Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1848-07-20
SUBrrRRANrAN FIRE AT LOwrR HAucH,


Earl Fi,zwilliam, presents curious and
Interesting aspect. The fact is well
known 10 the vilIage-aithough we have
never heard il spoken Of in this neigh.
borhOod-lhat an extensive bed Of coal
beneath the the village is on FIRE, and has
been in that condition, burning with
greater or less intensity, for at least
twenty years. A gentleman residing in
Shefield, whom curiosity induced to visit
the Locality one day during the present
present week, has given US the with fol-
lowing particulars: The coal in certain
places bassets out-that is, il comes up to
the surface of the ground; and It was at
one of these bassets that the FIRE original
ly commenced, having been ignited by
.''clamp" Ia fire for burning stones inten.
ded for road materiaIs) The subterra>
mean fire has continued 10 advanceSin va.
rious directions>up to the present time,
its progress being manifested by the ap>
pearance. at intervals, OF smoke and
flame at the surface Of the ground; the
spread of which has generally been stop>
ped, how ever, by pudding the eruptions
with clay, &c. A feeling Of appyehen-
sion as to the ultimate fate of the village
has always continued to prevail, and we
understand that, a good many years ago,
the destruction Of q mausoleum of the
Wentworth family was threatened by the
approach of the fire, but, happily, the
calamity was aver,ed by severIng the
bed ofcoa!, for which purpose shaft
was especially sunk. La,terly the work
of destruction appears 10 have been 60
ing on with unwonted rapidly, and, na>
turally enough, has created CORES pom
ding degree Of alarm.
Our informant saw two beautiful de-
,ached cottages, the foundation Of which
Is so much undermined and sunk, that
one or both of them had ceused to be oo>
cupied the walls Of one Of the cottages
had quite separated, and the building
must have tumbled down had not tneans
been resorted to for keeping it together.
The ground, 10 several large tracts, 10
one huge l-bed, and where the heat is
nosae -intenaa as to destroy vegetation,
the villagers turn 1t to very good account
IN raising early crops OF vegetables
Peas were seen some weeks ago, flourish
ing luxriantly in the open air ; and pota-
toes are so forward, that one crop has
been already secured, and second crop
got into the ground. The xposed earth
is quite warm, even 10 the depth of win
ter. Were this state Of things confined
within prescribed limits, it would all be
very well, and the villagers would regard
ii as an unmixed blessing, but this is by
40 means The case. The unnatural heat
engenders a disogreeable smoke, which
rs continually ascending and adulteiat ing
the atmosphere, doubtless TO the detri-
ment Of animal health and the houses in
The worst localities are often filled with
warm air, strongly charged with sulphur,
rendering them. as habitations. little bet
ter than q coal>pt. The cellars naturaI>
iy are the worst. OF course, II is inprac-
,icable 10 keep food in them; not unfre>
quently they cannot be entered with
safety. How long this extraordinary
state Of things Is to continue, no one can
Tell; bu. IL any means for extinguisned
or arresting the FIRE could be applied, a
regard for the welfare, and even the safe
~, Of he Misunderstanding the prop
erty out OF tho observation-disclosures tina,
il should be done without further loss Of
iime.-Shef Id Times.
----
A VALUED RELIc.-ln his remarks at
the dedication Of the Dana Hill School
House Ia Cambridge last week, George