Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-15
How Rivers Freeze.

When the severe cold weather came upon us so suddenly in November last, my atten- tion was called to curious phenomenon in the Susuuehanna river here. Upon Thanks giving Day, not far below the dam which crosses the river here, I noticed @ large number of stones clinging to the under side of the ice The river there was two or three feet deep, the ice at that time about three in- ches thick. The stones were the rounded river stones and evidently came from the bottom of the river They were of all sizes, up to those weighing probably two pounds. The phenomenon is not a new one, but it was displayed here upon so large scale, and the conditions accorded so perfectly with those that the scientific explanation demands, that it seems to be worth while to call attention to it.
 More than two hundred years ago Dr. Plot, of Oxford, England, described similar occur rences in the Thames, and gave at least a partial account of their cause. It IS well known that water, like most other substances, contracts under the influence of cold until it is reduced to temperature of 39'. But if it's temperature is lowered still further it expands until reaching 32o, whenit freezes, by which its bulk is increased much more than by it's cooling from 39o to 32O. Hence it is that water begins to freeze at the sur face, since, when near the freezing point, the coldest water being the ightest is found up on the top, and it is that which freezes first.
 But when the weather is very cold, and the different parts of the stream are thorough ly mixed bv rapids or some such mechanical action, the water may be about the same temperature at all depths, and be lowered all together nearly to the freezing point. In this case the water will begin to freeze at the bottom, because it is stiller there, and per haps because the stones and bottom have lost some heat by free radiation and by con tact cool the water. Although so much lighter than the water this ice would not rise as soon as formed, for it would be frozen fast to the bottom and the stones lying upon the bottom But as soon as it's size gave the cake of ice buoyant power enough 1t would tear itself loose from the bottom and the larger stones and rise to the surface, car rying with it the smaller stones and gravel Then it would be frozen in with the surface ice, keeping it's curious load frozen fast to it's under surface.
 The Moodus noises, which created much excitement in the early part of the last cen- tury and in 1852, have been heard several times lately.
 The State Central committee of the politi- cal spiritualists have voted to pay no atten- tion to the bill regarding doctors, now pend ing before the Legislature, as 1t rules out clairvoyant practice.
 The New Britain Baptist church has secur- ed sufficient pledges to pay oil its debt Of S2O. .OOO a large part contributed by one per son, who has given $2O,OOO within the last ID years to the church.
 Naueatuck with a population of 4, 272, spent $3, All last year for the expenses of criminal procedure, and the town attorney, who has been Investigating the matter, thinks there has been much crookedness, and says the expenses should not exceed 5000 year.
 The reports of the Woman's Foreign Mis- sionary society in convention last week at Norwich, show receipts of $16, FPS and balance of $1, 143 on hand. The number of auxiliary societies is 2ss, an increase of 24 during the past year. Mrs. Warren was elected president and Mrs. Magee treasurer.