Middletown 150 Yrs. Ago: Shocking Accident at Russell Mfg.

From The Constitution, Wednesday, January 13, 1864 (volume 27, number 1359)

Exchanging Prisoners.

Our government has given Gen. Butler full power in regard to the exchange of prisoners notwithstanding the refusal of the rebel commissioner to treat with him. It will be a bitter pill to the rebels, but as we hold a large balance of prisoners they will have to swallow it. There are good reasons for giving the whole matter of exchange of prisoners to Gen. Butler. He has shown himself equal to any of them. Jeff. Davis knows that Butler is not to be thwarted by Ould’s falsehoods and tricks; and that he will deal with them as they deserve. By no sort of hook or crook will they be able, through him, to exchange the twelve thousand of our men whom they hold, in return for the forty thousand rebels whom we hold. The Richmond Whig, speaking of exchanging prisoners through the agency of Gen. Butler says:

Death of the King of the Sandwich Islands.

Kamehameha IV., the king of the Sandwich Islands, who has recently died, was born February 9, 1834. He was well educated by missionaries from this country, and travelled in Europe. He was married in 1856, to Miss Emma Hooker, daughter of an English physician. A son was born in 1858, but lived only a short time. In 1859, the king attempted, in a fit of jealousy, to murder his Secretary. He then proposed to abdicate, but was persuaded to retain his place. He has ever been kind and courteous to our missionaries. It is thought that during the last few years he has been more under the influence of the English clergymen. His uncle in 1839 abolished idolatry in the islands and introduced Christianity. The name of the sovereign just deceased was Alexander Liholiho. His brother succeeds to the throne, and it is announced that no change of policy will take place. ...

The Great Storm and Severe Frost at the West.

The Chicago Tribune of Monday devotes seven columns to an account of the blocking snow storm and intensely cold weather which have been experienced in all the Western States. The railroads were blocked in every direction, many trains being stopped midway of their journey, and the passengers exposed to great suffering from cold. A train on the Michigan Central road got stuck thirteen miles from Chicago, and the Cleveland Herald gives the following account of the sufferings of the passengers:

“The cars on that road are provided with patent stoves, which will burn only when the cars are in motion, and consequently when the cars stopped the fires went out. The weather was intensely cold, the thermometer being thirty-two degrees below zero, and the sufferings of the passengers became intense, particularly those of the women and children. No fire could be started for a sufficient length of time to do any good. The top of the pipe would become red-hot, and set fire to the top of the car several times, which was only put out by cutting away the wood-work.

“There were five passenger cars in the train, well filled—about one hundred and fifty in all, a large number of whom were women and children. What added to the dreariness of the scene, as the night wore on, was, that the lights as well as the fire gave out, the cold increased in intensity, and the snow became four or five feet in depth, in huge drifts. By this time all the passengers became completely chilled through. The women and children were elevated on the top of the seats, where the air was warmer, and everything done for their comfort that could be; but without fire, lights or food, out on a bleak prairie, their suffering was terrible.

“They lay there from Thursday afternoon till Friday morning, when a train on the Michigan Southern road arrived, which also became blockaded and could proceed no further. Preparations were immediately made to remove the passengers to the Michigan Southern cars, where warmth could be procured. A perfect stampede occurred, passengers fearing they would be left.—Many of the women and children were unable to help themselves, and had to be carried from one car to the other. They remained on the Michigan Southern cars till Saturday night, suffering from the cold and want of food. They were finally taken off by sleighs and carried to Chicago.”

A dispatch to the Chicago Tribune from St. Louis, states that on the North Missouri railroad, 10,000 hogs have frozen to death, and an immense number of cattle have frozen all along the railroads. In many places at the West, the thermometer was from thirty to thirty-nine degrees below zero.—A number of persons froze to death, and a larger number will be maimed for life. In some places the snow drifted to a depth of twelve feet.

CITY ELECTION 

The annual City Election will be held on Monday next, the 18th inst. It is important at the present time that Union men should be placed at the head of our city affairs. Our city thus far has proclaimed for the Union, and the cause which we are fighting to maintain. Let every Union man vote on Monday next, and she will continue to do so. Then vote, vote early, and vote the Union ticket, checkerbacks or no checkerbacks.

Tobacco Culture.

Abner Roberts, of this town, raised last summer, tobacco on one acre of ground which has sold for $700. Not bad that.

Shocking Accident.

A shocking accident occurred at the Russell Manufacturing Company, in South Farms, on Thursday of last week. Miss Susan Mitchell while cleaning her loom, which was running at the time, when reaching underneath, was caught by the hair on a shaft, which revolved nearly a hundred evolutions a minute. The hair with part of the scalp was taken completely off. One finger was also badly mutilated. She retained her consciousness throughout, and is now in a fair way to recover. It is a wonder that she was not instantly killed. The engineer, Mr. Phelps, the same day, lost two fingers, by having them in contact with the machinery.

Pameacha Pond has been the centre of attraction for the past month. Before the snow came it was famous for its skating qualities, where old and young congregated to enjoy themselves. Since the snow has put a stop to that enjoyment, Messrs. Ferree & Hubbard have employed a large gang of work men and are now filling their ice houses. The ice at the present time is from fifteen to eighteen inches thick. The water where the ice has been cut during the day, has formed a thick coating during the night, but not strong enough to bear a horse with a boy on his back, which got on to such a place on Thursday last, and the consequence was they went through. The boy was fished out immediately, and the horse after some trouble, was brought to the top of the water, and with a yoke of oxen was hauled out on the ice. Samuel Babcock, Esq., who was helping at the time of the occurrence, in going to their assistance, had taken off his gloves and thrown them on a thin piece of ice, which, when he went to pick them up, broke and he received a thorough immersion. He was immediately taken out, and thus ended the excitement for the day.

The Weather for a week past has been pretty severe. We have had a light covering of snow, just enough in addition to make fine sleighing. The sun has been bright, the air clear and bracing, just the weather to enjoy, if well protected from jack frost. Yesterday morning at 7 1/2 a. m., the mercury stood at ten degrees below zero, rather too cold to be agreeable. Average temperature of the week at sunrise was 4 degrees.

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A middle-aged married lady created quite a sensation in Willimantic the other day, by appearing to the inhabitants in bloomer costume. That’s nothing; there are lots of married women who wear the breeches.

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