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| Lehigh Valley Train No. 321 down embankment between Loring Crossing and East River, N. Y. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February 22, 1901.
WRECK ON LEHIGH.
ONE ENGINE IN THE RIVER, ANOTHER CRIPPLED.
Train Leaves Track Near East River—Engineer Edward Cleveland of Cortland Seriously Injured—His Fireman, Nick Fox. Slightly Hurt—Combination Car Goes Down Embankment.
Not since the memorable wreck at Blodgett Mills on September 21, 1897, have the people of Cortland had the unpleasant privilege of witnessing the damage wrought by the failure of engine and cars to keep in their proper place and sphere, until last Friday when another of those mysterious railroad wrecks occurred at a point north of the county farm. about a half mile south from East River.
The heavy body of snow which fell previous to Friday last, coupled with the prevailing high wind, caused much annoyance to railroad companies, the Lehigh road especially by reason of its northern portion lying in what is known as the snow belt, having much difficulty in making anything like schedule time.
On account of a heavy body of snow between Cortland and Canastota, the forenoon train bound north last Friday left this city a half hour late, drawn by two locomotives, the forward in charge of Engineer Thomas Durant of Elmira with Austin J. Esty of Cortland serving as fireman. Engineer Edward Cleveland of Cortland, a popular railroad man, held the throttle of the second locomotive, and his fireman was Nicholas Fox of Lisle, who had just started out on his first trip over the road as fireman (and we may add parenthetically that he avers it will be his last). Following the locomotives was a combination baggage and smoking car, and behind this was the regular passenger coach. On the train were only twelve passengers, three of whom were ladies. Of the passengers three were in the smoker.
At the point indicated above the road makes what is termed a double curve, [and] runs along very near the Tioughnioga river, which is some thirty feet or more lower than the track. Previous to reaching this point the train had forced its way through several small drifts and suddenly Engineer Durant of the forward engine became aware of trouble in his rear, and looking backwards saw that the second engine was off the track and was jolting along regardless of the rails. He shut off steam at once. Mr. Cleveland's engine suddenly turned and plunged down the bank, landing bottom upwards, partly in the river. The tender of the forward engine was turned over on the east side of the track. The tender of the second engine also lay bottom side up and was in the water of the river.
The combination car left the rails and turned down the bank, the forward end nearly reaching the river. The passenger coach bounded along on the ties for a short distance and finally stopped partially turned up on its side.
When the upheaval ceased the conductor, Thomas Lynch of Elmira, with Superintendent H. D. Titus, who was on the train, followed by the passengers, hastened forward to investigate the extent of the damage. It was soon learned that no lives were lost, though Engineer Cleveland's escape was most miraculous. He gallantly stood by his lever, and when the engine completed its perambulations down the bank he crawled from his perilous position, and when found was sitting on the bottom of his overturned tender, both bones of his left leg being broken below the knee, and he was otherwise considerably bruised.
Fireman Fox jumped when he felt the commotion, and was found bleeding from wounds in the head, and he received several other cuts, but none of them of a serious nature.
Fortunately these were all the personal casualties, none of the passengers being injured, though they were all considerably shaken up.
The track was not clear to travel until early Saturday morning. On Sunday a portion of the wreck was cleared away, hundreds of people from Cortland and elsewhere visiting the scene to view the work.
The cause of the disaster is one of those mysteries which usually follow in such cases. That the rails spread apart was plainly evident, but Superintendent Titus is of the opinion that an axle or truck broke, which very naturally would create havoc with train and rails alike.
DELAYED BY BROKEN TRUCK.
Several Trains Tarry at Cortland Station All Night.
Conductor "Sile" Pratt was unable to run his train—the early passenger North—Tuesday morning, and all because of a broken truck, which prevented his reaching Binghamton until long after he should have left on his return trip.
What is known as the 8 o'clock coal train, bound south Monday evening, had a car load of cabbage which played havoc with the time-table and no doubt caused some grumbling on the part of New York passengers. Between Cortland and Blodgett Mills one of the trucks to this cabbage car broke and the train crew were unable to repair damages. A wrecking car was sent for, and meantime all passenger, freight and coal trains were tied up either at Cortland or Blodgett Mills, and all for lack of a clear track. The car was put to rights towards morning and the deadlock was broken. The early train north was in charge of Conductor Tim Carroll, and Conductor Pratt ran the forenoon train north.
HENRY MASON KINGMAN.
Henry Mason Kingman was born in Cincinnatus, N. Y., June 7, 1826. His ancestors were prominent citizens of his native town from its very earliest settlement. His grandfather Col. John Kingman, a native of Wethersfield, Mass., born in the year 1770, came to Cincinnatus in 1795—then largely a wilderness—with his wife and infant son John Kingman, Jr. He was a leading man in the early settlement and represented his town as its first supervisor in 1808, and thereafter twelve consecutive years. He kept the first inn. He was a colonel of infantry. His children were six sons and two daughters. Of the latter were Betsey, wife of the late Dr. John Maybury, and one who died young. The sons were John, Oliver, Charles, Lyman, Leroy and George, each of sterling character, worthy successors of the pioneer father, all of them at some period of their lives, prosperous merchants in general trade, and three of them at times members of the state legislature.
Judge Oliver Kingman, father of the subject of this sketch, married Betsey Brown, a most worthy partner of his life, by whom he had four children: Charles M. Kingman, deceased, was a physician of the regular school recognized in the profession as one of more than ordinary attainments and skill; practiced in this county several years, principally at McGrawville until 1863, when he removed to Palmyra. N. Y., where he maintained a large practice until his death a few years since; Julia A. (Kingman) Kingsley, wife of late Judge Lewis Kingsley, who served as judge and surrogate in Cortland Co. and later a distinguished member of the bar at Norwich, N. Y., both deceased; Henry M. Kingman; and Cornelia A. (Kingman) Sturtevant, wife of James W. Sturtevant, who is at the head of an extensive manufacturing establishment in Binghamton N. Y.
Oliver Kingman held the office of associate judge from 1828 to 1846, and during the same period represented his town ten years upon the board of supervisors. Judge Kingman began business as a merchant in Cincinnatus, in that part of the village on the west side of Otselic river in 1834, continued the trade there twenty years, when in 1854 he with his brother George bought the brick store of Halbert & Bean. Two years later, Henry M. Kingman with his cousin Jefferson Kingman (now of Binghamton), bought and continued the business until succeeded by Kingman (H. M.) & Sturtevant and successively, Kingman & Lewis and Kingman & Wheeler, until 1893 when Henry M. Kingman retired from mercantile pursuits, his health not being robust, to gain the benefit of out-door air and exercise.
Mr. Kingman, by close attention to business, by sound judgment and the integrity that commanded the approbation and patronage of a wide community had made a financial success in trade and need not have pursued business for a necessary livelihood, but his nature was that of active life. He invested in lands, purchasing several farms and gave his attention mostly to stock raising and agriculture.
He was a man of public spirit and interested himself in everything that could contribute to the general good of the town and people, and gave largely of his means for such purposes. He was always interested in Christian work and was a liberal contributor to church interests.
Cincinnatus Academy was built in 1857. Nothing could testify more clearly to his activity in educational matters than the fact that Mr. Kingman was made the first president of the board of education and continued to hold that office over 35 years until nearly or quite the date of his death.
He was a Democrat in politics, and though Cincinnatus is naturally Republican, he represented his town nine years upon the board of supervisors, from 1870 to 1873 and 1877 to 1883, being the third successive generation of the family that served terms respectively of twelve, ten and nine years in this office, the highest gift of the town, while in other lines of the family, John Kingman, Jr. served four years, Charles Kingman two years, Daton Kingman one year, Jefferson Kingman four years and George Kingman one year, in the aggregate 43 years of supervisorship from the organization of the town in 1808 to 1883, which speaks in no uncertain terms of the character of this distinguished family in the history of the town of Cincinnatus and of Cortland county.
Henry M. Kingman was married August 30, 1855, to Pamelia McGraw, daughter of the late Hon. Harry McGraw of McGrawville. N. Y., who still survives him. Carrie Kingman Higgins, wife of Prof. Louis J. Higgins of Cortland, is an adopted daughter.
Mr. Kingman's opinions and sound judgment were always respected, and while ever trusted by his fellow townspeople where counsel and action were sought or, while his neighbor in need of advice or sympathy came for his aid, knowing that he had ever an attentive ear and a heart responsive to every want that could reasonably be expected at human hands, yet there was no place that his life evinced its quiet worth as in the home, where he was a model of the kind and loving husband and father ever ministering to the necessities, comforts and pleasures of the fireside with no stinted hand, making the saying doubly true that "There is no place like home,'' and where his loving deeds are treasured by the surviving family in most precious living memories. Mr. Kingman died suddenly of heart disease September 14, 1895.
HE CAN STILL CROW.
DEMOCRATS ELECT NINE SUPERVISORS; REPUBLICANS SIX.
A Sweeping Victory—Lapeer, Marathon and Taylor Turn From The Error of Their Ways and Elect Democratic Supervisors—Several Democratic Collectors Chosen—Virgil Honors Wm. R. Muncey.
From a political point of view, Cortland county did most nobly at the town meetings held on Tuesday, the Democrats making substantial gains in nearly every town. Out of the fifteen supervisors elected, nine are Democrats, leaving only six for the Republicans. Two of these had a clear field, the Democrats making no nomination for supervisor, hence in towns where there was a contest our opponents were successful in only four. In Cortlandville, in Homer and in Virgil the Democrats elected collectors, and in Virgil Wm. B. Muncey, that sterling Democrat, was chosen town clerk by the magnificent majority of 82.
The Democratic supervisors elected are as follows:
Cincinnatus—Dr. Benj. Kinyon.
Freetown—M. A. Mynard.
Harford—John A Wavle.
Lapeer—Seth H. Parker.
Marathon—James R. Robinson.
Preble—Dr. H. D. Hunt.
Taylor—Frank E. Jordan.
Truxton—John O'Donnell.
Willet—Dr. E. W McBirney.
The six Republicans elected follows:
Cortlandville—A. R. Rowe.
Cuyler—L. S. Barber.
Homer—A. H. Bennett.
Scott—Fred A. Crosley.
Solon—Willis D. Shuler
Virgil—N. F. Webb.
The entire board stands ten Democrats and eleven Republicans, the six city supervisors holding over.
So close was the result in the county that a change of five votes in the town of Solon would have given the Democrats a majority on the board.
The following vote in the towns gives the story in detail: [too much detail, so we omitted several columns of election statistics—CC ed.]
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| Benjamin B. Odell, Jr. |
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
Gov. Odell's Alleged Reforms.
The present legislative session at Albany is commanding more public attention than any session in recent years. Governor Odell's measures in the interest of practical reform are beginning to look to an outsider like measures for political reform in the interest of the advancement of the political fortunes of the present incumbent of the gubernatorial chair. To be sure, the governor holds aloft a banner with the strange device. Excelsior; but on the reverse side of that same banner is a device stranger yet to Republican politicians, viz: Reform and Retrenchment. It is difficult to say under which of these epigraphs the governor would claim was enacted the New York police bill, taking away from the metropolis of the state the right of home rule. To center in the governor of the state the power to remove the head of the police of New York city, is, to say the very least, a high-handed reform of our democratic form of government and a rampant retrenchment of the rights of the voters of New York city. Is the metropolis an integral or a detached part of the commonwealth? If an integral part, why is not the governor the executive of the whole state, including New York city? If a detached part, by what right does Governor Odell acquire the right of territorial despot?
It has been a study at once interesting and instructive to note the attitude of the Republican journals in the other cities of the state in their consideration of that monstrosity in legislation. Their endorsement of the police measure has been feeble, spacious, evasive and equivocal. Some more bold than the others have halfheartedly maintained that the legislation would presumably be good for New York city, but would be baneful and dangerous in "our city." And yet this is a government of equal rights and equal privileges and equal laws for all. The attitude of these Republican newspapers is as equivocal as the frontiersman's reply as to how he liked lynching. He said that it might be very good for some, but as for himself his neck was far too sensitive to enjoy it.
The abolition of the State Prison commission is hardly in the interest of reform, as understood by the people of the state. We have heard no criticism of the board, either as to its efficiency, or its personnel. Contrariwise, Com'r Mantanye of this city [Cortland] has received widespread commendation for his faithfulness and efficiency, and for his intelligence and devotion, wholly directed to the uplifting and betterment of the penal institutions of the state. On the other hand the abolition of that board is hardly in the interest of retrenchment, as the proposed board in scope, interest and province will prove much more expensive than the board abolished.
It is also difficult to understand what high purpose and plane is to be subserved, or what scientific advancement is to be brought about in the abolition of the State Board of Health and the State Board of Charities. Not reform certainly, not higher efficiency certainly, not permanent retrenchment.
But taxation is the governor's hobby. He seems to believe that our mission in this "bank-note world," within our little day span from birth to death is, in the language of the poet, merely to "make love and pay taxes."" with the dominant stress on the latter part of the statement. The governor in his virtuous ardor to crowd a system of taxation through the legislature, that shall do away with direct taxation—a something for which the Democrat party has stood since the beginning of the administration of Gov. Flower—is forgetful of the fact that a system of taxation can be devised or carried out whereby a just tax can be levied on every dollar in sight. That principle has, in essence, been followed in the tariff policy of the Republican party. Its avowed purpose has ever been to oppose any horizontal tariff import, but that the duties should fall where easiest borne. In other words, it has been set forth as the policy of the g. o. p. to levy high tribute on the luxuries and little or no tax on the necessaries of life.
We commend this line of policy to the governor, as contradistinct to his plan to tax the surplus of savings banks. These institutions are largely the treasuries of the poor. Their surplus is maintained for the protection of the depositors. How long could any savings bank command confidence without a surplus? Stockholders in national banks are responsible for bank losses to an amount equal to the face value of their holdings in stock. That is the confidence-creating element in such banks. Savings bank trustees and directors are under no such bonds. The safety of savings bank depositors rests in the confidence of the ability and integrity of its officers, and its surplus. This surplus takes the place of the responsibility of national bank stockholders and it must of necessity be maintained in a large amount for the protection of depositors, the large majority of whom know little or nothing about banking.
The national bank has, in the vested responsibility of its stockholders, a security-surplus equal in amount to the face value of the stock. Its stated surplus is for the protection of its stockholders. The savings bank surplus is gathered earnings set aside for the protection of its depositors. Now, in essence it would be approximately as just, so far as the safety of the depositors is concerned, to tax the amount for which national bank directors are liable, as to tax the part of the surplus of savings banks equal to making these depositors relatively safe. If the fostering care is to be extended, it should be to the institutions that are for the savings of the small depositors. Such institutions should not be crippled in their earning capacity or in their confidence-creating powers. Even if the dictum goes forth, that the surplus of savings banks shall be taxed, such a tax should apply only to the surplus over and above a given amount, such an exempt amount to be sufficient, at least, to give ample protection against any probable loss of the pennies of the poor.
Changing the forms of the burden is simply a temporary, not a permanent, relief. Let the heavy burdens of taxation fall where they will least be felt.
There are many forms of personal property eluding the tax-gatherer. Banks of all kinds are already bearing the lion's share of taxation. Let the current lessons taught from the death of those millionaires who have left estates inventoried at hundreds of millions of dollars, but only paid taxes on a hundred or two thousand dollars during their lives, be acted upon with persistency and intelligence. Let hidden personal property be brought to light and bear its burden of governmental expense. Or if it cannot be found during the lives of the millionaires, do as is done in England, collect taxes from the estate at death on all parts and portions of property that have escaped the tax-gatherer throughout the life of the tax-avoider.
HERE AND THERE.
Charles J. Kelley began clerking for F. E. Brogden Monday.
'Ere's 'oping the bear will not see 'is shadow February 1 next.
The Loyal Circle of Kings Daughters will meet with Mrs. E. R. Wright, 16 Groton-ave., this afternoon at 3 o'clock.
A large crowd of Cortland people visited the scene of the wreck on the Lehigh road north of the county farm Sunday.
Binghamton has stolen a march on Cortland by being first to set its jail prisoners to breaking stone, the yard beginning operations on Monday last.
M. W. Wilcox, who was charged with appropriating two [railroad] mileage books belonging to F. M. Quick, was found guilty by a jury Wednesday in city court, and was fined $25.
A gentleman who has lived in Cortland for two or three months past has not as yet seen the pavement on Main-st., and he begins to think it will be a long time before he will be able to do so.
While in Broome county the past week a gentleman remarked to the local editor that in his opinion Cortland contained some of the smartest lawyers in the state. We very readily coincided in his opinion.
Real estate sales in Cortland are reported as follows: E. W. Bates, house and lot, 145 Groton-ave., to Wm. H. Botten of Auburn, $1,200. Gideon Wright, 20 Woodruff-st., to Mrs. Elizabeth Lester of Syracuse, $1,450.
Arthur Coram, while working on the new building at the Wickwire shops Wednesday, fell a distance of sixteen feet and was seriously bruised and shaken up. No bones were broken, but he was evidently hurt internally.
Serviss & Baevier's English Stars gave a most excellent entertainment in the Cortland Opera House last Friday and Saturday evenings. Every feature was fine, and especially the cabinet mystery, which was the feature of the entertainments.
A skylight in the Normal school building fell through to the room used by Miss Bishop, one of the instructors, last Friday, precipitating the mass of snow and glass over the desk at which Miss Bishop usually sits. The teacher was fortunately absent in another room.
Another radical reform is demanded in Syracuse. The women of that city have petitioned the street railroad officials to issue an order that their conductors shall not eat onions. It seems that some of the ladies are so delicate in the olfactories that the plebian onion is a cardinal offense to their patrician blood, hence the kick. The company has no constitutional right to curtail personal liberty, hence we suggest that it provide its conductors with atomizers filled with attar of roses, oil of apple blossoms, or crushed violets, and spray every passenger who enters the cars.
The almost impassable condition of the roads prevented a large attendance at the social held by Cortlandville grange. No. 461, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Phillips, Rickard-st., last Friday evening, yet a goodly number of members and several invited guests heartily enjoyed the evening, thanks to the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Phillips.
Optician E. E. Bates, who has conducted that department for D. M. McCarthy & Co. in Syracuse until they closed it, and who is locating in the former office of Dr. Higgins in the Wallace building, has been delayed in his opening by the non-arrival of his instruments and fixtures, but expects to be ready for business next Monday. His ten years successful experience in this line are a warrant of his ability.
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