From The Constitution, Wednesday, February 10 1864 (volume 27, number 1363)
Army Estimates.
The bill reported by Mr. Stevens for the support of the army for the year ending with June, 1865, appropriates $529,500,000; of this $5,000,000 is for advance bounties to volunteers; $5,000,000 for raising and organizing volunteers; $10,000,000 for the pay of the army; $177,500,000 for the pay of volunteers; $91,500,000 for the subsistence of volunteers; $60,000,000 for quartermaster’s supplies; and $13,000,000 for incidentals; $21,000,000 for cavalry and artillery horses; $40,000[,000] for transportation; $5,000,000 for commissary quarters for officers; $58,000,000 for clothing, equipage, &c.; $9,000,000 for medical and hospital departments; $2,000,000 for armament of fortifications, $20,000,000 for ordinance and stores; $2,500,000 for the manufacture of arms; $2,000,000 for the purchase of gunpowder and lead, and $2,000,000 for the repair of arsenals. We are only experiencing the benefits of the administration of the “old public functionary,” James Buchanan. May his like ne’er be seen again.
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The Colt’s Arms Manufacturing Company are making a splendid pair of revolvers, designed to be presented to Gen. Grant. The handles are of black horn, beautifully polished, and the barrels, magazines and other steel parts are elaborately inlaid with pure gold, which is beaten into a design previously cut out of the steel. The other ornaments, guard, &c., are of solid gold. The pair are to be enclosed in a handsome rosewood box, lined with velvet, and accompanied by all the tools, etc., belonging to them—the cartridge boxes, etc., being manufactured of silver.
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Destructive Fire in Hartford—Burning of Colt’s Pistol Factory.
On Friday morning last, at about 8 o’clock, the citizens of Hartford were startled by the deep tones of the steam gong at Colt’s Factory sounding an unusual alarm. Fire had been discovered in the attic of the center wing of the establishment, which was quickly communicated to the larger and oldest portion of the factory. The firemen were promptly on the spot, but all efforts to save the main building were unavailing. The building destroyed is the original structure erected by Col. Colt, in 1854. It was built of Portland stone, five hundred feet long, sixty feet wide, and three stories high. The office building, situated about thirty feet from the factory, but connected by a bridgeway was also destroyed. The buildings burnt contained all the machinery, patterns, &c., used in making the celebrated Colt’s pistol. The cause of the fire is not known. The loss is estimated at about two millions. There was an insurance of six hundred and sixty thousand dollars on the entire establishment, and it is estimated that the loss will call for about sixty per cent. of the policies. The following is the amount held by offices in this state : Hartford Fire Ins. Co., $40,000; Ætna, $40,000; Phœnix, $40,000; Connecticut, $20,000; Merchants, $20,000; North American, $20,000; City, $10,000; Charter Oak, $10,000; New England, $10,000. One of the workmen, E. H. Fox, aged about fifty years, lost his life. He was in the building, aiding in removing the machinery, when the roof fell in, and he was buried in the ruins. The loss by this fire, is a serious one to the business interests of Hartford. Most of the machinery destroyed was very costly, and as the patterns are lost, it will be a long time before it can be replaced.
Governor’s Proclamation—Connecticut’s Quota.
State of Connecticut,
Office of the Commander in Chief,
Hartford, Feb. 2d, 1864.
The call for three hundred thousand (300,000) volunteers by the President, on the 17th of October last, is by his Proclamation of February 1st, increased to five hundred thousand (500,000); and the quota assigned to the several towns in this state will be increased in the same proportion.
The quota of Connecticut is estimated at this office to be nine thousand and fifty-three (9,053) from which will be deducted four thousand four hundred and seventy-seven (4,477) who have enlisted within the state, as well as all re-enlistments of veterans in the field which from partial returns received will probably number twenty-six hundred and fifty (2,650), leaving a deficiency of nineteen hundred and twenty-six (1,926) to be supplied before the 1st of March.
Any deficiency which may exist on the 10th of that month will be made up by a draft from those towns which shall not then have furnished their quota.
The necessity of giving a vigorous support to the National Government, and the importance of an early and successful military campaign against public enemies, are strong appeals to our patriotism, and should stimulate us to make every effort and sacrifice which may be necessary to meet this call without a draft.
William A. Buckingham,
Commander-in-Chief.
By Horace J. Morse, Adjutant-General.
Local News.Col. Levi Coe, of this town, Middlefield Society, whose death has been mentioned, was the son of Eli Coe, Esq. In his death the community has lost an enterprising, useful, and honest man. Col. Coe was a successful farmer. No man did more to elevate his occupation. His name for many years has been intimately connected with our state and agricultural societies. Whoever has read the reports of the “cattle shows,” has noticed that for choice stock, best crops, best butter, &c., he was a very successful competitor. Col. Coe was a religious man. He remembered the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. He was a member of the Cong. church for more than a quarter of a century. He was a pillar in the church. He sought its peace and prosperity, and contributed liberally to its support. His funeral was attended on the Sabbath, in the House of the Lord, by a great concourse of people, who sorrowed, that they would see his face no more. S. D. J.
Warren Lodge, No. 51, P. & A. M.; Portland, Ct., Feb. 2, 1864.
This Lodge in special communication convened upon the occasion of the death by wounds received in battle at Chancellorsville, Va., on the 3d day of May, 1863, of their late brother William D. Bank, who so lately went forth as a volunteer soldier of the United States, and returned languishing under the effects of honorable wounds to die here among friends and at his home, does now, after laying his remains with all due masonic rites and ceremonies in their final resting place, here record upon its archives the memorial of his worth and of our regard as follows:
Resolved, That in decease of Brother William D. Bank, this Lodge mourn the loss of a worthy member, who justly received while living our respect for his virtues, and his amiable and exemplary character, and dying has left us a bright example to follow in carrying out the sacred tenets of our order.
Resolved, That in the brother we have lost, we recognize not only the true masonic workman, worthy of the craft, but also feel proud of him, and cherish his memory as a man, a citizen, and a soldier; as a man, upright, honest, and of good report; as a citizen, industrious, useful, and of good example, and as a soldier, boldly standing in the front rank of our embattling host, and in the line of his duty receiving in the front of his own person the death dealing bullet, he adorned and elevated by his bravery, the character he voluntarily assumed for the defence of the Constitution, and union of these United States. Enlisted in such a cause, our late brother met his death nobly and without complaining, rather rejoicing that it was his privilege to lay upon the altar of his country this, the willing sacrifice of his life, and thus to know and feel how pleasant and honorable a thing it is to die for one’s own country.
Resolved, That we sympathize with the friends and relatives of the deceased, and would commend the widow in her anguish, and the three tender children in their unconscious orphanage, to the remembrance and oversight of the Brotherhood; to the active charities of those whose duty it is to visit the widow and fatherless in their affliction; to the gratitude of all patriotic friends of the soldier’s cause, whose personal sacrifices, less costly than that of the deceased are offered on altars more domestic; and, above all, would we commit their care and keeping to the Widow’s Husband, and the Orphan’s Father—the God and Father of us all.
Resolved, That these resolutions be published in the newspapers printed in Middletown, and a copy presented to the family of the deceased.
Charles A. Jarvis, W. M.
Sad Fatality.
Sergt. Wm. O. Campbell of Company G, 1st Conn. Artillery, has within the past year been sadly afflicted. Besides the death of his father, he was called home in May last to attend the funeral of two of his children, and again in June on the death of the third and last child. In January last his wife, who had been residing with him during the winter at Fort Barry, Va., was suddenly taken sick, and died on the 27th ult. The body, having been embalmed, has been brought to this city, and the funeral will be attended at the Baptist church this Tuesday afternoon.
Fireman’s Ball.
The ball given by the Fire Department last Friday night, passed off pleasantly. The hall was tastefully decorated, the music good, the suppers at the McDonough and Farmers & Mechanics’ excellent, and $150 realized above expenses.
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The Superior Court, Judge Phelps presiding, has been in session in this city, during the past week. The following cases were tried:
State vs Wm. Bogue, charged with theft; jury disagreed. Elmer and Wilcox for state, Tyler and Phelps for defence. Jury dismissed for the term on Thursday afternoon.
A motion to modify the injunction on the town of Portland, was on trial, when owing to the sudden illness of the judge the court adj. for two weeks.
The following divorces were granted:--Francis H. Tiffany from Lucy C. Tiffany, Chadwick for petitioner; Emoline G. Scott from Merit Scott, Tyler for petitioner; J. A. Skinner from C. A. Skinner, Vinal for petitioner; E. S. Gavitt from Jno. H. Gavitt, Vinal for petitioner; Cornelia A. Chapman from Cyrus W. Chapman, Culver for petitioner.
Papa, What Is a Newspaper?
Organs that gentlemen play, my boy,
To answer the taste of the day, my boy,
Whatever it be,
They hit it on the key,
And pipe in full concert away, my boy.
News from all countries and climes, my boy,
Advertisements, essays, and rhymes, my boy,
Mixed up with all sorts
Of (f)lying reports,
And published at regular times, my boy.
Articles able and wise, my boy,
At least in the editor’s eyes, my boy,
And logic so grand
That few understand
To what in the world it applies, my boy.
Statistics, reflections, reviews, my boy,
Little scraps to instruct and amuse, my boy,
And lengthy debate
Upon matters of state,
For wise headed folks to peruse, my boy.
The funds as they were and they are, my boy,
The quibbles and quirks of the bar, my boy,
And every week
A clever critique
On some rising theatrical star, my boy.
The age of Jupiter’s moons, my boy,
The stealing of somebody’s spoons, my boy,
The state of the crops,
The style of the fops,
And the wit of the public buffoons, my boy.
List of all physical ills, my boy,
Banished by somebody’s pills, my boy,
Till you ask with surprise
Why anyone dies,
Or what’s the disorder that kills, my boy.
Who has got married, to whom, my boy,
Who were cut off in the bloom, my boy,
Who has had birth
On this sorrow-stained earth,
And who totters fast to the tomb, my boy.
The prices of cattle and grain, my boy,
Directors to dig and to drain, my boy,
But ‘twould take me too long
To tell you in song,
A quarter of all they contain, my boy.
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