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Founded in 1800.]
N ORWALK, CONN. FRIDAY
.4 n Entertaining and I nstmotive HOmeJJ'o‘wzti'na/l, E8péetally Devoted to
FEBHUARY 8, 1895.
Local News and Interests.
PRICE Two CENTS
VOL. Kev—No. 6,
a
NORWAIKflGAZETI'E.
AIM—-
.1“ WW
Build Those Battle-ships.
The naval appropriation reported by
the House Committee should be allowed
by Congress. There is no reason why
it should not, and every reason _ why it
should. We need the battle-ships pro-
vided for in the bill and we can afford
to build them. Secretary Carlisle .has
shown that the new tariff Will yield
abundant revenue—even a Comfortable
surplus—and, at the outside, the out-
lay on the three battle-ships in question
will, during the next fiscal year,
amount to less than $1,000,000: There
is no occasion for being purSimonius,
but every occasion for being intelligent-
ly liberal.
Give Amerlcans a Chance.
Why should our big bankers try to
unload the new issue of bonds upon
Europeans ? There is no good reason
except that it is easier to make one big
00.
" sale than hundreds of small ones.
But are no interests to be considered
but those of the big bankers? The
American people—that is to say, all
who chance to have any spare cash-—
want these bonds and are willing to
to rices for them.
paThispi: a family affair, and Uncle Sam
is our uncle, not Europe’s. We love
him, we are proud of him, and if he ever
gets “into a hole” we are not gcing to
crowd him deeper by dumping the
bonds back upon him, as Europe might
dolee all of us Americans 9. fair
chance at those bonds. When we go
back on them—which we will not do—
it will be time to let Europe collect
' interest money from us.
Sad News Frorn Bridgeport.
Sad news comes from Bridgeport.
The handsome country seat of James
W. McNally, “The King of the Green
Goods Men,” has been turned over to
Mr. Cady, of New York, to satisfy a
paltry claim of $1.000.
Two years ago McNallyfi spent $30,-
000 of good “come-on” money to em:
bellish the estate, and it was rumored
that Mr. McNally would soon be en-
rolled among the millionaires and be
dodging his taxes as merrily as any rich
property owner of the Republic. ~
But last summer Mr. M cNally had to
lay two heavy mortgages on his villa
when he went to Europe to escape the
Lexow Committee. To day he is said
to be penniless. and in hiding with
friends near the Golden Gate. .
Alas! how the mighty fall! But yet
Mr. McNally should not lose heart.
The Bowery proverb says: "A fool is
born every minute.” So the .green
goods business may boom again in the
verdant springtime, and McNally may
yet join our grand army of millionaires.
00 South.
These icy blasts that have been and
still are devastating the Northern States
bf the Union will have ,been ill winds
indeed if they do not turn the footsteps
of thousands of industrious poor in the
direction of the balmy South.
lesson full of eloquence to such as find
i I the conditions of these higher latitudes
- too severe fer them. Life at the North
is well enough for those who are so for-
tunate as to have surrounded themselves
with the means of comfortably sur-
viving its rigors, but to the others it
must be sad and hard indeed.
This winter has been one of except-
ional severity. The suffering endured
by the poor and insufficiently provided
both in town and country is simply
'heartrending. From everyquarter we
hear the piteons cries of the helpless
victims. By every mail we add to the
appalling record of misery and destitu-
tion. Not only within our own gates,
and in hearing of our own luxurious
firesides, but everywhere throughout
the districts ravaged bysnow and storm,
human beings are appealing to us for
rescue from anguish too frightful for
belief. The grim carnival of cold and
hunger has been complete. °
It is at once tragic and absorb,
though, to reflect that while this awful
misery reigns in one part of the country
there are flowers blooming, and soft
airs blowing in another, not so very far
distant—easily within reach in fact.
While so many thousands to the north
of us, and even in this comparatively
genial latitude, are starving and freez-
- ing in wretched hovels in a land swept
by killing winds and locked in cruel
ice, there are in Georgia, the Carolinas
Florida, Alabama and Louisiana, trees
beginning to bud, the grass is growing,
flowers laugh in the warm sunshine,
.and the rich soil waits for the husband-
man that it may succor and reward him
lavishly. The one intolerable thought
in connection with all this human tor-
ture is that much of it is so unneces.
sary.
It is a5
REGQL-LEQTIONS
OFA
WAR
WGURRESPUNDENT.
BY THE
Editor of the Gazette.
Copyrighted 1304.
CHAPTER XLIl.
General Carl Schurz had his head-
quarters about three miles from the
camp of our Seventeenth Connecticut
regiment while at Brook’s Station, and
Captain Dunham was exceedingly de-
sirous of being introduced to him. I
consented to do this, and one Sunday
form and mounted on the nervous and
nettlesome steed of young Adjutant
Henry Chatfield, started to ride over
with me to my Teutonic friend’s quar-
ters.‘ Dunham had made a record at
ambulance riding, off the field at Chan-
cellorsville, but he was no expert in
the saddle. He bumped and chafed,
and‘his fiery steed soon fretted and
worried itself into a white lather. On
entering a little belt of woods, Dunham
fell behind, and suddenly I heard an
outcry from him, and gravel and mud
hurled against the trees by his horse’s
hoofs. Looking back, Dunham was
clinging with both arms to the neck of
his steed, his saddle slid around under
neath the animal, which was perform-
ing incessantly, the high kicking act.
I never saw an animal’s heels fly so fast
and so high in the air, and beforeI
could dismount to' assist him, Dunham
was rolling in the mud. his fine clothes
thoroughly besmeared with “sacred
soil.” After exhausting itself, the
horse allowed the girths to be unbuck-
led, the Saddle righted, and Dunham
taking my less fractious ' horse, I
mounted the Chatfield steed and we
retraced our steps to the Seventeenth’s
camp, walking our horses all the way,
as Dunham strenuously opposed a fast-
er gait. He seemed, also, cured of his
desire to be introduced to General
Schurz. The laugh this time was on
Dunham, but a little later it was on
myself, and to a much greater degree.
I attempted to ride to the Bappahan-
nock one afternoon, on Chaplain Hall’s
horse, hoping to exchange newspapers
with the rebel pickets. The beast
started off gaily, but after going six or
eight miles moderately, it entirely gave
out and could only move on a walk. lt
was a good-looking, but used-up and
foundered beast when it got into the
proverb, “There’s always something
wrong with a minister’s horse.” Dark-
'ness ’had set in when I turned its head
homeward, not doubting its horse-in-
stinct to follow back through the woods
the paths by which it came, but near
midnight I became satisfied that the
brute was astray. Lighting a match and
consulting my compass, I found him»
headed northwest instead of due east.
After much delay and difficulty, a path
toward the southeast was found. This
was traversed until after two o’clock in
the morning, when a “halt” was
shouted from some unseen source in
front. Then came the “who comes
dere ‘3” in unmistakable German. I
was then ordered to “advance and give
der coundersign.” This I could not do,
when along parley ensued in German
nota word of Which Iunderstood. I
saw, however, that they were our ad-
vance pickets and believed me to be a
rebel spy. Aguard of two on either
side of my horse was ordered by the
mental headquarters. This was accom-
plished in another hour or so. The
Colonel was aroused from his tent and
the guards told their story. Not a
question was asked me. A new detail
was ordered out to accompany me far.
ther on, I knew not where, but was
. sure it was in the general direction of
Brooks’ Station. About four o’clock in
the morning I was halted in front of
another officer’s tent. An excited dis-
cussion Was held between the guards
whena tall, gaunt figure appeared in
“undress” uniform at the tent- door.
“What have you here ? ”' was the offi-
cer’s first inquiry, and spoken this
time in English. I instantly recognized
the voice as that of General Schurz,
and saluted him most joyfully. “Why,
Byington, where have you been ?
Do you know that you are my prisoner?
My men have you under arrest as a
rebel spy.” Rapid explanations fol-
lowed, the General informing me that I
was about three miles from the Seven-
teenth Connecticut, and that he would
order my guard to pilot me there.
A few days subsequent to my uncom-
fortable, though mirth-provoking mis-
adventure, I chanced to meet F. A.
Rockwell, of ltidgefield, who was a
brigade sutler at the time, and on his
way from Belle Plain to his camp with
a six mule team load of supplies. His
team was stalled in a clay slough, and
Rockwell was holding the single line
reaching to the first nigh side mule’s
bit, while his colored driver waded in
the mud to reach his leaders. Instantly
two soldiers sprang from the bank and
into the mud in the rear of the army
wagon and seizing a barrel of ginger
cakes ran off with their booty. Rock-
well dropped his line and put after the
scamps. tle had not gone a dozen rods
when two more soldiers from the oppo-
site bank descended and stole another
~barrel. Rockwell saw this also, and
hastened back to his load and there-
after stood guard over what was left,
until his team moved on. He never
saw more of his two barrels of sweet
cakes. and was glad to escape with the
remainder of his load. ‘
morning he dressed in his neatest uni- '
Chaplain’s possession. recalling the old ,
Sergeant to conduct me to their regi-‘
--—pulled my friend’s leg off?”
“It is but a step from the sublime to
the ridiculous,” is a well-worn proverb,
and in nothing was the army more re
markable than in the suddenness with
which our soldiers would rise from the
deepest depths of suffering and depres-
sion, following upon some exhausting
march or terrible battle, to the elation .
ofjokes, jollity and frolic. Probably
no one in the whole Potomacarmy
more thoroughly detested cowardice
than did its valiant Commander, “Fight-
ing Joe” Hooker, and no one was
quicker to catch the comical aspect of
things. An incident that happened late
in the afternoon of the first day’s fight
at Chancellorsville, is in point, and the
story spread the army with the hearti-
est enjoyment. General Hooker was
dashing past a big stump in the rear of
our forces, when he Spied two demoriil-
ized soldiers skulking behind it. Halt-
ing his horse with affected suddenness
before the deserters, he shouted. “Ho !
ho! boys, does it really need both of
you to guard that stump '3” Then wait-
ing their shamefaced look of self-con—
demnation, he added, “Come, come,
get back to your regiments where you
belong, and for God’s sake don’t be
cowards!”
No one saw or heard more of these
lights and shadows of army life, than
the newspaper correspondents, and at
night when about their mess camp-
fires, it was their usual custom to ex-
change all the incidents, serious and
comical, that had come under their
observation during the day, and to
“swap” the yarns they had heard nar-
rated. One afternoon in company with
Captain Edgar Finney, (son of the late
James Finney of Norwalk,) 1 had ridden
over to the camp of Captain Asbury
Hill, also of Norwalk, not far from
Falmouth, and Hill made us stay and
take supper with him. He had as cook
and body-servant, a North Carolina
contraband, whom he had named ‘.‘Ben
Adhem.” Ben had beena slave, and
was innocence itself. Captain Hill told
him that his guests were Yankees, but
Ben replied, "No, I noes better dan
dat, deys no yank’s suah,” looking
sharply at us. “Why are they not ?”
asked his new master, Captain Hill.
“Cause, my old Massa, he say, yank’s
dey has horns, and dese gem’ns hasn’t
horns.” The poor fellow was perfectly
sincere and honest about it. After sup-
per, Captain Finney being obliged to
return to his command, in one of the
New Jersey regiments, Captain Hill
prepared to go with me and escort
Finney to his camp on condition that
I would return with him and pass the
night at his quarters. On leaving, he
called up Ben and said that he should
be gone an hour or so, and for him to
get his dishes all washed up, and the
tent put in order, as I was to come
back and sleep there; and as a motive
to- induce Ben to get things in good
order, rather than to deceive him, Hill‘
in an undertone added, “Now Ben,
these friends of mine are real Yankees,
and they are awful fellows; If they
should find your dishes about when we
get back, they would pitch in and
smash up everything you’ve got; so be
sure to have them all nicely washed up
and put away in the camp chest as quick
asyou can." It seems that Captain
Hill’s outfit of camp dishes and. cook-
ing utensils, were as dear to Ben as the
apple of his eve, and he promptly mut-
tered back the reply tliat“No yanks
could get his dishes and break ’em up.”
Sure enough, next morning, on awak-
ening, we heard Ben out in the rear of.
the tent digging at a hole as large as a
well, and when Captain Hill demanded
to know~ what he was about. he inno-
cently, but with a triumphant air and
tone, replied that he had buried the
chest of dishes so we yanks should not
find and destroy them. Poor Ben, he
was but a fair illustration of the dense
ignorance in which it was deemed nec-
essary to rear a human being born in
slavery. Ben, if 1 mistake not, re-
turned to Norwalk with Captain Hill, to
whom he was most devotedly attached.
Another equally true and character
istic story had the run of the camps, of
an officer, who had a Captain visit him,
who had lost a leg at the Antietam
fight and wore a cork substitute. On
retiring for the night in his host’s tent,
,he called upon his friend’s-contraband
to pull off his big army buots. When
it came to the cork leg. the Captain
said to Sam, “Now go easy please, a
short quick pull, will bring it off all
right.” But the boots were soaking
wet, and the first one had come ofi‘ only
after a severe tug, so Sam braced him-
self for the second, and did give it a
short quick pull, into which he threw
all the strength which he possessed.
Off came the boot, leg, lashings, and
all, and over went Sam in a heap
on the other side of the tent, with the
whole business in his grasp. Sam was,
of course, horror-stricken and moment-
arily speechless. He finally broke out
with “Deedy, deedy, Cap'n I didn’t
do’t, it cum right off itsef, deed it did.”
His master here interfered, and said.
“Sam, what the devil have you (108%?
Lordy, Lordy, Massa, I didn’t do noflin,
didn’t do nofiin, deed I didn’t, Oh,
Lordy.Lordy, deed it cum right'ofi‘
itsef, deed it did,” continued poor Sam
in utter distress.
Another good story was laid to the
charge of one of the several brave Irish
boys who went out in the Seventeenth
Connecticut, and who fought for the
old flag as brayely as did any to the
manor barn. Bot had been only mod-
erately wounded in the Chancellorsville
fight, and had escaped capture. His
comrades played upon his fears great-
y, and finally made. him believe that
his wound was certain to prove mortal.
Pat became very desirous of having a
Catholic priest in an adjoining regi-
ment come and see him; but upon good
Dr. Hubbard learning of his worry, he.
assured Pat that he would be well, out
and all over the camp in a week. “Will,
thin, Dochther, plaISe tell me Lieutin—
ant that I don’t want that spalpeen uv
a praste, and I won’t- have ’im.”
A better and equally true story was
told of Private Maurice Collins, of Col.
Fletcher Webster’s Twelfth Massachu-
setts. He had received a dangerous
wound through the shoulder, and the
priest came to see him at his request,
as Maurice was a Catholic. “An’ is me
hurt mortal?" asked Maurice in much
anxiety of the priest. “Not necessari.
ly,” the good lather replied, “but un-
less you keep very quiet, the surgeon
save you will surely lose your arm.”
.“Well, your reverence,” Said Maurice
with along drawn sigh, “I am willing
to give my arm to my country.” He
lovedlhe Green Isle, the land of his
fathers, but he loved the land of his
adoptionljmore.
.When gStonewall Jackson’s troops
drove our boys back from their position,
aNew Y rk Irish soldier made a dash
back to t is spot from which his com-
.rades ha just been driven, right in
face of'tlie enemy, picked up our flag
which the color-serg cunt had dropped
in the hu’érried stampede, and ran back
.with it to‘;our lines without getting hit.
The bore filed around him and shower.
ed him with praises for his daring
heroism. “Niver mind about that,”
said Pal", “I dropped my canteen over
there with a sup dwhiskey lift in’t and
seein the flaglyin near it, I thought I
m‘oight as will bring it along wld the
canteen.” Another Irishman was' try-
ing to console a comrade who had his
little finger shot off at the knuckle, and
was making a great ado over the pain.
“Hist. now, will yez, you’re makin’
more fuss about your little fingers so
ye are, than that poor divil, lyin over
there, who’s lost his whole head.”
With appending the following copy,
of a southern love letter, picked up at
the Chancllorsville battle held, enough
of these "humors of the war” will have
been given, to furnish home readers
some idea? of the occasional lights that
illumined the more serious and sombre
shades of army life. The letter ran
thus: '
“DEAR MERLINDA—I sa agen weer a fitin for
our liburtis to dew gest as we pleas with our
niggers an well fite fur this so long as godd-
lcinity giv us .bretn.” ‘
It is to be. borne in mind that at. no
time during all the war did the waves
ofjdepres'sion roll so deeply over the
country is during this period of the
BurnsideI-Tedisaster, at Fredericksburg
and Hodier’s subsequent. defeat at
Chancelldrsville. The pro- slavery power
and interest revived at the North and
swept the West with, an intensity and
bitterness equivalent to treason. The
Lincoln administration was assailed on
the one ‘hand for an inefficient and
ruinous conduct of the war, and on the
other, for indefensible and unconstitu-
tional interference with slavery in the
border states. Governor Seymour of
New York-{publicly denounced the ar-
rest and sending beyond the Union
lines, the rebel sympathiser, Valland-
ingnam, and wrote, -~"‘having given it
(theAucnuistration,).a generous sup-
port, in theconduct of the war, we now
pause to see what kind ofaGovern;
merit it is for whichywe ~ are, asked.‘ to;
poiir'oat mrr'blood'aifd‘t‘reasure. '* * "
whether this war is waged to put down
rebellion in the South, or to destroy
free institutions .in the North.” So
that President Lincoln was, in fact,
threatened with serious revolt, if not
rebellion, in the rear as well as in
front.
The inconsiderate and bombastic
“orders” of General Hooker had greatly
annoyed Mr. Lincoln, 'and made the
General the butt of mortifying ridicule
throughout the country. Up to this
point. Hooker had been a pronounced
favorite with the President, but his
almost unpardonable loss of the tattle
of Chancellorswlle, and subsequent
sillyncss, seem to have forfeited this
regard, while General Hallock, who
never liked Hooker, openly expressed
his contempt for him.
Some of Mr. Lincoln’s laconic tele-
grams to llooker at this period, were
peculiarly in his characteristic vein.
His noted dispatch of June 5, will never
be forgotten, in which he said, “If you
find Lee coming north, I would not go
south; I would not risk being tangled
up like an ox jumped half over a fence,
liable to be torn by dogs front and rear
without a fair chance to gore one way
or kick the other. If he stays where
he is, fret him, frat him.” Lee was
even then moving north, and the mili-
tary situation was growrng in desperate
gravity every hour. By the middle of
June, Lee’s advance force-had reached
the upper Potomac, on its way to the
long7clierished invasion of Pennsyl-
‘ vania.”
~26 The italics were Mr. Lincoln’s.
The County Jail.
The State board of Charities in their
annual report devote considerable space
to Fairfield county, and the manage-
ment of the county institutions. Two
years ago the accommodations were for
158 male and 30 female prisoners, neces-
sitating “doubling up ” in the cells.
whereby one prisoner slept in the bunk
and the other on the floor. Since then,
in the new addition, space for 42 cells
for male prisoners has been provided,
which the board considers ample for
some time to come.
The board considers the size of the
workshop insufficient, but that will soon
be remedied as a new workshop is being
fitted up in the addition. The report
concludes by saying that “all depart-
ments under the county’s authority,
show that the most perfect order and
discipline have been maintained, and
that the whole is under efficient man-
agement.” _
Fairfield county has the best jail in
the state, not because it has more vio-
lators of the law, but because of the
fact that it is more humane in its treat-
ment of petty criminals.
Too Much License.
The license that lawyers are given
when examining witnesses is something
extraordinary. Apparently a lawyer
has a right to call a person in the wit-
ness chair anything from a sneak thief
to a murderer. The exercise of such
remarkable privilege is to keep decent
people out of the witness chair and
make the proper administration of
justice more difficult and unsatisfactory.
——Bridgeport Post.
A Heavy Fine.
The SuDerior Court at Pittsfield,
Mass, has found R. E. Follett, the
Connecticut Fish Commissioner, guilty
of netting trout contrary to law. Mr.
Follett was found guilty of taking sixty
fish and fined $5 per fish.
--and~wa‘si=finally given - an open
llNOlHERllllN MISSING.
F. B. wharf, Alias Frank M. Shel-
don, Suddenly DlsaD'Dears.
Wanted Bet-“or. Landlord and Em-
' ' plover.
Last December. 'a man who registered
at the American House as F. B. Wharf.
went to work for E. K. Lockwood- &
Co., as a steam fitter. He worked on
the piping of the Jones Manufacturing
company building on Hoyt street. He
had some difference with his employer.
and about three weeks ago was dis
charged. .
Soon after. hesecured a situation at
Brennan’s sewing machine and piano -
agency, and seemed to be a faithful
worker. And so he was, but not alto-
gether to the benefit of Mr. Brennan.
who said, however, his loss was not
great, at least so far as he has yet been
able to learn. -
Yesterday Mr. Brennan became sus-
picious that all was not right with the
fellow, and had his son make a tour of
investigation. Brennan Jr. found that
Wharf had offered several machines at
a lower figure than the regular prion in
order. to make sales. He was, Mr.
Brennan says, given no authority to
close a sale, but it seems that he did so,
collecting in one case 820 and in another
$13. Brennan stopped the payment on
one machine in Sangatuck just in time,
as he learned that the party was to have
paid Wharf some money. He also
located a machine in the room ofArthur
Adams at the American House, which
Mr. Adams says W.lS placed‘ there
against his wishes.
Mr. Brennan says that he has not
seen Wharf since Wednesday night but
it is learned that he visited his room at
the American House last night where
he secured his belongings, and then it
is believed skipped out of town, leav-
ing Landlord Garrison his creditor to
the amount of $l0. 50 for board.
It now transpires thatExpressman
Lincoln as early as January 9th, recog-
niZed the alleged Wharf as Frank M.
Sheldon and as having been engaged in
the kindling wood business, six years
ago, in South Norwalk with a man
named Horace Joyce. His memory
was quickened- by the fact that he
worked for him at the time and Shel-
don lefr. owing him :53 for services.
On the above mentioned date Lincoln,
reminded Sheldon,alias Wharf, of his
indebtedness. Sheldon at first denied
his identity, but Lincoln was pomtfive,
ace
watch to secure the indebtedness and
keep quiet as to his identity. '
When he first went to work for
Lockwood (”c 00. he claimed to the
landlord of the American House that
he had over $400 worth of tools at the
railroad station, but the same never
materialized.
It is authoritatively stated that the
man’s name is Frank M. Sheldon, his
home Bellows Falls,‘Vermont, where
his father is doing a lucrative steam
and gas fitting business.
Wharf, as he was known here, claimed
to ,bc a nephew of Gould Seymour of
West avenue. When at work he spent
his money freely and made a number
of acquaintances who profess to believe
that he will pay every dollar he owes.
-< 0.0——
Burglars Captured.
The police of Danbury believe that
they have captured the Mattewau bur-
glars. Tony Klopp. a boarding-house
keeper had his suspicious aroused by
three menwho answered the description
of the burglars and caused their arrest.
They gave their names as Joseph Jones
William Weiss and Charles O’Brien,
and told conflicting stories as to their
residence. It isreported that Marshal
Snyder, whom the burglars shot in
their robbery at Mattewan, Tuesday
night, is very low, and the night watch-
man who was wounded still lies in a
critical condition.
Valuable Old China. .
Miss Clara Sirrine of Cannon, whOSe
engagement to Harry Olmstead of Wil-
ton was recently announced, has re-
ceived a present of rare old china and
glassware from an aunt. The Norwalk
agent of a New York collector has of-
fered her 35 each for six plates of
unique design, but Miss. Sirrine de-
clined to part with them.
AAA——
The Hearings Adjourned.
The legislative committee on rail-
roads, yesterday, adjourned the hear-
ing in the Marsh grade crossing bill
until today.
The hearing in the petition of the
Norwalk Street Railway company for
an amendment to their charter, was
adjourned until the 26th.
~CC.
Now a Fair Shop.
Negotiations have been pending for
some time between Bundle & White
and the officers of the several hatters’
associations, with a view to making
Bundle 65 White’s hat shop, at Danbury
“fair.” The matter has culminated
successfully and now the shop is run:
ning with union employee only.
Slashed wlth a Razor.
George Felmette, colored, of 181
Middle street, had a badly cut hand
dressed at the Emergency Hospital last
night. He said he-‘ had been cut with a
razor by a man at Huhbell’s block, but
could not give .the name of his assailant.
—Bridgeport Union.
Do You Expect One?
The income tax blanks for this coun-
ty will be sentin a few days to those
persons and corporations suspected of
enjoying an income in excess of $3,500.
Deputy Collector Sloan has not. yet re-
ceived extra help to carry on the work,
which will be very arduous. The tax is
due J uly 1.‘
0‘
—Money saved by buying drugs and
chemicals at Hale’s. - 1019 tf
A Blizzard.
The’predicted snowstorm arrived on:
schedule'time yesterday afternoon, and
if there were any who had doubts as to
whether the storm w‘ould be severe or
not, those doubts are dispelled today.
Such a storm has not been seen in
this city for many moons. It could
without any infringement on the patent
be labeled “a blizzard.”
For the past three or four days the
thermometer has been cavorting at and
in close conjunction with the cipher or
zero mark. At times a few degrees
below and again a few degrees above
that point. Shortly after noon, yester-
day, the clouds commenced “spitting”
crystals of ice, accompanied by a thirty
mile Wind which made them sting when-
ever they struck any exposed partof the
more daring ones who ventured out.
The “spitting” was followed in the
evening by what has since proved to
be an old-fashioned snowstorm.
_ At 7 o’clock there were perhaps, two
inches of snow on the level. The storm
continued to increase in volume and
fury, and at 10 o’clock we had what
promised to the forerunner of a bliz-
zard to equal that of 1888. ‘
' The wind drove the fine-grained snow
into crevicesand places not reached bv
any storm.smce that date. The high
winds piled the snow, in places, to the
depth of six feet, and on a level the
snow was ten inches deep.
TheSteeet Railway company had its
electric sweeper at work shortly after 7
o’clock, and it made continuous trips
over the main and Winnlpauk lines un-
til a late hour this a. m., with the result
that but two trips were blotted from
the regular schedule time of the cars.
In_ strong contrast with the service at
Bridgeport where the cars stopped run-
ning at 9 o’clock. .
_ At 1_1 o’clock to-day, thermometers
in this City registered 2 degrees above
zero, and the snow;was being whirled
about by a heavy wind. There were
but few people on the streets.
few persons report frozen ears,
frosted feet, etc., but so far as we learn,
there were no accidents of a serious
nature, as a result of the storm.
It is perhaps unnecessary to state
that the usual Thursday evening ser-
vices at the different churches were not
largelv attended. ,
Superintendent Morris reports ten
wires_ on the telephone service as not
working. _
The serVice given by the .Tramway
company was good, although the com-
pany is not equipped with an electric
sweeper.
The blizzard did not confine its fury ' ”
to ., N orwalk, but raged throughout the
state. and is reported; as. having been
even more severe on the sound. _ ‘ " ’
bIt- came from the northwest and was
a dandy.
-~ci
Obituary.
The funeral to-day of the late Mrs.
William St. John, of Newtown avenue,
removes from sight but not from mem-
ory,a resident of untarnished name and
a representative, on her own and her '
husband’s parts of two of the oldest and
most honored households of Norwalk.
She was a lineal descendant of Thomas
and Mary Betts of Guilford, and her
more immediate ancestors like those of
the Gregorys, and St. Johns, and Bel-
dens, and Olmsteads were early at-
tracted to Wilton, the Hill Side Springs
and well watered valley of Pimpewaug
being a magnet which drew them thith-
er. The Betts family has beeninfiuen-
tial and made itself a power in Wilton
and the deceased’s particular branch of
it has been no exception to the good
sense, and soundness and integrity of
life that have characterized its. many ,f
members. Like her husband and his
brother David St. John of Sere Hill,
she was of sterling moral merit, of
high christian principle, and univer-
sally respected. She has lived to a
grand age and bequeathed a rich re-
membrance legacy to her survivors.
». W...“
A Runaway.
Yesterday afternoon. John Dowd.
coachman at Henry I. Hoyt’s, took two
of the domestics in a carriage to the
house of a familv named Beatty, who
reSide near the Langdon place.“ He
hitched and blanketed the horse and
Went into the house. During-his ab-
sence the animal became frighmfld at
something, slipped his bridle and
started up East avenue at a mad pace.
After reaching the Green he ran around
the same five times, and then made a
[$1.00 a. Yearfl'.
.
dash into the Town House hill ceme- .
tery, where he collided with several
tomb stones, snapping them in twain as
if they were but pipe-stems. The horse
finally struck one of the gravestones
and was knocked down, but quickly
regaining his feet he ran. out to the
street again, where he was stopped by
Jerry Driscoll. Soon after Dowd ar-
rived on the scene and took the turn-
out home. The wagon and harness
were badly wreaked. ‘
Good Results.
Dry goods clerks and others were
given an opportunity to develop their
muscles in shoveling snow this morn-
ing. The good example was set at 6
o’clock by street commissioner “Mart”
Kellogg and a. gang of men cleaning
off the crosswalks.‘ The results in both
cases were pleasing to pedestrians.
O.
Served Him Right.
James Fagan, of New York, got
angry at his horse yesterday. and in
attempting to'kick the animal fell and
broke his arm. A Norwalk man was
seen yesterday, to kick his horse, but
in this instance 1 was unfortunately
the horse which was the Sufi'erer.
Green Houses Burned.
W. J. Snow’s greenhouses, at Water-
bury, were burned this morning: loss
$8,000; insurance $5,000. In additioa
there have since been destroyed by ex-
posure 5,000 rose plants, 15.000 carna-
tions, 1,000 palms and 2,000 ferns and
smaller plants.
-—Plctnres framed by Hayes’ Maintht.
Norwalk Chronicler