USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 35
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 (link on the Part 1 page).
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
268
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
(Electrical Workers) ; financial secretary, James Johnson ( Painters) ; treasurer, William Byron (Carpenters) ; James P. Donahue, business agent. Meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays.
THE CENTRAL LABOR UNION
The Waterbury Central Labor Union was first organized in 1893, then lapsed and was again instituted June 18, 1902. Twenty local unions were affiliated, the great majority of which are still in existence and still members of the central body. In 1917 the unions affiliated number twenty-eight.
Meetings are held on the first and third Fridays in Building Trades Council Hall, 127 East Main Street.
The present officers are: President, James E. Corrigan ; vice president, Joseph C. Baker; recording secretary, Rensselaer Beadle; financial secretary, Charles Westendorff ; treasurer, James A. Cleland; sergeant-at-arms, William Hermann; business agent, James P. Donahue; trustees, Thomas Quinn, William McLean, Charles Mulholland.
WATERBURY LOCAL UNIONS
Allied Printing Trades Council. Joseph Cote, president ; P. J. Lynch, secre- tary.
Bakers, No. 155, organized February 1, 1901. President, Daniel Finske; vice president, Daniel Sullivan; recording secretary, Paul Lauer ; financial secre- tary, Herbert Waldron; treasurer, Charles Witzman; sergeant-at-arms, Joseph Mussary ; label section, Otto T. Dreher ; business agent, State Organizer Striby ; trustees, Paul Graff, Paul Lauer ; C. L. U. delegate, Otto T. Dreher.
Barbers, No. 732. President, Louis D. Schiavone; vice president, P. Madda- line; recording secretary, Angelo Possemato; financial secretary, Patrick J. Cavanagh ; treasurer, Patrick Mancini ; sergeant-at-arms, Nick Solcids; trustees, Joseph Fiore, Ernest Petrone, and Peter D. Cicco.
Brewery Workmen, No. 126. President, William Barton; vice president, Gus Schmidt; recording secretary, Aug. Beutter; financial secretary, John Mantel; treasurer, Jos. Schmid; sergeant-at-arms, Jack Kelly; business agent, Aug. Beutter ; trustees, Alfred Waldheim, Alfred Seidel, Josef Stiegler.
Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterers, organized March 1, 1894. President, L. E. Stephens ; secretary, Louis Corr ; business agent, Wm. McCarthy.
Carpenters and Joiners, No. 260. Chris Christofeson, president ; Thomas C. Quinn, secretary ; N. J. Engelke, financial secretary ; Walter R. Talbot, treasurer ; James P. Donahue, business agent.
Cigarmakers. President, John E. Cunningham; vice president, M. Cross- land ; recording secretary. H. Bushman ; financial secretary, Val C. Hahn ; treas- urer, W. Crossland; sergeant-at-arms, Wm. J. Pierce; business agent, H. F. Varanelli ; trustees, Otto Brodt, Frank Smith and Edward Sanders.
Electrical Workers, No. 660. President, John E. Cunningham; vice presi- dent, M. Crossland; recording secretary, H. Bushman; financial secretary, Val C. Hahn; treasurer, W. Crossland; sergeant-at-arms, Wm. J. Pierce; business agent, H. F. Varanelli; trustees, Otto Brodt, Frank Smith and Edward Sanders.
Granite Cutters. Ralph Stuart, secretary.
Horseshoers. Charles E. Mann, secretary.
Locomotive Engineers. Brass City Division, No. 867. B. F. O'Neill, secretary.
Machinists, Brass City Lodge, No. 322. Financial secretary, Charles Westen- dorff ; treasurer, John B. Cutty.
269
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Molders, No. 298. Thomas R. Allen, secretary; James A. Loveday, business agent.
Moving Picture Machine Operators, No. 304. President, James Corrigan; vice president, Nick Melleti; recording secretary, Tim Garren; financial secre- tary-treasurer, William Jenusaitis ; business agent, Abe Fandella ; trustees, Ralph Stanco, Steve Sangovimio, John Kuster.
Musicians. President, Ray E. Reilley ; vice president, C. E. Loveridge; re- cording and financial secretary, E. Sherwood Beardslee; treasurer, William Mc- Lean ; sergeant-at-arms, Arthur Martel; business agent, Ray E. Reilley.
Painters, No. 491. President, R. Beadle; vice president, Wm. Cook; record- ing secretary, Michael F. Cody; financial secretary, James Campbell; treasurer, William Woods; sergeant-at-arms, Irving Cowdry; business agent, James P. Donahue ; trustees, A. C. Pratt, Phillip Roy, James Johnston.
Pattern Makers. Robert McDougal, secretary.
Plumbers and Steam Fitters, organized 1894. Present officers: President, William Coyle; vice president, James Whitty; recording secretary, Daniel M. Cass; financial secretary-treasurer, William R. Finn; business agent, James Donahue.
Pressmen and Assistants, No. 150. President, Louis Schmidt ; vice president, Lew Baker; financial secretary, Frank Gregory; sergeant-at-arms, Joseph M. Cipriano.
Railroad Trainmen, No. 423. G. H. Turkington, secretary.
Sheet Metal Workers, No. 199. President, L. C. Schiltz; vice president, Otto Herbst; secretary, Charles E. Decker; financial secretary, A. E. Gerard.
Stone-cutters. Patrick Quinlan, secretary.
Street Railway Employees, Division 570. President, Lawson A. Luth; vice president, David J. Scully ; recording secretary, George B. Degnan ; financial secretary, Thomas Brube; business agent, A. H. Luth.
Theatrical Stage Employees, No. 88; organized in 1901. President: John J. Fitzgerald ; vice president, Frank Brown; recording secretary, Thomas Corri- gan ; financial secretary, Frank J. Stone ; treasurer, James Cleaveland.
Typographical, No. 329, organized November 20, 1898. President, Fred S. Gorham; vice president, Hubert B. Royce; recording secretary, Leroy E. Bowles ; secretary-treasurer, Patrick J. Lynch.
Foremen's Association of the Plume & Atwood Mfg. Co., organized March 13, 19II. President, Edward C. Sanderson; secretary, Thomas Mathon; treas- urer, P. H. Chabot.
Manhan Aid Association of American Brass Co., Waterbury Brass Branch. President, Frederick B. Williams; secretary, Edward B. Simpson; treasurer, C. E. Beardsley.
Scovill Foremen's Association. President, Frank W. Ineson; secretary, Clar- ence H. Stilson.
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-THIE WATERBURY INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL AND GIRLS' CLUB-THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT IN WATERBURY-RESCUE MISSION-THE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE-THE EARLY CLOSING MOVEMENT-ELISHA LEAVENWORTH'S BENEFACTIONS.
The Waterbury Y. M. C. A. is the oldest association in Connecticut and the fourth oldest in all New England. The first in the United States dates back to December, 1851, and was started in Boston, Mass., by Thomas Sullivan as repre- sentative of twenty religious associations.
The original constitution of the Waterbury Y. M. C. A., with the signature of the charter members and the original business records, have been preserved to the present day. This association was active from 1858 until 1876 and was never formally dissolved. A more formal organization was effected in 1883. The life of the association is divided into two periods : the first of twenty-five years, ending in 1883, during which the service of all officers and workers was purely volunteer work. During that period the association had rooms at the corner of West Main and Leavenworth streets. The original start was made in a room over what was known as Cone's drug store at the corner of Bank and West Main streets.
The second period started with the engagement of trained Y. M. C. A. workers, due to the realization of what an immense power for good in the community the association would be and the full knowledge of how great a work it had taken up by the words of its charter, "To promote the physical, mental and moral welfare of young men."
Then in 1889, after the state convention of the Y. M. C. A. held in Waterbury, came the building project at a meeting in the parlors of the old Scovill House. This was followed by a later meeting and the appointment of a committee on buildings and soliciting.
The building committee, selected from the board of directors, which made its first report on May 18, 1891, was as follows: L. J. Atwood, H. L. Wade, J. R. Smith, F. S. Chase, F. B. Rice, E. O. Goss, W. E. Fulton, I. A. Spencer, W. E. Griggs, C. F. Mitchell, G. W. Beach, J. N. Webb, H. W. Scovill, F. B. Hoadley, C. S. Chapman, A. C. Mintie, E. D. Welton and A. D. Noble.
The project was then sent along under full sail by the gift of a lot on North Main Street, part of which is now occupied by a portion of the Hotel Elton. The gift was made by Henry W. Scovill and his wife. This lot was later sold and the present site purchased. It was then the Philo Brown property.
The soliciting committee completed its work in December, 1890; the revised plans for the building were accepted March 22, 1892 ; the contract was awarded April 21, 1892, and the association moved into the completed building June 1, 1893.
270
271
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Since that time there have been additions to the structure from time to time as they were needed, and the money was obtainable. As designed by its far- sighted founders, it did priceless work in promoting physical, mental, and moral welfare of the young men of Waterbury, and it may be said that the city is the better for the association and that the initial investment in dollars had been realized hundreds of times over in a better humanity.
The rosters of names connected with the various steps in the growth of the Y. M. C. A. is interesting, as many of the names are to be found woven through the history of the rise of Waterbury. In the list of the charter members of 1858 are to be found the following: Anson F. Abbott, L. S. Davis, Dwight L. Smith, F. L. Curtis, George W. Beach, E. L. Beach, E. L. Bronson, Charles Benedict, D. F. Maltby, A. M. Blakesley, and H. W. Keeler. Governor William A. Buck- ingham was an honorary member.
Among the signers of the document pledging the funds which changed the association from volunteer ranks in 1883 were the following: F. J. Kingsbury, J. S. Elton, Mrs. M. L. Mitchell, J. M. Burrall, L. J. Atwood, H. W. Scovill, I. A. Spencer, J. R. Smith, Rev. J. G. Davenport, G. E. Terry, A. A. Benedict, H. L. Wade, G. C. Hill, C. S. Rodman, and B. G. Bryan.
The names of the incorporators of the association in 1889 were: Imri A. Spencer, Edward L. Bronson, George H. Benedict, Walter C. Meyers, G. H. Benham, James S. Elton, John Henderson, Jr., Charles S. Chapman, F. S. Chase, A. D. Noble, F. E. Stanley, Nelson W. Heater, and William E. Norris.
The war work of the Y. M. C. A. has been a notable feature of its activities. It began this work in 1916, when the members of the local companies were called to the armory preparatory to leaving for the border. All the privileges of the Y. M. C. A. were extended to the men and remained so until their departure and after their return.
When the United States declared war, and a part of the National Guard was stationed in Waterbury, Y. M. C. A. privileges were again extended to the men occupying the armory. These included the baths, the use of the gymnasium, and all social privileges.
Later. when a battalion camp of the First Regiment, C. N. G., was estab- lished at Fairlawn Manor, the Y. M. C. A. immediately pitched a tent there under the direction of W. A. Smethurst, the physical director. Mr. 'Smethurst and several assistants took charge of the outgoing mail; supplied tables and writing equipment, as well as reading matter, consisting of the latest magazines and newspapers. A piano and Victor talking machine were provided as a means of amusement. Baseball suits and balls and bats were given to all men who joined the teams organized into an inter-company league.
During this time special meetings were held every Sunday afternoon, at which special music and other features did much to attract the soldiers.
Since the departure of the National Guard, the Home Guard has used the Y. M. C. A. gymnasium for drilling purposes. The Second District Registration Board has made the association its headquarters. All of the physical examina- tions were held in the gymnasium and questions concerning the draft and exemption rules are answered at the desk.
In connection with the enrollment of drafted men, two gymnasium classes were conducted by Mr. Smethurst each week to give the men training in setting up exercises previous to their strenuous camp work. These exercises, and all the privileges given to army and navy men, have been absolutely free of cost.
To every man already in camp has been given a special ticket, good for privileges in any Y. M. C. A. in the world. Thus the local Y. M. C. A. has
272
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
opened the doors of Y. M. C. A. buildings in every place where a Waterbury boy may be stationed.
Rev. Robert K. Brown, pastor of the Second Congregational Church, has sailed for France, where he will remain for six months, engaged in the war relief work of the Y. M. C. A. In leaving his home duties for six months, Mr. Brown is responding to a call which has been issued for 1,000 men to carry on Y. M. C. A. work in France. He is the first Waterbury man to answer this call.
The Y. M. C. A. has been exceptionally fortunate in its selection of general secretaries. In 1892, E. N. Folsom, who had been secretary of the Y. M. C. A. at St. Johnsbury, Vt., came to Waterbury and remained until 1895, when he was succeeded by T. P. Day. Mr. Day left in 1898 and was succeeded by Robert S. Ross. It was largely through the efforts of Mr. Ross and his splendid committee aids that the heavy mortgage on the present building was lifted. In 1909, much to the regret of his many friends in the association, he resigned to go to the New Haven Y. M. C. A., and was succeeded by Ernest F. Goodyear. Mr. Goodyear resigned August 1, 1912, and was succeeded on September 1, 1912, by the present general secretary, William H. Davis.
The membership in 1895 was 375 in addition to 175 sustaining members or patrons. In November, 1917, the membership is 750, including patrons.
The present officers of the Y. M. C. A. are as follows :
President, W. W. Bowers; vice president, Levi Wilcox; treasurer, A. B. Dayton; recording secretary, Oscar Stahl; general secretary, William H. Davis; board of directors, E. A. Andersen, W. W. Bowers, C. F. Carpenter, R. L. Coe, A. N. Colegrove, C. P. Cook, J. H. Curtis, A. B. Dayton, Dr. F. J. Erbe, J. E. Neily, B. P. Hyde, Theodore Lilley, E. F. Phelan, H. C. Post, R. E. Platt, Oscar 1Stahl, C. H. Stillson, F. B. Webster, Levi Wilcox.
The Woman's Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. was organized in 1892, and has been helpful in all the association's endeavors. In 1893 it supplied the funds for the furnishing of the dormitories of the new building. It also helped in raising the money to lift the mortgage on the present structure. It has now a membership of 150, and its president is Mrs. W. H. Hoffman.
On December 11, 1916, the campaign for a new Y. M. C. A. Building began, with Charles Sumner Ward, of the International Committee of the Y. M. C. A. in charge. The object was to raise $350,000 for a new site and building. It was the first large "intensive" campaign to raise money on the plan which has since become familiar.
The three groups that were effective in collecting the building fund were headed by John H. Goss, Darragh DeLancey, and Robert L. Coe. Former President William H. Taft was a speaker at the opening banquet: Practically half of the fund was raised in twenty-four hours. On December 19, 1916, the fund was completed.
The site first selected, the Driggs property on West Main Street near Willow, proved to be unpopular and on October 25, 1917, the old Baptist Church site on Grand Street was decided upon for the new Y. M. C. A., and tentative plans have been made to raise the additional amount needed for the purchase of the ground.
The appointment late in 1917 of Charles Lee, of Bemis, Tenn., to take charge of the Industrial Department of the Y. M. C. A., has been fraught with excellent results. The purpose of this department is to take the Y. M. C. A. program out- side of its building and to co-operate with all other agencies that are striving to improve conditions. The English night school opened December 10, 1917, in the Sprague School at Waterville for the benefit of foreign workers, was the direct result of Mr. Lee's work.
273
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Walter A. Smethurst, physical director and his assistant, Willard A. Manor, have kept the Y. M. C. A. progressing on all indoor and outdoor athletic activities.
The presidents of the Y. M. C. A. since 1895 were as follows: George W. Beach, Henry W. Scovill, T. R. Hyde, Jr., Benj. L. Coe, Charles D. Nye, John H. Goss, Clarence P. Cook, and W. W. Bowers.
WILLIAM H. DAVIS
William H. Davis, the present general secretary of the Y. M. C. A., assumed his position on September 1, 1912.
Mr. Davis is a native of Leicester, Mass., and was graduated from the Y. M. C. A. Training School (now college), at Springfield, in 1894. He had held association positions in Greenfield, Mass., Bridgeport, Brooklyn, Portland, Me., North Adams, Mass., and Cambridge. He was general secretary in several of these places, including Greenfield, Bridgeport and Portland, and at North Adams he reorganized the Y. M. C. A. after activities had been suspended, during hard times.
He has the distinction of having played basketball on the first team to play the game in this country, at the Springfield Training School. He also played football at Springfield and was a half-back on the famous training school organ- ization known as "Stagg's eleven."
THE WATERBURY BOYS' CLUB
The Boys' Club of Waterbury was planned by John C. Collins of New Haven, and was established by him in January, 1888. Mr. Collins' idea was to provide a place where street gamins could find recreation at night and where their interests would be protected. W. P. Jarrett was the first superintendent of the club, which started work at 4 Market Place and he remained in charge one year. He was succeeded by H. N. Hansel, who retired in 1890. The club did not prosper in those years. It was a new institution and there were many difficulties to over- come. The public did not understand it, and it threatened to be a failure.
It was at that time that the attention of the directors was called to Nicholas Combellack, who was conducting a club in New Haven for the divinity students of Yale College. They visited his institution and were so much impressed with his ability as a manager that they engaged him September 1, 1890, to superintend the Waterbury Boys' Club. Mr. Combellack has since been in charge of it and under his control it has grown to its present importance. It removed to 21 Harri- son Avenue in September, 1891.
Mr. Combellack when he came to Waterbury found a reading room and library where boys who belonged to the club congregated at night and read such news- papers and books as best pleased them. They were not particularly cleanly, so he established a bath room and insisted that every member of the club should bathe at least once a week. This was a great improvement, and the boys soon learned cleanly habits. Mr. Combellack then added a little gymnasium, buying dumbbells and Indian clubs and invited the boys to exercise their muscles. This proved popular.
No provision had been made to house the boys who came in from the street. They were obliged, when the club rooms closed, to return to the pavement and find shelter where they could. Mr. Combellack told the directors that they should furnish beds for the boys who had no homes, and with their sanction he rented the floor above the library and fitted up a dormitory in the winter of 1892. He Vol. 1-18
274
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
found that Waterbury was the goal of many runaway boys from other towns who were in the habit of sleeping in freight cars and railroad yards or wherever they could find a place. He said that such boys should be taken to the club rooms and he organized his club members into a corps to search for and bring runaways to the club where they could have shelter until returned to their families. In this way, many runaways who might have been led to criminal lives have been re- stored to their homes or put to work at useful occupations.
The dormitory naturally led to the establishment of a dining-room and kitchen, and then Mr. Combellack provided for the improvement of the boys' minds by organizing a class to teach them the rudiments. As the membership increased, he enlarged the gymnasium and engaged instructors to teach them in military drill, fencing and singing. The club was incorporated under the general joint stock law in May, 1895, Douglas F. Maltby being the first president.
The following were the officers in 1897: President, D. F. Maltby ; vice presi- dent, D. L. Smith; secretary, A. C. Mintie; treasurer, B. G. Bryan; superin- tendent, Nicholas Combellack ; directors, D. F. Maltby, A. C. Mintie, C. S. Chap- man, C. F. Mitchell and D. L. Smith.
After occupying rooms at No. 4 Market Place until September, 1891, the club was located at 21 Harrison Avenue.
The new home of the Boys' Club on Cottage Place, next to the Federal Build- ing, was opened January 9, 1906. The club proper occupies the second floor. The office is at the top of the first flight of stairs. The entrance, as well as all ot the woodwork of the interior, is finished in quartered oak. The quartered oak office with its glass panels must be passed before any other portion of the club can be visited.
Opening out of this office is the private office of the superintendent. The directors' room is immediately in front of the private office. The three rooms occupied by Superintendent Combellack and family are located in the front of the building.
In the rear of the office is the dormitory in two galleries opening into the game room. Each room is fitted up with bed, dresser, clothes tree and chair. The large dining-room, kitchen and club parlors are to be found on the third floor. Read- ing rooms and class rooms are also to be found on this floor.
Baths, shower and tub, are liberally sprinkled over the building. A large swimming tank in the basement affords one of the best indoor baths in the state. It has a raised wall all around it to prevent accidents. No boy can be pushed into the pool against his wish without considerable exertion on the part of the pusher.
The first floor, rear, is fitted up with a combination gymnasium and game room. There are three rooms here which can at once be thrown into one for entertainments, if occasion requires. A stage has also been fitted up in the gymnasium.
The building was erected and furnished throughout by generous friends of the institution. The bedrooms each bear the name of its donor or donors. A full list of these patrons and patronesses follows: Dr. William A. Goodrich. John C. Sherwood "in memory of Captain Colby." Miss Edith Kingsbury "in memory of her brother," the Young Women's Guild of Trinity Church, Dr. E. J. Abbott, a friend, L. W. Street, Miss E. D. Warner and Mrs. Julia V. W. Spencer "in memory of a brother," F. S. Chase's children, J. B. Burrall, Fletcher Judson, Mrs. T. I. Morton "in memory of her grandson," the Misses Katherine A. and Sarah J. Prichard, two rooms "in memory of David Prichard," Charles P. Kel- logg, Miss Hughes, Miss Annie Cables, Mrs. W. H. Holmes "in memory of
275
WATERBURY AND THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY
Dr. Walter Hamlin Holmes," Mrs. George W. Minor, Dr. W. O. Beecher, E. A. Bass, Levi Wilcox, Miss Burrall, A. E. Rice, a friend.
The secret of success at the Boys' Club has been the aim of Mr. Combellack to make the institution as homelike as possible. For the comfort and entertain- ment of the boys there now are the gymnasium, the bowling alleys, pool tables, dance hall and private orchestra, moving pictures, shower baths and the large swimming tank, private baths, a large dining-room, dramatic club, debating club, library equipped with 2,500 books, sitting room, game room and reception room.
Mr. Combellack runs the club to make both ends meet by turning out the best meals and affording the best rooming conditions available in this city for the price. The rates differ, the price being regulated according to the position held by the boy or young man. Prices run from two to five dollars a week. There is a homelike atmosphere which appeals to homeless boys and there is liberty for all members that the boys naturally prefer the club rather than a boarding house, which offers no such choice of occupations and recreations. Boys who live with their parents patronize the club extensively, enjoying the privileges of the game room, gymnasium, tank and dance hall.
The first improvement on the new building was the establishment in 1913 of fourteen dormitories in the annex, a building next to the main club building and formerly the old Steele home. This is under the supervision of a competent matron. The rooms are well furnished.
The next need for larger quarters was felt in the gymnasium. At the time the new building was put up, the "gym" was considered large enough to meet the club's needs for years to come. It was not until 1913 that the club felt able to undertake the extensive improvements necessary for the enlarging of the "gym." By knocking out the south wall and raising the roof eight feet, it was possible to enlarge the floor space from 40 by 50 feet to 50 by 60 feet, and also to install a running track six feet wide, with twenty-seven laps to the mile.
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.