i b t I l WE r.- 1m]. , . Y to E “w EEK 'i-LG M E E E E = LocAL NEWS. Kenneth Thomas, of East avenue has an attack of the mumps. E. L. Thompson and vvife of Philadel- phia, are Visiting friends intown. Mr. and Mrs. Philip N. Smith of Bay- view avenue spent Sunday in New Ha- ven. , ~' ‘ Twenty new members were added to the Norwalk Methodist church, Sun- day. . Mrs. Frank Allen, of New street, has been. entertaining Mrs. H. E. Bradley, of Easton. ‘ . Miss Delia F. Morehouse has been entertaining Mr. and Mrs. A. F. Burr 'of Greenwich. ' Miss Gussie Demarest of Norwalk has been visiting Miss Alice Stocking of Georgetown. Mrs. Vickers, widow of Captain John Vickers, of South Wilton, has moved into apartments in Main street. Ralph Kellogg of Broad River, has sold three Alderney cows to a New Ca- naan man. Lenten penitents are already making arrangements for festal occasions to take place after Easter Sunday. Charles Stone of ‘Norwalk and Miss Bessie Zarr are now man and wife and both are glad of the fact. Wallace and Horace E. Dann who have purchased the Camp property on France street, propose improving the same. Mrs. Hattie S. Barnes, of South Main street, who went to Visit New Jersey friends, is detained there by the illness of her son. ' The class pin of the graduating class of the Over River School, ’98, is a happy conceit. The design is a quill and scroll enclosed in a wreath. Miss Bertha J. Becker a former resi- dent of South Norwalk, is reported as being in ill health at Wiesbaden, Ger- many and as contemplating a visit to this country. Mrs. Richard N esbitt and Mrs. VVil- liam Ferris, of Norwalk, who have been attending the funeral of a relative in Philadelphia, have returned home. The remains of the infant daughter of John and ,Mary McAllister of Dan- bury, who died Friday, were brought to Norwalk Saturday for burial. Mrs. Mary Force and family will oc- cupy one of the newly renovated houses, owned by Col. P. L. Cunningham at the corner of ‘West avenue and Garner street, when completed. Mrs. Alex. .8. Gibson who has filled the position of solo contralto at the First M. E. church for three years has been engaged by the Norwalk Metho- ‘ dist for the coming year. Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Reynolds and Mr. and Mrs. Irving Reed were guests over Sunday of Lewis Reed of Danbury. Mrs. Leonard C. Whitney, soprano, and Miss Amy Wood, contralto, have been engaged to sing at Trinity church the coming year. The next meeting of the board of Directors, of the Federation of Women’s clubs will be held in Bridgeport April 7th.- Mrs. T. K. Noble and Mrs. J. G. Jen- nings have been appointed delegates by the State Federation of Womens’ clubs to the convention to be held at Denver, in June. ' St. Patrick’s day will be celebrated at the Opera House, in the evening, under the auspices of the Catholic club. An excellent programme has been ar- ranged for the occasion and includes speeches, vocal and instrumental mu- sic, etc. Miss C. F. Baird has engaged the use of the armory two afternoons each week. The young women attending the Institute will thus be given a chance to become expert basket-ball players. The first game was played yesterday afternoon. An entertainment will be given at I Lockwood’s Hall, Wednesday evening, March 16, under the auspices of the Norwalk Congregational Sunday school. Among those who will take part are Mrs. Newkirk, Miss Sher wood, vocalists, and Miss Osborn, of New Haven, a noted whistler. News has been received in West Bedding that W. H. Remington of that place was suffocated in a refrigerator car at Fort Worth, Tex. A party had ’ entered the car and built a coal fire in a can. The fumes killed four of them. in Remington’s pocket was found a let— ,ter from his mother in West Redding. EThe relatives decline to have anything to do with the body. Mrs. Charles Rogers of Elm street, lwas relieved of her pocket-book by some sneak thief last Thursday even- ing at an entertainment in Grace church. These nuisances are getting in their work all around Norwalk,~ many cases coming to light since the bold afiair at St. Joseph’s church, Sun- day morning. It is now stated that sneak thieves appropriated pocketbooks containing small amounts of money at the services in St. Mary‘s church, Saturday night, and were seen acting in a-suspicious manner about the church Sunday morning, but were warned off the premises by the sexton. It is thought to be the same party who operated so successfully at St. Joseph’s church on Sunday morning. ' ' I . Frank-Slauson is on the sick list. Mrs. F. S. By‘xbee is ill at her home in Unionville. Most of the hat factories are doing a good business. - William Taylor is ill at his home on Summit street. Chester Ingersoll is seriously ill at his home on Raymond street. - A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Hardy of Beldcn avenue, on Mon day. ‘ A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clark, of South Main street, on Monday. 4 Herman Brundage has recovered from his recent illness and is able to be about again. The Lounsbury, Mathewson & Co. shoe manufactory is busily engaged in filling orders. Ethel Ezekiel is suffering from an attack of pneumonia at her home on Kellogg street. Manager Hoyt has secured the 'cele- brated Peyton company for next week at his Opera house. Everett Easton has taken a position as book-keeper at the South Norwalk HardWare Co.,. South Norwalk. W'ork at the Wheeler Straw hat man ufactory is booming, and large corps of hands are up to their eyes in work. Mrs. Joseph Vafentinc of Fordham, N. Y., who has been a guest of her mother, Mrs. Susan Ferris has re- turned home. Landlord Brown proprietor of the “Haw xhurst” at Richfield Springs, was a guest of F. A. Lane of Crescent Terrace, last night. A large number of'bicycle riders are taking advantage of the balmy air and good traveling to-day, the lady bicyclist being in the majority. Electrician Charles Riley writes from Boston where he is visiting his mother that the city is but a fly-speck as com- pared With New York. Ex-conductor Sweet ,of the Street Railway line has written to friends in town that he has secured a situation in a shear factory at Cornwall. The condition of Mrs. Mary Bradley who is ill at the home .of her daughter on Orchard street, does not improve and it is feared that she cannot long survive. , . Jacob Schaub, weight 310 pounds, has bought a bicycle at the South Nor- walk Hardware Co's store, and can any day be expected to be seen scorch- ing up the avenue at a break-neck pace. Mrs. C. F. Osborn is removing from Maple to Arch street. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Osborn who are expected home from their extended wedding trip the first of next month will also reside there. . The governing board of the Knob Outing club met Saturday night and transacted business preliminary to the opening of the season of ’98. Many new improvements were out~ lined, the most important of which be- ing the erection of a balcony on the east side of the second floor of the club house. The question of running a free daily buss from the trolley cars to. the club house during the season was also discussed and will probably be adopted. The club is in good financial condi- tion andexpects to largely increase in membership this year. The annual meeting will be held in the Mahackemo hotel on Saturday even- ing, March 19, at 8 o’clock. Mrs. James S. Lvon of North avenue was the victim of a '51 rprise part-yTues- terday afternoon. it was out of the general order of such affairs inasmuch as it was a genuine surprise. It came about in this way. .Mrs. Lyon is a member of the Ladies’fiAid society which held a meeting yesterday after- noon, but Mrs. Lyon failed to be pres- ent. The ladies then and there decided to take their absent member to task. To that end they resolved -to singly visit Mrs. Lyon’s home at intervals be- tween each call, of ten minutes, and to collectively have a good time at the expense of Mrs. Lyon. The plot was carried out to perfec- tion and with the result that all inter- . ested had a thoroughly good time, as the hostess was fully equal to the de- mands of her lady guests. Monday night old Concord Division, Sons ongemperance celebrated its Fifty- fourth nniversary at the meeting room of the ivision in the GAZETTE build- ing. " Brotl er N. E. Peck acted as master of ceredionies. The exercises opened I with silhging of a made quartette cem- posed hf F. G. Force, W. F. Ambler, I 'Wheeller and E. Morehouse. Thi was followed by a piano solo by Miss ellie Disbrow. Then, came a speecl by Grand Worthy Patriarch Charl s Hubbel-l of Stratford. The male quartette sang again and there was a recitation by Mrs. Fred Wheel r, asong by Miss Louise Sutton, a recit tion by HaroldflRaymond, and- a. piano $010 by Miss Grace Hart. . A so 0 by W. F. Ambler came next and th n a recitation by Miss Emma Warn r, a speech by W. P. Bill of New Have ,as well as speeches by other leadirli% members of the order from Danbi ry, New Canaan, etc. Me "bers of the order were present from r'eenwich, Westport, New Ca- naan, gDanbury, Rowayton and sur- rounding towns. Refrtashments were served and the»- occasiq n was altogether such an one as is alw ys pleasant to refer to and re- ,constant advance in population, both _ City council of South Nor-walk was held [thief took a sitting where he did. . It has been officially announced by the Right Rev. M. Tierney, bishop of Hartford, in ,his report of the condition of his diocese, that progress is being made in every department. The Cath- olic population has reached 250,000 souls, according to the aggregate cen- sus- reports of all the parishes in Con- necticut. The increase of church prop- erty during the year has been gratif '- ing, and the insurance on said proper- ty is at present considerably more than $4,000,000. The total indebtedness is about $1,250,000. The number of marriages during the year 1897 was 2,147, ,of which 266 were mixed marriages, that is, one of the contracting parties was not a member of the Catholic church. The number of baptisms was less than 100 short of 10,000, which was an increase of 120 over the previous year. During the month of January, each yeai, all the pastors make a report to the bishop, and this enables the su- preme pastor of the diocese to give an accurate report of his diocese. Bishop Tierney is well pleased with the result of last year’s work, both spiritual and‘ material. For the past few months he has been making the canonical visita- tion of the parishes. and although the work is no more than one-quarter ac- complished, he is satisfied that each parish is in even a better condition than the official reports indicate. The from natural increase and immigration goes on from year to year. An adjourned regular meeting of the last evening. ' Mayor Bohannan was absent and Councilman Hatch presided. The usual bills were received and ordered )aid. - 1 After some discussion the sum of $300 was voted for use of the Electric Light plant and $500 for commercial lighting. The matter of the widening of Mon- roe street was fully discussed, and it was finally voted that a public hearing be held on Monday evening, March let. The council next paid its attggpion, to the matter of the ""“"i fl".-- motif roe sm-ee-u'rrom Spring street to Day .street and discussed it at length, but no action was taken. The subject of cutting a street through from State street to Spring street, received attention and the street commissioner was instructed to investigate and report upon the cost, etc, of the proposed improvement. The street commissioner was instruc- ted to lay out and improve what is known as lower South Main stréet from Grove street to city line in accordance during the progress of the same by pos— Clty' Meeting. ' Agrecable to the call of the annual city meeting, Mayor Glover at 7:30 o’clock last evening called such assem- blage to order, and the city clerk read the call for the same. . The most important business before the meeting was the fixing of the bud- get of city expenses for the current year. , - When the meeting opened there were, perhaps, one hundred persons present, which number was augmented sibly fifty more: The ball was started rolling by the presentation of the administrative de- partment, the figures being placed at $5,000. _ . A. E.Austin asked as to why $500 more than the sum appropriated last year should be called for. . Councilman Meeker explained that a sum amounting to something like $500 was due the tax collector for the col- lection of taxes under the old board regime. A. H. Camp called attention to the fact that the Mayor and present board of councilmen were to receive salaries somewhat in excess of that given the old board, and favored the full ap- propriation asked for. After some further discussion $500 was l'opped off and $4,500 voted. Next came the finance department which asked for $14,000. Mayor Glover said that he did not consider the amount asked for as being excessive. _ A. E. Austin said that to his mind the present administration ought not begin work by adding to the city’s in- debtedness. On motion the sum of $13,500 was voted. The Fire department asked for’$3,500 and after considerable discussion $2,000 was voted for running expenses and $500 for repairs. The highway department was the next in the budget and asked for an ap- propriation of $5,500. ,S R. Wilson asked the pertinent ”duestion “Will it require that amount?” and received an equally pertinent an- swer from the Mayor that "You can expend twice that amount on the streets' to good advantage. ” . It was finally voted to appropriate the sum of $4,500 to the highway de- partment. . The Light committee asked for $7,- 500 and on motion of William Sheldon $7,530 was voted. The sum of $5,000 for the police de- partment was asked for and so voted. The sewer department wanted $1,500 with a previous vote. The finance committee was instructed to get in proper shape the issuance of the $25,000 bonds ordered by the city and to advertise for bidders for the same. -, The committee on fire department- was instructed to secure. plans and specifications for the proposed addition to Putnam Hose house and to adver- tise for bids for the construction of the same. . Residents of Elm Grove place prayed for the working of the highway at that point. The matter was discussed but no action taken. The council then adjourned until Monday evening, March 2lst. - St. J oseph’s R. C. church at South Norwalk, last Sunday was the scene of one the boldest thefts yet committed within the environments of the town of Norwalk. Its very boldness is no doubt what contributed largely to the success of the same, combined with what may be termed carelessness on the part- of the victims. Mrs. Owen A. Riley and Mrs. David F. Bernard, the former a resident. of South Main street and the latter of Spring street, attended the So’clock mass at the church and occupiedafront seat. In the pew back of them were seated two elderly women and ,a young man whose description will be given later on. The young man seemed to be very devout, and no special attention was paid to his presence. Mrs. Riley and Mrs. Bernard went forward to the altar, leaving their pocketbooks in the pew. On returning to the pew, Mrs. Bernard found that her pocketbook was missing, and Mrs. Riley congratulated herself on find- ing her own, as she supposed, intact. An unsuccessful search was made for Mrs. Bernard’s pocketbook, during ing which time Mrs. Riley opened her pocketbook and was startled to find that its contents, about $60 had been abstracted. Mrs. Bernard stated her loss ing about eight dollars. As before stated the young man who sat in the pew back of them attracted some attention by working his way out of the pew and out of the church dur- ing the solemnity of the services. and a fairly good description of him was gained. ' It is thought that the young man in the pew back of that occupied by the two victims is the guilty thief. He was a comparative stranger and described as being about 25, or 28 years of age, smooth face, and dark complex- ion, stockily built, and about 5 feet 8 inches in height, and as wearing a dark blue sack suit and minus an overcoat. It is asserted that he attended a meet- ing at the church on Friday evening, and as yesterday morning was appar- ently very devout. For some. reason or other Chief Voll- mer was not notified of the robbery un— til about 9:20, or after the thief had had a chance to reach the railroad station and take either the 9:12 or 9:14 train going east and west. The chief took advantage of chances in his power to apprehend the thief but up to 12 o’clock the fellow was at. large. ' The general opinion seems to be that he had a confederate, who may be known locally, and this opinion gains credence by the fact that the supposed as be- It was a bold thelt and executed with the art of a professional. ‘ A N orwalk- business man who was at the South N orwalk station Sunday morning, awaiting a train going west, noticed that there was a young man on the platform who while apparently fairly well dressed lacked the seasona- ble top dressing of a top coat, or in other words an overcoat. His descrip- tion of the man tallies almost exactly with ' that given of the party who is supposed to have appropriated the money at the church. —-————<o.O>———— A dish that is pretty tp look at is generally expected tobe more palata- ble than one that lays no-claim to and the meeting voted that the depart- ment receive that amount. When the question as to an appro- priation of $2,400 for the library was reached, a voice at the rear of the hall called out “We won’t do a thing to that! 'Oh no!” - might be beneficial for that fellow to visit a library oftener than he dees. ” William Sheldon made a motion that the appropriation be made $2,500. A. E. Austin moved to amend by making the appropriation $1,000. Dr. J. G. Gregory, president of the board of library directors, very suc- cicntly explained the present status or condition of the library. He said that there was not a town or city of the size of Norwalk but that was proud of its library and glad to support it, and that the spirit of estab- lishing and supporting public libraries was almost universal throughout the state. He spoke to some length on the subject, and said that in 1895 the city voted to establsh the present library. At this latter assertion of fact A. E. Austin felt called upon to interrupt the speaker with the not o’er kind re- mark "I’m awfully sorry we ever did.” Paying no attention to the remark, Dr. Gregory went on and gave in de- tail the attendance at the library since have shown as to its use and benefits. He further said, that thelibrary seems to have been the scapegoat of all the the city appropriations. the library had been conducted on the basis of a one-half mill tax. No book had been purchased only at the lowest market rate. He cited the amounts expended in other cities for the benefit of its libraries. including South N orwalk which.has a library building of its own from which a con- siderable revenue was gained. He said that he would dislike to see the present library discontinued for want of proper support. A man, from some part of the hall cried out "\Ve‘ve no use for it, shut it 11 J. ' ' 1Considering the source of the remark the speaker paid little or no heed to it. Gen. Charles Olmstead, however, picked up the gauntlet, and remarked that he was not surprised that such a party should make such a remark. He said that it would be a mistaken policy that the proposition of A. E. Austin, for only a $1,000 appropriation should prevail. , A young man named Mullen inter- rupted the speaker by asking “How much taxes do you payany way ? ” The General in a far more polite manner than his questioner was deserv- ing of, answered him. E. J. Finnegan asked as to the actual expense of conducting the library. The figures were furnished by Dr. Gregory. ‘. Mr. Finnegan said that he had been given to understand that Mr. Donovan, the owner of the present store occupied by the library, had offered the same rent free for library purposes. After explaining the full nature of Mr. Donovan’s offer as to the free ren- tal of the library, Mayor Glover said that he looked upon such offer as a "big bluff,” Dr. Gregory stated that when the present Quarters were taken it was be- cause at that time there were no others. available. if a move was made there would be a larger and needed floor space, etc., provided. He coincided with the Mayor in' reference to Mr. Donovan’s offer. _ ~ A. F- Austin was again heard as against the appropriation asked for. - Judge Asa 15. Woodward was recog- nized by the chair, and said at the start that he ’hoped Mr. Austin’s m0- t10u would not prevail. He spoke di- rectly and intelligently on the subject of the library from its infancy- and said that the library corporation had in fact made the city 'a. present of nearly, if not quite, $4,000 worth of books, He said that other lltowns and cities had been left library legacies and such might be 'the case in Non-walk. He‘ said that Saidavoice a few seats away, “It its inception, figures that inuSt surely ‘ He said that . I outside world by refusing to support a library. ‘ Dr. Gregory gave Some further in- teresting statistics in regard to the li- brary,including the number of volumes taken there from daily, and did not believe that the same could be success- fully conducted at less than $1,600. Mayor Glover also gave some inter- esting statistics in reference to the good i the library was doing, and thought it would be a mistake to close the same. I ' Dr. Gregory answered some questions propounded by J. A. Gray in a satisfac- tory manner. Mr. P. Buckley and others spoke on the subject, after which the Mayor put the question as to making the approp- riation $2.000 and as an amendment to Mr. Austin’s motion that the appropa riation be $1,000. As he was putting the motion he was interrupted byMullen, who in a pecu- liar tone of voice said, “Mr. Mayor will you please state the motion.” The Mayor promptly answered him with, “Anybody who has got good sense would knew better than to ask such a question.” The announcement of 'the vote was doubted and the Mayor appointed Messrs. Price, Story and Wilson as tellers. The motion was lost by a vote of 91 to 71. . A motion that the appropriation be $1,600 was lost by a vote of 84 to 71. An appropriation of $1,000 was then voted. The summary of the appropriations is as follows: As'ked For Granted Administrative, $ 5,000 $ 4,500 Finance, 14,000 13,500 Fire, 3,500 2,500 Highway, 5,500 4,500 Light, 7,500 7,530 Police, 5,000 5,000 Sewer, 1,500 1,500 Library, 2,400 1,000 $44,400 $40,030 The next subject before the meeting was the laying of a taxto meet the ap- propriations above named. Frederick Mead proposed that a tax of eight mills be laid. " , This provoked considerable discus- sion, in which Gen. Charles Olmstead, E. M. Lockwood, J. A. Gray and others took part. » A tax of 8 mills on the ratable list , of the city was finally voted. . A majority report of the‘water com- missioners was read by'the secretary. Water commissioner Mead presented a minority report of the board as against the former report in reference to the laying ’of a. new 16 inch main at a cost of $60,000, he favoring a pump ing station at a cost of $10,000. Through Mr. Mead’s remarks, it was learned that Grupe’s dam was leaking badly and that it would require fully 13. week to repair the same, and that in the meantime the city would have to get supply of water from South Nor-, walk at a heavy expense. . It was voted that both reports * be printed. ,. It was voted that the meeting appoint , a committee of three to confer with the water commissioners in reference to the matter, and the following gentlemen were'hppointed, R. Van Buren, C. N. Wed and Gen. Charles Olmstead, they to report at a future city meeting. A motion to adjourn then prevailed. The annual meeting of the City vol South Norwalk was held in Arion hall last Monday night. The meeting was called to order by Councilman Hatch, and soon after Mayor Bohannan put in an appearance and presided. The usual budget of appropriacions were presented and elicited more «or less discussion. In the minds of some the amounts asked for were excessive and the parties of that mind so expressed themselves, and those in favor of the same, in a like manner. ‘ The result of the meeting was- that with the elimination of $1,000 for the sinking fund the amounts asked for by the council were granted as follows: Fire $ 4,200 « 1 ($2,000 for extension of hose house.) ' 7,000 Electric Light, ($2,000 for commercial light- ing.) Library, 1,200 Health, . 500 Streets, 13,500 Administrative, 13,250 A tax of 6 mills on the votable list was made and an additional tax of one- quarter a mill for the benefit of the li- brary was also voted, and the meeting adjourned. . “333:3: ' .Exm Spring Costume With Tunic Over-skirt. Among the new fabrics shown by im- porters for spring are all-wool, softly falling materials, fine and" light in weight, and appropriate to the cling- ing folds which are coming into fashion again. One of the novelties is Sicil- ienne, a - silk and wool weave with a tiny silk cord crossing it, and resembl‘ ing silk in softness and lustre. The trimmings for these dainty wools are rows of machine stitching, bias folds of the material stitched, bands of silk. of a contrasting color, and frills or hands of black satin ribbon. There is also a revived fancy for milliners’ folds in clusters of three or four. An imported Sicilienne gown of at- tractive simplicity in the new burnt- silver gray is made with a’ tunic over- dress. This tunic reaches exactly to the bottom of the under-skirt in front, in accordance with the present tenden- cy, towards long slender effects, and ‘ slopes gradually upwards towards the back; where it forms an open box-pleat, falling on either side of the folds ofa circular under-skirt. The latter is a new three-gored model, measuring three and three-quarter yards at the foot. materials, one for the under-dress and the other. for theover-skirt, is coming into vogue again in F‘aris, as, for in- stance, cloth-oversilk, and nun’s veil- he did not believe in being extravagant in the matter, and'hoped that the city beauty. - ‘ 1 Y . ‘ , ,WUuld not make itself ridiculous to the ing, grenadines, and other transparent tissues with a skirt of novelty silk be- J SPRING COSTUME W‘llTH TUNIC OVERsSKiRT FROM HARPER’SBAZAR neath.’ Such models afford a means 0 freshening up old gowns. A. circular bertha with graduated box-pleats in front is open from the neck to the bust, where it fastens in- visibly, so that it may be removed when one prefers the bodiCe without it. The latter is drawn in pleats toa slight point in front, which passes undera girdle of satin, made with open bands the back. The back of the bodice is cut round. The bertha is made with The old fashion of using two ‘ no stiffening except the satin lining, and it fits around the shoulders with scarcely any ripples; like all the new models; the tops of these perfectly tight sleeves have no fulness. They are finished at the wrist byadouble turn-down cuff, with a tiny revers on each side. The'tunic and bertha are bordered with bands of panne, than which no satin is more lustrous and velvety. The proper cut of the gown can be obtained from the cut paper pat- terns furnished by Harper’s Bazar, where it appears. Approximate quan— tity of material—wool, forty-two inches wide, for entire costume, eight yards; silk or satin liningr for entire costume. sixteen yards; satin trimmings, bias. three yards. . . The hat of chilfonne straw, in a round form, is one of the new spring models-which are designed to be set squarely on the top of the head. The trimmings are an airy scarf in coral ' and gray, forming great bows, and a , bunch of velvet spring flowers. ‘
Norwalk Chronicler