USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 59
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 59
USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth, Norfolk and Barnstable counties, Massachusetts, Vol. I > Part 59
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Mrs. Eva M. S. Wright deeded to the city July 1, 1914, the James Edgar Playground, on Winthrop and Brooks streets, in memory of
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her father, the late Colonel James Edgar. The land is to be forever used as a public playground.
A tract of land on the north side of Teele Street, to be always used as a public playground, was conveyed to the city as a gift from Dr. Loring W. Puffer and his son, Clarence C. Puffer, February 28, 1916.
The Benjamin F. Battles Park, at the intersection of Battles and Richmond streets, was conveyed to the city by deed dated November 21, 1921, by the heirs of Benjamin F. Battles. They were ex-Mayor David W. Battles, George F. Battles, Mrs. L. Jennie Neal, Mrs. Hazel Gammon and Fred B. Gammon, all of Brockton.
The Eldon B. Keith Athletic Field, on West Elm Street near the High School Building, was deeded to the city December 5, 1921, by Harold C. Keith, and Lulie H. Keith, trustees under the will of George E. Keith. In a letter dated January 8, 1920, George E. Keith had given notice of his intention to give the city the land as a memorial to his son, who had been a member of the school committee and had died in London, in connection with World War duties. Under pro- visions of the deed the school board has "sole charge of the management and use of said field for athletic games and other entertainments and purposes of a public nature as well as for school purposes."
The city of Brockton, in 1922, received the David G. Swain Fund of $5,000, under the will of the late David G. Swain, a real estate operator and appraiser, the income "to be used for the poor children's shoes and clothing fund of the city of Brockton."
City Learning to Drink More Milk-There are two hundred and sixty-eight dairy farms, on which are 3,058 cows furnishing Brockton with the bulk of the milk consumed by the muncipality, according to the latest report. In 1926 Brockton consumed 26,563 quarts of milk daily, an average of six hundred and sixty-three quarts over the average of the previous year. A high degree of cleanliness and freedom from adulteration characterizes the milk supply, owing to the watchfulness on the part of the board of health and the bacteriological department superintended by City Bacteriologist George E. Bolling. All dairy farms are subjected to rigid inspection.
Municipal Housekeeping Fund-The city budget for 1927 carried a net appropriation of $2,486,778, using as a gross appropriation $3,292,470 and deducting the estimated revenue of $805,691. The general school appropriation was $849,501, one-third of the whole net total. The police appropriation was $193,176, the fire department $258,797, regular health department $25,800, ash removal department $45,555, contagious diseases fund $54,084, Public Welfare $143,419, Water Department main- tenance $140,961, sewer maintenance $76,311, Street Department $179,941, street lighting $71,540, and Public Library $37,466.
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Conduct of the Fire Department-The fire loss in Brockton in 1926 was $167,383. There are one hundred and thirty-one employees in the fire department which is one of the best in the country for a city of the size of Brockton. The estimated value of the property where fires occurred in 1926 was $6,458,270. In responding to the 1,069 alarms the motor apparatus covered 3,304 miles.
Since North Bridgewater Became Brockton-The population of North Bridgewater in 1870 was 8,007. In 1875 there were 10,578, and of this number 5,242 were males and 5,336 females. There were 2,434 voters, 3,063 ratable polls, 2,166 native voters, and 268 naturalized voters. According to the 1875 directory there were ten clergymen, eight phy- sicians, four lawyers, twelve teachers, elven barbers, one hundred and sixty-three farmers, eighteen bakers, fifty-eight farm laborers, nine whose occupation was given as servants, and several saloon keepers, for it was a license town.
In 1880 the population was 13,608, an increase in ten years of 5,610. The increase in population from 1875 to 1885 was the largest percentage of any ten years, and much larger than any of the other twenty-three cities in the Commonwealth. This increase in percentage was 96.47. Brockton's population in 1885 was 20,783, an increase of 7,715 in five years.
Brockton was the first city in the country to have electric street lights but there was none in 1873, the year before the Brockton Fair started. Neither was there a street railway or a water system. A coach line was run from Campello to the center of the town by Charles Cole, a Campello stable keeper, but, in 1873, he disposed of it. April 24, 1875, a portion of Brockton was annexed to South Abington (now Whitman), and portions of East Bridgewater and South Abington were annexed to Brockton, changing the map lines slightly, to the advantage, it was believed, of many people concerned.
The first telephone wire was stretched in Brockton February 1, 1877, from the office of D. T. Burrell, photographer, in the Bryant Building, corner of Main and Centre streets. The heaviest snowstorm of that winter came later the same day, blocking the railroad and testing the telephone wire, but its great convenience in times of storm could not be demonstrated because there were no telephone connections in readiness. It was on February 12th that Professor Dolbeare experi- mented with the public telephone for the first time.
St. George Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Campello, held its first communication February 14, 1877. It was the second Masonic lodge in Brockton, Paul Revere Lodge having been instituted February 5,1856.
Ground was broken for laying the first water pipes in Brockton in Plym-35
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August, 1877. The start was made in front of Charles R. Ford's factory. The work was completed for that year December 6, 1877, when the trial of hydrants took place at Campello.
Getting the water system in operation and running smoothly and popularly, was not occasioned suddenly or without interruptions and controversies. Isaac Kingman and four hundred and fifty-four others sent a remonstrance to the Legislature February 7, 1878, against author- izing the completion of the water works. The water committee was not permitted to take formal possession of the lands for the proposed reservoir at Stoughton or Avon until March 2, 1880. The first water from this basin was discharged through the hydrants November 12, 1880. The reservoir is still in the possession of the city and frequently is called upon, during some temporary repairs or other interruption of the service from Silver Lake.
The first attempt to have a street railway in Brockton was December 2, 1880, when a public hearing was held before the selectmen in the interest of a horse railroad. The first car was started on the horse railroad July 6, 1881, from Clifton Avenue, Campello, and was drawn by horses driven by Porter Richmond, in a style which few other drivers were ever able to command. Mr. Richmond was a resident of Halifax and had been proprietor and manager of a summer hotel in that delightful country town until it burned about 1880. He drove the motive power of the street car as far as the residence of Enos Reynolds in Montello, receiving the plaudits of the people all along the three or four miles. Strangely enough, the second driver was also a Halifax man, Amasa Soule, and these two became among the best- known men.
Brockton had become a city when the horse railroad was in operation, with Hon. Ziba C. Keith as its first mayor and DeWitt Clinton Packard its first city clerk. Brockton was incorporated as a city April 9, 1881. The first meeting of the new city government was held January 2, 1882.
Petition for City Charter-In December, 1880, a circular letter was sent out which read as follows :
Dear Sir: In view of the interest which is being manifested in the question of a city charter for Brockton, it has been deemed advisable to hold a meeting of those more prominently identified in the business of the town for consultation on the subject. You are notified to attend such a meeting to be held in E. L. Brown's office, Clark's Block, on Tuesday evening, December 1st, at 7:30 o'clock.
Baalis Sanford
Henry E. Lincoln
F. B. Washburn
A. T. Jones J. J. Whipple Preston B. Keith
S. Franklin Packard.
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The meeting was held and, after talking things over, another meeting was arranged, which took place in the Opera House, December 29, at which A. T. Jones presided and Baalis Sanford acted as secretary. The number in attendance was about three hundred. A motion was made by C. W. Sumner that the town petition the Legislature for a city charter. Among those who spoke to this motion were Francis B. Gardner, Patrick Gilmore, Rev. Samuel L. Beal, Henry W. Robinson, John J. Whipple, C. R. Ford, Lyman Clark, Hon. Jonathan White and George M. Copeland.
A town meeting was held January 10, 1881, in the Opera House, and a vote was taken which resulted in 631 votes in favor of applying for a city charter. Those opposed numbered 124. Owing to the majority vote, the selectmen were instructed to prepare a petition and submit it to the Legislature, to be assisted by a committee composed of C. C. Bixby, Preston B. Keith, D. W. C. Packard, Enos H. Reynolds, William Rankin, C. W. Sumner, A. T. Jones, John J. Whipple, Rufus P. King- man, Francis B. Gardner, Ziba C. Keith and David Hervey. The popu- lation of the town was about 14,000 at that time. Little did anyone realize when the committee was appointed that the list contained the names of two who were to serve the city as mayor in years to come, another as city clerk for many years, another as one of the water commissioners for a quarter of a century, and others as aldermen or otherwise prominent in municipal life.
The license and no license issue entered decidedly into the first municipal campaign for the choice of mayor, the candidates being H. H. Packard who had nominations from the Democrats and Citizens' groups, and Ziba C. Keith, Republican and Prohibition candidate. The latter was elected as Brockton's first mayor, having received 1,368 votes against 1,060 for his opponent. The no-license forces had a voting strength registered of 1,231 and the license voters 986. Thus Brockton started as a no-license city and, with few interruptions, continued in the no-license column as long as the local option law continued, or until the passage of the Volstead Act.
The first city council was probably made up of the ablest men who have ever constituted the council. Many of them are well enough remembered by older residents of the present day to have their names recall to mind their virtues and abilities. They were, in the board of aldermen, Henry E. Lincoln, Rufus P. Kingman, George Churchill, George E. Keith, Ward Thompson, Enos H. Reynolds, and Henry B. Packard; in the common council, Francis B. Gardner, William H. Tobey, William H. Savage, William L. Douglas, Sanford Winter, Isaiah A. Beals, H. A. Monk, G. A. Knapp, L. P.Churchill, Patrick McCarthy, John S. Hayward, Nathan Keith, Martin Packard, Elbridge G. Hale, Daniel
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Connolly, John W. Porter, Charles H. Cary, Elbridge L. Brown, A. T. Jones, Edward Crocker, George A. Packard.
There was one man living in the town on that election day who was a voter at the time of the inauguration of the town of North Bridge- water. Deacon Simeon Packard. He was given the honor of being the first man to vote in his ward, and he was on hand when the polls opened, perhaps the first to vote in the city. He made no secret of the fact that his vote was for Ziba C. Keith for mayor, and for no-license.
It seems as if everyone turned out to see the first city government inaugurated. There had been a heavy snow and the street cars were out of commission. The train from Cape Cod was delayed on account of the storm. Consequently the Campello contingent was half an hour late in arriving at the Opera House. Henry H. Packard, chairman of the last board of selectmen, presided at the beginning of the exercises and prayer was offered by Rev. H. L. Kelsie of the First Congregational Church. Other prominent men on the stage, with the officers-elect, were Henry A. Ford, clerk of the retiring board of selectmen; Judge Jonas R. Perkins, who administered the oath of office; Governor John D. Long of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Judge Benjamin W. Harris of East Bridgewater, Councillor Matthew H. Cushing of Middleboro and Bradford Kingman, the Bridgewater historian.
How Improvements Came Along-The cornerstone of City Hall was laid May 30, 1892. The cut stone men began their labor February 11, 1892.
The sewerage system was constructed in 1893-4. The sewage flows by gravity to the south end of the city into a receiving reservoir. It is pumped from there to the filter beds on the west side of the city and purified by intermittent downward filtration.
The gigantic task of doing away with grade crossings commenced at the Howard Street crossing, shortly after passage of the Massa- chusetts Grade Crossing Act, which was approved June 21, 1890. Brock- ton was the first city in the United States to abolish all its grade crossings at the same time. Erecting new passenger stations and constructing new freight yards were part of the general plan. Previous to that time the city had no freight yards and switching was over grade crossings, which made the street and railroad intersections especially dangerous. This condition had been tolerated since the railroad was built in 1846, connecting with the Old Colony Railroad from Boston to Plymouth, at South Braintree.
The post office was opened in 1816 with Charles Packard the first postmaster, an appointee of President Madison. Postage to Boston was six cents, to New York eighteen and three-quarter cents. How
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much mail was sent can easily be imagined when it is known that the yearly income for several years averaged $40.
The Public Library was established in 1867. There had been a "social library" purchased by a fund raised by subscription just after the Revolutionary War; also several association libraries housed in private houses. Locations for the Town Library were in the Studley Building, Main and High streets; in the Puffer Block on Green Street, in Satucket Block on Main Street, and in City Hall, previous to the erection of the present Carnegie Library.
The fire protection dates back to 1827, when an engine was pur- chased by subscription. It was "Union No. 1," and operated by a private company. It was a bucket tub, filled by hand, and with a hook and ladder vehicle, constituted the fire department until two engines were purchased by the town in 1846.
The town had a disastrous fire in 1853 which destroyed the South Congregational Church, shops and dwellings at Campello, with a loss of $50,000.
The name Brockton was given to the town, which had been North Bridgewater, in 1874. The name was suggested by Ira Copeland. Several other names had been suggested and it was at a town meeting May 5, 1874, that the names "Brockton," "Allerton" and "Avon" were before the voters for adoption of one of the three. "Brockton" secured 1,080 votes out of the 1,491 cast.
When the town of North Bridgewater was incorporated the popula- tion was 1,480. Just before the Civil War the population numbered 6,584. The 1870 figure was 8,007 and the succeeding ten years the population increased to 5,601. There was at that date, 1880, an enroll- ment of 2,267 pupils in the public schools. In 1880 the town valuation was $6,876,427.
The First Congregational Church, the parent church of the town, was indeed the "meeting-house" of the town, and nearly all town meetings were held in that edifice until City Block was erected in 1880. The municipal offices were located in that building, Main and Ward streets, until the completion of the present City Hall. The corner- stone of the City Hall was laid May 30, 1892, by the Grand Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Massachusetts. The building was erected at a cost of approximately $315,000. It was dedicated September 24, 1894.
Concerning the Growth of the Religious Movement in North Bridge- water and Brockton, as represented by its churches, Rev. Warren P. Landers, in his memorial volume prepared for the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the city, wrote as follows:
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While for a half century one church seemed practically sufficient for old North Bridgewater, with growth and diversity of population, religious life rapidly ex- panded. In 1837 the First Parish Church gave twenty-three members to form South Church. In 1850 another group organized Porter, named after the first minister. The Church of the New Jerusalem was established in 1827; the present house of worship dedicated in 1857. With this society, the Rev. Warren Goddard served in a notable ministry for a quarter of a century. Methodism began in town with the Pearl Street Church in 1830. Central was formed in 1842 and for many years worshipped on Church Street before building the beautiful and commodious house on Elm. South was organized in 1879, Franklin in 1887, Swedish in 1890. The Lutheran Church was formed in 1854. Baptist faith came in continuous corporate form as early as 1850, building on Warren Avenue, corner of Belmont, 1881, and later erecting its attractive edifice at the junction of Elm and the Avenue. At Campello, Warren Avenue Baptist Church was organized in 1886, Swedish in 1883; at the North, services were begun in 1886. St. Paul's Episcopal Church commenced its strong ministry here in 1871, opening its early Chapel in 1877 out of which has grown the stone edifice on Pleasant Street. Unity, organized in 1881, dedicated its House in 1884. The Free Will Baptist was formed in 1884, and the Universalist Church in 1857. Supplementing church life, the Young Men's Christian Association organized in 1887, erecting its present finely-equipped building in 1914. The Young Women's Christian Association, formed in 1906, dedicated its modern plant on Main Street in September, 1918.
The Roman Catholic Church began its present vigorous service here in 1856 under the direction of the Rev. Thomas B. McNulty. In 1859, it dedicated the church so long used on Main Street. The foundations of the present stately edifice at the corner of Bartlett Street were laid in 1910. The Church of the Sacred Heart (French) was dedicated in 1893. St. Margaret's at Campello, St. Edward's at the North, and St. Colman's at the East Side, established at a later period, are rapidly growing.
The United Presbyterians, the Church of Christ, Scientist; the Advent; Latter Day Saints-as well as undenominational groups-hold regular services in churches or halls. The Hebrew Synagogues minister to large assemblies. There are both Congregational and Baptist churches- for the colored population.
There are about one hundred and twenty fraternal organizations in the city. Massasoit Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the oldest Odd Fellowship organization in the city, named in honor of the Indian sachem from whom the town was purchased, was instituted in 1845. Paul Revere Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the par- ent Masonic body in the town, was instituted in 1855. Damocles Lodge, Knights of Pythias, the first of that order in Brockton, was instituted March 30, 1886. Nearly all fraternal organizations in existence in Amer- ica have branches in Brockton, as both men and women of Brockton have been appreciative of such affiliations from early days.
The Worst Disaster Which Ever Befell the City was in March, 1905, when the explosion of a steam boiler at the shoe factory of R. B. Grover & Company, Main and Calmar streets, and the resulting fire, caused the deaths of fifty-six persons on that day. Two others died later from injuries received in the fire. Thirty-six bodies were burned beyond
.
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identification and were buried in a memorial lot provided for the purpose in Melrose Cemetery. A suitable monument was erected by the city. More than one hundred thousand dollars was raised for the families of the victims and final payments to beneficiaries were made in 1921. A history of the relief fund, written by Rev. Dr. Albert F. Pierce, is at the Public Library.
The Youth of Brockton has Volunteered Readily whenever the dread call to arms has sounded for the several wars. More than one hundred men enlisted at the war meeting held in the Church of the New Jerusa- lem at the outbreak of the Civil War. Company F of the Twelfth Regi- ment, was made up largely of men from this town. The total number of men furnished by the town in that fratricidal struggle was approxi- mately seven hundred.
Concerning the Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment, of which Colonel Fletcher Webster, in honor of whom the Brockton Grand Army Post is named, was organizer and commander, much should be remembered. At the battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862, there were present in line nine companies of the Twelfth Regiment, including two hundred and sixty-two officers and men. Of this number forty-nine were killed, one hundred and sixty-three wounded, ten missing, a total of two hundred and twenty-two. The percentage of loss was eighty-four and seven hundred and thirty-two one thousandths. This is the highest percentage of loss sustained by any organization, Union or Confederate, in any one battle of the Civil War.
The patriotism and valor of the "Boys of '61" is recognized by the memorial rotunda at City Hall, paintings of battle scenes in which men of North Bridgewater took part, a soldiers' monument on Perkins Park, and by patriotic organizations. Among the latter are Fletcher Webster Post, No. 13, Grand Army of the Republic, organized July 1, 1867; the Woman's Relief Corps; and Captain R. B. Grover Camp, Sons of Veterans.
Just as patriotic was the response to the call for the Spanish War in 1898, when Battery I, the local militia company, entrained and went to Fort Warren in Boston Harbor, the same station from which was organized the Twelfth Massachusetts Regiment in 1861 by Colonel Webster. Major Charles Williamson was captain of the battery during the war. He had previously served as mayor of the city.
Returning from the war, the veterans organized the Spanish War Veterans' Association. There is a soldiers' lot in Melrose Cemetery, the property of this organization.
Brockton was represented in the World War by its quota of officers and men, distributed in many units and regiments. In Salisbury Park is a memorial boulder with two bronze tablets commemorating the
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supreme sacrifice of ninety-nine young Brocktonians, whose names ap- pear elsewhere in this volume. Their names and deeds are further perpetuated by Post No. 35, American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Auxiliary and Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.
Other patriotic organizations include the Daughters of Veterans, Sons of Union Veterans' Auxiliary, Spanish War Veterans' Auxiliary, Spanish War Veterans.
War Assistance Back Home-In all the wars, the people back home have liberally cared for the families of those who went to the front. During the World War more than $625,000 was donated to the Brockton War Chest. A wonderful organization was perfected for the campaign and the Armory became its headquarters. The close of the campaign came just as the plague of influenza became especially severe in the city and immediately the same organization turned its attention to the new duty of caring for those, and their families, stricken with the disease. A volume, telling how this work was carried on, with the outdoor camp in connection with the Brockton Hospital and the unselfish responses made to every call upon the citizenship, was written by Ernest A. Burrell and can be found at the Public Library.
The drives to raise money in the various Liberty Loan campaigns went "over the top" handsomely.
The success of the War Chest suggested the adoption of a Community Chest as the best means of providing for local charities.
MAYORS OF BROCKTON
1882-Ziba C. Keith
1899 Emery M. Low
1883-Henry H. Packard
1900-Charles H. Coulter
1884-Ziba C. Keith
1901-Charles H. Coulter
1885-Ziba C. Keith
1902-David W. Battles
1886-John J. Whipple 1903-Charles H. Coulter
1887-John J. Whipple
1904-Edward H. Keith
1888 -- Albert R. Wade 1905-Edward H. Keith
1889 -- Albert R. Wade
1906-Fred O. Bradford
1890-William L. Douglas
1907-John S. Kent
1891-Ziba C. Keith
1908-John S. Kent
1892-Ziba C. Keith
1909-John S. Kent
1893-Ziba C. Keith
1910-William H. Clifford
1894-John J. Whipple
1911-Harry C. Howard
1895 ---- John J. Whipple
1912-Harry C. Howard
1896-Charles Williamson
1913-Charles M. Hickey
1897-Charles Williamson
1914-Harry C. Howard
1898-Henry E. Garfield
1915-John S. Burbank
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MAYORS OF BROCKTON (Continued)
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