USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The town and city of Waterbury, Connecticut, from the aboriginal period to the year eighteen hundred and ninety-five. Volume II > Part 10
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SARSFIELD. After the Irish patriot.
SCHOOL.
It runs in front of the High School. In the report of 1857 and afterward, the name was applied to Adams street. SCOVILL.
The Waterbury American of October 20, 1848, says: " Christened by Monsieur Braunfels, 'Scovill street,' and justly too." *
SECOND avenue. By Messrs. Smith and Benham, in 1853.
SEERY place.
After Thomas H. Seery, a resident.
SEVENTH.
By N. J. Welton.
SEYMOUR.
Seymour Adams owned the land. SILVER.
From the German-silver spoon factory (Rogers & Brother).
SIMONS. After A. B. Simons.
SIMONSVILLE (district). After A. B. Simons.
SIXTH. By N. J. Welton.
SOUTH.
It runs southward from Washington street. By Isaac Boughton, who owned the land.
SPARKS.
From a Sparks family, residents there. SPENCER avenue.
Opened through Willard Spencer's land.
SPERRY.
After Edwin Sperry, who lived there many years. It is in the report of 1857. SPRING.
" There were springs along the line of this street " (one of which was care- fully guarded by the Baldwin family for a century).
STARVIEW avenue.
It passes over high ground. STATE.
Next to Church street ("Church and state"?). Probably by S. W. Hall. In the report of 1857 it was named Bishop street.
STONE.
Probably topographical rather than personal. Quarry street is near it.
SUMACH.
By F. J. Kingsbury.
* Messrs. J. M. L. and W. H. Scovill opened this street through their own land. I do not know how much Braunfels had to do with the name. He, by the way, was a manufacturer of paper boxes, and an expert performer on the violin. His box shop was in one of the buildings removed to the street when it was opened , and he lived in a part of it .- F. J. K.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
SUMMER.
By J. B. Mullings .*
SUMMIT.
By J. C. Booth, who probably expected to extend it to high ground.
SUNNYSIDE avenue.
It has an " eastern exposure." By Dr. A. S. Blake.
TAYLOR.
From Samuel S. Taylor, a former resi- dent of Waterbury.
THIRD.
By N. J. Welton. The first of a numer- ical series, extending to Seventh. " First" and "Second " are avenues.
TRACY avenue.
The Tracy brothers owned the land.
TUDOR.
The family name of Mrs. G. L. Platt. Platt street crosses it.
UNION.
" For no especial reason" (Dr. Blake).
UNION square.
Named at a public meeting called by Dr. Blake. " They also named the old school-house ground ' Union square.'"
VALLEY VIEW park.
Overlooking the Naugatuck valley. By A. F. Abbott, in 1883.
VINE.
By F. J. Kingsbury. North Vine street, after Vine.
WALL.
Probably after Wall street in New WOLCOTT street.
York city. It was in the report of 1857. Wall avenue, after Wall street. WALNUT.
From a grove of hickory trees (in New England called walnut) on Dr. Jesse WOODLAWN terrace.
Porter's land. Walnut avenue, after Walnut street.
WARD.
For Peter Ward, by F. J. Kingsbury.
WASHINGTON avenue.
After Washington street. The name has superseded Burnham street and Dodd street, and (west of Bank street) Meadow lane.
WASHINGTON street.
After the " Father of his country." WATER.
It runs east from Great brook.
WATERVILLE street.
On the main road to Waterville.
WELTON avenue.
From J. C. Welton, a former resident of Rose Hill, under the brow of which it passes.
WELTON street.
From G. W. Welton, owner of the land. WESTSIDE Hill (district).
Originally "the west side-hill."
WESTWOOD (estate). By Israel Holmes (2d).
WILLARD avenue.
After Miss Frances E. Willard; by C. H. Cables.
WILLARD street.
After Willard Spencer.
WILLOW, North and South.
From a large willow tree in front of the old Johnson place, southwest cor- ner of North Willow and Johnson streets.
WILSON.
A. B. Wilson opened it before 1857. South Wilson, after Wilson, although not continuous with it.
On the road that leads to Wolcott. WOOD.
Opened by F. J. Kingsbury, alongside of a piece of woods.
By R. W. Hill.
YATES avenue. After a temperance lecturer; by C. H. Cables.
* Mr. Mullings writes: "Because the name sounded bright and cheerful. The land was a favorite play- ground when I was a boy."
89
ORIGIN OF THE STREET NAMES.
Such is the list of the street names of Waterbury. We have included in it all but ten or twelve of the streets, avenues, places, lanes and alleys of the city, and have been able to fur- nish some information concern- ing the naming of each one of them. Of the few omitted, there are four or five-namely, Gal- vin, Holohan, Lawlor, Merry and Riley lane-the origin of which, although not definitely known, is sufficiently obvious. The list as a whole invites close examination, and when we ana- lyze it and attempt a classifica- tion, its historical significance comes to view.
Of the entire series of names, over a hundred are names of persons. It is interesting to find that a large proportion of these are the names of promi- nent or well-known citizens, who have at some time lived in Waterbury or are perhaps still living. When we read such a list as the following, we learn how thoroughly the old family names of the town are incor- porated into our local history and have a kind of perpetuity guaranteed to them :
Abbott, Adams, Ashley, Ayres, Bald- win, Benedict, Benham, Bishop, Bron- son, Brown, Buckingham, Burton, Camp, Chambers, Chatfield, Chipman, Clark, Coe, Cole, Cooke, Cossett, Crane, Crosby, Dikeman, Edwards, Field, French, Fuller, Gilbert, Griggs, Hall, Harrison, Hayden, Holmes, Hopkins, Johnson, Judd, Kendrick, Kingsbury, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Lounsbury,
WATERBURY FROM THE ABRIGADOR, 1891. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY C. R. PANCOAST.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Magill, Mitchell, Platt, Porter, Sandland, Scovill, Spencer, Sperry, Taylor, Tracy, Welton, Wilson.
We cannot but notice the absence of some names which we should have expected to find, especially of the first settlers, and some we greatly regret to miss, particularly the honorable name of Southmayd; but upon the whole the record is a good one; the men who created and shaped the Waterbury of the nineteenth century are enshrined for all time (in such fashion as the method affords) in the nomenclature of our municipal life. It is curious to observe, at the same time, how some of these men are repre- sented by meaningless fragments of names; for example, J. C. Booth by John, Leonard Bronson by Leonard, A. C. Porter by Charles, and two or three also of the living in a similar way. More than a dozen of our streets are designated by "Christian " names, and we find on examination that most of them were given with a personal reference. Of personal names whose significance is to be looked for outside of Waterbury, we have Bidwell, Branch, Corner, Fisk and Randolph, and in addition we have our selection from that common stock of historical names upon which all communities draw when streets have to be named. Waterbury, it is evident, has not drawn upon it largely, for there are not a dozen, all told : Brewster, Clay, Columbus, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Lin- coln, Putnam, Sarsfield, Washington, Wolcott. We have, however, a few other names that are historical in a certain way : Concord and Lexington and Bunker Hill and Liberty (as commemorating an extinct political party); to which we may add Mattatuck, as pre- serving the original name of the town. Here also belong Abriga- dor and Manhan, and here also Dublin and Emerald, and State and Union.
Another group of names which becomes interesting as we examine it, consists of those that have items of local history hidden away in them. The most noteworthy of these are Canal and Mill, because the facts they represent are facts of the past rather than the present; but alongside of these we must place nine or ten others: Bank, Bridge, Chapel, Church, Hospital, Market, Park, Quarry, Rail- road, School, Wall and (although the connecting tie is obscured) Clock, Jewelry, Livery, Phoenix and Silver. Each of these, however awkward it may appear when masquerading as a street name, has some trace of local history concealed beneath it. The same may be said of some of our tree names. Our record shows that Alder, Cherry, Elm, Hickory, Pine, Walnut and Willow were suggested by topographical facts which are no longer conspicuous. And taking the entire list of topographical names, how much of the same mater-
9I
ORIGIN OF THE STREET NAMES.
ial we find in them! It is worth while to enumerate the more sig- nificant:
Brook, Cliff, Farm, Glen, Highland, Hill, Hillside, Ledgeside, Long Hill, Meadow, Oak Hill, Orchard, Pond, Ridge, Ridgewood, River, Riverside, Rock, Round Hill, Spring, Water, Wood, Woodlawn; Bellevue, Fairview, High, Niagara, Piedmont, Prospect, Starview, Sunnyside.
It is apparent that while the naming of our streets has been managed in quite the same hap-hazard fashion as in most com- munities, we have but few names that are purely fanciful. To our tree names, already referred to, we may "point with pride," for we have twenty-two of them, and such. names are always appropriate for the streets of a small city. Besides these we have scarcely any that are not in some way significant, and those that we have-Aurora, Crown, Court and Pearl-are certainly inoffensive. We must also regard the numerical names as inoffen- sive, however unæsthetic they may be; but it seems unfortunate that our numbered avenues should stop short with the Second, and that our brief series of numbered streets should begin with a Third. It is equally awkward to have an Avenue A, without at least one other alphabetical designation to follow it, and still more awkward, even in a community where "Hibernicisms" are to be looked for, to have four main streets rather than one. It seems curious also that the sign painter should have transformed most of our alleys into avenues, while a noble highway such as that which passes between Riverside cemetery and the river should still be known as a street .* These, however, are accidents that are liable to occur in any well-regulated community, and the historian has, upon the whole, very little to complain of as the miscellaneous record of the city's christenings unfolds itself before him. When we consider what a revelation a city makes, not only of its aesthetic develop- ment but of its moral status, by its local nomenclature, we feel that the naming of its streets ought to be a matter of grave considera- tion quite as much as the naming of its children. But when we remember how completely it is left to the dominion of accident or caprice we should rejoice that in Waterbury the results reached have been so rational and so respectable.
* Phoenix alley is called "avenue " in a city by-law as early as 1867 (see Charter and By-Laws, edition of 1868, p. 81), but in the same by-law Kendrick alley is still an alley. The transformation is said to have been initiated by changing Ay. to Av. on the sign-boards.
CHAPTER VII.
WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE-THE FIRST CONDUITS-PROTECTION FROM FIRE UNDER BOROUGH GOVERNMENT-PRIVATE SYSTEMS- THE REJECTED PROJECT OF 1856-SPRINGS OF BROWN & BROTHERS -CHARTER OF 1867-THE RESERVOIRS AND THEIR SOURCES- DAMS, PIPES, EXTENSIONS-COST OF THE WHOLE-PUMPING FROM MAD RIVER-LATER PROJECTS-THE NORTHERN SOURCE OF SUPPLY -ITS ADOPTION IN 1893-THE WORK IN 1894-IMPORTANCE OF SEWERAGE-THE ACT OF 1881-SEWER COMMISSIONERS-THE PLAN ADOPTED-THE WORK AS COMPLETED IN 1884-CITY ENGINEERS.
W ATERBURY in earlier days was by no means deficient in its water supply. Clear streams flowed over pebbly beds in places where now we find paved streets and electric railway tracks; and there are those who remember when Centre square, now shaded by stately elms, was a swamp, where in child- hood they gathered blue-flag if not lilies. Springs were numerous, and nearly every householder had one on his premises; but wells were in general use, and were the main dependence of the town during the first century of its existence, passing in successive periods through various forms, from the pliant pole dip and oak bucket to the more complex windlass, with crank and chains, and the ordinary pump.
The first attempt to obtain water for domestic uses by means of conduits was made sometime between 1800 and 1805. A spring was opened near the northeast corner of Grove and Willow streets, and water was conveyed to the premises of Bennet Bronson, John Kingsbury, Elijah Hotchkiss and others, on Willow and West Main streets.
In 1825 the village of Waterbury, following the well known pro- clivities of Connecticut villages, became an incorporated borough. With its newly acquired municipal strength there was still little activity in the way of public improvements; the code of by-laws was notably limited, each one being enacted only as occasion required. There was no official action in the matter of providing for the extinguishment of fires until 1830. In that year the first fire company was formed, in accordance with a vote passed by the wardens and burgesses, "that it was expedient to secure the citi- zens of the borough from damage by fire." The equipments of
93
THE WATER WORKS AND THE SEWERS.
this company, including probably the fire engine, were furnished by subscription. Water to supply the engine was taken from the nearest wells, cisterns and streams, and was carried in pails to fill the engine box. A few years later a pump well, for fire purposes, was built on West Main street at what is now the foot of Prospect street. As no mention is made of this well in the borough records, nor of one or two known to have been in use in other localities, they were doubtless built by private enterprise.
In 1844, the borough laid a tax for various purposes, one of which was to construct reservoirs, and appointed a committee to superintend the expenditure of the money raised by said tax. These reservoirs were presumably for fire purposes, and it is prob- able that the first reservoir at the east end of the Green, and the one on West Main street, between Holmes and Central avenues, were built at this time.
The hillsides near the centre of the borough abounding in springs that yielded sweet waters, small private water systems were easily constructed. In 1847, A. S. Blake laid pipes from a spring on Cooke street to his house on Grand, and furnished water for several other residences. In 1849, J. C. Booth and D. F. Maltby opened a spring at the upper end of Prospect street, which is now owned and used by F. J. Kingsbury. The same year J. M. L. and W. H. Scovill built the Long Hill aqueduct, a line of pipe conveying water from a spring in the northeastern part of the borough, near what is now Farm street, to the centre, by which the Scovill house and families in its vicinity were supplied .*
About this time there was an increasing demand for improved methods and a larger supply of water for the extinguishment of fires. Two or three borough meetings were held to consider "the purchasing of new fire engines and other fire apparatus," but the money for the estimated expense could not be raised either by tax or by subscription. A committee, however, was appointed to apply to the next General Assembly for a charter to form a water company, which should furnish the borough a full water supply. This charter, if applied for, was never granted. Meanwhile the number of private water systems continued to multiply, and the urgent needs of a more abundant supply for manufacturing and other business purposes became apparent. In 1852, the Scovill Manufacturing company conveyed water in pipes from a spring on Long hill, near Walnut street, to their factory on Mill street.
* There was a spring of most excellent water within a few feet of where the office of Dr. Bland, veter- inary surgeon, now is. I think that at one time it supplied a few families near Exchange place. I gathered water cresses in the stream that flowed from this spring after 1860 .- H. F. B.
94
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Other manufacturing companies increased their supplies in similar ways. The same year the borough made another attempt to obtain a larger supply, ostensibly for fire purposes, but the committee appointed to examine and consider the matter made no report.
Waterbury had outgrown borough government, and at a meeting of citizens it was voted to apply for a city charter, which, on application, was granted by the legislature in 1853.
The introduction of water into the city in such a manner and in such quantities as should furnish an adequate supply for all needs continued to be a subject of general agitation, the citizens feeling that they now had the power to act effectively as well as wisely. In 1854, larger projects for family use were undertaken by individuals. J. C. Booth and S. W. Hall purchased a spring in the northern part of the city, and built reservoirs from which they conveyed water to residences on Church street. Later a spring was opened further south, in a lovely bit of woodland bordering on Pine street, by H. W. Hayden. Both are still in use. This section of the town abounds in cool, sweet springs, which are utilized for household purposes by residents of Hillside avenue and vicinity.
In 1856, stimulated to action by the example of neighboring boroughs, the citizens called a meeting to discuss the water question and consider a plan proposed by some of the leading men of the town. A committee was appointed to investigate the practicability of the proposed plan, and report at a future meeting which they were authorized to call. Within a month the committee had completed their work, and called the meeting, which was largely attended; but to the surprise of the committee the meeting refused to hear any report whatever on the subject. Explanations and expostulations by the friends of the movement were of no avail; an adjournment sine die laid the matter aside temporarily.
In 1859, on application to the legislature, a charter was granted to N. J. Welton, F. L. Welton and John Osborn to take the water of any stream or spring west of the Naugatuck river, and lay pipes for the conveyance of the same to any desired point, for domestic and public uses. The works were built by John Osborn, and con- veyed with all chartered rights to Brown & Brothers. Later, Brown & Brothers bought land, opened springs and built reservoirs in the northern section of the city, near Cooke street, and furnished water for family and other uses.
On August 1, 1866, the Court of Common Council, having listened to a forcible presentation of the subject in an address by Mayor Rockwell, appointed a committee (in which two prominent members of the committee of 1856 were included) to make the investigations
95
THE WATER WORKS AND THE SEWERS.
necessary for carrying out the project of obtaining a good and abundant water supply. The city, situated within a long, narrow basin of elevated watersheds, flanked by wooded hills, had admir- able advantages for obtaining an ample supply by gravitation, and its steep, neighborly declivities afforded unusual facilities for easy and rapid transmission. The committee, after a thorough examina- tion of the three principal sources within reasonable distance of the city (Quassapaug lake, Hancock brook and an East Mountain stream), and a careful consideration of the Artesian well system, unanimously recommended the East Mountain brook, the same source of supply which the committee of 1856 were prepared to recommend. In January, 1867, the Common Council accepted their recommendation, and on March 2 of the same year it was accepted by the legal voters of the city. Another committee was also appointed to examine and report to a future meeting of citizens certain matters of detail, namely, the amount of watershed, size of springs, reservoirs and dams, size and length of pipes and estimated cost of the entire work. This committee made their report on March 18, which was accepted, and a committee of ten appointed to apply to the legislature for a charter, and for power to issue bonds of the city of Waterbury, not to exceed the sum of $150,000, for the purpose of raising the money necessary to pay the costs of the pro- posed works. A charter was granted giving the right to take streams, lands, etc., and to issue the necessary bonds, but with a clause making it valid only on its acceptance by the voters of the city. A meeting held May 27, 1867, resulted in a majority of 623 in favor of the act, 879 having voted for it, and 256 against it .* The charter provided that the Common Council should elect the first board of water commissioners, and N. J. Welton, F. J. Kings- bury, J. W. Webster and A. S. Chase were elected for one year. On May 30, 1867, the board was duly organized, N. J. Welton being elected president and engineer in charge of the works. McRee Swift, an experienced hydraulic engineer of New York, was subse- quently called in consultation.
The engineers having perfected their plans, the board of water commissioners presented them to the Common Council on June 17. The plans were approved, and on July II the contract for building the two dams was awarded to Messrs. Martin & Shey, and that for furnishing and laying pipes, furnishing and setting fire hydrants, etc., to George H. Norman of Newport, R. I. The dams are of earthwork, with puddled walls in the centre. That of the dis- tributing reservoir is 262 feet long, twenty-five feet high, fourteen
* See Chapter III, p. 42, for additional statements by the Hon. S. W. Kellogg.
96
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
feet wide on top and 100 feet and six inches at bottom. The reser- voir covers a surface of three acres; its greatest depth is twenty feet and its capacity is eight million gallons; its elevation above Centre square is 225 feet. The dam of the DISTRIBUTING RESERVOIR. main, or storage reservoir is 360 feet long, thirty feet high, four- teen feet wide on top and 119 feet at bottom. This reservoir covers a water surface of about thir- ty - five acres; its
greatest depth is twenty-five feet and.its capacity is one hundred mill- ion gallons.
COOKE STREET RESERVOIR (SEE PAGE 98).
On January 2, 1868, the lower dam being completed, and eight miles of pipe ready for trial, water was let into the pipes with the most satisfactory results. The contract for dams and that for pipe laying, which was for twelve miles of wrought iron and cement, main and distribution, and one mile of service pipe, setting gates, hydrants, etc., was completed in July, 1868. In June the city had authorized the laying of four miles of additional pipe and the set- ting of several more gates and fire hydrants. This work, under con- tract to George H. Norman, was finished in October of the same year.
The appropriation for the first contract was $150,000, and the cost of the work $147,725. The appropriation for the second, for pipe
97
THE WATER WORKS AND THE SEWERS.
laying, etc., was $25,000, the cost $23,792. The appropriations were made in accordance with the estimates of the board of water com- missioners, and, as is seen, more than covered costs,-a result not usual in municipal affairs.
East Mountain brook, the source of the city water supply, rises in clear mountain springs, and before it was appropriated to its pres- ent use, flowed over meadow lands for some distance to where the upper dam now is, and thence over a rough and rocky bed, with a descent of 175 feet, to the site of the lower dam. Chemical analysis of the water shows it to be of more than average purity. Its excel- lent quality is fully appreciated when it is compared with that of other cities.
Extensions were made an- nually in accordance with the needs of a rapidly increas- ing population. As early as 1876 it be- came apparent that an auxiliary res- ervoir must be built, to supply families on the high grounds, for the use of
THE PROSPECT RESERVOIR, 1881.
THE EAST MOUNTAIN RESERVOIR (SEE PAGE 95).
the city in case of accident to the main pipe, and as a reserve in case of an extensive conflagration. In 1879, the city bought the north section of the water works built and owned by Brown &
7
98
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Brothers, and the lands and rights necessary for the construction of the proposed auxiliary reservoir. This, known as the Cooke street reservoir, was built and connected with the main system in 1880. The dam is of earthwork, the elevation is the same as that of East Mountain, and its capacity is ten million gallons. On several occasions the entire city has been furnished tempo- rarily from this reservoir, a fact showing the wisdom of the com- missioners in thus providing more than one means of distribu- tion. Had a fire occurred on either of these occasions the value of the Cooke street reservoir would have been made patent to all citi- zens. The necessity of immediately increasing the storage capacity of the water works having become evident, a mill privilege, with a small store of water and certain lands adjacent, was purchased in 1880 and connected by a twelve inch pipe with the main storage reservoir. Three years later, the old dam having been removed, a new dam was built of solid masonry, twenty-three feet high and 250 feet in length. The reservoir is at an elevation of fifty-five feet above the main storage, and has a capacity of sixty-seven mil- lion gallons. It is in the town of Prospect and is known as the Prospect reservoir.
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