The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-09

Steel is sure to stand time and ice, but it is feared the ice freshets will severely try the resisting power of the cement piers and arches. The oldest concrete steel bridge is about ten vars old and is at Topeka. This is three times as long as the Derby one will be. This structure stood up against the heavy floods that did so much damage last year. There Is confidence expressed by the designers and those who have stud jed the drawings that the concrete con- position will stand all the pounding drift-wood and ice-floes can give 1t. The situation now is that there is a |cross-fire of sound argument between two engineers, Hill and Stacher, and the bridge committee is literally at sea about choosing the kind of material.
 The frequency of bush fires is alarm ing all, especially the farmers. In sev- eral instances they have menaeed dwellings. The amount of damage done is very considerable, trees of large pre- tensions. rail fences and small buildings being ruthlessly attacked. Derby hill, back of the Congregational church, a few evenings since was a mass of flame, and it took a great deal of fighting to subdue the fire. Boys started the con- fiagration by igniting the dry leaves and grass, and soon what was designed as a bonfire became an uncomfortable monster of flame Vigorous attacks with wet blankets, water and dry earth at last put out the flames. Tn Ansonia 8 fire started by boys in the fields caused the destruction of a barn and henery. The Ansonia Water Company is treating this sort of deviltry in the proper way by publishing the law for bidding that variety of trespassing, and will take the initiative in arresting any offender
 At a conference between representa- tives of the Connecticut Railway & Lighting company and the bridge com mittee it was decided to make certain changes in the viaduct bridge so that the trolley company may be able to double track their right of way from Derby avenue over the viaduct to the foot af the Main street hill
 The directors of the Plumb Memorial Library in Shelton are contemplating establishing a branch at Huntington center, and the Young Mems Christian association of Ansonia is also agitating the. need of a branch of their work among the colored people of that place. The coming Eagle Hose fair in Anso- mia promises to eclipse all similar bids for public patronage by any association. The entertainment committee has big timber in it, and. the citizens will re- spond generously to any call from these fire laddies. The show will last five nights
 The saloons on Main street since Jan- uary the first have changed owners in several instances, and the new propri- etors were not posted on the law to the letter, else the police would not have been obliged to call their attention to the statutes about Sunday selling and closing. Several shut up their shops so tight that no view at all from the front could be enjoyed. This is of course con trary to the law, but in every instance the new men took away all the obstruc- tions such as curtains and shutters when asked by the police to remove the screens. There seemed no intention whatever on the part of these saloon keepers, young at the business, to de- Iceive or cheat inspection, and if the po- lice could make some of the old offend CTS fall in line as readily Derby would soon lose it's reputation as an open town every Sunday.
 Some of the officers of the Derby Sill yer Plate Cutlery company still hold to the surmise or conjecture that the recent fire which we'll nigh wrecked their plant was a piece of incendiary. They were forced to this conclusion by the absence of any other explanation of the origin of the fire in the quarter where it was first discovered. Fire Marshal Coan will not countenance any such suggestion.
 Diekerman M. Bassett, who died Thursday, was one of the original Latch String club of New Haven. He