The Press., 1895-04-25
LOCAL TOPICS.
Penned and Scissoed.

70. Austin Chapman. who died in Somers on the 10th, as mentioned last week, was born in the west part of Holland -in-1606, and we think was a grandson of Simon Chapman, one of the first settlers of-ToL land. Most of his life was spent in his native town or in Ellington in the vicinity of his birth place. Some twenty years ago he began contributing articles for The Press, which readily recognized their value by editing and publishing, The editing was made necessary, not by fault in the authorship, save too diffuse dwell ing upon the less important details. The Press added to these earlier contributions the signature, "Old Memories" a non-de- plume which the old gentleman accepted and adopted. The future local historian will find valuable material for history in these papers to be found in files, of The Press, also in his later contributions to the Rockville Leader. It was with him work of love to preserve the records of the past, and whatever he wrote for pub lication was written from actual memory and knowledge. He has thus done valu- able work for the preservatin of local history.
 The committee on appropriations, of which Representatives Converse of Stafford is chairman, have done @ wise thing in reporting against the appropriation of $25OO for the purchase of wolf den in Put i, o1, hob nd such appropriations that is called patriot ism, and that is expected to sweep the project through. Now the state has done much but not too much, in honor of Israel Putnam Wolf den is the scene of brave act in his early life, if we may credit tra- dition, and while it is only tradition, we, knowing the stuff of which Gen. Putnam was made, have little doubt that the story
 is, or might well be true. But can the state afford to look after all these scenes of local tradition concerning it's heroes? Gen. Lyon, Nathan Hale, and other he roes as deserving have had much less at tention paid to their memories than has Putnam, and Hale is certainly enti- | Clou tO Idllk Wltu ally WdE nero Ol NOuI6C- ticut birth. The town of Pomfret can afford, as local attraction, to preserve wolf den park at cost of $25O0, and Putnam might well afford to assist if Dec- essary. To the state $25OO means only beginning, and an almost annual call for expense of preserving the woodland farm on which the famous den is situeted Many towns in the state would be glad to own wolf den, and to bear the cost of preserving it as a memory of hero son of national fame. The state has not neg lected the memory of Israel Putnam, and cannot be charged with ingratitude to that memory in now declining to buy this bit of woodland in Pomfret.
 Always some form of recreation is provided for us. Yesterday we could scold about the mud to-day because the sprinkling cart is not upon it's rounds.
 Signs of spring come slowly, but one by one are unfolding. Now it is baby carriages on the sidewalks and franked packages of garden seeds at the post office.
 The increased cost of meats may
 stimulate the trouting industry. Certain
 ly we ought to hope for some benefit to 7 the self-sacrificing men who brave the perils of jungle and bog, black snakes and , pneumonia, to eke out the scanty family
 larder.
 And in the same line will not the in-
 creased cost cost of kerosene benefit the t local wood market? The use of kero- 3 sene for heating and for cooking, has been big cut into cord-wood industry. Veterans who are not reading the Rockville Leaders "reminiscences of camp life and war times are sadly cheating r themselves.
 Judge Elmer last week appointed T. , N. Wendhiser of Rockville as messenger t of the superior court for term of four l years. He has acted as messenger in the D superior court in Rockville for number , of terms, and his disappointment was by 8 general request of the court officials.