Litchfield enquirer., 1874-10-29


 the greater part of the experiments of the evening have been failures. We are not ready to assert that the claim of mind reading has been clearly maintained. nor are we sufficiently agreed to enable us to assert as committee that we consider that the phenomena can be explained as produced by unconscious muscular ac- tion. We therefore hope that the expert ments may be repeated where Mir. Brown will be free from the annoyance of large audience, and where more scientific tests may be applied.
 PROF. BREWER, DR. s. l.. SANFORD, | M. 5. PHELPS, DR. CHAs. LINsLEY, E. K. FOSTER, DR. BURGE,
 w. c. ROBINSON, GEN. c. M. INGERsoLL,
 Committee.
 This is evidently compromise verdict. It settles nothing and leaves the matter open for further investigation. The clos ing sentence urging more scientific tests where the subject will be ''free from the annoyances of large audience" is emi- nently proper and will we hope be thor oughly acted upon.
 1 We do not think the committee were any too circumspect. The power claimed by MT. Brown is one entirely outside any phenomena now known to science Its existence should not be considered proved until it has been shown by the fullest and severest tests. If the theory of ''uncon- scious muscular action," or any other theory consistent with known natural laws, will explain the phenomena in ques- tion, there mnst be no inference of un- known natural laws. Nor, even because certain features of this remarkable exhi- l bition are inexplicable, should we neces- sarily admit MT. Browns own claim of power, unless that is the only theory that will explain the facts. We must never forget, too, that shrewdness and boldness will often impose even on the most wary, especially where the operator has made a special study of his business. Still, if MT. Brown will continue to submit to all fair tests, and allow thorough examina- tion of his claims, the investigation can- not fail to throw much light into the darkest corners of Spiritualism.
 The Railroad Arrangement.
 We publish below letter from a gen. tleman who subscribed heavily towards the building of the Shepaug railroad. Moreover it gives, we judge, no more than full expression to the general feeling of discontent down the road, and is on both | ko 1al ko our columns. Whether it is just to the company is another matter. If we are in- formed correctly the increase of freight | renders it impossible to conduct business on last winters plan. Whether any other plan is practicable that will give the peo- pie of Washington and Roxbury the facil- ities for mails and transportation to which if any such plan is practicable they are certainly entitled, is a question upon which we are by no means we'll enough ac- quainted with the facts to offer an intelli- gent opinion. There can be no question about the great inconvenience of the pre- sent arrangement.
 oNO' The change of time made by the She paug R. R. Go. in regard to mail commu- nication and travel, causes great, and gen. eral dissatisfaction along the whole line of the road. In the old stage times, we received our mail by way of New Milford at about 4 o'clock P. M. Since the She paug R. R. Go. has carried the mail it has been ready for delivery about one o'clock P. M. Under the present arrangement, the mail arrives about 8 o'clock in the evening, and is not ready for delivery un- til near 9 P. M. Only few can avail themselves of that late hour to get their mail' consequently our letters and daily papers lie over until the next day, and our Saturday mail, which is generally the heaviest must lie over until Monday. Our mail accommodations are now worse than they were fifty years ago. There is no good reason why it cannot be delivered at the same it has been the past two years. The present arrangement may suit the convenience of the Co.,, best but the public have some rights that even railroad corporations ought to respect.
 Town Bonds, and individual subscrip- | tions, (without which the road would | never been built) ought to be recognized | in the management, at least to the extent of furnishing reasonable facilities for mail and travel. It would seem that the best interests of the Co.,, would demand this. As the trains are now run, passengers wish ing to go up the road must lie over Tn Bridgeport, Hawleyville, or elsewhere un- til night. and make night journey over the road and to their various places of de- situation, or go up the Housatonic road, and by private conveyance across the country. Our passenger travel is already going in that direction, and the Shepaug will soon lose the patronage itneeds. The Housatonic Go. seems we'll pleased with their arrangement, and will profit there by.
 The excuse we hear offered for this change is that the men on the freight train do not have time to go up town and eat their dinner when they have an extra amount of freight to handle which might occur possibly three times per week. Then if necessary let the Go. hire an extra set of hands, or hire other help if these they now have are unwilling to do extra work for extra pay. Petitions to the rail- road commissioners and to the Postmast- er-general are being circulated and signed in the towns affected by this most incon- venient arrangement and we hope to see something better soon. B.
 WEST CORNWALL is selling cider at about $4, bbl.-300 tons of coal have been sold during the fall.-C. B. Hatch has