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| Chinese Minister Wu Ting Fang. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 20, 1900.
REPORTED SAFE JULY 9.
Cheering News After So Many Wild Reports.
NEWSPAPER WAR IN CHICAGO.
Owners of Rival Papers Hire Thugs to Assault Newsboys and Prevent the Sale or Advertising of Each Other's Publications.
The Chinese minister at Washington has received a cablegram announcing the safety of the foreign ministers on July 9. He immediately communicated the contents of the message to Secretary Hay.
The dispatch came from the minister at London, and is authenticated by Sheng, the imperial inspector of posts and telegraphs at Shanghai, and by two viceroys.
The Shanghai correspondent of the London Daily Express says he has the authority of the consular body for stating in the most empathic terms that no official news of any description has come from Pekin since July 2, when it was stated that the foreigners there had been massacred on some date between June 25 and June 30 or possibly July 1. The correspondent adds that he has vainly offered £1,000 for any authentic news. He further says that anything is absolutely certain, and that is that China is everywhere preparing for war with the powers.
The representative of the Chinese imperial maritime customs has received a dispatch similar to that sent to the state department at Washington by Mr. Goodnow, the American consul general at Shanghai.
The London Times' Shanghai correspondent says that one statement that is reiterated with circumstantial detail by the native press deserves notice, though it is not concerned from any official source. It is alleged that information has been received by courier from Pekin to Shinan Fu, where he arrived on July 7, that General Nieh, who at the beginning of the outbreak was reproved by the throne for firing on the Boxers, has reached Pekin with 8,000 troops after making a long devour to the northeast and defeating a force of Prince Tuan's followers east of Tung Chau. It is stated that he is now supporting Prince Ching and General Yung Lu. General Tung Fuh Siang's troops are chiefly engaged in the operations around Tien Tsin.
The Shanghai correspondent of The Telegraph says that the motto of the Boxers, which is inscribed on their flags, calls for the overthrow of the dynasty and the expulsion of foreigners.
The Canton correspondent of The Telegraph says he understands that Li Hung Chang will positively remain in Canton until the allies have defeated Prince Tuan, when he will go north and arrange terms for co-operating with Prince Ching and General Yung Lu. He adds that advices from Tien Tsin are to the effect that scarlet fever is prevalent there. Some ladies are said to have become white-haired from the horrors of the siege.
The Central News says that an official telegram received in London announces that all the foreigners in Pekin were murdered on July 6. The telegram is said to have reached one of the legations and to have emanated from a Chinese official source.
The Exchange Telegraph company made inquiries at the Japanese legation concerning the report. The legation officials said that the rumor had been heard by an attaché, but that no telegrams had been received by the legation. Inquiries were also made at the British foreign office, but no corroboration of the report had been received there. At the Chinese embassy it is stated that no news of any kind had been received.
In the English house of commons Under Secretary Brodrick said that the report of the murder of all the foreigners in Pekin on July 6 had not been confirmed. The telegraph wires between Shanghai and Che Foo were not working, and the land lines had evidently been cut. The foreign office, Mr. Brodrick added, received a cablegram purporting to come from the Emperor of China.
The statement of the Central News is now thoroughly discredited. There is no confirmation of the story from any quarter.
The Belgian government has received a Shanghai telegram which states, on Chinese authority, that General Nieh defeated the rebels near Pekin and relieved Prince Ching and General Yung Lu, who were defending the Europeans.
The cable company at London has received a dispatch from Shanghai stating that one telegraph line to Che Foo has been restored, but is blocked with business. This is interpreted as meaning that there is only a single wire working, and that it has been requisitioned by Chinese officials for messages of a local nature. Nothing has reached London from Che Foo since Tuesday, the place being practically cut off from telegraphic communication.
◘ Fifteen dollars a week guaranteed during time spent in hospitals, and all surgeon's bills paid is the ruling quotation in Chicago for men or boys desirous and able to fight. The market for talent of that kind is on the upgrade owing to the spirited bidding by agents of rival newspaper publishers. Since the advent of W. R. Hearst and the launching of his new paper, Hearst's Chicago American, Victor F. Lawson, publisher of The Evening News, has seen the circulation of his sheet so deeply cut into that heroic measures had to be resorted to to stop it. Men not afraid to fight were hired, at least that is the story told at the office of Hearst's American, to slug newsboys handling Americans, take away and destroy Americans, tear down billboards advertising Americans, wreck American wagons; in short to do everything in their power to keep the newspaper out of the hands of the would be readers.
This thing has been going on [for a] week until it is almost as much as the life of a newsboy is worth to appear with a supply of the new paper in some parts of the city. Appeals to the police brought no relief and the circulation department of The American decided to put a rival army of thugs in the field to meet the Lawson men on their own ground and in their own way. The result has been clashes innumerable and hard, hot work for the police, especially in several south side districts. Every applicant for a place on either paper is hired at once provided he is willing to fight on the terms noted. Several of the rights were in the nature of riots owing to their fierceness and to the numbers engaged, and several men required the services of surgeons after the police had restored peace.
OUR LAZY REPORTER.
What He Has Observed While Wandering About the City of Cortland.
The Democrat has one reporter on its force who is what the world terms "constitutionally tired," but who is actually too lazy to accept an invitation to dine, because it is such hard work to eat with stylish people, "don'tcher know!" In his snail-like pace about the city, however, he has been a close observer of many little things that a more active scribbler would not deign to notice, and the result of his wanderings is given in the following form:
I have noticed a very peculiar circumstance in connection with freight cars which is probably not generally known, even by railroad men. Walk along by the side of the long lines of cars in both the Lackawanna and Lehigh yards, where you will find cars from all over the United States and it is very rare that eight wheels of the same style and make can be found on any car, and frequently as many as four different patterns will be seen. The only explanation I can give for this singular fact is that the change from one style to another is made in repairing the cars.
Wandering over on the east side the past week I observed that several sidewalks had been repaired by nailing a small piece of inch thick board over a hole or weak spot in the walk. Such improvements are so delightful to the pedestrian, especially in the evening, that it is a wonder the common council don't order all repairs to be made in this way.
The virtues of advertising were never more vividly seen than in the case of M. A. Hudson, who by a liberal use of printers' ink, has succeeded in filling the old Collins store with customers from morning until night even in the hottest weather of the season. I notice, too, that Mr. Hudson uses newspaper space instead of bills, very wisely choosing the Democrat as one medium.
Standing in the doorway of Charley Stoker's store Monday forenoon I was the observer of a little episode that pleased me immensely, but there were others to whom the affair was the cause of some embarrassment. Going north was a stylishly dressed young man, but rather awkward in his walk. Coming south was a young lady, dressed in the height of fashion. They attempted to pass as it were on one track, and of course met face to face. The young man attempted to retreat and take the other track, and the young lady made the same move, the result being that they again met. The lady attempted to smile, but her antagonist was verging on the edge of despair. The third attempt was made to get by each other, but with no better success than before, and finally the young man muttered something which sounded very much like an apology and made a bee-line for the asphalt pavement, where he succeeded in circumventing his fair opponent.
In my opinion Greenbush-st. is the hardest, smoothest unpaved street in the city of Cortland.
I am looking forward to much oratory of a political nature in Cortland later in the season. One of the big guns who will surely speak in this city is David B. Hill, who is popular with the Democracy of Cortland county.
Many a Cortland man with a piece of hose takes more comfort squirting city water in the street than he would fishing all day at Little York lake.
Either the word banquet is susceptible to great elasticity, or the Cortland representatives of the Syracuse newspapers have a decidedly lively imagination when they herald the friendly gift of a dish of ice cream as a magnificent banquet.
The best asphalt pavement in the city of Binghamton, laid last year, cost $1.59 a yard. I am wondering why Cortland's money is not as good as Binghamton's.
That lawyers are great sticklers for legal forms and phrases is well illustrated by the following bit of sarcastic humor: If I were to give you an orange I would simply say "I give you an orange;" but should the transaction be entrusted to a lawyer to put in writing he would adopt this form: "I hereby give, grant and convey to you all my interest, right, title and advantage of and in said orange, together with its rind, juice, pulp and pits; and all rights and advantages I herein, with full power to bite, suck or otherwise eat the same, or give away, with or without the rind, skin, juice, pulp or pits; anything hereinbefore or in any other deed or deeds, instruments of any nature or kind whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.''
I met a friend Monday and said to him, "We auto have the mobile factory in Cortland.'' He gave me a withering look, called me a lunatic and hasn't spoken to me since. Strange some people cannot see the point of a pun.
The most tantalizing sight I have seen lately was Jos. Ingalls riding down Railroad-st. on his wheel Monday afternoon, with a two-foot wide snow shovel under his arm. As the thermometer was at least 112 degrees at the time, I am still wondering what it all meant.
Death of James Fitzgerald.
James Fitzgerald, father of Hon. L. J. Fitzgerald of Cortland, died on Monday at his home in Skaneateles at the advanced age of 83 years. The funeral will be held to-day at 10 o-clock.
POLITICS IN 1841.
CORTLAND COUNTY AROUSED OVER AN ALLEGED TRICK.
Whigs and Loco Focos the Leading Parties—The County Committee Charge One John Thomas with Conspiring to Defeat the Whig Ticket by Trickery.
That the people of Cortland county were wrought up over politics sixty years ago fully as much as they are at the present day is shown by the following specimen of a political document issued as the "Cortland County Whig—Extra.'' of date September 15, 1841, and which is kindly loaned us by Jas. R. Schermerhorn. The subject matter fully explains the situation without further comment on our part:
Cortland Village, Sept. 15, 1841.
Whigs of Cortland:
Read the following and then judge of the policy of those who are seeking to organize a "Third Party." The following written by a man who professes to be a Whig, but who, as is clearly shown, is playing a desperate game to defeat the Whig party. Read Whigs!! and then say whether you will be thus deceived.
Cortland Village, Sept. 13, 1841.
To----
My Dear friend:
I write to you to say how important I esteem it that our meeting on the 20th should be well attended. I start to-morrow morning to attend the State Convention at Utica, and shall not therefore probably see you as soon as I could wish. Our opponents will be glad to prevent an attendance on the 20th. They are anxious that it should be a failure. On the other hand we are painfully anxious that our meeting should be full. And be it remembered that every body may attend the meeting and hear the discussions, but none can vote, but such as are in favor of organizing a "Liberty Party." We want, therefore, that the house be running over full.
I have written Gerret Smith, requesting him to attend and address the meeting, but have not yet had an answer and probably shall not hear from him until I hear from his own lips, which I expect will be day after tomorrow. I shall try to get him and A. Stewart, Ward, Bradley, one and all. Can't tell how I shall succeed. I am anxious that everybody shall be there, and if we can't get any one from abroad, we must do as well with domestic materials.
One thing other (Confidential!) It is an important object, as I think, to defeat the Whig party at this Election. The greatest portion of the abolition voters are Whigs. Our hottest opponents are Whigs.
If they are beat, they are gone forever; and we shall occupy the field alone. If they succeed, they will tell us that we have affected nothing, and can effect nothing. Therefore it is my opinion that the Candidates to be put in nomination had better be 2 Whigs who will make the largest draft upon the Whig voters. We know we cannot get those candidates in. But we can make such a draft as will revolutionize the County and at a future day enjoy our triumph. This is my view of the policy of the matter. But it must be decided by the convention and we shall all be satisfied with the decision anyhow.
I expect no one attended to Freetown. Mr. Gillet and I saw S. K. Stevens while on our way through Freetown to French's Corners, and he said we might add his name to our list, and he had 2 brothers who will attend with him.
I told him that you and Deacon Bouton would see him, but I doubt whether either of you went to Freetown, since I have had no returns from there.
I have a great deal to say to you, but can't write it. I wish you would go over into Freetown and see our friends, and wake them up to attend the meeting on the 20th. See Stevens and get him to take the matter in hand and rally the Democracy of Freetown for "God and Liberty"—and make Marathon too, wake up.
Most respectfully, JOHN THOMAS.
To the Whigs of Cortland county:
The above is a clear and lucid expose of the schemes and arts practiced by Mr. Thomas to divide and defeat the Whig party. He openly avows that it is an "IMPORTANT OBJECT TO DEFEAT THE WHIG PARTY AT THE COMING ELECTION!" Can you listen to such a sentiment from an individual who claims to be a Whig, and still believe that individual to be honest, to be sincere in the object for which he is now laboring? Be not deceived, fellow citizens! We appeal to you as men of honor, and we ask are you willing to lend yourselves to further his selfish views? He openly asserts that it is an object to destroy the Whig party, & that the means are at hand to affect this. What confidence can be placed in the representations of such a man—one who is always seeking office—who holds now office under the State administration and who, because the Whigs have been slow to confide in his integrity and principles, now seeks to divide & ruin their party by a scheme which he is pressing with hot-headed zeal to further his own purposes—the organization of a 'liberal party.' Already has a Whig legislature passed laws granting to the man of color a trial by jury---already have they done away with the odious nine months law, and already has a Whig legislature removed every vestige of slavery from our statute books; and yet this man who calls himself a Whig, connives with Loco Focos to defeat the Whig party, declaring that the Whigs are the strongest opponents of the Abolitionists!! What gross inconsistency!!
Fellow citizens, ponder well the measures which this individual recommends to be adopted. If you wish to destroy the Whig party, listen to the wily arguments of John Thomas. But if you are Whigs, shun him, and distrust him as you would the worst of Loco Focos.
The letter, of which the above is a copy, was addressed to a strong and influential Loco Foco, and we certify that it is genuine, having ourselves seen the original and knowing the hand writing of Thomas.
ELEAZER W. EDGCOMB, DANIEL HAWKS, GEORGE J. J. BARBER, ERASMUS BOWEN, WILLIAM ANDREWS, County Committee.
CORTLAND WINS FIRST PLACE.
Our State League Team Takes Every Game Within Reach.
Hip! Hip! Hurrah! We are the people and our state league team stands at the apex. The Cortland team has played six games the past week, and every contest has been placed in the won column.
On the 15th of June, but little over a month ago, Cortland was in fifth place with a percentage of only .484, while the leaders reached .690. With this long stride ahead our team started in for business, gaining slowly, and the result of its hard work is the following satisfactory standing:
New Manager.
F. M. Quick, for the past twelve years manager of the Cortland store of the Grand Union Tea company, has resigned owing to the increase in his ticket brokerage business. The new manager will be H. T Simonson, who comes here from Syracuse.
Mr. Quick will be located in his new office, in the shoe store of Glann & Clark, No. 35 Main-st. next Monday and will be prepared to do even a more extensive ticket brokerage business than in the past. He can ticket you almost anywhere and save you money.
Paid Ad.
At the Grand Union, Saturday, July 21, the Grand Union Tea company will give to every purchaser of one pound of Grand Union baking powder, a 25 cent box of toilet soap. Tickets and prizes given as usual. One day only.
PAGE FOUR—SHORT EDITORIALS.
Notice the large number of mills and
factories that have recently shut down. Then read Republican papers on
prosperity. Rather incongruous.
The Chinese puzzle is more complicated than ever and all the Powers are at sea. Every succeeding dispatch from the seat of trouble contradicts the one preceding it.
Democratic county convention tomorrow. From all indications it will be as harmonious as the last one, and it can nominate a ticket which will down at least a part of the one headed by H. A. Dickinson.
Ex-President Harrison in a recent interview said that "there is a possibility Indiana will go Democratic'' and that he "considers Bryan's chances in the East better than in 1896." That statement is but an opinion, but it comes from a man who gladly thinks otherwise and is a bitter pill for Republicans.
As a result of there being, among others, a bicycle trust, Syracuse loses all her bicycle factories and some seven thousand men are thrown out of work as a consequence. A small part of the machinery will be moved to Chicago. The balance will remain idle. There is an object lesson for the thinking man.
Henry V. Johnson, who served four terms as a Republican member of congress and who voluntarily withdrew from public life last year after denouncing President McKinley's Philippine policy, has confirmed the report that he will support Bryan. Mr. Johnson was one of the best debaters in congress and members stood about him ten deep when he bitterly assailed the President last January a year ago.
The present administration has involved in an apparently hopeless war in the Philippines with every prospect of further and more complicated troubles in China. It even contemplates withdrawing almost the entire Philippine army to China and thus having to begin all over again in the Philippines when China has been partitioned. Is ours really a government "of the people, by the people and for the people?"
The Other Side.
A few weeks ago every local paper rang out concerning the death and burial of a two months old baby belonging to Leach Gardner of Harford Mills; the theory of poison falling flat to the ground upon examination of the disinterred body. We have looked in vain for Mr. Gardner to reply, but so far he has treated this attack with the silent contempt, which it merits. In justice to Mr. Gardner we wish to say that not very long ago the drive leading to the burying ground at that place was fenced in and ploughed up, by those who claimed to own the same, causing much inconvenience to the owners of lots in the cemetery; one individual removed his dead to Willow Glen, others going elsewhere to bury; caskets were carried through gardens, and back lots, the mourners following. This accounts for the burial of this little one by Mr. Gardner in his own garden temporarily, as he intended to remove it to Virgil or Willet, to whichever his relatives might decide to remove their dead.
Mr. Gardner came to Harford Mills about ten years ago, buying calves for D. C. Smith of Cortland for a year or so. He then began dealing in stock for himself on a small scale. By a natural aptitude and strict attention he has built up a large business, frequently carring two days in the week. He is prosperous, industrious, and has paid for a cozy home, and bought several acres of land near the village on which he has recently built a barn for the accommodation of stock.
The writer sold him a lot of land near the depot, for which he paid cash down and promised her to buy a certain building and move it onto the lot and fit it up for a creamery. Not a scrap of writing, only his promise, stood between us regarding the creamery, but in the face of discouragements Mr. Gardner stood true to his promise, the creamery became a reality and he induced Andrew Jennings, one of the most competent butter makers in the country, to bring an engine and apparatus and hiring the building has ever since handled and bought thousands of pounds of milk to the satisfaction of hundreds of his farmer patrons.
That no injustice be done to individual or sentiment is my only apology for this article.
MRS. O. F. SEXTON, Groton-ave., Cortland.
Eighty-four Years Ago.
William Combs tells us that on July 3rd. 1816, (Mr. Combs being then between 11 and 12 years of age) there was so heavy a frost in New York state that all the corn and grain was practically destroyed. There was little wheat grown then, and the frost continued every month during the season.
Even the potatoes were very watery and fruit was all destroyed. Many of the farmers and other people had to go about begging food in order to live.
In 1823 on the 9th of May a snow storm came that was so heavy that all the limbs of the peach and apple trees in and about Geneva were broken down by the weight of the snow. In that year there was little fruit hereabout.—Geneva Review.
HERE AND THERE.
Electric fans are becoming numerous in this city.
The oat crop bids fair to be good, which will partially compensate the farmers for a light hay crop.
Contrary to general expectation, the maple trees in Cortland have been little damaged by the worms this season.
The bridge inspector of the D., L. &W. railroad has been making a tour over the lines during the past week. He stopped in Cortland last Friday night.
Some of our Cortland people are anxiously awaiting the appearance of the bicycle rack man, who it is claimed, will soon visit this city on their royalty collecting expedition.
The flagman at the D., L. & W. crossing in Cortland, and we presume all along the line, have received orders to keep a record of all teams crossing the company's tracks at their locations.
Where the greatest danger in railroad travel is, is shown by the annual report of the inter-state Commerce commission. Of 7,123 persons killed on railroads last year, only 239 were passengers.
Blackberry bushes are a sight this year, laden as they are with unripe fruit. Not in years has the prospect for a large crop been as good as this season, provided we have reasonably wet weather.
The post-office authorities are issuing stamp books with waxed paper instead of parafine paper between the leaves, the latter not proving successful. Postmasters are authorized to redeem with new books all old books where the stamps have stuck.
Down in Broome county they have begun the rural free mail delivery by establishing a line between Whitney Point and Binghamton by the way of Castle Creek and Glen Castle. Thus the farmers may receive their daily mail with as little trouble as the merchant in the city.
We hear that beans have a new enemy in the form of a small, black beetle, which is preying to quite an extent upon the vine in some localities. The insect, which is scarcely more than one-eighth of an inch long, prefers the tender varieties. As yet no remedy has been devised for the eradication of the pests further than to capture and kill them.
Over in Tompkins county they say the "chain gang" plan for county prisoners seems to work well. The men rather prefer to be employed than to sit around the jail idle. The prisoners are not chained, and are orderly, only one attempt to escape having been made, and a harmless pistol shot put a stop to that. There has been no trouble since. The prisoners are employed in road making, and while they make no complaint they do not express any great desire to serve out another sentence in Tompkins county jail.
This is the weather when one would like to be the ice-man.
Louis Percival Hine, a former well known newspaper reporter of Cortland, died in Syracuse last Thursday.
Next Monday evening the public hearing in the Groton-ave. paving matter will be held in Fireman's hall.
Misses Mary Hayes and Margaret Ready have opened a lunch room and home-made bakery at No. 43 Railroad-st.
A lad named Paul McAuliffe was operated on for appendicitis at the hospital Wednesday, and it is thought he will recover.
F. P. Barney is enlarging his accommodations at the cafe in the Democrat building on account of increase in patrons. Good service wins customers every time.
Clarence Tifft, who has for the past year conducted a barber shop just east of the St. Charles hotel, Railroad-st., is now located over Dillon's store, Pendleton-st.
Wm. Cookingham, who has been up in city court at least once before, was given a sentence of thirty days in jail Monday, on [domestic abuse] complaint of his wife who was allowed the privilege of naming the sentence.
A. W. Dakin, proprietor of Dakin's Business college, has invented a wonderful little instrument designed to erase ink, open letters, cut leaves of magazines and point pencils. It is a most handy article and sells for only 15 cents.
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