The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-07-13
G0INGS ON IN OLD DERBY
SPIRITED AGITATION OF THE EASE
 BALL QUESTION.

Supply Also Deleterious-A Model Dairy
 Farm-Fitley Forced to Make an Assign
 ment-Treasurer McHally Disappears.
 Derby. July 12.-The recent rumored departure of the Derby baseball team to Danbury or some other place has a more serious import than the mere suspension or conclusion of baseball sports in this locality. There is no gain- saying of the fact that there has al- ways been a deal of interest felt by the public here in baseball or football, games and up to short time since the patronage has been encouraging. This year the team has been doing excel lently and 1t is to it's credit that out of many games on the home grounds it has lost only one. When the Housaton- ic park was first opened and its attrac- tions were fresh and novel the trolley cars could hardly accommodate the pat rons. It Is estimated that during the first season of the park enterprise the company realized nice sum beyond all expenses to help wipe out the big out lay, or at least to clear all interest. There were exhibitions of an unobjec- tionable character and quite entertain ing that drew crowds. Last year it is reported little money was made, and 1t may not be that at the finish of the present season any great profit will ap- pear. As for baseball this year the game was never in better form, and lovers of excitement can not criticise the playing. Whenever game Is play ed between teams from Ansonia and Derby, however, there Is certainly a big support given, and the interest in the sport does not seem to be on the wane. Is is a fact that the people take a greater concern in trial of skill ex- hibited by the town teams or, If you please, focal talent?" It would appear to be 50, for in spite of fine ball and plenty of it, it is announced barely 300 attended and that there is no money in tllS NSllLulS Qp IO oelLcs lbCl Y lS AAo other explanation for the present apathy toward the national game as exhibited in Derby, except that either the people here care more for battles between clubs of local fame than the professional hines. or there is some fault In the management of the park. It has been commented that the electric road charges too much for baseball en- tertainments. There Is a resemblance of truth in the criticism for at every game the "bleachers," where a. seat costs but twenty-five cents( this figure includes the ride on the cars), are pre- ferred to the grand stand, where one pays thirty-fve cents for comfort Thir- ty-five cents is by no means stiff rate in order to see a good game. There are no first class players which can be witnessed at a less figure. Why there is there a discontent or a gradual reduction in attendance. Is it because there are too many games booked for every week? Are the people tired of looking at the same fieldrs. runners, twirlers, batters? Would new faces or a new nine, g. strange team each week, draw better? These are questions just now agitating many, when the clouds thicken and baseball is threatened with a slump in this locality. If people have had enough, or are tired of the old familiar faces on the diamond the Der by nine quite naturally wish to know, and if the prices are forbidding or the times are the real explanation of the feeble support accorded the playing, the park management is anxious to deter mine The experiment might be tried of announcing but one game week, and that on Saturday afternoon, for the regular team, and then giving an after noon in the middle of the week for a match between the home clubs so as to ascertain the public pulse. To continue the test a reduction from twenty five to fifteen cents, the price charged last year, might be made and in this way a solution of the problem might be reached. There are at least two months left for baseball and 1t Is hoped the game will not fall into dlsrepute for any cause.
 Within few months the attention of a number has been drawn to the dan gerous character of several of the wells in Derby. An analysis of the water from three has been made and the state chemist has pronounced all specimens as very deleterious. Two wagons dis pensing fine spring water are seen daily on our public streets and buying drinking water Is becoming quite the thing fir those who fear microbes. It Is surprising with how little hesitation families patrontze wells that In their environment are almost sure to be con- taminated and the marvel is that there has been so little of typhoid in the local ity. The prevalence of diphtheria last spring in Ansonia started many to de- wise some explanation of the endemic, but the cause was never located. Should some fever of the typhus or typhoid grade commence its inroad in this sec- ton an examination of some of the wells would clear up the mystery. In a village not far from Derby a physician discovered well in the center of a barn and which the family used with the simplicity of children, claiming thattheir ancestors had lived on that water and "did not die before the Lord was ready for them" Two of the wells connected with the public schools have been con- demned and there is doubtless water