USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > This is Fairfield, 1639-1940 > Part 23
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The furious wind and cold made it impossible for any one to work out of doors, and any work would have been wasted, as the storm filled in foot tracks and the few paths that had been attempted as rapid- ly as they were made. No locomotive whistle nor sound of traffic of carts or cars disturbed the desola- tion, and the only sound was the wild melody of the wind, mingled with the crash of branches and trees.
Sometime on Monday a tree in Mrs. Alvord's yard blew down and fell right across the road. A tree in Mr. Charles Wheeler's yard was split, and half of it seemed about to fall upon the house, but lodged without falling. A tree was blown down by Mr. Charles Perry's and in Mr. Oliver Bulkley's grounds. The door of Trinity Church was blown in, and one of the storm windows in the tower and the Church was nearly filled with snow. No one could tell exactly when this damage and other like this was done, but all occured probably during Monday or Monday night.
On Monday night the wind increased in violence, and some of the largest drifts shifted their location entirely. All day Tuesday the air was full of snow, and the wind raged with scarcely diminished force and the cold was intense the snow seemed falling all the time, but it was so light and drifted so easily that it was impossible to determine how much was drift and how much falling snow. But although the snow was light and no chance had been afforded it to meet, the force of the wind and the weight of the snow had made it compact that in many places it bore up the weight of one who walked on it, and paths cut through the deep drifts maintained their outlines as though walled up with stone.
By Wednesday the weather moderated and the gale had pretty well spent its force. But all the morn- ing the snow fell at intervals in heavy flakes.
But little was done on Wednesday toward opening roads. Everyone seemed paralyzed and overwhelmed
by the extent of the storm and the suddenness of oc- curence.
On Monday morning several people had come down from Greenfield Hill, and after one or two attempts to return had abandoned the effort as hope- less. They sought shelter wherever they could find it, and dared not risk going any distance, even to find friends. On Tuesday some started to walk to Green- field and reached their destination, but exactly when we know not.
Wednesday people started out investigating and a feeble attempt was made towards breaking roads. But many houses were so completely snowed in, with drifts 15 and 20 feet high, reached up to the eaves that all available workmen were pretty well occupied in getting an outlet for the inhabitants and opening paths so as to enable the cattle and their livestock to be tended. The travellers reported tre- mendous drifts on all the roads, the cut near Eddy's Crossing almost filled with snow, and everywhere the same situation. Among the noticeable accumu- lations were the snow bank in the center of the town filling the road from H. H. Perry's to the docks, as high as the tops of the fences everywhere and in many places six and eight feet higher. Alongside the post office was a nine foot drift. The entrance to Mr. Henshaw's stables was completely blocked with eight feet of snow, the drifts extending with but little lessening in size, all along that road and past the Churches, and far beyond looming up for hundreds of feet, fully 15 feet above the level in front of Mrs. Gookin's. The drift in the rear of this building was seven feet deep and almost covered the windows. Back of the Southport Railroad Station was a ten foot drift. The cut on the road to Mill Hill was filled to the depth of twelve feet and was not broken through until Thursday afternoon when three yoke of oxen, with a gang of shovelers under the direction of Messrs. D. H. and N. H. Sherwood at last got through. Previous to that Mr. Con. Buckingham had made a route through the fields and come down to Southport on Wednesday, to help make roads in and about the village. But little was done however. But Thursday he came down again, and other farmers came in with their oxen, and on Thursday and Fri- day considerable work was done, but all roads are not yet open. Until today the roads were impassable for an ordinary horse and sleigh. But today (Fri- day) some few sleighs and carriages have attempted short trips.
Mr. Edward Henshaw got his teams at work as soon as possible cutting away the snow and breaking roads about his stable. Mr. Simon Banks broke a way through to his store from his residence on Tues- day with a single horse and by dint of great ex- ertion succeeded in keeping the route open. Mr. Edward Golden got out his team by Thursday, and endeavored to relieve the most pressing need of coal in various localities, for the surprise was so great that many people were caught with very short sup- ply of coal and fuel was carried in bags and baskets to relieve the most pressing need. We had only one day's supply of coal at the Office, and con- sequently we did not dare start the engines to run the "Record", although it was ready to go to press,
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lest we should not be able to keep warm, and we knew we had enough fuel to heat the shop alone for two or three days. As the prospeet brightened, we started the engines on Wednesday afternoon, though as all our regular pressmen were away and one man had to do three men's work we made slow progress. By Thursday three of our men from Bridgeport walked over and we have sinee begun to get under- way although progress is still very slow.
One peril soon confronted Southport viz: the short supply of meat. Before Wednesday night the supply was pretty thoroughly exhausted. But on Thursday the steam tug Molly made its way around from Bridgeport and brought some meat, enough to relieve the pressing stringeneies.
Meanwhile in and about Southport but little eould be done on the railroad as Mr. Kennedy's foree of men was small, and he was unable to inerease it very largely. But the whistle of the engine of the freight train that passed through here on Monday at 3:28 A.M. (the last train from the west) could be heard whistling and it was reported to be working from Fairfield with a gang from the Quarry. Thurs- day word arrived that three engines with gangs were working from Bridgeport and a whistle was also heard off towards Westport. After two engines were broken down one engine got through from Bridge- port and the Fairfield engine had driven through the most of Eddy's eut by noon, and men were shov- eling the traek below. At Eddy's cut the Fairfield and Bridgeport engines joined forces and together flew through the drifts, some of them five and six feet over the traek until the Greens Farms Cut was reached. The snow flew in elouds and completely covered the front of the station as the engines passed, and broke glass in the signal tower.
By this train eame the first mail that we had re- eeived, which was one that should have reached us from Bridgeport Monday morning. A New York paper of Wednesday and Bridgeport papers of Thursday had been brought by boat on Thursday morning.
The situation at Greens Farms, Fairfield and Bridgeport demands separate consideration. But at this writing the snow is gradually settling as it thaws away, the roads are steadily becoming more and more trodden, there are signs of rain in the air, and the people are beginning to awake from the helpless astonishment by "The Great Storm".
The Effects of the Storm
The results of the storm in the neighborhood were of a similar eharaeter to those evident of the im- mediate vieinity.
In Fairfield the streets were completely blocked, and all traffie completely suspended. The roof and overparts of the Rubber Company's building were somewhat damaged, and the whole structure severe- ly strained by the fury of the gale. The extent of the damage we have not heard but we judge it was not sufficient to interfere with the work of the Com- pany, and will surely involve some expenditure for repairs.
In one respeet Fairfield was more fortunate than Southport, in that there were three persons dead whose bodies awaited interment. As soon as any-
thing could be done the resident Selectmen, Mr. Horaee Jennings, engaged all men he could seeure and broke the road, and by Friday noon the road was reported open to Bridgeport.
In Bridgeport the streets were filled, all traffie suspended, and most of the factories shut down for laek of eoal. The municipal authorities and private individuals and corporations got teams to work as rapidly as possible, and have been earting snow and shoveling roads and endeavoring to open up the eity. Considerable headway has been made, but the street ears are not yet running and the thaw and freezing has not made the work easier.
Apparently the worst spots on the R. R. were the euts, one at Greens Farms and the one a short dis- tanee below. In the lower one the snow was at least 20 feet deep, and probably deeper before it settled. It reached up to the "tell tale" bells and filled the eut even aeross. Four or five hundred men worked on these euts from Thursday till now and the snow is not entirely removed yet. The snow was as solid as hard earth and was removed only by pitching it up with five lifts, while the bottom layer was carried on shovels for a distance of 100 feet or more and deposited on all vaeant space along side the road. This drift was a sight to be seen and remembered, nothing like it has ever been seen here before, and it is hoped that the like will never be seen again.
From all seetions, as news comes slowly in, the story is the same of utter overwhelming and stupi- fied helplessness. But we can be thankful that no eases of death have been reported and no actual suffering from destitution. There may be a sadder side when all faets are known, but thus far the un- folding has been marvelously free from any record of aeeidents on land. From the sea and lakes we may look yet for serious tidings and the loss of time and ineome to the laborer will doubtless prove a serious matter. And the complete suspension of business the blotting out of the production of so large a seetion of our country for a whole week practically and re- tardation of all trade for some little time to come means a loss of millions that cannot be easily re- placed. But that we ean bear this loss is witness of the country's great wealth and strength, that the hours have been so free from actual suffering is a eause for both astonishment and gratitude. It is sur- prising that no fires started in our large cities, and had such begun and gathered headway with the ab- solute blockade of all streets, a conflagration such as has never been known might have blotted out the wealth of a great eity, and in such case much loss of life would inevitably oeeur.
Altogether, hardly as we have been tried there is far more occasion for thankfulness than complaint. And the excitement of the novel experience has kept up all spirits and the holiday being enforeed, it has been kept with considerable fun and jollity, despite the antagonism of the elements.
In 1893, the route of the Bridgeport Horse Railroad Company was proposed to be moved from its present route on Main Street to Me- chanic Street. (This street is now the Post Road -where our Post Office is). Feelings ran very
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high. It was a very excited meeting that decided to keep the Horse Railroad on Main Street rather to move the tracks to the Beach from Benson's Corner along Beach and Mechanic Streets to Hyde's Pond. 284 voted in favor of the Main Street Route and 240 for the Mechanic Street Route were cast. A special meeting soon fol- lowed where the whole system of the trolley cars as they were later to be known was thoroughly discussed. On July 15, 1895, two votes were made mandatory. 1. "No street car is to move through any street faster than ten miles per hour. 2. Motors must be shut off by motorman at all intersections".
The discussions with the trolley line continued and on May 27, 1897 it was decreed:
Resolved that: When the Bridgeport Traction Company shall present to the Selectmen a layout which does not locate the inner rail of the track within two feet of the macadam now on said Con- necticut Turnpike and shall agree to the same in writing, and also to agree to purchase any and all land (at the expense of said Company) which may be deemed necessary for the purpose of locating the tracks as provided and will agree to finish the space between the inner rail and the road bed and between the rails and two feet on the outside of the rails the same as the rest of the roadway, and at grade to correspond with the rest of the road bed, and will agree that when the macadam is continued to the Westport Line, they will continue it on their line the same as the rest of the road bed. They shall also place block pavements for crossings and build such bridges or parts of same at the expense of the com- pany as will be required. Unanimously carried. Moved that the Selectmen making these require- ments of the Traction Company require a certain per cent of the receipts of the gross earnings of the Traction Company to be paid into the Town Treas- ury annually towards maintaining the road. Passed.
Pictures of these early trolleys are included in the picture section of this book.
It was further voted that a fixed rate of 5ยข to ride on the cars of the Bridgeport Traction Com- pany from Bridgeport to Southport be estab- lished.
The Town opposed granting the petition of the Bridgeport Traction Company asking for a charter to extend their tracks to the beach at "Little Danbury along the beachroad so called from Bridgeport to the village of Fairfield". The Town was in favor however of the "petitions of the Company to extend its tracks to Stratford and to Westport through said Town of Fairfield as said extensions would prove to be a great convenience to the citizens of said Fairfield".
On February 20, 1897 at a meeting, the ques- tion of permitting more of the eastern part of the Town to join Bridgeport was opened again and the following vote was taken:
Resolved that the Town of Fairfield in town meet- ing this day assembled hereby protests and opposes the petition of certain residents of said Town and others asking for the annexation of a certain part of said town known as Stratfield to the City of Bridge- port and hereby directs the Selectmen of said Town to take such steps as in their judgment may be prop- er and necessary to effectually oppose the said pro- posed annexation. Unanimously carried.
During that same year it was made necessary for the Selectmen to put a sign upon each bridge specifying the poundage or weight which it would carry. It was also planned in 1897 to build a new Mill Plain bridge. The new bridge was to be of either iron or steel and one of such length and width as the Selectmen deemed best. The bridge was to be built by contract and was to be capable of carrying 15 tons.
The bridge which was being replaced had been a wooden structure and it seemed that a heavy road roller (an iron roller loaded with rocks) was being pulled across it by four horses when the weight proved to be too much and bridge, roller, horses, driver and all found them- selves in the river. They were coming from Fair- field Center and headed toward Bronson Road. No one was hurt but all got a good soaking and the Town built a new bridge as a result. This was the bridge just west of Unquowa Road.
When the bridge was rebuilt some of the work must have been done on Sunday for we find "Resolved that the work performed on the Mill River Bridge and at the Greenfield Hill School on recent Sabbaths was wholly inexcusable and the authorization of the same by the Town offi- cers is hereby deprecated". Passed. The new bridge was an iron one and one which many of us remember. The cost to the town was $4559.88.
In the same period the town voted to repair the main macadamized road between Ash Creek and Southport and to make it 22 feet wide. There were 52 attending the Town Meeting with 28 voting in favor and 24 against-$4500 being estimated for this work. A picture of this road as it then appeared is included in the picture section.
The Budget voted October 3, 1898 is includ- ed here.
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Pay of Town Officers $ 2,300.00
Town Hall and Offices
700.00
Election Expenses (2 elections)
125.00
Cemeteries
125.00
Health Officers
50.00
Insane Poor
750.00
Town Poor
3,000.00
Bridges and Roads
7,000.00
Care and Repair of Town Property
1,000.00
Taxes
375.00
Return of Births & Deaths
35.00
Schools
11,000.00
Bonds to be paid
3,000.00
Interest
5,250.00
Sundries
500.00
35,210.00
Special work to macadam Main St.
from Ash Creek to Southport .... 4,500.00
$39,710.00
In September 1898 a Fresh Air Hospital for convalescent soldiers was established on South Benson Road. There were 12 soldiers who came from Montauk Point on the Red Cross yacht to Bridgeport and with the courtesy of the Traction Company were transported to Fairfield on a special car. Carriages awaited the men at Ben- son Corner. The men had come from Cuba on September 13th having spent four days at Mon- tauk Point. They had been ill since El Caney and the fall of Santiago. The following Saturday four more arrived and the next Saturday seven- teen more. Their gaunt and sallow appearance,
tottering gait and subdued demeanor were indeed a startling sight. For the hospital the local Red Cross supplied 93 pair pajamas, 5 dozen sheets, 2 dozen tumblers, 4 table cloths, 2 dozen cups and saucers, 92 pair of socks, 1 dozen blankets and the National Red Cross supplied one barrel of jelly, one barrel blackberry brandy, one box of prunes, 4 boxes French soup, 20 blankets, 2 dozen suits of underwear etc. etc. The Fairfield folk gave chickens, fish, meat, eggs, jellies, cakes, crullers, pies, dishes, lanterns, beds, bedding, chairs, dippers, pans etc. etc. as well as 590 quarts of milk and 107 dozen eggs.
On the first Sunday afternoon the children of St. Thomas Church at the suggestion of Father Coleman brought 27 dozen eggs. The name of giver being written on each egg. Patsy McGarry supplied the hospital with four daily papers so that the men were able to inform themselves con- cerning the fortunes of soldiers and the move- ments of the United States troops.
When the men were strong enough to enjoy drives, carriages were provided and they were able to go about the highways. The Bridgeport Traction Company gave free transportation be- tween Fairfield and Bridgeport to the soldiers when they wanted it. The men were convalescents from malaria and typhoid. All left greatly re- stored in health and returned to duty at Manila.
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CHAPTER 9
1900 -1940
The new century came upon the growing Town and expansion and its many challenges faced Fairfield on all sides. A new bridge was muchly needed over Ash Creek and in 1902 a resolution was passed in the Town Meeting "to regulate the speed of automobiles on the highways in Town". Look in the picture section to see Ash Creek bridge.
In 1904 all streets were ordered named and marked and it was voted to mail a copy of the Town Report to every taxpayer just prior to Election.
It was felt necessary also to light the streets in some manner and a Committee was appointed to look into this possibility in 1905.
The roads continued to be a problem and there was need for wider roads and more of them. Reef Road, as we know it, was planned at this time and also a roadway 30 feet wide was to be built "passed Little Danbury toward Little Bridgeport".
In 1906 the Street Lighting Committee re- ported and it was moved "That the Selectmen be authorized to arrange for the lighting of the Main Street from the Ash Creek bridge to the Sasco Creek bridge by gasoline lights for a term of not over 3 years at an expense of not over twelve dollars per annum". However after much discussion this motion was laid on the table.
The citizens furthered their interest in the highways and were anxious to make travelling easier for all. They planned to put the macadam roads in Town in good condition and it was also voted that the street car tracks should be "not less than several inches lower than the crown of the wrought or worked part of the highway ... and to see that the Trolley Company does not raise the level of said tracks ... and further to prevent the Trolley Company from dumping its freight at various places on the public highway". Evidence of this interest appeared again in 1908 when it was decided that "the main road between Ash Creek bridge and the Westport line is to be watered (to keep the dust down) from end to
end and that they top dress the same as far as the same can be top dressed in addition to the watering at a total expense for watering and top dressing of not more than one thousand dollars, provided that none of this work be done except with the written approval as to the method of doing it of Highway Commissioner McDonald" (State Highway Commissioner). At about the same time the sharpness of certain corners were to be corrected as it was voted that ... "The Selectmen have a schedule prepared showing the feasible ways of removing the danger owing to the sharpness of the turn from the Reinecke's Corner, Hopkin's Corner, and the Carey Corner".
The following year the purchase of an oil wagon for one hundred and fifty dollars was authorized.
At the annual meeting on October 3, 1910, the following resolution was passed: Resolved that the selectmen be and are hereby authorized in their discretion to provide street lights for the Villages of Fairfield, Southport, and Stratfield with an equal number in each village at a cost not exceeding twelve hundred and fifty dollars per year".
Every effort continued to slow down the mo- torists on the highways and hillclimbs, a popu- lar Sunday afternoon sport, were restricted.
Resolved that the Town Officers be and hereby are requested diligently to prevent unlawful speed- ing of automobiles on the highways of the Town, and particularly to endeavor to prevent speeding of automobiles in races and in so called hillclimbing contests.
These latter mentioned contests were popular on the open field hill of the late William Ferris on Bronson Road on the left just north of Sturges Road, up on Sport Hill, and especially on Snake Hill. There is a picture of Snake Hill (now Burr Street above Brookside Drive as it looked then) with the pictures here. On May 2, 1910 this article appeared in the Bridgeport paper.
Snake Hill Sundae-The 'Snake Hill Sundae' is a new drink, originated by John E. Boyle. It is guar-
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anteed to make hill climbing easy. (John E. Boyle was the popular local druggist.)
In 1911 ten additional street lights were or- dered in the Nichols Terrace section of Town and two years later one hundred additional lights were arranged for with the United Illum- inating Company and in 1912 new bridges were scheduled at the Tide Mill near the residence of J. F. Brothwell and at Moody's Mill.
The need for more and better roads echoed in all parts of town. Everyone requested that work be done on the road adjoining his proper- ty. The going rate for teams was raised to six dollars and a man would be paid two dollars a day for his labor .. .
Mosquitoes in large masses were plaguing the residents and a committee was appointed in March of 1912 to attempt to solve this new problem.
The need for greater fire protection was rec- ognized early because of the increase in the number of homes about town and on March 16, 1910 the following resolution was adopted:
Resolved that the Fairfield Fire Company for the past seventeen years has given their time and money to protect the property of Fairfield and it has come to a time that the growth of the Town has grown to be a different proposition and to fight the fire or fires they cannot get by with their present equip- ment, and they came to the Town for aid; the first time in seventeen years. In a word, they want one thousand dollars to help pay for an auto chemical combination truck to fight not only the fire or fires of Fairfield alone, but any part of the Town. The present number of firemen are sixty-five and sev- enty-five percent are taxpayers. Motion made that we take a ballot upon the resolution read by the clerk. At this point the resolution was withdrawn and the following motion was made: Moved that the Town appropriate the sum of one thousand dol- lars for the purpose of purchasing an auto chemical combination fire fighting apparatus, to be used by the Fairfield Hook and Ladder Company. Motion passed.
One realizes continually that problems never hindered progress with our forebears and we should be ever mindful of this great characteris- tic today. As something new troubled them, they coped with it but never did they let it over- shadow their "looking ahead" or "forward" as the name Uncoway suggests.
In 1913 the purchasing of voting machines rather than continued use of the Australian bal- lot was considered, a fire alarm system was in- stalled for now there were three Companies and Miss Annie B. Jennings opened the beach which bordered her property on Beach Road, to the
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