USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > The story of Bridgeport > Part 12
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The Junior College of Connecticut located at 1001 Fairfield Avenue offers the first half of a college edu- cation at home. The college, which operates under a special charter from the state legislature, is managed by a board of trustees of 16 men and women, is co- educational and non sectarian. The college opened February 1, 1928 with 28 day students and 74 in the evening.
The college is a member of the New England Asso- ciation of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the American Council on Education, the American Asso- ciation of Junior Colleges, and on the approved list of the American Medical Association.
FIRST SMALL LIBRARY
One of the most interesting stories in the early record of Bridgeport is that of a boy of eleven who wrote and published a series of anonymous articles in
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the local newspapers calling the attention of the residents of the community to the need for a library. The articles caused considerable comment and when time and place for meeting were mentioned several public minded citizens attended. The boy, S. S. Middlebrook, was present but did not at that time let it be known that he wrote the articles which were responsible for the meeting. As a result of this meet- ing a small library was started about 1828, but it is not known how long it continued.
In 1850 the Bridgeport Library Association was formed, establishing a subscription library, the fees for which were $3.00 per year for seniors and $2.00 for juniors. Some additional money was raised by concerts and lectures. The library was located in a room on Wall Street.
The library's second home was in the court house on State Street, now the city hall, to which it moved in 1854. In 1869 the library was moved to the Wheeler building at the corner of Main Street and Fairfield Avenue where it remained until after the private association transferred its property to the Bridgeport Public Library.
In 1881 a law was passed giving towns and cities the right to support free public libraries by a tax on the grand list. Bridgeport soon took advantage of this law and petitioned the Common Council for the right to establish such an institution. The motion was carried with but one dissenting vote and the mayor appointed a governing board. The private association then transferred its entire property to the Bridgeport Public Library located at 440 Main Street, and on January 16, 1882 the doors of a free institu- tion were opened to the residents of the city. The first ticket of membership was issued to P. T. Barnum -occupation, showman-guarantor, James Staples.
In 1883 Mrs. Catharine Burroughs Pettengill, whose father had made a fortune with his fleet of vessels by trading in foreign ports, gave a building, at the corner of Main and John Streets, for library use, and specified that it was to be known as the Burroughs Library.
The library continued however, in its old rooms in the Wheeler building until 1888 in order to accumu- late funds for remodeling. In June, 1888, the library was removed to the Burroughs building where it re- mained until 1927, using rooms on the second and third floors and utilizing rents on the ground floor to pay for remodeling and repairs.
LIBRARY BRANCHES
Already the library had begun to "branch out" through the city. In 1914 a grant of $50,000 was secured from the Carnegie corporation and with this money the East Branch on Jane Street and the North Branch on Main Street were built. These branches were opened to the public in July, 1918. In July, 1919, the Newfield and West Branches were estab- lished in portable buildings on city property. They were replaced in 1922 by permanent buildings, the Newfield Branch on land purchased by the library on Central Avenue and the West Branch on park prop- erty on Fairfield Avenue.
The name of the West Branch was changed in 1926 to the Henry N. Sanborn Branch in memory of Mr. Sanborn who was librarian of the Bridgeport Public Library from 1918 to 1926.
On a site on Myrtle Avenue given by the Misses Soules in 1922, the board erected the South Branch Library. This was closed during the recent de- pression.
In the same year, 1922, one of the old portable buildings was set up on Fairfield Avenue in the Black Rock district on land leased from the Bridgeport Housing Company. The present building housing the Black Rock Branch was erected in February. 1932.
In 1923 the Burroughs building at Main and John Streets was sold to the City National Bank and with money obtained from this sale and part from a city bond issue, the new Burroughs building was erected at Broad and State Streets and was opened to the public April 18, 1927. In accord with Mrs. Petten- gill's will the building will always be known as the Burroughs Public Library building
Elmer H. Havens is president of the board of directors of the library and Julian Sohon is librarian. Assistant librarian is Laura A. Eales; secretary to the librarian, Ruby E. Steele; heads of departments: reference, Sarah H. Griffiths; circulation, Grace E. Manee; children's, J. Ethel Wooster; catalog, Elisa- beth Eggert; technology, Laura A. Eales; order, Eliza- beth Wedge (acting); Bishop historical room, Clara B. Van Iderstine; book selection, Helen I. Brown; publicity, Angeline S. Donley; high school, Elizabeth Shaw.
Branch librarians include: North Branch, Grace Maiden; East Branch, Helen F. Hawley; Newfield Branch, Mildred H. Camp; Black Rock Branch, Vir-
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ginia Hall; Henry N. Sanborn Branch, S. Irene Davis; hospital branches, Marion F. Hubbell.
Librarians, since the establishment of the library, have been as follows: S. W. Baldwin, appointed June 21, 1850; Benjamin Smith, appointed June, 1851; William H. Peets, appointed November, 1855; Eben Whitney, appointed June, 1863; Sarah E. Whitney, appointed November, 1863; Mrs. J. E. G.
Henry N. Sanborn, appointed December, 1917; Orlando C. Davis, appointed April, 1926; Julian A. Sohon, appointed August, 1934 (present librarian).
The Burroughs Library has had a children's de- partment since 1903; a technology department was added in 1918. The year 1936 saw the opening of the Henry A. Bishop historical room.
That Bridgeporters make good use of their libraries
BURROUGHS.
BURROUGHS BUILDING IN 1876
Back in the days when the cream of society went to the library on horseback, the Burroughs Public Library was "up one flight" in the Burroughs building, southwest corner of Main and John Streets. The above painting, made by J. F. Huge, North Avenue drawing teacher, pictures the building in 1876, four years after it was built. The library occupied the second and third floors of the building in 1888. The original of the above painting is in the Bridgeport Public Library, Burroughs building, southwest corner of State and Broad Streets.
Clarke, appointed December, 1864 to 1876; F. C. Smith, appointed 1877; Agnes Hills, appointed 1879 (first public librarian) ; Walter J. Nichols, appointed July, 1904; Calhoun Latham, appointed July, 1906;
is seen in the fact that for the year ending March 31, 1936, the total books in circulation in all departments (except picture department) and in all branches reached the figure of 1,395,756.
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"ALL ABOARD!"
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
To the lilting chorus of "I am Weary of Rowing" and "Down by the Blue, Blue Sea", the strum- ming of a three piece orchestra and the cheers of the crowds of people who had flocked to the wharf, the "Rosedale", known as "Bridgeport's floating palace", steamed majestically down the harbor, September 18, 1879.
The passengers on that memorable day, examined the boat from stem to stern, for she was larger and more handsome than any these waters had known before. They were entranced by her red plush up- holstering and the ornate brass fittings, and cautiously trod up and down the narrow red carpeted halls, peeping into the drawing rooms and salons, gleaming in their white paint, and exclaiming anew over the luxuriousness, for those days, of the smoking lounge and the little restaurant.
The boat was just two years old, having been built in Norfolk, Virginia. She was brought to Bridge- port to inaugurate a day line between this city and New York under the management of Captain Anning J. Smith. Fare was $.65 one way and $1.00 for the round trip.
The "Rosedale" made quite a name for herself dur- ing the 30 odd years she sailed these waters. She was known all up and down the Sound, not only because of her imposing grandeur, but because of her peculiar whistle which could be mistaken for no other.
All was not clear sailing during those 30 years for the boat was in several crashes. One of the worst occurred about 1895 in New York between the 23rd Street docks and the 31st Street docks, when a 23rd Street ferry rammed the "Rosedale".
For several years, Bridgeport's "floating palace" was laid up for repairs at the Merritt and Chapman Company yard in Norfolk, Virginia. It so happened that a Bridgeporter, Calhoun Latham, now in charge of the newspaper room in the Burroughs Library, was visiting in Norfolk. Walking along the water's edge he heard a boat whistle.
"Why, that's the 'Rosedale'!" he exclaimed. "You're crazy", retorted his companion.
"Oh, no, I'm not", he answered "I'd know that whistle anywhere in the world". The two investi-
gated and sure enough, there was the "Rosedale" being taken out on a trial run following her repairs.
In 1922 the "Rosedale" burned, in the very port where she had been built 45 years before.
BIRTH OF SHIPBUILDING
A good many experiments, a good many heart- aches, a good many "lost at sea" services preceded Bridgeport's splendiferous floating palace the "Rosedale".
Shipbuilding began on the banks of the Pequon- nock River as early as 1720. There were no regularly equipped shipyards as there are today but the mer- chants and the farmers, in their spare time, made their own boats. The lumber was cut in the woods which surrounded the little community, the logs be- ing dragged down to the water's edge, there to remain and season until ready for use. The wood was then hewn by hand and fastened together as securely as possible against the Sound storms.
That these tiny vessels were not very seaworthy is proven by the number of sinkings. Many of the best known families in Stratford and Newfield lost sons and fathers at sea.
By the year 1730, Richard Nichols had opened a little store with a wharf and warehouse at the head of the tidewater on the Pequonnock River, the Berk- shire Mill Pond. There was a small shipyard at this point and it is believed the business of Richard Nichols and his son Theophilus, grew out of this be- ginning.
Sometime between 1756 when Richard Nichols died, and 1774, son Theophilus erected a wharf and store at the south end of what is now Pembroke Street, or the Point, on the east side of the harbor. About the same time, loading and unloading of vessels commenced on the west side of the harbor, when Stephen Burroughs built on the west side of the river at the foot of State Street. This was before the Revo- lution. These two stores were the only two in the community before 1776.
Later, Philip Nichols, son of Theophilus, bought a large tract of land on the west side of the harbor where Wall Street is now located.
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Shipbuilding now became a prosperous trade. Farmers had financial interests in vessels sailing to Boston and to New York and their sons learned to sail the very vessels owned by their fathers.
Trade with the West Indies began before the Revolution, expanded after the war and continued to increase until 1840. After 1800, Bridgeport com- menced to spread out as a seaport town, the coast
passengers, freight and mail.
A large number of the packets which cleared Bridgeport ports were owned by the merchants of the community. The ships were sailing regular schedules between Bridgeport and New York, early in the 1800's.
Thus we find that Eliada Baldwin, shipmaster, was advertising on December 8, 1812, that "the sloop
"BRIDGEPORT'S FLOATING PALACE"
With such splendiferous title did the citizens christen the "Rosedale", pride of Bridgeport harbor in 1879. (Photo, courtesy of Mrs. N. E. Wedge.)
trade to Boston, New York and the West Indies being the main cause of the rapid growth of the borough.
The era of the packet, that fast little pointed sail- boat lasted from 1800 to 1830. Connecticut packets in speed and accommodation were equal to any in the world. Many were sloops of from 75 to 100 tons burden, being of that size to avoid payment of the greater dockage and pilotage in New York City charged for heavier vessels. These packets carried
Minerva will sail from Bridgeport for New York on every other Saturday a.m. through the winter season" and that "cash will be paid for oats, flaxseed and potatoes."
May 1, 1813, William King advertised that the sloop Victress "will sail from Bridgeport for New York every Tuesday evening without fail during the summer season and that no expense has been spared to make her accommodations both elegant and con-
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venient for passengers. Persons being at a distance may depend upon the punctuality of the packet sail- ing at the above time."
Thus did the early Bridgeporters travel. True, some went by the stage coach, but on long journeys to Boston or to New York, the boat was much cheaper. Only the rich traveled the highways.
Another type of boat commanded attention about this time and that was the whaler. In the early 1830's the American whaling fleet consisted of no less than 550 vessels and Bridgeport contributed her share. There were several whaling companies here. The largest was the Bridgeport Whaling Company incorporated in May 1833, the activities of which were chronicled in an earlier chapter.
"BOATS ON WHEELS"
The advent of steam in shipping brought great changes to Bridgeport. March 21, 1815, the steam- boat "Fulton" sailed up the Sound. The "Fulton" had a foremast and a sail so that if the steam failed, the boat could depend upon the wind to make port. The side wheels were not enclosed and there were no mufflers to the enormous cog wheels so that not only were the paddles wholly visible to the wondering people on the shore, but the terrible roar of steam and paddles roused everybody within hearing distance.
"Oh, see, what's coming on wheels in the water!" was a frequent exclamation as the boat moved slowly up the Sound.
In the beginning, Connecticut steamboats were barred from New York waters by the Fulton mono- poly and were forced to land at Byram's cove, at the boundary line between Connecticut and New York. When the Fulton monopoly was pronounced illegal in 1825, Connecticut steamboats ran directly to New York.
Just when the first steamboat ran from Bridgeport is uncertain but as early as 1824 the "Connecticut Courier" was advertising the sailings of the "General Lafayette" from Bridgeport and in 1824 also, the Bridgeport Steamboat Company was formed.
Bridgeport's first steamer was quickly succeeded by others as the opening of the railroads brought passen- gers from inland towns.
FIRST LIGHTHOUSE
By this time it became necessary to get deep water through the natural sandbar at the mouth of the harbor, for the larger vessels could cross this bar only at high tide. In 1844, the government dredged a
channel and built a breakwater and here Captain Abraham A. McNeil, harbor master, erected Bridge- port's first lighthouse.
The lighthouse consisted of nothing more than a little boat anchored securely and equipped with a mast, a lantern being hung from the end of the mast.
Then Captain John Brooks, Jr. built a deck across a small boat, hung a lantern atop the mast and an- chored the boat near where the government had dredged a channel. Later bells were added to the mast, to ring with the waves.
Soon a larger light was set on top of a strong group of piles driven into the harbor bottom and this was the beginning of the modern lighthouse.
In 1851 the government constructed a small light- house in the harbor and placed a man in charge. This lighthouse was replaced by a larger and more modern light, also built by the government in 1871. It is still in use. The lighthouse was modernized in 1935 when steam heat was installed.
This same year 1871, witnessed the beginning of extensive harbor improvements and the breakwater was strengthened. Land used for the breakwater was donated to the government by Nathaniel Wheeler, George Mallory and P. T. Barnum. To Harbor Master Captain John McNeil, son of Captain Abra- ham A. McNeil, goes much of the credit for the harbor improvements of the time.
Now the river has been thoroughly dredged as far as the Berkshire bridge and vessels of deep draft can navigate well up the stream.
For many years the Black Rock harbor was a well known shipping point. Today it is used mostly by pleasure craft. A lighthouse was built in Black Rock on the southern extremity of Fayerweather's Island in 1808 (rebuilt in 1823) and the breakwater adjoin- ing the lighthouse, in 1837. The Penfield Reef light- house, one and one quarter miles southwest of the Black Rock Light, was built in 1873.
ON THE HALF SHELL!
In connection with the commerce of Bridgeport the oyster industry should be mentioned. At one time, this city was known from coast to coast for its oysters and in the 1890's thought nothing of shipping 60,000 bushels of selected oysters to Europe in a single season. In 1897 the oyster industry employed 19 steamers and 200 schooners or sloops. A good year's work on the great natural oyster bed, off Bridgeport
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and Stratford, reserved for the exclu- sive use of the citizens of the state, would not infrequently result in the dredging of more than 600,000 bushels of seed oysters which were sold mainly to the owners of private oyster beds and shipped from this port.
In the past few decades the oyster industry of Bridgeport has been ruined by pollution of the beds, caused by sewage from the city and by dyes and acids from factories located on the river banks and Sound shores.
The early steamers, it should be re- membered, were nothing like the mod- ern deluxe edition which this day and age takes for granted. Kerosene lamps lit the dim halls; stoves heated the grand salons and the passengers often had to break ice in the water pitchers.
As was previously noted, the "Gen- eral Lafayette" was believed to be the first boat plying between Bridgeport and New York and as early as 1824 the "Connecticut Courier" published in Bridgeport stated that the steamboat General Lafayette, captain, Thomas Vose, would "continue the regular routes between this place and New York." The boat ran between Derby, New York and "way stations" stop- ping at Bridgeport on the way down.
In the same year the General Assembly chartered the Bridgeport Steamboat Company, the corporators being Daniel Sterling, Enoch Foote, Ransome C. Canfield, Isaac Sherman, Thomas C. Wordin, Wilson Hawley and others. It is not clear what boat or boats this line included, but it is thought the Gen- eral Lafayette was owned by the Bridgeport company.
Many boats followed the "General Lafayette" out of Bridgeport in quick succession, including the "John Marshall", the "Citizen", the "Westchester", the "Nimrod", the "Vanderbilt", the "Croton", the "Eureka", "Niagara" and "Bell", the "Moun- taineer" with a record of the best time from New York to Bridgeport (1844) a total of three hours and eight minutes; the "Mutual Safety" which, curiously enough, was burned to the water's edge; the "Alice", the "Trojan" and the "Cataline".
Competition between these boats was terrific and
EARLY HARBOR LIGHT
Bridgeport's first lighthouse in 1844 was nothing more than a small boat with a lantern at the masthead. The second "light", complete with bells to ring with the waves, is pictured above.
"price cutting" wars took all the profit out of the business. In 1846, the "Cataline" in an effort to take away trade from some of the other steamers, cut her fare, from Bridgeport to New York, down to twelve and a half cents.
The "Nimrod" was quite well known in the 1840's, and was noted for her Friday night beefsteak and onion suppers. The boat, on the Bridgeport to New York route, was run in connection with the Housa- tonic railroad, and Bridgeport passengers were com- pelled to stay overnight in New York-there was no way of getting back until the boat returned. It re- quired two days to make the round trip and if the shipmaster had any business to transact in New York, it might take three.
Even after the railroad from Bridgeport to New York was opened in 1849, the boats still did a fair business. In succeeding years the wharves of Bridge- port knew the "Ansonia", the "Monitor", the "Naugatuck", "Houstonic", and "Ruggles", the "John Brooks", the "Stamford", and the "Captain A. H. Bowman".
The Bridgeport Steamboat Company (evidently the second) was organized December 8, 1865. Ferris Bishop, son of Alfred Bishop whose activities in con-
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nection with the Housatonic railroad have been told, promoted the company, aided by Joe Richardson, a well known contractor. "Bridgeport", described as the first boat of any size to run regularly between Bridgeport and New York, and the "City of Rich- mond", were purchased in 1866 and in 1867 the "J. B. Schuyler" was built, running until replaced by the "Laura".
THE STEAMBOAT BATTLE
Then unhappy days befell the Bridgeport Steam- boat Company. In 1879 the "Rosedale" came to town under the management of Captain Anning J. Smith. The boat was immediately popular to the detriment of the Bridgeport Steamboat Company's business. The latter tried to meet the new competi- tion with the "Laura"
By 1886 the People's Steamboat Company had control over the "Rosedale" and the "Josephine", a second new and smart ship. A bitter fight raged be- tween the two steamboat companies, peppered by sarcastic letters to the newspapers, and caustic, even libelous statements about each other which would have made the modern editor blush.
To compete with the "Rosedale" and the "Josephine", the Bridgeport Steamboat Company brought a number of fast boats into the harbor, in- cluding the "John Sylvester" which used to run races to New York with the "Rosedale", and the "Crystal Wave" from Providence.
When the fight was at fever heat, a conference was called between William D. Bishop and Ferris Bishop of the Bridgeport Steamboat Company and Anning J. Smith of the People's Steamboat Company and a fair division of the business was agreed upon. The steamboats of the two companies were then carrying 1000 passengers daily.
Later, the Bridgeport Steamboat Company gained control of the People's Steamboat Company and in 1890 was managing the two lines. The "Rosedale" was run days, leaving Bridgeport at 8 in the morn- ing; the "Nutmeg State" was run nights.
The New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail- road Company purchased the Bridgeport Steamboat Company in 1903, taking over the boats "Allan Joy", "William G. Payne" and the "Rosedale". The "William G. Payne" was later known as the "Bridge- port" though not the first of this title, as the name was very popular in shipping days.
The "Nutmeg State" burned at Sands Point, New York. It will be remembered that the "Rosedale" also burned.
The Bridgeport Steamboat Company was deeded to the New England Navigation Company in 1904 and conveyed to the New England Steamship Com- pany in 1912.
Three steamship lines operate out of Bridgeport today; the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat
STEAMER ROSEDALE"
BRIDGEPORTS FLOATING PALACE
TICKETS IN
1B.
Company which runs the "Park City" built in Port Jefferson in 1898 and the "Long Island" a newer boat; the New England Steamship Company which runs the "Richard Peck" built in 1895, from Bridge- port to New York; and the Bridgeport Towing Line, with its boats-"Isis", "John Glen", "John W. Ferrett", "Evelyn R. Baker", and the tug "Ruth MacDonald". The Thames River Line carrying freight, also makes regular stops in Bridgeport.
Bridgeport today is not the shipping center it was 40 years ago. In 1897, no less than 18,572 vessels cleared the port.
Now, compare the following figures:
March 31, 1916, total of 15,238 vessels cleared the port.
Steamers and tow boats 6480
Canal boats and barges 1892
Sailing vessels 6834
Foreign vessels 32
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March 31, 1931, total of 9,154 boats cleared the port.
Steamers and tow boats
3236
Canal boats and barges
4886
Sailing vessels
1025
Foreign vessels
7
March 31, 1934, total of 4,336 vessels cleared the harbor.
Steamers and tugboats
3145
Canal boats and barges
1160
Sailing vessels
25
Foreign vessels
6
FIRST MILLS
Just when the first mill was erected in this com- munity is not known, although it is believed the date should be set within a few years of the first settlement here in 1639.
The mill, for grinding grain, was erected near the site of the present East End Coal and Oil Company at the foot of Hollister Avenue, on Johnson's Creek, known in the early days as Neseumpaw Creek. This was a tide-water mill and was still in operation in 1671.
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