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| Cumberland Hotel, Fifth Ave. at Broadway and 23rd Street, New York City. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 17, 1901.
TO REFUSE DEPOSITS.
SAVINGS BANKS OF THE STATE TO REFUSE RICH MEN'S DEPOSITS.
Capitalists Evade Taxation in This Way—Fortunes Made and Lost in a Day in Wall-st.—A Steeple Climber's Perilous Position—A Stubborn Tenant— One Million and a Half for a Hotel.
New York, May 15.—The Savings Banks association of the state of New York, in annual meeting last Thursday in New York, condemned the practice by wealthy persons of using the savings banks to evade taxes. A resolution was unanimously adopted that every association bank refuse all deposits where the directors are satisfied that the would-be depositor is entirely capable of taking care of his own investment and is not really caring for his savings according to the true intent of the law establishing savings banks. Charles E. Miller, president of the Savings Bank of Utica, was very severe in his criticism of the custom of rich persons in dividing their hoarded wealth in small sums and depositing it in the savings banks, and said the banks ought to be more careful in guarding against such impositions. J. H. Rhoades, president of a Savings bank in this city said: ''We are already taxed for our so-called surplus, and I am in constant fear that we shall continue to be taxed until it will be impossible for us to pay to our depositors more than 3 per cent interest. Some method must be devised by which to limit our deposits within the legitimate purpose of our savings banks. How this is to be done I don't know, but unless something is done there will soon be one thousand million dollars in the savings banks of this state, and it will be fruitless to try to convince the ordinary legislator that savings to such a large amount should be free from taxation."
Northern Pacific stock went up fifty points last Thursday, breaking all records for rapid rising, but what it did Thursday was not ''a marker,'' to what it did the next day, when it touched one thousand, making a gain of 840 points in two hours. Had it been possible to buy the stock on a margin that morning an investor might have cleaned up—provided he had bought promptly at the opening of the market and closed at noon—a sum as great as $10,000 on an investment of $100. Many fortunes were made, and very naturally others lost immense sums.
A professional steeple climber was placed in a most dangerous position last Friday, while engaged in painting a flag pole fifty feet high. He had just pulled himself to the top when the tackle on one side of his chair slipped and he pitched backward out of the seat. By good luck his foot was caught between the seat of the chair and the rope and he was saved from falling to the ground, but hung helplessly in midair, while a crowd of equally helpless spectators gathered at the foot of the pole and watched his efforts to regain his position. No thought was had of the fire ladders as a means of rescuing the man until a woman exclaimed, "The hook and ladder!" The hint was at once acted upon and an alarm sent in. Within a minute or two a truck dashed up, and by aid of an extension ladder the climber was lowered to the ground.
Col. Winfield Scott Proskey is having a novel fight with the owners of a tenement [Cumberland] on the corner of Broadway and Fifth-ave. The building is to be torn down to make room for a twenty-five story structure, and while all other tenants have vacated, Col. Proskey refuses to leave his apartment to allow the building to be torn down. On Friday last he secured an injunction completely stopping the work. The wreckers have cut away the staircase on the first floor of the apartment house and smashed the hallways. Floors are heaped with debris. Undaunted by all this, Col. Proskey has brought in a ladder by which he climbs to and from the first floor, then walks the five flights of stairs to his rooms which are on the sixth floor. Workmen who have been tearing away the building were called off yesterday. The Colonel smiled with apparent gratification as he viewed the deserted ruins.
Preliminary contracts for the sale of the Sturtevant House corner have been signed. The price to be paid for the land is $1,500,000. The plot fronts 158.1 feet on Broadway and 176.2 on Twenty-ninth-st. It is understood the buyers intend to demolish the present old six story hotel at the expiration of present leases and erect a seventeen-story office building.
The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Willie McCormick, who was supposed to have been kidnapped, has been cleared away by the finding of his body in Cromwell's creek last Friday. The lad left home March 27, and the family has received three letters demanding money from persons who said they could return him. Whether he was deliberately murdered or drowned by accident is as yet unknown—it may never be known. He was found at the foot of Ogden avenue, not three hundred yards from his own home. Though the body was much decomposed there were no apparent marks of violence. It will take the Coroner's autopsy to tell whether the boy met his death by accident or design. The alleged kidnappers had demanded that $2,000 be left at almost the exact spot where the body of the boy was found.
Crusades against thieves in Chicago and other Western cities have driven many of them to this city, and the detectives are watching them closely and are arresting them for the slightest offense.
SUPREME COURT.
Two Verdicts Against R. R. Co.—Adjournment Taken to May 28.
In the supreme court last week two verdicts were secured against the Lackawanna railroad company.
Most of our readers are familiar with the accident at Preble, N. Y., on the night of December 1, 1895, when the southbound midnight train was turned on the sidetrack and in collision with freight cars. Engineer "Dicky" Young lost his life. A portion of the wreck caught fire, which spread to the store house in which was stored over five hundred barrels of apples belonging to Henry C. Crofoot. Mr. Crofoot brought an action against the Syracuse, Binghamton and New York Railroad Company to recover $2,000 damages for the loss of his apples and buildings, and after a trial lasting two days the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in the full sum demanded. John S. Conway, assisted by John Courtney, Jr., for plaintiff. Jenney & Jenney for defendant.
The second case was that of Alice M. Purchase against the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company, the circumstances of which first appeared in the Democrat. The plaintiff on July 1 last bought of the Cook Tourist company a ticket, costing $80 which entitled her to become a member of a tourist party that was to sail from New York at noon July 4 on the steamer Majestic. On July 3 the plaintiff also purchased a ticket on the D., L. & W. railroad to New York and left Cortland at 11:20 p. m. for New York on a train which was due to reach that city at about 7 o'clock the following morning.
Between Scranton and New York a wreck occurred which caused a delay of five hours. The plaintiff then made known the importance of her mission to the conductor and requested to be transferred to another train which would arrive in New York on time. This, she claims, the conductor refused to do. When she finally did reach New York the Majestic had sailed and she was obliged to stay in that city a week. She was also compelled to purchase another steamship ticket and was deprived of the society of her friends during the journey. The jury gave plaintiff a verdict of $56.25. Dougherty & Miller for plaintiff. Jenney & Jenney for defendants.
Saturday afternoon the court adjourned until Monday, May 28, when it will convene to hear equity cases.
KILLED AT HARFORD, N. Y.
Joseph Townsend, Recently of Cortland, Run Over by the Cars.
A fatal accident occurred at Harford last Saturday evening by which Joseph Townsend, a colored man, met his death. Townsend was 22 years old, and was quite well known in Cortland, having been employed the past winter at the Winter Garden in Orchard-st. Rev. Geo. C. Smith, pastor of Zion M. E. church, has known young Townsend from his youth up.
During the week he had been working for Frank Johnson in Harford, and the last time he was seen alive was at Dryden lake Saturday afternoon, where he was fishing. He was run over near the Willow crossing, about a mile and a half north from Harford. In one of his pockets was found a letter from a brother in Pennsylvania, a box of tablets, a broken bottle which might have contained medicine, and a tea spoon.
Coroner E. M. Santee of Cortland was notified, and he had the remains, which were horribly mutilated, removed to Cortland in Wright's undertaking rooms, where they were viewed by the coroner on Sunday.
The inquest will be held at Harford tomorrow.
The Dryden Herald says that ''it is known that the dead man had a watch and some money, but none of it was found on his body. Foul play is suspected because of this, and the fact that he had not been drinking and his struggles on the track give the affair an ugly appearance."
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| James Costello in uniform. |
BELL DID NOT RING.
ANOTHER ARGUMENT FOR NEW FIRE ALARM WIRES.
Narrow Escape of Family From Death—House Completely Gutted and Entire Contents Destroyed—Lamp Left Burning Supposed to Have Caused the Fire—Only One Line of Hose Laid.
R. G. Brown, a tailor in the employ of F. Daehler, was awakened by the cry of his baby about 1:30 a. m. Tuesday. On going down stairs for a glass of water he found the lower rooms filled with smoke. He called to his wife to bring down the baby and she started but was overcome and swooned, dropping the baby. Mr. Brown broke a window on the porch [roof] and carried the baby and wife to safety.
They reside at No. 34 Cleveland-st. and he pulled the alarm box near the Wickwire Roller mills. The bell did not ring in response, but the indicators at each hose house and Electrician Costello's residence did. The latter hastened to Fireman's hall and pulled box 313. Mr. Brown threw his trousers out a window, otherwise the family saved nothing but their night clothing.
It was a long run and a thousand feet of hose were necessary to reach the burning building. Meantime, nothing could be saved and the entire inside was gutted, though short work was made after the department arrived.
Mr. Costello had worked till after midnight repairing trouble on the fire alarm wires and this is no unusual thing either, for it requires daily care. Had he been less watchful, not even the indicators would have worked. An extensive overhauling should be given the entire system and the wires placed above all others. Mr. Brown had an insurance of $600 placed through E.W. Bates.
The New Dog Law.
The board of supervisors of Cortland county at its next annual session will have an opportunity to immortalize itself and bring down upon its members the blessings of the entire county except—
A law passed at the recent session of the [state] legislature, entitled "An act to amend the county law in relation to the registration of dogs,'' provides that the board of supervisors of any county may, by resolution, determine that the provisions of the act shall apply to the county and after the adoption of this act by any board of supervisors, no dog taxes shall be collected but every person owning or harboring a dog over four months old shall pay to the clerk of the town the registration fee, the amount of which the board of supervisors may decide, and shall be furnished with a tag to be worn by the dog at all times during the year for which the fee was paid.
When it is brought to the attention of the town clerk that there is any dog upon which the fee has not been paid, he shall direct a constable to take such dog into his possession. Every person who shall fail to pay the registration fee or who shall knowingly permit his dog to run at large without the tag, shall forfeit the sum of $5, to be recovered by an action before a justice of the peace. In the event of the failure to collect the judgment, the justice shall direct the constable to take the dog into his possession and shoot it.
Thirty days after the date specified on which the ordinance shall take effect, the constable of each town may seize any dog running at large without a tag, and must post a notice in the office of the town clerk, containing a description of the dog and a statement of the seizure, and 72 hours after posting the notice he must shoot the dog unless it is registered, the fee paid and in addition, $2 for the constable fees.
After deducting the fees, the town clerk must turn over to the supervisor of the town all money collected, and it shall be applied to the same purpose as provided by the law with respect to the taxes collected on dogs.
If the board of supervisors adopt an ordinance of this nature, it will be impossible for persons to escape paying taxes on their dogs by shipping them away when it is time for the assessors to come around, as has been done in the past.
NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
News Gathered and Condensed From Our Wide-Awake Exchanges.
Canastota children planted one hundred trees on Arbor day.
F. J. Connell of DeRuyter has sold $610 worth of pork from his farms during the year.
Batavia ladies have raised nearly $12,000 in the last year, with which to build and equip a public hospital in that village.
Oneonta bonded in 1889 to the extent of $20,000 for wood pavement. The pavement is worn out but the bonds are as good as new.
It is said that 7,000 bull-heads are caught daily at Carr's cove, south of Union Springs, with hook and line. That's the place for us.
Women voted at a special election in Silver Creek, Friday, on an electric light proposition. They are believed to have been the first in the state to take advantage of the new law.
While employes [sic] of a Rochester optical works were testing powerful field glasses they saw a man on the river flats, leading a little girl who was trying to escape. They telephoned the police and the kidnapper was captured.
Out of town parties are looking for a farm of two hundred or three hundred acres near Goshen to be used for the raising of Angora goats. If such a place can be secured this will be a new industry for Orange county.
The salt trust has sold its LeRoy plant, one of the few in Western New York that it has continued in operation, to the new independent company backed by the Dold meat packing concern, which is about to build an extensive plant near the same property.
Delhi is feeling the effects of commercial disasters in the loss of its population as well as along financial lines, says an exchange. During the two weeks about April 1, twenty-two families moved out, and more are to follow.
In an express office at Port Jervis the other evening a barrel of yeast that had been shipped to a brewing company there exploded. Everything in the room was covered with the stuff and the express messenger looked as if he had been dipped in a tub of fresh mortar.
Frank Pock, a farmer near Wayland, pulled the pump out of his 34-foot well and went down to clean it out. He was immediately overcome by the poisonous gas at the bottom and his son went to his assistance, with the same result. Both were dead when taken out.
The contract for building a new brick structure for school purposes at Whitney's Point, in place of the one destroyed by fire early in the spring, has been let to W. D. Cross of Oswego Falls, whose bid of $12,220 was the lowest. The heating and ventilating contract was given to an Elmira firm for $1,300.
THE CITY COLD STORAGE.
A Valuable Industry for the City of Cortland.
A year ago this month the Democrat gave an extended description of the then new cold storage plant established by T. E. Dye in the large brick block at the corner of Elm and Pomeroy-sts. Since that time the capacity of the plant has been so greatly enlarged that the floor space is about double what it was a year ago. The entire building is now occupied by Mr. Dye, except the store on the east side of the first floor. The extra space in the basement, and on the second floor is devoted to cold storage, the process of which was thus described a year ago, and which is precisely the same now, except that the capacity is doubled:
When Mr. Dye bought the large brick structure known as the Stevenson block on the corner of Elm and Pomeroy-sts., for the purpose of cold storage, he wisely decided to economize in room and future expense by placing one of the most perfect plants for keeping rooms cold that could be procured, and has succeeded beyond measure.
Mr. Dye uses the entire west half of the block from basement to top, renting the remainder for business purposes and for missions. In the basement he has three rooms for butter storage, with a capacity of 4,000 tubs. These are cooled by a series of pipes containing a solution of chloride of calcium brine, the thermometer being forced down to 15 degrees. Ugh! The floors are grouted and the air perfectly dry.
On the first and second floors are six rooms for the storage of eggs, the whole holding, when filled, about 11,000 cases or 330,000 dozen, enough to supply Cortland with poached eggs for several days. These egg rooms are cooled by a steady circulation of cold air instead of brine, and the temperature is kept at about 30 degrees.
Each room is furnished with an electric light which is operated by a button outside the door. An elevator runs from the basement to the upper floor, making transportation easy to any part of the building.
The system of making the solution is difficult to describe. In the engine room are series of drums, the first of which is filled with ammonia, heated by coils of steam passing through it, and the gas arising from this is forced by a most novel pump through a series of pipes to the brine. The cold air is formed by a series of bunkers on the top floor, filled with brine, which makes a terribly cold air, and which is forced into the egg rooms through a system of openings arranged for the purpose.
The entire system is as near perfection as can possibly be made, and Mr. Dye is entitled to credit for supplying notch a plant, which is a valuable addition to the city's business interests. He not only uses the storage room for his own trade, which covers thousands of eggs and a large quantity of butter, but is ready to rent room in the cold storage to anyone on reasonable terms. He very properly styles his plant as the City cold storage.
The quantity of eggs in the various rooms last week was simply immense, Mr. Dye having a large stock on hand, and various shippers also hiring storage room.
Fruit trees are promising a wonderful yield if we may judge by blossoms.
Mr. Elias Livermore, one of our town's nonagenarians, was called to the "Better Land" Monday morning, May 13. Funeral services at German church, his former home. The subject of this notice was born in Chenango Co., April 15, 1807, and was one of a family of thirteen, of whom only one brother, Palmer Livermore of Wisconsin survives him. Mr. Livermore has been married twice and reared a family of twelve children, three by the first wife, only one, Darius of Chicago, living; and nine of his second, of whom five are living, Manly, DeForest, Jerome, Mrs. Addison Whitmore and Mrs. Jennie Wiles, with whom he has lived since last December, and where he died, tenderly cared for by loving filial hands. Many relatives are left to mourn, but not as one without hope. His faith and hope in God was clear, trusting in our Father's love up to within a day or two of his death. Let the dear ones left to mourn trust in his promise, '"Even as a mother comforteth her children, so will I comfort you."
Rev. J. B. Wilson and wife are in Binghamton to-day.
Will Kingman of Binghamton, formerly of Cincinnatus, and an old schoolmate, was calling in the interest of marble dealers of that city of whom he is agent.
Julia Nichols of Gee Brook visited friends in town Sunday.
A. E. Ingersoll comes down to see old friends and say "how d' do" often.
The Willet Juniors were in Smithville Saturday last and played a game of ball, score 9 to 1 in favor of the Juniors. Hurrah for our plucky young boys!
The Home Telephone team took it in their heads to have a runaway Saturday just as the last pole was being set near S. C. Dyer's store. They ran astride a tree near Charles Finn's shop, breaking tongue, whiffletrees, etc. No damage to the team. It seems they tried to run the day before, so it is an old trick. The 'phone is here and the office is located in Albert Bolt's store.
Willet begins to think she is out of her knee pants, as it were, and can compete with her sister villages that have had on long pants first. Just you fellows wait till we get things in good working order to hum.
There is a millinery shop established one day in a week at Mrs. John Tennant's home by Mrs. Purdy of Smithville.
Mr. Eaton expects to go to Sidney, Delaware county, to-day on business.
Ogden Burlingame was in Cortland all last week.
Mrs. Wesley Maine has been very ill the past week with rheumatism. She is a little better at this date.
Frank Livermore and family of East McDonough were at D. A. Wiles one day. Were to go to Killawog to see his twin brother Fred but found the house and family quarantined--scarlet fever. They were not allowed to see their brother and came home the next day. It is the only case in the town. Physicians think germs were brought in milk, as he works in the milk depot. Let others who are handling milk look sharp, as many contagious diseases may be carried through this same agency. Handling cans by every one is a sure way, some think, of spreading such disease germs.
Let us kindly criticize our fellow mortals, for we are all liable to make mistakes.
A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stirreth up anger.
It is more in the way we say a thing than in what we say, that counts.
There is need of all of us studying and practicing daily, the 13th chap. I Corinthians: what say you, fellow correspondents?
Mrs. Josephine Riddell has been quite sick at her brother's, W. Bourne's. Mrs. Sleight, her daughter from Wisconsin, is visiting her. Dr. McBirney was called to prescribe.
Miss Clara Jones visited her mother in Syracuse Saturday, returning to her school duties Sunday afternoon.
Miss Minnie Jones was down the [Otselic] river Sunday, and called on Mr. and Mrs. Leon Palmer. Corry G. Eaton is carrying a fine line of farming implements, the "McCormick," and that is good guarantee of fine quality.
HERE AND THERE.
Cortland had its usual circus rain last Saturday. A circus is a regular hoo-doo to this place.
It was currently reported on the street Sunday morning that one of Sig. Sautelles employees had received injuries in a brawl from which he had died. The brawl occurred, but we have no obituary to write up, as the fellow was able to join the circus at DeRuyter Monday afternoon.
The supervisors of the several towns in Cortland county have received the school money from the state.
Like May, 1900, the present month is a time of cold winds more suggestive of late autumn than spring. But June is coming.
The mail carriers with their new grey derbys have more the appearance of gentlemen of leisure than of working men. But they have to get there just the same.
The agricultural department reports that insects are destroying the crops in various parts of the country. Formerly the birds destroyed the insects, but the farmer has destroyed the birds, and now he must do their work himself or go hungry.
Probably the most persistent reader of the Democrat now living is Mr. D. R. Price, whose post-office address is Cortland. That gentleman first subscribed to this paper in 1841, and with the exception of the year 1848 he has taken the Democrat ever since. It is needless to add that Mr. Price is a good judge of what constitutes a perfect newspaper.
At last Monday's session of the Cortland County Ministerial association, the question of place of holding the annual meeting and banquet came up. One of the piscatorial ministers suggested that the banquet be held at the Raymond house in Little York, and that as a diversion they should choose sides and have a fishing contest on the lake. The suggestion found immediate favor and will be acted upon. After this contest the congregations over which these pastors preside must not be surprised if they hear a few fish stories from the pulpits fully equal to the Whale-Jonah story.—Homer Republican.
What ails the ministers anyway? We have heretofore referred to the fact that Cortland has four unmarried clergymen, and the following clipping from the Sun conveys the information that Norwich is in the same predicament: "Norwich has so many ministers that have not yet entered into the joys and sorrows of matrimony that the trustees of some of the churches have been obliged to find tenants for their parsonages.'' By a strange coincidence, one of the Norwich candidates for matrimonial favor is pastor of the First Baptist church, being in the same category with—well, with Cortland.
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