USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Dictionary of Worcester (Massachusetts) and its vicinity, 1893 > Part 16
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Red Men (Improved Order of) .- The Improved Order of Red Men is a social, fra- ternal and benevolent secret association, secret in the sense that the privacy of a home circle is the property of its own members, to be held sacred and inviolate.
Its primary objects are to promote among men the exercise and practice of the true principles of benevolence and charity, the care and protection of the widows and or- phans, and the cultivation of friendly relations among its members. Its origin is, as the name indicates, purely American, its history dating to the early hours of the Revolution, when its watchword was Freedom. The fra- ternal feature was added after the war of 1812, when the members had for a second time returned to the avocations of peace after their patriotic struggles against Great Britain, when the motto became Freedom and Friend- ship. In 1835 the present organization was formed in Maryland and added the benevolent feature, adopting the present motto - Free- dom, Friendship, Charity. It is the oldest protective and benevolent society of American birth and growth.
The association existing in the early days of W. Southwick is register.
the republic made use of the Indian dress, ceremonies, symbols and nomenclature in order to hide their identity from the uniniti- ated, and most of these characteristics have been retained by the present organization in commemoration of the patriotic impulses which gave the Order birth.
The Order numbers over 100,000. The last report from the whole Order showed an average membership of 85 in each Tribe. Funds on hand and invested, $1, 100 for each
brothers, widows and orphans for the past great sun averaged $3.75 for each member.
The membership in this jurisdiction is about 14,000. There is a branch of the Order, of which brothers of the Order and their female relatives may become members, which is Degree is very popular, having a membership of 3,800.
There are three Tribes of Red Men in Wor- cester, viz., Quinsigamond, No. 7, organized 1880; Iroquois, No. 8, organized 1883; and Massasoit, No. 6. Dr. J. B. Rich was a prime mover in establishing this order in Wor- cester.
Red Mills .- The Red Mills, at first called Flagg's Mills, were located on the water privilege on Green street, on the spot now covered by the Crompton Loom Works. A sash and blind manufactory was in operation there half a century ago.
Reform Club (Worcester) .- One of the most prominent and useful temperance organizations in the city, was organized in 1876. Its hall and club room for several years was at 460 Main street, but the club has recently removed to Clark's block on Front street, opposite the Soldiers' monument.
Registry of Deeds .- Located in the Stone Court House. Over 1400 volumes of deeds are preserved here, dating from 1731, when the county was formed. There are complete indexes of grantors and grantees. Harvey B. Wilder is register.
Registry of Probate .- In the Stone Court House. The records are complete, in- cluding the Probate Court files, from 1731. Each volume has an initial index. Frederick
Representatives in Congress .- A list of the members of Congress from the Worcester district is here given :
Jonathan Grout, Petersham, Anti-Fed., 1789-1791. Artemas Ward, Shrewsbury, Fed., 1791-1795.
Dwight Foster, Brookfield, Fed., 1795-1800. Levi Lincoln, Worcester, Dem., IS01.
Seth Hastings, Mendon, Fed., 1801-IS07. Jabez Upham, Brookfield, Fed., 1807-1810. Joseph Allen, Worcester, Fed., 1810-1811. Elijah Brigham, Westboro, Fed., 1811-IS16.
Benjamin Adams, Uxbridge, Fed., IS16-1821. Jonathan Russell, Mendon, Dem., 1821-1823.
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Jonas Sibley, Sutton, Den., 1823-1825. John Davis, Worcester, Nat. Rep. and Whig, 1825- 1834.
Levi Lincoln, Worcester, Whig, 1834-1841.
Charles Hudson, Westminster, Whig, 1841-1849. Charles Allen, Worcester, Free Soil, 1849-1853.
Alexander DeWitt, Oxford, Free Soil and K. N., 1853-1857.
Eli Thayer, Worcester, Rep., 1857-1861. Goldsmith F. Bailey, Fitchburg, Rep., 1861-1862. Amasa Walker, No. Brookfield, Rep., 1862-1863. John D. Baldwin, Worcester, Rep., 1863-1869. George F. Hoar, Worcester, Rep., 1869-1877. William W. Rice, Worcester, Rep., 1877-1887. John E. Russell. Leicester, Dem., 1887-1889. Joseph H. Walker, Worcester, Rep., ISS9.
Representatives in the General Court .-- Worcester sends eight representatives to the Legislature-one from each ward. The dis- tricts in the county are determined by the county commissioners every ten years, the last apportionment being made in 1886.
Ward I forms the 16th District.
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Reservoir Hill .- See Chandler Hill ;
Bell Pond.
Reservoirs .- The old reservoir on Chandler Hill, which stored the water from Bell Pond (q. v.), has been demolished recently. The reservoirs now in use are Bell Pond, Belmont street, Lynde Brook reservoir in Leicester, Tatnuck Brook reservoir in Holden, and Hunt's, reservoir on Leicester street. See Water Works.
The dam at the Lynde Brook reservoir was carried away by a freshet, March 30, 1876. The aggregate damages paid by the city, in- cluding the cost of the new dam, amounted to $227,000.
Restaurants .- The principal restaurants in Worcester are those of Putnam & Thurston at 381 Main street, Parker's restaurant on Front street, C. Rebboli on Pleasant street and L. J. Zahonyi's, 348 Main street. The two lat- ter are more especially ice-cream saloons. Other restaurants and eating houses are scat- tered over the city. Frank E. Marshall and F. M. Marble are well-known restaurant keepers and caterers. See Caterers.
The twelth division includes nearly the whole of Worcester County. The salary of the deputy collector is $1,400. The amount of revenue collected in this division is about $75,000 per year.
Rhetorical Society .- The Young Men's Rhetorical Society was formed in 1849, and incorporated in 1853, its purpose being mental and moral improvement, by means of essays, debates, and various rhetorical exercises. In 1855 this society joined with the Young Men's Library Association, and later was merged with the Lyceum and Library Association. In 1858 the Rhetorical Society withdrew, and renewed its active organization, which was kept up until within a few years. This society is credited with having had considerable in- fluence in political matters in former years.
Rifle Association .- The Worcester Rifle Association has a range on Heywood street. E. R. Shumway is president.
Rink (The) .- The large wooden building on the lot between Foster and Mechanic streets on Norwich street. It has been occu- pied by the U. C. Me Club; which see, also Bigelow's Garden.
Riots .- There have been several riots in Worcester, but the consequences, except in one instance, have not been serious. In 1774 Hon. Timothy Paine was compelled to resign his office as mandamus councillor by a mob. In Shays' Rebellion times a mob from Ux- bridge attempted to demolish the jail in Wor- cester, but were obliged to desist by their own townsmen. Stephen Burroughs asserts in his memoirs that he was released from imprison- ment in Worcester by a mob of apparently a thousand. In July, 1807, there were two riotous demonstrations, in which a number of nominally reputable citizens took part, who were afterwards obliged to account for their misdoings before the courts. One was really a huge frolic, and the whole town turned out to witness the discipline administered to an of- fender against public morals. The culprit was carried through Front and Main streets "on a wooden rail, with much noise and clamor." The " Angel Gabriel " riot of May 18, 1854, assumed a serious aspect and the military were summoned, but happily the disturbance was October 30, 1854, was an outburst of popular
Revenue District .- The third revenue quited without loss of life. The Butman riot, district includes all the state of Massachusetts.
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indignation against Asa O. Butman, deputy Worcester Safe Deposit and Trust Co., at U. S. marshal, who came to reclaim a fugitive 448 Main street, was chartered in 1868 with slave; and he was driven from the city with a capital of $200,000. This company does a eggs and other missiles. On the Ioth of June, general banking business. Small safes can be 1866, Henry T. Weikle, an inoffensive Ger- rented from $10 to $50 per year. The State man, was killed in front of the police station Safe Deposit Co., at 240 Main street, rent by an officer who fired a shot into a mob, after safes from $5 upward. This company was being hit with a stone. Weikle's widow was incorporated in 1887.
paid $1,000 by the city, and the officer im- prisoned.
Roman Catholic Churches .- See Catho- lic Churches.
Royal Arcanum .- A fraternal beneficiary order with just enough of secret society machinery to make it interesting. It was or- ganized June 23, 1877, at Boston. It is con- ducted upon strict business principles, and has successfully promoted its main object; the payment of a death benefit of $3,000 to full, and $1, 500 to half rate members. The insti-
tution is modeled after societies of a similar Saint Andrew's Benefit Society (Wor- nature in London, where they have existed cester). - A society of Scotchmen of the two hundred years. The total membership of mutual benefit order, formed in 1871.
the Arcanum is about 135,000, and it has paid in death benefits over $20,000,000.
There are in Worcester two branches of the Royal Arcanum: Worcester Council, No. 12, instituted September 4, 1877; and Conquest Council, No. 915, formed July 20, 1885. Dr. L. H. Hammond was the prime mover in the organization of the older council, the other charter members being: C. B. Pratt, T. S. Johnson, N. G. Tucker, H. H. Marshall, Geo. E. Boyden, L. A. Hastings, E. D. McFarland, A. C. Allen. Both Councils have about 350 members ; $66,000 has been dis- tributed to the widows or families of deceased members.
The DICTIONARY is indebted to Mr. Charles D. Nye, secretary of Worcester Council, for the above facts.
Rural Cemetery .- See Cemeteries.
Rutland .- A farming town, twelve miles northwest of Worcester, incorporated in 1713. The centre is at a high elevation, and a view, not surpassed by that from Wachusett itself, is to be had of the surrounding country. A fine hotel, the Muschopauge House, ac- commodates many summer boarders. The population of the town in 1885, was 963. In 1890, 980.
Sagamore Point. - The most prominent headland in the southern part of Lake Quin- sigamond. It was formerly called King's Point.
Sagatabscot Hill. - The high ridge of land in the south of southeast part of the city, the northern end of which is known as Union Hill. It was on this elevation that Diggory Sergeant was living when he was murdered by the Indians at the beginning of the eighteenth century.
St. Anne's Church .- The second Roman Catholic church in Worcester, formed in 1855. It was located for over thirty years on Shrews- bury street. The present fine structure is on Eastern avenue near the State Normal School. Rev. Denis Scannell has been the pastor since 1872.
St. John's Church .- The first Roman Catholic church in Worcester, formed in 1846. The edifice is on Temple street. Rt. Rev. Mgr. Thomas Griffin is the pastor.
St. John's Church .- The third Protestant Episcopal church in Worcester, located on Lincoln street. It was formed in 1884, with Francis G. Burgess as rector.
St. Mark's Church, Freeland street .- The fourth Protestant Episcopal church in Worces- ter, formed in 1888, with L. C. Stewardson as rector.
St. Matthew's Church, South Worcester, is the second Protestant Episcopal church in the city, formed in 1871. Henry Hague is rector.
St. Paul's Church (Roman Catholic) .- In August, 1866, Rev. John J. Power pur-
Safe Deposit Vaults .- There are two chased the Earle estate, the second lot south safe deposit companies in the city. The of Corbett (now Chatham) street, on Nobility
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Hill, with the purpose of erecting thereon a invitation at the house of Mr. J. Evarts church edifice. A prominent Roman Catholic Greene to consider the subject of forming a advanced $3,000 and Fr. Power gave his club or society for social intercourse and the note for the balance. In January, 1867, a discussion of such topics as might be proposed meeting of Catholics was held in Washburn and approved. Those presen were Senator Hall, and $7,100 raised. About this time the George F. Hoar, Judge Hamilton B. Staples,
project of cutting down Nobility Hill began to the Rev. Daniel Merriman, D. D., the Very be agitated, and Mayor Blake protested Rev. John J. Power, D. D., and Mr. Samuel
against the erection of a church building in the manner first contemplated, and after some consideration it was proposed to change the plan so as to have the building front on High street, with the rear towards Main street. At this juncture the owner of the Rice lot at the corner of Corbett street offered to ex- change his lot for the other, and the transfer was effected, the church securing the right to re-purchase the rear of the Earle estate- some 14,000 feet. It was finally decided that the edifice should be built as at present locat- ed, fronting on Chatham street. Ground was broken in the spring of 1868, and the corner stone was laid July 4, 1869. Since this time the building has progressed by stages until the completion of the steeple or tower in Septem- ber, 1889, the latter remaining unfinished many years after the body of the church was completed. St. Paul's is the finest structure used for religious purposes in Worcester. It is of Gothic architecture, built entirely of granite, 185 feet long, 90 feet broad, with a basement of 16 feet in the clear, under the entire church. A superb marble statue of St. Paul, of heroic size, procured through Ran- dolph Rogers, from Rome, the gift of Mrs. Geo. Crompton, was raised and placed on a pedestal in front of the church, July 4, 1874, with imposing ceremonies. It is the third Roman Catholic church in the city, formed in 1869.
St. Peter's Church .- The seventh Roman Catholic church in Worcester, formed in 1884, and located at corner of Main and Grand streets. D. H. O'Neill is the pastor.
St. Joseph's Church, Wall street, is the second French Roman Catholic church in Worcester, formed in 1891. Jules Graton is the pastor.
St. Stephen's Church, on Grafton street, is the eighth Roman Catholic church in the city. R. S. J. Burke is the pastor. It was formed in 1884.
S. Green, besides the host, who read the names of others whom he had asked or wished task to join the proposed club, namely : Mr Stephen Salisbury, Judge Thomas L. Nelson, Mr. Frank P. Goulding, President G. Stanley Hall, Dr. Leonard Wheeler, Dr. George E. Francis, the Rev. Alexander H. Vinton, D. D., and Mr. Henry A. Marsh. To these was added by common consent the name of Mr. E. Harlow Russell.
"Without formal proceedings it was agreed to form such a club as had been proposed; that the meetings should be held fortnightly on Friday evenings, and that the first meeting should be held in October, the time and place to be fixed by Mr. Greene, who undertook to give to each member timely notice thereof.
"In accordance with this agreement the club met on Saturday evening, October 11th, at the house of Senator Hoar. The members present besides Mr. Hoar were Mr. Salisbury, Judge Nelson, Judge Staples, Mr. Marsh, Dr. Francis, Dr. Wheeler, Mr. S. S. Green, Dr. Hall, Dr. Merriman, Mr. Goulding, Mr. J. Evarts Greene. A committee was appointed to prepare a plan of organization, and Mr. J. Evarts Greene was chosen secretary.
"The subject of conversation, suggested by Mr. Marsh, was in substance: What disposi- tion should be made of the bequest of the late Mrs. Helen C. Knowles for the advancement of art education in Worcester ?
"The discussion of this topic may be justly regarded as the origin of the St. Wulstan So- ciety as a corporation. For at the next meet- ing Mr. Marsh, speaking as a member of the club and as one of the executors of Mrs. Knowles, said that in his judgment the ad- ministration of her bequest for art education might wisely be intrusted to a corporation composed of members of this club, and that it was the earnest wish of the executors to be relieved of further responsibility by placing the fund which they held for that purpose in the charge of a corporation so composed. Mr. Marsh read to the club a letter from his
Saint Wulstan Society .- "One evening in June, 1890, several gentlemen met by his co-executor, Mr. Edward A. Strong of Boston,
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heartily concurring in this opinion and wish." here was formerly at a much higher elevation,
The corporation was organized on the sec- and was known as Baptist Hill, on account of ond day of January, 1891, with the purpose of the location on the east of the First Baptist "the promotion of literature, art, historical Church. The square was graded to its present and social science in Worcester, and holding level in 1867, at an expense of $4,173.28. and administrating the Helen C. Knowles The public wood and hay market was for sev- legacy for the promotion of art education in eral years located here.
Worcester, and such other funds as may be acquired for the same and kindred objects."
The by-laws limit the number of mem- the new building of The Worcester Society bers to sixteen, and provide that any one ceasing to be a resident of Worcester ceases to be a member, and if absent from four meet- ings without excuse may be considered to have withdrawn. An Art Commission of five is also constituted to administer the Knowles or other funds.
The officers elected were : President, George F. Hoar; Vice-President, Stephen Salisbury ; Clerk, J. Evarts Greene; Treasurer, Henry A. Marsh.
Mr. Salisbury has offered a lot of land and a sum of money to the St. Wulstan Society to aid the erection of an art building. See un- der Art in Worcester.
The society takes its name from Wulstan, bishop of Worcester in England from 1062 to 1095, who was canonized in 1203.
Salaries .- The salaries of city officers are given below:
Mayor, $2,500. 2,200.
City Clerk, Salvation Army .- The Salvation Army began an active campaign in Worcester with Treasurer, 3,400. (for all Engineer, 2,700. Solicitor, 3,000. a public meeting in Mechanics Hall Sunday, Nov. 16, 1884. The next evening, having taken up quarters in the old Providence rail- road station, on Green street, a serious 66 Physician, 1,200. 66 Auditor, 1,800. disturbance occurred, the building being sur- rounded by the denizens of that region, who 66 Messenger, 900. Chief Engineer, 1,800. resented this invasion of their bailiwick, and Water Commissioner, 2,000. manifested their displeasure by throwing Water Registrar, 1,500. cobble-stones, railroad-iron, and other mis- Supt. Buildings, siles through the windows. After a time the Army removed to a hall on Church street, One Assessor, 1,800. 2,000. where for a year or two the work of salvation Two each, 1,500. Inspector Board of Health, was carried on with only an occasional inter- ference from the unruly element. This 1,100. Supt. of Schools, 3,500. branch later took the name of Christian Principal, Classical High School, Crusaders. The headquarters are now in Taylor's building, Main street. There is a 3,000. branch of the English order under the old Librarian, Public name of Salvation Army with headquarters Library, 3,000. on Carlton street. Evening and Sunday Salem Square .- East of the Common, parades and frequent street and other meetings between Front and Park streets. The ground are held. } services. )
Salisbury Hall .- The audience room in of Antiquity on Salisbury street. It will seat about three hundred.
Salisbury Mansion .- The fine old man- sion house in Lincoln square, now the home of the Hancock Club (see title). It was erected by the first Stephen Salisbury in 1770, and occupied by him as a residence until his death in 1829, and has always remained in the possession of his descendants.
Salisbury Pond. - The small sheet of water off Grove street and north of Institute Park, which forms a part of its shores. Ice cutting operations are largely carried on here during the winter. This pond was formed by damming Mill Brook, and served as a reser- voir of the water power for the first wire factory built about 1835, where the extensive Washburn & Moen wire mill now stands.
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Sanctuary (The) .- A secluded inlet on 3,000. About half of the French-Canadian. the Shrewsbury shore of Lake Quinsigamond, children in the city attend parochial schools north of the causeway, the narrow entrance to on account of the French language being which is known as Cold Spring. The name taught. was applied by T. W. Higginson.
Saturday Spectator .- A weekly paper, the first number of which appeared June 4th, 1892. The publication was suspended after a few issues.
Savings Banks .- See Banks.
Scales (Public) .- Public scales are located in Lincoln and Webster squares, on Mason street, at the corner of Tufts, and on Franklin street. Weighers are appointed annually by the mayor and aldermen, and receive half the fees.
Scalpintown .- A name formerly applied to the locality at the lower end of Gold street, or across the railroad from the lower end of Madison street. In police circles the name has an especial significance in bringing to mind former desperate struggles with the rough element of that region.
Scavenger Department. - House offal, swill and other refuse, is collected by teams from the City Farm. The effects of this de- partment are valued at $11,674, and the amount appropriated for expenses in 1892 was $5,000.
Schools, Private .- There are several ex- cellent private schools in Worcester. The following are well known: Mrs. Morgan's School and Kindergarten, in the Y. M. C. A. building; Mr. John W. Dalzell's School for Boys, at 66 West street; Mrs. Throop's, 141 Pleasant street; and the School of English Speech, conducted by Mrs. Cutter, at 34 Front street. The Commercial Colleges of E. C. A. Becker at 492 Main street and A. H. Hinman at 44 Front furnish excellent business training for both sexes.
Schools and School Houses .- The pres- ent number of pupils in the public schools of Worcester is 11,991; and about 425 teachers are employed. Number of school houses, 55; number of rooms, 350. There are 340 schools, including evening schools. There are two high schools, the English and the classical. Amount appropriated for the support of schools in 1892, $300,000, and $32,700 addi- tional for the construction of new houses. Value of school houses and lots, $1, 181,885, and of other school property, $183,360. Drawing, music and bookkeeping are taught by special instructors. The public schools are under the control and direction of a committee of twenty-four-three from each ward; and the mayor is ex-officio chairman of the Board. One-third of the committee retire annually, and are replaced by those newly elected. The superintendent of schools is the agent of the School Committee, and is subject to their direction, all matters of importance being determined by vote of the Board. There is also a secretary whose duty it is to keep a
Schools (Parochial). - According to a statement published in the Boston Advertiser of November 12, 1889, the result of careful enumeration, there are in Massachusetts 39,301 pupils in parochial schools, as against 178,097 in the public schools of the cities and towns in which parochial schools are main- tained. Rev. Fr. Fitton, the first Catholic priest in Worcester, had a parochial school in 1837 which numbered 90 pupils, and he record of the proceedings of the meetings, petitioned the town school committee for an compile statistics, etc.
Promotions in the schools are now made in
appropriation of money to maintain it. About 1874 a large school house was erected by the accordance with an original plan adopted six or eight years ago. Promotion in all the classes is made by the teacher with the advice and approval of the principal. It depends
Irish Catholics, and a parochial school opened. Five or six years later a French school was established. In 1888 a boys' school was opened by the Order of the Christian Brothers upon the work and progress of the pupil for a from Ireland, since relinquished. At present there are two parochial schools in the city,
stated period. Written examinations are held in all the grades several times during the namely : St. John's (Irish), with three houses year; the result of these may influence, but it and about 1,700 pupils; and St. Anne's does not determine promotion, which rests (French), with three houses and 1278 pupils. not as formerly upon a single examination, Total number of pupils in round numbers, for which the pupil has been crammed. It is
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the average of a pupil during the year, and a motion to build a school house was voted not a final test, that ensures his advance. down; but in 1733 it was voted to build one This plan was discussed at a recent meeting of the New England School Superintendents' Association, and adopted by them as advisa- ble; and the plan has been substantially adopted in several of the large western cities. The division of the schools into classes has obviated to a great extent the tendency to mechanical work common to the graded sys- tem, and gives greater opportunity for individ- ual teaching. Worcester schools were the first in which drawing was taught, and this is the foundation of all the much discussed man- from 1755 to 1758. While in Worcester the ual training of to-day. Kindergartens have the present year been established in connec- tion with the lower grade schools.
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