The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-14
BEDDING

Bedding, Dec. 13-The action of the Gilbert & Bennett Co. of George town increasing their capital stock to $2,000,000 from $1,O0O,00O was taken at a special meeting of the company held towards the latter part of last month. In effect the increase is the declaration of a 100 per cent. stock dividend, the par value Of the shares being raised to $10O from $50. Surplus accumulations extending over number of years afforded the basis for the doubling process which, 1t Is conjectured, was prompted by the special war tax lately imposed on corporations. The entire million sur plus had been gained previous to Jan. l, 1915, all the net earnings of the last two years having been distribut- ed to the. stockholders in dividends These return for 1916 were between 30 and 40 per cent. and during the present year have amounted to 50 per cent. Previously the regular di- vidend rate was 12 per cent. with an occasional extra distribution.
 While Miss Belle Sanford was working over the cooking range in the basement of her home at the Ridge on Tuesday in an endeavor to thaw out the frozen water tank att tached to the stove the barking of the dog outside and footsteps on the porch gave warming of the arrival of a caller. She hastened upstairs to meet the visitor and her departure at that moment proved very fortunate for her &hn floor when the range was blown to pieces by the explosion of the water tank from the force of the steam confined by reason of the frozen cir culation pipes. Pieces of metal were in height over six feet. He will now strive to acquire more robustness hurled about the room making the situation a perilous one for any one i who might have been within range. The live coals were thrown backward to the oven of the mended stove, | thereby obviating the danger of a fire as a consequence of the explosion. Arrangements are in progress un- der the general direction of Mrs. Pau line Sanford for a Community Christ mas to be held at the Mark Twain library on the evening of Wednesday, 1 Dec. 26. The affair will be in the nature of 8 pageant with Father Christmas, King Wencelaus, the Wise Men of the East and Shepherds among the characters personated, all suitably costumed. A huge Yule log will blaze in the fireplace and there will be singing of carols by a chil- dren's chorus and of anthems by d111& oh Roh 1o are to be held at the rectory on the Ridge under the leadership of Mrs H. s. Barnes and at the Center ir charge of Mrs. Pauline Sanford Everyone who can sing is requested to participate in these rehearsals as there will be no personal invitations extended and the aid of all volunteers will be welcomed. No admission tc the entertainment at the Library is to be charged and the general public is invited to attend.
 The blizzardy conditions last Sat
 urday afternoon made the trip of the
 local Home Guard to Norwalk any.
 thing but pleasure jaunt. They f1rst
 went to Danbury in autos and thence by special train to Norwalk along
 with the Danbury, Bethel, Brookfielc
 and Newtown Guardsmen. Fortu
 nately for the Bedding boys the!
 availed themselves of the offer O. tho
 Danbury armory of cape overcoat
 left over from the Spanish war ana
 therefore suffered less from the ele
 ments than did the Danbury Guards
 men who rejected the opportunity O.
 extra clothing protection. Arriving
 AL. AL.
 visiting company from Camp Devens were led over march Of about Il
 niles in the driving storm. The dis comforts suffered by all hands at tn Compo sham battle were light il
 comparison with Saturdays exper
 fence.
 A good sized audience greatly en \ ,oyed the living wax works exhibite
 at the Center Methodist church las Friday evening. Lew Warner wa MT. Jarley, Charles Hyde the Welsl Dwarf and other characters were per |, sonated by Charles and Augustus Der : dist, Maude Bodie, Winnifred Plat i, Mrs. Milo Osborn, Fred Wood, Helel Bodie, Esther Osthing and Miss Al
 len.
 l. AHHOuHCSA1SuL udS Uo0u HldO0
 the engagement of Everett Brincker
 hoff of New York and Miss Margare
 Boughton, whose family has a sum
 mer residence at Bedding Center. Tn
 prospective bride is a daughter of tn
 late Herbert Boughton, who wa
 trasurer of the Bush Terminal Co. MI
 Brinckerhoff is graduate of tn . Pulattsburg training camp and hay !. ing been commissioned lieutenant will sail in few weeks for duty il France.
 Ti Another disappointment has com