USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 2 > Part 19
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The city had been but four years a city when the Chamber of Com-
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merce put its shoulder to the wheel, and allied itself to the city's general task. It is impossible fully to review the scores of ways in which the in- stitution has proven its worth and radiated its presence for the good of every city department and the public on all occasions. But whatever and wherever the application of its activities, there has been no halt nor let-up from the beginning. Annually there has been a programme of hard work that has shared the burdens and sharpened the faculties of industrial and civic life. By cooperating with neighboring organizations for the promo- tion of the interests of the general territory, reciprocal results have been achieved and helpful courtesies exchanged. Within the city's own bounds, by its aggressive work, transportation facilities have been much improved. an industrial survey of the city has been made as a guide for local relief measures; definite service has been rendered to newly organized jewelry industries ; and "Know Attleboro" publicity has been carried on generously through the columns of the "Attleboro Sun." The ratings on file in the credit bureau have been revised, and through the reports to the merchants, they have been saved thousands of dollars. These were but a few of the high lights along the road at the start. In the patriotic and war activities. the Chamber of Commerce was to the fore, both in participation and initia- tion are the key-notes of activities here; and outside the city and State the Cross war fund and roll calls-the War Chest enterprise, the War Camp Community recreation fund, Public Safety committee cooperation, the sup- port of the work of the fuel committee; general Americanization effort; the campaign for the war nurses' fund-as well as in scores of efforts for community welfare and industrial betterment, such as the organization of the Merchants' Retail Bureau and the active part taken in the promotion of Hayward field, a $30,000 baseball field, and acknowledged to be the second best in New England.
Industrial matters naturally come to the fore in the functions of the Chamber of Commerce, the organization having investigated more than twenty industrial prospects, received trade inquiries from very many sources which, when forwarded to manufacturers interested resulted in considerable business for some of the city's factories; deciphered and coded cablegrams for local manufacturers; issued bulletins to manufacturers, giving them important information; gathered information for the manufac- turers regarding the closing or operation of manufactories on holidays. The local organization prints a four-page paper entitled the "Attleboro Optimist," which is sent to all its members and to many Chambers of Commerce throughout the country, giving in brief form the programme of the Chamber of Commerce in Attleboro. Successful service and coopera- tion, such as during the Liberty loan campaigns and in those of the Red organization is known and its usefulness recognized as a factor in city- making.
The old Attleboro Board of Trade was organized in November, 1881. with a membership of twenty-nine. Its first president was Joseplı Bates, and he was succeeded by Daniel Smith. The vice-president was James H. Sturdy, the secretary and treasurer was Orville Richardson, Jr. The headquarters was in the Horton block. This board had passed out of ex- istence before 1890.
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In April and May, 1917, a few community men formulated plans for having a real live organization in Attleboro, and American City Bureau was engaged to reorganize the old Attleboro Board of Trade, which was quite "dead," and the Attleboro Chamber of Commerce was started, with a membership of about 400. The officers and directors from May 1, 1917, to the present have been as follows:
1917-1918 :- Walter I. Tuttle, president; D. E. Makepeace, 1st vice-president; Perle R. Cole, 2nd vice-president; Howard G. Smith, treasurer; John J. Coady, Oscar D. Briggs, Walter L. Gardner, William L. King, Charles H. Pennoyer, George F. Sawyer, Samuel Slocomb, J. L. Sweet, Howard W. Vose, Oscar Wolfenden.
1918-1919 :- Walter I. Tuttle, president; George F. Sawyer, 1st vice-president; Oscar D. Briggs, 2nd vice-president; Howard G. Smith, treasurer; Harvey E. Clap, Ralph C. Estes, Joseph Finberg, Walter L. Gardner, William L. King, Leonard I. Lamb, George F. Lilly, Charles H. Pennoyer, Samuel Slocomb, J. L. Sweet.
1919-1920 :- George F. Sawyer, president; Harold E. Sweet, 1st vice-president; Samuel Slocomb, 2nd vice-president; Walter L. Gardner, treasurer; Harvey E. Clap, Joseph Finberg, C. P. Keeler, William L. King, Leonard I. Lamb, George F. Lilly, T. O. Muelaly, Frank J. Nerney, J. L. Sweet, Walter I. Tuttle.
1920-1921 :- Harold E. Sweet, president; William L. King, 1st vice-president; Everett L. Ford, 2nd vice-president; V. R. Glencross, treasurer; Frank T. Chase, Harvey E. Clap, Joseph Finberg, Walter L. Gardner, C. P. Keeler, Leonard I. Lamb, George F. Lilly, T. O. Mullaly, Frank J. Nerney, Frank J. Ryder, William H. Saart.
1921-1922 :- William H. Saart, president; Everett L. Ford, 1st vice-president; George F. Lilly, 2nd vice-president; V. R. Glencross, treasurer; Harlan A. Allen, Frank T. Chase, Lewis S. Chilson, Dr. R. P. Dakin, Walter L. Gardner, L P. Keeler, William L. King, T. O. Mullaly, Frank J. Nerney, Frank J Ryder, Harold E. Sweet.
1922-1923 :- Joseph Finberg, president; William H. Saart, 1st vice-president; Lewis S. Chilson, 2nd vice-president; V. R. Glencross, treasurer; Harlan A. Allen, George S. Bliven, Dr. R. P. Dakin, Walter L. Gardner, William L. King, Leonard I. Lamb, Frank J. Nerney, Herbert L. Perry, Frank J. Ryder.
1923-1924 :- Harlan A. Allen, president; Lewis S. Chilson, 1st vice-president; George S. Bliven, 2nd vice-president; V. R. Glencross, treasurer; Dr. R. P. Dakin, Joseph Finberg, A A. French, S. H. Garner, T. E. McCaffrey, Jr., Herbert L. Perry, H. K. Richardson, Joseph F. Rioux.
Walter O. Lochner was elected secretary shortly after the reorganiza- tion campaign and remained in office until August, 1921, at which time G. Cornelius Baker was appointed secretary, owing to Mr. Lochner's removal from Attleboro. In April, 1920, an expansion campaign was conducted with the aid of American City Bureau, increasing the membership to 705. At the end of the next three-year period, April, 1923, a quiet renewal cam- paign was conducted by the officers and directors of the Chamber, with no outside aid, and 454 members were secured on a permanent basis.
The Attleboro Merchants' Bureau, which is subsidiary to the Chamber of Commerce, was organized in March, 1919, with George F. Lilly, presi- dent, and Walter L. Gardner, vice-president. Since that time the officers have been as follows : 1920-21 -- George F. Lilly, president; Walter L. Gard- ner, 1st vice-president; T. O. Mullaly, 2nd vice-president. 1921-22-Walter L. Gardner, president; Herbert L. Perry, 1st vice-president; George S. Bliven, 2nd vice-president. 1922-23-Herbert L. Perry, president; George S. Bliven, 1st vice-president. 1923-24-George S. Bliven, president; William J. Watson, Ist vice-president. The secretary of the Chamber of Commerce is also secretary of the Merchants' Bureau. The present membership of the bureau is 66.
A résumé of the enterprises of the Merchants' Bureau is stated as fol-
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lows: Principally it had been put into action to build up the retail and commercial business of the city. Through this bureau, cooperation has been secured. It has been the means of promoting dollar days and price reduction sales; uniform summer half-holiday schedule was put into effect : merchants have been benefited by the establishment of small claims court; in the credit-rating department hundreds of credit enquiries have been answered; thrift club discount cards have been sent all persons holding Christmas Thrift club deposits in local banks, and substantial reduction given by all merchants to those holding the cards.
Public Utilities .- With the interest that has been taken in recent years with regard to public breathing-places for citizens and visitors, Attleboro has been making a specialty of establishing her parks and making their adornment and attractions of a lasting character. The work of the park commission was begun in 1901, and every year has marked a growth and advancement in this department. In the year 1901 the heirs of Dennis Capron-namely, Everett S. Capron, Hartford Capron and Mrs. Eliza Car- penter deeded the town of Attleboro thirty acres on the westerly side of County and Dennis streets, to be used for park purposes and named Capron Park. The casino at this park was donated by Marsden J. Perry in 1902. The fountain was donated in 1910 by Mrs. John Wolfenden, in memory of her husband, John Wolfenden. The Newell Shelter was given in 1911 by Mrs. Fred E. Newell. The wading pool at this park was the gift of Mrs. Gertrude H. Sweet, in 1917, in honor of her parents. Memorial avenue was donated by citizens of Attleboro, and Grand Army avenue was donated by the Woman's Relief Corps.
Tennis courts have become very popular on the park-likewise the Zoo. The playgrounds under efficient supervision of Henry R. Reinhardt and J. Ray Cooney, and with Miss Alma C. Hillman as girls' supervisor, have been conducted on as thorough a scale comparatively as any such department in the larger cities, and taking into account all the features that appertain to up-to-date playgrounds wherever found.
The Attleboro baseball park is known far and wide throughout the baseball world, as it is the place where the All Star series of games has been played, and where twenty thousand people have gathered to witness great games of ball. There have come such big league players as Hank Gowdy, Grover Alexander, Joe Judge, Rogers Hornsby, Rabbit Maranville, Sam Rice, Heinie Groh, George Sisler, Ray Powell, Stuffy McInnis, Babe Ruth and many others. The field was donated to the city by Harold E. Sweet, former mayor of Attleboro, and a live sportsman. Interest was high in Attleboro during the winter of 1920, when an association with five hundred members was formed and plans formulated for a new field. The new park became a reality during the summer of 1921, and is considered one of the best in New England. Before the association was formed, Attle- boro relied on what is known as the old triumvirate, William H. Saart, Oscar Wolfenden and Harold E. Sweet. The officers of the association in 1922: President, John J. Hodge; 1st vice-president, E. V. Sweet; 2nd vice- president, Harold E. Sweet; 3rd vice-president, Ralph P. Kent; secretary and treasurer, W. E. McGuire.
The Attleboro City Planning Board has been keeping step with the
,
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city's progress almost from the time of the city's incorporation, and its forces and plans, joined with those of the other departments of the munici- pality, have proven to be some of the most distinguishing means of com- munity welfare. The opportunities of this board are advantageous far beyond those of any of the larger and older cities in this part of the State, chiefly because of the fact that Attleboro's outlook for expansion and growth are not limited by the almost ineradicable conditions that pertain to the already fixed business and residential centres of large cities, whose planning boards have been no longer in service than Attleboro's. The energies of the latter have been directed from the beginning conformably with the city's requirements.
Attleboro's city council, on March 2, 1915, approved ordinances provid- ing for the creation of a City Planning Board, consisting of six members ; and on March 16 that year it certified the nominations of the mayor for the board, namely, Joseph Finberg, George A. Sweeney, Raymond M. Horton, Milford E. Bliss, Mrs. Josephine Hammond, Mrs. Mary G. Mullaly. There- fore, on March 23, the board organized with Joseph Finberg as chairman, and George A. Sweeney as secretary. Thereupon, clean-up campaigns were planned and carried through; the better lighting system for Monument Square was suggested by the board, which square was set aside for park- ing purposes. Many of the recommendations of the board were well re- ceived, such as that of acquiring land for a city hall; that the board be consulted whenever streets are to be laid out; that traffic zones be estab- lished for the regulation of vehicles; and in co-operation with the Chamber of Commerce, gardens have been established in.all parts of the city. In 1918, George A. Sweeney, secretary, resigned, and Edgar A. Remington was appointed to that position by the mayor. In 1923 Robert Mawney was appointed secretary, and the other officers remained as before. The board is pushing its proposition of widening Park and South Main streets, and urges the layout of a new street forty feet in width from Union to Pine street, south of the postoffice building.
The Attleboro postoffice was erected in 1916, at a cost of $91,000, the business having increased in ten years, 1900 to 1920, from $20,907, to $120,158. In 1923, forty-two men were employed; William J. Kenney was the postmaster ; Thomas W. Worrall, assistant postmaster; and Walter T. Fisher, superintendent of mails.
The outline of the story of the postoffice in the town before the divi- sion and to date, is as follows: The first postroad between Boston and New York was in operation in 1704, when the postman left mail for Attle- boro at Woodcock's tavern. Israel Hatch was appointed the first post- master here in 1789, and his tavern was the headquarters for the mail. Mr. Hatch was reappointed in 1805 and 1809; and his successors have been: for the East Attleboro section: Ezra Bassett, 1820; Rev. Nathan Holman, 1821; Orville Balcom, 1827; Colonel Willard Blackington, 1830; Lyman W. Dean, 1836; Nathan C. Luther, 1861; Abijah T. Wales, 1881; Philip E. Brady, 1886; Loring W. Barnes, 1890; George A. Sweeney, 1894; John A. Thayer, 1898; William J. Kenney, 1914. Ezra Bassett kept the mail in a small office building adjoining the Gideon Sweet house, the mail then being brought by stages running between Taunton and Providence. The
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mail was distributed from the tavern during several subsequent postmaster- ships, and from about 1850 in the "bank building." Successively the head- quarters were in the Dean hotel, the Sturdy building, the Bates Opera House. During the World War, sixteen of the postoffice employes were in the service, and during the war period the total of war savings and war thrift stamps disposed of amounted to $149,160.
The Department of Public Works, in existence since 1914, has juris- diction over the care of all public highways, construction of new streets, sidewalks, street lighting, oiling, street signs, house numbering, street cleaning, surface drainage, sewers and sewage disposal; the water system, its care and upkeep and extension, the pumping station, filter beds, storage reservoir, and the maintenance of the A. B. C. street railway, and the supervision of its contract operation.
The fire department in 1923 consisted of the chief, Fred H. Clark; eighty-seven men, three enginemen, twenty-three permanent men, fifty-nine call men; one engine company, six hose companies, three ladder companies, with eighteen pieces of apparatus. The Gamewell fire alarm system is in working order, and there are 497 hydrants in use in the city. Attleboro fire district was first established November 19, 1859, the fire department being constituted in school districts fifteen, eighteen and twenty-one.
Since the incorporation of the city in 1914, the functions of the Water Board have been directed by the Commission of Public Works, John D. Taber, Jr., superintendent. The old board was organized in 1873, with Dr. George B. Fittz as superintendent. That year an act was passed by the Legislature which incorporated the Attleboro Water Supply District, a territory that covered a circular area one mile in diameter, its central point being in the passenger depot of the Boston & Providence railroad. The act was accepted in July, 1873, and a prudential committee of three was elected by the voters to have supervision of the work of laying the pipe, and starting the plant in operation. The committee performed a thorough work at the outset, for a pump house was built and two pumps were set up, 9,000 feet of pipe were laid, thirty hydrants were set, and seventy-nine houses were connected with the main. During the progress of this new undertaking the committee had been working with neither adequate funds nor proper equipment; yet the very next year, the receipts that were ob- tained from the supply amounted to $789.98. And this was the beginning of what is now considered a plant that is worth $800,000, with yearly receipts, including hydrant rental of over $70,000.
During the twenty years of the existence of the Water Supply Dis- trict, a steady and practical growth was maintained. In 1893 the district was taken over as a municipal department by the town, and by that time it had about twenty miles of pipe, 130 hydrants, 425 metered connections, an iron standpipe on King street, the Blake and Dean pumps. There was also a debt 'of $155,000, and the annual receipts were about $10,000. Since 1893 the department has been under the supervision of a Board of Water Commissioners. In 1905 a concrete steel re-enforced stand-pipe was built, one hundred feet in height and fifty feet in diameter. In 1909 the water in Orr's pond was made use of, and 40,000,000 gallons of water were drawn from the pond that year. In 1910 the storage reservoir was constructed
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on the branch brook that joins Seven Mile river, the cost being $83,000. In 1911 the Hoppin hill reservoir was completed. In 1913, a 4,000,000 gallon Snow pump was installed. Following Dr. Rittz, Henry A. Bodman was the superintendent; W. J. Luther held that position from 1894 to 1898; L. Z. Carpenter from 1899 to 1901, when he was succeeded by George H. Snell. Charles A. Robinson was superintendent in 1911, and after the position was occupied for a short time by Herbert A. Conant, the board turned the management of the plant over to the city in 1914, when the first commissioner was Henry J. Goodale.
Attleboro Gaslight Company was formed in 1857, and the first officers were: President, Dr. Edward Sanford; treasurer, G. A. Whipple; superin- tendent, Jonathan Peck. The works were built on Dunham near Pine street, and were enlarged in 1873. New buildings were erected in 1882. In 1887 the officers were: President, J. W. Capron; vice-president, G. N. Crandall; secretary and treasurer, A. W. Sturdy. Everett S. Capron was connected with the company both as president and superintendent about thirty-two years. Albert W. Sturdy was associated with the concern nearly as long. In 1918 Attleboro began buying gas of the Taunton Gaslight Company, and the board of officers of the plant is the same as that in Taunton.
Attleboro Steam and Electric Company, with office in the city, and works at Farmers' Station, was incorporated in 1895. The capital is $275,000. The president is Thomas C. Fales; clerk and treasurer, Vincent Gold- thwaite; directors : Maurice J. Curran, Frank J. Fahey, Vincent Goldthwaite, James R. Nicholson; superintendent and manager, Edgar Tregoning.
Attleboro is a central point for street railways in every direction, county and suburban, and the following, in outline, recounts the principal street railway movements in this section: In 1889 the Attleboro-Plainville street car line was built, and the cars were run by horses in the fall of that year. The first electric cars of that company were operated April 1, 1890. The first superintendent was George Murch, and he was succeeded by George Emmett, Louis Dillon, Charles Carter and John Tregoning. April 2, 1893, the power house of this plant at Farmers' Village was burned. From that time onwards up to May 30, 1894, the line was discontinued, when, with Albion H. Watkins as superintendent, operations were resumed. George Cook and Fred Weld succeeded Mr. Watkins as superintendent, and the office was then removed, to occupy that of the Rhode Island Company in Pawtucket; and while the headquarters of the road were there, the superin- tendents were Raymond Smith and R. R. Brown. Removal was later made to Attleboro, with Alexander Allen as superintendent, and he was succeeded by Charles L. Rogers, William Walker and Frank S. Hunnewell, the latter the superintendent in 1923.
In 1891 cars were first run over the north line to Pawtucket, and soon afterwards the east line to that city began operations, both lines later being extended to Providence. In April, 1907, the Fountain street barn of this road was removed from Pawtucket to Attleboro; and in the fall of 1908 the South Attleboro line to Pawtucket and Providence was started. The Attleboro branch line, separate from the interstate line, though under the same ownership, began operations in 1903; and in 1911 an electric express was started from here to Pawtucket and Providence. The Bristol County
BATES · PHOTO .
PUBLIC LIBRARY-ATTLEBORO
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street railway, from Pawtucket to Attleboro to Taunton, was built in 1903, but in 1904 it went into the hands of the Taunton and Pawtucket street railway.
The Mansfield and Norton Street Railway Company was organized in 1898, and its first car was run December 21, that year. In 1899 it was consolidated with the Norton and Taunton road as the Norton and Taunton Company, with David Coolidge as president, and R. W. Hewins as clerk and treasurer. The city, with Norton and Taunton, purchased the railway in 1919, and under the municipal ownership it is the Norton, Taunton and Attleboro Street Railway Company.
The Attleboro, North Attleboro and Wrentham Street Railway Com- pany was organized in the autumn of 1887, with the following-named board of directors: H. G. Bacon, Peter Nerney, C. L. Watson, J. E. Draper, H. M. Daggett, Jr., W. M. Fisher, F. L. Burden. Electric cars commenced running April 5, 1880. Work on the Interstate line was commenced in April, 1891, and the line opened for traffic July 17, 1892. Cars were run from North Attleboro to Old Town, August 13, 1892, and the route toward Attleboro was opened October 15, 1892. November 1, one car was running from Attleboro to Hebronville. July 1, 1893, the Interstate Street Railway Company acquired the property and franchise of the Attleboro, North Attleboro and Wrentham Street Railway Company.
Public Library .- Like all the old towns of New England, the com- munity enjoyed books-they were a reading population. Some of the townsfolk had fair-sized libraries in their homes; on occasions, the pastors of churches had circulating libraries in their parsonages, though such libraries were small. Older libraries established in Attleboro were much like the popular lyceums that were the vogue of the 1850 decade, with noted speakers of the day. "The Attleboro society for the encouragement of agriculture, arts and social intercourse" was constituted here February 22, 1804, with forty-nine members, though it was not incorporated until 1816. Its library had about three hundred volumes. The place of meeting was a building at West Attleboro, whose construction was shared by the asso- ciation, and that was also used as a district schoolhouse. Another similar society founded in 1805 was the "Social Library and Farmers' Historical and Geographical Society," and it contained about two thousand volumes. Both libraries were dissolved about 1835. A lyceum was established in 1830. East Attleboro also had a library chiefly of agricultural subjects at the time.
The Attleboro Library Association, with its collection of 137 volumes was in existence in March, 1860, with John Daggett as its president, its formation having been brought about from a Mite society started by Mrs. Handel N. Daggett in 1857. About the year 1864 it united with the Agri- cultural Library Association, when Dr. J. R. Bronson was its president. It was incorporated on March 6, 1865, with J. W. Capron as its president ; Charles E. Bliss, vice-president; A. M. Everett, secretary and treasurer. The presidents in succession were: George N. Crandall, 1874-76; Amos Ide to 1878; George B. Fittz to 1880; G. F. Bicknell. Thereafter the library and its interests were transferred from store to store in the town, and in the eighties it was discontinued.
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On January 15, 1885, a meeting was held at G. A. R. Hall for the pur- pose of considering the establishment and maintenance of a free library for the town, and a committee was appointed consisting of the following- named, to prepare a plan for organization: A. W. Edson, superintendent of schools ; Rev. Walter Barton, Rev. J. A. L. Rich, Major Everett S. Horton, Dr. George Mackie, G. A. Dean, Dr. G. B. Fittz, C. L. Watson, Dr. C. S. Holden. At a second meeting at the vestry of the Congregational church, February 2, 1885, Major E. S. Horton was elected chairman, and Dr. C. S. Holden secretary, the following-named board of directors being chosen : Rev. Walter Barton, A. W. Edson, J. M. Bates, E. S. Horton, J. L. Sweet, Miss Lottie Steele, Rev. H. A. Philbrook, C. R. Harris, Dr. George Mackie, C. E. Bliss, Peter Nerney, Miss Mary J. Capron, C. L. Watson, Dr. G. B. Fittz, Dr. C. S. Holden, F. W. Lincoln, Mrs. Louis J. Lamb, A. W. Sturdy. On February 5, the board of directors elected Major Everett S. Horton president ; Miss Mary J. Capron vice-president; Dr. C. S. Holden secretary and treasurer. In May, 1885, the library was opened in the Horton block, Mrs. Isabel L. Mowton librarian; the former circulating library transferring all its books thereto, and the Y. M. C. A. giving its books and newspapers for the reading room, the institution through various sources raising the fund of $1,620.16. At the first annual meeting, held at the hall of the W. C. T. U. in the Horton block, April 26, 1886, the report of the librarian showed that the library owned 2195 books. Mrs. Mowton, the librarian, resigned her position in November, 1887, because of removal from the town, and Mrs. Nellie A. Blackinton was chosen as her successor. The division of the town took place in 1887, and the new town of Attleboro, at its annual meeting in 1888, voted to make an appropriation to support the library on condition that the library association surrender its property to the town. This the association did, and the property thus transferred amounted in value to more than $2,800, and included 2800 books. Upon the resignation of Mrs. Blackinton in 1898, Miss Letitia S. Allen was chosen librarian. She died May 1, 1905, and Miss Mattie Tyrie, of the Fall River Public Library, was appointed her successor.
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