Circus House

Circus House


 

 

 

 

Sig Sautelle's Circus Wagon

 

 

 

     Those who drive on US Rt.11 between Homer, N.Y. and Cortland, N.Y. can see the concentric  8-sided  Circus House on the east side of the road. It was built around 1901, and today, due to age and circumstances, it needs repair and paint.

     Every house or building has a story behind it. The story of the Circus House is the story of circus promoter Sig Sautelle (Santell). He was born George Satterlee in Luzerne, N.Y. on September 22, 1848. He enlisted in the Union Army and fought in the Civil War and learned the art of ventriloquism from a fellow soldier. By age 24 he had his own Punch and Judy show, and within a few years he was working for Stowe’s Great American Circus and Barnum and Bailey. In 1882, he started Sig Sautelle’s Big Shows in Syracuse, N.Y. A SIGnature act was Sig's Cat Orchestra. Sig controlled threads connected to miniature band instruments in the paws of cats, and feline music was created. He used the state barge canal to transport his staff, animals and equipment for shows along the Erie Canal. When state roads improved, he travelled by wagon. Later on, he used the railroads. He wintered in DeRuyter, N.Y. from 1896 to 1901 and then moved to Homer, N.Y. His elephants, horses and ponies grazed on the east side of the Tioughnioga River on a hillside located between the river and current day I-81.

     Sautelle built a large octagonal-shaped barn and several octagonal-shaped stables behind  the Circus House. The 8-sided buildings were imitations of the shape of circus tents.

     Where is the vision and money to fully restore the Circus House, add circus memorabilia and posters, and make it an adjunct to the Central New York Living History Museum?

     Read an excellent short two-page bio by John C. Kunzog (1948) at: http://cortlandonline.org/sautellecircus.html. There  is also a short history of Sautelle’s stay in DeRuyter which can be viewed at: http://www.deruyternygov.us/museum/id10.html   

Candy Esculetts Cure Piles

Cortland House at corner of Main Street and Groton Ave. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     The big story on page five of the Cortland Evening Standard on Wednesday, January 30, 1901 was the establishment of the Yager & Halstead Canning Factory on Squires Street, Cortland. When the factory was fully operational, it distributed canned vegetables to regional A&P and Grand Union retail markets.

     “It will be located on Squires St. in a part of the three-story factory built and formerly used by the Cortland Manufacturing Co., Ltd. The remainder of the factory was some time ago leased to the Champion Milk Cooler Co. and is now occupied by that concern… The firm which will operate the canning business consists of George P. Yager of Cortland and William R. Halstead of Camden, and its style and title will be Yager & Halstead.

     “This year only string beans and sweet corn will be put up…The season for beans will begin the middle of July and the season for corn the middle of August. The acreage of these two crops mentioned will probably call for the employment of between two hundred and three hundred people during the season.”

     On the bottom of page five, on the right side, was an advertisement: “Candy Esculetts cure piles. The only Pill remedy on the market requiring no local treatment. Your money refunded if you are not satisfied with the results. Ask your druggist for it. By Mail, 50 cents, prepaid. The A. Bradley Hall Co., 824 University Blk, Syracuse, N.Y. Sold in Cortland by C.F. Brown and W.J. Perkins.”

     Near the bottom of page five was another interesting drug advertisement: “Such little pills as DeWitt’s Little Early Risers are very easily taken, and they are wonderfully effective in cleansing the liver and bowels. C.F. Brown, F.E. Brogden.”

     At the top of page five is another drug advertisement: “NO ROOM FOR HEADACHE. When the nervous system is strong and vigorous there’s no room for headache. That’s how DR.  JAMES’ HEADACHE POWDERS cure. –Not by stupefying or deadening the nerves but by soothing and restoring them. Never fail, no matter what the primary cause of headaches. Absolutely harmless. At all Drug Stores. 4 doses 10 cents.”

     George Totten Smith’s “Ragtime Reception” and “Bishop—the Greatest of Great, supported by a strong company, A MAN FROM MARS” were playing at the Cortland Opera House located at West Court Street and Main Street. John Philip Sousa and Patrick Gilmore had performed at the Cortland Opera House on several occasions. The Cortland Opera House was managed by Wallace & Gilmore. William W. Wallace was the business manager.

Reference:

Fulton History/NewspaperArchives--View (Adobe Acrobat PDF) complete page of Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, January 30, 1901. Readers may "save as" in PDF and then zoom page size.
Yager-Halstead Canning Company, Interlaken, N.Y. View (Adobe Acrobat PDF). Scroll to page 44.

 

 

NYS Public Pension Contribution Exemptions

    The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System has published a handbook for active members. You will find an excerpt below. Focus your attention on Required Contributions Fund, Tiers 3 and 4. Members contribute 3% of salary but are exempt from contributions after 10 years of membership. This rule has been in effect since 2003. It applies equally  to state, county and  municipal employees in Tiers 3 and 4. Keep in mind that "benefits" and "contributions" are separate words with separate definitions.

     School districts and local governments have complained about this state mandate which, in effect, raises the cost of contributions by taxpayers while exempting public employees. The resultant cost to taxpayers is obvious. Fire and police have a total contribution exemption for their entire active membership.

     Should  these selective rules of exemption be changed? If not, why not?


Editor's note: Several CC contributors are enrolled in the NYS pension system. Those contributors who are not enrolled probably wish they were.

 

Member Contributions

Tiers 1 and 2 — Annuity Savings Fund (ASF)
Today, most Tier 1 and 2 members do not have an ASF. You may have one if you joined prior to July 1, 1970 and made member contributions, transferred contributions from another NYS or NYC public retirement system or purchased prior service credit under Tiers 1 and 2. If you have an ASF:

• Contributions accrue 5% interest (tax deferred) annually, providing your membership remains active.
• You may borrow from it and make repayments until you retire.
• It will be paid to your beneficiary or estate if you die before you retire.
• At retirement, you have the option of withdrawing your ASF and investing the funds privately, or leaving it in the System to provide you or your beneficiary with an annuity return as part of your retirement benefit.

Tiers 3-6 — Required Contributions Fund
Tier 3 and 4 members: You are required by law to contribute 3% of your salary until you have been a member for 10 years or accrue 10 years of total service credit, whichever occurs first.

Tier 5 members: You are required to contribute 3.5% of your salary throughout your active membership.

Tier 6 members: You are required to contribute a percentage of your salary throughout your active membership as follows:

Tier 6 Contribution Chart
Note: From 4/1/12 through 3/31/13, all Tier 6 members are required to contribute 3.5%. Beginning 4/1/13, during the member's first three school years of membership, he/she will contribute a percentage based on a salary projection (as provided by the employer) in accordance with this schedule:
Salary	Contribution Rate
$45,000 and less	3.0%
More than $45,000 to $55,000	3.5%
More than $55,000 to $75,000	4.5%
More than $75,000 to $100,000	5.75%
More than $100,000 to $179,000 (the limit currently equal to the NYS governor's salary)	6.0%
Following the first three years of membership, a Tier 6 member's contribution rate in any given year is based on regular compensation received two years prior.

Required contributions help fund your pension at retirement. They do not provide you with a separate annuity or any other retirement benefit. If you have contributions in the System:

• For purposes of borrowing or withdrawal of membership only, contributions accrue 5% interest (tax deferred) annually.
• You can borrow from your contributions fund and make repayments until you retire.
• Contributions are subject to New York State income tax when made.
• The following federal tax information applies:
• Tiers 3 and 4: Contributions made prior to July 1, 1989 were federally taxed at the time they were made. Those made after that date are not subject to federal income tax until they are received as part of a withdrawal, retirement benefit, death benefit, or loan.
• Tiers 5 and 6: Contributions are not subject to federal income tax until they are received as part of a withdrawal, retirement benefit, death benefit, or loan.
• Contributions plus interest are paid to your beneficiary or estate if you die before you retire.

Worst Mining Disaster in U.S. History

    
     On December 6, 1907, methane gas (fire damp) exploded in mine tunnels 6 and 8 of the Fairmont Coal Company in Monongah, West Virginia. More than 362 miners including child laborers--breaker boys or slate pickers--were killed. Rescue workers also died by suffocation in oxygen-depleted tunnels filled with black damp*. Current research by the U.S. Department of Labor suggests that the number of deaths was nearer 500. The exact number remains unknown.
     The majority of miners killed were Italian-American immigrants. One hundred seventy one died. Many of the dead were fathers with large families. The mining disaster is remembered in Italy to this day. A movie called Monongah, La Marcinelle Americana by Silvano Console commemorates the tragic loss of life. A flash video in English is also available at West Virginia PBS--Monongah Mine Disaster.
      By the end of 1907,  3,242 workers had died in mining accidents across the United States, leading to renewed efforts for mine safety and greater influence by the United Mine Workers. 
     In 1913, the second worst mining disaster in the United States occurred at a coal mine in Dawson, New Mexico. Two hundred sixty three miners were killed.
     In 1909, the third worst mining disaster in the United States occurred in Cherry, Illinois.Two hundred fifty nine coal miners were killed. Unconfirmed counts put the number at more than four hundred killed.

Reference:
1) Wikipedia--Monongah Mining Disaster
 
2) Monongah Bell Donated by Italy--Pittsburg Post-Gazette

3) Rootsweb

* Black damp is a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

Navigating This Blog

     Blog posts are arranged in chronological sequence by year, month and date/title. To access prior posts, go to the Blog Archive, click on year, month and post by title. Thank you for your interest.

Why $16 Trillion Only Hints at the True U.S. Debt

     Unfunded obligations of the U.S. ought to be addressed, not dismissed. The messenger is not the villain. Here is a link to a short article that was published in the Wall Street Journal on Nov. 27, 2012. (The article does not include reference to state and local unfunded obligations. The link was provided by author Joe Bakewell.)
 Why $16 Trillion Only Hints at the True U.S. Debt



A BIRD NAMED ENZA & WILL’S WAR by Joe Bakewell are now available as e-books on all major sites including www.smashwords.com (in all formats) for $2.99.

James Kennedy State Forest

             
Editor's note: The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides this information on its website for historical and educational purposes.  

The James D. Kennedy Memorial State Forest, or Cortland Reforestation Area #3, was named in memory of the Distract Forester James D. Kennedy. The 4422 acre forest is located in the towns of Harford, Lapeer and Virgil on Babcock Hollow, Baldwin, Bleck, Cook Hill, Courtney Hill, Cortwright, Hauck Hill, Hilsinger, O'Dell, Owego Hill, Quail Hollow, Scutt Hill, Valentine Hill and Van Donsel Roads. The forest was established between 1931 and 1974 to reduce soil erosion, produce forest products, help stabilize the tax base, and provide recreational opportunities. Most of the landscape was cleared of trees for agriculture during the mid-to- late 19th century by European settlers. Between 1931 and 1976 approximately 2,280,500 pine, spruce, cedar, larch and red oak were planted. The trees were planted by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp S-125 based in Slaterville Springs, NY; Conservation Department employees; Camp Pharsalia crews and social service crews. Today the forest provides a diverse group of ecological, economic, and recreational services.

History

The towns of Virgil, Lapeer, and Harford, as well as the rest of present day Cortland County, were developed under the Military Tract, which was established in 1789. During the Revolutionary War New York State needed soldiers to protect its borders from British attack as well as attacks from Native Americans. Since the State had little money to pay its soldiers, a plan was devised to pay them with land. The Governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton, plotted land from Oswego to the southern border of present day Cortland County. This land was dedicated for the payment of New York's Revolutionary War soldiers. The land was then divided into smaller sections of about ten square miles called townships. These townships were then divided into sections of land approximately 600 acres each to be allotted to individual soldiers. Unfortunately, the majority of the soldiers did not utilize such payments, preferring instead to take their chances elsewhere. In those instances the soldier sold his land warrant to a speculator who would commonly divide the lots into smaller pieces and then sell them for a large profit.

After two years of breaking the road, Chaplin's work ended in 1794. New York State achieved its goal of promoting the settlement of Central New York . Shortly thereafter, John M. Frank and his family used the road to settle in the town of Virgil. John Gee and his family followed the Frank family in 1795. They were later followed by John Roe and his family in 1797. These were the first three families to settle in Virgil.

As part of the Military Tract, the town of Virgil was named after the Roman poet, Virgil. Originally the town of Virgil was connected to Homer, New York. Virgil separated from Homer in 1804. The first settler of the Virgil area , Joseph Chaplin, arrived in 1792. Chaplin was commissioned by New York State to cut a road through the dense forest from Oxford to Ithaca in order to open Central New York to settlement and development. Chaplin strove to cut a road as straight as possible and eventually ended up coming out near Ludlowville. This road was referred to as "The First Road." However, the state was not satisfied with "The First Road," and refused to pay Chaplin until he made another road from Virgil to Ithaca which was named "Bridle Road.

Daniel C. Squires named the town of Lapeer, and he was responsible for its split from Virgil. Squires is reported to have commented after the split, "Although among the youngest of all the towns of Cortland County [it is] the peer of them all." Squires combined the French article La, which is commonly used like "the" in English, with the English word Peer. "Lapeer," the town's name, is a direct reference to Squires' statement meaning "The Peer." Although not organized as a town until 1845, Lapeer's first settler was Primus Grant a native of Guinea who came to the area in 1799.

Unlike Virgil or Lapeer, the town of Harford has no solid information as to the origin of its name. However, there is a hypothesis regarding its origin. It is assumed that Harford followed the example of the neighboring town of Richford in determining its name. Richford received its name from the first owner of Richford's general store, Ezekial Rich, around the year of 1821. Theodore Hart ran Harford's first general store around 1824. It is also interesting to note that Harford was and is often spelled "Hartford." Therefore, it is feasible that Harford did receive its name from Theodore Hart, although it cannot be proven.

References:

1) James Kennedy State Forest--NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
2) State Forests...A Brief History  -- Read about the exodus of farmers from poor hilltop farms during the Great Depression.
3) Virgil Mountain Unit Management Plan--DEC -- Go to page 137, Appendix 1, to read a list of previous owners of land in Cortland District #3. This publication also has specific information about natural gas drilling.