USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
Gc 974.602 W291p v. 1 11406₺
GENEALCCY COLLECTION
3 1833 01105 5693 £
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofwaterbu01pape_0
gm J. Pape
HISTORY OF WATERBURY
AND THE
NAUGATUCK VALLEY CONNECTICUT
By WM. J. PAPE Editor of the Waterbury Republican
ILLUSTRATED
VOLUME I
CHICAGO-NEW YORK THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1918
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I A BIRDSEYE VIEW
1140689
IN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS WATERBURY HAS ABOUT GROWN OUT OF KNOWLEDGE OF ITS OLD SELF-ITS INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS THE WORK OF MASTERFUL MINDS- HIER FAME IN METAL MAKING NOW WORLD-WIDE-INTENSITY OF PRODUC- TION IN NAUGATUCK VALLEY HARDLY EQUALED IN ANY OTHER LIKE EXTENT OF TERRITORY IN THE COUNTRY. I
CHAPTER II
THE OFFICIAL CHRONICLES OF THE CITY OF WATERBURY
THE FIGHT FOR CONSOLIDATION OF CITY, TOWN AND SCHOOL GOVERNMENT- TAXATION CHANGES IN A QUARTER CENTURY-THE TAX RATES AND THE GRAND LISTS-THE BONDED DEBT-STREET IMPROVEMENT-CITY HALL, WATER, SCHOOL AND SEWAGE BOND ISSUES-CITY OFFICIALS SINCE 1893- ITS LEGISLATORS-MUTUAL AID SOCIETY-POLICE DEPARTMENT-START OF THE DETECTIVE SERVICE-THE CONSTABULARY FORCE-HOW THE DEPART- MENT WORKS-THIE TROLLEY STRIKE OF 1903-SKETCHES OF FORMER CHIEF EGAN AND SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE M. BEACH-THE FIRE DEPARTMENT- ITS GROWTH IN NUMBERS AND EQUIPMENT-THE FIRE OF 1902-RECORD OF BIG FIRES SINCE 1893-TIIE IIEALTH DEPARTMENT.
4
CHAPTER III THE CITY'S PHYSICAL PROBLEMS AND CHANGES
ITS SITE NOT IDEAL-RECONSTRUCTION OF LEADING TIIOROUGIII ARES-ITS NEW BRIDGES-THE WATER SYSTEM AND TIIE BUILDING OF ITS GREAT CHAIN OF RESERVOIRS-THIE SEWAGE DISPOSAL PLANT NOT YET COMPLETED-LONG LITIGATION WITII FACTORY OWNERS-SEWER CONSTRUCTION OF A QUARTER CENTURY- THE NAUGATUCK RIVER CONSERVATION PLAN-THE WATERBURY- DERBY BARGE CANAL PROJECT. 30
CHAPTER IV PUBLIC BUILDINGS
OLD CITY HALL AND ITS AUDITORIUM-MAYOR ELTON REMODELS BUILDING-ITS DESTRUCTION BY FIRE-NEW BUILDING PROJECTED-BONDS VOTED AND COM-
iii
iv
CONTENTS .
PETITION ENDS IN SELECTION OF CASS GILBERT AS ARCHITECT-DESCRIPTION -COST-THE DEDICATION EXERCISES IN "OLD HOME" WEEK-SALE OF THE OLD CITY HALL PROPERTY-TIIE WATERBURY COURTHOUSE-DESCRIPTION- THE AGITATION FOR A FEDERAL BUILDING-HOW ITS SITE WAS SELECTED CONSTRUCTION-DESCRIPTION
42
CHAPTER V PARKS AND CEMETERIES
FIRST MAP OF HAMILTON PARK-ENLARGING THE CITY'S HOLDINGS-LAND- SCAPE WORK-DRAINAGE FOR PONDS-ANNUAL TAX PROVIDES FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS-CHASE PARK CREATED-SWIMMING POOL A BIG SUCCESS- ATHLETIC FIELD EQUIPPED-PLAYGROUNDS BOUGHT FOR DIFFERENT SEC- TIONS OF CITY-THE MUNICIPAL FIELD DAYS-THE LATER HISTORY OF THE GREEN-THE CLOCK AND THE FLAGSTAFF-THE FRANKLIN STATUE-THE CITY'S CEMETERIES
52
CHAPTER VI SCHOOLS, LIBRARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
GROWTH IN SCHOOL POPULATION-TWO IMPORTANT CHANGES IN SCHOOL GOV- ERNMENT-ITS NEW MODEL HIGH AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL STRUCTURES- OUTSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDED-EVENING SCHOOLS-MEDICAL IN- SPECTION-MANUAL TRAINING-PLAYGROUNDS-SALESMANSHIP SCHOOL- CONTINUATION SCHOOL-VOCATIONAL SCHOOL-VALUE AND EXTENT OF SCHOOL PROPERTY-PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS-DAVID C. PORTER BEQUEST-LIBRARY AND MATTATUCK HISTORICAL SOCIETY .. 61
CHAPTER VII TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION
THREE NOTABLE INDUSTRIAL TRIUMPHS-ELIMINATION OF GRADE CROSSINGS- ERECTION OF THE UNION DEPOT-DOUBLE-TRACKING THE ROADS ENTERING WATERBURY-COST OF IMPROVEMENTS MADE IN A DECADE IN WATERBURY'S TERMINALS-RAMIFICATION OF THE TROLLEY SYSTEM-ITS GROWTH FROM HORSE CAR LINE TO THE NETWORK OF PRESENT EXTENSIONS-THE GREEN LINE-TELEGRAPH, TELEPHONE AND EXPRESS.
92
CHAPTER VIII
THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES OF WATERBURY, 1892-1917
THE FIRST CHURCH-THE SECOND, THIRD AND BUNKER HILL CHURCH, CONGRE- GATIONAL-ITALIAN CONGREGATIONAL-ST. JOHN'S AND TRINITY EPISCOPAL -ST. PAUL'S, WATERVILLE-FIRST M. E., GRACE, ST. PAUL'S, SOUTH AND WEST SIDE HILL M. E .- FIRST, SECOND AND GRACE BAPTIST-GERMAN AND SWEDISH LUTHERAN CHURCHES-ADVENT CHRISTIAN-BUCK'S HILL, UNION, WATERVILLE CHAPELS
107
V
CONTENTS
CHAPTER IX
THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES OF WATERBURY
CATHOLIC POPULATION BY PARISHES-IMMACULATE CONCEPTION-ST. PAT- RICK'S-ITS DEDICATION-SACRED HEART-ST. ANN'S-ST. CECILIA-ST. FRANCIS XAVIER -- ST. JOSEPH'S-ST. THOMAS-OUR LADY OF LOURDES-ST. MARGARET'S-BLESSED SACRAMENT-ST. MICHAEL'S-ST. STANISLAUS-CON- VENTS AND SCHOOLS-HOLY NAME SOCIETY-SKETCHES OF MONSIGNOR SLOCUM AND FATHER CURTIN-M'GIVNEY DAY. I22
CHAPTER X CIVIC ARCHITECTURE OF A QUARTER CENTURY
BUCKINGHAM BUILDING, UNION DEPOT, CITY HALL, CHASE OFFICE BUILDING AND WATERBURY CLUB-LINCOLN BUILDING PLANNED BY FAMOUS NEW YORK ARCHITECTS-COURTIIOUSE PLANNED BY WILFRED E. GRIGGS, ONE OF MOST BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURES IN NEW ENGLAND-FINE BUSINESS BLOCKS AND RESIDENCES, SUPERB WORK OF LOCAL ARCIIITECTS-THE VARIOUS ARCHI- TECTURAL PERIODS AND BUILDINGS THAT ILLUSTRATE THEM-WATERBURY'S IIOUSING PROBLEM 136
CHAPTER XI BANKING AND INSURANCE
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS OF ALL WATERBURY BANKS-DEPOSITS-A FIVE YEAR RECORD OF CLEARINGS-THE YEAR 1916 A BANNER PERIOD FOR DEPOSITORS IN SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS-MONEY LARGELY INVESTED IN MORTGAGES ON WATERBURY REAL ESTATE-HISTORY OF ALL THE BANKS AND TRUST COM- PANIES-LIST OF OFFICIALS, PAST AND PRESENT-RECENT INSURANCE HISTORY 146
CHAPTER XII HISTORY OF WATERBURY'S HOTELS
THE FIRE OF 1902 FOLLOWED BY AN ERA OF HOTEL CONSTRUCTION-TIIE CON- NECTICUT HOTEL-EXCHANGE IIOTEL ENLARGED-RAISING TIIE FUND FOR THIE ELTON-THE SUBSCRIBERS-ITS FIRST YEAR'S RECORD-DESCRIPTION- STARTING THE "IDEAL TOUR"-TILE KINGSBURY AND IIODSON'S-MANY HOTELS SPRING UP DURING MUNITION-MAKING PERIOD. 156
CHAPTER XIII THE HOSPITALS OF WATERBURY
WATERBURY HOSPITAL IN ITS OLD QUARTERS-TIIE NEED OF A NEW BUILDING- CONTRIBUTIONS POUR IN AND NEW HOSPITAL DEDICATED-DONORS OF TIIE
vi
CONTENTS
BUILDING FUND-OFFICERS-GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS-THE MEDICAL · BOARD-ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL, THE INSPIRATION OF MONSIGNOR SLOCUM- ITS DEDICATION-THE MEDICAL BOARD . 161
CHAPTER XIV
THE ORGANIZATION OF CHARITY
ORGANIZATION OF THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES- CHANGE IN OFFICIALS-SOCIAL SERVICE CLUB AND ITS WORK-AIDING THE RED CROSS-THE BUILDING OF LINCOLN HOUSE-THE ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS LEAGUE-STARTING THE OPEN- AIR SCHOOL-RECORDS OF TWO YEARS-ITS OFFICIALS-FIRST "UNITED CHARITIES"- DAY NURSERY-THE SOUTHMAYD IIOME-KING'S DAUGHTERS -BABY WELFARE STATION-THE QUEEN'S DAUGHTERS-DAUGHTERS OF AMERICA-SALVATION ARMY
167
CHAPTER XV REVIEW OF WATERBURY'S MANUFACTURES
THE CENTER OF THE BRASS INDUSTRY-ITS PERCENTAGE OF OUTPUT BY DECADES -CENSUS FIGURES SHOW STRANGE CHANGES-PRODUCTION OF NEEDLES, PINS, HOOKS AND EYES-NUMBER AND WAGES OF WORKERS IN WATERBURY FACTORIES SINCE 1899-CENSUS FIGURES ON VALUE OF WATERBURY PROD- UCTS-WHAT WATERBURY MANUFACTURES-CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT -SEX OF WAGE EARNERS-THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION LAW-FACTORY CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1900. 180
CHAPTER XVI THE LARGER BRASS COMPANIES
THE CHARTER OF 1893-NEW CONSOLIDATION PERFECTED-ITS FIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS-CHANGES TO AN OPERATING COMPANY-PURCHASES THE BUF- FALO PLANT-ITS BUILDINGS IN WATERBURY, TORRINGTON, ANSONIA, KENOSIIA AND BUFFALO-NEW CONSTRUCTION-EARNINGS OF THE COM- PANY-ITS BALANCE SHEET FOR 1916-THE EMPLOYMENT BUREAU-ITS HOUSING PLANS-TESTIMONIAL TO ITS PRESIDENT, CHARLES F. BROOKER- SKETCH OF HIS CAREER-THE SCOVILL COMPANY-ITS PHYSICAL GROWTH- ITS NEW BUILDINGS-ENORMOUS EARNINGS-OFFICERS OF THE PAST QUARTER CENTURY-EMPLOYMENT BUREAU-ITS HOSPITALS. 199
CHAPTER XVII OTHER BRASS AND BRASSWARE COMPANIES
THE AMERICAN RING COMPANY-RANDOLPH & CLOWES COMPANY-THE WATER- BURY ROLLING MILLS-A. H. WELLS & CO .- FRENCH MANUFACTURING COM- PANY-THE PILLING BRASS COMPANY-WATERBURY BRASS GOODS CORPORA-
vii
CONTENTS
TION-STEELE & JOIINSON-THE NATIONAL COMPANY-TIIE SMITII & GRIGGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY-THE SHOE HARDWARE COMPANY- PLATT BROTHERS & COMPANY-NOVELTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY- BERBECKER & ROWLAND-MATTATUCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY-WATER- BURY BUCKLE COMPANY-L. C. WHITE COMPANY-NOERA MANUFACTURING COMPANY-THE GENERAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY-THE AMERICAN FASTENER COMPANY-THIE SIMONSVILLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY-TIIE WATERBURY METAL WARES COMPANY-THIE SOMERS COMPANY, INC .- THIE CONNECTICUT MANUFACTURING COMPANY 214
CHAPTER XVIII
CLOCKS, WATCHES, PINS, NEEDLES, HOOKS AND EYES
THE WATERBURY CLOCK COMPANY-THE BEGINNINGS OF THE "INGERSOLL" WATCII-FROM THE "JUMBO" TO TIIE SMALL "DOLLAR" WATCII-MAKING ITS OWN CRYSTALS-R. H. INGERSOLL & BROTHER BUY THE NEW ENGLAND WATCH COMPANY PLANT-THE STORY OF THE "LONG WIND" WATERBURY WATCH-THE LUX CLOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY-THE AMERICAN PIN COMPANY-ITS PLANT-ITS NEW BUILDINGS SINCE 1900-TIIE OAKVILLE COMPANY AND ITS EXTENSIONS-OFFICIALS OF THE BIG PIN COMPANIES. ... 224
CHAPTER XIX MACHINE SHOPS AND FOUNDRIES
THE WATERBURY FARREL FOUNDRY & MACHINE COMPANY-THE WATERBURY MACHINE COMPANY-THE E. J. MANVILLE MACHINE COMPANY-THE BLAKE & JOHNSON COMPANY-THE WATERBURY TOOL COMPANY-THE LUDINGTON CIGARETTE MACHINE COMPANY-THE ROWBOTTOM MACHINE COMPANY- ANDREW C. CAMPBELL, INC .- HENDERSON BROTHERS-SEYMOUR SMITH & SON-TIIE MANUFACTURERS FOUNDRY COMPANY-THE WATERBURY CAST- INGS COMPANY-TIIE METAL SPECIALTIES COMPANY-THE ATLAS MACHINE COMPANY-WATERBURY STANDARD TOOL AND MACHINE COMPANY-WATER- BURY PRESSED METAL AND TOOL COMPANY.
230
CHAPTER XX OTHER MANUFACTURING CORPORATIONS
THE INTERNATIONAL SILVER COMPANY-THE AMERICAN MILLS COMPANY-TIIE WATERBURY PAPER BOX COMPANY-THE WHITE & WELLS COMPANY-THE KALBFLEISCH CORPORATION-TIIE WATERBURY BATTERY COMPANY-THE WILLIAMS SEALING CORPORATION-TIIE WATERBURY JEWEL COMPANY-THE AUTOYRE COMPANY-TIIE LANE MANUFACTURING COMPANY-WATERVILLE CUTLERY COMPANY-TIIE MORDEN MANUFACTURING COMPANY-TIIE H. L. WELCH IIOSIERY COMPANY-THE WATERBURY INSTRUMENT COMPANY- THE WATERBURY ICE CORPORATION-THE SPRING LAKE ICE COMPANY-THE HELLMAN BREWING COMPANY-TIIE EAGLE BREWING COMPANY-FEW MANUFACTURING LOSSES
237
viii
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXI
THE MASONIC ORDER AND OTHER FRATERNITIES
EARLY MASONIC HISTORY-HARMONY AND CONTINENTAL LODGES-MASONIC CLUB-CLARK COMMANDERY-EUREKA CHAPTER, R. A. M .- WATERBURY COUNCIL, NO. 21-THE WATERBURY MASONIC TEMPLE-THE ODD FELLOWS- NOSAHOGAN LODGE-ENCAMPMENT AND CANTON-DAUGIITERS OF REBEKAH -KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS-B. P. O. ELKS-KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS-ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS-UNITED WORKMEN-FORESTERS-LOYAL ORDER OF MOOSE-HEPTASOPHS-EAGLES-RED MEN-UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS -WOODMEN AND OTHER FRATERNITIES-FRENCH, ITALIAN, SWEDISH AND GERMAN SOCIETIES-LABOR ORGANIZATIONS 245
CHAPTER XXII
COMMUNITY EFFORTS, PHILANTHROPY AND REFORMS
THE Y. M. C. A. AND ITS GROWTH-FUND FOR NEW BUILDING-WAR-TIME WORK -THE WATERBURY BOYS' CLUB-MR. COMBELLACK'S GREAT WORK-THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA-THE WATERBEURY INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AND GIRLS' CLUB-THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT IN WATERBURY-RESCUE MISSION- THE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE-THE EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT ELISHA LEAVENWORTHI'S BENEFACTIONS 270
CHAPTER XXIII
CLUBS AND ASSOCIATIONS, BUSINESS, SOCIAL, PROFESSIONAL AND PATRIOTIC
THE WATERBURY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-ITS BEGINNING AS THE MER- CHANTS' ASSOCIATION-THE WATERBURY CLUB-ITS NEW HOME-THE COUNTRY CLUB-WATERBURY DRIVING ASSOCIATION-AUTOMOBILE CLUB- NATURALIST CLUB-THE ELKS CLUB-OTHER SOCIAL CLUBS-PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS-WOMEN'S CLUBS AND SOCIETIES-ATHLETIC AND SPORTING ORGANIZATIONS-TIIE G. A. R. AND W. R. C .- WATERBURY'S REPRESENTATION IN STATE PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES-SARSFIELD CLUB. 285
CHAPTER XXIV MUSIC AND THE DRAMA
WATERBURY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA-CHURCH CHOIRS REKINDLE INTEREST IN MUSIC-THE BUCKINGHAM MUSIC HALL-ORATORIO SOCIETY AND ITS CELE- BRATED MAY FESTIVAL- WATERBURY CHORAL CLUB-GERMAN SINGING SOCIETIES-THEATRICAL IIISTORY OF A QUARTER CENTURY-THE ADVENT OF POLI'S-THE MOVIE PERIOD-THE WORK OF EUGENE JACQUES-AMATEUR THEATRICALS
298
ix
CONTENTS CHAPTER XXV
THE NEWSPAPERS
THE WATERBURY AMERICAN-ITS NEW BUILDING-THE EVENING DEMOCRAT AND ITS SUCCESS DUE TO THE WORK OF ITS FOUNDER, CORNELIUS MALONEY, AND PRESENT EDITOR, VINCENT MALONEY-IN ITS NEW BUILDING-THE REPUBLICAN SOLD BY THE AMERICAN-A SECOND SALE WITHIN A YEAR- RAPID GROWTH OF THE PAPER-IS MOVED INTO ITS OWN BUILDING-MODERN EQUIPMENT-POLICY APPROVED BY TIIE PUBLIC-INCORPORATED PRESENT OFFICIALS-WEEKLIES AND MONTHLIES, PAST AND PRESENT 307
CHAPTER XXVI WAR AND MILITARY ACTIVITIES
WATERBURY'S SHARE IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR-CITY PAYS TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT FRANK W. KELLOGG, ONE OF HEROES OF BATTLE OF MANILA BAY, AND EIGHTY-TWO VETERANS OF WAR-THE CALL TO ARMS IN 1916- WATERBURY BOYS MOVE TO MEXICAN BORDER-OVATION BY CITY ON RETURN -DECLARATION OF WAR ON GERMANY FINDS WATERBURY IN MIDST OF RECRUITING CAMPAIGN-THE NATIONAL GUARD GOES TO THE FRONT-THE DRAFT-THE LIBERTY LOANS-TIIE RED CROSS-WATERBURY'S MANY PATRI- OTIC EFFORTS-TRIBUTE TO ROCHAMBEAU. 312
CHAPTER XXVII WATERBURY IN STATE AFFAIRS
WATERBURY HAS HAD FEW CITIZENS IN STATE OFFICES-GEORGE L. LILLEY A NOTABLE EXCEPTION-HIS CAREER IN CITY POLITICS FOLLOWED BY ELECTION TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THEN BY THREE ELECTIONS TO CONGRESS-HIS CONTESTS ATTRACT NATIONAL ATTENTION-ATTACK ON GENERAL PAPER COMPANY-FIGHT ON SUBMARINE SCANDAL-ADVERSE REPORT BY CONGRES- SIONAL COMMITTEE-RETURNS FOR VINDICATION AND IS ELECTED GOVERNOR -HIS SUDDEN DEATH. 319
CHAPTER XXVIII WATERBURY CORPORATIONS, ACTIVE AND LAPSED
COVERING THE PERIOD FROM 1894 TO 1917 AND INCLUDING ALL OLDER COR- PORATIONS TIIAT WERE LEGISLATED OUT OF EXISTENCE DURING THIS PERIOD 323
CHAPTER XXIX WATERTOWN AND ITS INDUSTRIES
POPULATION - CENTENARY CELEBRATION-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS-LIBRARY- INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT-SOLDIERS'MONUMENT-FIRE DEPARTMENT- VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY -- D. A. R .- TOWN OFFICIALS-CENSUS. 339
x
CONTENTS CHAPTER XXX
WATERBURY'S NEAREST NEIGHBOR
COLONIAL AND LATER PERIOD-EARLY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT-THE RUBBER INDUSTRY'S BEGINNING-SCHOOLS - CHURCHES - HOWARD WHITTEMORE LIBRARY-THE BOROUGH GOVERNMENT-THE WHITTEMORE BRIDGE- WHITTEMORE GIFTS-BANKS-PUBLIC UTILITIES-FIRE AND POLICE DEPART- MENTS-NEW POSTOFFICE-THE GENERAL WASHINGTON HOUSE- THE Y. M. C. A. AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS. 346
CHAPTER XXXI THE TOWN OF SEYMOUR
ITS THREE NAMES-POPULATION-CHURCHIES-SCHOOLS-LIBRARY-SEYMOUR'S BANK-ITS MANUFACTURING INTERESTS-TRANSPORTATION-THE SEYMOUR RECORD-FIRE PROTECTION AND DEPARTMENT-PARK AND MONUMENT- TOWN OFFICERS-SOCIETIES AND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. 364
CHAPTER XXXII THOMASTON, THE TOWN OF CLOCKMAKERS
ITS EARLY IIISTORY-THE BEGINNING OF ITS CLOCK INDUSTRY-THE INVENTION OF ELI TERRY AND SETH THOMAS-THEIR MARVELOUS WORK-THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY-ITS SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, SOCIETIES, GOVERNMENT- ITS LATEST INDUSTRIES, 377
CHAPTER XXXIII TORRINGTON'S RAPID GROWTH
SUMMARY OF ITS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT-ITS EARLY HISTORY-TORRING- FORD-EARLY EXPANSION-SCHOOLS-CHURCIIES-BANKS-CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-LIBRARY-Y. M. C. A .- HOSPITAL-NEWSPAPERS-ELKS' CLUB HOUSE-PARKS-CEMETERIES-BOROUGH HISTORY 385
CHAPTER XXXIV WINSTED IN THE HILLS
ITS HISTORY FROM COLONIAL DAYS-WINSTED BOROUGH-POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS - LIGHTING -SCHOOLS - PUBLIC LIBRARY - HOSPITAL - CHURCHES-NEWSPAPERS-ITS INDUSTRIES-BANKS-CHAMBER OF COM- MERCE-Y. M. C. A .- WINSTED CLUB. 405
Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley
CHAPTER I
A BIRDSEYE VIEW
IN TWENTY-FIVE YEARS WATERBURY HAS ABOUT GROWN OUT OF KNOWLEDGE OF ITS OLD SELF- ITS INDUSTRIAL SUCCESS THE WORK OF MASTERFUL MINDS-HER FAME IN METAL MAKING NOW WORLD-WIDE-INTENSITY OF PRODUCTION IN NAUGA- TUCK VALLEY HARDLY EQUALED IN ANY OTHER LIKE EXTENT OF TERRITORY IN THE COUNTRY.
The difficulty which will confront future historians of Waterbury will always be to meet the standard set by the "History of the Town and City of Waterbury," which is found on the shelves of every well selected Waterbury library. In that work, covering the period from aboriginal days to the year 1895, Doctor Anderson, Miss Sara J. Prichard and Miss Anna L. Ward told the story of the beginnings of Waterbury and traced the progress of the town and city down to the date of compilation, and did it with encyclopædic completeness and accuracy. They had access to all the important material which is in existence, the enthusiastic co-operation of scores of people whose local knowledge and facile pens assisted the compilers in preparing a local history probably never surpassed for the loving thoroughness and care which were expended upon it.
Most of that work was compiled in the early '90s and in twenty-five years Waterbury has almost grown out of knowledge of itself. A new generation has lived new chapters of the city's history and is already passing away, leaving its story unwritten. The Anderson history was so exhaustive, so accurate and so worthy that there will never be occasion for another similar work, but there is room for a volume that will be a complement and a continuation.
It was this idea that led to the inception of a volume that is frankly a supplement to the previous history, to deal with the events in the history of Waterbury and the story of her progress during the last twenty-five years, and to summarize also the stories of her sister communities in the Naugatuck Valley whose interests and histories are so closely linked with hers.
As far as possible the lines of the preceding history have been followed. The chapters which told the story of the city down to 1895 were taken up in turn and carried down to date. Several considerations have prevented the editor from doing this with the same completeness, however. The city is larger many times, and to devote the same relative amount of space to each individual or topic would be to expand the modest work originally contemplated into a small Vol. I-1
1
2
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
book-shelf. The community is many times busier and the year selected for the compilation of this work has been a period in which everybody in Waterbury has been overworked. Yet delay would have caused a heavy financial loss which would have been an injustice to the publishers. On this account, in several respects there are deficiencies of which the editor is conscious. The chapter of family records in the old history has not been carried down to date. It is genealogical, rather than historical; it would have involved so much research and correspondence extending over long periods and extending to so many remote quarters, and would have required so much time and effort in some cases to ascertain and verify records which would occupy only a few lines, that the editor despaired of accomplishing anything of value in the allowable time. Consequently, it has been left to some person or organization better fitted for the task and to less crowded times. Still, it is hoped this volume will be found of interest to readers and of value as a supplement, in spite of any deficiencies which may be found to exist.
The Waterbury of the early 'gos was a small city, which was just beginning to realize that it was destined to become an important manufacturing center. It had recently been a factory village, almost isolated from the main currents of modern life. Its history was rich in reminiscence, but its industrial and commercial future seemed more or less precarious. There seemed to be no reason why it should survive, let alone greatly outgrow any one of a number of other communities in Connecticut. Indeed, at that time the belief was preva- lent that it was doomed to be abondoned by the brass industry, which was the city's mainstay, that the great brass factories of the future would be built in the West, nearer to the sources of supply of the raw materials.
One thing that the pessimistic prophets of that era failed to take into con- sideration was that while Waterbury was largely dependent for her growth and prosperity on one industry, and on the lines naturally growing out of it, she understood her own lines of business thoroughly. In the light of events, wise observers have been said that the industrial progress of Waterbury has after all depended upon a comparatively few men, masters of their business, most of whom have been born here and all of whom prefer to work here. Some of these observers are disposed to narrow this down and say that Waterbury would not have attained her present importance but for a few families, who had lived and worked here. This is largely true. In many cases the same families, and the same family names will be found for generation after generation, building up Waterbury from her small beginnings, toiling, inventing, planning, con- stantly improving, expanding and enlarging, until at present the future of Water- bury seems forever assured.
It has been remarked for years that wherever a man may travel, he will find metal goods that have come from Waterbury. The sun, literally, never sets upon the work of Waterbury's hands, and now, as in the past, her fame in metal-working is world-wide. This draws to her the inventor, the skilled mechanic and the merchant from all parts of the nation, and from distant lands. They come here to develop their ideas, to gain their industrial training, to supervise the manufacture of their wares. Sooner or later, everybody who has a small article which can be made out of the metals in which we are skilled in working, turns up in Waterbury to ask our price for making his goods, or our help in devising cunning machinery that will turn them out for him. There is a perpetual circulation between Waterbury and the markets of all the world. from which the community perhaps gains as much or more than it imparts, so that at the present time the city and her sister communities up and down the
3
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
valley are known as reservoirs of mechanics and machinists of the highest training, intelligence and inventive skill. The momentous years of 1915 and 1916, when the United States was so suddenly called upon to supply Europe's desperate needs for war materials, were a wonderful illustration of this. Among the first industrial communities which was set to work for Europe was this city. Hence the giant industries of 1917 are the full fruition of years of her supremacy in her own special methods and of the reputation which she has gained of knowing her business thoroughly.
This is characteristic of the sister towns and cities of the busy 50-mile strip which is down on the inaps as the Naugutuck Valley. There is hardly in the known world such a narrow compass of territory in which there is such an intensity of production and such a genius for industrial leadership. It means something that for years before it became a part of the larger transportation system of New England, the valley's iron artery, the Naugatuck Railroad, was remarked as having the largest earnings per mile of any stretch of railroad in the country.
This was because Winsted in clocks and knit goods, Torrington in brass, needles, and machinery, Thomaston in clocks, Naugatuck in rubber goods, Sey- mour in fountain pens, copper and brass goods, Ansonia and Derby in brass and machinery, rivaled or duplicated the success of Waterbury. Railroad operating officials, who are put to their utmost to move the immense volume of traffic developed in these communities, have come to regard the Naugatuck Valley as one great factory city with a continuous freight yard covering the fifty miles between Winsted and tide-water.
But it must not be supposed that this wonderful territory and population are devoted exclusively to the material side of life in which they excel. The old New England traditions stand. The inner life of religion, education and culture, constantly renewing the faith and courage of the workers of the community. are manifesting themselves more strongly than ever in movements for social uplift and development, the cleaning and fit ordering of the community life in its outward and inward manifestations, the patriotic pride that shows itself in conscientious and unselfish devotion to the town, city and state, and in even wider service. The perhaps more important non-material side of the story of these communities, if fitly told, may nourish satisfaction with the past and hope for the future even more completely, for it has been written that men shall not live by bread alone.
CHAPTER II
THE OFFICIAL CHRONICLES OF THE CITY OF WATERBURY
THE FIGHT FOR CONSOLIDATION OF CITY, TOWN AND SCHOOL GOVERNMENT-TAXA- TION CHANGES IN A QUARTER CENTURY-THE TAX RATES AND THE GRAND LISTS- THE BONDED DEBT-STREET IMPROVEMENT-CITY HALL, WATER, SCHOOL AND SEWAGE BOND ISSUES-CITY OFFICIALS SINCE 1893-ITS LEGISLATORS-MUTUAL AID SOCIETY-POLICE DEPARTMENT-START OF THE DETECTIVE SERVICE-THE CONSTABULARY FORCE-HOW THE DEPARTMENT WORKS-THE TROLLEY STRIKE OF 1903-SKETCHES OF FORMER CHIEF EGAN AND SUPERINTENDENT GEORGE M. BEACH-THE FIRE DEPARTMENT-ITS GROWTH IN NUMBERS AND EQUIPMENT- THE FIRE OF 1902-RECORD OF BIG FIRES SINCE 1893-THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
In 1893, the beginning of the twenty-five year period of which this is a history, Waterbury was in the midst of a determined battle against its existing cumber- some and overlapping form of government. Under the old charter, there were in force what might be termed three distinct local governmental powers, each with- out authority over the other, and in many instances duplicating at great expense to the taxpayers the executive functions.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.