who has for many years conducted the sanitarium at Glen Haven, and who was well known by Cortland people generally, died Wednesday morning.

   The natural order of things on Railroad-st. has been reversed, notwithstanding the village ordinance to the contrary. People on foot take the driveway and the wheelmen ride on the sidewalks during slippery times.

   Soon after the fire yesterday a delivery horse of "Spot Cash" Baldwin took an independent spin up Main-st., leaving all but the front bobs in front of Fireman's hall and running to the hospital, where it was caught. Damage slight.

   The air is full of political rumors anent the village election, but little credence can be given to any of them. The second ward oracle, however, states with much positiveness that the Republican nominee for trustee in that ward will be David C. Beers.

   Some of the ladies of Cortland are seriously discussing the very commendable suggestion that all hats and bonnets be removed in church. Such an act would be appreciated by those who prefer to see the preacher during the delivery of his sermon.

   The Cortland Y. M. C. A. basket-ball team was defeated at Auburn Tuesday evening by the score of 8 to 6, and Wednesday evening it was again defeated at Geneva by 32 to 20. Only one member of the first team played at Auburn, and two at Geneva.

   Candlemas day opened up bright with the thermometer registering a degree or two below zero, after a fall of an inch or two of snow the evening previous. The proverbial "bear" could behold his shadow nearly all the forenoon, so look out for "six weeks of winter in March."

   We have been much interested in perusing a copy of the Freedom, a newspaper published at Manila, P. I., and forwarded to F. W. Hibbard by his son, Carl P. Hibbard, who enlisted at San Francisco in the 23d Infantry, regular army, and who is on duty at Manila.

   The trolley cars were unable to make their trips Monday morning, owing to the ice on the tracks. Three cars were connected and an effort was made to force them over the lines, but even this power was insufficient and men were obliged to go ahead and break the ice from the rails.

   At the annual meeting of the Brotherhood of St. Paul, an organization connected with the Homer-ave. M. E. church, held Monday evening, the following officers were elected: President, Theo. Schiele, vice-president, L. R. Lewis; secretary, W. H. Robertson; treasurer, L. J. Higgins.

   They say that the average of snow falls and temperatures is about the same each winter. That being the case people may look out for about twenty feet of snow between now and the middle of March and the thermometer from seventy-five to a hundred degrees below zero. It's the only way the average can be maintained as we understand it.

   Amos L. Kenney, a well known gentleman of Truxton, N. Y.,, has offered to donate $1,000 to the school district comprising that village, on condition that the district pay him an annuity of $50 a year during his life-time, the money to be used in building an addition to the present schoolhouse. The bequest has been accepted. Such men as Mr. Kenney are an honor to a town.

   Subscribers to newspapers should heed the warning given by the following startling instances taken from an exchange: Last week a delinquent subscriber said he would pay up if he lived. He died. Another said, "I will see you tomorrow.'' He's blind. Still another said: "I'll pay you this week or go to the devil." He's gone. There are hundreds who ought to take warning of these procrastinators and pay up now.