The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1891-02-06

the people of this town to-day, as well as in
many another place, owe a debt of gratitude
to men who have possessed the God-given fac
ulty of gathering fortune. Money it can
d d." as Mr. Dombey said to Paul, sit can do
almost" 1t seems to be the mission
and the duty of some men to make a great
deal OF money. They have the talent and it
would be as wrong tor them to bury it for
the teacher or the preacher to bury his talent
for teaching or preaching. The power for
good that lies in accumulated wealth must be
gained by some one, before it can be welded.
And to you, sir, has been given the ability to
gather the waters as in mighty reservoir and
to you comes the most delightful privilege of
opening the gates and directing the outflow
in channels of blessing. But we shonld never
have been called upon, nor inclined to eulo-
gize this faculty of making money, in you or
any other man, had there not been developed
with it a commensurate generosity, or what L
may call genius for giving. No one sings
the praises of the miser. Many a man who
has shared with you the ability to get wealth
has not had the equal good sense, or the dis
position, to open the gates and set in motion
the wheels of beneficence. Many a man dies
rich and with q shrivelled soul, over whose
grave the dirge must be, "Whom none can
love, whom none can thank Creations blot,
pleasure for years that pleasure which you
now enjoy, of seeing others made better and
happier through his own gifts while living
1t was Bishop Butler who said, 81 should be
ashamed OF myself if L could leave 10000 be-
hind me- and added, MANY man dies dis
gracefully rich" l congratulate you, my dear
sir, not only upon the good sense you have
shown while living and thus, i'll the truest
sense, enjoying the fruits OF your labors, but
also in the wise choice OF an object to which
you would give. spoke OF the time in which
you were born. TWAS not too early in the
history OF the commonwealth to find a true
appreciation of learning. The founders of
New England believed supremacy in two
things, in religion and education, the church
and the school, The same hilltop often fur
nished building spot for both. AS soon as
the Boston colony was formed, after provis-
ion had been made for the spiritual
needs of the people, they had care
'that good learning should not perish from
among us' and to this end grammar school
was at once established in Boston. OF cOnrse,
we understand something OF the difficulties
that beset the youth of your day, i'll endeavor-
ing to gain an education. The schools were
primitive. The country lad must walk Il long
way, often, to learn "rcatling, 'riting and rith-
metic" But we know of one youth who was
anxious to learn and who came so thoroughly
to appreciate the advantages of an education
that, when Il man of years, he determined
to make the way of learning possible
for the children of today i'll this community,
wei as hose of future years, by placing a
school of high order within the reach of all.
This high school is the outcome of that noble
purpose. George William Curtis was at one
time sitting in front of Ezra Cornell in CON
vention, where one of the speakers made a
Latin quotation. Mr. Cornell leaned forward
and asked tor translation of it, which was
given him by Mr. Curtis. Upon thanking him,
Mr. Cornell added these significant words, 'it
l can help it, no young man shall grow up in
New York, hereafter, without the chance, at
least, of knowing what Latin quotation
means when he hears it." This was the germ
OF Cornell University. have heard you, more
than once, express the desire that the children
OF the present day should have greater priv
leges in the way of reading and education
than were accorded to you. Nothing could
have so effectively carried out this purpose
on your part and more truly have furthered
the interests of this town than the founding
of such a school, with it's multiplied facilities
for i1nparting instruction. All that is want
ed to perpetuate and widen this fountain of
blessing is a broad and generous policy in the
management of the school and just appre
citation of the benefits to be derived from it
on the part of every citizen.
The Westport Water Co. was organic
ed, last week, half of the $500 capital
stock having already been paid. Alexis
Godillot. the first subscriber, who took
<,Ft In Hnn
of the company, Editor John S. Jones
secretary, Thomas S. Krutz treasurer,
Lawyer Moses w. Wilson, Alexis Godil-
lot, William l.. Coley, Thomas S. Krutz,
Richard S. Hicks directors.
Revival services have been conducted
with success in the Methodist church.
Since the occupation of the new
freight house, 90x25 feet, which stands
in the rear of the former Franklin house
at Saugatuck, the old freight house has
been removed south of the tracks, nearly
opposite the present station. Founda-
tions are being laid for an addition of
about 30 feet and the whole building
will be re-modeled, to be used as the
passenger station for east bound trains
when four-tracking is completed.
During the address of Horace Staples,
Saturday, he referred to the ferry for
merly conducted at Ferry lane. He
has kindly furnished the BEE with this
interesting table of the ferry tariff as
fixed by the General Court of those
days:
Man or horse and load, two pence ha' pen
ny; OK or other neat cattle, three and half
pence; led horse, one penny; sheep, goat OF
hog, one farthing ha' penny; footman, penny,
halt penny.
Arrangements have already been made
for pipe and work is to be pushed with
all speed on the new water works.
Secretary of the Treasury Window,
whose sudden death startled the nation,
was frequent correspondent of Horace
Staples, who regarded him as one of the
most kindly and affable men of his ac-
A few months ago, Mr.
Staples wrote to him,expressing fears OF
the danger that might be wrought to
American trade if an inflated currency
were allowed and Secretary WINDOWS
answer, dated October 6, is highly priced
by him. The body of the letter, as well
as the signature, is the handwriting OF
Mr. Window, clear and legible as type
Pray pardon the long delay in acknowledg
ing your communication of the LIST ultimo.
Absence from Washington and official duties
of imperative nature prevented earlier reply.
1t has been a pleasure to read the practlcal
references on financial matters OF one whose