Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-19

the extraordinary pawwaws, which the Indians of that district practiced. An old Indian one time however. when asked the cause said: The Indian God is very angry because Englishmen'S God has come here"
 The noises have been more or less frequent ever siIice the English set dement's began. They sound frequent ly like slow thunder and again like an explosion. and not infrequently the earth is felt to tremble for some miles roundabouts. Two of the most prominent of the shocks occurred on October 29. 1727. and on May IS, 1891. The noises ocur most uniformly in dull and heavy atmosphere. Various causes have been assigned for them, but that most generally accepted Is that minerals exploding deep down in the earth produce them. Another eX- planation is that shifting lodges of rock in the earths interior are re sponsible.
 Population of the Tawns.
 East Haddam and Haddam are peculiar in one respect and that s that the zenith of their population was reached years ago. and that for some time the towns have been class ed as decadent by the United States census. The building of the bridge 1t is believed. will offset this, and re- suit in another and steady boom, Us
 
 manufacturing industries. as weel as good farming land and quarries. The following table shows how the popu lationof the towns had come up and gone back:-
 1756. 1S3o. 1880. 1910. East Haddam .1,97S 2,6e4 3.056 2.422 Haddam ....... l, ,241 3.025 2.307 1858
 Haddam Half shire Town.
 Haddam and East Haddam were originally part of Hartford county, and when included in Middlesex county in May. 17s6. .Haddam was made 8 half shire town along wich MiGdletown. Court houses and jails superior court used to sit alternately in Haddam and In M1ddletown. The present town hall. originally the courthouse was erected in 1929 Of Haddam granite. and Is one of the finest examples of early stone aTchl lecture to be found in the state. The first jail was condemned in 1914, and another was erected. In 1845 the present jail was erected. also of Hai- dam granite. but it has been maters- ally added to- Much of the expense was met by the town of Haddam. Haddam is also the seat of the cou l. try home, and of the Brainerd Aca l. emy, now dismantled. but for years from the time of it's erection in 1899, a noted educational institution in ta9
  tinction of being one of the few Tn the state that is absolutely free of debt.
 Haddam was also one of the first towns in the state to make bricks, the yard in the early part of eth nineteenth century being located about a half mile above what is now Higganum Landing, and so close to the banks of the Connecticut that the bricks were carried away in vessels. Shipbuilding at one time was also a prominent industry in both towns. Another distinction accorded Had- dam is that it is the only town in the state biseceed by the Connecticut River.
 Early Navigation.
 Previous to the eighteenth century the nearest approach to steam nayi- gation was made by John Stillnan er Chester, one time of Haddam. who had a large scow with paddle wheels, the motive power being furnished by q horse. It Is said of him that at one time he carried the mayor and aldermen to Hartford on an excursion trip. The boat was wrecked near Chester, and until within a, very few years the ruins were visible on oae of the sand bars. The first steam boat, excepting the Fulton. was the Enterprise, which began to run in 1919.