Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-20

Pleasing interest in the public meet ing arranged by the Society of the Founders of Norwich was shown by the attendance of about 75 at the Nor Wich club on Tuesday afternoon when at o'clock President Jonathan Trum- bull called the gathering to order.
 The programme opened with a se- lection by the choir of Park Congrega- tional church, who were heard 10 tho delight of the audience in the selection The Millers Woolng (Faning).
 President Trumbull made brief re- port, stating that one of the principal things the society had accomplished during the year was the restoration and replacement of the signs which had been placed on historical spots &t the 250th anniversary, and it had also made additions to it's membership, the most distinguished being Governor Simeon E. Baldwin, who had taken q life membership.
 Old Time Travellers.
 4 duet for tenor and contralto, Dews of the Summer Night from the cantata Don Munio, by Dudley Buck. was sung in fine harmony by Eben Learned and Miss Eunice Park. President Trum bull then introduced the speaker of the afternoon, Rev Frank R. Shipman, pastor of the Congregational church at Apdover, Mass, for an address upon the topic Old Time Travellers in East ern Connecticut. Rev. MT. Shipman imparted a live interest to his subject, bringing in many humorous touches in 8 delightful way. that brought keen in terest and enjoyment to those who listened to and applauded his words.
 In beginning his address he congrat ulated Norwich upon having an assO- citation that perpetuated the memories of the past He referred to Lawrence which is near his residence as a place where much of it's troubles were due to having no past, only a present and a future.
 Young Frenchman the First.
 Old time travellers, he said, had a better collective photograph of the ter ritory they travel through than the modern automobile traveller. A young Frenchman, Marquis de Chastellux, in the time of Governor Trumbull. was the first, he said. who mentioned trav- cling in eastern Connecticut. He found fault with the continual ups and downs of the roads. The marquis stopped at Dorrance's tavern in Voluntown and at Lebanon, where he was entertained by Governor Trumbull, and drew an amusing and faithful pen picture of the continental governor. The next trav- eler was George Washington. then president of the infant republic, who trayersed Windham county and did not wax enthusiastic over gravelly fields and poor roads. Washington did ap- prove of Pomfret, but spent a dismal Sunday at Ashford, at Squire Perkins tavern. He wrote Of the tame dis courses he heard from a Rev. MT Pond
 Timothy Dwight in 1916.
 The next traveler was Timothy Dwight, in 1816. president of Yale, who was travelling from Rhode Island, com ing through Sterling to Norwich.
 Of his impressions of Norwich Pres ident Dwight wrote that he found the town plot is principally valley; rather smooth and pleasant, but bordered by rude hills, and on the west by rugged precipices which abut disagreeably upon the gardens, and in some in stances almost upon buildings The Little river, or Yantic, is a valuable mill stream, and about a mile above it's mouth falls very romantically over a confused mass of granite Colonel Trumbull was so well pleased with this spot that he took, few years since, three beautiful views of as many diff ferent scenes which it furnishes
 Thirty years later, admiration for those paintings was still warm. Mrs. Sigourney wrote: Those who prefer the wilderness of nature to her more luxuriant scenes of cultivation. would be gratified with the picture of Yantic Falls, now in the possession of G. J. W. Trumbull, Esq, of Norwich. 5 American art has travelled far and widely since then.
 President Dwight proceeds: "Nor- wich contains two parishes-the Town and Chelsea. The centers of these two parishes are distant from each other about two miles. The ends are spread out and populous; the middle is a sin gle chain of houses. The Town contains r considerable number of good. ar,ient houses together with a number. not small. of those which are l decayed Chelsea is built more in the modern style. and generally exhibits a sprightly and better appearance"
 Hodson of Liverpool and Abdy of Cam
 bridge.
 Three years later Adam Hodson. a Liverpool merchant, reached Norwich ] but all he had to say about Norwich was that it was the birthplace of the l traitor Arnold.
 i Edward Abdy. a fellow of Jesus col