The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-10
HOUSATONIC RIVER ALL
 SOLID ICE TO HARBOR.
Can Be Crossed Rapidly By Man or Beast at Any Point in Stratford.

That this is the coldest winter this town has experienced since the win ter of 19O3-19o4 is now generally acknowledged in the town. The Housa tonic is frozen over solidly to the lower beacon and it is possible for man and beast to cross an where above that point with safety. Yesterday w. Minor Smith walked from Minors shore house on this side of the river to Smiths hotel at Milford point and not weak spot was found in the whole distance Capt Theme Judson, keeper of the light house, can remen1- Der hearing his grandfather tell about fortics when he (the grandfather skated from Stratford to Port Jeffer- son and back again the same day. Many have heard tell of the experi- ences of a dozen or more brave spirits who skated to the battle-ground some thing like 40 years ago. Another old timer remenb bers distinctly the winter when Capt. Jed Knowles in the sleep Conqueror was frozen in off Charles Island and smUggled 35 barrels of ama1ca rum over the ice in the night and housed it safely in the cellar of the old Congregational church which stood on what is now Elm street. The the sloop and finding nothing contra band aboard departed satisfied. The rum was taken to it's destination up the river in a few days and the pas tor of the church received one barrel of the rum a gratuity in recogni- ton of his failing to discover the hid
 
 Ras never appeared in any history It has been handed down from father to son in several families and no one is ready to assert that it is absolutely true. It was certainly possible and very probable for much smuggling of spirits was going on in the river in the early days of the town and par son as well as layman took his regu- lar modicum of grog. Smugglers, al- though law breakers. were not re- sarded with disapproval by the gen.
 The semi annual reception to her afternoon dancing classes given by Miss Bessie Houghton in Red Mems hall yesterday afternoon took the form of a masquerade party this time. About seventy parents and friends of the pupils were present and the show ing the little folks made on the floor was a revelation. The costumes were elaborate and very catchy in most in- stances Miss Josephine Houghton, sister of the teacher assisted in the affair and the ushers were Webster Conine and Alan Macgregor. Some of the impersonations follow: Dorothy ter; Theresa Motill, morning star; Dorothy Peck, domino; Agnes Ryan, night; Edith Veigus, flower girl; Bes- sic Phillips, pink rose bud; Harriet Beardsley, cupid; Violet Curtis, folly: Inez Edwards, valentine queen; Cath erine Russell, Yama Yama girl; Helen Beach, valentine; Lillis Mckay, pink fairy; Evelyn Booth. blue fairy; Lila Wells, Dutch girl; Marion Meachen, peasant girl; Marjorie Culver, Folly: Cornelia Meachen, Blacy-eyed Susan; Ethel Stevens, HaIIowe' en; Edna Me Joy, daisy; Eleanor Nichols, Japanese girl; Margery Baker, Greek goddess; Ans1el Culver, George Washington; James Ryan, farmer; Raymond Beardsley, fireman; Fred Tatoms, fire man; James Bulkley, imp; Jack Cur tis, fireman; Robert Wheeler, "cw- boy; Edmund Wheeler, clown; Alfred Ma'lette, football fan; Morris Carey, cowboy; Bronson Sammis and Carl ton Moore. Gold Dust Twins.
 The Bridgeport Gas company sent a man yesterday to investigate the com D aints that eight lights in the town were not burning nights. The man found not only eight lamps out of or der but many more, so many in fact that he was unable to fix them all and will have to return and continue the work Every gas lamp which he investigated was found frozen and the pipes will have to be packed with a non-conducting lining before they can be operated with any degree of regu- larity. Last night the residents of King street were treated to the efful- gent rays from one gas light and they were approximately grateful. The trouble is not confined to any one sec ton of the town but is sort of gen eral com plaint. The Strangest part of the matter is that while the whole town was up in arms over the Situa- tion the Gas company has been noti- fed of only eight lamps as being out of commission. Gas and rum are good deal alike, the more water there is in it the less the liability to get the town '1it up." Water in the gas pipes freezes during the cold weather
 Miss Olive Smith who has been taking treatment at a sanitarium in Stamford has returned to her home here.