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 III > Part 41
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the waiter. When therefore, bes Husband I can't kiss you if you don't s. ke me is was a mystical, an umeren power thaif Sompdf, and printed Mascript af wave prished at sea-when, without support, your lap.' I sat down and she was soon westand i say, I am on a better world ; st men shall live, no full of sul web per ar hout hope, she found herself reduced to upon my bares. The mether seesing this, I was not the eternal sleep of death succeed into the same grave with the is por chable poverty and wichness, the determined in raised how eyes to heaven as of in prayer. ing life's fitfed fever, but the dawning of a badics. It was a bright thought of #1 4 - . Her . verveling, . den de un itself, rather As for myself, I felt that the decisive uns- ja ful day.
reader, the fault is in the telling. We had | without writing to me-without pidoning me-which would doubtless have bodu very
went had arined, and I'based my heart in| " From that moment suy brother's child able to ask if the proof of his last . triple steel. . What this woman and was nice. To her I have devoted my! were carecen "-" all corrected?' " You this child to me ?' thought 1; . I am under "; lars guys have been my jays, her ses- „!)."* * Thec I shall have . complete Filitid ku glory." no obligation to sus Pau them-they have pas ase bron my sorrows. Oh, has, teles, so long and much I use is that child, for she has made unsery. She had a child, a lovely luule
ing Rooms to an appeasing of the Alene den column al St. Peterdouce, and a entrourail
istated, in a work recently polished of
" We cannot con boy, timidity," said ese ; "nature has made us buld or unid, and so we ir nrain."
I gave myselfoff the excel ect ir ysuns thi love of self can bring so triumphantly intn" the field. My resolution case taken, I to. assorines sich entrance to ple sauce and sulved to be firm, and culto my aula consulein rides affection, are centered in savage frown, f looked steadily nt de thy nave il fiend. When the stroke of She made the avowal to her physician, a child. Sho two looked at my face s'gadus adversity falls oyun us, the sympathy of a gond and charitable man, who had already perceived the real disease of his patient to how she could bread th us h the sea tage and boldly, and appeared in ou considering tous led the suny ball is heaviness. When the wild mondesstands not mean be poverty, but who had been able in spara part bchsind which I was enteri eur l. At, ing ordi achats brid motives to what are but small and insufficient and, for he was last throwing her little as's aray. I my only all judged neurone, we think, (with
meg, time of the
" Just as she has given os a cold or un erdent temporanient," added another; "we Caro gamblers or we h+ e „ imbling ; Inclined ito vice of lovers of virtue-everything des Inearly at pour as tuas patient. The phy-
man, and theairnoden deag hia bolo body midler the onion mas d' de which must have crashed him 1. almanya A Rusting cirganger, sering the estome' danger, caught up his karcher, and noord the arm of ihn wierer ats Fber Th rubles. Deck she said in her erl'h .. errom , what supbe mn those yum have request sittans of the poor possess every talent but . Will you be my page, va I at have you cured the fucking alone can tell.) there is that of young paid for their services. so good, if he du lok crop. I want an ad these aber fichier front we have sought to gena, an annual prason ul fre hundred, -are you good tuo ' Icanuut dos nbe arn, wo i selinaed in the mulet of per dit- to you the touching ring of the adhes age word: " there pour who loves me Inthat was rendered to the buqueet, share It so ! you look just like my char pop- mag who ki wa wo lever, When woond. In quely recommend, and for posted was the race licos man who look Upon him- sometimes he looked cross low, but he was ed, sh Led, est back into the distance by settled open both ofrer i malow ser soll to write om, and on my arrival at Mar- sedlles he was at the dilligence office. As I had not repla d to his letter, he souposed in his simplicity that I would come of appeal ; yes i inkered as, but making & aa!" And afin armed with the war- course, and from day to day had wanted strong ofort is keep a stegn and small- les of the Bold, and ask of the harsh un they can't tal for " for me. Generous hearts are alw iss thus, ing aspect, I rudely madlooped her inthe same is no f sights, se returns to the case they judge tom themselves and breve in arms from around my mich and ais ·Renben, what no easth did you itred "" Kos, I wanted to hear bor squof codi goudarss. He lastened to our, saying, word in reply placed heroyou are four br. hoppas, pues, in a sale, sweet garden of Big bang & # made, De test aller a la show her teeth, mecher."
discussed the weather, the success of the last now piece, the nereus of this and of that beadstrung, not very wiso, and not at all author, the law of copyright-every thing in short, and sulfeeling the bugides, when Aufge ono spake of the first appearance on the wage of an actress, a very young girl. wie, it was said, stoud motionless, voice- less, and to all appearance hicless, before that mavy-headed suntler, the audience. The conversation, in consequence, touk a -- Poisphysical torn.
christiauly-but she was not alone in her' no lawful claims-ays
so patientty cfood mine, tes, mina me ei dam ! This precious ryan, like! ei, who lay on the miserable bed with her alone-the future' dark and full of un- give me drops on the unopened bud, apeu- dying mother, enduring the pains of hun- certainly -do give away a just isen wouldn't my heart, and made me a happier, and, gur with the restguation of an angel, and be imprudent would be fun. In short just, a butter man." daily wasting away. My sister though ob- stinate, yet loved her chill with a mother's True Friespoure .- All the endearing during lovo, and she soun saw that if she Would save her hle, an effort must be made to sufien the heart of the cruel brother .-
(ud wos the Gun printer ! He pete
Smat, the tibles of our in the printed the mind uf tind' thi frid's;be! of all murit low, and the class of the and Ood upog ull.
Priming ! the one that shall band down
pied a bio -yetech me in torn mas way his say, existing tome trie of aimable- Dass, or cleverness, or show his power of recione drop in prest. Sometimes An
Đợt was shot, but đầu sotel. My sister- HI-la WAS A Wittvo uf Ninmandy, which moins, as every body know, that she was afraid, when canning chose is me, sie truk death lad making to me of the terrible to latest years, to comest podeny, Io proud, virtuous, and ess ochly headstrong, was to the hand. would in the form of her of the applies to In her last words, in her. mother's beć, and in .in ...
"the car tell me mary well, for he as sure if an indulgent audience. Two days ago I happened to ha ir a little atuty in this gece . room,which, though plan and sunpir, win -
green room ? Why e room vente (went)
les square, where from us o'clock want hevet, beautiful eyes, and an entire absence will dry up your tears, and water you love aword tos de 's child wood ingarlf, the vermi- of ready cash. To this letter I had re- get his former unworthinesscly open ed su Pify the freshness of the breeze, phod-" You are in love, and would marry , ham, for he will be ati her to v & cad ," when he, hand convaliv. Is grasped mine a girl who has the rare merit of being, but I said no such thing- i had to our land I would youkly towards her. There! power than yourself. Br happy if you wish, to fy. Oh washig of the golden was an expression of calin serenity in her con, but factsmen ourselves, I will just say calf, hus Amy-howard, boa stormen . be, as hard to me. ' Your kindness makes us ! While this une ceiled he's to doar brother, has made the close of my bf | !
.walt wished mercurio of the personalen 12 I hand sworn to love and clo ich, but every temple of cruce, com odique det my I gus were not to be leclives
stend to solicitation, but this a with distans hoy Men of too long duration ; the
You ask'll Ha why the poor complain
Translated from the French. THE TEAR DROP.
THE AMERICAN.
TERNE.
-------- -
fotosaw that colay would be a sentence of frightfully pale, then a single ton u led
I had not the minimumity in way it was change, sudden and cand. come over me
-my greedy avatice, and brut Longues, che fren should be os findich as to throw his way to Lieth, one Morning, Www . to he thiterre ? ? WI was. but would pass appeared to me in the as string de una- jeg stones, and te chobits, and clubs spin man in hidden-grey, a cost cuentry for-
the trees, tenhoin down the fruttamit they never ; he about him caramelle by the hood.
" Did you love ! It's a.ton.shing low much starter my children are thon orket people's."
FIRST NUMBER OF THE WATERBURY "AMERICAN;" 18 by 12 INCHES.
vorhin with cơ showing hươngithết and hạngh ct ona the perry
That
salt, 'u will be on dig of happiness is Love the great noiteslying in math ved
PRINTING.
97I
THE AMERICAN AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.
porting a paper so near home," and said that "knowing them to contain a highly intelligent and consequently reading community, we have based the success of our enterprise upon it." His purpose was declared to be to make "a good family newspaper," and he made this pledge:
In party politics we shall not mingle, but shall endeavor to give a true statement of passing events in the political world, leaving all to form their own opinions of different parties and their measures. We shall also exercise a like neutrality in all religious matters.
Seven numbers of the paper were issued by Mr. Giles, but the eighth number, published February 1, 1845, announced that Edward B. Cooke had bought an interest and that the firm would hereafter be known as Cooke & Giles, Mr. Cooke to have charge of the edi- torial department. The advertising patronage in this eighth num- ber had grown to two and one-half columns, and a column of local items in a characteristic vein showed that Mr. Cooke had already taken hold. There was also an address to his readers, exhibiting plainly the strong and original character of the man who for thirty years impressed his personality upon the paper, during which he attained in Connecticut journalism, by right of long service and wide influence, the title of "Father " Cooke. He was also familiarly called the Nestor of the Connecticut press.
The address began by saying that " anterior circumstances having placed beyond his election to originate a course of his own, the editor is not disposed to clash with or to subvert the preliminary position assumed by his colleague in the outset, so far as a political neutrality is concerned." But, " though nominally occu- pying a neutral position, it does not follow as a matter of course that we should be ndifferent spectators to what is going on around us." To " hold no sympathies n common with our fellow citizens " would be " as revolting to our ideas as public ournalists as dishonorable to our personal independence-ridiculous and nugatory n theory-and would justly subject us to the scorn of all liberal minded men of whatever political creed." It was the purpose "so to adapt and discipline our ourse that even while discussing controversial subjects we lose not sight of moder- tion, frankness and a due regard for the opinions of others." But on certain issues f " vital interest" he declared it to be impossible that he "should passively stand loof and see them assailed without opposing a manly resistance." Foremost mong these issues " stands the protective principle, as applied to American indus- y, the great bulwark erected between us as a nation and the sweeping influx of for- ign capital and labor." "We shall speak out boldly on this head," he declares, should occasion demand it."
The address is so full of the man who wrote it that it contains he essence of the principles, the policy and the literary style which haracterized the American for more than a quarter of a century, and s in itself an epitome of its history during that time. Its closing
972
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
paragraph is interesting for its suggestion of future growth, some- thing of which he lived to wonder at, but the realization of which already far exceeds his imaginings:
No one has witnessed the rise and progress of this our flourishing village with feelings of more pride and complacency than our humble self. From an unthrifty and decayed notoriety of some thirty years reminiscency, the establishment of an inconsiderable factory or two acting as a nucleus, the foundation was laid upon which has since arisen the magnificent superstructure-now laying all our water courses under contribution, devouring the surplus produce of the farmer, and giving fair and profitable employment to additional thousands of industrious and thriving people-and the march is still onward. Who among our early contemporaries could have anticipated the stupendous transformation? Who among the compan- ions of our boyhood, as we were skating on the bosom of the site now occupied by the edifice in which this sheet is issued, looked forward to the splendid results which have since crowned the well-directed industry and enterprise which has characterized the bold and successful operations of our prominent men of business? Who could have pictured to his mind's eye the city-like air now given to our streets, the public and private buildings, and the various appointments which constitute the great whole? It is, indeed, a substantial transformation never dreamed of in our juvenile philosophy.
The history of a weekly newspaper at the period when the Amer- ican was established is a record of unimpressive and inconspicu- ous existence. The newspaper was, in a far less important degree than it came afterward to be, a chronicle of local events and an index of the history of the day. Its own story can be told in a monotonous record of mechanical growth and changes in personnel, illuminated by occasional glimpses through their writings into the minds of the men who made it. But its slow and steady growth in influence, the development of its mental and moral power, its acquirement of character, individuality, authority and recognition as a force in the community, is almost imperceptible and eludes analysis. The time and the measure of its progress can only be fixed at periods when the occasion tested its powers and revealed its capacity.
The firm of Cooke & Giles was changed to E. B. Cooke & Co. after June 6, 1846, when Joseph Hurlburt purchased the interest of Mr. Giles. A year or two previous the office had been moved into the basement of the old Episcopal church on East Main street, on the site now occupied by St. Patrick's hall, and shortly afterward it was removed to Gothic hall. On January 1, 1850, the paper was enlarged, and the editor was able to announce that during the five years since its establishment the population and business of the village had nearly doubled, and that the American was outranked in size by only three papers in the state.
973
THE AMERICAN AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.
In May, 1853, the counting room and office were removed to the second floor of Hotchkiss (now Irving) block, though the printing continued to be done in Gothic hall. On January 1, 1856, George L. Townsend was admitted to partnership with Messrs. Cooke & Hurlburt, the firm name continuing to be E. B. Cooke & Co. Mr. Cooke was the editor-in-chief, Mr. Townsend, who was in charge of the business department, was also an editorial writer, and Mr. Hurlburt was at the head of the mechanical department. In April, 1851, Isaac A. Mattoon had purchased an interest in the paper, but remained a partner only a year. He continued, however, to be foreman of the job printing department until the formation of the American Printing company in 1868.
On January 1, 1860, the American was again considerably enlarged by the lengthening of its columns, and was clothed in a dress of new type. The editor, as usual, expresses gratitude for support and prosperity, and although he promises, as before, that the paper should be independent, "being pledged to no political party," yet he says, "We shall keep our readers advised in regard to national and state matters, endeavoring to do justice to all, with- out regard to favor or prejudice." "These are exciting times," he continues, "party spirit runs high; important questions are before the people; and to ignore political subjects altogether would be like the anomaly of enacting the play of 'Hamlet' with Hamlet left out." During this trying period of the country's history the paper was stronger and more aggressive on political questions than it had ever been before, and exerted a powerful local influence on public opinion in support of the war for the Union. As a newspaper it developed with the rapidity which characterized northern journal- ism during the war, the full resources of newsgatherers and edi- torial writers being stimulated by the deep popular interest and the insatiable demand for information and intelligent comment. It was early in this period-on January 1, 1862-that the office was removed into what was then called the American building, on the corner of West Main and Leavenworth streets, and for the first time the three departments of- the concern, which included a bindery, maintained for only a short time, were brought under one roof.
At the close of 1863, in announcing its purposes for the next year, the American declares itself "committed to no sect or party, out at the same time an unflinching supporter of the government ind its measures, till the rebellion is overthrown and the Union 'estored." Prosperity attended its efforts to such a degree that on january 1, 1866, the paper was again enlarged.
974
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
On May 22, of the same year, the increasing importance of the town and the newspaper was recognized by the first issue of a daily morning edition. It was a four-page paper, each page being twenty by twelve inches in size, and was a clean and handsome sheet. The salutatory was modest and even doubtful: " We have thought it ad- visable to place the daily before the people at the earliest moment it could be done, even if we do so under many unforeseen disadvan- tages. We enter upon the enterprise in good faith, with a deter- mination to succeed if within our power and if we are as ade- quately supported as we hope to be. We are aware that it is a great undertaking, involving us in several thousand dollars' addi- tional expense to begin with, and large outlays from day to day. .
Had we not been convinced that our city needed a daily, and that the interests of the business portion of our population would be advanced to a large degree by such a publication, as well as those of the adjacent towns, we should not have attempted it. To sustain the enterprise we shall endeavor to do our part, looking to the hearty support of the mercantile, business and other por- tions .of the community for a liberal patronage. . . As the
daily offers a wider field for increasing the variety of useful as well as miscellaneous reading, and a more extended scope for notic- ing what transpires of importance throughout the world, we shall endeavor to keep up with the times, sparing no pains to place the paper among the best journals of its class, and, as we increase in patronage, add to our dimensions as occasion may require. The present size of the daily is larger than that of the weekly American when it was commenced, and which has been four times enlarged. We trust the same prosperity will attend our new enterprise." There was a good assortment of general news and miscellaneous reading, but the local news was deficient according to modern stand- ards .* By June 4 the publisher was a little discouraged by the fail- ure of the enterprise to become a big paper, full of advertising, all at once, and remarked editorially that now was the time for friends of the daily to show their interest. By June 9, however, he had become reassured on one hand at least : "We are satisfied with our increas- ing circulation. It promises to be all that could be desired. But we are not satisfied about our advertising. Our people have not yet learned that advertising is the life of trade." They soon learned the lesson, and they and the city and the newspaper have profited by it. The labors incident to the publication of a daily
* The most ambitious article in this first number was on " The Character of Abraham Lincoln as Seen in His Official Life," by Russell W. Ayres, a prize essay awarded in competition to a member of the sophomore class at Yale (see page 811). William Patton, the bookseller, had nearly a column of spicy advertisements, and it may be remarked that these advertisements of his were for years a feature of the American.
975
THE AMERICAN AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.
paper soon called for more editorial workers, and in the early sum- mer of 1866, D. B. Lockwood was brought from Bridgeport with fresh brain fuel for the new enterprise, and remained also the fol- lowing year. On December 2, 1867, George W. Cooke took the office of assistant editor, a position which involved considerable labor and responsibility, owing to the declining strength of the editor-in- chief .*
The firm of E. B. Cooke & Co., which was still composed of E. B. Cooke, Joseph Hurlburt and George L. Townsend, was now, after a long association, about to be broken up, first by the death of the two younger men, and then by the organization of a new corpora- tion to relieve the venerable chief of the increased burdens. Joseph Hurlburt died October 7, 1866, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, having been connected with the publication of the American for nearly twenty-two years. Mr. Cooke wrote of him editorially:
The relation which the deceased so long bore to the writer was an important and responsible one, he having the control of the mechanical department of our extensive establishment, for which he was pre-eminently qualified by his practical knowledge and skill, his elegant taste in all that pertained to his profession, his accuracy and good judgment. It is not too much to say that the prestige which the printing department, under his care, has acquired, was mainly due to his supe- rior knowledge in the typographical art, which he always classed as one of the fine arts. With him what was worth doing at all in that line must be well done, even if it caused delay, so scrupulous was he in all that related to his profession, of rwhich he was an ornament. But these were not all his qualifications. He was a man of sound judgment, rather slow in his conclusions, but generally correct and faithful in his convictions. Unobtrusive in his manners and somewhat reserved, outside of the intercourse of his business associations he was comparatively but little known; yet he had sterling qualities as a man and citizen, was upright in his dealings, was attached to the place of his adoption, took a lively interest in its pros- perity and was ever ready to bear his portion of its burdens. He was of a kind disposition, attached to his friends, and was reliable in his intercourse with his fel- low men.
Nearly two years later Mr. Cooke also wrote the obituary of his still younger partner, George L. Townsend, who had been connected with the American for seventeen years. The veteran editor said:
* A thing that constantly impresses itself upon the seeker through these old newspaper files is he part the people take in making the newspaper. The letters are half of it, often the best half. They eem to write not alone because they have something to 'say, but because they want to say it well. They eem to have leisure to think, to write carefully, to adorn their thoughts with poetry and Latin, and to take ride in the composition itself. There is a delightfully quaint flavor of wit and mirth and neighborliness bout these old letters which speaks well for the public spirit, the breeding and the "schooling " of those who ere here before us. People then were not parts of a great organized machine. The individual was of impor- ince, and the things that interested one interested the others, and he took time to tell about it and to tell it 3 well as he could. These communications are signed by a variety of pseudonyms and initials, some of them imiliar to the Waterbury of to-day, others that can easily be guessed, others that tempt possibly to bad uessing. It makes one almost wish for the old days when the people had time to follow literary pursuits, ad the editor had space to gratify them and make his readers his contributors as well.
976
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Sad to think that we, at the age of three score years and ten, are spared to write the obituary of our junior. Words can hardly express our sorrow at the loss of our late friend and associate with whom we so long labored side by side; and we cheerfully bear testimony to his uniform kindness and fidelity, together with those with whom he was connected in business. He was of a social and genial disposition and had the good will of those with whom he came in contact. As a member of the craft he was deservedly popular. Taken all in all, few men in the community will be more missed than he. He leaves as a legacy a reputable name and a fragrant memory that will not soon fade away.
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