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 45
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The Waterbury Journal was established in 1856 for the purpose of advocating General John C. Fremont as a presidential candidate, and its editorial management was entrusted to Robert W. Wright (see page 995). At the conclusion of the campaign an effort was made to establish it permanently, in the interests of the Demo- cratic party. Mr. Wright remained with it for about a year there-
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after, when the management was assumed by Edward Tucker, previously a foreman of the mechanical department, who changed its name.
The Semi-Weekly Democrat-successor to the Waterbury Journal- was issued from 1857 to the autumn of 1858, when it was suspended because of financial embarrassment.
The Daily Chronicle was issued in 1865 by Monroe & Miller, backed by some radical Republicans who did not consider the American sufficiently partisan. The life of the Chronicle was very brief (a few months), the lines upon which it was conducted being distasteful to the conservative element of the community, and its personalities alienating the support of those who otherwise might have helped it. The material was turned over to the firm of E. B. Cooke & Co., publishers of the Weekly American, and the daily edition of that paper was thereupon begun.
The Naugatuck Valley Messenger was first issued in the spring of 1860 by Josiah Giles, the founder of the American, who had estab- lished a job printing office some two years before, and purchased at auction the mechanical outfit of the defunct Democrat. The firm name of the publishers was J. C. Coon & Co. Mr. Coon, who was from Michigan, was editor and ostensibly a partner. He soon retired from the firm, and the paper was continued by Josiah Giles & Son, until the occurrence of the fire which destroyed the frame building of White & Wells on Bank street, the south portion of which was occupied by the Messrs. Giles.
1 The Valley Index was first issued on June 18, 1869. It was a weekly newspaper and was published for three years by George W. Cooke (page 274), Isaac A. Mattoon and Orrin A. Robbins. The paper was Republican and was very well patronized, its circulation reaching about a thousand copies. On July 12, 1872, Eben Winton became the owner and editor, and under his management the paper became Democratic. From this time onward it underwent frequent changes. On December 6, 1873, Mr. Winton sold it to Frank D. Hallett. On August 28, 1874, Mr. Hallett sold it to John M. Hopson, who conducted the paper until the spring of 1878, when he sold it to Bridgman & Gay. They changed the name to Waterbury Index, and in 1879 sold it to G. P. Mayhew, who in February, 1880, sold it to L. H. Porter. Mr. Porter published the last number of the Index in March, 1880. It was succeeded by the Waterbury Monitor.
The Waterbury Monitor was a weekly paper and was first issued by L. H. Porter, in April, 1880. It was the immediate successor of the Waterbury Index and published from the same plant. Mr. Porter
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sold to J. Henry Morrow in November, 1880, who soon discontinued the Monitor and brought out the Independent.
The Waterbury Independent, a weekly, was published by J. Henry - Morrow, first on April 29, 1881, and was discontinued July 13, 1881, to be succeeded by the Waterbury Republican (see page 988).
The Weekly Examiner appeared for the first time as a Waterbury paper in 1884. It was rather an advertising circular, issued each week for the benefit of Waterbury merchants, than a journal pos- sessed of influence and with a well defined policy. It numbered only thirty regular subscribers, and was free to advertisers and tradespeople. Late in 1884, after it had passed through several hands, it occurred to M. J. Brzezinski, who was then working at the carpenter's trade, that it might be turned to good account as a weekly paper devoted principally to the interests, rights and duties of working men. He became its proprietor and applied himself exclusively to the building up of a journal which should have influence in the sphere he had selected for it. Devoted to the cause of labor, the Examiner at once filled a place in Waterbury journalism which had not hitherto been occupied.
M. J. Brzezinski is a native of Poland, and was for a time a student at the University of St. Petersburg. Upon the failure of the Polish insurrection, in 1863, he was exiled by the despotism of Rus- sia, along with thousands of his countrymen, to Siberia, under a twelve years' sentence. After a year and a half in the Siberian mines he found an opportunity to escape. Leaving Tobolsk, he travelled over 1500 miles on foot to Moscow, and went from there to St. Petersburg, Copenhagen and Paris, and finally landed in New York. In Paris he learned the trade of cabinet maker. He came to Waterbury in 1869, and until 1884, when he purchased the Examiner, worked at his trade, at which he is reputed to have been proficient. In 1888, although his party was in a hopeless minority, he accepted its nomination as the "labor" candidate for state comptroller. In 1892, he was a state delegate to the Labor com- mittee which met in Omaha on July 4, of that year, and which nominated Wheeler as its candidate for president.
The Examiner is a " free lance " among newspapers, always out- spoken in its utterances, and bound to no creed either of church or state. Its field is a unique one, and it fills it in a unique manner.
The New England Wochenblatt was a weekly paper published in German. The first number was issued November 21, 1885, and the ast on May 21, 1887. It was published by a joint stock corporation, see page 446) composed of forty-two stockholders. Daniel Kiefer 63
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was president of the corporation and Franz Dietmeier (page 823) was editor of the paper. It was Republican in politics.
The Brooklyn Observer, a seven-column folio, was issued by Henry W. H. Satchwell (see page 982) on May 15, 1886. It was well received and favored with the patronage of the best citizens. It was a clean, up-to-date, family newspaper, and its suspension was regretted by its patrons. The following, quoted from the issue of November 12, 1887, explains its discontinuance:
We have decided upon this course for several reasons, the principal one of which is, to prevent possibly serious results from failing health, caused by care, anxiety and long hours of labor. We reluctantly make this announcement, and regret the necessity of such a step, but are compelled to yield to the force of cir- cumstances. We wish, in conclusion, to make it clearly understood that in bringing the Observer to a close we do so from purely personal and business reasons; that our relations have been cordial and friendly with our patrons, con- tributors and brother journalists, and that our thanks are due to the public gen- erally, even though our efforts to cover a field hitherto unoccupied have failed, through uncontrollable circumstances, of the desired attainment.
The Sunday Herald was first issued on February 19, 1888, from an office in Holohan's block on South Main street. It was published by the Herald Publishing company, of which Frederick R. Swift was president, George M. Simonson treasurer, and J. W. Dickerson secretary. Early in the history of the paper Mr. Swift purchased the entire stock and is now the sole owner. In April, 1890, the office was removed to the Lilley block on Bank street. For a time Danbury and Meriden editions were printed in Waterbury, and were delivered in the other cities by pony express, and later by a special train. Down the Naugatuck valley its circulation was stead- ily pushed, and on April 13, 1890, a special Bridgeport edition was issued from a branch office in that city. In 1891 the entire mechan- ical plant was removed to Bridgeport, and on June 13 all the edi- tions of the paper were issued for the first time from a central office in that city. In the latter part of 1892 the Herald removed to a new building, constructed expressly for it, on Middle street, Bridgeport.
The Waterbury Anzeiger was a weekly paper, printed in German, containing four pages of six columns each. The publisher and editor was Henry Loether. The first number was issued April 1, 1889 ; its publication was suspended April 1, 1890.
The Waterbury Neue Zeitung is a weekly paper, printed in Ger- man, containing eight pages of seven columns each. Its publisher and editor is Henry Loether. It was first published on April I, 1890, and took the place of the Anzeiger, suspended on that date.
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THE AMERICAN AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS.
The Waterbury Saturday Gazette was first issued on December 15, 1888. It was a small sheet, containing five columns to the page. The editor and publisher was Frank W. Wheeler. It was discon- tinued after two numbers were issued.
Town Talk was begun by William H. Jackson on September 17, 1892, and its weekly publication was continued through several numbers. It was illustrated and was devoted chiefly to local mat- ters, which were treated in a humorous and satirical vein.
The Waterbury Sunday Globe was issued first on May 14, 1893. Its founder was Christopher F. Downey. It has eight pages of six columns each. Its first managing editor was Edward B. Louns- bury, and its first business manager Louis J. Carder. Subsequently Mr. Downey took full charge as editor and publisher, and is now the practical head of the paper in all departments. The Globe is independent in politics and is devoted chiefly to the publication of local news.
R. W. WRIGHT.
Robert William Wright, son of Stephen Wright, was born at Ludlow, Vt., February 22, 1816. He graduated at Yale college in 1842. He studied law while teaching in Boston, and was admitted to the bar in 1845, after which he removed to the west and prac- ticed his profession in different places. He opened an office in Waterbury in 1856, but was chiefly employed during the first year of his stay here (as related above) in the editorship of the Water- bury Journal. In 1857 he was the city attorney, a justice of the peace and a member of the board of education, and in 1858 was elected judge of probate. He subsequently removed to New Haven, and resided there and in Cheshire and at the west.
Mr. Wright's attainments as a lawyer were respectable, but his tastes were literary rather than professional, and after he left Waterbury his life was mostly spent in literary work. He was a writer of considerable ability, and besides editing various newspa- pers at different times, was a contributor to the magazines and an author of books. He wrote a work entitled, "Life, its True Gene- sis," which was intended as a refutation of the doctrine of evolu- tion. It was published in New York in 1880, and went into a second edition in 1884. The second volume of Papers of the New Haven Colony Historical Society contains an article by him on the Poetry and Poets of Connecticut. In Allibone's Dictionary of Authors (supplement to Volume II) the following productions are also attributed to his pen:
The Church Knaviad; or Horace in West Haven. £ By Horatius Flaccus. (In verse.) New Haven, 1864.
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The Vision of Judgment; or the South Church: Ecclesiastical Councils Viewed from Celestial and Satanic Standpoints. By Quevedo Redivivus, Jr. New York, 1867.
The Pious Chi-Neh; or, a Veritable History of the great Election Fraud. Done into verse by U. Bet. 1872.
Mr. Wright died at Cleveland, O., on January 9, 1895.
PAPERS REPRESENTING SPECIAL INTERESTS.
The first number of The Waterbury was issued in July, 1887, from the New York office of the Waterbury Watch company. It was at this date that the com- pany discontinued selling to all dealers outside of the retail watch trade, and the paper has since that time been sent regularly to every retail watch dealer in the United States and Canada. The first editor was C. Curtis Bond, who was suc- ceeded by George A. Reed. At Mr. Reed's death Wolstan Dixey became editor, and was succeeded by Charles R. Baldwin, who now holds the position. The policy of the paper has always been directed from the home office. In January, 1895, a change was made in the publication, to meet an increasing demand for subscription privileges. Two editions are now published, one for the retail jewelry trade exclusively, while the other contains no trade matter. This subscription edition is finding its way into many post offices on the basis of a subscription paid in advance.
The Keynote, the official publication of the Young Men's Christian association, was first published in January, 1888, and has been issued occasionally since. It gives a concise account of the work which the Waterbury association is doing.
The Lever and Fulcrum, the organ of the Connecticut Indemnity association, was first published in 1889. E. A. Wright was the editor. It contained a fund of interesting information regarding the association. In all, forty-three numbers were issued up to June, 1894, the date of its latest issue.
The Connecticut Guardsman was established early in 1890 by William E. Moses of Company A of the Second regiment, Connecticut National Guard. It aimed to be the organ of the National Guard of the state, and had correspondents in sev- eral Connecticut cities. Its scope was enlarged to include the interests of the militia of other states, and its name was changed to the National Guardsman. After the removal of Lieutenant Moses from Waterbury, at the end of 1892, it passed into other hands, but it continued to be published in Waterbury until 1894. when it was transferred to New York. Its publication ceased early in 1895.
The Asa Gray Bulletin was established in 1892. It is published quarterly in Waterbury and edited by Constance Goddard DuBois, assisted by G. H. Hicks and A. J. Pieters of the Department of Agriculture, Professor C. L. Shear of the Uni- versity of Nebraska, and Professor C. F. Wheeler of the Michigan Agricultural college. It is the organ of the Gray Memorial Botanical chapter. While it is not ultra-scientific, it is published for those who are practically interested in the study of botany.
For The Early Closing Advocate, see page 907.
PARISH PAPERS.
The Rector's Assistant was first issued in August, 1877, as the parish paper of Trinity church, by the Rev. Richard W. Micou, rector of the parish. It was pub- lished quarterly until June, 1884, and after that annually. It was designed to assist the rector in his work and to serve as a record of parish events and statistics. It contained no advertisements and was distributed freely in the pews.
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The Second Church Chronicle is published yearly in February or March. It is a record of the past year in all departments of the work of the Second Congrega- tional church, with such comment or suggestion as the pastor may please. It was established by the Rev. Dr. J. G. Davenport, and the first number was issued in February, 1883.
The Adams Monthly was founded by C. Collard Adams, in September, 1890. It had a large free circulation and was supported by its advertising. It was dis- continued in August, 1892.
The Adams Weekly succeeded the Adams Monthly in August, 1892, and was conducted by C. Collard Adams. It was discontinued in November, 1892.
The Valley Catholic succeeded the. Adams Weekly. It was a weekly, con- ducted by C. Collard Adams, and was first issued on November 19, 1892. In Feb- ruary, 1893, it was sold to the Rev. Dr. Farrell Martin. In June, 1894, Mr. Adams bought it back. On September 1, 1894, it was converted into the Waterbury edition of the Connecticut Catholic, with a subscription list independent of that paper. On February 1, 1895, it was sold to the proprietors of the Connecticut Catholic.
The Evangel was published in the interest of the First Methodist Episcopal church. The first issue appeared in August, 1892, edited by the Rev. W. H. Barton. The last number was that of April, 1894. From July to December, 1893, no numbers were issued.
The Waterbury Methodist took the place of The Evangel, and, instead of being the organ of the First Methodist church only, became the representative of the three Methodist churches in Waterbury. The first number appeared in May, 1894, edited by C. S. Chapman. The monthly issue consists of 700 copies.
" AMATEUR " NEWSPAPERS.
In the ten years beginning with 1880 there was a remarkable development of amateur journalism, in which Waterbury had a prominent part. There was a national association of amateur journalists, also New England and Connecticut associations. A glance through any of the numbers issued during this period will disclose the names of scores of papers that were being published in different parts of, the country, and the campaign editorials on the approach of an election of officers in an association were worthy of older editors and grown-up politicians. Many of these editors were not much over ten years of age, and few if any were over fifteen. In Waterbury alone there were thirty of these papers issued for longer or shorter periods between 1880 and 1889. A remarkable group was that issued by three of the sons of the late Henry C. Griggs, one after another; and not less worthy of notice were the several papers issued by William H. Jackson, during seven years. The sons of Calvin H. Carter published several papers, and Edward Beach carried his through seventeen months without interruption. Some of these publications were almost models of typographical art and neatness of press-work.
Before this period, however, three amateur papers had appeared in Waterbury.
The Republican was the first. It was published for several weeks by George M. Grilley and Charles Tracy Bronson, when they were students at H. F. Bassett's school in 1860 or 1861. C. T. Bronson retired after a time, and the publication was continued by G. M. Grilley and Howard Munn.
Ayres' Monthly News was begun in January, 1866. Alvin D. Ayres was the editor and publisher and was eleven years old. At the end of one year publication was suspended for a time, but was revived in January, 1868, and continued for six
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months longer. The News was a four-page paper, the pages measuring nine by five and a half inches and containing two columns each. The publication office was in the back part of the jewelry store of James R. Ayres on Bank street. Assistants of the editor in various editorial and mechanical ways were Charles E. Platt, Eugene Jacques, Irving H. Chase, Edward L. White, Frank W. Kellogg, Henry S. Chase and Chauncey H. White.
The Naugatuck Valley Advertiser was published in 1868 by Charles Tracy Bronson and Frank Drake, for about three months. They were employed at the time in the job room of the American, where the paper was printed.
Young America was first issued in December, 1880, and continued until the end · of 1882. Wilfred E. Griggs was editor and later Robert F. Griggs assistant editor.
The Bantam was first issued in December, 1881, by Robert F. Griggs, but after the publication of a few numbers the editor transferred his services to the Young America, to which he contributed over the name of " Bantam."
The Fly was first issued in December, 1881, by David C. Griggs, editor and publisher. In December, 1882, Harry M. Steele became associated with D. C. Griggs in the editorship. With the number of March, 1886, the name was changed to the Fire Fly. The whole number of issues was twenty-five, the last having appeared in March, 1887.
The Eagle was published by William H. Jackson, the first number appearing in March, 1882. Seven numbers were issued. In November, 1884, W. H. Jackson began the publication of the Press, assisted for a few numbers by Edward Beach. For much of the time it was published weekly. It was suspended in January, 1886, and succeeded temporarily by the Egyptian Star, the Sphinx and the Amer- ican Sphinx. In January, 1887, Mr. Jackson began the publication of Progress, an ambitious magazine of ten pages with a cover, and continued it monthly until September, 1889. Ernest F. Guilford was associated with him in the latter publi- cation for a time.
The Trifler was first issued in September, 1883, by Robert F. Griggs, editor,. and continued through three numbers, the last appearing in April, 1884.
The Tribune was published in 1883 by Wilfred E. Griggs and Robert F. Griggs, two numbers only appearing, in March and July.
The Connecticut Amateur, official organ of the Connecticut Amateur Press association, was published in Waterbury in June, 1883, by Wilfred E. Griggs, editor.
The New England Amateur, official organ of the New England Amateur Jour- nalistic association, was published in Waterbury, in September, 1882, by Wilfred E. Griggs.
Among the amateur papers not included in the preceding record are the follow- ing,-with the names of the editors and the years of publication:
The Arrow, William Carter, 1881-82. The Little Joker, Edwin Hart, 1882-83. The Nutmeg, Frederick Carter, 1883. The Vagabond, William Carter, 1883. The Gem, Charles Treat, 1883. The Speck, Henry B. Lane, 1883.
Youth's Pastime, Charles Treat and Ackley Castle, 1883. The Wasp, Will C. Mains.
The Blade, Frederick L . Norwich, 1885.
The Hornet, Virgil H. Munson, 1885-86 The Mail, Edward Beach, 1885-87. Ornithological Review, Ernest F. Guilford, 1886.
Brass City Herald, Newton C. Smith, 1886.
The Eagle, George R. Abbott, 1886. The Gazette, H. H. Wheeler, 1886.
The Gladiator, Granville R. Micou and Levi Wilcox, 1888.
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ENOS BRONSON.
Enos Bronson, the eldest son of Eli and Mehitabel (Atwater) Bronson, was born in that part of Waterbury which is now Mid- dlebury, March 31, 1774. He graduated from Yale college in 1798, and commenced the study of law, but soon afterward removed to Philadelphia, and became a teacher in the old Episcopal academy in that city. He conceived the idea of establishing a political news- paper, and the publication of the United States Gazette of Philadelphia was begun, with Mr. Bronson as its editor-a position which he occu- pied until his death. Under his management the Gazette became the leading newspaper of Philadelphia and exercised a powerful influence throughout the country. Mr. Bronson was a strong Fed- eralist and a vigorous writer on political subjects-a master of irony and invective, and not always free from personalities. He thus exposed himself to violent opposition, and his printing office was threatened with destruction on more than one occasion.
His style as a writer has been referred to in the preceding chap- ter. His old friend and physician, Dr. Nathaniel Chapman, gave an interesting account of his habits of composition:
His editorials were written in his office while he was surrounded by friends engaged in political discussions, in which he would at intervals join. When the printer's devil came down for more copy, he would tear off the sheet on which he was writing at the last word, and seldom found it necessary to make the smallest correction afterward.
Soon after the establishment of the Gazette, there was issued from the printing office of the establishment an edition of Roscoe's "Life of Lorenzo de Medici." Its publication led to a correspondence between Mr. Roscoe and Mr. Bronson and to the subsequent issue of an edition of " Leo the Tenth." "One object of the undertaking," says Dr. Henry Bronson, "was to cultivate in the American mind a taste for literature and history. The correspondence," he adds, " is in my possession, and is honorable to both."
Mr. Bronson married a daughter of Bishop White of Pennsyl- vania, and had five daughters and two sons. He died April 17, 1823. (For a fuller account, see Bronson's History of Waterbury, pages 384-387.)
WILLIAM STOCKING.
William Stocking, son of John Miles and Emeline (Newell) Stocking, was born in Waterbury, December 11, 1840. He received his early education in the public schools of the town. In 1857 he became a clerk in the Waterbury bank, and held the position for three years. In May, 1860, he went on a three months' cruise in a sailing
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vessel, and followed it by a short tour through England and Scot- land. On returning home he studied for a year at the Williston academy at Easthampton, Mass., and then entered the academic department of Yale college. Mr. Stocking's college course was interrupted by military service from July to November, 1864. He graduated in the class of 1865, having taken, in addition to the usual studies, a course of post-graduate reading.
Until this time Mr. Stocking kept his legal residence in Water- bury, but in December, 1865, he removed to Hartford, where he became first the editor of the Evening Press, and subsequently editor of both the Post and the Morning Courant. In 1867 he removed to Detroit, Mich., where he still resides. Since his residence in that city Mr. Stocking has held on the Detroit Post and its successors the positions of managing editor, legislative correspondent at Lansing, Washington correspondent, editorial writer and editor-in-chief. For the past five years he has divided his time about equally between the care of his real estate interests and work. for the Detroit Journal and Detroit Tribune, with occasional contributions to other papers. Although Mr. Stocking's articles are of superior literary merit, and he has published several pamphlets, he has made no collection of his writings in book form.
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