USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Dictionary of Worcester (Massachusetts) and its vicinity, 1893 > Part 4
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City Guards, (Worcester) .- Company
Church of the Immaculate Conception. -The fifth Roman Catholic church in Wor- A, Second Regiment, M. V. M. This com- cester, founded in 1873. The edifice is located pany was organized in 1840 as the Harrison on Prescott street. Rev. Robert Walsh has Guards. It was attached to the Third Battal- been the pastor from the beginning. ion of Rifles, and was in the first three months' service in the Rebellion, under Capt. A. B. R. Sprague.
Church of the Sacred Heart .- The sixth Roman Catholic Church in Worcester, founded in 1880. Rev. Thomas J. Conaty, D. D., a The building is at 340 Cambridge in which are located most of the local public pastor. street, and the establishment cost $80,000.
City Hall .- An unpretentious structure of clergyman of more than local celebrity, is the brick at the corner of Main and Front streets, offices, the rooms of the Mayor and Aldermen, Churches .- There are 71 church organiza- tions in Worcester; and 59 church edifices. See under the different denominations. .and the Common Council. This building, now entirely inadequate for the purposes to which it is applied, was in its original propor- tions, erected in 1825, and known then and
Circuit, (The) .- The drive-way along the until 1848, when Worcester became a city, as
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the Town Hall. It has been enlarged and most modern chemical apparatus. The foun- several times remodeled. The police station dations of another large building, to be erect- was for many years in the basement, and the ed between the main building and the chemical District Court occupied part of the building laboratory, are laid. Jonas G. Clark is Presi- until the removal of both to the Armory build- ing on Waldo street.
City Hospital .- See Hospital.
City Missionary Society .- Formed Oct. G. Clark, Stephen Salisbury, George F. Hoar, William W. Rice, John D. Washburn, Frank P. Goulding, George Swan, Edward Cowles, Thomas H. Gage.
16, and incorporated Dec. 10, 1883, its object being to promote religion and morality in Worcester by the employment of missionaries. Rev. Albert Bryant was for several years City Missionary. This society had no connection with the one formed about 1850. Rev. Mr. Fox was the first City Missionary, and was succeeded by Deacon Moses Brigham. Rev. W. T. Sleeper followed in 1854 and continued till 1857 when Rev. Samuel Souther assumed the charge and also continued three years. The Ministry at Large was instituted April 15, 1849, with Warren Burton as Minister at Large, and he was succeeded by Francis Le- Baron. Ichabod Washburn built the Mission Chapel on Summer street in 1854, in aid of mission work.
City Treasurer .- The City Treasurer is collector of taxes, receives and disburses the public money, and has the custody of the same. Office in the City Hall. John Boyden was the first City Treasurer from 1848 to 1850. George W. Wheeler served from 1850 to 1872, and was succeeded by William S. Barton, at present in office.
Civil Engineers .- The Worcester County Society of Engineers is an association com- posed mostly of civil engineers, but to which mechanical engineers are admitted. Hon. Phinehas Ball is President, and Arthur J. Marble, Secretary.
Civil Service .- The Board of Examiners for Worcester consists of three members, who are appointed by the Civil Service Commis- sioners of the state.
Clark University .- Founded in 1887 by Jonas G. Clark, who has endowed the institu- tion with $1,500,000. Two substantial build- ings have been erected on Main street, opposite University park. The main building is devoted entirely to lecture rooms and offices of the faculty. The chemical laboratory is one of the most complete in the country, and Estes Smith, 1831. The oldest tailoring es- contains about fifty rooms fitted up with the tablishment in the city at present is represent-
dent of the corporation; Frank P. Goulding is Secretary; Stephen Salisbury Treasurer; G. Stanley Hall is President of the University. The full Board of Trustees consists of Jonas
The purpose of the University is to afford means and opportunity for the highest educa- tion and original research. Unlike any other American University it has no distinctively undergraduate departments. It will aim to increase the sum of human knowledge, and transmit the highest culture of one generation to the ablest youth of the next. The Univer- sity opened Oct. 2d, 1889, with the following five departments : Mathematics, physics, chem- istry, biology and psychology. Other depart- ments will be organized in the future.
Publications connected with the Uuniversi- ty: The Journal of Morphology was com- menced in September, 1887, and is edited by Prof. C. O. Whitman. From three to six numbers a year are issued, of 150 to 200 pages each, with illustrations. The American Journal of Psychology was commenced in November, 1887, and is edited by Dr. G. Stanley Hall. Issued quarterly. The Peda- gogical Seminary. The first number was issued in January, 1891, and is edited by President Hall.
Clearing House Association. - Formed in 1863. Henry A. Marsh is chairman and G. A. Smith manager. Amount of Exchange for the year 1891, $61,366,423.
Clothing Trade .- Benjamin Andrews, for many years a tailor in the town, advertised in 1802 "Ready-made Cloaths." The names of some Worcester tailors in early years, with approximate dates, are here given: Calvin Foster, 1808; Thompson Kimberly, 1811 to 1830; Benjamin Kingman, 1813; Benjamin Phelps, 1815; Caleb Tebbetts, 1816 and years after; Varnum Brigham, 1822; George C. Dean, 1823; Asa Walker, 1826 and nearly fifty years after; Leonard Brigham, 1830;
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ed by Brown & Estabrook. It was founded in 1824 by Albert Brown. L. W. Sturtevant and S. Parker began business in 1846. Henry M. Sikes offered "Gentlemen's Top Coats, latest London Fashion," in 1819. W. D. Lewis dealt in ready-made clothing in 1838. of the High School found at the old mine a specimen of the very rare fossil coal plant, " Lepidodendron ( Sagenaria ) acuminatum,"' of which a notice appeared in the American: Journal of Science for February, 1885.
Handy, Luther & Co. opened a clothing store in 1842, and Bigelow & Longley are the suc- cessors of this firm, through Luther & Free- land and C. W. Freeland & Co. The house of the Ware-Pratt Company dates from 1847, when A. P. Ware started the business, and D. H. Eames began in 1851.
·Clubs .- The principal social clubs in Wor- cester are the Worcester., the Commonwealth, the Washington, the Washington Social, and the Hancock. The Quinsigamond Boat Club is largely socialin character. Several others, more or less prominent, exist under various names. (See the different titles).
per ton. Failure to purchase the adjoining estate, and the death of the proprietor, caused the operations to be abandoned, and the mine fell into disuse. The coal contained 75 per cent. of carbon. In 1884 Joseph H. Perry
Coes Square. - New Worcester, where Beaver, Coes and Lovell streets and Park avenue meet.
Cold Spring .- The entrance to the Sanc- tuary (see title ) at Lake Quinsigamond has long been known by this name on account, doubt- less, of the coldness of the water as it issues from the pool within.
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College of the Holy Cross .- A Roman Coal Clubs .- Clubs to purchase coal at wholesale have been formed among the em- ployees of several of the large manufactories during the past five years. By combining, the members are enabled to obtain their year's stock of coal direct from the wholesale dealers at the seaports at a considerable reduction from the prices exacted by the coal dealers. Ivers Gibbs was the first to engage in the scheme, and during the winter of 1886-7 he purchased a large quantity of coal which was divided at satisfactory prices. His example was followed by others, and within the last two years a large amount of coal has come to Worcester upon the orders from these clubs. Catholic Institution of learning, situated on Mount St. James, Pakachoag hill, south of the city. It was founded in 1843 by the Rt. Rev. Benedict Joseph Fenwick, bishop of Boston, and was given by him to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus. In 1865 it was incorporated by the Legislature with power and authority to confer degrees such as are conferred by any other college in the State, except medical de- grees. "The object of the institution is to prepare youths for a professional or for a com- mercial state of life." The course of studies embraces in its whole extent a period of seven years, of which three are given to the prepar- atory and junior classes, and four to the senior. The last of these years are devoted to the Coal Mine .- Near the north end of Lake Quinsigamond. Previous to 1820 plumbago was obtained here, most of which was ground in West Millbury, and used to coat the bottom of vessels. Coal from the mine was first burned in 1822 by William Lincoln and Isaac study of Rational Philosophy and the Natural Sciences. The academical term commences the first Wednesday in September and ends the last Thursday in June. Michael A. O'Kane is president of the College. The College building is a conspicuous object when Davis in the presence of Hon. Levi Lincoln entering Worcester from the south. The grave and other prominent gentlemen. The mine of Bishop Fenwick, who died in 1846, is a short distance from the College.
was worked in 1823, and in February, 1824, an act of incorporation for the Massachusetts Colleges .- See College of the Holy Cross ; Polytechnic Institute; Clark University. Coal Company was applied for. The coal was first used as fuel by S. B. Thomas, who kept a hotel here; it was also used at the brewery Colonial Hall .- No. 34 Front street. This hall is much used for select assemblies, cham- ber concerts and the higher class of entertain- and by the Grafton Manufacturing Company. In 1827 Amos Binney purchased the mine, and the next year a horizontal passage was ments. It is furnished and decorated in the made 60 feet deep, 12 feet wide and 9 feet colonial style. The hall was publicly opened high. Several hundred tons were sold at $3 Nov. 21, 1890, with a piano and violin recital
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by Mrs. Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler and T. Adamowski. There are seats for 300, and a kitchen and retiring rooms are connected with the auditorium.
Colored Population. - According to the census of 1890 there were (including mulat- toes ) 976 persons of color in Worcester. The social condition of this race has not improved here during the past forty years-in fact, ne- groes are not treated with the consideration they were before the war, when Worcester was thought a paradise for the fugitive from oppression. There are a few well-to-do col- ored men here, but the majority are not pros- perous.
Columbia Cycle Club .- See the article on Cycling.
Common, (The) or Central Park .- A small pleasure ground of eight acres, bounded by Main, Front and Park streets and Salem square. This ground was originally set apart in 1684 as a training field, and was then of much larger proportions. It was encroached upon for other uses, and its territory curtailed from time to time. A portion was used for burial purposes for a century previous to 1824, and in the year 1719 the meeting-house was allowed a place there when the first edifice was built, an act of hospitality which cost the city a heavy sum when the church was evicted in 1887. The Soldiers' Monument is at the lower end of the Common, and a short dis- tance southwest of this is the fine monument in memory of Col. Timothy Bigelow of the Revolution.
Commonwealth Club .- This Club was or- ganized in 1880 and incorporated November 29, 1881; its object being mutual, social and political improvement. Oscar F. Rawson, Albert A. Lovell, F. W. Blacker and Henry T. Farrar were the prime movers. The Club
Continentals, (The Worcester) .- A pri- vate military organization formed in 1876. occupies a fine suite of rooms in Bank Build- The uniform is a fac-simile of that worn by ing, Foster street.
Congregational Churches (Trinita- rian) .- There are sixteen Orthodox churches in the city. The names, location and dates of formation are given in the following list :
First (Old South), corner Main and Wel- lington streets, 1719.
Central, Salisbury street, 1820.
Union, Front street, 1836.
Salem Street, Salem square, 1848.
Summer Street, 1865.
Plymouth, Pearl street, 1869.
Piedmont, corner of Main and Piedmont streets, 1872.
Swedes, Providence street, 1880.
Pilgrim, 907 Main street, 1885.
Church of the Covenant, 1885.
Park, Russell street, 1887.
Belmont, 50 Belmont street, 1889.
Hope, South Worcester, 1889. Bethany, Leicester street, 1891.
Armenian, Curtis Hall, 1892.
Lake View, Coburn avenue, 1890.
(See Unitarian Churches ; Tabernacle Church.)
Congregational Club, (The Worces- ter) .- Was formed in 1874, and meets six times yearly for the discussion of subjects per- taining to Congregational polity. The mem- bership is confined to clergymen and promi- nent Orthodox Congregationalists in the coun- ty, and is somewhat exclusive.
Congressional District .- The State is now · divided into thirteen Congressional Districts. (The number and boundaries are determined by the Legislature once in ten years, after the United States census.) District No. 3, estab- lished by Chap. 396, Acts of 1891, includes the city of Worcester and the towns of Au- burn, Blackstone, Charlton, Douglas, Dudley, Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Mendon, Mill- bury, Northbridge, Oxford, Paxton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sutton, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster, West- borough, West Boylston, in Worcester Coun- ty, and Hopkinton, in Middlesex County. The district, by the census of 1890, had a population of 171,484. (See Representatives for a list of Congressmen from 1789. )
the Continentals in the Revolution. This company made its first public appearance in the Centennial Parade, July 4, 1876. Their armory is at the corner of Main and Foster streets, and the organization partakes much of the character of a social club.
Co-operation .- There were several early attempts at co-operation in Worcester, one of which we notice under the name of " The Worcester Flour and Grain League," formed
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in 1855 to furnish its members with breadstuffs This was formed in Know-Nothing times and and other necessaries at first cost. Z. E. chartered by the Know-Nothing Governor, Berry was president and A. L. Burbank sec- Henry J. Gardner; and article 2d of the con- retary. This, evidently, was not a success, stitution still reads: "No person shall become and like the Loan Fund Association, formed a member of this Association unless he be an American born," etc. The purpose is to in- sure a sum to each member sufficient to pay about the same time (see next article ), did not long exist. Probably the most notable enterprise in co-operation here was the First funeral expenses in case of death. Worcester Co-operative Association, formed in 1867, and which at first had a grocery store on Southbridge street, and later moved to The efforts at co-operation, especially as ap- Franklin square. The association was very plied to distribution, have been numerous in successful for a time, but finally, after twenty Worcester County and City. A generation ago, a modified or joint-stock form of co-oper- ation spread over the state. The Protective Union, Div. 42, Front street, is a monument to the efforts put forth at that period, and its years operation, failed. The Sovereigns' Co- operative Association, organized in 1875 and chartered in 1876, maintained with good suc- cess a grocery store on Pleasant street until May, 1892, when its affairs were settled. It benefits are still shared by the lucky few who lately had no connection with the Sovereigns own shares of stock in an institution which of Industry. Prof. George I. Alden and Jos. has been exceedingly well managed for a long P. Cheney, Jr., were respectively president term of years.
and agent of the association from the first.
The Worcester Co-operative Grocery Asso- The Progressive Co-operative Association, whose store is at 60 Pleasant street, was ciation was at one time an element of hope to those who believed that the system of dis- formed in May, 1883, and incorporated June tributive co-operation, which has proved to be 16, 1886. There are two Swedes' co-operative
such a power in Great Britain, would also de- grocery stores-one on Prospect street, the' velop the same results in an industrial field other at Quinsigamond village. The Knights like Worcester. Their hopes, however, were of Labor Co-operative Boot and Shoe Associa- doomed to disappointment. Manager suc- tion has a store at 152 Front street for the ceeded manager in rapid succession. Some sale of foot-wear and gentlemen's furnishing of them went into competitive business on goods. During the past five years this enter-
their own account, whilst all of them carried prise has been conducted with good results. on the business of the co-operative store dur- The association has no connection with the ing their term of office in the same way that most retail grocery stores are carried on-that is, in giving credit to needy customers. Year after year the position of the association grew worse, until the business was wound up. At order of Knights of Labor. D. F. Fitzgerald is manager and treasurer. The Worcester Co-operative Boot and Shoe Association was incorporated April 19, 1888, with the purpose
" to manufacture, buy and sell boots and shoes one time the association did a business of and other goods, and general merchandise on $100,000 a year. Bad debts, which true co- the co-operative plan." This association was operation practice makes impossible, are ac- largely composed of British Americans, with countable for this and many other failures of David Armitage as president. The store in co-operation in Worcester.
While it may be proper to call attention to Jackson with good success, and the association the fact that the recent co-operative associa- Franklin square, was managed by Thomas
tions which have gained a footing in Worces- ter are supposed to withhold credit to mem- bers and traders, it is to be feared that the
finally sold out to him. There are many mu- tual benefit associations in Worcester connect- ed with the secret and fraternal orders, or maintained as such, some of the titles of which rule is not strictly lived up to in all cases, and appear separately in the DICTIONARY. Prob- hence the future career of some of these stores ably the oldest benefit society, pure and sim- may be jeopardized by this false action on the ple, with which Worcester has to do is the part of their managers. The true co-operative Boston & Worcester Railroad Mutual Ben- idea is to buy and sell for cash. When this is efit Association, incorporated April 10, 1855. adhered to successful co-operation is assured,
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provided the volume of trade transacted is Seventh Councilor District comprises the cities sufficient to sustain the enterprise.
of Worcester and Fitchburg, and the follow- In proof of this position, it may be well to notice the result of living up to the co-opera- ing towns: Athol, Auburn, Barre, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, tive plan by the co-operative banks of this Charlton, Clinton, Dana, Douglas, Dudley, city. There are now three of them. The Gardner, Grafton, Hardwick, Harvard, Hol- first, The Worcester Co-operative Bank, was den, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Lei- chartered in October, 1877. The association cester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mendon, Mil- flourished, and its outgrowth has been two ford, Millbury, New Braintree, Northborough, other co-operative banks, one organized in Northbridge, North Brookfield, Oakham, Ox- June, 1882, and the other in March, 1887. ford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Prince- ton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southborough, and make loans amounting to more than a mil- Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sterling, lion dollars, without the loss of a dollar of Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, War- principal or interest on any loan. Here the ren, Westborough, Webster, West Brookfield, true co-operative principle has been carried West Boylston, Westminster, in Worcester out, and the result has been gratifying to those County, and Amherst, Belchertown, Enfield,
These banks have issued shares to depositors who believe in the successful workings of co- operation. Unfortunately the same methods duty as co-operators, in the strict sense of the term, in any effort made to co-operate in dis- tributive or productive co-operation.
Granby, Greenwich, Hadley, Pelham, Pres- cott, South Hadley and Ware, in Hampshire can not be invoked to keep members to their County. The above towns are comprised in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Worces- ter, and the Worcester and Hampshire Sen- atorial Districts.
The DICTIONARY is indebted to David Ar- mitage for many of the above facts.
Co-operative Banks .- These institutions " aim to help people buy houses, pay off mort- gages, build homes and save money. These are Mutual Associations where the members lend the money they have to spare monthly, the borrowers giving real estate security and paying interest." An association with the above objects was founded in Worcester and in- corporated April 25, 1854, under the name of the Mechanics' Mutual Loan Fund Associa- tion, with Hon. H. W. Benchley as president and A. L. Burbank secretary. It did not prove a success, though it was in existence some four or five years. There are now three co-operative banks in successful operation in this city, the Worcester, incorporated in 1877; the Home, in 1882, and the Equity, in 1887. These are located in the Walker building, 405 Main street, and Hon. Thomas J. Hastings is secretary and treasurer of all of them. The First Swedish Building Association, organized in 1886, is somewhat similar in character to the co-operative banks.
Coroner .- See Medical Examiner.
County House .- See Fail.
Court Hill .- At the north end of Main street. The County Court Houses are situated here. There were formerly three parallel roads at this point, at different grades, like terraces. The middle road was discontin- ued in 1832 by vote of the town. The bank wall was begun in 1852 and completed the next year. The stone steps in front of the granite Court House, which descend into Main street, were provided by the County Commissioners, the City paying the expense of putting them in position.
Court Houses .- The two County Court Houses are located on Court Hill. The brick edifice was erected in 1802, and is used mostly for criminal sessions. The Granite Court House was completed in 1845, and cost $100, 000. A wing was added in 1878. Here are held the sessions of the Supreme and the Superior Courts, and the Probate and Insol- vency Courts. The Registry of Deeds, Registry of Probate and other county offices are also located in this building.
The Central District Court occupies a part of the old Armory Building in Waldo street.
Councilor District .- The State is divided by the Legislature into Eight Councilor Dis- Court Mills .- The buildings which long tricts, the last apportionment having been stood at the entrance to Union street, in made in 1886, and will hold ten years. The Lincoln square, on the site of the present
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Salisbury building. These mills were erected Waldo Lincoln, W. B. Chamberlain, F. H. and owned by Hon. Stephen Salisbury, and Dewey, Jr., Merrick Bemis, Emerson Warner. were occupied by the Ruggles, Nourse & The later organization was: President, Waldo Mason Co., later the Ames Plow Co., until Lincoln; Vice-President, E. L. Davis; Sec- the removal of the latter in 1874-5 to the new retary, Dr. J. O. Marble; Treasurer, P. W. shop on Prescott street. The place of the Moen; Directors, Stephen Salisbury, E. L. Davis, Waldo Lincoln, E. H. Russell, G. E. Francis, J. O. Marble, F. H. Dewey, W. B. Chamberlain, E. H. Brigham. The capital stock was $10,000, and the shares $10. The erection of a Crematory was contemplated.
Court mills is probably where Dr. Abraham Lincoln's " Trip Hammer Shop " stood, about the year 1800 or before. Later Earl & Williams had a shop here for the manufacture of carding and spinning machinery, and black- smiths' work, which was destroyed by fire But recently a proposition from movers for the Jan. 5, 1815.
Courts .- The Supreme Judicial Court meets at Worcester (jury sitting ) on the second Tuesday in April, and (law sitting ) third Mon- day after second Tuesday in September.
The Superior Court sits for civil cases the first Monday of March; Monday next after the fourth Monday of August, and the second Monday of December. For criminal cases, third Monday of January and October, and second Monday of May.
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