WAITING REBEL ATTACK, KODAK TRUST, OUR SCHOOLS, FIRE DRILL AT CENTRAL SCHOOL, AND TAXPAYERS MUST REGISTER

 

USS Iowa (BB-4).

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 1901.

WAITING REBEL ATTACK.

Fusion Among Panama Citizens Has Had Effect on Commerce.

   COLON, Oct. 22.—The anxious and prolonged uncertainty regarding the date upon which the insurgents will probably attack the city of Panama still exists, resulting in a wearisome tension productive of disastrous results to the commerce of the isthmus. Merchants and tradesmen of every description are complaining of the unexampled dullness of trade.

   The recent doubling of import duties on all goods and of the liquor taxes will not be likely, it is thought, to result in a proportionate increase of revenue. On the contrary, many foreign orders have been cancelled.

   The United States battleship Iowa, the British sloop of war Icarius and the French second class cruiser Protet at Panama, and the United States gunboat Machias and the French cruiser Suchet at Colon, continue to await the developments of events.

   Friday night a large number of insurgents were seen at Empire, an important railway station near Panama, but they disappeared upon the approach of [Columbian] government troops. Sunday another body of insurgents was seen at Fanfar, less than half a mile from the Laboca wharf, on the outskirts of Panama. Fanfar is where the insurgents posted their artillery when they shelled Laboca in last year's battle.

 

Dental and Veterinary Examinations.

   ALBANY, Oct. 22.—Dental and veterinary examinations for licenses to practice in this state will be held in New York city, Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo as follows: In 1902, Jan. 28 to 31; May 20 to 23, June 24 to 27; Sept. 23 to 26 and in 1903, Jan. 27 to 30.

 

Kodak Trust Now Talked Of.

   ROCHESTER, Oct. 22.—It is announced that there is talk of forming a company to merge all the important plants in the country producing cameras and photographic supplies and that papers of incorporation will probably be filed in New Jersey on Thursday, placing the capital stock at 135,000,000. George Eastman is now on his way to Europe and it is said that the Kodak Limited of England and the General Aristo of this country are among the companies to be affected.

 

Betting on New York Election.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 22.—Election betting has veered again, Edward M. Shepard, for mayor, becoming a favorite at 5 to 4 on. Recently the betters had been making bets at evens.

   Brokers who are handling wagers on the election, fearing that Shepard's health is not as good as it might be, and mindful of the confusion which followed the death of Henry George during the mayoralty campaign of 1897, are placing in their betting contracts a clause which abrogates the bet should either of the candidates die.

 

Superintendent Ferdinand E. Smith.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.

Our Schools.

   Considerable adverse criticism has been called out by the attempt which is apparently being made through the Cortland correspondence of an out of town paper to create prejudice against the proposed appropriation to provide additional facilities—which the board of education has clearly shown are sorely needed—for the education of the children of the city. No one can deny, or pretends to deny, that the lack of such facilities is the most pressing want of our city today. It is admitted that the board is compelled to rent poorly ventilated rooms in business blocks to accommodate the younger pupils. And yet it is attempted to prejudice public sentiment against voting the money necessary to give to these pupils what every child is entitled to at the hands of a civilized community—a good education amid healthful and inspiring surroundings. No good reasons can be given why this asked for appropriation should not be granted. What are the poor reasons which are urged? They are about as follows:

   First. "That if the board would force the state to provide academic instruction for the city students in the Normal school, as was agreed when the village gave to the state the site of the present Normal buildings, it would not be necessary to erect any additions to the present school building for a number of years."

   The STANDARD takes the responsibility of saying that the state never made any such alleged agreement, and cannot be '"forced" to carry it out. We know personally the circumstances which furnish all the foundation there is for the claim that such an agreement was made, and in the interest of this city and every taxpayer and child therein we wish to warn those who rely on such an alleged agreement, that any attempt to enforce it would be almost certain to deprive this city of all the privileges it now enjoys in the Normal school, and that the making of any such claims against the state as are above referred to will just as certainly put these privileges in danger. We know whereof we speak, and we wish to utter this warning in time. After the blow has fallen, discussion will be useless. We had supposed that the recent letter from the state superintendent of public instruction had put a quietus on these so called "claims" and "rights," and it is most unfortunate that this seems not to be the case.

   Furthermore, it is not in the matter of accommodations for academic pupils alone that the city is so greatly in need, but especially in accommodations for younger pupils, as those who are proposing that these claims against the state shall be enforced themselves admit.

   Second. It is claimed:

   "That if the pupils from outside the city were not allowed in the Central school that the room now taken by them would be ample for the needs of all pupils in the city, and that the board would not be obliged to rent poorly ventilated rooms in business blocks to provide for the younger pupils, who have been forced out of the Central building by the outside students, and the establishment of an academic department which should be provided in the Normal."

   Mr. F. D. Smith [F. D. Smith Hardware Co. proprietor—CC ed.], president of the board of education, informs us that there are now altogether thirty-three pupils in the city schools who are not residents of the city, and all of these are paying tuition. Of this number twenty-five have completed all the work they can possibly do in the district schools and have come to the city to take up the work in the academic department and are now enrolled in the Central school. If every one of these thirty-three pupils were dropped out it would not remove the need of more school facilities. It would drop a few pupils out of one grade and a few out of another and not clear any one room anywhere so that a new grade could be instituted. The schools would even then be greatly overcrowded. And furthermore, with the natural and healthy growth of the schools which has gone on for several years the situation would be just as bad next September as it is now, for the schools will in all probability contain next year more than thirty-three more pupils than are now registered.

   The further objection is raised that if this addition to the Central school is made it will require from $7,000 to $8,000 more for maintenance each year then the present maintenance allowance.  This is absolutely false. The increased cost of maintenance for next year is placed at $1,000, and as the school increases in numbers the maintenance may increase till it reaches $2,000, but it cannot at any time exceed $2,000 more than the present cost. It should be remembered that but one new teacher is called for next year. Three teachers already employed in emergency quarters who would be placed in the new building. One is now conducting her grade in [rented] Collins' hall, a second holds her recitations in an end of the second floor hall and a third in an end of the third floor hall of the Central school. A single additional teacher means a net cost to the city of between $300 and $400 after the state has paid its share of the maintenance. This leaves a margin of from $600 to $700 for heating and other expenses and still keeps it within the $1,000.

   The increase in tax rate as a result of this appropriation has been shown to be but $3 on $1,000 of valuation. It is not at all likely that this slight rate will keep as many people from coming into town or will drive as many residents out of town as the lack of sufficient school accommodations.

   It is a noteworthy fact also that the people who are leading the opposition to this appropriation are the ones who have not taken the pains to look up the question thoroughly and who have not consulted the facts and figures in the case, but who are talking from "hearsay" or from what others may say. It is difficult to believe that any one can acquaint himself with all the facts in the case and not be convinced that Cortland needs more school facilities.

  

EDITORIAL PAGE.

The Inflow of Foreigners.

   The report of Immigration Commissioner Thomas Fitchie of New York of the operations of his bureau for the past fiscal year show that nearly 20 per cent more immigrants landed at that port than in the fiscal year ending in 1900. Of all nationalities there came to our shores during the year 388,931 persons. The inflow from southern Italy was prodigious, there being 11,326 all told, while only 20,000 came from northern Italy. The difference between the northern Italians and the southern Italians and their relative desirability as prospective citizens are indicated by the fact that the former brought $23.52 apiece with them, while the latter brought $8.67.

   Commissioner Fitchie's figures also show that the immigration from southeastern Europe and Asia, from whence come none too desirable additions to our population, is increasing in enormous proportions. We received last year double the number of Ruthenians, Armenians and Syrians than we received the previous year and 30 per cent more Croatians and Dalmatians.

   The proportion of illiteracy among the newcomers was greatly in excess of that of previous years. The number of illiterates over fourteen years old was 107,323, or 27.60 per cent. In 1890-1900 the proportion was 23.41 per cent and the number of illiterates 79,988. A law prohibiting the incoming of people who cannot read and write their own language would have shut out, according to the commissioner, at least one-quarter of the steerage immigration.

   It is apparent that undesirable immigration is increasing and desirable immigration is decreasing, a condition which cannot be contemplated with satisfaction. Without doubt the quest ion of placing further and more rigid restrictions upon immigrants will come up at the next session of congress, and possibly something will be done to check the steadily increasing stream of undesirable incomers.

 

TAXPAYERS MUST REGISTER

If They Would Vote Upon the Special Election—One More Chance.

   City Attorney N. L. Miller has ruled that every taxpayer who votes at the special election upon the school appropriation on Wednesday, Nov. 6, must be registered. The law provides that the last registration list shall be used, but there shall also be a special extra day of registration for this election. That day has been fixed for Saturday, Oct. 26, at the regular polling places used next Tuesday for the general election and next Wednesday for the special election. This gives one more chance for registration for taxpayers who are not now registered. Register on Saturday.

 

Cortland Central School.

FIRE DRILL AT THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.

The Building Cleared in Two Minutes and Fifteen Seconds.

   An exhibition fire drill was given at the Central school this afternoon. At just twenty-five minutes past 2 o'clock the signal was sounded and in exactly two minutes and fifteen seconds the 560 pupils from the three floors of the building had inarched out in perfect order. There was not the slightest confusion on the part of either pupils or teachers. The pupils marched to the cloak rooms for their wraps and those from the upper floors passed down the stairs in double tile to the main hall and out of doors in files of four.

   The pupils had not the slightest warning that the alarm was to be sounded at this time, nor had any one in the building except Superintendent Smith. The first intimation of it was when he pulled the bell cord which sounds the alarm bell in each room. The visitors who were with him were as much surprised as any of the children for they had never seen the drill before. It was a wonderful sight. Not a bit of confusion. All the pupils marching with the precision which they would manifest in passing through the halls to a recitation. There was no excitement, no confusion. Every pupil had his or her wraps in arms, having taken them in the march through the coat rooms. It would be a great relief to parents who have children in that school to see such a drill, for it is evidenced that in case of a genuine alarm of fire no time would be lost in clearing the building, and that there would be no panic and no crowding, but that all would proceed in perfect order. And the speed was the most marvelous part of all.

 

TENTH ANNIVERSARY.

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Eastman Pleasantly Surprised.

   Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Eastman, 19 Elm-st., were given a genuine surprise by about fifty friends last evening, the occasion being the tenth anniversary of their wedding day. The company had assembled at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Jennings, and at the appointed time they moved in a body upon the house. The doors were opened by Mrs. Eastman, but in her surprise at the veranda and yard full of people before her she forgot to ask the unceremonious guests to come inside. Apparently no offense was taken from the omission, as the rooms soon filled up with the members of the party.

   During the progress of the evening Rev. W. Jasper Howell, pastor of the First Baptist church, in behalf of the company in a very appropriate speech, presented the couple with a handsome and complete dinner set, which was accepted with all the words of thanks [at] the surprise of the evening and left at the command of the estimable pair. Music was furnished by Messrs A. E. Darby and B. L. Bentley and Miss Grace Pearson, and was greatly enjoyed. Ice cream and cake were served, and altogether a delightful evening was spent by both surprisers and surprised.

   Those who were present were: Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Cobb, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Ingalls, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Beard, Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Fred W. Melvin, Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Bennett, Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Darby, Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Bentley, Mr. and Mrs. William Pearson and Miss Grace Pearson, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Jennings, Mr. and Mrs. M. J. Peck, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Potter, Dr. and Mrs. F. D. Reese, Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Starr, Mrs. Frank Cole, Miss Jessamine Ellsworth, Mrs. Asa Gates, Detroit, Mich., Mr. J. R. Eastman, Rev. W. Jasper Howell, Mr. J. F. Bosworth, Mr. E. M. Mansur, J. R. Ingalls, L. F. Ingalls, Mr. Herman Carver and Mr. George Sweetland.

 

Can't Get the Brick.

   The repairs to the Railroad st. pavement have not as yet been started by Superintendent of Public Works Becker, owing to the delay of the railroad company in getting empty cars to the Horseheads, N.Y., yards, where the order for a carload of brick for the repairs has been held for over three weeks.

 

BREVITIES.

   —A fresh coat of paint is being given the Brunswick hotel.

   —The Wide Awake Literary club will meet at the home of Mrs. P. A. Bunnell, 58 Fitz-ave., this evening.

   —The Ladies' Literary club will meet tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock at the home of Mrs. G. W. Bradford, 70 Tompkins-st.

   —The attendance at the Pan-American last Saturday, Buffalo day, was 162,652, breaking all previous records, and filling some parts of the grounds so full that locomotion was almost impossible.

   —A reception will be given by the First M. E. church on Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 10 o'clock to the new pastor and his wife, Dr. and Mrs. Keppel. A cordial invitation is extended to all.

   —New display advertisements today are—F. Daehler, Clothing, page 4; W. W. Bennett, Stoves, page 4; Opera House "The New Telephone Girl," page 5; McKinney & Doubleday, Price of Imperial Library to Increase Oct. 28, page 6.