LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE

Photo credit, Grip's Historical Souvenir of Cortland.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 11, 1890.

The Long Distance Telephone.

To the Editor of the Democrat:

   DEAR SIR:—In last week's Standard appeared an article under the heading of The Long-Distance Telephone. The writer would have the people believe that the Village Board are opposing the Long Distance Telephone company coming to Cortland.

   In order to place the matter before the taxpayers in its true light, I will explain the situation as I find it after having investigated, during the past week. In the first place the local company never asked for a franchise but once before until about the time the Long Distance company decided to come here, then they went before the Board of Trustees and asked for a franchise to occupy the streets without any limit as to time or as to the occupancy of any or all the streets. Had they obtained the franchises the people or the future village boards would have been powerless and we would have been at the mercy of the telephone company, and when the local company went before the Board, asking for the above franchise, they threatened that if the franchise was not forthcoming they would at once remove their poles and wires, and leave us without any telephone.

   And right here is where the trouble commenced between the Village Board and the Long Distance company, the local company seeing they could not obtain a franchise to use against the interests of the people three years hence when the telephone patents expire, they then (judging by their actions) applied to the Long Distance company to help them out, and that is just where the trouble all came in, for, up to that time the Long Distance company had found no fault with the franchise that the Board of Trustees had granted them when they first applied for a franchise, and as the Board of Trustees had no reason to think otherwise than that the company had accepted the same.

   Now the Board of Trustees are looking after the interests of the taxpayers, and judging by their actions they do not propose to be led into the same trap that previous Boards have been in the past by corporations who have obtained franchises for different purposes, and after they were granted then it was too late and the people condemned the Board for having granted them. And I am confident that, had the Board granted to these companies the franchise asked for they would have received the condemnation of the people, in the near future, and justly too.

   A nice thing it would be three years hence, when the patents expire for us as a village, to have the franchise for the use of our streets for telephone purposes owned by a greedy corporation, that they might use it to make the people pay any price they should see fit to demand for the use of telephones. If they did not intend to "squeeze" us why did they go before the Board and ask for this franchise when they have been occupying the streets for the past eight years, without any right only that they had put up their lines and continue to operate them without being molested in any manner, and so far as I am able to learn they would not be until the expiration of the patents, and then the company that could give us the best service for the least money would be the one to give a franchise to.

   I dare say that there cannot be found a single person in Cortland who is opposed to allowing the Long Distance company to put up their poles along any of the streets necessary to use for that purpose, and I think that the Board of Trustees should receive the support of every taxpayer and citizen, in their efforts to control these corporations and not allow them to rob the people for all time to come, and that surely would be the case.

   It is reasonable to give the Long Distance company any fair franchise that they may desire, bearing in mind that the interests of the people should be cared for first and theirs second.

   Just a word before I close. The writer would have us believe that we would receive better service from the local company, or that is the way he expresses it in his letter to the Standard. I would like to know how he knows anything about the matter unless he is very closely identified with the local company, and the reader can draw his own conclusions as to that.

   It only bears out the assertion that the local companies are the only parties that are interested in the attempt to force the Board of Trustees into granting unlimited franchises to telephone companies.

   Very Resp't, M.

HERE AND THERE.

   Don't forget the races to take place on the fair grounds, July 29-31.

   The price of coal has advanced twenty-five cents per ton on all grades but pea.

   Over two thousand people attended the temperance picnic at Floral Trout Park, last Friday.

   At 4 P. M., Tuesday, the mercury stood at 88 1/2 in the cool shaving parlors of H. Banks on Railroad street.

   While making a coupling at Homer, Monday noon, a brakeman had his hand crushed. His name is Michael Ryan: residence, Syracuse.

   The foundation has been laid under the Homer avenue mission chapel, and the work of fitting the building for occupancy is well under way.

   People residing in the north portion of the village anticipated a cyclone visitation Tuesday evening, so furious was the rush of wind for a few minutes.

   Geo. W. Ripley has re-leased the Keator Opera House at Homer, N. Y., for another year, and will open the season Aug. 27th, with Lillian Kennedy and Alfred Kelcy in "Casey's Troubles."

   A novel method of clearing one's premises of rats is reported by an up-town man, who having caught one in a trap tied a small bell to the rodent's neck and let him go. No rats are visible now.

   Farmers in eastern New York are being fleeced by swindlers who travel the country representing themselves to be collectors of royalties on spring tooth harrows. It is well to be prepared for them if they pass this way.

   "Newspapers have an idea that we use alum to stop the flow of blood in shaving," said a barber yesterday, "but it's a mistake. It is put on to cool the skin, which is often irritated, no matter how well the razor is handled,"

   Wednesday morning closed the period of one Calendar year with only two calls for the fire department, both of which, fortunately, did little damage This speaks favorably for careful and considerate citizenship.

   The advent of July 4th was greeted by young America in a lofty manner shortly after midnight and prolonged until advanced daybreak by patriotic and other noises and burning powder; yet most fortunately, not attended with a list of casualties.

   Charles W. Gage died at his residence in the village of Homer, Tuesday, at 5 A. M. A ruptured blood vessel is said to have been the immediate cause of death, although he had not enjoyed good health for several months. The funeral was held at 11 A. M. Thursday.

   The finishing touches are being given to the steam mills on Port Watson street.

   The corner stone of the Calvary church, Homer, will be laid at 7 P. M., next Monday.

   During the month of June there were 113,353 pieces of mail matter delivered and 30,134 pieces collected by our post-office force.

   The Cortland Top & Rail company have declared a semi-annual dividend of 3 per cent, and have a liberal showing of undivided profits.

   The Daily Message issued a number on June 31st, this year. Heretofore it has been the custom in that office to skip that particular date.

   The Marathon Town Board met last Monday and divided the town into two election districts. The river is the dividing line, the east side being district No. 1, and the west side No. 2.

   Wednesday evening quite a number of citizens witnessed the picket or guard drill at the armory. Until the company go into camp at Peekskill in August regular drill will be held Monday and recruit drill Wednesday evenings.

   The Marathon Independent commenced its twenty-first year last week, and the event was celebrated by an entire new dress, which makes a very creditable appearance. The Independent is a clean, bright, spicy journal, and richly deserves the success it has attained under the able management of its editor and proprietor, Mr. Ed L. Adams.

   Following are the vital statistics for the month of June, as furnished by Health Officer W. J. Moore: Deaths 9—males 7, females 2; social conditions—single 2, married 6, widowed 1; nativity—United States 8, Canada 1; ages—under five 1, between twenty and thirty 2, thirty and forty 1, sixty and seventy 1, seventy and eighty 2, eighty and ninety 1; causes of death—paralysis 2, consumption 2, heart disease 2, concussion of brain 1, collapse 1, inaction 1. Births 7—males 4, females 8. Marriages 3. Still births 2.

Something About Deeds.

   Most people have an idea that a warranty deed is the best title they can have to property which they may buy. But it isn't. There is what is known as a "full covenant deed," and this gives the purchaser the best protection he can have in the possession of his property. If the holder of a warranty deed finds that there is a flaw in his title, he cannot begin an action against the maker of the deed until he has been actually dispossessed by reason of the flaw in the title. On the other hand, if the holder of a full covenant deed discovers a flaw in his title, he can begin action at once, without having to wait to be dispossessed.

   Few people seem to know of the "full covenant" deed, for there is rarely one found among the deeds filed with the County Clerk.

A New Mortgage Law.

   Almost unnoticed, there slipped through the late Legislature and by the governor, a new law affecting mortgagee which it is rather important that everybody interested in real estate should know. The first section reads:

   Any person holding any bond and mortgage or mortgage on real property situated in the state of New York, either as mortgagee or assignee, shall, within one year prior to the expiration of twenty years from the date of the recording thereof, and within one year next preceding the expiration of each and every term of twenty years thereafter, file a written statement in the office of the clerk or register of the county where such mortgage is recorded, duly signed and acknowledged by himself or agent, setting forth the amount then due and unpaid on said bond and mortgage or mortgage, and the date of the last payment thereon, and containing a reference to said mortgage, the name of the mortgagee, the name and place of residence, the owner of said mortgage, and the name of the owner or owners of the premises described in said mortgage at the time of the filing of such statement.

   Failure to comply with this law voids the mortgage. There are other sections, of course, but the one quoted conveys the intent of the bill which is evidently to simplify the work of the county clerk, lessen the dangers of litigation and make more secure investments in real estate.—Exchange.

PAGE FOUR/EDITORIALS.

   William Kemmler, the convicted murderer, has again been sentenced to suffer death by electricity during the week of August 4th, at Auburn. It is believed that every avenue of escape has been finally cut off and that the execution will take place during that week.

   The Washington merchants are not slow to appreciate the true purpose of the McKinley tariff bill, as may be seen from the following advertisement, which is but a sample of many:

MCKINLEY PRICES.

A WORD TO THE WISE.

TAKE ADVANTAGE WHILE YOU CAN.

THE MCKINLEY TARIFF BILL AN ASSURED FACT.

   The McKinley bill will make the prices of all goods much higher than at present. Our prices are now at lowest point, so this is the time to accept your chance and purchase supplies.

   The Silver bill as it passed the U. S. Senate on Tuesday provides—

   "That from and after the date of the passage of this act the unit of value in the United States shall be the dollar, and the same may be coined of 412 1/2 grains of standard silver or 28 5-10 grains of standard gold; and the said coins shall be legal tender for all debts public or private, that thereafter any owner of silver or gold bullion may deposit the same at any mint of the United States to be formed into standard dollars or bars."

   On the passage of the bill the vote was 42 to 25—26 Democrats and 16 Republicans for, 22 Republicans and 3 Democrats against. The bill goes to a conference committee of the two Houses.

HIS HEAD BLOWN OFF.

A Fourth of July Tragedy at Danby.

   Almus Wilcox, a young man, twenty years of age, and a resident of South Danby, Tompkins Co., was fatally injured while firing off a cannon in that village last Friday. Young Wilcox and a number of companions had arisen early on the morning of the Fourth to fire a salute to the national holiday. They had a small cannon which, when it was discharged, would bound into the air to a height of forty feet or more. All had gone well and the young men loaded the gun for the final shot, but before they had time to step back to a safe distance the piece was prematurely discharged. It flew into the air with terrible force, striking Wilcox fully under the jaw with such violence as to shatter it. The tongue was also severed, and the man's head was almost torn off. Physicians were sent for in various directions, but before they arrived Wilcox died.—Binghamton Republican.