USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > History of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 55
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The next pastor was Rev. Thomas Hendrickson, later Bishop of Providence, and he was succeeded in turn by Rev. Richard O'Gorman in 1855, Rev. Lawrence Managan in 1856, and in 1860 by Rev. Daniel Mullen, who on the breaking out of the Civil war, was transferred to the chaplaincy of the Ninth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers. Rev. Philip Sheridan was then sent to Winsted and remained in charge until succeeded in 1865 by Rev. Leo De Saracena, O. F. M., who came to Winsted from the battlefield, he having succeeded Father Mullen as chaplain of the Ninth.
The coming of Father Leo marked the beginning of a new era in the history of the parish. Possessed of a fighting spirit that knew no bounds and keenly enthusiastic, he attacked the work before him with a vengeance and the next year saw notable progress. Additional land was purchased for the erection of a schoolhouse and a residence for the sisters, and in November, 1866, the church itself was conveyed by Bishop McFarland to the Franciscan order. During the succeeding years the parish increased with marvelous rapidity and more land was acquired and the buildings were rebuilt and greatly improved. But the accomplishments of Father Leo are too well known to warrant enumeration and it is sufficient to say that when he died. November 3, 1897, this community suffered the loss of one of its most influential and generally respected residents, a man beloved and revered by Catholics and Protestants alike. In the ranks of his order he had been equally prominent, for previous to 1881 he served as pro- vincial superior of the Franciscan order in the Immaculate Conception province and later as president of St. Bonaventure's College at Allegany, N. Y.
Following the death of Father Leo the pastorate fell to Rev. Father Alex- ander Hickey, who was in turn succeeded by Rev. Pamphilus Ennis, who died in
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NEW ST. JOSEPH'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, WINSTED
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Winsted in 1901 ; Rev. Michael Mann and the Right Rev. Andrew W. Slattery, the present incumbent.
During the administration of Father Andrew the realty holdings of the parish have been greatly increased and, as above stated, the parish is now about to officially dedicate its modern edifice that has taken its proper place among the other handsome churches of the town. The parish now owns all the land on the westerly side of Oak Street from Main Street northerly to Wetmore Avenue, with the exception of three small tracts on which are two dwellings. The land has a frontage on Main Street of about two hundred and fifty feet and the greater portion of it extends westerly from Oak Street to Chestnut Street. Another large tract in Mooreville was purchased for cemetery purposes, but has never been used on account of the more recent purchase of land adjoining the old cemetery which now extends from Holabird Avenue northerly to Wetmore Avenue on the westerly side of Oak Street.
NEWSPAPER HISTORY OF WINSTED
The history of the press of Winsted dates back to 1853 and during the more than three score years that have elapsed some very distinguished men have been numbered among the journalistic writers of this town.
The Mountain County Herald, a six-column folio, made its debut May 14, 1853, under the proprietorship of the firm of Hubbard & Clarke, composed of Stephen A. Hubbard, later managing editor of the Hartford Courant, and Thomas M. Clarke, who was for years one of Winsted's distinguished citizens and leading manufacturers. Mr. Clarke withdrew in February, 1854, to become editor of the Bridgeport Leader. Edmund Clarence Stedman, who later became distinguished as a man of letters and was known as the banker-poet, took Mr. Clarke's place on the staff of the Herald and for a year and two months Messrs. Hubbard & Stedman were at the helm. Then Mr. Clarke returned and became Mr. Stedman's successor and the original firm of Hubbard & Clarke published the Herald until the following July, when Mr. Hubbard withdrew and Mr. Clarke continued as editor and proprietor until after the Civil war.
In the meantime Mr. Clarke had changed the name of the paper at the com- mencement of the sixth volume to The Winsted Herald, which title is still retained.
In November, 1865, Mr. Clarke sold out to the Winsted Printing Company, a new joint stock corporation and Theodore F. Vaill, adjutant of the Second Connecticut Heavy Artillery, became editor. Upon his death, in February, 1875, his brother, J. H. Vaill, who had been business manager for six years, became the editor. Mr. Vaill filled the editorial chair and directed the management of the paper most acceptably for sixteen years.
In 1891, Mr. Vaill leased the Herald to Wombaugh & Safford. In 1892, while he was engaged as executive secretary of the World's Fair board in Hart- ford, they started the Daily Herald. After running it a few weeks they retired from the business, being unable to make a pecuniary success of it.
Early in 1893 the concern was re-organized and made the Winsted Herald Company, instead of the Winsted Printing Company, and the office was removed from Lake Street to the then Grand Army Building. B. Frank Marsh was given the business and editorial management of the paper. R. S. Hulbert was called in to assist him in the fall of 1893 and upon John Rodemeyer's resignation the following winter, Mr. Hulbert became the active editor. Upon Mr. Vaill's return from Chicago in 1894, after the Columbian Exposition, he took Mr. Marsh's place and R. S. Frary became business manager.
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In the spring of 1895, the Herald was sold to the Citizen Printing Company, and since then has been conducted as a weekly paper. During this time the edi- torial chair has been occupied by J. H. Van Keuren, E. L. Brand, R. R. Noble and Col. S. B. Horne, the present editor, Mr. Vaill being retained for a short time as a political writer.
The size of the paper was changed at various times from a six-column folio to a seven, eight and nine-column folio and to a six-column quarto, a two or four-page insert being added in recent years.
The Winsted Press was first published July 5, 1873, by Henry A. Bills, a well known politician, and Lucien V. Pinney, who was a journeyman printer at that time, under the firm name of Bills & Pinney. Three months later, Mr. Pinney bought out Mr. Bills' interest and continued the publication of the paper until it was sold to the Citizen Printing Company in 1888. The Press was democratic in its earliest days, but in 1874 it began to support greenback principles and endorsed Peter Cooper in 1876, James B. Weaver in 1880, and Gen. Ben. Butler in 1884, the three greenback candidates for president. In fact, the paper con- tinued a stanch greenback organ until it was sold. Mr. Pinney wrote with a free hand and never lacked success in provoking comment among his readers. The Press started as a five-column quarto but after the first year was changed to an eight-column folio and was continued in that form. It was published in the Hotel Central Building for a number of years, after which Mr. Pinney built an office on Union Street. After selling out to Mr. Pinney, Mr. Bills started the Winsted News, in 1874, as a democratic paper. In 1880 it was purchased by W. A. McArthur, formerly of the Ludlow (Vt.) Tribune, and the name was changed to The Times and News. It was an eight-column quarto and at one time claimed 1,200 subscribers, but finally expired.
The Citizen Printing Company, a stock corporation, was organized at Hotel Andrews, March 24, 1888, with a capital stock of $5,000. The directors elected were Hon. Nathaniel B. Stevens, John H. Van Keuren, E. F. Heubler, Wm. B. Sill, Jay E. Spaulding, Col. Samuel B. Horne and H. Hungerford Drake. Mr. Stevens was elected president and treasurer, Mr. Spaulding vice president, and Mr. Van Keuren secretary. Mr. Van Keuren was also elected editor-in-chief and business manager of The Citizen. William R. Sill, managing editor of The Citizen, Mr. Stevens editor of the Litchfield County Leader, and E. F. Heubler, superintendent. The Winsted Press and Wethersfield Farmer were purchased by the new company. An office was opened at 417 Main Street, in the Wetmore Building, and Winsted's new daily paper, The Winsted Evening Citizen, was launched April 30, 1888, as a six-column folio with the Litchfield County Leader as the weekly edition.
Mr. Sill resigned as editor of the Citizen on October Ist of that year and Mr. Van Keuren filled his place, Mr. Heubler taking over the business management. Mr. Heubler resigned in the fall of 1894 and E. L. Brand was elected superin- tendent in his place. The following spring the capital stock of the company was increased to $15,000 and the purchase of the Winsted Herald was made, the board of directors being increased to nine, the new directors consisting of Col. S. B. Horne, H. H. Drake, J. H. Van Keuren, J. E. Spaulding, N. B. Stevens, Henry Gay, M. H. Tanner, E. F. Heubler, and J. H. Alvord. Mr. Van Keuren added the editorship of The Herald to his duties.
On account of ill health, Mr. Van Keuren, who had filled the editorial chair so ably and conscientiously from the establishment of the Citizen, resigned in the spring of 1896 and Walter L. Bevins of Meriden was elected secretary of the
HOTEL
BEARD SEY HOUSE
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BEARDSLEY HOUSE, WINSTED
HOTEL WINCHESTER, CORNER MAIN AND ELM STREETS, WINSTED
£
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company and editor of The Citizen, to succeed him. Mr. Bevins resigned the following year and Irving E. Manchester was appointed editor of The Citizen, Dr. H. H. Drake being elected secretary. After editing The Citizen for seven years, Mr. Manchester retired, in 1904, accepting the editorship of the Commer- cial Bulletin, of Hartford, and Louis T. Stone, who had been connected with The Citizen since it was founded, with the exception of an interim of a few months, was elected editor. In the fall of 1905, upon the death of Mr. Stevens, who had filled the offices of president and treasurer so ably since the organization of the company, Mr. Manchester returned and became president and treasurer of the company and managing editor of The Citizen, Mr. Stone remaining as local editor, E. M. Platt being appointed editor of the Litchfield County Leader.
In the past ten years The Citizen has made extensive improvements in its plant, thereby permitting it to become an up-to-date newspaper. In 1906 a Mer- genthaler linotype machine and a Scott two-revolution press were installed, besides other new equipment, to take the place of worn-out machinery. In 1909 the company moved its plant to its new office-building, which is one of the best printing offices in the state. Another new model linotype machine and a Bab- cock Dispatch press were installed, permitting the daily edition of (13,000) Citi- zens to be run off in less than an hour.
The Citizen has the United Press Association's telegraphic service, covering the globe, and serving hundreds of daily papers, also the service of the American Press Association, which employs the ablest writers and correspondents. It has also a large corps of able local correspondents throughout northwetern Connecti- cut and southern Berkshire, Massachusetts, who pride themselves in gleaning everything that is worth while in the way of news.
WINSTED'S INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
With its remarkable natural advantages, its water power resources and its fine shipping facilities, Winsted early in its history became the center of many large interests.
The manufacture of leather has been one of the industries of Winsted since its earliest days. The abundant forests of hemlock which the settlers found here, and which gave to this section its title of the Green Woods, furnished bark which was employed for the tanning of hides for domestic uses from the first, and later industrial enterprises in leather manufacture sprang up. The dimin- ishing supply of bark for tanning purposes has resulted in many changes in the industry locally. Enough is still obtained in this section, however, for the mant- facture of a large amount of leather on the old fashioned lines, and modern proc- esses based upon other tanning agencies have also been introduced. This busi- ness in Winsted is in the hands of George Dudley & Son Co., wl.ich operates two tanneries in the borough and one in West Norfolk.
This is one of the oldest manufacturing enterprises in Winsted. A tannery has existed on the site of its present main building for over a hundred years, and the business dates from 1831, when the property was acquired by the Hon. George Dudley. The present company, of which D. L. Vaill is president and Andrew Fox (recently deceased, was secretary ), was incorporated in 1882. The output of the establishment is almost entirely split sheep skins, which are used in bookbinding, pocketbook making, and for a large number of other purposes.
It is necessary to turn back the pages of Winsted's history to the year 1852 in order to find the record of the first work accomplished by the concern which
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is now known as the Empire Knife Co. It will be found that two Englishmen, Messrs. Thompson and Gascoigne, came to Winsted in that year and opened a modest little shop for the purpose of making pocket cutlery. It was called "making" in those days. After a period of sixty-eight years, it may well be digni- fied by the term "manufacture," because 800 patterns of pocket knives are pro- duced. The founders did a fair trade, but lacked capital to develop the industry, and in 1856 the business passed into the hands of Beardsley & Alvord. They set about enlarging the plant at once, at the same time bringing the business up to a profitable basis. They continued the enterprise till 1876, the time of Elliott Beardsley's death. Their successors were James R. Alvord, Eugene Potter and Martha E. Beardsley. Later Charles L. Alvord and Seymour Landon Alvord, sons of James R. Alvord, assumed an active part in the management. The plant was removed to the present site in the west end in 1879.
In 1890 the business was incorporated under the laws of Connecticut, with a capital of $80,000. The plant as it stands today is a model of modern equipment. Power is obtained from Mad River. The main building contains 36,000 square feet of floor space. The company in 1910 completed its new office building, which is an attractive and commodious structure built of brick and appointed throughout with modern facilities. As the plant appears now, it is one of the largest in America and third in point of age. Hands to the number of 150 are employed, every person being qualified in his or her respective department. The output of this factory stands at the head and front in quality of any in America. The products are shipped all over the United States.
In the year 1854 the inhabitants of the United States were not sufficiently familiar with the use of pins to demand them in great numbers. Besides, pins were not as much in vogue in proportion to the population as at present. Conse- quently when John G. Wetmore established himself as a pin manufacturer, the market was still in embryo and the factory in Winsted ran along in a modest way. This concern is one of Winsted's most important industries, giving employment to over three hundred operatives. The company is the producer of the cele- brated specialty known as the Pyramid pin; also proprietor of the Winsted Paper Box Co. The plant is one of the best equipped in Connecticut, both from the standard of machinery and sanitary arrangements. From a two-story building of very cramped dimensions, the factory has been augmented until now it covers more than a city block, its latest addition having been built in 1913.
The founder of the business died about a quarter of a century ago, at which time the industry came under the supervision of the late Jay E. Spaulding, who was the chief executive officer, having as his assistant George F. Drake. To their business ability, as well as to the growth of the population of America, as already mentioned, is due the development of this industry from a comparatively humble enterprise to its present influential position, not only as being one of the most valued industrial assets of Winsted from the point of a wage-paying insti- tution, but because the New England Pin Co. occupies a place among the leading concerns in this line in the United States.
The Winsted Mfg. Co. was established in 1835, to manufacture scythes. It later added grasshooks to its output. The product today comprises grain, grass, brush, bramble and lawn scythes, also hay and corn knives. The factory devoted to this industry is located on North Main Street and occupies 3,000 square feet of space, the plant being equipped with modern machinery and with twenty-five to thirty hands employed. The business office of the company is located at 60 Main Street.
THE STRONG MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WINSTED
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NEW ENGLAND PIN COMPANY, WINSTED
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The Strong Mfg. Co. was established in East Hampton, in 1856, by Mark- ham & Strong, who carried on a general plating industry. In 1857 they branched out as manufacturers of undertakers' metallic supplies. The business was reorganized in February, 1866, under the style of the Strong Mfg. Co., in Win- sted, with a capital of $16,000. At this time David Strong and Clark Strong moved to Winsted, bringing with them several families of the employees. The premises were very primitive and modest, the plant at that time being located in a small wooden building which was owned by William L. Gilbert. It was on the site now occupied by the great building with its five brick stories and its 50,000 square feet of floor space, including its power plant, plating, casting and press- rooms in the rear.
The stockholders in this company comprised: President, William L. Gilbert ; secretary, treasurer and agent, Clark Strong (one of the founders) ; David Strong, Normand Adams, C. B. Hallett, A. L. Wiers, T. Baird, Joseph H. Norton and Ezra Baldwin.
There has been a gradual increase of capital, until today it stands at $100,000 as the result of business development requiring additional funds. There are many interesting phases connected with this company's conduct of the great manufac- turing industry whose wage list so materially benefits the average force of 125 employees and incidentally the merchants of Winsted. While there are other concerns paying out more wages yearly, the money it pays out in wages rep- resents more per capita no doubt than many of these, for the reason that the employees here come under the head of skilled mechanics, machinery playing comparatively a small part in the workings of the factory.
A prominent Winsted concern devoted to the manufacture of traveling cranes, chain hoists, trolleys and tram rail systems is the Franklin Moore Co. of Winsted. It also manufactures "Charter Oak" and Norway iron carriage, tire, fancy and special bolts and axle clips. Hoisting machinery claims its special attention, a feature being made of what is known as the Acme chain hoist.
The plant is one of the oldest in this section of Connecticut, Reuben Cook having established it in 1811 for the manufacture of axes. For some cause the business went into liquidation. In 1866 Franklin Moore and Edward Clarke established the firm of Moore & Clarke to engage in the manufacture of bolts there. Franklin Moore succeeded them in 1870. Mr. Moore died in 1879 and was succeeded by his son, Alfred E. Moore, who conducted the business under the name of Franklin Moore & Co. In 1883 the business was incorporated with a capital stock of $66,000, the name being changed to the Franklin Moore Co., the capital being increased later to $110,000. Alfred E. Moore, who is well remembered by reason of his famous balloon ascensions, died in 1890. Many improvements have been made to the plant from time to time. In 1889 a fireproof iron building, 100x40 feet, was erected for the forging department. There is also a three-story brick building, 70x40 feet. Another story and a half frame build- . ing, 97x35 feet, besides a commodious office building, a large storehouse and several smaller buildings.
Far over the half-century line in age is the Winsted Edge Tool Works. The concern now bearing this name was established on Dec. 18, 1865, by Thomas M. Clark under the style of the Winsted Hoe Co. The officers of this company consisted of Thomas M. Clark, president and treasurer, and C. S. Foster, secre- tary. The business was conducted originally, as its name indicated, for the manufacture of southern planters' hoes. During the reconstruction period follow- ing the civil war, the demand for planters' hoes was very slight. More attention was given to the line of carpenters' chisels, gauges, and drawing knives, which
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was started by Samuel Boyd in 1827 and continued since that time. In February, 1868, the line of chisels was strengthened by the purchase of the business and good-will of the Witherby Tool Co., of Millbury, Mass., who manufactured the well-known line of T. H. Witherby carpenters' tools. Since the purchase of the Witherby brand the line of chisels, etc., has been constantly improved and per- fected, until at the present time they enjoy an enviable reputation and sale throughout the world.
In January, 1882, the style of the concern was changed to the Winsted Edge Tool Works, their products comprising chisels, drawing-knives and gauges. The factory, which is 40x387 feet and 150 feet of which is a two-story structure, is one of the most modernly equipped plants in New England. Every kind of modern machinery is in use for the making of the specialites enumerated. During 1916 fire seriously damaged the plant, but this has now been rebuilt.
At the time the Winsted Hosiery Co. was established here in 1882 and incor- porated with a capital of $40,000 it was regarded as a piece of great fortune to the town. From the days of its modest foundation on the east side of Still River, the business has grown until the annual output is stated to be over a million. In its incipiency the company had for officers: President, William L. Gilbert; secretary and treasurer, L. W. Tiffany, and agent, W. F. Taylor. In the year 1885 E. B. Gaylord was appointed secretary and in 1888 he took over the general management of the plant. The original factory was a three-story wooden struc- ture, 48x100 feet. The concern employed 55 operatives. Today the main build- ing is 270x50 feet, four stories high ; there is a three-story building, 36x244 feet ; another four-story building, 28x240 feet, was recently completed; there are six storehouses and a power building to accommodate a 400 horse-power engine. The plant is the second largest of its kind in the state. There are nearly 500 persons on the payroll.
The concern manufactures knit underwear and half hose. The trade has grown from a slight one until the company's products are shipped to all sections of the United States.
In the year 1888 a number of Winsted men started out to establish a factory for knitting men's underwear that should become in time one of the leading industries of New England. They organized and incorporated the New England Knitting Co., with Henry Gay as president, E. B. Gaylord secretary and treasurer, and L. W. Tiffany, general manager. Their plant was very small,-only four sets of carding and spinning machinery were installed. But the promoters, essen- tially mill men, started out with hard-headed, practical ideas. The mill has grown from a mere cluster of sheds to a gathering of from two to four-story buildings whose combined floor space is 66,000 square feet. Besides, the ma- chinery has been increased from four sets to thirteen sets. On an average 275 operatives are employed. It is a notable fact that this mill is always busy, which speaks for its products being of the highest values as the demand never slackens. The mill runs twelve hours daily every day in the year except Saturday, when the doors close at midday.
The output of the mill finds a market in every section of the United States. The billing and collecting is all done at the home office, although spacious sample rooms are maintained at 346 Broadway, New York, by the firm of C. C. Valentine & Co.
Upon the death of Jay E. Spaulding, in 1910, Mr. Tiffany was elected presi- dent to succeed him, continuing as general manager as before. He is also manager of the Winsted Yarn Co., a concern which manufactures yarn solely to supply the local mills. Mr. Gaylord, the secretary and treasurer, is general man- ager of the Winsted Hosiery Co.
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OFFICE AND FACTORY WINSTED HOSIERY COMPANY, WINSTED
EMPIRE KNIFE SHOP, WINSTED
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Throughout a period of over forty years the name of the Winsted Silk Co. has been synonymous with the best grade of spool and embroidery silk manufac- tured in this country. The business originated in 1874, having been established by Eugene and Oscar F. Potter and J. J. Lawler. The incorporation of the industry occurred in 1883. From the founding of the business to the present day there have been a number of material changes in the personnel of the concern.
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