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| John Arbuckle. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 26, 1901.
BIG OIL SHIP AFIRE.
480,000 GALLONS OF KEROSENE OIL FORCED CREW TO FLEE.
Ship Had Just Sailed for Hong-Kong—A Strange Trolley Car Tie-up— Arbuckle's Novel Floating Hotel Proves a Success—Thousands of People Sleep on the Sands of Coney Island.
New York, July 23.—A sad disaster befell the clipper ship T. H. Allen last Thursday, some 80,000 six-gallon cases of kerosene oil in the hold and between decks taking fire as the ship was spreading her wings for Hong Kong. A line of blue smoke was seen curling from the after hatch as the ship was still in tow of a tug, and the captain at once shouted to nine seaman who were aloft, ''Comedown, boys. Keep cool, men. The ship is on fire, but everything will be all right.'' Preparations were at once made to remove everything in the way of furniture to the tug and save the crew, which was done successfully and the ship was beached near Sandy Hook. The vessel will be a total wreck. When fire broke out the scene was a magnificent one, the flames rising to a great height, and above it was a volume of black smoke that filled the heavens for a great distance.
John Arbuckle has put into commission one of his novel fleet of floating hotels that is to ply to and from New York by night to give heat-troubled New Yorkers an opportunity to effectively cool off while sleeping. It is planned to have four vessels moored by day at the foot of Twenty-third street and the Hudson. At nightfall, when all the patrons are aboard, the fleet will start on short cruises up the Hudson, out and beyond Sandy Hook Lightship, along the Jersey coast or up the Sound, always, however, returning so as to land the patrons either at the Battery or Twenty-third street by seven o'clock in the morning. The tug will tow when necessary. Mr. Arbuckle purposes running his three ships in all respects like a first-class hotel, intending them for the mass of New Yorkers unable to get out of the city in the dog days. The first trip was made last Thursday night, the start being made at 6 o'clock. At 7 o'clock dinner was served, the table being waited on by girls and the dinner served was such as one would expect to find in some old New England farm-house. The vessel lay at anchor near Sandy Hook all night and the return trip was made at 5:30 o'clock the next morning. An excellent breakfast was served aboard the boat, and Mr. Arbuckle's guests were then taken ashore on the tug. A vote of thanks was given Mr. Arbuckle for the night's outing. Mr. Arbuckle's plan is to run his hotel fleet out to sea every night. On Saturday nights extended trips will be made lasting over Sunday. The price for a week in one of the hotel ships will be $12, which pays for berth, breakfast and dinner, and one day's board will be $2.50 The Sunday trip will cost $5.
A thousand men and more sleep in the open air on the sands of Coney Island whenever the heat is as it has been for some days past. They lie side by side, with their feet toward the ocean, and their faces upturned, to the sky. Policemen patrol about them ceaselessly, so that no robbery or other forms of violence may occur. Many of them are engaged in various occupations in and about Coney, while many others have come down from the city to escape the heat and noise of their usual resting places. At 4 or 5 in the morning these awaken, take a wash of face and hands in the surf, and then climb aboard the cars and set their faces toward the city.
In their fight for clean work rooms, shorter hours and more pay, 30,000 sweatshop clothing makers went on strike Sunday, and 20,000 more went out yesterday. A contractor, commenting on the strike, made this consoling statement: "If these people have grievances, why don't they make them known? They are so happy that they don't know what they want. Just think of it. They only work from 6 a. m. to 1 p. m. and get $6 a week. What more do they want?"
Five giant tortoises in the Bronx Park zoo, first exhibited yesterday, caused as much excitement among the visitors as all the other animals together. One patriarch, that has lived not less than 200 years and even the scientists do not know how much longer, is the leader. He weighs 420 pounds, and with his followers spent the greater part of the day sleeping, occasionally sticking out his head to look things over. The five weigh 1,000 pounds and cost a dollar a pound. The largest one has been named "Toto," and is eighteen inches thick, four feet long, three feet wide, and his head is seven feet in diameter. Never before has an exhibit of new animals attracted such attention. All day their enclosures across from the reptile house were surrounded by a curious crowd. The tortoises particularly interested the children, who watched them with wonder and awe.
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| Patsy Conway and the Ithaca Band. |
RARE TREAT FOR CORTLAND.
Ithaca Band to Give Free Concerts Next Thursday at the Park.
The people of Cortland, and we might add Homer and McGrawville as well, will have an opportunity next Thursday, August 1, to enjoy one feature of Pan-Americanism, and a delightful feature it will be, at no expense to themselves. At the great Buffalo Exposition the electric display and band music vie with each other in snaring the honors and winning the plaudits of the multitude who visit the grounds, one or two bands of world-wide reputation being present every day.
On the 5th of August the celebrated Ithaca band, under the leadership of P. Conway, a prime favorite with Cortland and Homer people, will leave for the Pan-American, under an engagement with the management.
While this band with its usual personnel of forty players ranks high as a musical organization, it has been strengthened for the occasion by the engagement of five special soloists from New York city, among them being Mr. Zeigler, the greatest clarinet player in the United States, and Mr. Zimmerman, a great trombone player formerly with Sousa.
On Thursday next, August 1, this entire band, including the specialists referred to, will give two free concerts at the Cortland park, one at 3 :30 in the afternoon and the other at 8:15 in the evening. The Cortland County Traction company will be at considerable expense in securing the band, and it is likely to be a losing venture, but appreciating the very liberal patronage given by the people of this city, Homer and McGrawville, the management, with a spirit of liberality that is worthy of praise, decided to return the compliment by giving them a rare treat.
Previous to going to the park the band will march from the Messenger House to the Cortland House, giving a few selections on the route.
OUR LADY REPORTER.
Many Little Things Picked Up Which The Editor Overlooks.
This is "the day 1 long have sought"—picnic.
As yet cherries are a scarce article in Cortland.
Prospect-st. can beat the world raising sweet peas.
There seems to be plenty of tagless dogs about town yet.
I hope there will be no scrap between Scott and South Cortland [reporters] at the picnic to-day.
Our manufacturing industries are not talking vacation to any great extent this season.
Three Cortland people enjoyed the forced hospitality of Cincinnatus last Friday night, just because they missed the return train.
One of our city physicians informs me that there is less sickness in Cortland at present than at any time for the past two years.
One of our citizens some time ago sowed a quantity of seed on his newly prepared lawn, and he has now a large quantity of turnip plants.
An apiarist claims to have produced a stingless bee. I don't care anything about that, but I wish some scientific humanitarian would produce wingless mosquitoes.
I verily believe more newspapers are taken and read in Cortland than in any other city of like size in the state. Our mechanics and shop hands are great readers.
The late Dr. H. A. Bolles probably little thought that his favorite Maplewood park would so soon be the scene of business activity as will be apparent in the near future.
The observation train to Cincinnatus and return is a bonanza for young fellows and their best girls. My, but how they do hang to each other to keep from falling from the high trestle.
Some of our Cortland people do not just fancy having the new Lackawanna freight depot obstruct the view of the passenger station from the west, but what are they going to do about it?
A woman has been appointed a major general of the Georgia militia, and another woman out on the Pacific coast is coining money by piloting ships into harbors. Oh, we women are getting there in fine shape.
A farmer near McLean was mildly chided last Monday for working at haying on Sunday. He eased his conscience by saying that he worked out of sight of the highway, and when he swore he did so in a low tone of voice.
A lady whose name I will not give was hurt Saturday evening in a fall from her wheel, occasioned by the defective brick pavement at the junction of Church and Railroad-sts. Suppose she had been seriously injured; wouldn't she have had a clear case for damages against the city?
A good old colored lady of Cortland was much mystified one day last week because she could not mail a letter in one of the many penny-in-the-slot gum machines fastened up about town. "Foh de Lawd's sake, wha' is dis letter box?" she exclaimed. A bystander explained the situation and she moved on.
By the way, I wonder if the people of Cortland realize how much modern science has been doing with electricity to make life bearable in hot weather. When you can't stand the heat a minute more, you go out to the corner and hail a trolley car and when you've gone to Homer and return, or to the park, or to McGrawville, you feel as cool as a cucumber. It would be too unbearably hot eating at some of our restaurants but for the electric fans that buzz their cooling breezes across the table. Then the electric lights are a great comfort in summer, sending out less than half the heat generated by the oil lamps, and considerably less than the gas burners. Moreover, there is the telephone that saves yon many a long walk and hurried errand these hot days. While you're grumbling over the weather you might be counting up your mercies.
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| Historic Scott hotel. |
A Trip to Scott, N. Y.
There are many interesting drives leading out of the city of Cortland and among the most prominent of them will be found the one leading to Scott and Glen Haven. This is not only a decided favorite for our horsemen, but for the bicyclists as well, because in either case the pleasure seekers are always fully repaid if they continue on to the end of the journey, and they generally do so by a refreshing dip in the cool spring waters of Skaneateles lake, or resting in some shady, sheltered nook at Glen Haven, or in one of the numerous cottages there.
During the past week a representative of the Democrat, after bidding a fond good bye to the Young Lady Reporter whom he knew would forget him after attending the correspondents' picnic this week, and meeting with such favorite "lady killers" that hail from the towns of Cincinnatus, Taylor, Marathon, German, Dresserville, North Pitcher. Lincklaen and Blodgett Mills, he took the stage at the Messenger House at 10 a. m. and after touching for a "water" at Homer, was soon under full steam for Scott. The day was very pleasant and the driver speeding along the highway at a very remarkable high rate soon left Atwater cemetery in the hazy distance and drew away towards Scott at a speed considerable faster than four miles an hour. The effect of this was exhilarating to both passengers and beasts. Troubles and cares were cast to the "four winds of Heaven'' for the time being. Mothers-in-law were even regretfully forgotten as we flew along the roadway, between Cortland and Scott, and by the time Scott was reached, as it eventually was, a feeling of good fellow-ship prevailed that will take years to ever forget by those who were on board.
One of the first impressions a stranger gets upon entering Scott is that for a small town it has one of the pleasantest looking hotels in the country. This is a fact. William J. Roach, a former resident of Cortland, is the genial proprietor and bids yon a cheery welcome, making you feel at home at once.
The village of Scott is a lengthy one extending about a mile up the highway. It contains about 50 homes all told, some containing two families. Two churches, the M. E. church, Rev. E. E. Merring pastor, and the Seventh Day Baptist, Rev. J. T. Davis pastor, are both fine looking buildings and ornaments to the place. Henry Palmer of Palmer Bros., formerly of McGrawville and Cortland, is postmaster and conducts a general store there. He is a genial fellow and a pleasant man to meet. Ransom Simpson has a barber shop and cigar store there. "Ran" is a thoroughly good fellow, a good barber, a good well, we will say "historian;" that is, has a good memory. Don't leave the town without seeing some of the finest Belgian hares there are in the country, pedigreed stock and perfect beauties. They are owned by Mrs. E. W. Childs, who will be pleased to show them to you. A fine creamery is located here, which is run by W. J. Parry. This creamery has added late improvements and has one of the best records in the country for butter and cheese. At present they are making full cream cheese. Blacksmith Babcock stands ready to shoe your horse on short notice or do anything in his line. By the way, Scott is the home of Squire Hunt, the inventor of the barbed wire fence, a very modest sort of a man for one who is entitled to so much credit today for the invention he has made. Mr. Hunt is a very pleasant gentleman to meet.
Next week the Democrat will contain an interesting article on "Early Days in Scott," which will be followed by photos of some of its leading men.
This Horse Wears Trimmed Hat.
It has remained for Frank Hilligus, driver for the Palace Star laundry, to trim the hat worn by his horse with a wreath of artificial red roses and big bows of ribbon. It must be admitted that the effect is somewhat startling, but it is not by any means a certainty that it is displeasing to the horse. We do not know why any self-respecting old mare should not wear a proper bonnet, trimmed in good taste with the latest creations of the milliner's art. It certainly adds picturequesness to the panorama of the street and opens a new field of endeavor and also a new field in which the lovers of the aesthetic may strive to excel and appear to quite as good advantage as do women folks at Easter time.
PAGE FOUR—BRIEF EDITORIALS.
A drouth is finishing the work of destruction in Kansas which Carrie Nation began.
The insurance companies have discovered that the expectancy of life is on the increase.
Is there not danger that the horses which are wearing hats just now will demand ear mufflers this winter?
Cortland, with all its heat, is a paradise compared with Columbia, Mo., where the thermometer stood 111 F. in the shade. Whew!
In some parts of the West they are sending up dynamite for rain; in others they are sending up prayers. All hope for the same results.
The Republican boss of Cortland county has, it is said, nearly decided whom he will allow to become candidate for county judge. After his decision is handed down none others need apply.
The business of the country holds up well, despite the recent adverse influences of heat, drouth and strikes. We are in prosperous times, due to Providence, and not to politics, and may the nation's enjoyment of the blessings of abundance be long.
Sampson got his head on the Santiago medal, but we notice that the public continues to place Schley ahead of Sampson in the column of praise. Better to be honored by the people, than by an autocratic naval clique. The people are generally right, and as a consequence cliques are usually wrong because it serves their purpose better than being right.
Charles M. Schwab.
Schwab's Salary.
The story that Charles M. Schwab, as president of the United States Steel Trust is to receive an annual salary of one million is now explained. It is said that about two years ago Mr. Schwab had an offer to go to Germany and take charge of a large steel business, at a salary much in excess of what he was getting as president of the Carnegie Company. He refused the offer, and said nothing about it, but Mr. Carnegie finally heard of it and at once insisted that Mr. Schwab should sign a contract giving him $1,000,000 for five years. Schwab, however, never drew more than $200,000 against that salary during the two years, put to the merging of the Carnegie company in the steel trust.
When the organizers of the latter found the Carnegie company thus bound to pay Schwab $4,800,000 within three years, they hesitated. Even a billion dollar steel trust, it was feared, could not afford to carry such a load for a single salary. When Schwab heard of what was going on, he took his salary contract to Mr. Morgan and tore it up in his presence, declaring that it was based on sentiment, and that no man could be worth so much to any business. This obstacle out of the way, the trust was formed. Morgan afterward told Carnegie of Schwab's action, and the latter promptly drew a check for $4,800,000, which he sent to Schwab.
This is said to explain the reports that the steel trust is paying Schwab $1,000,000 a year. As a matter of fact, says the narrator of this story—attributed indirectly to Mr. Morgan—he is being paid no more than many good railroad presidents receive.—Albany Argus.
HERE AND THERE.
The weather suddenly took a turn for the better last Friday night.
The man who wears a plug hat when it is 95 in the shade can't expect to receive much sympathy.
Save your bottles. Fifty manufacturers of glass bottles have formed a combination with a capital of $30,000,000 and will proceed to put up the price.
The famous Umpville fire brigade of Binghamton, which created much merriment in Cortland during the last firemen's convention held in this city, disbanded last week.
Small potatoes are not to be sneezed at any longer. They are all used in the starch factories. About 16,600 tons of potato starch is made in this country every year. Here is where the small potato is just as good, so far as it goes, as the big one.
Owing to complaints alleging that mail carriers on free rural routes were fast becoming peddlers, Superintendent Machen of the free delivery service of the post office department, will issue an order prohibiting all carriers of rural free delivery mail engaging in any other business.
An exchange truthfully remarks: A lawyer in a court room may call a man a liar, scoundrel, villain, or a thief, and no one will make a complaint when court adjourns. If a newspaper prints such reflections on a man's character, there is a libel suit or a dead editor. This is owing to the fact that the people believe what an editor says. What lawyers say cuts no figure.
The higher standard of qualifications now demanded of teachers has had the effect of decreasing their number and instead of hunting for schools, the schools now often have to hunt teachers, with the result that there has been a sharp increase in the wages paid. This is shown in the report of the state superintendent of public instruction, which give the average rate of teachers' wages as$664.78 per year, an increase of $64.28 over the preceding year, which showed an increase of $23.75 and the year before that one of $2.32.
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| Sig Sautelle. |
SIG SAUTELLE'S LIONESS.
Escapes and Creates Great Excitement in Bridgeport, Conn.
A dispatch from Bridgeport, Conn., says that on Thursday last all Bridgeport was aroused by the alarmed cries of the attendants of Sautelle's circus in their pursuit of Eva, a lioness. The showmen were eating breakfast when a milkman's cart came rumbling up, the driver's hair and whiskers standing in all angles.
"For heaven's sake, catch your runaway lion," was his salutation.
This was the first notice the showmen had of the animals escape and a posse was organized instantly. The milkman said the lioness was seen last by him running through Broad-st., and thither the showmen ran, followed by men and boys in all stages of undress. Tracks of the animal were found on Broad-st. where if had frightened another milk cart horse, and cans of milk, pieces of wagon and bottles were strewn along the street.
The animal was heard running about in the A. M. E. Zion church at Broad and Gregory-sts. The doors had been left open. The showmen surrounded the building while Fred Maguire, a rough rider, stationed himself at the door with a lariat. The attention of the animal was attracted to the open door, and as she made for it with long leaps Maguire lassoed the animal and in a few minutes the lioness was made secure. She became docile and was led back to her cage.
The escape of the animal is unexplained, but it is believed that a man who had been dismissed from the show left the door unsecured.
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