History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 74

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 74

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The incorporators, in their zeal to have their work quickly accomplished, had caused the anniver- sary to come in February, an inclement season at which no public demonstration could be held with any degree of comfort. The committee of arrange- ments accordingly very wisely decided to postpone the festive day to a more comfortable time of the year, and fixed upon Thursday, June 30, 1864, as the date of the celebration.

Though the hearts and thoughts of the people of Fitchburg at that period were with the absent ones who were fighting the battles of our country-for the Union, whose fate seemed then to be trembling in the balance-yet preparations that were elaborate,

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considering the circumstances, were made for this noteworthy event in the history of the town. The committee, ably seconded by the ladies of Fitch- burg, did all in their power to make the celebration a success ; and the day, when past, gave ample proof that their labors had accomplished all that their hearts could wish.

To many natives of the town who had removed to distant States, to those who, at a former period, bad been for a time identified with the progress of the town and to many prominent State officials, invita- tions were sent by the committee, asking them to then delivered by Hon. Alvah Crocker, after which honor the day with their presence. Many accepted, and many who could not be present sent letters con- gratulating the town on the completion of its first century of prosperity.

The 30th of June at last arrived. The weather was delightful and the town early astir. People began to pour in from neighboring towns, and the streets of Fitchburg were crowded as they never were before. It was a holiday with the schools, and all the stores closed at 10 A.M. On the arrival of the morning train from Boston, about 10 o'clock, the procession was formed on the park near the depots under command of Chief Marshal Col. Ed- win Upton, assisted by Marsbals Eugene T. Miles, Charles Burleigh, Robert L. Goddard, John Burney, Alpheus P. Kimball, Lucius Aldrich, Edmund B. Hayward and Henry A. Spooner, in the following order:

Aid.

Chief Marshal Aid.

Hall's Boston Brass Band. Committee of Arrangements. Marshal. Aid,

Aid.

Orator and Poet of the Day.

Invited Guests. Fitchburg Drum Corps, E. II. Frost, Leader.

Marshal. Aid.

Aid.

Citizens of Lunenburg and neighboring Towns. Choir of "Old Folks " in Costume. Marshal. Aid. Aid.

Citizens of Fitchburg. Children of the Public Schools.

The procession, when formed, moved through the principal streets of the town and then by Circle Street to the field owned by the late Walter Heywood, nearly opposite what was then the chair shop of the late Hon. Alonzo Davis. Here Yale's mammoth tent was spread. After the vast assembly had entered this pavilion and been seated, the centennial exercises were begun with music by the band. On the platform were the members of the committee of arrangements (only three of whom are now living, viz. : Henry A. Willis, Esq., Hon. A. Norcross and Hon. T. K. Ware), officers and speakers of the day, clergymen and town officials of Fitchburg and many invited guests. Hon. Alvah Crocker presided. On the desk was an ancient Bible, once the property of Colonel Zachariah Fitcli, and in front of this desk was a portrait of the same gentleman, for whom, it was at that time erroneously supposed, the town was named.

At the conclusion of the music by the band the Rev. E. W. Bullard, of Royalston, a former pastor of the Second Parish (Orthodox) Church in Fitchburg, read the forty-sixth Psalm from the old Bible, after which prayer was offered by Rev. Calvin Lincoln, of Hingham, for so many years the beloved pastor of the First Parish (Unitarian) Church in Fitchburg. An original hymn, written for the occasion by Mrs. Caroline Atherton Mason, of Fitchburg, was then sung by the "Old Folks" choir, under the leadership of Mr. Eben H. Frost. The address of welcome was

the choir sang a hymn of thanksgiving, written for the occasion by Mrs. Mary Caroline Lowe, of Fitch- burg. The chairman then introduced Hon. Charles H. B. Snow, Esq., the orator of the day, who de- livered a scholarly, polished and valuable historical address, an extract from which will be given hereafter. After the address the "Old Folks " choir, led by the veteran teacher, Cyrns Thurston, rendered some ancient pieces most admirably. George E. Towne, Esq., the poet of the day, then read an original poem, running over with wit and full of interesting allusions to days gone by. After more music by the band and singing by the choir, Charles Mason, Esq., read an original poem, written by Mrs. Caroline A. Mason, describing the experience of "an old Continental," returned to the scenes of his terrestrial life, and his astonishment at the immense, and to him incompre- hensible, changes that time had wrought in the vil- lage of Fitchburg. This closed the exercises in the pavilion.

A procession was then formed of invited guests and those having tickets to the dinner, and marched to the town hall, where plates had been laid for five hundred guests. The hall was handsomely decorated with flags, flowers and streamers, and the walls were adorned with portraits and photographs of various persons notable in the history of the town. Mr. Henry W. Haskell supervised the decorations, and Landlord Day, of the Fitchburg Hotel, provided the excellent dinner. After ample justice had been done to the dinner the toast-master, George E. Towne, Esq., proposed many toasts, which were happily responded to by prominent individuals. The day concluded with a concert in the town hall in the evening, given by the "Old Folks," assisted by Miss Julia Houston, which was largely attended. Thus passed off a day that will ever be memorable in the annals of Fitchburg.

The condition of the town at this time, the rapid and substantial progress it had made, cannot be better described than it is in the following eloquent passage from Mr. Snow's Centennial address :

To-day, as we look around us and see the Nashua, for miles studded with its workshops and manufactories, its valleys and the neighboring hillsides adorned with the neat and comfortable homes with which New England labor rewards its votaries, as we witness on every hand tha evidences of happiness and prosperity, and then recall the untamed and wilful Nashua, the bleak aud barren steeps, the tangled, swampy valley

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and the secluded and infrequent farmi-house of one hundred years ago, we may, in a measure, appreciate the results of a century of wonderful mechanical ingeunity and invention, and also of a century of steady New England enterprise and lahor. More than fifty different varieties of mannfacture are at present successfully carried on within our limits. Our paper mills supply the market with over five million pounds of paper annually, and the New York Herald, whose daily issues fly, as if, on the wings of the wind, to every point of the compass, we might al- most say whitening the land like snowflakes, draws a large portion of its vast supplies of paper from one Fitchburg mill. Our manufactories largely supply the South American and Cuhan markets with chairs. The ingenuity and admirable workmanship of our great machine com- pany have been rewarded with extensive orders from the most distant parts of the globe. Our scythes, our cutlery, our cloths, our shoes and our hats have been scattered broadcast over the States and, within the last eventful year,-sad change from the arts of peace to those of war !- cannon cast in our foundries, monsters of modern destructive art, frown from our harhor and coast defences, while others, whose beautiful sym- metry, lightness and strength half beguile us from the thought of their terrible uses, have helped swell the thunder of the bloody battle-fields of the South. May we not almost appropriate the language of the clas- eic poet and ask, "Quae regio in terris non plena nostri luboris "

The years immediately following the close of the war were very prosperous, and the high pressure con- tinued until the natural result came in the business panic of 1873. Fitchburg came in for her full share of prosperity. Many new and important manufac- turing establishments were located here during the last five years of this decade, and in 1870 there were nearly one hundred large manufacturing concerns in town and the population had increased to 11,260. During this period, also, many public improvements were begun which, as well as the new manufacturing establishments, will be spoken of later.

The year 1871 was a busy one in Fitchburg. Build- iog was brisk, and among the many edifices erected that year were two which were by far tlie most costly, elegant and substantial that have been built in Fitch- burg. One was the Fitchburg savings Bank block on Main Street, not far from the Common; the other was the County Court-house, located in the rear of what is now known as Monument Park. It was during the summer of 1871, also, that the water mains of the new water-works were laid through the princi- pal streets of the town.

Another important event of this year was the action taken in regard to casting off the town form of govern- ment and becoming a city. As soon as the town at- tained to the required twelve thousand inhabitants, the question of applying for a city charter began to be agitated, and at a town-meeting held Tuesday, No- vember 7, 1871, the matter was formally brought be- fore the town for consideration. Article 14 of the warrant for this meeting was as follows: "To see if the town will take the necessary steps for obtaining the Franchise of a City Charter, at the coming ses- sion of the Legislature, by the choice of a committee for that purpose, or act anything thereou they may deem expedient."

The town chose as such a committee Alvah Crocker, Eugene T. Miles, Thornton K. Ware, Dr. Alfred Hitchcock and George Robbins. This committee at- tended promptly to their duty, and during the follow- ing winter the " Act to Incorporate the city of Fitch-

burg " passed through both branches of the Legisla- ture, and was, on March 8, 1872, approved by the Governor.

At the last annual town-meeting, April 8, 1872, the citizens of Fitchburg, by a vote of nine hundred and sixty-eight to fifty-six, decided in favor of accepting the charter. The vote on the question was very light, as it was known that very little, if any, opposition to the charter existed. At the same meeting the citi- zens also voted in regard to accepting Secs. 30 and 31 of the charter, which provided that at the first city election one-half of the Aldermen and Common Coun- cilmen should be elected for one year and the other half for two years, and that at each annual election thereafter one-half of each board should be elected for the term of two municipal years. These two sec- tions the town rejected by a vote of six hundred and seventy-five to two hundred and eight, thus making the election of all the members of both branches an- nual. September 18, 1872, the selectmen announced the division of the city into six wards, and defined their respective boundary lines. During November of the same year numerous ward caucuses were held for the purpose of electing the various ward officers, committees, &c., and of getting things into running order. On Tuesday, December 3, 1872, the first city election was held in Fitchburg, and a heavier vote was polled than ever had been in any town election. The result was the election of Hon. Amasa Norcross as the first mayor of the city, he receiving eleven hun- dred and eleven votes to eight hundred and fifty- three for Eugene T. Miles.

There is little more to be recorded before we close the history of Fitchburg as a town. One event in the year 1872 should be mentioned. This was the deatlı, on February 23d, of Salmon W. Putnam, one of the pioneers of Fitchburg's great machine manu- facturing interests, and largely concerned in the founding of the Putnam Machine Company. He was highly esteemed for his worth and ability, and on the day of his funeral business was generally suspended iu Fitchburg. Another circumstance that is deserving of mention in this chapter is the substantial and practical expression of good will and generosity given by the town at the time of the disastrous fire in Chicago in October, 1871, and the serious forest fires in Michigan, about the same time. Besides a large amount of clothing, etc., the citizens of Fitchburg sent to the sufferers by these fires the sum of nearly six thousand dollars in money. At the time of the great Boston fire, in November, 1872, their generosity was again shown.

Much more might have been written about Fitch- burg as a town, had space allowed, but here we must conclude this section. Since the beginning of 1873 the city form of government has been in force ; and the main points in Fitchburg's history as a city, for the past sixteen years, will be briefly outlined in the few following pages, after which her history in

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the Civil War, her progress in educational, ecclesias- tical, industrial matters, etc.,-in fact, whatever of importance has been done by her citizens to make Fitchburg what she is to-day,-will be given in detail under their appropriate and respective headings.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

FITCHBURG-(Continued.)

HISTORY OF THE CITY (1873-1888).

ON January 6, 1873, occurred the inauguration of the first city government at the city hall. The In- augural Address of Mayor Norcross was carefully prepared and contained much of interest to the in- habitants of the infant city. It was a critical time in business affairs, and the mayor clearly and forcibly showed the necessity of the exercise of prudence, sagacity and, as far as compatible with the best in- terests of the city, economy on the part of those whom the people had chosen to conduct municipal affairs during the coming year.

The construction of the water-works and other public improvements had brought a debt of over six hundred thousand dollars upon the city at its start, and there was still much to be done in completing and maintaining these improvements. Nearly all the water debt was satisfactorily funded and about half the city debt proper. Early in 1873 a special act, authorizing the city of Fitchburg to fund its floating debt and issue additional scrip, passed the Legislature and was approved March 29, 1873. In conformity with this act, bonds of the denomination of one thousand dollars each, with coupons repre- senting accruing interest at six per cent., payable semi-annually, for twenty years, from July 1, 1873, were obtained, and during the balance of the year sixty-three thousand dollars of the floating debt were funded by the sale of these bonds.

The fiscal year of the city ends November 30th, and on that date, in 1873, the net debt of the city was $650,775.50. However, in spite of the hard times and necessarily large outlay, Fitchburg's first year as a city was by no means a discouraging one. The good effect of these public improvements was beginning to be felt; population and valuation had increased, and more business blocks had been erected. The people were well sat- isfied with the administration of Mayor Norcross, and at the city election in December, 1873, he was re- elected.

The year 1874 was not quite so prosperous, and during the following five years, or so, there was a small but steady annual decrease in the population and valuation of the city. One cause of this decrease was the removal from town of two large and prosper-

ous manufacturing concerns,-the American Rattan Company and theWhitman & Miles Manufactur- ing Company.

In 1874 occurred an event of great interest, which will be spoken of more fully hereafter. This was the dedication of the Soldiers' Monument, June 24th. The city appropriated two thousand dollars for the dedication, and the oration was delivered by Major- General Nathaniel P. Banks.

November 30, 1874, the net debt of the city was $728,873.84, an increase of nearly $78,000 for the year, due wholly to discount on bonds, extension of the water-works and payment of the balance of the Soldiers' Monument contracts.

During this year another bank was established here,-the Safety Fund National Bank.

At the city election in December, 1874, Eugene T. Miles was elected mayor for the year ensuing.

During 1874 death removed two of Fitchburg's prominent citizens,-Dr. Alfred Hitchcock, the beloved physician, eminent in his profession, and noted for his good qualities of mind and heart, and Hon. Alvah Crocker who, above all other men, brought prosperity to Fitchburg, and was ever ready to inaugurate and carry forward any project condu- cive to the advancement of the interests of the town.

The year 1875 was quite an active one in Fitch- burg, in spite of the fact that the city felt severely the depression in business, the result, as it were, of the recoil of the preceding financial crisis. Another bank-the Wachusett National-was established here, mainly through the efforts of Hiram A. Blood, Esq. Several substantial brick business blocks were erected, among which were Crocker block and the Wachusett Bank block. The large and commodious machine-shop occupied by C. H. Brown & Co. was completed this year, as was also the fine business block built by James F. Stiles.

During this year the city expended upwards of $60.000 more on the water-works in the construction of Scott reservoir, extension of water-mains to West Fitchburg and extensions in the city proper. In con- sequence of this large necessary expenditure, the net debt of the city November 30, 1875, reached high- water mark, viz: $790,149.66. Since that time the city has had to make no very large expenditure for extraordinary improvements, and almost every year since 1875 has witnessed a considerable decrease in the net debt.

The year 1875 did not pass without taking from our midst a bright and shining light in the person of Hon. Charles H. B. Snow, the orator at the centennial celebration, who, on September 18, 1875, was called away from a busy and useful life. He was a man of great talent, and in the prime of life, and his death was a sad blow to this community, where he had always lived, and for which he was ever ready and willing to expend his best efforts.

On account of the unavoidable absence of Mayor

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Miles from the city during the last two months of his term, the office of mayor was declared vacant on November 2, 1875. The Board of Aldermen and the Common Council elected Hon. Hiram A. Blood to fill ont the unexpired period. At the annual city election, the following December, he was elected mayor for the ensuing year.

The official census of 1875 gave Fitchburg a popu- lation of 12,289, showing a slow growth since 1870.

The three years following 1875 were years of great business depression in Fitchburg. Our mills, fac- tories and machine-shops were, in most cases, obliged to curtail both the number of employés and the num- ber of working-hours, because of the meagre amount of orders for their products. The manufacturing establishments of Fitchburg were put to a severe test during these three years, and the fact that, with a very few exceptions, they all withstood the strain, shows their financial stability, and reflects great credit upon the ability and sagacity of the men who superintended the affairs of these various heavy manufacturing concerns during these trying times.

As a natural consequence of this stagnation in business, the city retrograded, as regards both popu- lation and valuation. During this period it was unwise and, fortunately, unnecessary, to enter upon any new work. That which had been done in the years immediately preceding sufficed to tide the city over, and only an amount of money sufficient to keep the public works and institutions in statu quo was needed.

. In 1876 death continned its ravages among our prominent citizens, removing on June 26th ex-Mayor Eugene T. Miles, a man widely known and esteemed for his integrity and benevolence, and who for many years had been prominent in the business interests and public affairs of Fitchburg ; and August 3d Hon. Nathaniel Wood, for over half a century one of our most prominent and active citizens. It was he who collated and preserved much of the early history of Fitchburg, which otherwise would probably have been irretrievably lost.

David H. Merriam was mayor during the years 1877-78. These two years were probably the darkest the city ever experienced, but public affairs were well cared for during Mayor Merriam's administration. The debt was reduced by something over twenty-five thousand dollars ; and in spite of the decrease in popu- lation, the tax rate during both years was kept at a lower figure than it was in the few years preceding- in fact, the rate was the lowest in 1877-78 that it has been from the incorporation of the city to the present time.

In 1878 the handsome and commodious Union Passenger Station was completed ; but aside from that, very little building was going on at that time.

In December, 1878, William H. Vose was elected mayor and served one year, declining a unanimons renomination. His valuable business experience and

strict fidelity to the best interests of the city proved of great service to Fitchburg during the year 1879. The city was just beginning to see the glimmer of better times ahead, and a steady hand, guided by business tact, was necessary to keep the people from presuming too much on the "good time coming." During his administration the debt was reduced by nearly twenty-five thousand dollars.

Until this year no direct appropriation had ever been made for water-works construction and exten- sion; but in 1879 such an appropriation was made (four thousand dollars), and an annual appropriation for that purpose has been made since then.

In December, 1879, Eli Culley was elected mayor, and served the city in that capacity for two years. The appropriation bills for these two years (1880-81) were the smallest since our incorporation as a city ; and at the same time the accounts show that the debt November 30, 1881, was $704,516.58, making a re- duction of nearly $33,000 since the same date in 1879.

Population and valuation began to increase grad- ually in the course of these two years. In 1880 the population was 12,405. Business, too, began to take on a more healthy tone, and the city started on the up- grade.

In the fall of 1879 a company was formed here which marked the beginning of a new era in the indus- tries of Fitchburg. This was the Parkhill Manufac- turing Company. The company began business in February, 1880, and since that time has prospered, and is to-day one of the heaviest concerns in town. During this period there were other signs of business prosperity in town, prominent among which were the starting of the Fitchburg Worsted Company in 1880 and the erection of E. M. Dickinson & Co.'s large shoe factory in 1881.

In 1880 death again entered the ranks of our prom- inent citizens; January|18th of that year died Stephen Shepley, for over forty-five years an active business man of Fitchburg and much interested in the early history of the town. In 1876 he wrote a paper of value in regard to John Fitch. August 1, 1880, died Walter Heywood, the founder of the extensive chair manufacturing company here.

During 1881 the city expended over thirteen thou- sand dollars in the construction of sewers, but this sum was more than counterbalanced by money re- ceived from sewer assessments, etc.

George Robbins was the next mayor and served during the year 1882. Mr. Robbins was a member of the committee to procure the city charter, and has al- ways taken considerable interest in public affairs. During his year of service matters went on satisfac- torily. The debt was decreased by about thirty-two thousand dollars; over ten thousand dollars were ex- pended on sewers, necessitating an appropriation of six thousand dollars by the City Council for that pur- pose.

The prosperity of the city continued, though no

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new enterprises of special note were started that year. The owners of buildings on the lower part of Main Street were beginning to put new fronts to the busi- ness blocks and to furnish them with large plate-glass windows, thereby greatly improving the appearance of the street. Notable among the improvements of this kind was the brown-stone front put on to the L. J. Brown Block that year.

In 1882 the city purchased the "Upper Common," previously the property of the First Parish in Fitch- burg. Since that time the city has spent considerable for stone-work, grading and laying out paths, etc., and now the Common is a much more attractive spot than it was ten years ago. Moreover, through the generosity. of certain citizens in the vicinity, a handsome band- stand has been erected near its lower extremity and makes a striking addition to the beauty of the park.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 74

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576