Cortland Contrarian: MINE OFFICIALS, EXPLOSION, MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP, WAR REMINISCENCES, RUSHING THE WORK, DEATH OF PROF. FUERTES, MRS. WHEELER, AND CUPID BAFFLED

1902 anthracite coal strike commissioners.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, January 17, 1903.

MINE OFFICIALS CONTINUE.

Statement of Wages Earned by Scranton Company's Miners.

Philadelphia, Jan. 17.—Morę mine officials were called to the witness stand and informed the coal strike commissioners that under the influence of the union the mine workers restricted the production of anthracite and otherwise interfered with the discipline of the employes [sic].

The Erie company, which controls the Pennsylvania Coal company and the Hillside Coal and Iron company closed its case early in the day after calling a physician who testified to the good health of the mine workers.

The Scranton Coal company, which operates, besides its own, the collieries of the Elk Hill Coal and Iron company, then took up the attack on the demands of the miners. The Scranton and the Elk Hill companies turn their coal over to the New York, Ontario and Western railroad, which virtually controls them.

The witnesses called testified generally that no blacklist exists, that the contract miners work on an average of from six to seven hours a day, that the local unions compel the men to load an equal number of cars, thus restricting the output, that the men are careless in obeying orders, and that frequent petty strikes occur because a union man is dismissed for insubordination.

At the afternoon session Superintendent Allen stated on cross examination that he believed that the Raymond and the Ontario collieries of the company could produce about 1,000 more tons of coal a day if the men would mine as much coal as they are capable of doing.

Frank L. Northup, bookkeeper and accountant of the Scranton company, explained the several statements handed to the commission by the company. These included a table showing the wages paid the men, hours of labor and other data required by the arbitrators.

The wage statement for the year 1901 showed that 786 men worked less than four months; 758 worked more than four months and received under $400; 265 worked more than four months and received between $400 and $500; 260 worked more than four months and earned between $500 and $600; 181 worked nearly full time and received between $600 and $700; 23 earned from $800 to $900; three earned from $900 to $1,000 and three received over $1,000.

On cross examination Mr. Northup said that the check docking boss and the docking boss employed at three of the company's collieries always agreed on the docking of cars.

James Smith of Peckville, inside foreman at three collieries, gave instances of insubordination on the part of the mine workers, stating among other things that one of the company's breakers burned down just before the strike began last year and that the union men would not permit builders to work on it during the suspension.

The witness also stated that there is no way of determining the amount of clean coal in mine cars as they are now handled. He concluded his testimony by stating that the company pays the same rate for different sizes of mine cars and that men who want to restrict the number of cars each man should send to the surface are generally not willing to work hard enough to keep up with other more industrious.

OLD HEBREW BIBLE FOUND.

Written on Parchment in the Year 116 of the Moslem Era.

London, Jan. 17.—In a dispatch from Cairo the correspondent of The Daily Mail reports the discovery in Syria of one of the oldest Hebrew manuscript Bibles. It consists of the five books of Pentateuch, written in Samaritan characters on gazelle parchment in the year 116 of the Moslem era. It shows important differences from the existing text.

USS Massachusetts (BB-2).

EXPLOSION ON BATTLESHIP.

Five Men Killed and Four Injured on the Massachusetts.

Washington, Jan. 17.—The navy department has received a dispatch from San Juan saying that an eight-inch charge exploded in one of the forward turrets of the battleship Massachusetts off Culebra island. Five men were killed and four injured. None of them were officers.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

Step Toward Municipal Ownership.

One of the most significant steps toward the municipal ownership of street railways lately recorded has been taken in Brooklyn borough of Greater New York. The borough has a population of about 1,300,000, and with the exception of two small independent companies its interurban transportation is in the hands of one big corporation, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company, which operates about 500 miles of street and elevated road, carrying over 300,000,000 passengers annually. According to the Brooklyn papers, the service has for a long time been utterly inadequate and has lately grown to be intolerable. The long suffering and indignant people finally took the matter before the Kings county grand jury, which in turn has made a somewhat startling and radical presentment.

After finding that by reason of negligence, inefficiency and unwillingness to perform their duty the Brooklyn Rapid Transit company and its constituent corporations have forfeited the right to their franchisee, and recommending that the attorney general take action to annul their charters, the grand jury suggests that "the only solution of this vexed problem of metropolitan transportation is municipal ownership and operation of the means of public travel." After giving the opinion that the result would be efficient operation, lower fares and a surplus revenue the grand jury recommends that the municipality of Greater New York acquire all the street, elevated and tunnel railway systems at the earliest opportunity and operate them "for the benefit of the people."

It will be interesting to note what further action follows this first step toward municipal ownership in the eastern metropolis. If the New York and Brooklyn papers are to be believed, it is difficult to imagine how municipal management could give more wretched and intolerable service than that supplied by the existing transportation companies of the great city.

Captain William Saxton.

WAR REMINISCENCES

By Captain Saxton of the I57th Regiment, N. Y. Vols.

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE WAR.

Uncle Tom's Cabin—Capture of Solomon Northrup in Saratoga—Slavery Troubles in Kansas—John Brown Raid—Horace Greeley Speaks in Cincinnatus—The Election in 1860.

To the Editor of The Standard:

Sir—I well remember when Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe's book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," came out in 1852. My father procured a copy and read it aloud to our family, and although only 11 years old at the time, it made a profound impression upon my mind in regard to the slavery question. Father used to read and the tears would roll down his cheeks and he would choke up and would have to desist until his emotions subsided.

Case of Solomon Northrup.

In 1853 an other book was published which created a great deal of sensation in New York and the New England states, and wherever read. It was "Solomon Northrup or Twelve Years a Slave." This Solomon Northrup was a free born negro, or rather mulatto, and lived at Saratoga Springs, N. Y. In 1841, the year I was born, Solomon was kidnapped in the streets of Saratoga by two gentlemanly appearing men, was drugged, taken to Washington City, the capital of our boasted free country, and sold into slavery. He was taken up the Red river country in Louisiana and kept in slavery for twelve years, until finally he managed to get a letter to his friends in New York telling where he was, and they influenced the governor of that state, who sent a man to Louisiana and procured Northrup's release and brought him home. He had been whipped, run by dogs, once came near being hanged by an angry master, and suffered all the indignities of a slave for twelve long years.

Discussing the Incident.

We had a neighbor, a Mr. Greene, who came from Washington county, N. Y., and knew this Solomon Northrup, knew of his being kidnapped, or of his disappearance and when he, Northrup, came home, and his book came out, I used to have long talks with Mr. Greene about Northrup's captivity, and slavery in general. By the way, is it not a singular coincident that Solomon Northrup was actually taken up the Red river country in Louisiana, the very locality where Mrs. Stowe had her fictitious "Uncle Tom" taken in Uncle Tom's Cabin. Solomon Northrup's book created perhaps more excitement in regard to slavery in our locality than did "Uncle Tom's Cabin" because it was an actual occurrence and our neighbor, Mr. Greene, was acquainted with the circumstances.

Then came the stormy slavery troubles of Kansas in 1854 which lasted till 1859 when the present constitution was adopted. My father always took the weekly New York Tribune and I remember how anxiously we waited for the paper to come, that we might learn what was being done in Kansas. The neighbors used to gather in the evening, and listen to the news in The Tribune and discuss the slavery question. You see with what an antislavery atmosphere I was surrounded when a boy.

At School in Cincinnatus, N. Y.

In the fall of 1858 I was sent to Cincinnatus academy to school, and my father removed to that town in 1859 and lived there till his death, a few years ago.

In October, 1859, John Brown made his celebrated attempt to free the slaves at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, and although he failed and was hanged for the offence in December following, "His soul went marching on" and it is a fact that the spirit of the misguided martyr had a tremendous influence in guiding the momentous events that were taking place.

Greeley Speaks in Cincinnatus.

In the fall 1860, during the exciting presidential campaign, when there were four candidates in the field, Lincoln, Douglas, Breckinridge and Bell, Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, came to Cincinnatus, N. Y., and made a political speech in the Congregational church. It was customary to hold political meetings in either the Congregational or Methodist churches on account of the lack of a public hall. Mr. Greeley advocated the election of Mr. Lincoln because he thought he was right on the slavery question. Mr. Lincoln believed that slavery could legally exist only by law, and there was no law in regard to it in the territories and no power to enact one. That congress could not establish or legalize slavery anywhere, but was bound to prohibit or exclude it from every territory. Mr. Douglas believed that slavery in any territory should be determined by the white inhabitants or what was commonly known as "Squatter Sovereignty."

The Breckinridge party advocated that any man had a right to move into any territory, carry his slaves with him and be protected in his right to hold them by congress, irrespective of what laws the territorial legislature might enact.

Longs to Note.

I can see Mr. Greeley now, in imagination, just as he stood there in the church and talked to the people, with no pretense of oratory, but wilh mightily convincing words and manner. He talked of the Missouri compromise being broken, of the flooding of Kansas with Missouri border ruffians, of the determination of slave holders to force slavery into the territories, of Buchanan's favoring the purchase of Cuba so that slavery might have more room. As I went away from that church that night how I did wish that I was old enough to cast my vote for Lincoln.

On the 6th of November following, Lincoln received the popular vote of 1,857,610; Douglas received 1,291,574; Breckinridge 850,082; Bell, 646,124.

Of the electoral votes Lincoln received 180; Douglas, 12; Breckinridge, 72; Bell, 39. Total, 303.

W. S.

RUSHING THE WORK.

Implement Company Trying to Catch up With Orders.

The Cortland Implement company is rushing the work of building manure, lime and fertilizer distributors to fill the large number of back orders that have accumulated. The factory on Elm-st., below the Lehigh Valley tracks, presents a busy scene indeed. From six to eight distributors [sic] are completed each day, and a force of about sixty men is employed in the work.

The company has not yet reached its full capacity for putting out machines. When this is reached there will be ten distributors made each day. The implement company was not incorporated until July 17 of last year. The building had then to be overhauled and new machinery put in. Everything considered the company has done well indeed to be so well started and able to. do the business that is now being done.

The "Advance" distributor has met with a sale thus far that has been far in excess of the hopes of the company. Only one solicitor, Mr. Charles Frank, has been placing orders, and now he has been notified to cease his efforts until some of the back orders are filled. The machines have, up to the present time, been sent to the western markets.

Death of Prof. Fuertes.

Prof. E. A. Fuertes, of the College of Civil Engineering, and dean of the faculty of Cornell university, died yesterday at Ithaca of chronic Brights disease, hastened by pneumonia. Prof. Fuertes was born in Porto Rico in 1838, and has been in the Cornell faculty since 1873. He was very widely known. At the time the ventilating apparatus was put into the old Cortland Normal school building Prof. Fuertes arranged the plans for it.

NINETY YEARS OLD.

Mrs. Angeline Wheeler Celebrates Her Ninetieth Birthday.

Mrs. Angeline Wheeler of 15 Groton-ave., celebrated her 90th birthday today. In honor of the event her daughter, Mrs. S. R. Wheeler, planned a surprise for her mother which was successfully carried out and which was the source of much pleasure both to Mrs. Wheeler whose birthday was celebrated and to all who participated in the reunion.

The surprise was complete and Mrs. Wheeler was kept in ignorance of the plans until the guests began to arrive and the birthday dinner was announced shortly after 12 o'clock today.

For a woman of her advanced age Mrs. Wheeler is enjoying excellent health and except for her hearing which is somewhat impaired is in full possession of all her faculties. She was able to walk from her room to the table when dinner was announced and all entered fully into the enjoyment of the occasion.

The guests present at the dinner were: Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Withey, Miss Mabel Withey, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Hobart and daughter Marlea, Mrs. M. F. Howes, Miss Dora Sanford, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Burnham of Cortland; Mr. and Mrs. Charles Alger, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Travis, Mr. and Mrs. Merton Travis and Mrs. W. E. Pike of McGraw; Mr. Charles E. Wheeler and Miss Edna R. Wheeler of Schuylerville, Saratoga Co.

Letters of regret were read from Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Withey, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Nitschke of Syracuse, and Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Hydon of Vernon.

Mrs. Wheeler is one of the oldest residents of Cortland county. She was born in Solon, Jan. 17, 1813, and was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Withey who lived on the Withey homestead on Mount Roderick. On Sept. 11, 1834, she was married to Mr. Elijah Wheeler who died Jan. 7, 1875. One son, Charles Leroy Wheeler, was born to them. He died in February, 1902. Mrs. Wheeler has lived in Cortland for more than forty-six years.

In addition to the surprise planned and carried out by her daughter many friends and neighbors added to the pleasure of the day by calling on Mrs. Wheeler and offering their congratulations and good wishes.

CUPID BAFFLED.

Two Young People Could Not Get Married in Cortland

BECAUSE IT COST TOO MUCH.

Ministers Would Charge a Dollar, Said the Groom, and it Wasn't Worth Over a Half Dollar to Do It—Mayor Brown and Judge Dougherty Importuned, but Both Declined to Embrace their Opportunity—Will be Married Later in Pennsylvania Where It Costs Less.

Master Cupid has again been at work with his arrows, and as a result Bob Farnham of Susquehanna, Pa., and Blanche Fuller of DeRuyter, N. Y., met in Cortland this morning by agreement for the purpose of getting married. Mayor Chas. F. Brown and City Judge James Dougherty were importuned to perform the ceremony that would make one "two souls with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one," but both declined. Consequently the wedding has to be deferred.

The groom-to-be arrived in Cortland last night and met his bride-elect this morning when she arrived at 8:40 from DeRuyter. Farnham is a fireman on the Erie railroad, and Blanche is an attractive appearing young woman. She met her lover with much enthusiasm, and his greeting to the girl whom he had journeyed so far to meet was not less hearty.

Farnham escorted his lady to the Arlington hotel at once, and then started out to get some one to tie the knot. Mayor Brown was found and asked if he would perform the ceremony.

"I can't do it," freely acknowledged the mayor, "it is out of my line of business entirely. There are plenty of ministers here that will do a good job for you."

"Yes, I know it," said Farnham, "but they would charge a dollar, and a half dollar is all it is worth."

To this argument the mayor had no satisfactory reply, but he told the young man that the aldermen had the power to perform marriage ceremonies and Alderman C. E. Ingalls was spoken of as being equal to the occasion. He started in the direction of the alderman's office, but perhaps the fear of a dental parlor was too much for him for he never reached the alderman's quarters.

City Judge Dougherty was next asked to come to the rescue, but the bachelor official stated that he did not care to establish a matrimonial bureau at his office, and then be began to say something about not believing in such things. It would hardly seem possible, however, that he said this and it must have been imagined by the one who was interceding with the judge in behalf of the two who wanted to be married, for no one thinks now for a minute that Judge Dougherty's sentiments are averse to marriage. His Honor, however, could not be induced to marry the two, though his partner, Comptroller Miller, assured him that here was his opportunity for fame.

After receiving such utter disappointment Farnham went back to his lady and reported his ill luck. When seen this afternoon at the Lehigh Valley depot Farnham said that he had given up the idea of getting married in Cortland. He said that the young lady would go back to DeRuyter tonight and he would go to Susquehanna. Later she would come to Susquehanna and they would be married in that place.

When condolence was offered them in that they had not been able to get married in Cortland today, the bride-to-be said that it was just as well perhaps that it turned out as it did. She evidently chafed under the inability of her future husband to secure a party that would marry them.

The two passed the afternoon at the station, waiting for the evening trains, which would separate them, but the separation is to be but temporary, as they are soon to meet in a Pennsylvania city, where marriage fees probably are less than $1, which is said to be the minimum in Cortland.