MEETING OF DRUGGISTS, H. C. RANDALL RETIRES, MEDICAL SOCIETY, LIGHTNING'S WORK, AND DR. CARPENTER THROWN FROM A WHEEL

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, September 11, 1903.

MEETING OF DRUGGISTS

Of Three Counties Beside the Waters of Little York Lake.

   The meeting of the Tri-County Pharmaceutical association including Cayuga, Tompkins and Cortland counties was held at Little York yesterday. Cortland, acting as host, met their fellow druggists at the station and, after friendly greetings, conducted them to the York Hotel, where carriages were in waiting to conduct them to the hospitable Hotel De Raymond on the shores of Little York lake. After a bountiful dinner had been disposed of the druggists congregated at the water's edge under the shade of the willows where the visiting druggists were welcomed in well turned words by B. C. Quick, who spoke in behalf of the Cortland druggists. Voicing the sentiments of the assembled medicine men he asked D. W. Burdick of Ithaca to act as chairman. Mr. Burdick called upon A. H. Hamilton of Auburn, J. B. Todd of Ithaca and Dr. H. D. Hunt of Preble for remarks and all responded in a most felicitous style.

   I. E. Nichols of Cortland was the poet of the occasion and read an original poem which so largely concerned the druggists present that it decidedly brought down the house. A copy of the manuscript has been secured and it will be published soon for the edification of their friends who are anxious to learn all possible about the members of this association.

   After a pleasant afternoon beside the lake, as well as in many cases on the lake, the meeting adjourned, having accepted the invitation of Ithaca for the next place of meeting.

   Those present were D. W. Burdick, Fred Blackmer, J. T. Egbert, A. B. Brooks, J. G. Brooks and J. B. Todd of Ithaca; F. D. Lewis, M. D. Culver, A. H. Hamilton, Edw. McGovern, W. G. Odell, A. L. Smith and W. H. Signor of Auburn; J. W. Carr, Freeville; Charles Rhodes, Groton; C. A. Watson, Homer; H. D. Hunt, Preble; J. C. Wiegand, Truxton; and G. W. Bradford, Fred I. Graham, C. F. Brown, B. C. Quick, A. F. Sager, Geo. I. Watson and W. H. McGraw of Cortland.

 

H. C. RANDALL RETIRES

As Chief Train Dispatcher—Former Resident of Cortland.

   Henry Clinton Randall, a one-time Cortland boy, now chief train dispatcher on the Lackawanna railroad on the Utica and Syracuse divisions with headquarters at Syracuse, has resigned from the service after nineteen years in the train dispatching department of the road. Mr. Randall's resignation becomes effective on Nov. 1. He entered the railroad's employ as operator at Cortland and was promoted to be a dispatcher at Syracuse. Two years ago when Trainmaster G. C. Ferris was promoted to his present position from chief dispatcher, Mr. Randall was appointed to succeed him. Mr. Randall's health is impaired and he intends to recruit [sic] at his farm in Lisle, Broome county. Mr. Randall's successor has not been named.

 

MEDICAL SOCIETY

Of Cortland County Held its Quarterly Meeting Thursday Afternoon.

   The regular quarterly meeting of the Cortland County Medical society was held in the supervisors' rooms yesterday afternoon. In addition to the routine business papers which formed the basis for profitable discussions were read as follows:

   Fractures of the Leg and Their Complications, Dr. Henry Field, Marathon, N. Y.

   The Tendency of Modern Medicine and Surgery, Dr. S. J. Sornberger.

   Appendicitis, Dr. F. W. Higgins.

   A resolution was adopted setting forth the benefits to be derived from a consolidation of the State Medical society and the Medical association of the State of New York and urging the officers of the two societies to use their best efforts toward uniting the two organizations.

   The following were present at the meeting: Drs. H. T. Dana, F. W. Higgins, F. D. Reese. P. M. Neary, S. J. Sornberger, C. D. VerNooy, and P. T. Carpenter of Cortland; Dr. L. C. Andrews of Pitcher, Dr. J. D. Whitney of Homer, Dr. F. H. Forshee of McGraw, Dr. S. Halsey Stevens of Truxton, and Dr. Henry Field of Marathon.

 

Her Tenth Birthday.

   Mildred Masterson was given a surprise party at her home at 38 Pendleton-st., Cortland, Wednesday afternoon, by fifteen of her friends, the occasion being her tenth birthday.

   Louise Clineburg and Lola Masterson assisted in the diningroom. The following were present: Mildred Masterson, Mildred Hicks, Mary Dexter, Carlene Delevan, Marie Turner, Evelyn Taylor, Hazel Parker, Louise Barber, Gertrude Blaney, Elinor Dexter, Marjorie Morse, Mildred Wadsworth, Lucea Case, Hazel Hitt, Collena Morse, Elizabeth Vanderbilt.

 

LIGHTNING'S WORK

Big Barn of J. J. Albro Burned at South Cortland.

THE WHOLE HEAVENS LIGHTED UP.

Thirty-five Tons of Hay and Oats from Eighteen Acres Consumed—Cows had Just Been Driven from Milking Stable When Bolt Came—Barn Well Insured and Some Insurance on Contents.

   Cortland was visited by a terrific thunder shower at about 6:30 o'clock last night. For three-quarters of an hour the rain fell in torrents while the flashes of lightning were startling and the reverberation of thunder deafening. At just about the height of the storm the first State fair train arrived from Syracuse and the hundreds of passengers, most of whom had gone away under bright skies without a thought of rain or a means of protection, were landed at the station under very disagreeable circumstances. The special train got in at about 10 o'clock while another shower was at its height, but this was not as violent as the first one.

   At 6:40 o'clock lightning struck the big barn of J. J. Albro, Jr., on his farm of 108 acres a half mile west of South Cortland on the Dryden road and with all its contents it was burned to the ground. The barn was 30 by 92 feet in size with posts 14 feet high and with a basement under part of it. From foundation to the ridgepole it was crammed with hay and oats. There were over 35 tons of hay and the oats from eighteen acres, and a heavy crop at that. The flames lighted up the heavens with a lurid red light for miles around and inquiries were heard on every side as to whose barn it was that was burning. In almost every other direction out of Cortland there are well patronized farm lines of telephones, but South Cortland has not yet waked up to the desirability and necessity for telephones, and there was not a telephone in all that region through which inquiry could be made. Finally some one drove into town with the report that Rideway Rowley's big barn in South Cortland was in flames. About this time the rain began to abate a little and a number of people set out for the scene of the fire.

   A half hour before the barn was struck the cows which had been in the milking stable in one end of this barn were turned out and Mr. Albro had gone with the milk to the Gracie creamery. He had reached Sweetlove's corners on his way back when the bolt fell. At the house at that time were Mrs. Albro and Mr. Albro's father. The former said as the flash came, "I believe the barns are struck," and both went to the rear of the house and looked out toward the barn, but all was dark. Two minutes later they looked again and then a bright light was seen from the end of the big barn away from the house. There was no livestock of any kind in this barn. Mr. Albro went out at once and took the horses from the horsebarn which stood between the house and the barn on fire and put them in another barn across the street. Then he opened the doors to one of the floors of the burning barn and ran out the big lumber wagon with its hay rack upon it. The wagon box which stood on the floor was also dragged out but before this was accomplished fire had begun dropping down from the blazing grain on the scaffold over the floor. Nothing more was saved from the barn. The farming tools were all in another barn so that nothing was burned except the hay and grain in the barn aside from a few forks, handrakes and shovels.

   Mr. Wagner, a neighbor living in the second house east of the Albros, chanced to be looking out of the window when the destructive flash came. He said it struck the northeast corner of the barn and the bolt appeared to be in the form of a ball as it descended which seemed to burst and scatter in all directions as it struck the barn, Almost instantly the whole end of the barn seemed to be in flames. Mr. Wagner asked his wife to ring the big dinner bell to rouse the neighbors, while he started at once for the fire.

   The horse barn stood nearest to the blazing big barn and was a little nearer the street so that diagonally from corner to corner they were about 25 feet apart. This was in great danger for some time. The rain which was falling in sheets soaked the roof so that sparks had little effect and prevented the fire starting, though it steamed from the great heat, but the rain did not touch the side of the barn. Mr. Albro had a force pump that would throw a good sized stream of water twenty feet in squirts when operated like the working of a bicycle pump. A dozen neighbors quickly assembled and took turns in operating the pump and in bringing water in forty-quart milk cans from the trough by the roadside. Though the heat on the near side of the barn was great, the structure was saved. There was very little wind at the time and what there was was away from the other buildings. The fire burned till late into the night, for it took a long time for the hay and grain packed together as it was to be consumed.

   Mr. Albro had an insurance on the barn of $1,000 which will not cover the loss, for the barn was a large and fine one. The place is generally known as the Niles farm, though a few years ago it came into the possession of Samuel Keator, who four years ago sold it to Mr. Albro. Before selling it Mr. Keator had put this barn in a fine state of repair, so that it was practically as good as new. Mr. Albro also had a few hundred dollars insurance on the contents of the barn. He could not tell the exact amount last night, but it will fall far short of covering the loss.

 

THROWN FROM A WHEEL.

Pedal Struck an Obstruction With Disagreeable Results.

   Dr. Paul T. Carpenter was the victim of a peculiar bicycle accident Wednesday evening which resulted in a badly torn coat, some painful bruises and two fractured ribs.

   The doctor was riding along Grant-st. about 6 o'clock.. The pedal of his bicycle struck some obstruction in the road in front of Cone's grocery, throwing the handlebars out of his hands. The doctor thus lost control of his wheel, and was thrown violently forward striking the platform in front of the grocery upon his left side, with the results as stated. The doctor is able to be about, but it will be a month or more before he fully recovers from the effects of the accident.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The new display advertisements today are—Opera House, "The Minister's Daughters," page 5.

   —Cazenovia seminary opened on Monday and 100 boarders are registered, sixty-two gentlemen and thirty-eight ladies.

   —The All-Cortland baseball team went to DeRuyter this morning and played the DeRuyter team at that place this afternoon.

   —The Geneseo Normal school reports about 200 in the entering class. Miss Anna W. Blackmer of Cortland is the teacher of methods in that school.

   —A number of men and teams are engaged in grading the new street to be opened through the Randall flats between Main-st, and Pendleton-st., near the Lehigh Valley railroad tracks.