USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 41
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The Second Regiment is commanded by Col. Ernest Isbell of New Haven, Lieut. Col. Edwin Lamb, of Hartford, Majs. Henry Beebe and Wm. Alcorn, of New Haven and George Rau, of Hartford.
When the National Guard companies arrived at Camp Yale the companies were ordered increased to 250 men. Companies A and H retained practically all of their officers, but Company G was officered by men from other parts of the state. While the men in thesc companies are largely from Waterbury, the order to increase from 150 to 250 necessitated additions from many other sections of the country.
The officers not assigned are now doing duty in southern camps.
The City Guard was sworn in April 4, 1917, and now numbers 250 men. It
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is in command of Maj. D. E. Fitzpatrick, with captain and adjutant, F. J. Lyon. Its four machine gun squads are in charge of Capt. Robert A. Cairns, city engi- neer. The captains of the City Guard are: Company A, H. G. Littlejohn; Com- pany B, Peter Griffin; Company C. Wm. H. Monagan; Company D, Edward W. Beach.
The City Guard is armed with clubs and automatic revolvers and uniformed in khaki. Their campaign hats have green and white hat-cords.
The Home Guard mustered in and fully equipped now numbers about five hundred men. Its principal officers are: James Geddes, colonel; Roberts G. Hannegan, major ; Chauncey P. Goss, Jr., regimental and district adjutant with title of captain ; John M. Burrall, regimental and district quartermaster with title of captain; Edward W. Beach, district intelligence officer with title of captain. Captain, Company A, Wm. R. Keavaney; captain, Company H, Levi Wilcox ; captain, Company G, Thomas A. Jackson; captain, Machine Gun Company, Ralph T. Benedict ; Headquarters and Supply Company, commanded by Lieut. Henry G. Littlejohn; Ambulance Corps, Maj. Dudley B. Deming, Capt. Thomas J. Kilmartin, Lieuts. Edmund Russell, Edward A. Herr, Edmund W. Goodenough. There is also attached to the Home Guard the Waterbury Company, Reserves. consisting of 100 men in command of Capt. David Miller.
LIBERTY LOANS AND RED CROSS AND OTHER WAR FUNDS
The first Liberty Loan campaign was inaugurated in Waterbury May 4, 1917. The city far exceeded its allotment of $3,000,000. Workers in the fac- tories, merchants, doctors, lawyers and men and women in every walk of life assisted in getting subscriptions to the loan. The banks of the city co-operated, and made it possible to buy bonds on the instalment plan, $I a week being the required payment for each $50 invested. There were 7,100 of these subscrip- tions in Waterbury, totaling $450,000. The campaign closed June 15th, and the total subscribed was $8,040,000.
In March the Red Cross membership campaign was put under way. The object of the campaign was to enlist 3,000 additional members in the organization in a week, and once again the city "did its bit," over 3,200 members being secured. A campaign for 25,000 members for 1918 was under way in December.
The plans for the second Liberty Loan campaign were put in motion in October by the committee in charge of the first Liberty Loan campaign here. Judge Walter D. Makepeace again headed the executive committee, and his asso- ciate members were selected from all walks and stations of life, and included factory heads, bankers, merchants and laborers. The Boy Scouts, fraternal organizations of all classes and nationalities, factories and even school children who were not organized, willingly helped. The campaign was kept in the public eye through nightly meetings on The Green, at which addresses were delivered by men from this city and out of town. A booth for the sale of the bonds was opened on The Green, and a clock erected there so that the standing of the cam- paign could be seen at all times. A bell was placed at the booth, and designated the "Liberty Bond Bell." Only purchasers of the bonds were allowed the dis- tinguished honor of ringing the bell, and its ringing appeal reached many people's patriotic spirit. The campaign opened October 2, 1917, and continued for four weeks. The banks of the city were kept open nightly during the closing week of the campaign here. After the last report had been sent into headquarters on the final night of the campaign, and the entire figures had been finally authenticated, it was found that once more Waterbury had far exceeded its quota. The final
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report, sent in to the New England headquarters in Boston, showed subscriptions from this city amounting to $7,800,000. Waterbury was among the first ten cities of New England to report quotas subscribed. The amount allotted was $3,650,000, with a maximum of $6,150,000.
Within a week after the closing of the first Liberty Loan campaign, the Red Cross campaign for funds was begun. Waterbury was assigned an allotment of $400,000, which was larger than the quota of any other city in the state. The total reached was $436,907.09.
At an allied bazaar conducted in Temple Hall during the week from April 28th to May 7th, for the purpose of raising funds in aid of the war-stricken resi dents of the allied countries, the net sum of $48,000 was realized.
Another interesting campaign was for the War Camp Community fund, to provide entertainment and education, physical, mental and moral, for the boys in the training camps and cantonments. The fund was oversubscribed, totaling $16,920.
The Jewish people of the city contributed $25,000 to a $10,000,000 fund raised in the country for the relief of the Jews in the war zones.
The various funds for miscellaneous purposes, including tobacco, candy and others, were all heartily supported. The campaign for the Y. M. C. A. war work fund furnished a surprise. On account of the many money-raising enterprises which had been carried out in the city in 1917 it was expected that only by the most energetic work and united support could the city's allot- ment, $152,000, be gained. This amount was Waterbury's share of a fund of $35,000,000 which the National War Work Council was endeavoring to raise in the country for the moral, mental and physical welfare of the nation's thousands of soldiers. The most optimistic expectations of the committee, which was headed by Timothy F. Barry, were exceeded. The fund surpassed the $152,000 mark by more than $63,000. The final mark reached was $215,613.30.
Shortly before Thanksgiving Day, the Home Sweet Home fund was started to bring Waterbury members of the National Army home for Thanksgiving. The Waterbury boys were stationed at the training camp at Ayer, Mass. The city voted an appropriation of $2,000 to help defray the expenses. Individual gifts and the proceeds of benefit performances at all theaters accounted for more than $5,000 additional, so that over $7,000 was on hand.
The Knights of Columbus began their campaign for $25,000 early in De- cember, and this, too, was raised without difficulty and is for the purpose of adding to the camp comforts and physical and moral well-being of the enlisted men.
The new draft regulations to govern the examinations of the second contin- gent of drafted men became effective December 15, 1917. For this service medical advisory boards have been appointed and to these will be referred all cases where doubt arises in the examinations before local boards. The personnel of the Water- bury board approved by President Wilson follows: Doctors F. G. Graves, chair- man ; M. J. Lawlor, Charles Engelke, A. C. Swenson, M. J. Donahue, D. J. Maloney, Carl E. Munger, George A. Gosselin, C. H. Brown.
MONUMENTS TO ROCHAMBEAU'S ARMY
Dennis H. Tierney, who died June 11, 1916, devoted much of his time to securing belated recognition for the men of Rochambeau's army who marched to join Washington on the Hudson through Marion, Waterbury and Middlebury. Four regiments undertook the journey, starting from Providence, R. I., June II,
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1781, and marched inland to keep their movements concealed from the enemy. They reached what is now known as French Hill at Marion on June 28 and encamped there. Their next stop was at Breakneck Hill in Middlebury. It was here that Mr. Tierney in 1902 erected a commemorative shaft at his own expense.
On June 30, 1912, the shaft at Marion was dedicated. In his address at the unveiling Judge John Walsh of New Britain said: "The erection of this monument was advocated, planned and designed by patriotic citizens of Irish birth and descent to commemorate one of the most important incidents in the history of the state and nation when the great army of France which had sailed over 3,000 miles across seas to assist the colonies in achieving their independence, traversed our little state on its way from Providence to Yorktown."
In April, 1914, Dennis H. Tierney again interested himself in raising funds for another memorial to the soldiers of Rochambeau who died near the East Farms Cemetery while French aid was moving to join Washington on his march to Yorktown. When the appeal was issued the response was immediate and on August 16, 1914, the shaft in East Farms Cemetery was dedicated. It has this inscription : "This memorial was erected by patriotic citizens and statesmen to commemorate two French soldiers of Rochambeau's army who volunteered to fight for American independence under Washington, en route from Newport to Yorktown, died and were buried here, 1781. Contributors, Governors Baldwin, of Connecticut, Dunne, of Illinois, a native of Waterbury, Glynn, of New York, McGovern, of Wiconsin, McCreary, of Kentucky; United States Senators of Connecticut F. B. Brandegee, G. P. McLean ; Senator Irving H. Chase, Connecti- cut ; Congressmen A. Lonergan, B. F. Mahan, T. L. Reilly, Wm. Kennedy of Connecticut; Martin Scully, Mayor of Waterbury; Alfred J. Wolff. president board of aldermen; F. P. Guilfoyle, corporation counsel; school children and teachers. Committee of erection. D. H. Tierney, Chas. S. Miller, Ervis E. Wright."
Nearly 4,000 people gathered to hear the addresses and witness the unveiling. Among the speakers were Governor S. E. Baldwin, Mayor Martin Scully, Con- gressman Thomas L. Reilly, Congressman William Kennedy, Rev. John G. Dav- enport, Rev. Frederick D. Buckley, Rev. Luke E. Fitzsimons, Rabbi David B. Swiren, Charles A. Colley and Edward Balthazar, whose address was in French.
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 CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE- RETURNS FOR VINDICATION AND IS ELECTED GOVERNOR-HIS SUDDEN DEATH.
Perhaps because most of the best trained minds of the city are devoted to industrial or business matters, Waterbury has played a very small part in state politics. She has furnished only one governor to the state, George L. Lilley, elected in 1908. No resident of Waterbury has ever been chosen United States senator. The first representative in Congress selected from Waterbury was Gen. Stephen W. Kellogg, who served the then Second District from 1869 to 1875. Thereafter Waterbury had no congressman until George L. Lilley was elected congressman-at-large in 1903, serving until 1909.
Minor state elective offices are usually apportioned on a basis of promotion by seniority, tempered by the traditional political deals, but the local habit of sending new men to the General Assembly at almost every session has prevented our representatives from obtaining the acquaintance and prestige necessary to obtain a following sufficient to place any of them on the state tickets of the prin- cipal parties. Green Kendrick was lieutenant-governor for one year in 1851-2 and Luzerne I, Munson was state comptroller from 1885 to 1887. No resident of Waterbury has ever been secretary of state, state treasurer, or attorney-general. Waterbury men rarely have the scant pleasure of being nominated and defeated for any of these offices. With the exception of Walter W. Holmes, who gallantly took the republican nomination for state treasurer in the forlorn hope year of 1912 when the republican party split over Roosevelt, the major parties have not come to Waterbury for political timber in recent years. Mayor Kilduff was nominated by the Democrats for state treasurer in 1902 and Mayor Thoms was a prospective candidate on the state democratic ticket during his era of political activity but never got beyond the stage of complimentary votes.
The career of George Leavens Lilley, of Waterbury, congressman and gover- nor, furnishes a notable exception to this and adds a colorful chapter to the polit- ical history of the city, one in which success and tragedy followed close upon each other's heels.
His untimely death on April 21st, 1909, at the beginning of his term of office as governor, was an appalling climax to one of the bitterest campaigns ever con- ducted in the state.
The story of his life and of his work is now a part of the history of Water- bury. The lapse of time has to some extent wiped out the differences then engendered so that the perspective of his worth to the state and nation is becoming clearer to the public mind.
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He was born on a farm near Oxford, Mass., August 3, 1859, and was educated in the schools of that town and later in the Worcester High School and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He-came to Waterbury as a young man and with Swift & Co. of Chicago formed the firm of Lilley, Swift & Co., which soon controlled much of the meat business of the entire valley.
The partnership continued until the death of G. F. Swift, which dissolved it, although the old name was retained for trade reasons and Mr. Lilley's brother, John A. Lilley, became the local manager for the Swifts.
Mr. Lilley was one of the largest holders of real estate in the Naugatuck Val- ley and indeed in Connecticut, owning extensive property in the heart of Torring- ton, Waterbury, Winsted and Naugatuck. Practically all of the comfortable estate he had amassed grew solely through a keen talent for barter, shrewd fore- sight and great faith in the future of this industrial valley. These marked his transactions in real estate and fructified them.
Mr. Lilley always took an interest in the municipal affairs of his town and was an ardent republican, but he never entered politics until the fall of 1900. With the same energy that marked his business career, he entered a town meeting packed with the adherents of the administration and denounced its extravagance. He was howled down and even threatened with personal violence.
The ring proposed to and finally did award a contract for road repairs in the sum of $35,000, which Mr. Lilley offered to take under bond for $3,500. He offered to conduct the town government, which was costing $180,000 yearly, for $80,000, and when later he announced himself a candidate for the legislature with the avowed purpose of working for the consolidation of the city and town govern- ments, he was elected by a majority close to 1,000 in a town that was at that time normally 1,500 democratic.
Mr. Lilley introduced a bill dividing the state into five congressional districts, when the state became entitled to that many representatives, under the apportion- ment following the 1900 census, but the legislature thought it wiser to provide for a congressman-at-large. At that time he had no thought of himself for the place. It was after the session had expired that some of his friends in the legislature put his name forward. He determined to enter the race, and he was nominated in the republican state convention in September, 1902.
On the succeeding election day, he was chosen by the voters of the state by a majority of more than 13,000 over Homer Cummings of Stamford. He was re- nominated and re-elected in 1904 by a majority exceeding 33,000 over ex-Senator William Kennedy of Naugatuck. In 1906 he was re-elected for the second time in an "off-year" campaign by a plurality of 20,362.
In his first session, Mr. Lilley made a vigorous attack upon the congressional "free seed" abuse. At the 1905 session, Mr. Lilley renewed his battle with the same vigor. His re-election proved that he had not lost the "farmer vote," and it put some courage into his confreres with the result that more than 100 votes were cast on Mr. Lilley's side, but the measure still lacked a sufficient number to carry.
In the fall of 1904, Mr. Lilley introduced the resolution that eventually resulted in the trial and conviction of the General Paper Company, popularly known as the paper trust, and the dissolving of the combine, which had artificially advanced the price of print paper to the newspapers of the country.
It was during his last session that Mr. Lilley acquired national celebrity through his exposure of the submarine boat lobby. As a member of the committee on naval affairs, he had some of his worst suspicions confirmed, and the limit was reached when its appropriation bill contained a clause increasing the number of submarines and limiting the type to that of the Electric Boat Company.
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Close friends of Mr. Lilley insisted that he virtually died of a broken heart as a result of the investigation into the methods of the Electric Boat Company, makers of the Holland submarine boat, during his last term in congress. Repre- sentative Lilley asserted that the boat company was using improper methods to influence legislation ; more specifically, that its attorneys had tramed resolutions that passed the naval committee (of which he was a member), and that gave to this boat company the sole right to bid on the required type of vessel and enabled it to overcharge the government nearly a million dollars.
As a result of the prominence given to the subject, congress, during the course of the inquiry, rejected the Loudenslager resolution from the house naval com- mittee paying $1,286 a ton for submarines and threw the contract open to bids. When the proposals were opened at the navy department, they were found to average about $850 a ton, on which basis there was a saving to the government of something like $800,000 from the prices previously paid to the Electric Boat Company. Mr. Lilley and his friends claimed that this was a complete justification of his course.
Meantime the investigation went on and Lilley's failure to prove some of his incidental charges, such as the alleged contributions to the campaign funds of representatives by the boat company, wore so heavily on his nervous system that before the completion of the investigation he was ordered away from Washington by his physician there. The report of the Boutell committee was scathing. It declared none of his charges proven, said that he had acted as a partisan of the Lake company of Bridgeport, accused him of "inaccuracies under oath," and branded him as a man of dishonor. It was the severest castigation to a member of Congress that ever emanated from a congressional committee. There were twenty-three conclusions, nearly every one of which denounced the author of the resolution. It was so severe that eighty-six members of the house voted against its acceptance, and twenty-three declined to vote.
Lilley returned to Connecticut to get a vindication. He was already a candi- date for governor, and was elected, but at the cost of his health and a deepening of the wounds received in Washington. His political opponents used the report of the Boutell committee as campaign material and their chief argument was that a man who had been pronounced unworthy by Congress was unworthy of the highest honor in the gift of the state.
The state's vote made him governor by a plurality of 15,819 over the demo- cratic candidate, former Judge A. Heaton Robertson of New Haven, a director of the New Haven Railroad.
He died at 7:26 P. M. April 21, 1909, in the executive residence at Hartford, of acute nephritis. The state accorded him a public funeral. Friday, April 23. the members of the Legislature acting as civil guard with the First Company of Foot Guard as military escort, followed the remains from the late governor's resi- dence on Farmington Avenue to the State Capitol, where the body lay in state until 10 o'clock Saturday morning. At that time, after thousands had viewed the remains, impressive funeral services were held on the north front of the State House. Right Rev. Chauncey B. Brewster, Episcopal bishop of the diocese of Connecticut, officiated, assisted by the chaplain of the Senate and the chaplains of the military escort. The Hartford Choral Union sang the hymn, "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Former Governor George P. McLean delivered the eulogy.
In Waterbury, thousands crowded the street while the body was given military escort to St. John's Church. Troop A Cavalry, the Signal Corps, the Second Infantry, the First Separate Company, eight companies of the Coast Artillery Corps, two companies of the naval militia, the Governor's Horse Guards, the Gov- Vol. I-21
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ernor's Foot Guard, comprised the militia and in the civil escort were the members of the Legislature, state and city officials, congressional delegates, and court officials.
Thousands crowded the street approaches to the church and the entire route of the funeral to Riverside Cemetery. The Episcopal services both at the church and at the grave were read by Rev. John N. Lewis, of St. John's, and Rev. James Goodwin, chaplain of the First Company, Governor's Foot Guard.
Governor Lilley's widow and her three sons, Frederick, John and Theodore, have since his death greatly increased the large estate he left, and have been active in the upbuilding of the community. The Lilley Building, the finest office building in the city, is an evidence of their continuing faith in the future of Water- bury, as well as a monument to the former governor.
CHAPTER XXVIII WATERBURY CORPORATIONS, ACTIVE AND LAPSED
COVERING THE PERIOD FROM 1894 TO 1917 AND INCLUDING ALL OLDER CORPORATIONS THAT WERE LEGISLATED OUT OF EXISTENCE DURING THIS PERIOD.
The following is a list of incorporations filed with the secretary of state from 1894 until November, 1917.
1894
Date of Incorporation
Amount
December 10th. . . . . George S. Chatfield Company $ 1,000
December 31, 1910 . Increased capital to. 50,000
June Miller & Peck Company . 10,000
June 20th. .Tracy Brothers Company
50,000
March 21, 1901. Increased capital to.
100,000
January 16th. Bristol Company
10,000
1895
February 16th Hellmann Brewing Company $ 50,000
February 8th
Hewitt Grocery Company . . 5,000
February Ist
White & Wells Company. .
50,000
August 19th City Book Binding Company
5,000
1896
October 24th
Mattatuck Manufacturing Company .. $ 30,000
November 30, 1901 .. .
Increased capital to.
50,000
May 2, 1907.
Increased capital to 75,000
February 3, 1910.
Increased capital to. 225,000
December 7th W. L. Hall Company
25,000
March 17, 1909 Increased capital to. 50,000
January Ist Pierpont Brothers Company
3,000
February 27th City Ice Company . 3 000
April 9th . E. C. Church Company
25,000
October 31, 1901.
Increased capital to.
75,000
May 9, 1903. . Increased capital to
100,000
1897
November Ist H. W. Lake Drug Company
$ 2,500
June 26th Trott Baking Company . . . 30,000
April 8th Brass City Lumber Company. 20,000
July 23d A. S. Chase Company.
100 000
February 14, 1902. . Increased capital to. 150,000
1898
March 30th Shoe Hardware Company $ 25,000
December 20, 1913 .. . Increased capital to.
400,000
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Date of Incorporation
Amount
April 19, 1917 Reduced capital to.
$100,000
October 29th Waterbury Battery Company
10,000
November 30, 1903. . Increased capital to. . 50,000
November 2, 1916. . Increased capital to.
125,000
September 14th
Waterbury Tool Company
5,000
August 28, 1899.
Increased capital to.
7,300
July 5, 1900.
Increased capital to
11,300
February 12, 1901 ..
Increased capital to
14,500
July 29, 1904. April 11, 1913.
Increased capital to.
280,000
February 25th Ziglatzki-Marks Company
5,000
1899
Noonan-Kelly Company changed from Lake & Strobel Company $ 3,000
August 16th
Change of name.
December 30th
Valentine Bohl Company
25,000
February 17, 1910.
Increased capital to
I 50,000
August 12th . . ..
American Printing Company. 75,000
November 16, 1907. . Increased capital to. .
100,000
1900
February 26th ..
Manufacturers' Foundry Company $ 10,000
September 21, 1903. .
Increased capital to.
50,000
April 3, 1907.
Increased capital to.
100,000
May 2, 1913
Increased capital to
200,000
August 3Ist
Good Will Hatt Company
2,500
July 18, 1904
Increased capital to.
5,000
March 24th
Great Brook Manufacturing Company
5 000
June 13, 1900.
Increased capital to
25,000
February 10, 1910.
Increased capital to.
75,000
January 16th ... James V. Washburne Company.
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