HOW SITTING BULL DIED

Photograph of Sitting Bull, 1885, photographer David Frances Barry.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 26, 1890.

How Sitting Bull Died.

Graphic History of Sitting Bull's Last Moments.

   STANDING ROCK AGENCY, S. D., Dec. 17, 1890 —The expedition which started from this agency for Sitting Bull's lonely camp forty miles distant, to take him dead or alive, with chances ten to one of his death, was no haphazard force of semi-savage Indian police and ill-advised army subordinates. There is every reason to believe that the whole affair was a carefully planned military maneuver originating with no less a person than General Miles himself, sanctioned by the War Department and authorized by the President's Cabinet. Before Sitting Bull’s dazed adherents had a chance to realize the situation the police had pulled their panting animals up short on all sides of the chief's abode. No time was wasted in ceremony. The proud old medicine man was hustled out, hoisted on a waiting pony, and in a trice faced toward civilization. He raged and sputtered in a fury of rage for a moment, then straightening up, shouted hoarsely, not for help, but a command to his followers. Despite the threatening of the police, Winchesters alternately directed at his head and those of his kinsmen, the old medicine man retained his presence of mind, and, with powerful voice, continued to direct his own rescue.

   Suddenly there was a puff of smoke beside the tepee, and the sharp crack of a Winchester. The policeman at Sitting Bull's right, grasping the chief’s bridle, reeled in the saddle, and toppling over, was trampled under the hooves of the ponies, now all in the mad helter-shelter of retreat from the village.

   The shot was instantly answered by the police at the blanketed tribesmen, many of whom were already mounted and in frenzied pursuit. The police volley told with deadly effect, and the firing in a moment was general on both sides. Sitting Bull could be heard in the confusion, still attempting, though captive, to direct the fight. Raising his form he was beckoning his sons and warriors on, when without warning his body straightened out rigidly, then dropped limp on the hard ground.

   The police halted round the corpse, not knowing for a moment but that it was a trick of the wily old chief. The sudden movement and the fall of Sitting Bull disconcerted the pursuers who, remaining at a distance, sullenly fired at intervals toward the police. The latter held their ground, knowing the cavalry under Captain Fouchet would soon be at hand.

   To the surprise of all, however, the hostiles, who had been consulting among themselves, began a movement to close in from all sides. The rattle of Winchesters was now redoubled from both parties, the police using their ponies as protection. It was at this critical juncture that Captain Fouchet's men dashed up, and the machine guns which had been put in position opened up on the redskins. The latter were too dismayed at this unexpected onslaught to stand even for a moment, and all bolted for the river. The cavalry followed only a short distance, deeming it better policy not to drive to desperation the leaderless mob.

   There are already evidences that the killing of Sitting Bull is likely to settle the war without further bloodshed. Large numbers of Indians are coming into the agency, professing loyalty and offering their services to bring in the fleeing hostiles. The acknowledged leaders of the Sioux—Chief Gall and John Grass—stand firmly by the government and expressed no regret in the taking off of Sitting Bull. The bringing in of the bodies of Sitting Bull and his son caused a good deal of excitement at the agency.

HERE AND THERE.

   Christmas greeting to all.

   John E. Steele, of Truxton, has taken out letters patent on an improved running gear for vehicles.

   The DEMOCRAT is issued one day earlier this week in order that our employes [sic] may enjoy Christmas Day.

   The C. L. S. C. will meet with Mrs. Reed, 128 South Main street, Monday evening, Dec. 29th. A full attendance desired.

   The Earlville Standard, one of our liveliest exchanges, has passed its third birthday and gives every evidence of prosperity.

    Much enterprise was displayed by Cortland's market men in tasty arranging of their stock and liberal holiday decorations this week.

   The public schools of Cortland will reopen on Monday next, after the holiday vacation of one week, instead of two, as heretofore.

   Mr. Harrison Wells received and shipped over 18,000 pounds of Christmas poultry this year. He shipped a like quantity for Thanksgiving.

   Two tasty sleighs have just been purchased by John B. Morris for use in his livery business. One is an open surrey body, the other a covered hack.

   The outlying roads were in poor condition for travel the first of the week, owing to the heavy rain on Sunday. The cold wave of Monday night improved them, however.

   Head boiler-maker Joseph Adams sustained a severe sprain of the ankle and had his foot badly bruised at the E. C. & N. railroad shops, Saturday. A large sheet of iron fell upon his leg, but no bones were broken.

   The E. C. & N. road was blockaded by the heavy fall of snow near Swartwood, last Thursday, and the train that left Elmira that morning did not reach Cortland until Friday morning, after which trains ran regularly.

   Mr. A. D. Wallace, of the firm of Wallace Brothers, proprietors of Hotel Brunswick, in this village, was the recipient last Saturday of a finely bred Irish setter about eighteen months old. The donor is none other than the genial Dr. Reed, of Marathon. The gift is duly appreciated by the donee, who is kept busy exhibiting the same to his friends.

   The patrons of Miss Eliza Austin's private school were exceedingly well pleased with the entertainment given at the close of the fall term, last Friday. The exercises consisted of recitations, music, drills and other pleasant features. "Milkmaids' drill," "Windmill," and "Sitting up for Santa Claus," were well rendered and pleased the audience. The next term opens January 5th, 1891.

   The funeral of Mr. John P. Bunn was attended from his late residence on River street, in Homer, on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Bunn will be remembered as one of the oldest residents of our sister village, and for many years an active machinist in Messrs. Stone Brothers' foundry and machine works. Deceased was father to Mr. W. O. Bunn, for many years proprietor of the Homer Republican.

   Loyal Temperance Legion, Co. A and Co. B, will give a New Year's entertainment on New Year's Eve. The little ones of Co. A. assisted by the older members of Co. B, have been carefully preparing to make this an interesting and profitable occasion. Don't turn the little ones away when they call with their tickets, and if you are missed by the little canvassers, remember the place—W. C. T. U. rooms, over Collins' store,—and the time, New Year's Eve.

   Buck & Hubbard and F. D. Smith will close their hardware stores at 7 P. M. after January 1st. 1891.

   Mr. William Bacon took possession of the restaurant lately conducted by Mr. Seamans, on Railroad street, Wednesday afternoon.

   Landlord Vincent, of the Cuyler hotel, has a Christmas party and another on January 1st. Gibbons' orchestra furnishes the music. Bill, $1.25.

   A New Year's Eve hop will be held at the Virgil hotel, on Wednesday evening, December 31st. Music by Cooper & Livingston's orchestra. Bill, 50 cents.

   Mr. A. R. Peck, dealer in boots and shoes, has a big advertisement in this issue of the DEMOCRAT. The prices quoted ought to fill his store with customers.

   Superintendent L. V. Smith gave the juvenile classes of the Universalist Sunday school a grand sleigh ride, Tuesday afternoon, which was greatly enjoyed by the little folks.

   Mr. H. C. Beebe, proprietor of the Model market, North Main-st., will not close his market before 10 A. M. the 25st inst. He will continue to deal in the same select stock as is now on exhibition. Leave your orders.

   Mr. James Corcoran died at the residence of his mother, on East Court street, last Saturday, after an illness of nearly five months. Mr. Corcoran had a wide circle of friends, as was attested at the funeral services held Tuesday morning. Deceased was for a number of years clerk at the Vanderbilt hotel, Syracuse, and later proprietor of a fashionable restaurant at Forty-first street and Broadway, New York city, retiring from the latter in August last. His age was 29 years.

 

NECESSITY OF A HOSPITAL

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 26, 1890.

The Necessity of a Hospital.

   MR. EDITOR—The following extracts from the way in which a hospital was started in a Massachusetts town, may furnish some useful suggestions to those who feel interest in the subject and desire to see the same thing done here. After referring to several circumstances which had made many feel the need of such as institution and saying that it seemed too great a work for so small a place, the writer says:

   Perhaps we were waiting for some rich man to die, when lo, a poor old woman started the hospital for us!

   This is how she did it: she became very ill and needed some one to take care of her. She lived all alone. The clergyman and the doctor walked about the streets at mid-night seeking the aid of some friendly neighbor who would minister to the necessities of the poor creature.

   It was during the midnight search for a nurse, while they were rapping at the doors of cottages in the neighborhood, that the scheme for a cottage Hospital was developed.

   "We must have a hospital," said the clergyman. "Yes," replied the doctor, "the time has come. Let us see what we can do."

   But when they spoke to others there was a chorus of disapprovals. "It will be too expensive." "We do not have enough people who will ever need it." "Let every family take care of its own sick," and all of such objections.

   Why, it took three years to convince the community that a hospital was needed, and that it could be started and maintained. We held a meeting now and then, we distributed literature upon the subject, and we made use of the columns of the local papers.

   That three points clearly aimed at were first, the small buildings were better for the purpose than large ones, and consequently we could begin when we had enough money to put up a simple wooden structure. We did not want either stone or brick buildings.

   Second, that we did not need a resident physician. A trained nurse with her helper or helpers would do.

   Third, that physicians and surgeons of schools of medicine could be brought together, and could work in the same institution.

   Whatever else the Newton Hospital has done it has done a great deal of pioneer work in showing that a small hospital of the best character can be started for a small sum of money, that doctors of different schools can treat their patients in the same building, and that a good trained nurse as matron can manage.

   We had a hard struggle to bring the doctors together. Some members of one school thought they could not work with the other, and some plainly said that it should fail if we did not put it entirely into the hands of one school which of course was their school.

   Some happy genius in our Board of Trustees suggested this plan:—

   Patients to be allowed to express their preference for particular schools of medicine.  If they had no preference the matron assigned them to the care of the physicians in order thus:—No. 97 to Allopathy. No. 98 to Homeopathy, No. 99 to Allopathy and so on.

   The matron and nurses were to follow out the directions of the physicians in charge of the case whoever the doctor was.

   Well, the plan has been a great success. There has been no friction whatever.

   We did another thing that was somewhat strange: we forbade the holding of public religious services of any kind in the wards. Perhaps some of our readers may be shocked, but it was necessary to secure the co-operation of all the religious organizations in Newton:—Roman Catholic, Swedenborgian, Universalist, Unitarian and the five or six other kinds, and we could not have them unite if we allowed anything proselytism in the institution. But while no public services are permitted, the patient is allowed to have the ministrations of any minister he may ask for. The Roman priest kneels down by the bedside of the dying man at one end of a ward, and the Methodist preacher comforts his parishioner who lies ill on a coach opposite.

   The popular interest in the movement has grown as the people have seen the success of the institution. We opened the building June 5, 1886. Our expectation was that we would have about twenty-five patients per year and spend perhaps $3,000 in that time. We have averaged nearly fourteen patients per month for each of the past forty months, and last year spent nearly $10,000.

   Since January 1, 1890, 140 have been admitted, and our list reaches now No. 540. We found it hard, when we began, to raise $5,000 for our building.

   We found it easy last year to pay $10,000 for the year's expenses. Money has come to us as we needed it, so that we have gone on enlarging and enlarging until to-day we have quarters for sixty patients, a training school for nurses, isolated buildings for contagious cases, and a morgue, besides nine acres of land.

   Our endowment fund too has been started. It amounts to $11,000 now. The last gift received is a model ambulance for conveying patients to the hospital.

   The success of the Newton Hospital has stimulated other efforts in our neighborhood, and the view is rapidly spreading not only that every place of over 5,000 people needs a hospital but that it can get it and support it. Some of the essential conditions may be briefly stated thus:—

   (1) A good plot of ground, free from noisy and unpleasant surroundings, healthfully situated. If there can be five or ten acres it would be well, but there must be space enough for free air and sunshine.

   (2) A wooden building with a central part for the nurse and helpers, the kitchen, etc., one wing for men, and the other for women. A building of one story will do, then enlarge as you need, add connecting corridors, and put up isolated cottages for special cases.

   It may be safe to say that $5,000 will build the first building, $5,000 more will add a wing or a separate cottage.

   No cellar except under the central building, plenty of light and ventilation, and the simplest possible construction and finish.

   (3) A Board of Trustees made up of representative men and women of the place, willing to give time and trouble and money to make it a success.

   Put women on the Board. They are the best workers. It is amazing what they can do and will do when they are interested in the relief of the sufferings of others, and equally amazing how they get money together. Here they organized a Hospital Aid Society, and that man or woman who slips through the year without giving something has to be pretty adroit. I am glad to say that very few want to slip through. Your Board should consist of ministers, business men, and women. No doctors, and no merely ornamental folk. The doctors have their work in connection with their medical board, to be formed later on; and the ornamental people who simply talk are not needed.

PAGE FOUR/EDITORIALS.

   Those Republican Senators who favor the enactment of the Force bill, say to the people of the United States that they are not competent to count and return the votes they cast for Members of Congress. Between the hues of every speech made in favor of the bill, is a specific charge that the people of this country are too ignorant to be entrusted with the privilege of casting their votes intelligently and counting the result correctly. Any other explanation… in taking this right [OCR copying problem--CC editor]…charging them with ignorance, or they intend to appoint supervisors who will count the vote to suit a Republican Administration. The advocates of the bill intend to perpetrate a fraud upon the people and disfranchise them. The rascally provisions of the bill affect the people of the North and West as well as the South and the bill should not be permitted to disgrace the statute books of the country.

The President's Confession.

   Mr. Harrison thinks that the Southern colored vote "will likely be necessary to the election of a Republican President two years hence." Distinguishing them by hue and history the voters of the United States are thus divided—an immense number of whites who have always been free and have the advantage of centuries of civilization to assist their natural intelligence, and a smaller number of blacks just out of the barbarism of slavery. The freedom and intelligence are against the Republican party; the mediocrity, intensified by serfdom, is its hope.

   What a confession! The full-grown man at the South, alert, vigorous, sagacious to the last degree, looks with disfavor on the President's party. The child-man, groping his way upward, unable to discern the true from the counterfeit, is relied on to sustain it—and to sustain it, too, not by even a blind, free instinct for voting right, but marshaled and driven to the polls as the political serfs of the Republican party, by Federal supervisors appointed at the instance of men like Quay and Dudley! The President's confession is the official explanation of the Force and Fraud bill.—New York World.

A Lesson to Democrats.

   Ex-Postmaster General Clarkson, Secretary of the Republican National Congressional committee, in an interview in the New York Press of Sunday, again attributes the Republican disasters last fall to the work of Democratic newspapers, and says that if the Republicans are to recover the ground they have lost they must strengthen their press. Particularly Clarkson says:

   "The paper to strengthen everywhere is the local paper. The local voter believes in the paper that he knows and that stands up for his local interest. Strengthen first the county paper, then the state paper, then the National. The circulation of Republican literature should be increased by three hundred million copies per year, so as to prepare for the struggle in '92. The Democratic circulation, I think, in 1889 and 1890 exceeded the Republican circulation by that much. The newspaper, the school house and the magazine are the allies and weapons which they have taken from us and used to our disadvantage. The next campaign is to be one of intellect; a campaign of education, one which shall go into the American home and prove to every self respecting family that its prosperity, its maintenance above the average family in Europe, the promotion and welfare of its members, as well as the real strength of the Republic lies with the Republican party and the Republican principles."

   It is wise to learn even from an enemy. Democrats should heed the lesson conveyed in the words of Clarkson, and see that none of the advantage gained through large circulation of Democratic newspapers be lost.—Syracuse Courier.

The Newspaper Affidavit Liar.

The snake liar and the fish liar, both bowed in their gray old age,

Came traveling back from their journeys wide, from their earth-wide pilgrimage;

A tear drop stood in the snake liar's eye, and the fish liar groaned in pain,

And a death-like look of infinite grief came over the face of the twain.

"I cannot compete with the modern lie," the sad-eyed snake liar said;

"In its limitless length and breadth and depth, and 1 wish that I were dead;

For I stand rebuked, with a shamefaced look, 'neath the triumphant gaze of the eye,

Of the newspaper affidavit liar, with his circulation lie.

"For the snake liar and the fish liar and the liars who work by the day;

The travelling liar, old inhabitant liar, and liars of low degree,

And liars who lie for the fun of the thing, and liars who lie for a fee,

The horse liar, the peach crop liar, the sea serpent liar, and all

With the wide untraveled wastes of cheek and their soulless seas of gall,

All bend the knee to the sceptred sway of this crowned and peerless one;

And the father of lies looks tenderly down on his most accomplished son."

—S.W. Foss, in the Yankee Blade.

 

ANOTHER BUSY FACTORY IN CORTLAND.

The Cortland Democrat, December 26, 1890.

Another Busy Factory.

   Although the prevailing impression on the public mind is that the manufacturing interests of our thriving village lay in a semi-dormant condition during the winter months, a representative of the DEMOCRAT dropped into the Elm street works of the Hitchcock Manufacturing Company just before Christmas, (usually as quiet a period of the year as any factory experiences). Every department was a scene of activity, and the same applies to other houses. A new feature at Hitchcock's, however, is a mammoth hand-saw eight inches wide, forty-six feet in length, the metal a scant 1-16 inch in thickness which the set requires a space of 3-32 to allow of passage through the log. This saw operates around two pulleys each seven feet in diameter and each revolution of the saw cuts eighteen inches lengthwise of the timber. A special carriage has been constructed, the mechanism of which is such that by the operating of levers it is diverted from the saw while returning, thereby rendering accidents less liable.

   The mill is made from the company's own patterns and is the output from their machine shop on Port Watson street. It is under the supervision of Mr. Len McAlpine, who for years has operated this class of saw machinery, and will conduct this branch of the works. It is the intention of the company to get out lumber for the trade as well as the factory consumption. Several specimens of the work evidenced that the saw cut true and clean.

   Through the courtesy of Superintendent Fred S. Bennett, the wheel making department was visited and the many processes of this new industry shown up. The facing, throating and turning of spokes are done by one machine, and the device for sanding is such that much time and labor are saved in the production. A fifty ton hydraulic press for shrinking on the two end and center hub bands works to perfection, as does the facilities for bending of upwards of 200 pair of shafts per day of ten hours. It might be in order to state that one year's stock is carried ahead for hubs and spokes. A special kiln has been constructed for the purpose of air seasoning of the timber by radiation. Last winter's stock goes into the coming season's output and so on. The specimens of work compare favorably with that of outside concerns on the several grades of finished wheels in the white. About sixty men are employed in the wheel department during the season.

   This house has a force of men now at work on a large contract for refrigerator fruit wagons to be used on the Pacific coast, besides those engaged upon the general factory work. Cortland county may be a small interior tract, but Cortland's manufactories are similar to the insect commonly known as the busy bee—both make their presence known.

Hitchcock Manufacturing Company: http://jeffpaine.blogspot.com/2014/01/hitchcock-manufacturing-company.html  

The Electric Lights.

    Tuesday the Hitchcock Manufacturing Company began the work of removing their electric light plant from its present location on Port Watson street to the new station on Elm street near the D. L. & W. railroad crossing. The dynamos and apparatus used on the arc light circuit will be placed in position during the present moonlight season and be in working order in time for the regular season of lighting the streets.

   Arrangements are being made whereby the transfer of the incandescent circuit will be made between the hour of closing in the morning and starting on the evening of the same day, unless some unforeseen accident should take place. The shafting and steam connections have been laid under the street and a force of men are hanging the circuit wire and placing the machinery in the new building. Every effort is being made to cause as little inconvenience to the patrons as possible.

    Outsiders will confer a favor upon the company and possibly prevent serious accident to themselves by keeping away from all wires whether hanging from poles or lying on the ground. At all events take no risks even though there is no apparent danger.

Looking Toward a City Hall.

   At the close of the department meeting last Wednesday evening, there was brought up the subject of accommodations for the department more in accordance with their requirements and those of the municipal officers, with the further end of securing a place suitable for the meetings of the town board, assessors and other town meetings. Leading tax-paying citizens were interviewed by tax-payers and expressed themselves in favor of the needed improvement, even going so far as to advocate the drafting of a petition to circulate among dealers and property owners and urge that the said petition be laid before the village board. The petition reads as follows:

To the Board of Trustees of the Village of Cortland:

   We, the undersigned citizens of the village of Cortland, respectfully request that you consider the feasibility of uniting with the town of Cortlandville, in building a building suitable for the use of both village and town, or for the village alone, as the present building is not large enough to meet the increased wants of the village. As some action will soon have to be taken in the matter of providing more room, it would be advisable to secure a location while there is an opportunity to do so advantageously to the village, and that if your Board should favorably consider it, to call a public meeting to bring it before the citizens of the town and village, so action may be taken at the coming election [April 1891].

In Justice Court.

   The trial of the case of the People vs. Elmer B. Arnold, charged with collecting and failing to return some $1100 of railroad money of the town of Truxton while filling the office of collector in said town, was commenced before Justice Jerome Squires of this village on Monday. The case was adjourned until 4 P. M. Tuesday, when the defendant waived further examination and gave bail in the sum of $1,200, for his appearance at the next term of court. William Baldwin, of Truxton, signed the bonds.

   The evidence in the case of the People vs. Michael Walsh, of Truxton, was concluded before Justice Squires on Tuesday and the case adjourned until Wednesday that an opportunity might be had to obtain bail. It will be remembered that two barns were burned and a fire discovered in the milk house on the night of November 4th last. Mr. Walsh is said to have been absent from home on the night of the conflagration. His wife discovered the flames enveloping one of the barns and turning saw the end of the second barn most remote from the first also on fire. This with other circumstances resulted in Mr. Walsh being arrested and examined on the charge of arson. The defendant waived further examination and was held in $1,000 bonds until the January term.

Charged with Assaulting an Officer.

   On Saturday, the case of the People vs. Mrs. Bridget Walsh of Truxton, charged with assaulting a public officer while in the discharge of his duty, will be heard before Justice Squires. Briefly, it is alleged that when officer Miller appeared at the Walsh residence recently, with papers for Mr. Walsh, the wife met the officer at the door with a pail of water, quickly firing a second volley of scalding liquid at the officer. The latter withdrew from the attacking party, but served his papers upon his man. Whether the defense will be an effort to prove that a second John the Baptist was desirable remains to be seen.

"Gone, but Not Forgotten."

   The above words appeared upon a placard in a window of the store in the Miller building, on Monday. The store was occupied last week by the "Merchants Tea Co.," which advertised to give away cash, watches, jewelry and various prizes in each can of tea.

   The trade is said to have been brisk until Saturday evening, soon after the curtain raised for the presentation of the Two Thieves at the Opera House. At that time an officer requested the presence of the managers before police Justice Bull to answer a charge of maintaining and conducting a lottery. District Attorney Bronson and officer Eli Colegrove are credited with entering the charge.

   Evidence was introduced showing that for the payment of fifty cents a can would be opened and the contents disclosed and it was said that a can would be taken from the shelves and opened disclosing currency. The prisoners, who gave the names of T. and J. A. Pickart, plead guilty to the charge and paid a fine of $25 each, claiming that was the extent of their finances. Although a large crowd was assembled in the store after the case was settled, it is stated there were no purchasers. Sunday afternoon wrapping papers were put up in the windows and Monday morning the sign "gone, but not forgotten," was hung out to the public.

   The manner of conducting the business was about as rank a bit of rascality as has been carried on in this vicinity in years and the only wonder is that our officials allowed it to be carried on so long, without bringing the proprietors up with a round turn.

Re-Dedication at McLean.

   Tuesday evening a party of Cortland people enjoyed a moonlight sleigh ride to McLean and participated in the exercises attending the dedication of the new additions to the Universalist church in that village. There were upward of one hundred people assembled at the church upon the arrival of the visitors. The ladies of the church had provided an elegant repast of which savory chicken pies were a prominent feature, and a pleasant social hour was passed.

   Following the supper, the Rev. Ure Mitchell, of Cortland, delivered a lecture upon Palestine, which was rendered doubly interesting by the aid of numerous illustrations of the views of many ancient cities and the rugged country surrounding the same, ancient style of architecture and other sacred views.

   The church is in a most flourishing condition under the present pastor, Rev. O. N. Hutchins, whom the church are [sic] desirous of having settled as permanent pastor in the near future. And it is gratifying to know that only the most amicable feeling exists with the sister churches of that village, many being in attendance at the exercises. The occasion was one to be long and favorably remembered.

A Northern Railroad Incorporated.

(From the Oswego Palladium.)

    Articles of incorporation for the Camden, Watertown & Northern Railway Company have been filed in the Secretary of State's office. The road is to start at Camden, the Northern terminus of the Elmira, Cortland & Northern Railroad Company's line, extending thence north through the counties of Oneida, Oswego and Jefferson, and through or near the villages of Pulaski, Sandy Creek, Ellis village, Belleville and Smithville to the city of Watertown. The amount of the capital stock of said company is said to be $l,000,000 divided into 10,000 shares of $100.

ERIE & CENTRAL N. Y. RAILROAD.

Meeting of the Stockholders and Directors—Contract for its Construction Ordered.

   A meeting of the stockholders of the Erie & Central New York Railway Company was held at the company's office, 109 Main street in this village, at 10 A. M. Monday. Among other business transacted was that of authorizing and sanctioning the issuing of seven hundred and fifty bonds of the principal sum of $1,000 each in order to raise money to complete and equip the road.

   The town of Pitcher, Chenango county, is to be released from its liability on unpaid subscriptions to the capital stock of the company, issued in aid of the construction of the railroad and not yet delivered or negotiated, upon condition that the people of said town contribute the right of way through the said town of Pitcher.

   It was also directed that the President, Secretary and Treasurer enter into a contract with Mr. Frederick W. Thomas, of Elizabeth, N. J., to complete the railroad, fence the same, erect the several station houses, and furnish the necessary rolling stock and other items necessary for the operation of the railroad.

   A committee was appointed to revise the by-laws of the company, procure a new seal and report at the annual meeting in February next.

   A meeting of the directors was held at the same place at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when the report of President Wayland D. Tisdale [also President of the Electric Company in Cortland—CC editor] was read showing the result of his recent visit, in company with others, to New York city and vicinity, to have been a most encouraging expenditure of time and that the future for the road is in every particular very promising.

   It was also announced that the right of way, with very few exceptions, has been secured.

Not Acquainted with Benjamin.

   A story is in circulation to the effect that Uncle Sam's postal employes are not all acquainted with the name and address of the chief executive. On Monday the mail was received at the post office of a flourishing manufacturing town in the central part of this state and in the course of assorting and throwing up the mail for the carriers a letter was found addressed to Benjamin Harrison. As soon as the name was read off a voice was heard to promptly enquire "Who is Benjamin Harrison?"

   Some say cigars are in order, while others claim it was all a joke, and there is no necessity for the civil service reform to be put to a test.