A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II, Part 1

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor]
Number of Pages: 904

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II > Part 1

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I'M. W. Robe 111 W. Main St

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

ITY

OF VIRG

UNI

1819

PRESENTED BY

William W. Roberts

-----

A HISTORY

OF THE

lo Town

STRATFORD

AND THE CITY OF

BRIDGEPORT CONNECTICUT.

BY REV. SAMUEL ORCUTT, AUTHOR OF THE HISTORIES OF WOLCOTT, TORRINGTON, NEW MILFORD, DERBY AND INDIANS OF THE HOUSATONIC VALLEY.

PART II.

PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 1886.

Gif FEE 9

104 .58706 1886 V. R Copy!

PRESS OF TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR, NEW HAVEN, CONN.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE CITY OF BRIDGEPORT.

VERDRAWN pictures being unseemly in history, and there being no room in this book for mere word paintings, the substantial facts are given as the most agreeable and lasting to a prosperous city.

Bridgeport, as a city, was incorporated by act of the General Assembly in May, 1836, under the name of "The Mayor, Alder- men, Common Council, and Freemen of the City of Bridgeport." By several changes made, the incorporate title now is "The City of Bridgeport," and the title of its authorita- tive body is "The Common Council of the City of Bridgeport."

The city is located on Long Island i Sound, fifty-two miles from New York City, and is a seaport town, with a good harbor. It is built upon a sandy and gravelly soil, and therefore, as well as from all its surroundings, is a healthy locality. It is spread over a large territory, for the number of its inhabitants, and has many square miles of available territory adjoining it on three sides-east, north, and west, for its indefinite expansion. It has three good sized parks within its limits-two of which are remarkably picturesque; its streets are of good width, many of them made more so in appearance by the dwellings standing unusually distant from the streets; and the charac- ter and style of the public buildings are more than commonly elegant, and significant of enterprise and taste. A marked feature of its private buildings is that of double residences with ample space and yards about them, which in the summer time, being ornamented profusely with flowers and shrubbery,

694

History of Stratford.

give it the appearance of a city of delightful homes. Another - feature of this city is the large number of buildings of exten- sive manufactures; but these structures are all new and of elegant proportions and styles, so that they ornament rather : " detract from the picturesqueness and beauty of the city. ... addition, the shore of the Sound, bordering it on the wuth, without swamp or marsh, and especially as a part of this southern territory of the city consists of the already far- famed Seaside Park; the whole city is one of attractiveness, health, and facility for general industry, enterprise and homes.

The Population of Bridgeport has increased rapidly since it became a city. The late Isaac Sherman, writing about 1860, estimated the number of people residing at differ- ent dates in the territory embraced within the city limits of Bridgeport, to be: in 1790, 110 persons; in 1800, 250; in 1810, 550; and in 1820, 840.

The first time the census of Bridgeport was taken sepa- rately was in 1810, it having been included in Stratford before that time. Jeremiah W. Beardsley was the enumer- ator that year, and his return is still preserved. According to this there were 94 heads of families in the borough, and the total population, including a negro slave in the family of Lieut. Salmon Hubbell, was 572. In 1840, Henry Edwards was the enumerator, and returned the number 4,570. In 1850 the late William R. Bunnell took the census, and reported 7.558 inhabitants. The number of colored persons was 286, and of foreigners 1,493, including 1,102 born in Ireland; 188 born in England ; 138 in Germany ; and 65 in other countries. In 1860, George W. Lewis was enumerator, and the popula- tion was 13,299, having almost doubled during the decade. In 1870 the census was taken under the supervision of the late Philo F. Barnum, and showed 19,876 inhabitants, and during the year 1880 it was taken by supervisor W. E. Dis- brow, and the population of Bridgeport was 29,153, the number living on the west side of the river being 19,770, and on the east side 9,383; and as estimated by the public school enumeration it was, in January, 1886, 39,000.

If inquiry is made as to what has caused this city to be i .

695

Bridgeport.

what it is, and that, too, in the short space of fifty years-as it is just fifty since it was incorporated-the answer is given, somewhat minutely, under the two general subjects, Rail- roads and Manufacturing enterprises, for it will be recognized at once that however great the present facilities for freight transportation by water-and they are very advantageous- yet without the railroads the half of the water transportation would never have been wanted, and without the industries the railroads, steamboats, and inhabitants would have a starv- ation time, so far as this city is concerned.

The Housatonic Railroad .- The enterprise which resulted in the building of this road began in 1835, it being among the earliest roads of the kind in America. Seven years previous the first locomotive had been imported into the country, and only one year before the Boston and Albany, the pioneer road of New England, had been opened for travel.

The interest in railroad projects had become very marked. The Connecticut legislature had given charters in 1832 for the Boston, Norwich and New London, New York and Ston- ington, and Sharon and Salisbury railroads; in 1833 the Man- chester and Hartford, and New Haven roads; in 1835 the Hartford and Springfield, Fairfield County, and the Worces- ter and Hartford.

The Housatonic road grew out of an enterprise, started in the Housatonic valley in 1822, to build a canal from Sau- gatuck to New Milford, for which a charter was secured, commissioners appointed, estimates of expenses and a survey made.

On the 23d day of December, 1835, a public meeting was held at Kent, composed of "delegates representing the towns on and near the contemplated route for a railroad from Dan- bury, through and along the valley of the Housatonic, to Stockbridge, in Massachusetts." Under the direction of officers appointed by that meeting a survey was made by E. H. Broadhead, in the winter of 1835 and 6, from Danbury to Great Barrington, and in the May session of the legislature of 1836, a charter was granted. By this charter there was to be selected one of three lines from Brookfield to tide-water. The decision to be made on this question was important to

696

History of Stratford.

Bridgeport, and the inhabitants appreciated it and put forth efforts proportionate.

In the year 1836 Alfred Bishop, of New Jersey, settled in Bridgeport, probably led to this locality at the time for the purpose of engaging in building railroads, and immediately on being established devoted all his energy to the location and construction of the Housatonic Railroad.

In order to have this road terminate at Bridgeport, it was important that a considerable amount of the stock should be taken here, and after individuals had done their utmost enough was not secured. It is possible that this idea first suggested the organization of the borough of Bridgeport into . a city. Hence, in May, 1836, a charter was secured for a city, and afterwards the corporation loaned its credit to the rail- road company to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, and in 1838 the city issued coupon bonds, in favor of the rail- road, to the amount of fifty thousand dollars more.

This debt of $150,000 created much excitement when the interest had considerably accumulated, there being no pro- vision for payment. It was found that the city held no property, of account, and the question whether private property was liable in such a case had not been decided in the courts of this State at that time, and therefore a test case was allowed to be brought before the courts for the purpose of deciding this question, and also to make further proceed- ings in raising the money legal. The court's decision con- firmed the claim against private property, and at once a sinking fund was established and the whole amount finally paid ; and the full benefit has been already more than realized, for if railroad enterprise had not made the city a central point for business about the time it did, the half of the money now in it would never have come to the city of Bridgeport. It was in consequence of this matter going to court for a decis- ion, that the report of repudiation went abroad, which was without foundation, since it was of the utmost necessity to secure such a decision in order that in the further proceed- ings the officers of the city might be assured of the legality of their acts.1

1 See this matter as explained in the Report of the Board of Trade, 1877, p. 314.

BRIDGEPORT,

Accurately Surveyed &Felineated BY F. T. Barnum. 1824.

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697

Bridgeport.

In the starting of the road for a time ex-Governor Gideon Tomlinson acted as president of the company, but at the first regular election, April 5, 1837, the following officers were chosen : William P. Burrall, President; William H. Noble, Secretary ; Jesse Sterling, Treasurer; and William P. Bur- rall, Edwin Porter, Samuel Simons, Stephen Lounsbury, Charles DeForest, of Bridgeport, Anan Hine, Asa Pickett, of New Milford, Alpheus Fuller, of Kent, and Peter Bierce, of Cornwall, were Directors.

The work of building and equipping this road was very great; embarrassments came on, and in 1844 it passed into the hands of a committee of twenty citizens, and for some time was operated under the name of E. Gregory and Com- pany ; but after a time preferred stock was issued and a new organization of the company was effected. Its capital stock is $2,000,000; namely, $820,000 of old stock and $1,180,000 preferred. The road now, under the management for a number of years of Hon. William H. Barnum, as president, is a successful, prosperous road. The present officers of this road are: President, Hon. William H. Barnum; Secretary and Treasurer, Charles K. Averill; Directors, William H. Barnum, William D. Bishop, Horace Nichols, A. B. Mygatt, Edward Leavitt, John B. Peck, Charles K. Averill, William E. Downs, D. W. Plumb.

Alfred Bishop, born December 21, 1798, was the son of William and Susannah Bishop, and descendant from the Rev. John Bishop, the second minister of Stamford, Conn. For a time, when quite young, he taught school in his native town. He afterwards settled in New Jersey as a farmer, and while thus employed made personal experiments with his pick ax, shovel, and wheelbarrow, by which he accurately estimated the cost of removing various masses of earth to different distances. In this way he prepared himself for the great work of his life, as a canal and railroad contractor. Among the public works on which he was engaged, and which con- stitute a lasting monument to his name, are the Morris canal, in New Jersey ; the great bridge over the Raritan, at New Brunswick; the Housatonic, Berkshire, Washington and

698

History of Stratford.

Saratoga, Naugatuck, and New York and New Haven rail- roads. But in the midst of his extensive operations, and while forming plans for still greater works, he was taken suddenly ill and died June 11, 1849. At the funeral, which was on June 13th, his pastor, the Rev. Dr. Hewit, preached the sermon, and the Common Council of the city, which had previously passed resolutions of respect concerning his life and labors, attended in a body.

The Housatonic Railroad was projected and chartered before Mr. Bishop came to Bridgeport, but to him belongs much credit for taking the first steps to carry it into practical effect, and as in part the author of the complete system of railway communication now enjoyed by the city of Bridgeport.

Mr. Bishop married Mary, daughter of Ethan Ferris, of Greenwich, Conn., and had three sons, two of whom became prominent as railroad men.

The Naugatuck Railroad was projected by Alfred Bishop, of Bridgeport, who, after consultation with various parties whom he supposed might be interested in the enter- prise, brought the subject before the legislature of Connecti- cut, and a charter was granted in the year 1845, which was amended in 1847 and in 1848. The following persons were named as grantees: Timothy Dwight, of New Haven, Green Kendrick, of Waterbury, Thomas Burlock, of Derby, William P. Burrall, of Bridgeport, Philo Hurd, of Bridgeport, Alfred B. Brittain, of Bridgeport, and George L. Schuyler, of New York.

It was proposed at first to make the road only from Bridgeport to Waterbury, with a capital stock of $800,000, but afterwards it was extended to Winsted, and the capital increased to $1,200,000. This amount of stock was afterwards increased to $1,500,000, to furnish the road with engines, cars, coaches, and equipments. An organization of the company was effected in February, 1848, and a contract made with Alfred Bishop to build the road complete, and receive in pay $800,000 cash and $400,000 in bonds. The first officers of the road were: Timothy Dwight, President; Ira Sherman, Sec- retary ; and Horace Nichols, Treasurer; the last of these still holds the same office.

...... .

699

Bridgeport.

The profile and survey of the road having been made by engineer R. B. Mason, was presented to the directors March 14, 1848, and was adopted, and in the following April the work was commenced. The contract stipulated that the road should be built in the most thorough and durable manner, with a heavy H-rail, similar to that used in relaying the Housatonic road, which that company had just completed.

In constructing the road no particular change of the route was made, except at the south end, where, instead of crossing the Housatonic river at Derby and coming direct to Bridgeport, it was continued on the east side of the river, as at present, to the New York and New Haven railroad, and on that the Naugatuck trains run to Bridgeport. On the 11th of June the road was opened to Waterbury, on the 23d of July to Plymouth, and on the 24th of September to Winsted. Mr. Bishop, the contractor, having died in June the completion was thereby delayed a few days.

The chief office of this road is located in Bridgeport, corner of Main street and South avenue, and their principal shops and freight depot not far from it.

Its present officers are : William D. Bishop, of Bridge- port, President; Horace Nichols, of Bridgeport, Secretary and Treasurer; George W. Beach, of Waterbury, Superin- tendent; Samuel Wilmot, of Bridgeport, Auditor. The directors are : William D. Bishop, of Bridgeport, J. G. Wetmore, of Winsted, A. L. Dennis, of Newark, N. J., W. D. Bishop, Jr., of Bridgeport, Joel B. Sperry, of New Haven, J. B. Robertson, of New Haven, R. M. Bassett, of Derby, F. J. Kingsbury, of Waterbury, David W. Plumb, of Shelton, all of Connecticut except one.

The Naugatuck enjoys the reputation of being one of the best managed roads in the country. It has neither floating nor bonded debt, pays all bills monthly, and its stock is in demand at a high premium.

The tables of revenue of this road for the last nineteen years give matter of interest, as well as satisfaction to stock- holders. In 1866 the revenue amounted to $494,026.47 ;; but the next year it was a little less, then it rose gradually until in 1871 it was $624,761.86; then decreasing a little year by

700

History of Stratford.

year, it reached in 1877-8, $477,834.04; but again it took the rising scale, and climbing more rapidly than before, it cul- minated in 1881-2, at $714,898.01 ; then once more declining a little it stands in 1884-5, at $651,242.26. The balance sheet of the road for the year ending September 30, 1885, shows dividends to have been made during the fiscal year to the amount of $200,000.

Since an enterprise of this kind is largely dependent upon the few men who manage and take care of it, a few sketches of those who supervised and served it longest upon the road, will be appropriate here.

Alfred Bishop, the projector and builder, departed this life just before the completion of the road, yet he did a great work for the Naugatuck valley, the city of Bridgeport, and the State of Connecticut. A further record of him may be seen on page 697 of this book.

Rev. Ethan Ferris Bishop, son of Alfred Bishop, was president of the road a number of years. He was educated at Yale and took his master's degree at Trinity College, Hartford, was ordained priest in the Protestant Episcopal Church, served some years as rector of the Church of the Nativity, of Bridgeport, and after much suffering with ill health a number of years, departed to his final rest on the 7th of December, 1883. See page 657.

Hon. William D. Bishop, son of Alfred Bishop, was graduated at Yale College in 1849, and represented his dis- trict in Congress in 1859-61. He was president of the New York and New Haven Railroad some years, and continues to be one of its active and influential directors. He is now, and has been since the decease of his brother, president of the Naugatuck Railroad, and one of the most active and influen- tial railroad men of the State. He was a representative from Bridgeport in 1871, and State senator in 1877 and 1878.

George Wells Beach, son of Sharon Y. Beach, of Hum- phreysville, now Seymour, received in his native village an education fitting him for the duties of an active business life. In 1850, soon after the completion of the railroad, he entered

701

Bridgeport.

the service of the company at Humphreysville, as a clerk, with the understanding that he should fill any position that might be assigned him on the road. In 1851 he was assigned the position of second clerk in the office at Waterbury, where, in the performance of various duties, he soon became acquainted with the management and work of the entire road. In 1855 he was appointed agent at the Naugatuck station, and in 1857 he was made conductor of the morning and evening passenger train, and while serving in this capacity he took charge of the general ticket agency, thus becoming still more familiar with the whole business of the road. In 1861 he was made agent at Waterbury, where he remained seven years.

In 1868 the office of superintendent of the Naugatuck Railroad became vacant by the death of Charles Waterbury, and Mr. Beach was appointed to that position and therein he still remains, much to the credit of himself and the road, with the general respect and esteem of the railroad officials and the general public. His headquarters are at the office of the road at Bridgeport, but his residence is in Waterbury. Thirty-five years he has had an active, and most of the time, a prominent part in the management of the road.

Alfred Beers, son of Jonathan Beers, of Canaan, Conn., became conductor of the Naugatuck Railroad in March, 1851, and served in that capacity thirty-two years, when his ner- vous system having become prostrated, he retired from active service, the road continuing his regular salary. He is a resi- dent of Bridgeport and Senior Warden of St. Paul's Church. His son, Leander J. Beers, is conductor on the New York and New England Railroad, and has been some years; his son, C. W. Beers, is in the U. S. mail service in Bridgeport, and another son, Alfred B. Beers, is Judge of the Bridgeport City Court.

Amos S. Beers, of Canaan, Conn., brother to Alfred, above, became conductor on this road in 1855, and continues the same at the present time, having thus served the road in this capacity over thirty years. He resides in Bridgeport.

Other conductors have served on this road as follows: Frederick Gregory, twelve years: A. A. Tolles, six years;

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History of Stratford.

Edward Segears, as extra conductor, twenty-five years; S. E. Granger, twenty years; L. McDermitt, twenty-three years; Frank Scott, five years; F. E. Dickerman, on the Waterbury and Watertown Railroad, two years; and T. Daily, three years.

The following engineers have served on this road : Henry Abell, thirty years; E. L. Downs, seventeen; Edward Crow- ley, fifteen ; Bruce Lane, fifteen; Frank Hubbell, thirteen ; Thomas Trueman, four; Wilbur Sherman, six; B. Baker, eight; Wilson Burns, six; Fred Baker, four; George Hull, eleven ; Charles Tomlin, four.

New York and New Haven Railroad .- In the year 1844 an act of incorporation was obtained from the legislature of Connecticut by Joseph Sheffield, of New Haven, Anson G. Phelps, of New York, and others, giving them permission to build a railroad, not exceeding six rods in width, from New Haven to the western boundary of the State, and to transport persons and property upon it by the power of steam, or any other mechanical force, by animals, or " by any combination of these which said company may choose." On May 11, 1846, the legislature of the State of New York granted the same persons permission to extend their proposed railroad from the Connecticut line to connect with the Harlem road at Williams' Bridge, N. Y.

The first stockholders' meeting was held at New York City, May 19, 1846, when the following board of directors was elected : Robert Schuyler, Anson G. Phelps, Elihu Townsend, Morris Ketchum, of the city of New York; Henry J. Sanford, of Stamford; William P. Burrall, Stephen Tomlinson, of Bridgeport; Joseph E. Sheffield, of New Ha- ven; F. R. Griffin, of Guilford. At a subsequent meeting of the directors Robert Schuyler was chosen president, and William P. Burrall, secretary.

Preliminary surveys having been made by Alexander C. Twining, a contract was made with Messrs. Alfred Bishop and Sidney G. Miller to build the road from the depot of the Hartford and New Haven Railroad, in the city of New Haven, to Williams Bridge; the work to be commenced by the first day of December, 1846, and to be completed by

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A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Part II, Part 1

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor] Number of Pages: 904

Author: Orcutt, Samuel, 1824-1893
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: [New Haven, Conn.], [Press of Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor]
Number of Pages: 904