CORTLAND ORGANIZES RELIEF FOR CONEMAUGH VALLEY, PA.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, June 7, 1889.

HELP FOR THE SUFFERERS.

A PUBLIC MEETING CALLED FOR FRIDAY EVENING.

Let Every Citizen Respond to the Call and Be at the Court House to Aid in the Work.

To the President of the Village of Cortland:

   SIR: In view of the sorrowful calamity [Johnstown Flood—CC editor] that has lately befallen a whole community in a sister State and the destitution and suffering resulting therefrom, we feel moved by considerations of a common practical humanity, and a common practical Christianity to express our sympathy, by sending relief to those stricken communities.

   Therefore, we, the undersigned earnestly request that you call a public meeting as soon as practicable that some concerted action may be taken. Geo. P. Avery, John Arthur, H. A. Cordo, J. A. Robinson, J. L. Robertson, Clark & Nourse, Wickwire Bros., Wesley Hooker, C. L. Kinney, Wm. Martin, Wm. H. Clark, Ollie Ingraham, Kellogg & Curtis, H. J. Harrington, E. Keator, R. T. Peck, Phil. Sugerman, I. Whiteson, A. M. Jewett, W. D. Riley, Glann & Clark, F. M. Johnston, J. M. Samson, Sager & Jennings, J. A. Jayne, Beard & Peck, L. D. Garrison, William E. Fitch, D. C. Bliss, H. M. Kellogg, Dickinson & McGraw, F. W. Collins, Chas. W. Collins, Burgess & Bingham, H. F. Benton, Edgcomb & Ballard, C. F. Thompson, Briggs & Peck, Hugh Duffy, F. W. Kingsbury, Sackett L. Wright, I. Edgcomb, C. W. Stoker, G. J. Mager, F. N. Harrington, Geo. L. Warren, Warren, Tanner & Co., D. F. Wallace, C. P. Walrad, Benj. L. Webb, Fitz Boynton, A. S. Brown, Geo. P. Hollenbeck, Watkins Bros., G. F. Beaudry, I. B. Knickerbocker, H. B. Hubbard, Hubbard & Buck, Tanner Brothers.

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   Pursuant to the prayer of the foregoing petition and the dictates of humanity I hereby request all citizens to meet at the Court House in the Village of Cortland on the 7th day of June next, at 8 o'clock P. M., to form a suitable organization to afford relief to the sufferers by the recent catastrophe in the Conemaugh Valley in the State of Pennsylvania.

   IRVING H. PALMER,

   President of the Village of Cortland.

Coroner's Inquest.

   Our Blodgett Mills' correspondent gives the particulars of a terrible accident that occurred near that place last Monday morning and which resulted in the death of Timothy Grady, a respectable and highly esteemed resident of this town. The body was brought to this place on the train and Coroner Moore notified, who empanelled the following jury: Henry Kennedy, foreman; L. V. Smith, E. A. McGraw, H. F. Benton, Wm. Corcoran and Sidney Harrington. After viewing the body the inquest was adjourned to Wednesday morning at 10 A. M. at Firemen's Hall.

   On Wednesday morning the inquest was resumed. William Wallace, of Syracuse, the engineer in charge of the engine that killed Grady, was sworn. He testified that just before the train arrived at the crossing, Mr. Grady was standing on the east side of the track apparently watching a cow that was coming towards him from the other side. Just before reaching the crossing Mr. Grady started to cross the track and the engineer endeavored to stop the train, but it was impossible to do so, owing to the short distance intervening. The whistle had been blowing for some distance before reaching the crossing to drive the cows from the track.

   Edward Brass of Syracuse, who was the fireman on board the engine, was also sworn and corroborated engineer Wallace in all essential particulars.

   John H. Howard, Esq., of this place, who was a passenger on board the train testified to the fact that the whistle was sounded several times before reaching the crossing.

   Dr. Jerome Angel of this village, who made the autopsy of the body, was sworn and testified as to deceased's injuries. He found both his neck and back broken, his left shoulder dislocated, both legs broken between the knee and thigh and the left one broken twice between the knee and foot, the left arm broken twice between the elbow and wrist, the right one broken between the shoulder and elbow and several ribs fractured. There was a deep cut upon the back of his head, but otherwise there were no abrasions of the skin upon the body.

   The jury found the following verdict:

   The undersigned empanelled to ascertain how Timothy Grady came to his death do say upon their oaths aforesaid that Timothy Grady in the town of Cortlandville on the morning of the 3rd day of June, 1889, at about 6 o'clock, came to his death at the second crossing of the S. B. & N. Y. R. R., south of Cortland village, on the highway leading from Port Watson bridge to Blodgett Mills, by being struck by engine No. 15, drawing the 6 A. M. passenger train and that there is no blame to be attached to the said railroad company.

   It is believed that Mr. Grady unintentionally sacrificed his own life to save his cows. He evidently thought he had time to cross the track, but in this miscalculated.

BLODGETT MILLS.

   A frightful accident occurred near here last Monday morning.  The six o'clock A. M. mail and passenger train going north, at the second railroad crossing about a mile north of this place, struck and instantly killed Timothy Grady, who was driving his cows from the pasture to the barn for milking. He had succeeded in getting a portion of them across, while two remained upon the opposite side. It is believed that in his efforts to save his cows he lost his own life.

   His body was hurled with such terrific violence against the fence as to splinter the boards and break down a fence post. Nearly every bone in his body was said to be broken, but, strange to say, his face remained without a mar. The train stopped and after informing Mrs. Grady of the accident, carried the body to the undertaker's rooms, where it remained until interment, which occurred Tuesday.

  Mr. Grady was a man of about 60 years of age, and had lived in this vicinity nearly twenty years. He was a stone mason by trade, and had accumulated a snug little fortune. He belonged to the better class of Irish citizens, was a strictly temperate man, and a most obliging neighbor. He leaves a widow and two sons to mourn his untimely death. Also several children by a former marriage, who live near Auburn, N. Y.

   Thos. F. Grady, son of the deceased, telegraph operator at Whitney's Point, was in town Monday and Tuesday.

   Quarterly meeting services will be held at the M. E. church next Saturday and Sunday. Presiding Elder U. S. Beebe is expected to be present. A very handsome communion set has been purchased, and will be used on this occasion for the first time.

MARATHON.

   Ex-Assemblyman Peck was in town Tuesday.

   The bastardy case transferred from Homer to this place, was tried before esquires Hulbert and Adams, at the Hulbert Opera House on Monday last. Only one side was taken in evidence, that of the plaintiff. The defendant reserved the right to carry it to a higher court. A verdict was brought in that the plaintiff should pay three dollars a week to support the child, all the expenses connected with the trial and one hundred and twenty five dollars to the young lady to reimburse her for her trouble.

   Chas. Myers has opened a shop in R. R. Maybury's building near the Rogers House.

   The late frost completely slaughtered a young gentleman's garden sauce and shortly afterwards when he viewed them he discovered a very appropriate motto beside the withered stalks, "Dead, but not forgotten."

   Amos Johnson and Art Brainard are off on a fishing excursion.

Spring Races.

   Already we have the largest list of entries for the different races to be trotted June 18, 19 and 20, that the Cortland Driving Park has had for many years. Among the horses entered are Greystone. Starlight, Princess M., Jennie R., DeBarry, Okalona, Frank T., Kingsley, Dandy White Stockings, Milkmaid, Lucy B., Roscoe, Jeweller, Dot Wick. Cortland Maid, Rocket, J. P., W. B. Kirk, Fred Dudley, H. C. L. Cardinal, Kittie Frazier, Harry H. Walton, A. R. Taylorson, and others.

The Irwin Brothers' Circus.

   "Irwin Brothers' big show has been attracting large audiences all through the week, and the throngs show no sign of decreasing in size during the remainder of its stay in Buffalo. The large business done is not unmerited, for the entertainment given for the nominal sum of ten cents is in many respects superior to that offered by some of the fifty cent shows. Pretty girls and athletic men there are in abundance, and the feats they perform are marvels of dexterity and daring. Handsome ponies, trick donkeys, and performing dogs are also to be found, and they attract no small share of the public's attention. Take it altogether it is hard to conceive of a cheaper or pleasanter way of spending an afternoon or evening agreeably than under the tent which contains this skilled troupe."

   Thus speaks the Buffalo Courier of the circus which pitch their tents in this city [?] next week.

HERE AND THERE.

   The Governor has signed the bill granting a new charter to this village.

   Irwin Bros.' circus tents will be erected on the Miller lot north of the village.

   Wickwire Bros. horse Greystone won [bread] money at the Waterville races.

   Go to Tully lake and take a ride on the paddle wheel boat, "Lady of the Lake."

   The Odd Fellows of this county will have a district picnic at Floral Trout Park Saturday, June 29th.

   Hitchcock Hose company are making arrangements for a grand picnic at Floral Trout ponds, June 15th.

   Don't forget the date of the summer meeting of the Cortland County Agricultural Society, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, June 18th, 19th and 20th. A large list of flyers have been entered, and the races promise to be fine.

   Syracuse voted last Tuesday for municipal ownership and Skaneateles lake water. The vote stood 11,302 to 910. It is estimated that it will cost the city $3,000,000 to put in the plant for the water works, and the city is to be bonded for that amount. The people owning the land about the lake object to the enterprise, and there will be many expensive legal squabbles before the water is finally obtained, and Syracuse will have to foot the bills.

   Mr. M. L. Alexander, of this place, and Mr. D. H. Stringham, of New York, have purchased of C. S. & J. S. Bull several acres of land on the east side of the highway [Route 11] leading to Homer, formerly owned by the late Rev. B. F. McLoghlin. The same has been surveyed and laid out into streets and lots. They will have about sixty handsome lots for sale, and as they are located along side the street car line, we presume they will meet with a ready sale. They propose to dispose of them at low figures and on easy terms. The owners will erect two new houses on the plot at once.

The New Presbyterian Church.

   The contract for the building of the new Presbyterian church in this place, was let last week to Mr. L. R. Hopkins, the well known builder, for $40,000, the building to be completed and ready for occupancy one year from April 1st, 1889.

   The stone work will be done by Mr. Wm. Crabtree of Syracuse, who makes this sort of work a specialty. The work of taking down the old edifice was commenced on Monday and as soon as the ground is cleared the new building will be commenced.

   Services will be held in the Cortland Opera House every Sunday morning and in the evening in the session room. The Sunday school will be held in the Opera House at the usual hour. Mr. Hopkins built the Opera House in this village and the one in Watertown and is at present erecting a large addition to the Normal school building at New Paltz. That the new church will be a fine structure and will be well built goes without saying, as Mr. Hopkins is a master of his business and always performs his part of the contract.