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| Carlos Alban. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 1901.
ALBAN MARCHING ON.
Lack of Ammunition Forces Liberals to Retreat.
CONSERVATIVES LOST HEAVILY.
Took Barbacoa Bridge at Great Sacrifice—Resting at Tavernilla Before Decisive Battle at Colon—Columbian Gunboat Lands 500 Troops to Join Albans Force.
COLON, Nov. 27.—An overdue passenger train with a marine guard on board which arrived here yesterday afternoon brought news to the effect that General Alban, with about 300 government troops, has crossed Barbacoa bridge and is continuing his march to Colon. He is now at Tavernilla, where he is resting.
The Liberal forces continue to retreat before him. They explain their retreat by saying they have no ammunition.
All of the fighting yesterday occurred at Barbacoa bridge. Passengers by the delayed train assert that fully 100 Conservatives were killed and wounded during the fighting there and that the Liberal losses were insignificant. The Liberals are now approaching Gatun station, about five miles from Colon, and it is believed a decisive engagement will probably be fought at Monkey Hill cemetery, distant one mile from the limits of Colon.
The trains which left here yesterday afternoon for Panama with the Iowa marines and the passengers from the steamer Orizaba were delayed in transit but reached Panama safely.
Reports current here that the General Pinzon had bombarded Porto Bello have been found, upon investigation, to be unreliable and not authentic.
TROOPS DISEMBARKED.
Colombian Gunboat Lands 500 Men Who Will Join General Alban.
COLON, Nov. 27.—The Colombian gunboat General Pinzon reappeared in Colon harbor yesterday. Her commander said there were only 100 men out of the original 600 troops carried by the vessel now on board the gunboat. The balance had been landed at Porto Belie, about 10 miles distant from Colon. The presumption is that the 500 men are marching overland to join the government forces under General Alban. The ground they have to cover is difficult and the troops will doubtless occupy a few days in reaching their destination.
The Liberal forces control San Pablo station and, Barbacoa, where there is a long bridge over the Chagres river. This is a critical point, offering the Liberals a splendid means of attack when the government forces attempt to cross it. It is generally admitted that if General Alban succeeds in crossing the river at Barbacoa his march towards Colon will afterwards be an easy task. General Lugo, the Liberal commander, is at Barbacoa.
The Liberals retreated from Emperador owing to lack of ammunition. They admit having lost 60 men in killed and wounded at Emperador and that among the number was Colonel Oyas. But they claim that the government loss was over 150 men in killed and wounded.
The armored train which went over the railroad having on board Captain Perry of the Iowa and machine guns and flying the American flag, was sent as a demonstrative force and will not be continued daily. Passenger trains, however, will still carry a guard.
Transit across the isthmus is open. [See Columbia civil war—CC ed.]
No Crime to Organize a Union.
JAMESTOWN, N. Y., Nov. 27.—George M. Guntner of Boston, general organizer of the International Union of Woodworkers, who was indicted by the Chautauqua grand jury as a public nuisance, was discharged yesterday by order of Judge Fisher. Guntner was indicted on account of his work in this city in endeavoring to organize a branch of the Woodworkers' union. The case has attracted wide attention in labor circles. Judge Fisher in giving his opinion says the allegations contained in the indictment, which were admittedly true, do not constitute the crime charged.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
THE EQUALIZATION COMMITTEE SUBMITS ITS REPORT.
Question Regarding Good Roads and Working of Prisoners Discussed by the Board—Cortland Hospital Asks Aid for Its Indigent Patients—Strong Plea by Attorney B. T. Wright.
The board of supervisors convened at the usual hour on Tuesday morning, the thirteenth day of the session.
On motion of Mr. Kingsley, Dr. W. J. Moore was appointed jail physician for the coming year.
On motion of Mr. Phelps:
Resolved, That a committee of one be appointed who shall have in charge the purchase of all the coal for the use of the county buildings, and that the sum of $750, or as much thereof as may be necessary, be appropriated for the purchase of such coal.
On motion of Mr. Shuler:
Resolved, That the supervisors of the several towns each be empowered and directed to levy upon the taxable property of the road districts of his town such amounts as may be due on the road scrapers, which have been purchased by such road districts.
The clerk read a communication from D. L. Bliss saying that he had understood that the board was looking for land for a suitable place for the erection of a building in which county prisoners could be kept while breaking stone. He had land on Clinton-ave. and Rickard-st. just east of the laundry that would be suitable and he would be glad to rent it.
The following resolution was introduced by Mr. Phelps:
WHEREAS. The measures adopted by the board of supervisors of 1900 to comply with the law, requiring that prisoners sentenced to the county jail be kept employed, does not seem to meet the conditions existing in our county, and
WHEREAS, This board believes it to be not only its duty, but better for the prisoners themselves, as well as for the taxpayers of the entire county that said law be enforced, therefore:
Resolved, That the committee known as the good roads committee to whom was assigned the duty of arranging for the employment of the prisoners be authorized to procure by rental land located near enough the county jail for the purpose intended and erect thereon an enclosure that shall include a building that will afford shelter from storms, and shall provide such tools and implements as may be necessary for the use of such prisoners to keep them employed in such a manner as the law directs, and that such committee be empowered to enforce such rules and regulations as have heretofore or may hereafter be adopted to effect the purpose of this resolution, and that such committee be authorized to purchase or contract for such material as may be necessary to provide employment for such prisoners, and also to sell or dispose of the product of such prisoners' labor. The committee shall cause an accurate account to be kept of all receipts and disbursements, and also the total number of hours resulting from each day's work and shall report the same at the annual meeting of this board.
For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this resolution there shall be appropriated the sum of $250.
As soon as this resolution had been received by the clerk Mr. Phelps said that he had introduced this resolution with some doubt as to the correctness or advisability of all its provisions. It was evident to him that the employment of prisoners was not and could not be in a county of this size a money making affair. But, on the other hand, neither were prison nor penitentiaries money making concerns. The law says that the prisoners shall be employed. This law has been on the statute books for several years and in many counties has been a dead letter, but because it has been a dead letter in the past that is no reason why it should always continue to be such. It takes a little time and experimenting to make such a law operative to good advantage. The board had started proceedings last year by the appointment of the good roads committee, but much to their surprise no town had asked for the employment of prisoners on its roads. It therefore seemed necessary to employ them in some other way. The speaker had drawn that resolution mostly in some respects, as would be noticed, and with the idea of giving the widest latitude and largest liberty to the good roads committee to exercise its discretion as to details in carrying out the general idea of the resolution and with the thought that it would use good judgment and would thus attain the best results. He would like it understood that he was not in the least strenuous about passing that resolution in its present form. His idea was to get it before the board for discussion, and he had the greatest faith in the good judgment and wisdom of that body and he was sure that when it came to be fully discussed in all its different phases some decision could be arrived at which would be advantageous to the county as a whole and would meet the requirements of the law. He would suggest that as perhaps the members would not be prepared to discuss it at that time it be set down for a special order of business for Wednesday afternoon and in the meantime all could be thinking it over.
Mr. Mynard questioned if the sum of $250 were enough to carry out the provisions of the resolution. He said that if a building were to be erected, material provided and a guard kept he thought that it would probably require several times that amount.
Mr. Phelps replied that the sum mentioned did not contemplate the paying of a guard; that would have to be provided for in some other way.
Mr. O'Donnell thought it would be wiser to get some old anvils and take them to the jail and compel the prisoners to pound them. That would call for very little expense and it would give them good exercise. Make them roll stones up hill and let them roll them back again—any old thing. It would all give them exercise. But he could not understand how there could be any wisdom in breaking stone. It would not only not pay, but it would be a losing venture from the start. He had understood that it would cost $1 a ton to procure the stone and get it to the breaking ground and would cost 50 cents a ton to draw it away again, while crushed stone could be obtained elsewhere at 90 cents per ton.
As there seemed to be no disposition to discuss this resolution further at this time Chairman Crosley set it down for a special order of business for Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock.
The report of the equalization committee was read by the clerk at 3:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. Supervisor Hunt of Preble moved that the report be recommitted to the committee, which motion was lost by a vote of 7 for and 14 against. The matter was put over till 10:30 o'clock, Thursday, and made a special order of business for that time.
Supervisor D. C. Johnson was appointed a committee of one to purchase coal for county buildings during the coming year.
The rest of the day was devoted to committee work.
Wednesday, Fourteenth Day.
Attorney B. T. Wright appeared before the board in behalf of the Cortland Hospital association and presented a petition asking for an appropriation of $1,000 for the benefit of the institution. The petition was signed by twenty members of the board of lady managers and by eight members of the advisory board.
Mr. Wright prefaced his remarks by saying that he wanted two facts plainly understood at the outset: First, that he knew of no law which compelled the supervisors to make the appropriation asked for and second, that the hospital association was not in this application asking for charity or a gift, but compensation for work already actually performed by it for the poor of the county and for work that would hereafter be done in that behalf. He cited several authorities to show that the board had full power to grant the application and make the appropriation if it desired to do so. He first referred to the constitution of the state, Article VIII, Section 10, which forbids counties and other municipalities giving money or property, or loaning money or credit to aid individual enterprises, but which expressly provides that that section "shall not prevent such county, city, town or village from making such provision for the aid or support of its poor as may be authorized by law."
He then cited Sec. 20, Art. II, Poor Laws, which provides for the permanent relief and support of poor persons in the county almshouse, if there be one, or that such persons "be relieved and provided for as the necessities of the applicant may require." This clearly authorizes such relief and provision to be given to such persons at other places than the county almshouse and must include care and attendance at hospitals or otherwise, if the case demands it.
He also cited Section 13, Article I of the poor law of the state which authorizes the board of supervisors to make rules and regulations as it may deem proper in regard to the manner of furnishing temporary or outdoor relief to the poor which is broad enough to authorize proper provision for the care of the sick and wounded where proper medical attendance and care may be best bestowed.
He also cited chapter 754 of the laws of New York which authorizes boards of supervisors, etc., to appropriate and raise money by taxation, etc., and to make payments therefrom to charitable, eleemosynary and other like institutions, wholly or partly under private control for the care, support and maintenance of their inmates under rules established by the state board of charities and called attention to the fact that the state board of charities had made provision in one or more of their rules for just such cases as were being constantly treated and cared for by the association.
He further called the attention of the board to the fact that within the last three or four years a large list of worthy persons unable to care for themselves, or to procure proper treatment, had been cared for and treated at the hospital for which the association had received no compensation, and that these cases had come from and were of citizens from twelve of the sixteen municipalities of the county, and that the average weekly expense to the hospital of the care of each of said persons averaged $8.25 per week and that there had been cases of like nature cared for by the poor authorities in the county which had cost $30 per week, from which it would appear that treatment at the hospital was not only in the interest of humanity, but also true economy.
He also said, among other things, that the association was willing to enter into a contract to furnish aid to the poor for 160 weeks for $1,000, which would be an average of $6.25 per week, which was greatly less than compensation paid to hospitals in other parts of the state for the same purpose. As an evidence also that it was economic, he cited instances where worthy poor persons, when enjoying health were able to provide for their families, but being laid aside by sickness or accident, were no longer self-supporting or able to provide for their families and thus became a public charge and that it was to the interest of the public that they be restored to health as soon as possible that they might thus become active workers and breadwinners, thus relieving the county from the expense of providing for them and their families.
He also showed in other counties where hospitals are that a very large percentage of the care of the sick was done at public expense, instancing one case where out of 1,200 patients 500 were poor and were provided for at the public expense by paying the hospital in the case named for their care and attendance.
At the request Supervisor Phelps, Mrs. Julia E. Hyatt, president of the [hospital] association, addressed the board for a few minutes, emphasizing the remarks already made by Mr. Wright, and explaining the basis upon which the average expense per week of the care and attendance of patients at the hospital was obtained; the embarrassment of the hospital in providing the menus for the proper care and attention of the cases and why the application was made to the board of supervisors and in giving and urging reasons why the appropriation should be made and enlarging upon the benefits resulting to the whole county from the work done by the association.
Mr. Peck introduced a resolution appropriating $1,000 to be raised by tax upon the county to care for the indigent sick or disabled. The resolution was set down for a special order of business for Friday morning.
The matter of the report of the equalization committee was brought up at 10:30, and after a discussion it was put to vote and carried. The vote was:
Aye—Kinyon, Rowe, Barber, Wavle, Bennett, Parker, Shuler, Webb, Walrad, Johnson, Allen, Peck, Kingsley, Phelps, Crosley.
Nay—Mynard, Robinson, Hunt, Jordan, O'Donnell.
Absent—McBirney.
The report is given elsewhere in this issue of the paper.
The matter of working prisoners, which was made a special order of business for this afternoon, was brought up and discussed to some extent. It was urged against the resolution of Mr. Phelps that a large expense would be incurred in providing work for the prisoners, and there was a general sentiment prevalent that the matter should stand as it now is. The vote was taken and declared lost, 7 voting for and 11 against the proposition.
Messrs. Crosley and Hunt were, upon motion of Mr. Bennett, made a committee to confer with the authorities of the Onondaga county penitentiary in relation to making contracts for keeping prisoners in that institution next year.
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| Charles. G. Maybury. |
OLD DAYS IN SOLON.
REMINISCENCES OF THE FAMOUS NESMITH FAMILY.
Captain Saxby, the Sailor Shoemaker, and How He Used to Drop in at 3 A. M. to Tell Stories and Make Shoes for Children.
To the Editor of The Standard:
SIR—A man who was familiar to the residents of Solon over half a century ago was James Nesmith. His education was considerably in advance of many of his fellow townsmen. He was a great reader, au old line Whig and a firm believer in Henry Clay, Horace Greeley and the New York Tribune. From the first memory of the writer, he walked with the aid of two crutches and in later years used a crutch and cane. His affliction, I think, was caused by rheumatism, but he bore it uncomplainingly and always appeared cheerful and contented and woe betide the Democrat who engaged with him in a political argument, for he kept fully posted on all the important political questions of the day and in general information. He was usually present at political gatherings, particularly those of his own party, and always a close observer of passing events, and would discuss them with a high order of intelligence.
He came into the town in 1822 from New Hampshire, where six children were born. Three more were born after settling in Solon. Polly Nesmith, the wife, was a woman of rare and ennobling Christian graces—which were stamped upon her children by faith in the gracious promises of her God, and they emulated her virtues in their lives. She died in Solon in the summer of 1846, after several years of extreme suffering. There were three girls and five boys, who grew up to man and womanhood. The sons were strong and healthy and were active in taking charge and performing all the farm work for the father in his crippled condition. Mary E. married John Stillman of Cortland. Hannah E. married John Reed of Cortland. Both were men who stood high among their neighbors and friends. Abigail T. married Isaac Barker of Antrim, New Hampshire. Subsequently all moved West and settled near Waukon, in Allamakee county, Ia. All were pioneers in that new country. The only living representative of the original family is the youngest son Dr. Milton W. Nesmith of Waukon, Ia., who filled the office of regimental surgeon to one of the Iowa regiments during the civil war with great credit to himself and the service. He wears the Grand Army badge with patriotic pride, as a citizen of this great republic.
Representations of the family stand high in the community where they live. Hannah, a daughter of John Reed and Hannah Nesmith, is the wife of Judge Fellows, district judge of the north east judicial district of Iowa. They reside in a beautiful home near the banks of the Mississippi river at Lansing, Ia. Woodbury, an older son, died in Solon before the family left for the West. Adam, the next youngest son, died in Watertown, S. D., about three years ago at the age of 78 years. George died in Waukon. This family commenced in a very humble way in Solon. But the writer is impressed that the influence of this family has made the world better for their having lived in it.
I will briefly mention another family who lived in Solon in those early days. John Saxby, or Captain Saxby as he was generally called, had been a sea captain, from his own statement, and generally used many sailor phrases in his conversation. He raised a large family of children, about the number of the Nesmith family, and they finally emigrated to Sandusky, O., some fifty-eight years ago. He was a shoemaker—not in the way of running a shop in a fixed place, but went from house to house every fall and winter making boots and shoes for the different families. The writer well remembers when he would come in the early fall to his father's for the purpose named. He believed in getting an early start when he had a job on hand. The family would be startled about 3 o'clock A. M. by a heavy knock on the door with the cry, "All aboard, ship ahoy." Every one awakened and knew it was Captain Saxby's salutation. The father would arise and the captain would sit and tell stories until daylight. The children, as soon as it was known that Captain Saxby had come, were up and dressed early, their faces smiling with the bright anticipation of a new pair of boots or shoes to protect their feet from the biting frosts and snows of the approaching winter.
Captain Saxby was a most entertaining story teller. The children were usually greatly interested in his tales of the briny deep and the hairbreadth escapes from a watery grave. He seemed to enjoy his work among the families of his old neighbors and when he had finished his work in one place he almost regretted to pack his kit and move to the next home to make another family of youngsters happy. The captain in his old age very much regretted leaving his old home and neighbors to go with his children to the then far West, and I believe he was homesick there, for after an absence of three or four years he came back to Solon and lived again among his old friends for a few years, enjoying it greatly, but finally returned to Sandusky, where he died among his children and their families.
C. C. M., Winona, Minn., Nov. 23, 1901.
MCCARTHY-HOTCHKISS.
Syracuse Man Secures a Popular Young Lady for His Bride.
Miss Lillian Hotchkiss, daughter of Mrs. F. Hotchkiss, 86 Groton-ave., and Mr. Michael McCarthy of Syracuse were married in St. Mary's church this morning at 7:30 o'clock by Rev. J. J. McLoghlin.
A large number of relatives and friends witnessed the ceremonies. Miss Mayme Hotchkiss, a sister of the bride, was maid of honor, while the groom's brother, Mr. Richard McCarthy, was best man. A wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bride after the nuptials. The newly married couple received many beautiful presents.
At 9:48 Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy went to Syracuse and will begin housekeeping at once at 105 Grant Place in that city.
Miss Hotchkiss was an operator at the office of the Home Telephone company, and has many friends in Cortland who will wish her well.
The out of town guests were Miss Catharine Barry of Ithaca, Miss Hotchkiss of Homer, and Mrs. Allen Wicks and daughter Mary of DeRuyter.
TRACTION COMPANY TO MOVE.
Will Occupy Old Savings Bank Building After Dec. 1.
The Traction Co. has leased the basement and entire first floor of the old Savings bank building at the corner of Main and Court-sts. and will occupy it on and after Dec. 1. The offices will be on the first floor and the stock room will be moved from the car barns to the basement. Pearson Brothers will occupy the store made vacant by the removal of the Traction company joining this with their present store which is next door to it.
BREVITIES.
—Tomorrow will be Thanksgiving day and no paper will be issued from this office.
—New display advertisements today are—Glann & Clark, Shoes, page 6; Buck & Lane, Carving Knives, page 5; McKinney & Doubleday, Standard Diaries, page 4; S. P. Smith, Meats, etc., page 5.
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