The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-05-31
THAT CONNECTICUT RIVER ISL


 AND.
 The dispute between the towns of Suffield and Enfield as to the island in the Connecticut and which town 1t be- longs in has attracted no little interest. The river separates the two towns and the question is, Where Is the river? Judge Hezekiah S. Sheldon of West Suffield, a recognized authority in local history wrote in 1889 a pamphlet on the subject of "The Connecticut River Island and Its Rapids" which he pri- vately printed. There were only twen- ty-flve copies in the edition. Judge Sheldon has kindly sent one to the Courant. In opening it says:
 "The traveller in passing over the railroad bridge above Windsor Locks looking out to the north will be sure to notice the beautiful island in the Con- necticut River rapids, apparently coV- cred with forest trees to the waters edge. Its eastern elevated ridge or bor- der along which flows the deep river channel is probably but little changed since the Rev. Ephraim Huit of Wind- sor looked upon it and 'craved for his own two hundred and forty years ago.
 
 it's great natural beauty and it's wild romantic situation, but for it's supposed ! mineral wealth, it's stone quarries and the water power that might be devel- oped there. This island must have been a famous watering place and fishing ground for the red man, where in sum- mers heat he could rest from the hunt or from it's shores spear the salmon and other fish that abounded in the river. It is a fact not generally known that an early survey for the Springfield road half a century ago was across this island northerly, but promi- nent interests at Warehouse Point de- cided the location of the bridge where it is at present. After the lapse of centuries the island is a solitude sel- dom visited by the nearest inhabitants and it's history with them is mostly traditional"
 Going on, MT. Sheldon says: "It lies entirely west of the main river channel and belongs to SuffieId. It has been of too little value to the hunted up by the assessors, but the day may come when it will be worth looking after by the taxpayers of suffield, to which it be-
 
 made the piers of the old East Hart ford bridge were quarried out of the southern end of the island. The pamphlet describes the rapids which extend five and a quarter miles along the river. The fall there is 31.8 feet at low water. The history of the owner ship is given and in conclusion the ar | ticle says:
 1t is noticeable that the present title to the island is founded upon and trace able to the grant to Major John Pyn- chon from the Massachusetts general court in 1881. It formed a part of his | Suffield estate and with slight excep- | tion the whole has since been owned by Suffield inhabitants down to the date of l MT. Terrys purchase Gin 1S64). Con- l nected with this purchase is a chapter | in the oft-repeated history of religious | delusions. William Miller was the foun- | der of the sect of Adventists in the | United States. His earnest and conf1- dent announcement that the earth | would be destroyed October 10, 1S43, proved by Bible aritmetic filled the minds of the superstitious and ignor- ant with palsying dread and fear wher- l ever He DTGdJu6u. u IS put Just, HoW ever to admit that all who had listened ! to the predictions of Miller were hap l pier when the day dawned upon them l on earth October Ii, 1S43. William Mill ' Ter survived his disappointment six years and died natural death Decem- Der 20, 1S49. Subsequently different years and days were successively des- 1 ignated by his followers; the last was l in October, 1873 This was notable year for the island. The pitiful scenes l of 1S43 were re-enacted. Hundreds of sincere believers daily visited by won- dering crowd of worlds people gather l ed here awaiting the sound of the last | trumpet until hunger, cold and physi-
 cal exhaustion compelled the motley as | semblage to disperse not again to be re- | assembled The leaders of the sect have not with any degree of unanim- | ity fixed the precise date for the ter | imitation of all things since 1873 until the present year, 1889. '-Hartford Cour- 1 ant.