The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-07-10

gregational and Methodist churches, af-
ter meeting the expenses of the delegate.
SOUTHPORT.
One feature of the local celebration of
the Glorious Fourth was of an exciting
and thrilling nature. All day on the
Fourth, the local celebrants had been
having lots of fun firing an improvised
cannon made by boring an inch hole in
piece of five-inch steel shafting about
foot long. The mortar was set upon
end, the powder poured in and wadded
with pulverised brick, pounded home by
vigorous blows of an axe, Time and
again was this done and each time deaf
ening explosion was the result. The
cannon was stationed, during most of the
firing, on East Main street At last those
in charge of the cannon grew tired of the
tame sport of firing the cannon, however
heavily iloaded, into the air. AS an ex-
pertinent, hot water boiler, such as are
attached to ranges, was placed over the
cannon while it was fired. The pipe
holes in the top and side of the steel boil
erlwere left open and the discharge mere
ly lifted it some distance into the air.
This was hardly satisfactory and some
genius proposed that the vents be stop
ped. While they were being plugged
securely, a terrible charge of powder and
brick was rammed into the cannon until
it was loaded to the muZZle. The fuse
was lighted, the boiler, now practically
air tight, was placed over it and the crowd
scattered. The fuse burned slowly and
it was some time before the explosion
came but when it did it was sumner.
There was no outlet for the air and the
heavy steel boiler was fairly torn to
shreds. The cannon burst also and there
was a shower of iron, some of the frag-
ments being driven fully 300 feet and
falling at the entrance to the store of
Charles Jennings e Son. Hardly had
the roar of the explosion sounded when
there was sharper crash and rafting
shower of broken glass. One of the
larger pieces of iron, weighing several
pounds had been hurled straight at the
entrance to the store of Woodward &
Spicer. The door was open and the iron
struck the jamb with such force that sew
era1 large panes of glass were smashed
in the door and window and the end of a
show case near by was wrecked. Two
of the large windows in the market of
Fred Disbrow were also broken. The
loss in glass at Woodwork 81 Spicer's
alone is about $40. Sixteen years ago,
this shafting was bored out by workmen
at the button works at Saugatuck and a
hole an inch in diameter was made al
most the entire length and proper fuse
aperture was arranged. AS the bore was
surrounded on all sides by two inches Of
solid iron, it was believed that it could
and the amount of powder that has been
sent to smoke by means of this bit of
iron is something surprising. 1t was
kept at Saugatuck, short time, then
brought to Southport by G. o. Jelliff and
for years used as an anvil in the repair
shop of his agricultural tool works. Some
minor accidents have occurred at nearly
every celebration in which it was used,
the most serious being that to August
Wittmeyer, who, about five years ago,
went to investigate fuse that he thought
had gone out. The contents of the cam.
non went out about that time and it was
long before August could say that his
ear and the side of his face was as good
as new. The cannon has often been hid
den by Mr. Jelliff, just before the Fourth,
but it was secured in advance, this year.
Mr. Jelliff is positive that it would not
have burst had it not been enclosed in the
air tight cylinder, while the young men
who were firing it say that it had already
begun to crack. The boiler which was
put over it was about five feet in hight,a
foot or more in diameter and had ca
pacity of 80 gallons of water.
G. A. Grammar returned from Bir-
mingham, Friday, after an enjoyable Wis
it.
Mr. and Mrs w. S. Pennoyer spends a
week at her old home at E. Gray's.
laCF - = : OiHidH, SUI VI GuC MColO-
dist pastor, has been home for a fort
night seeking to recruit his health, inn
paired by too close application to his
work. He has returned TO his passionate
at Bayvilie and Locust Valley, L. /.
Moses Buckley attended the yacht race
at Larchmont, Saturday, in the Fauna.
Rufus r. and Edgar s. Sherwood of
the firm of Sherwood Brothers, painters,
have dissolved partnership and the bust
ness will be carried on by r. P. Sher-
wood at the old stand over T.. F. Sher-
woods store. The partnership lasted
about two years. Sherwood Brothers
are well known as successful painters.
The bell of Washington school was
rung on the night before the Fourth.
The underpinning for the new houseof
Charles A. Wheeler has been finished and
Perry q Sons are expected to begin the
carpenter work soon.
Elwood $. Hand was in town, this
week.