The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-18
A TOWN IN two STATES
THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN Nv CERE
OWING TO ITS SITUITION,
It sits Astride the Line. and Men. Horses
and Property Dart Hack nnd Forth IT,
tween New York ana PennsSiNania IN
Confusing Manner Legal ComplirntIon.

lt sits Astrids the Line, aud Mon, Horse,
aud Property Dart Hack ana Forth IT,
tween New York ana Pennsylvania IN
Confusing Manner = Legal Complications
BOLIVAR, n. V, April ~17.-Sovon miles doNr
the yalloy from Bolivar is n littlo country VII
lage Of 800 people which Is the scene OF NOR,
amusing happenings in q year than any town Of
its size In two States. and NIL because the vi,L,g,
sits nstride of the State line. Early In Jun,
Ceres will celebrate its Tooth birthday, ana ryci
since the pioneers erected the first log hous, unt
laid out a prospective city in the wilderness IT,,
State limo has figured in local history in one wal
or another.
The first trouble arose over the Post Office. IL
those days the mail was kept in n bushci hash,s
The Post Onico was originally located IN Tia
Pennsylvania side Of tho line. By some hook u
crook the department was induced to allow III,
office to be moved across tho line into New
York. That was fifty years ago. Every tina,
the Administration changed an effort was made
to get the office moved back across tho line, and
when Mr.. Mckinley was inaugurated the ngh,
was renewed, and 1t promises to be continued
indefinitely. The population is 80 nearly equally
divided on the two sides of the town that II ID
unlikely that a change will ever be made.
A pioneer merchant set a queer example. u,
became heavily involved In Pennsylvania, and
the Sheriff threatened to close him out. A
brilliant idea occurred to him. He put runnnr
under his building one night, and the next
morning store and stock stood over in New
York, and he had the laugh on his Pennsylvania
creditors.
A Ceres citizen built a house on a piece Of
leased land close to the State line. He had Z
quarrel with the owner OF the land about ground
rent, and tho latter decided to attach the build,
ings for ront. One Saturday night the owner OF
fhn hnnaa lnrfIaI I'm f,nva ~ Qnrtfral N r,,,,
Der of teams, and when the sun came up next
morning his house and barn stood 200 feet ava,
on q lot he had purchased in Pennsylvania. II,
moved everything but the well, and he pulled
the pipe out Of that. The man who owned tho
land was very angry, but could do nothing co
cept reclaim his land.
Every spring for yoars It was tho custom Of
the jobbers In the lumber woods Of Pottei
County who wanted to defraud their men out OF
wages due to run their teams to Ceres, crosl
over into New York and sell them and ther
light out. Some time the teams remained In
the Ceres livery barns for days. but the Penn
sylvania officers were powerless to levy on them,
although the barns were within forty feet OF thd
State line.
And in the line of q Gretna Green, Ceres is In
1t. The little Methodist church, the only ono In
the village, is built up against the line. Tho
porch 10 In New York, while the rest OF tho
building is in Pennsylvania, and 1t Is the sama
way with the parsonage. To avoid securing Q
license. Pennsylvania couples have only to step
out Of the parsonage on to the porch and DO
married in New York. where no license is re.
CURED Eloping couples have had some lively
rides to Ceres. For many years Justic.
Peabody was very popular at knot tying.
He was once aroused at midnight by a man
who wanted q warrant for the arrest Of a pair
of clippers. The Judge was q friend Of the young
fellow who was in love. and as he was making
the papers there was q rap at the door. The
stepped outside behind a stump fence, and acros.
then returned to the house and finished maxi
Cores was for many years. great rafting point
Creek @S' inc a f ossa OF o, n "a. nlIsass on ' RIv o.T ,nyS
which IL hows avs miles h.lov T,sra w.s Nv
license in the town. and to deprive q lumbermsi
whiskey was no more To be fbouobt ~ tb,,
to deprive a horse Of corn and oats. A hota
was built by q bright genius close up to the line
q little addition was erected for q bar
and a tan.,oo. har ~. A nu. N ' Th. m on,v nn 40
side. The bartender. By Stepping q foot ettbei
way from the centre Of the bar. could pass from
S isHs, Staff ssIfin to m snO,h ssm, a9 s Was j. arrested a.ss ;di for i.
he would swear thst he Whishey he snid VA
disposed of in the other State and for voars nS
license was taken ONT FINALLY To avoid annoy.
ance, the hotel man applied for and secured a
license. One day a Pennsylyania nrisoneI
slipped his handoufFa when fhs SheriR was MOI
and inmned ant ~ the djnJne roonn into
New York and eacaned 10 the Wooda vitbnnS
any trouble
The editor of the VILLAGE nevspaper onee had
a lot Of fun. The newsprner tc nripfeS IN Penn.
sylvania and mailed in New York. He learned
a warrant mad heen i.suad for Ma arraa, ~
charge az Iibei 4 constohie tror, = na;sSkoS
ing town Waa aent To ssrve The nsners Tbs
did NOT care IN he arrested hsyore h. baj
q chance to find out what he was Oh aged Win
30 he gaye tho constable the slip and ives on tht
New York aide NJ the linz Lftare Waat ~ watch,
ing in The hone of catcbino The editor AIMING tbI
went over and made peace wt.h' thS
editor and the latter gave bail, The constable
day, as he was watching for the editor, he ar
rested a statjstician ~ the Sev Vort StorN