History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 31

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 31

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The enterprise did not prove remunerative to the stockholders, and, bonds to the amount of ninety thousand dollars having been issued, the company eventnally fell into the hands of the bondholders by foreclosure, and in June, 1857, a charter was granted to a new corporation composed of the bondholders. By this charter William S. Knowlton, N. Greene, J. H. Washburn, Joseph Richardson, and others became, under the name of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company, the successors of the Bridgeport Water Company, and the possessors of all its rights and franchises, Serious complaint having been made for a long time both as to the want of a sufficient supply and as to the quality of the water furnished, an act was passed by the Gen- eral Assembly, July 2, 1873, authorizing the city to buy the works of the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company, or to build new works, if a purchase could not be effected npon terms satisfactory to the city. This act was duly ratified by the city, but at a city meeting called for the purpose, Aug. 13, 1873, resolutions to purchase the hydraulic company's works for the sum of three hundred thousand dollars were lost by twenty- seven majority, the whole number of votes cast being six hundred and seventy-six. A new proposition made by the company to a committee of the Common

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Council, to sell the works, franchises, etc., for the sum of two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars was rejected, Nov. 3, 1873, by a larger majority than be- fore,-viz., two hundred and twenty-three out of a vote of seventeen hundred and forty-three.

Eventually, Joseph Richardson, up to this time the president and leading stockholder of the hydraulic company, sold his stock to Hon. Amos S. Treat, and a new policy was inaugurated. The sources of supply have been greatly enlarged, old and worn-out pipe has been replaced in many sections with new pipe of good quality, and mains have been laid in localities not before reached. Since Aug. 25, 1875, the date of Mr. Treat's purchase, the sum of one hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars has been expended in laying down mains and thirty thousand dollars in building new reservoirs, etc. The total amount of mains now in use is forty-five miles and the elevation of the distributing reservoirs above tide-water is one hundred and ten feet. The company now depends for water ehiefly upon natural flow, resort to the pump being had only in dry seasons.

Following is a list of present sources of supply : Trumbull reservoir, 60 acres; Island Brook reservoir, 62 aeres ; Bunnell's Pond, 50 acres ; Bunnell's Upper Pond, 45 acres ; Ox-stream reservoir, 15 acres ; Horse tavern reservoir, 5 aeres; distributing reservoir, 3 aeres; total, 20 acres.

Officers of the company for 1880 are: P. T. Barnum, President; A. S. Treat, Treasurer ; C. H. Thorpe, Sec- retary ; George Richardson, Superintendent; P. T. Barnum, N. Wheeler, J. Richardson, William H. Perry, A. S. Treat, T. B. De Forest, Samuel Wilmot, S. W. Baldwin, Directors.

INSURANCE.

The Mutual Life Insurance Association of Bridge- port was organized in 1878, and at the present time has about four hundred and fifty members. An ad- mission-fee varying from six to sixty dollars according to the age of the applicant is charged, and upon the death of any member of the association an assessment of two dollars is made upon each of the survivors for the benefit of the relatives of the deceased, or of such other person as he may have designated. This is the only insurance company in Bridgeport.

Following is a list of the officers : Charles B. Hotch- kiss, President; John D. Candee, Viee-President; W. G. Lineburgh, Seeretary; William E. Seeley, Treas- urer.

INTERNAL REVENUE.

The Internal Revenue system of the United States was established in 1862. Each congressional district was at first made a collection distriet, and David F. Hollister, of Bridgeport, was appointed Collector of the Fourth District of Connecticut (Fairfield and Litchfield Counties) by President Lineoln, Aug. 15, 1862.

In October, 1873, the Second and Fourth Districts

were consolidated, and Mr. Hollister was appointed Colleetor of the consolidated territory, which comprises the counties of Litchfield, Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex, and is ealled the Second Connectieut Dis- trict; and this position he still holds. The total amount of revenue collected from the old Fourth District from its organization in August, 1862, to the date of its consolidation, November, 1873, was $7,886,011.66. The collections in the Second Distriet from its formation to Sept. 1, 1880, were $1,843,510.64, making the aggregate amount collected in a little over eightcen years $9,729,522.30. During this whole time there has never been the discrepancy of a single cent between Mr. Hollister's accounts and those of government, and the office has been repeatedly eom- mended for the accurate manner in which its trans- actions are recorded.

The principal office of the district is in Bridgeport. The other officers residing here are : Henry C. Lemon and Francis E. Barlow, Deputy Collectors; William H. Kelsey, Clerk; and John A. Boughton, Gauger.

LIBRARY.

The present Bridgeport Library, incorporated in June, 1850, was reorganized and a new aet of ineor- poration obtained in October, 1855. It was the sue- cessor of a similar institution, which disbanded and transferred its books and other property to the new association. The manner in which the original insti- tution was begun is briefly as follows : About the year 1830, S. M. Middlebrook, the present treasurer of the City Savings Bank, wrote several anonymous artieles urging the necessity of a publie library in Bridgeport, and slipped them at different times under the office- door of The Weekly Farmer, where they were found and published by the editor. Encouraged by their reception, young Middlebrook wrote another arti- cle, calling a publie meeting to be held at Knapp's Hotel, corner of Wall and Water Streets, upon a cer- tain specified evening, to discuss the subject; but, feeling that he was only a boy, did not sign his name to the communication. Like the others, it was pub- lished. The evening came; quite a number of the solid citizens of the place were in attendance, but no one appeared to state the object of the meeting or to take the lead, and much wonder was expressed as to the author of the call in the Farmer, and why he was not present to champion his idea. Certainly no one thought of suspeeting the young lad who was stroll- ing up and down outside, occasionally easting a keen glance through the window to see what was taking place within. Alanson Hamlin, the leading lawyer of the borough, finally took the ehair and made a strong speech in favor of a library. Resolutions were passed, a committee was appointed to take up subseriptions, and the result was that a small num- ber of well-selected books was obtained.

This library was kept for a time in the old savings bank, the treasurer, Deacon George Sterling, aeting

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BRIDGEPORT.

as librarian without compensation. Sometimes inter- est in the affair would languish, and the books were boxed up for a time; at other times the institution was quite prosperous. It finally disbanded, bequeath- ing its property to its successor, as already related.

The Bridgeport Library received a bonus of five hundred dollars from the Farmers' Bank, and one of one thousand dollars from the Pequonnock Bank, both in 1851. Considerable sums of money have also been realized at different times by courses of lectures and other entertainments, and by the circulation of sub- scription-papers in its behalf. During the year 1855 the sum of three thousand dollars was subscribed by public-spirited citizens of the place, and the collection of the Calliopean Society of Yale College was pur- chased and placed upon its shelves. The library and reading-room, originally at No. 41 Wall Street, were removed thence to the court-house building, and about ten years ago to their present location, in Wheeler's Building. The number of volumes is now about eight thousand, besides a large number of gov- ernment documents. The rent is paid by the city, but the only source of income at present possessed by the institution is the membership dues of about three or four hundred dollars per annum.

The institution has always been fortunate in its librarians, and never more so than at present, but, owing to the want of funds, no new books have been purchased for several years past, and a large number of those owned by the association are badly dilapidated from long use. What this institution greatly needs is an endowment fund of not less than ten thousand dollars, the interest of which should be specially de- voted to the purchase of new books. This would put new life into all its departments. Until such time as this can be obtained, it would seem that the town might wisely make an annual appropriation in its behalf, as is everywhere done in Massachusetts, and as permitted by the statute law in this State.

LIGHTHOUSES.

The Bridgeport lighthouse is about one and a half miles south by east from the city, and consists of a tower and dwelling painted white, with slate-colored Mansard roof and black lantern. The house stands upon iron piles, and was erected in the year 1871. In entering the harbor vessels must pass to the eastward and not nearer than two hundred feet. The light is a fixed red one, fifty-three feet above the sea-level, and the fog-signal is a cast-steel bell struck by ma- chinery every fifteen seconds.

The Black Rock lighthouse is upon the southern extremity of Fayerweather's Island, and consists of a stone tower erected in 1808, white, with black lantern, containing a fixed white light, fifty-two feet above the sea-level and visible for thirteen miles. The breakwater adjoining the lighthouse was built in the summer of 1837.

Penfield Reef lighthouse, one and a quarter miles

southwest of Black Rock light, was built in 1873, and marks what was formerly one of the most danger- ous localities in Long Island Sound. The keeper's dwelling, of gray granite, is built upon a masonry pier and has a Mansard roof surmounted by an octagonal wooden tower painted white, excepting the dome of the lantern, which is black. The light is a flashing red one, and the fog-signal is a steel bell struck by machinery,-two blows in quick succession, at inter- vals of twenty seconds.

Information concerning the different lighthouses and beacons in this vicinity-their cost, date of erec- tion, etc .- may be found in the acts of Congress approved upon the following dates: April 21, 1806; Feb. 10, 1807; May 23, 1808; March 3, 1819; March 3, 1821; March 2, 1827; and others.

The late Capt. Abram A. McNeil established a light at the entrance of Bridgeport Harbor about the year 1844,-at first merely a lantern upon the end of a buoy, afterwards a whale-boat decked over and carry- ing a light, and then a group of five piles with a lan- tern npon the one in the centre. In 1851, upon peti- tion of Capt. John Brooks, a small lighthouse was erected here by the government, the predecessor of the landsomc structure of 1871, described above.

The present breakwater and the beacon upon the rocks known as "the Cows," off Fairfield, were also built upon petition of Capt. Brooks.

MILLS.

The original parish grist-mill was upon Ash Creek, a short distance north of the old stage road or North Avenue, and is supposed to have been built either by Henry Jackson, of Fairfield, or by his son Moses as early as the year 1653. The successive structures upon this site have been commonly known as Jack- son's, Knapp's, and Moody's Mill.

A mill upon the Pequonnock River, near the present reservoir, was owned and occupied by Ste- phen Burroughs before the Revolution, but the date when it was built is unknown to the writer. Old Mill, which stood at the eastern extremity of the com- mon known as Old Mill Green, was built in the year 1653 by Thomas Sherwood and John Hurd, of Strat- ford, who were granted land by the town, and allowed to charge a toll of one-sixtceenth part of every grist ground. The name Old Mill is still a familiar one, though the mill itself disappeared nearly a century ago.

The mill near the site of the present Berkshire Bridge was first built in 1783, as shown by the follow- ing extract, slightly abridged, from the manuscript acts of the General Assembly at Hartford. The act in question was passed in October, 1792, and may be found in vol. v. pages 34, 35:

"Upon the petition of William Pixlee and James French, of the town of Stratford, stating that upon Pequonnock River, above the settlement called New Field, about one mile from the mouth of Newfield Harbor, is a place called the Narrows; that they own the land on each side of said river at said place; that in the year 1783 they erected a dam and a

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124

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

grist-mill at said place, which they have continued ever since; that they have been perpetually harassed with law-suits ever since, by Philip . Nichols and Stephen Burroughs, Esqs., of said Stratford, who own lands above said river, half a mile above said mill ; and that a tide-mill at said place would be a public advantage, as per petition on file;

" Resolved by this Assembly, That said dam be established at said place called the Narrows, and liberty is hereby granted to said petitioners to keep up and maintain a dam across said river, and to use and employ said mills now erected, or that may be erected, for twenty years from the first of December next, or longer, at the pleasure of this Assembly. Provided, That the Gates of said Dam shall be deemed sufficient by a Committee appointed for the purpose for the passage of Vessels, Boats, and Scows.

" And it is ordered that neither of the petitioners shall be liable to respond in damages to any private person for keeping up or maintaining the same. Always provided, That no person or persons shall be barred from maintaining any action in case they are damnified by the overflow- ing of the waters occasioned by said Dam."

NEWSPAPERS.

Extended reference has already been made to the American Telegraphe, the first newspaper published in Bridgeport. Among its successors were the following :

The Bridgeport Herald, a weekly paper, commenced about the year 1805 by Samuel Mallory. Copies of it are now extremely scarce,-much more so than those of its predecessor, the Telegraphe, of which quite a number have been preserved.

The Bridgeport Advertiser, started in 1806, by Heze- kiah Ripley, and published weekly for several years at the rate of one dollar and fifty cents per annum.

The Connecticut Courier, begun in 1810, by Nathaniel L. Skinner, and continued by him for upwards of a dozen years.

Another paper, called the Connecticut Patriot, was commenced in 1826, by L. Bradley & Co., at their office, corner of Main and State Streets, opposite the Steamboat Hotel, afterwards the Franklin House.

A newspaper called the Spirit of the Times, published and edited by George W. Smith, Jr., at the corner of State and Water Streets, which met for a time with considerable success. This paper was started in 1831, when public feeling ran high on the subject of Ma- sonry, soon after the abduction of the unfortunate Morgan. It was devoted to the cause of anti-Masonry, and for a while circulated as many as eight hundred copies. It was afterwards sold to John Swaine.

The Bridgeport Republican, a weekly paper, com- menced in 1830 by Edmund Fanton. This paper was the predecessor of the Standard. About the year 1839, Mr. Fanton sold his printing material to A. A. Pettengill.

The Bridgeport Chronicle, first published Sept. 9, 1848, by B. H. Munson, at the corner of State and Water Streets. It was issued weekly, at one dollar per annum, and enjoyed but a brief existence.

The same is true of the first Bridgeport Leader, which was suspended after fifteen numbers. It was edited by T. M. Clarke, subsequently editor of the Winstead Herald, and published by the Bridgeport Printing Company. The date upon its first number is March 25, 1854.

The newspapers published in Bridgeport at the present time are the Farmer, Democratic, Standard,

Republican, and the Morning News and Leader, inde- pendent.

The first number of the Republican Farmer was issued April 25, 1810, by Mr. Stiles Nichols, who had removed from Danbury, where the paper had been published under the same name since 1803. The first copy of the Daily Farmer was printed Jan. 1, 1850, by the late W. S. Pomeroy. The publication-office and editorial-room of the Farmer, which were for many years upon the corner of Wall and Water Streets, have been recently removed to a more con- venient location, No. 21 Fairfield Avenue (Waller's Building), adjoining the railroad depot. Messrs. James L. Gould and Henry B. Stiles are the proprie- tors of this old-established journal, the former giving special attention to the editorial, the latter to the publication, department. The local editor is Mr. Rufus A. Lyon.

The Republican Standard was commenced in the year 1839 by A. A. Pettengill, who was both editor. and proprietor. In the spring of 1848, Julius S. Hanover was admitted to an interest in the business, and the firm-name was subsequently changed to Pet- tengill & Hanover. In 1853 a tri-weekly edition was begun, followed in 1854 by the publication of a daily. In September, 1863, Mr. John D. Candee, formerly of New Haven, became the successor of the firm of Pet- tengill & Hanover, and Jan. 1, 1867, the Standard Association was organized, with a capital stock of sixty thousand dollars. At the present time the paper is edited by Messrs. John D. Candee and George C. Waldo, Alexander Wheeler having charge of the business management and Louis C. Prindle the de- partment of local news. The handsome brick build- ing on the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Middle Streets, owned and occupied by the Standard Asso- ciation, was erected in 1870, at a cost of about thirty thousand dollars.

Several attempts have been made at different times to found a daily morning paper in Bridgeport,-a diffi- cult task in any city, but especially so here on account of the proximity of New York and the early hour at which the metropolitan journals are received. The Morning News, however, begun in 1879, seems to have secured a foothold and to enjoy a fair share of public favor. The publication-office is No. 324 Main Street. Maj. Henry M. Hoyt is publisher, Arthur W. French editor, and I. M. Witmeyer reporter.

The Leader, now in its ninth volume, is issued every Wednesday and Saturday at No. 321 Water Street. Franklin Sherwood is the editor and pro- prietor. Special attention is given in its columns to municipal affairs, the proceedings of the Common Council, etc.

ODD-FELLOWS.

The society known as the Independent Order of Odd-Fellows was first introduced into Connecticut, and Quinnipiac Lodge, of New Haven, instituted, Sept. 3, 1839. In April, 1840, Charter Oak Lodge,

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BRIDGEPORT.

No. 2, of Hartford, and Middlesex Lodge, No. 3, of East Haddam, werc founded, followed, June 11, 1841, by Pequonnoek Lodge, No. 4, of Bridgeport, the peti- tion for which was signed by George H. Johnson, John M. Wilson, Gilson Landon, Samuel L. Eldred, and George Walters, all of this city. The first place of meeting for Pequonnoek Lodge was in a small room in the upper story of No. 35 Wall Street, but in Jan- uary, 1845, a larger hall was occupied, at No. 407 Water Street. Feb. 4, 1847, Areanum Lodge, No. 41, was instituted, its first offieers being Ira Morse, N. G .; W. H. Lacey, V. G .; W. H. Williams, Sec .; L. C. Shepard, Treas. The place of meeting was the same one oeeupied by Pequonnock Lodge, No. 407 Water Street. For a number of years these lodges prospered financially and numerically, but the interest having declined, and secret societies generally being out of favor with the public, in 1856 Arcanum Lodge sur- rendered its charter, and in 1860 its example was fol- lowed by Pequonnock Lodge.

Steuben Lodge, No. 83, of this city, was instituted April 1, 1867, and for a long time met at the old hall on Water Street, but on July 9, 1879, having greatly increased in membership and in funds, it removed to its present elegant rooms in Stanton Block, State Street. The charter of Pequonnock Lodge was re- newed Feb. 2, 1869, on petition of Martin Conrad, F. H. Stevens, J. L. Roberts, Ebenezer Wheeler, and Lewis Sherman, former members. Its meetings were held at first on Water Street, but in January, 1871, it removed to the hall over the People's Savings Bank, corner of Main and Bank Streets, and April 19, 1873, to its present quarters, in the upper story of Bur- roughs' Building, upon the corner of Main and John Streets. These rooms were fitted up, furnished, fres- coed, and carpeted very handsomely by the lodge, and the hall is the largest occupied in this State by the order. Arcanum Lodge, No. 41, was revived March 17, 1875, and at present meets in the hall of Pequon- noek Lodge, while Lessing Lodge, No. 94, organized Dee. 14, 1874, has always met over the People's Sav- ings Bank, and, like its parent, Steuben Lodge, works in the German language.

In the year 1876 it was thought advisable to begin to hold meetings of the order in East Bridgeport, and Harris Lodge, No. 99, was begun, October 27th of that year, at No. 224 East Main Street (Barr's Bloek), with thirty-eight members ; but, a severe storm hav- ing unroofed the building, the lodge removed to its present rooms, upon East Washington Avenue, about Jan. 1, 1877. Charity Lodge, No. 4, and Friendship Lodge, No. 13, Degree of Rebekah, were instituted May 7, 1870, and Feb. 13, 1874, the latter working in the German language. Both these bodies are eom- posed of members of the other subordinate lodges and their wives, and are in a flourishing condition.

Stratfield Encampment, No. 23, was instituted July 16, 1869, with seven charter members, and meets in the hall of Pequonnock Lodge. The whole number

admitted to its membership is two hundred and thirty-one; present membership one hundred and nineteen, including a battalion of about forty uni- formed Patriarchs. Bridgeport Encampment, No. 22, was chartered May 17, 1870, and meets in the hall of Steuben Lodge, on State Street. Its numer- ical strength at the present time is ninety.

Each of the lodges and encampments makes its own by-laws respecting the amount of admission fees and weekly and funeral benefits.

The Mutual Aid Association, composed of Odd- Fellows throughout the State, has at the present time (August, 1880) four hundred and thirty-five members in Bridgeport. It. pays upon the death of a member fifteen hundred dollars in one class, and five hundred dollars in another class. There is also a sick-benefit association in connection with Pequon- nock and Arcanum Lodges, which pays five dollars per week during sickness in addition to the regular benefits paid by the lodge. Another mutual-aid as- sociation of members of these two lodges has at present about one hundred names upon its roll, each one of whom pays two dollars upon the death of any member of the association.

In addition to the necessary expense of fitting up lodges, rent, etc., there has been paid out for relief of members of Bridgeport organizations sinee the re- vival of the order in 1867 not far from eighteen thou- sand dollars.

The whole number of persons admitted to member- ship during the same period is about twelve hundred, and the strength of the order in this place July 1, 1880, was as follows :

Member- slip.

hand.

Pequonnock Lodge, No. 4

319

$7,622

Arcanum

41 .:

142

3,707

Steuben

223

5,176

Lessing

102

S. H. Harris

139

1,238

Total

894

$17,845

At the same date the other branches of the order reported the following membership and strength :

Member-

Funds on

ship.

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Bridgeport Encampment

$823

Stratfield

119

1219

Friendship Lodge, D. of R ..

132

978

Charity

150

Total

491

$3170

These figures show that the aggregate amount of funds on hand in the several lodges of the place was twenty-one thousand and fifteen dollars, and that, not including the encampments or Friendship and Charity Lodges, the membership of the order em- braced about one-sixth of the voting population of the eity.

It should be also stated that, while pecuniary bene- fits are a leading feature of Odd-Fellowship, they are by no means the sole, or even the chief, end of the in- stitution. Though not himself a member, the writer is assured by those in whom he has full confidence that it inculcates love for Him "in whom we live and

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 31

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572