The Newtown bee., 1889-03-15
EAsToN.

EAsToN.
The Easton Baptist church enjoyed an
interesting and instructive lecture by r.
Smith of the Lackawana coal region on
Goal and Coal Mines" on the 9Th. The
inclemeney of the weather on the first
evening necessitated the omission of the
lecture on that evening. Tuesday even
ing although the night was dark and the
roads bad, a fair company came out. 1t
was thought advisable by some that the
lectures should be postponed, but, as the
lecturer had come great distance and
had gone to considerable expense and
trouble in securing specimens of fossils
and cross section of vein of coal, 9TH
ers thought it best for the lecturer to
give an outline of both lectures. This
placed him at considerable disadvan-
tage, since he had prepared the lectures
separately, with the intention of deliver
ing them in order. However, he did well
under the circumstances. We learned
that the first discovery of anthracite coal
and its use was due to the Connecticut
settlers in the Wyoming valley. We al
so learned that the Wyoming valley
rightfully belonged to the Connecticut
colony and that the Pennanite war was
one of the most unjust on record. They
fought bravely to own their lands in fee
simple against the Pennsylvania land
monopoly. He gave fair idea of the
coal formation, but could not, for want
of time, go into geological details. He
thought that coal, worth about S. per ton
at Bridgeport, should be an incentive to
our neighbors in Massachusetts, and
Rhode Island to develop their coal re-
sources, as 81 to So per ton on freight
and expenses would amply pay for any
disadvantages in the coal formation. The
opening of a coal mine; ventilation the
various grades of employment; the mi
ner's chamber and headings; the miners
wages and his laborer's; the accidents
that befall them were fully and clearly
described. The safety or Davy lamp
used by those working in gas was exhib-
tied and illustrated interestingly. Then
came description of the breakers
where the coal is prepared for market,
a beautiful picture of which was on
hand. He spoke of how coal is cleaned
and assorted; the relative value of the
different sizes of coal, small coal being
most valuable for household purposes :;
lack of knowledge in regard to the laws
of combustion, leading us to overlook
small coal ia our selection. He also
pointed out that invention necessary to
utilize the culm piles, amounting to
about 100000 tons per year, would
hardly be brought forth in the mining
regions, as fuel is so cheap there. He
looked, therefore, to the inventive genius
of the Yankee, where fuel is high and to
whom knowledge of this yearly waste
is made known, to produce an invention
to utilize it. There are millions of dol
lars in such an invention. He clearly il
Illustrated that we deliberately waste
nine tenths of the value of the coal we
use. TO the question that would nat
ural;y be asked, lis there coal in Con-
necticut?' He replied, 'If the State has
not already done so, it should make a
careful geological survey of the forma-
tions. Those desiring to test the forma-
tion under their lands should not waste
on divining-rod scientists, but go to work
and bore. The diamonds may be under
their feet, notwithstanding the opinions
of scientists This was rather
lengthy but very profitable lecture and
was replete with Instruction and valua-
BILE suggestions.-[H III. J. r.
Samuel r. Bunee of Stratford and Mrs
Amelia Beers of Redding were married,
Tuesday, 9Th, at Benjamin Beers's.
Ladies' Enterprise society with Mrs
Burr Beach, Thursday evening, 18th.
Mrs Zina Beard and Edward Beard
spent Sunday at Mrs L. w. Turney's.
Miss Ina Morehouse of Bridgeport
spent Sunday with Mrs Henry Osborne.
Our enterprising butchers, S. Wells and
III Hall, commenced their weekly routes s,
Tuesday.
Mrs Jacobs and two daughters spend
two weeks in New York.
S. Wells exchanged two cows with
Gould & Jennings for pair of fine
working oxen.
Miss Laura Dowd of Greenfield spent
Sunday with Emma Freeborn.
Mr. and Mrs Charles Beers Of Bridge
port visited Mrs William Sherman,
Sunday.
q. b. Wilson is on the jury at Bridge
port.
M. II. Thorpe has purchased sheep of
George Il. Parmelee of Hattertown.
j. e. Field had the misfortune, while
at work the woods, to fall, striking
his hand on sharp stone, making a
severe wound.
Miss Nellie Bolan visits in Bethel
An opening for reliable blacksmith
at Easton Centre.
Charles Clark is on the sick list.
William Wilson and wife have visited
Mrs Clarina Wilson.
Mrs James Case is slowly recovering
from severe sickness.
Mrs G. Burr Tucker is sick.
The missionary concert at the Baptist
church, Sunday evening, was very in
teresting. The children did their part
in an admirable manner. Il was the
children's monthly mite box offering and
each had worked faithfully to get all
they could. The amount in each box
was given and all are deserving credit