USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > The romance of Norwalk > Part 29
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Norwalk oyster grounds reach out from the river and harbor 2 and 1-2 and in some cases 3 miles into the sound. Just beyond the Norwalk Islands is the state line. All grounds in Norwalk waters inside the line pay taxes to the city of Norwalk. All grounds in Norwalk waters on the south side of the line pay taxes to the state. Valuation for oyster grounds in Norwalk waters under Norwalk juris- diction at the present time is on the following basis: $50 an acre for hard bottom, productive; $10 an acre on hard bottom which is non productive; $5 an acre on mud bottom
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which is non productive. No account is taken of mud bot- tom which might be productive, it being considered that there isn't any such. The present rate of taxation on oyster grounds under city jurisdiction is 17.3 mills. The state of Connecticut assesses all its grounds the same, under a flat valuation rate of $10 an acre. The tax on this is two per cent or 20 mills, so that owners of state grounds under state jurisdiction pay a tax of $.20 on every acre.
PRESENT OYSTER COMPANIES
Norwalk's present oyster companies include the follow- ing: Bluepoints Company, formerly the North Atlantic Oyster Farms, Inc., 144 Water st. This is a holding com- pany of which W. H. Raye of Boston, formerly of Norwalk, is president. Other officers include: Ralph G. Coburn and A. E. Loring, vice presidents. The Producers' Sales Co., same address, is the selling organ of the above, while the South Norwalk Oyster Farms Co., is a subsidiary of the Bluepoints Co. The North Atlantic Oyster Farms, Inc., was incorporated in 1914 succeeding the Sealshipt Oyster Co. In September, 1929, reorganization again took place and the company became the Bluepoints Co.
In addition to the South Norwalk Oyster Farms Co., and the Connecticut Oyster Farms Co., there are several other subsidiary companies, one in Rhode Island, three in Long Island. The company has in Norwalk waters, 115 acres under the jurisdiction of the city of Norwalk and 500 acres off the Norwalk islands, leased and held under franchise from the state of Connecticut. In addition the company has 6,800 acres in other parts of Connecticut waters; 8,000 acres in Huntington Bay, Northport Bay, Gardner's Bay, Peconic Bay on the north and east end of Long Island; 13,- 000 acres in Great South Bay; and 500 acres in Narra- gansett Bay.
Tallmadge Brothers, 132 Water st., is more than 50 years old. Willis G. Cavanagh is president and Stanley Tall-
NORWALK
NORWALK RIVER
3
4
CALF
11
13
14
POINT
24
19
23
E
26/
28
30
31
$35
41
4Z
45
KEYSER POINT
57
49
DETTS I
76
77
WILSON
115
POINT
Le
LA
CHIMON I
100
201
203
OI
125/124
117
99
147
175
110
151
155
170
RAM I
POINT
OPP I
11
170
219
16%
156
146
47
224
154/153/15
232
162
134
236
137
FISH ISLAND AND
239
438
267
ROTON POINT
SMITH
OR
NATURAL BEDS
SHEFFIELD
H
NORWALK OYSTER GROUNDS UNDER CITY JURISDICTION Key will be found in Appendix.
FIVE MILE RIVER
95
74
LITTLE TAVERN
71
103
100/176
250
ROTON
DELL D
214
#2 3/2
145
140
155/1
-
STATE LINE
1
2
9
10
PASTURE
18
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OYSTER INDUSTRY
madge manager. Two years ago this company bought up the Peter Decker Oyster Co., at 60 Cove ave. Peter Decker, one of the pioneers in the industry, was the first man in the country to try steam in the oyster business. His son, Sylvester, carried on the business after his death. Tall- madge Brothers have 23 acres in Norwalk waters under the jurisdiction of the city of Norwalk; none in Norwalk waters under state jurisdiction. They also have 10 or 12 acres just over the Westport line and 30 acres in the Westport river.
The estate of David B. Decker, (who was one of the most prominent figures for years in the Norwalk oyster business, ) is still carrying on his business at 142 Water st. The present shipping house was erected in 1884. Mr. Decker, who started in the business when still a boy, utilized the last years of his life in fighting for a means to clear up the pollution in the harbor which was killing the industry he loved and ruining himself and his friends. Mr. Decker had, and the estate now has, 85 acres in Norwalk waters under the jurisdiction of the city of Norwalk. . In addition there are 190 acres in Stamford under state jurisdiction and 143 in Westport.
The Lowndes Oyster Co., at 120 Water st., has been doing business under that name for the past 24 years. Howard Lowndes is president and treasurer. Previous to that time, Stanley Lowndes, father of Howard, was a prom- inent oysterman here with large holdings, the present Lown- des Oyster Co., being an outgrowth of his company. The Lowndes Co. has 20 acres of grounds in Norwalk waters under the jurisdiction of the city of Norwalk; and 206 acres in Norwalk waters under the jurisdiction of the state. In addition, the company has 892 acres in Westport.
Frederick Lovejoy, 12 Edgewater place, has been a prominent figure in Norwalk's oyster industry for more than 30 years. Mr. Lovejoy, who has been both a natural grow- ther, (a worker on the public beds ) and an oyster grower, has large holdings in Norwalk waters, under city jurisdic-
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tion, about 87 1-2 acres. In addition he has six or seven acres in Westport; 50 acres in Bridgeport leased from the state and 117 acres off Captain's Island in Greenwich, leased from the state.
The Andrew Radel Oyster Co., 134 Water st., is an "old timer" among the oyster companies, dating back to about 1906. Before the present Andrew Radel took over the company, it was run by his father, also Andrew Radel. The present Mr. Radel is president. This oyster company has 43 acres of grounds in Norwalk waters under city jurisdic- tion. In addition it has 11,500 acres in Connecticut under state jurisdiction and 6,500 acres in New York. There are many "old timers" whose names should be recorded and who did their bit to build the oyster industry of Norwalk and they will be found listed in the appendix.
LETTERS-LIGHTS
CHAPTER XXXI
Norwalk Caught In Blizzard of 1888-City Delivery Ser- vice In Norwalk And South Norwalk Post Offices-Row- ayton Post Office-Electric Light Works In South Nor- walk-Old Norwalk Gas Light Company Gives Way To Modern Plant
WITH all factories closed, trains idle, horses refusing to budge, stores blocked and homes buried under veritable mountains of snow, Norwalk lived through the worst bliz- zard in its history March 11-14, 1888. The Sentinel pub- lished a paper on the second day of the blizzard under severe handicaps and the article then is reprinted below :
"The old inhabitant who likes to tell of the 'old fashioned snow storms' which we used to have is silent today. With the aid of memory and the liveliest imagination, he is un- able to tell of anything like the snow storm which began last night and is still raging. The snow, if it lay level, would undoubtedly be from 18 inches to two feet deep. As it is, it is piled up in huge drifts and travel by rail, by vehicles or on foot is well nigh suspended. One train going west passed this station about 8 o'clock and lays blocked below Stamford. Two trains are blocked at Woodmont. Two locomotives were sent out from Port Chester this morning with a snow plow. They proceeded but a short distance when they got off the track. The 6:40 'train left Danbury ten minutes late and proceeded as far as Redding where it got stalled. Another locomotive was telegraphed for and came to its assistance. At Branchville, both loco- motives were put ahead of the train and the rest of the
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
journey to this city was through snow drifts and under the most trying circumstances. The train arrived here at 11 :35. It is the most complete blockade on record. Factories are all closed down. It is impossible to do any carting. Horses refuse to face the storm. In short, we are experiencing a first class, number one, Western blizzard, lacking the low temperature."
NORWALK POST OFFICE
Four pioneer mail carriers trudged the long, dusty high- ways of Norwalk and broke ground for the first city de- livery service, January 1, 1889. The men, whose head- quarters were at the Norwalk post office were: Percy Glen- dening, Henry Mathias, Thomas Murphy and John F. Healy. The first has long since passed on; the second and third resigned; the fourth, who was pensioned in 1925, is still alive and resides at 70 Main st. It is interesting to note that in 1889 it cost a cent an ounce to send packages through the mail regardless of their destination. This meant that where it cost 32 cents to send a two pound package to New York then, today it costs eight.
For many years before the institution of the city delivery, Norwalk had boasted a post office. As a matter of fact, the first was established uptown February 25, 1811, accord- ing to information received here from the U. S. Post Office Department at Washington, D. C. The year 1844 found William Betts in the postmaster's chair. Judge Williams also served his city in the Norwalk post office. When the Abraham Lincoln administration commenced, Charles Olm- stead, father of Mrs. LeGrand Betts, 83 East ave., was made postmaster, he continuing in that office for 25 years. Mrs. Betts says that she remembers how her father used to come home each night, bringing with him the postage stamps and the money, for there were no safes in those days. The garret of the Olmstead home, which stood on Union ave., near the Union cemetery, was the hiding place
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for the post office valuables. Each morning, as a child, Mrs. Betts watched her father arm himself, for in those days no one knew just what might happen and a man had to be prepared.
The Norwalk post office has had many homes: in the "Quintard block" where the Norwalk Hour now stands, then at 41 Wall st., later to the Norwalk club building, 67 Wall st., where a severe rain storm destroyed the records stored in the cellar, then to 16 Main st., and on July II, 1925, to the present quarters, 14 Wall st. After Charles Olmstead, came the following postmasters: A. C. Golding, Carmi Hubbell, William H. Malone, Bradley S. Keith, E. S. Adams, M. J. Howard and C. Irving Byington, present postmaster. At the present time the main staff includes, in addition to Mr. Byington, Stephen Bray as assistant post- master and Wilbur F. Hubbell as superintendent of mails. In addition there are nine regular clerks, 10 city carriers ; three rural carriers; one special delivery carrier; and six substitute carriers the latter being employed more or less regularly.
There was a post office in Winnipauk until September 30, 1907, the office being where William Betts' feed store, 352 Main st., now is. Joseph Randle, father of William Randle of 10 Elm st., was postmaster. For a number of years there was a post office in East Norwalk, which went out of existence, July 1, 1895. At one time it was located at the East Norwalk railroad depot with Harry Rider, father of Miss Mary G. Rider, 201 East ave., as postmaster. Later it was removed to what is now the site of M. D. Madey's store, 234 East ave. When the post office was discontinued, Walter Hoyt was postmaster and Irving Smith, assistant postmaster. Commencing July 1, 1895, East Nor- walk mail was handled from the South Norwalk office. Two carriers were assigned to the East Norwalk district: Edwin L. Hanford who often delivered the mail in a horse and wagon and Elbert W. Clark.
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
SOUTH NORWALK POST OFFICE
First a lamplighter and then a mail carrier, Henry O. Bailey of 10 Couch st., one of the first men employed by the South Norwalk Post Office when it opened its city de- livery service, July 1, 1889, can recall many interesting old days of Norwalk. Incidentally, the post office at South Norwalk was established on Feb. 14, 1842 under the name of Old Well, according to information received here from the U. S. Post Office Department in Washington, D. C. The name of the office was changed to South Norwalk on March 5, 1842. When the South Norwalk post office de- cided to commence a city delivery service, the following men were employed: Alan Tyler, Patrick McNamara, G. Fred Flynn and William O. Merritt as regular carriers, with Henry O. Bailey as substitute. The latter became a regular in 1890. It is believed Mr. Bailey and perhaps Mr. Flynn are the only ones still living. Mr. Bailey knew his route in lower South Norwalk well because as a boy he had covered much the same ground as a lamplighter. It was his job to follow the "trimmer" through the city streets and to light the four paned kerosene lamps.
One of the first postmasters in South Norwalk was Homer Taylor who held office at the time the post office was in a small building on the property which now houses the Young Men's Hebrew Association, West ave. During succeeding years, the post office was moved many times: from West ave., to North Main st., south of the South Norwalk Con- gregational church, with William Sammis as postmaster; then to East Washington st. near what was the old home of the People's Trust Co., 79 Washington st., Nathaniel Wilcox being postmaster here from 1861 to 1871; then to West Washington st., south side, into a store built by Mrs. George Raymond; then to a small building adjoining the above on the site of the present Schultze meat market, corner of Railroad ave. and Washington st., with Joseph Dunning as postmaster in 1872. The next move of the
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LETTERS-LIGHTS
post office was across the street to the site of the present William . Miller grocery store, 33 West Washington st. Later it moved back again to the corner of Railroad ave. and Washington st.
Dunning remained in office for 17 years being succeeded by Charles E. Doty who was later removed for irregulari- ties. Edwin Adams took his place. When Dr. George Benedict was named postmaster he moved the post office down to East Washington st., near the Rialto theater. Ed- mund E. Crowe, present postmaster, was appointed Decem- ber 19, 1899 and he added one more lap to the journey of the South Norwalk post office when he had it moved across Washington st. to the South Norwalk Club building to the site now occupied by Taylor and Golden, 115 Wash- ington st. In 1914 Andrew Leary became postmaster and Mr. Crowe assumed the editorship of the Evening Sentinel. At the end of eight years Mr. Crowe returned as postmaster which position he now holds. Mr. Crowe was instrumental in having the post office removed from the South Norwalk club building into its present new building at 35 South Main st., erected by Louis Udelman. Possession was taken Janu- ary 10, 1928.
Today, the staff boasts a postmaster, Mr. Crowe; as- sistant postmaster, Frank Field; superintendent of mails, Harry M. Hubbell; 16 clerks; 16 carriers; one rural deliv- ery man; one special delivery man. The parcel post system came into existence about the same time as did that in the Norwalk post office, fifteen years ago.
ROWAYTON POST OFFICE
A terrific battle preceded the establishment of a post office in Rowayton, February 24, 1868. For 25 years the western end of the city boasted a post office called "Roway- ton" and a railroad station called "Five Mile River Land- ing," and all because the residents couldn't agree on a name. Mrs. H. Croswell Tuttle, of whom mention was made a
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
short time ago in the history of the Rowayton library, tells of the struggle which began in Rowayton in the early 1860's. At that time the "Landing" had neither railroad station nor post office, although trains would stop on signal to pick up a passenger. Those who desired to post letters had to go either to Darien or into South Norwalk. Mrs. Tuttle well remembers hearing about how George Palmer Put- nam, New York publisher and leading citizen of the town applied to Washington, D. C. for the establishment of a post office in the village. Washington, it seemed, was will- ing, but objected to the name "Five Mile River Landing," because it was so long. The villagers considered and Mrs. Tuttle's father presented the name "Rowayton" which he found had been applied to the Five Mile River section many years before. A meeting was called, a vote taken and the name accepted. Afterwards, there were many who changed their minds. Others who had not been present, insisted that their absence should have been taken as a negative vote. Such a howl went up that it was decided to ask Washington not to use the name Rowayton, which had already been forwarded. But the move came too late and shortly there was installed in the village a new post office labeled "Ro- wayton." The date when the office was established, Febru- ary 24, 1868 is given by the U. S. Post Office Department at Washington, D. C. The conservatives in the village won a partial victory about a year later, when they persuaded the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co. to name the new station then being instituted in the com- munity "Five Mile River." For years, there stood the station with one name, and the post office, a few hundred feet away, with another. The matter was finally adjusted 25 years later by the acceptance by both of the name of Rowayton.
Ezra Mansfield is believed to have been the first post- master. He was station agent and so kept the mail right in the railroad station with him. Charles Hubbs, also sta- tion agent, was the next postmaster. He left town very
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suddenly one fine day. After his departure, it was dis- covered a good deal of the mail had been opened and robbed. An old list of unclaimed mail published in The Sentinel in 1871, gives Oliver Cook as postmaster in that year. After him came Ephraim Thomes. Mr. Thomes was station agent at the same time he was postmaster. After he left the railroad, he removed the post office to a coal and feed business he owned which was housed in a small build- ing near the old Boston Carriage Factory in the vicinity of the station.
M. E. Gibbins took over the postmastership in 1893 and George Washington Bryan, father of Harry Bryan of Crest Road, Rowayton, became postmaster in 1897. He erected a tiny building for the post office in his front yard near the railroad station. It should here be explained that the reason the post office was kept for so many years either in the station or close by, was because if the post office were within a certain distance of the station, the railroad was re- quired to deliver the mail free of charge. In 1902, the Rowayton post office was in the grocery store of Charles Thomes, in the center of the town on property part of which now supports the Rowayton hose house. Mail was brought from the station in a grocery wagon. Harvey Ackart was first appointed postmaster on October 15, 1908, upon the death of Mr. Bryan, the office then being fourth class; it was made third class, October 11, 1921, and Mr. Ackart served his one term as a presidential appointee, resigning October 30, 1925. Mrs. Anna Bond was appointed postmistress, November 1, 1925 and the office was moved to its present location, on Rowayton ave., March 1, 1926. Mrs. Bond is postmistress at the present time and Helena O. Stanish is assistant postmistress. The story of the foregoing post offices has been supplied to a large extent by "old timers" and by post office employees, the post office records in most cases being sadly lacking in names and dates or missing al- together.
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
ELECTRIC LIGHT PLANT
The municipal electric light plant, owned and operated by the old city of South Norwalk, was the first plant of its kind to be constructed within the state of Connecticut and one of the earliest of its kind to be built in the United States. It opened October 13, 1892. Following a series of town meetings held in 1891 and 1892, this plant, the city's original plant for street lighting, now a part of the enlarged electrical system used for both public and com- mercial service, was authorized to be established. $22,500 was appropriated for the construction of a plant. A part of the "old nursery" property, located on the South side of State st., adjoining the grounds of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co., station, South Nor- walk was purchased as a site for the station building. The building is still in the same location.
The plant was constructed under the direction of a com- mittee composed of Joseph A. Volk, appointed by city meet- ing, General Nelson Taylor and Edwin Adams, appointed by the Common Council. Albert E. Winchester was named as consulting engineer to design and supervise the work. Ground was broken in the spring of 1892 and on the evening of October 13, 1892, the new lighting system was regularly started. The original building consisted only of the small middle section of the present building and boasted a great iron smoke stack which has since been replaced by a large brick chimney. The present building includes the main oper- ating building, brick and steel, constructed of latest design, housing the generating apparatus. Adjoining, is the brick office building including the meter and distribution depart- ments. Property now extends from the east line of original site to Spring st.
Commercial lighting was supplied for the first time Au- gust 1, 1898, Isaac S. Jennings being one of the prime mov- ers for this addition to the original plant. In 1899, the commercial department was enlarged. In October, 1902,
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$15,000 was voted appropriated to enlarge the plant ; $5,000 was also voted to establish the meter system to measure electricity furnished for commercial lighting. In 1905, 1907, 1910, Diesel oil engines were installed, used in conjunction with the steam plant operations. These engines are still in operation and are probably the oldest engines of this type in operation throughout the United States. Other en- largements became necessary in 1916, 1920, 1923, and ro- tary converter installations were made, operating from pur- chased current, the plant becoming inter-connected with the state-wide distribution supply system of the Connecticut Light and Power Company. All these enlargements were entirely financed from the plant's surplus earnings. During the last year a complete ornamental street lighting system was constructed in the main commercial zones of South Nor- walk, at a cost of $25,000, financed from the plant's earn- ings.
"A steady growth" is the 1929 report of the plant. Both direct and alternating current is supplied, the latter replac- ing the former as the demand warrants. Perhaps a com- parison of the number of patrons served in 1899 and those served in 1929 will serve better than anything else to show the growth. A record of February 1, 1899 shows that electrical service was supplied only to nine home owners : Frank A. Ferris, General Russell Frost, Mrs. D. E. Ray- mond, W. B. Hubbell, Dr. C. G. Bohannan, J. H. Ferris, Col. Leslie Smith, J. A. Volk, and G. A. Whelpley. Other connections at that time consisted of eight city departments, four societies, four hotels, one bank and 32 other com- mercial establishments. The Plant serves at present 3,547 consumers and the annual output is estimated to run over 5,000,000 kilo-watt-hours this year, 1929.
OLD GAS WORKS
The good old gas light days are recalled in a discussion of the Norwalk Gas Light Company, a specially chartered
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ROMANCE OF NORWALK
corporation passed by the General Assembly in 1856. The following names appear in the original charter: Henry I. Hoyt, Ebenezer Hill, Asa E. Smith, William S. Lockwood, A. E. Baird, William C. Street, George G. Bishop and Charles G. Dean. From about 1866 to 1898 or thereabouts, the superintendent of the old Norwalk Gas works was Levi C. Hanford who came from Lansingburgh, now North Troy, N. Y., where he was in charge of the Lansingburgh Gas Light Co. At this time the Norwalk company was practically bankrupt. Plant and equipment were run down and worn out; there was no credit to buy coal, lime or sup- plies ; and no dividends had been earned or paid for some time. Mr. Hanford had to assume personal responsibility for the purchases of coal and lime when he first took charge, the company having no financial standing whatever. Under his management the works were enlarged and rebuilt, much new equipment added, the price of gas reduced from year to year, and the company placed on a permanent dividend paying basis. During these years the stock was very closely held and was considered an exceptionally good investment. On the board of directors were the following all Norwalk men: Thomas H. Morison, Dudley P. Ely, George B. St. John, E. K. Lockwood, Charles F. Osborn, Peter Cunning- ham, Levi C. Hanford and George G. Bishop. For many years E. H. Parker was bookkeeper.
The older residents in the city can tell some great tales about the days of the famous fish tail gas burners. And when electricity was introduced, how the people marveled ! Providence, a most progressive city, conceived the idea of lighting a row of gas lamps with an electric flash. About 1885, according to Henry O. Bailey, 10 Couch st., this won- derful idea was incorporated in the illumination at the South Norwalk Baptist church. For many Sundays the church was packed to the doors by the folks who wanted to see the wonder of the age and who watched with ecstatic thrill when the myriad gas lights on the elaborate chandelier were brought into being by a flash of electricity.
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