The Newtown bee., 1879-10-22
NE WTOWN'S STAGNATI0N
Manufacturing apitalists
--Chcap Labor--Water Power--Rail-
road E'acilities--T imely Remarks by
an Observing Correspondent.

EDITOR BEE business having revived
throughout the land, it may not be mop
perfume to consider the great manufacture
ing advantages of Newtown, and why they
have not hitherto been utilized.
1t is strange that these facilities should
so long be overlooked stranger still that
the Newtown c>pital, which has found its
way to the adjacent towns, should go a
begging for borrowers, when the I'M
equalled resources which this town so
abundantly furnishes for conducting man
ufaetories, lie dormant and unutilized
The outlay necessary for those manu-
factories would produce, as we shall
4 show, greater percentage in this town
than any where else. The writer has
frequently heard it repeated that New
town furnishes most of the capital with
which Bethel hat manufactures carry on
their business. Now ,shere in town, there
is hardly place one turns, that water
power enough is not seen to run from one
up to ten hat-shOps. Near the depot is
water power enough to run many such
shops, while Mr.. Turney, we suppose,
would willingly rent or sell the house for
merly finishing shop, and which is adj
mirably adapted for tho business. All a
hat manufacturer would have to build in
that locality would be Il plank shop and a
few out buildings, that, on the whole,
would be completed for about one thou
sand dollars. Then there is a lumber
yard convenient, and we presume Messrs.
Gay or Nichols would not object to be
employed building hat-boxes. Messrs.
Hubbell Il Taylor keep Il constant supply
of coal, and wood can be purchased at
four or four-and-a-half dollars per cord
which is cheaper than it can be procured
at either Danbury or Bethel. Again the
depot is so near that one horse would do
the carting for Il shop as large as Bene-
diets in Grassy Plain. But above all, Ia
Dor is cheaper in Newtown than in either
Danbury, Bethel, Bridgeport or Norwalk,
consequently a mandatory can be car
ried on here more cheaply than in those
places. Some may think that the stream
of water that runs from the foundry into
Mr.. Turney's land would not be sufficient
| but it can be seen that il is as abundant
if not more 50, than the stream in Bethel
by which eight shops and forming fac
tory are run. Then, if Mr.. Turncy did
not sell, why MI CalmoIy's property
across the way possess equal advantages
In Sandy Hook is Il large and well-Stu-
atcd building, fit for a hat shop, a paper
&, cbnI "a Thn
ply of water is most c0nrenieat and ;2ec-
houstible. The value of this building will be
enhanced by its contiguity to the new
railroad. Turn where you will, we are con-
fident that our first assertion is not I'M
reasonable, namely, that Ne,ctown possess
es better manufacturing resources than any
other torn Of aimitiUy size IN the phote State.
There is the little stream that crosses
the way near Mr.. w. Hoy's residence,
with water enough quite ample for sever
al manufactures. Tinkerteld abounds
in such places-that near the blacksmith
shop is advantageously situated. Zoar
has a water supply large enough for half
Il hundred manufactures with land.
wood and labor cheap. Hanover has q
number of places fit for business, and
when the new railroad is completed will
4 be very easy of access to most desirable
markets. There is no place from GLOW
er's store to the Housatonic that does
not afford grand facilities for carrying on
manufacturing business.
a few years ago, the writer daily saw
about three hundred hands from Danbury
employed in and around Bethel; along
with aifording employment to the hands
II Bethel, Grassy Plain and all the way
as far as Wild Cat. What is the conse-
years, has become double its size-one of
the most thrifty towns in the State that
property, since war times, has not
materially deprecated, that the employers
are becoming enriched, that the en-
pioyed are earning living wages, and, fin
ally, that so rapidly has real estate been
purchased, that it may be truthfullJ said
that Bethel and Danbury are almost one
| town.
During all this time, Newtown has lain
in Il dormant lcthargy-deVoid of i'm
provement, or any development of its
natural resources. Its property has pro-
portiOnately deprecated, when contrast
ed with the villages we have spoken of,
fully one-thirt; and many of the youths
who were bred in the village, ard educated
in orr schools, have sought for employ
ment among strangers, in places less con-
/ genial, and removed from parental OF, it
is to be feared, religious influences. If it
| be true that Newtowp furnishes Bethel
lack OF wisdom and enterprise does it
suppose on the part of the investors.
Their capital in business in this town
would certainly bring them double the
| interest they at present receive. Their
properties would increase instead of de-
creasin9 in value, and if anything, their
investments would be more secure. What
is Newtown to-day? OF all the world like
an English village fifteen hundred years
old, where the people are ground in the
dust by the ruthless heels of a self-suf1i-
cient, blood-sucking aristocracy, that
grasps at everything and gives nothing in
return-yes, like such village, as staid
and unprogreasIve. Let ten such manu-
| factories, as we lave mentioned, be
started, and fancy what Newtown would
be ten years hence. 1t certainly would
have trippled its present population, and
according to the aspects of our reviving
industries, its business and financial
value. The farmers products would OBJ