History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 88

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 88

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FITCHBURG.

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CHAPTER XLIV.

FITCHBURG-(Continued.)

COMMERCIAL HISTORY.

IN a sketch limited as this is we can expect to give only the briefest mention of the more important com- mercial enterprises which make Fitchburg a business centre of considerable note. It is true that the nu- merous large manufacturing establishments, which have been dwelt upon at some length in a previous chapter, are the mainstay of Fitchburg's prosperity ; but her business-houses, banks and various other commercial organizations are also of great importance, though in a somewhat different way.

It seems proper to begin this chapter with a brief account of the railroad corporations, which unques- tionably have been the most important factor in de- veloping our natural resources and mechanical and commercial interests. Each one of these corporations is deserving of a more extended notice, but such would be beyond the scope of the present history.

TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES .- Fitchburg is an important railroad centre. In a previous chapter the opening of the Fitchburg Railroad, in 1845, has been spoken of. It was followed three years later by the Vermont and Massachusetts, and about the same time the Cheshire Railroad was put in operation. A few years later the Fitchburg and Worcester Railroad was constructed, and still later the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad commenced operations. Of late years railroad consolidation has been the rule, and the roads centreing in this city are no exception to it.

The Fitchburg and Worcester, and Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg are now divisions of the great system operated by the Old Colony Railroad Company, and give direct communication between this city and Worcester, Boston and all the cities of Southern Massa- chusetts, with close connections for New York City and the South.

The Fitchburg Railroad has grown into the great " Hoosac Tunnel Route," having leased the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, purchased of the State its great " bore," the Hoosac Tunnel, and railroads this side of and beyond the Tunnel, and now controls and operates about three hundred and fifty miles of road, most of which is double-tracked. This line gives the citizens of Fitchburg quick and direct communi- cation not only with Boston and the central and west- ern parts of Massachusetts, but also with Chicago, St. Louis and all the great Western cities. It forms one of the trunk lines between the West and the seaboard, and offers great advantages to shippers of freight.

The Cheshire Railroad is intact at the present time, though probably, at no distant date, it will be absorbed into the Fitchburg system. This road is operated from Bellows Falls, Vt., to South Ashburnham, Mass., and reaches Fitchburg over the tracks of the Ver-

mont and Massachusetts Division of the Fitchburg Railroad. In connection with the Central Vermont Railroad, it offers a through line to all points in Ver- mont and Canada and is the shortest line from Boston to Lake George. Considerable Western freight comes over this road from the Central Vermont and Grand Trunk Railroads.

Over fifty passenger trains arrive daily at the Union Depot in this city, and heavy freight trains are almost constantly passing through, and it must be evident from this account, brief as it is, that the people of Fitchburg have no reason to complain of the facili- ties afforded them for traveling and transportation.

In addition to the steam railroads, we have a horse- railroad, recently put into operation by

THE FITCHBURG STREET-RAILWAY COMPANY .- This company was incorporated April 10, 1886, with a capital of $60,000. Work was at once begun, and so rapidly was track-laying prosecuted, that the road began business July 1, 1886, and has proved a paying enterprise and a great convenience to the public. Henry A. Willis, Esq., is president of the corpora- tion. The road is three and a half miles in length, extending from Sanborn Road, in West Fitchburg, through Westminster, River, Main and Summer Streets to the Fitchburg Park, near the Lunenburg

line. Extensions have been authorized, and will be made before long, to Waite's Corner, in West Fitch- burg, and the city farm in South Fitchburg. The road is well supplied with first-class cars, and upwards of forty good horses are owned by the company.

BANKS .- There are at the present time in Fitch - burg eight financial institutions-four national and four savings banks.

The Fitchburg National Bank .- This is the oldest in town and has previously been spoken of as the Fitchburg Bank, chartered in 1832. It was reorgan- ized in 1865 under the National Banking Act. It has a capital of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and a surplus of one hundred and forty thousand dollars. The bank began business in a small granite building which, in 1853, was replaced by a brick banking-house, where business was carried on until 1871. In that year the bank removed to its present commodious, and even palatial, quarters in the Fitch_ burg Savings Bank Block. Since 1871 the old brick bank building has been used by Crocker, Burbank & Co. as an office.

Hon. Ebenezer Torrey was officially connected with this bank from its commencement-the first twenty-seven years as cashier and after 1860 as president. Francis Perkins was the first president, and served until his death, iu 1859. Mr. Torrey was elected his successor and held the office until his death, September 3, 1888. October 22, 1888, Brigham N. Bullock was elected president and H. G. Town- end, cashier.

The Rollstone National Bank .- This bank, as stated in a previous chapter, was chartered in 1849 as the

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Rollstone Bank. It was reorganized into a national bank in 1865, and has a capital of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and a surplus of one bun- dred and forty thousand dollars. Its first banking house was a small granite building, standing on the site now occupied by the present handsome Rollstone Bank block, which was erected in 1869. Since 1869 the bank, in connection with the Worcester North Savings Institution, has occupied well-appointed and commodious banking rooms on the ground floor of this block.

Hon. Moses Wood was the first president of this bank and served until his death, in 1869. Alvah Crocker was then chosen president and served until January, 1873, when Henry A. Willis succeeded him. Mr. Willis still holds this position and has thus been officially connected with this bank for over thirty years, being cashier from 1858 up to the time he was chosen president. Wilbur B. Tenney has been cash- ier since 1881.

The Safety Fund National Bank .- This bank was organized April 17, 1874. Its capital is $200,000 and surplus 834,500. Business was begun July 1, 1874, in the second story of Belding & Dickinson s Block, and in March, 1875, was removed to its pres- ent location in Crocker Block. This substantial and handsome block was erected by Hon. Alvah Crocker, under an agreement for a twenty years' lease of the banking rooms to the Safety Fund National Bank.

The first president was Henry Allison, and the first cashier Frederick F. Woodward. In 1883 Mr. Wood- ward went into the grain business, and resigned his position as cashier. He was succeeded by George K. Tapley, who held the position until his removal to Springfield, early in 1888, to engage in other busi- ness. Joel G. Tyler, who has been identified with this bank, as book-keeper, since September, 1882, was appointed acting cashier until April 30, 1888, when the present cashier, Walter S. Jenks, was elected.

Mr. Allison has held the position of president up to the present date. Previous to the organization of this bank he was connected with the Fitchburg National Bank for some ten years, and has, therefore, had an experience of twenty-five years in bank- ing.

The Wachusett National Bank .- This bank was in- corporated May 20, 1875, chiefly through the efforts of Hiram A. Blood. Its capital at the start was 8500,000, but was subsequently reduced one-half, leaving its present capital $250,000 and a surplus fund of $250,000. Business was begun June 1, 1875, in the rooms lately vacated by the Safety Fund Bank in Belding & Dickinson's Block. January 1, 1876, the business was removed to their present banking- rooms in the new Wachusett Bank block, at the cor- ner of Main and Day Streets.

At the present time Omon H. Lawrence is presi- dent and George E. Clifford, cashier of this bank.

The Fitchburg Savings Bank .- This is by far the oldest savings bank in town, and was incorporated February 12, 1846, and went into operation on the 3d of the following June. Its business was done in the Fitebburg Bank building until 1871. In that year the Savings Bank erected the Fitchburg Savings building, the largest and most costly business block in the city. The Savings Bank has since then occu- pied spacious apartments on the same floor with and adjoining those of the Fitchburg National Bank.

Its first officers were Francis Perkins, president, and Ebenezer Torrey, treasurer, the same officers as the Fitchburg Bank had. At the present time Hon. Thornton K. Ware is president, Charles J. Billings, treasurer and Andrew .Jewett, assistant treasurer. De- posits, October 31, 1888, $2,372,453.45. Number of depositors, 5888.

Worcester North Savings Institution .- This bank was incorporated May 26, 1868; organized June 13, 1868; began business July 6, 1868. Hon. Moses Wood was its first president and Henry A. Willis, first treasurer. Its banking-rooms are in the Rollstone National Bank building, in connection with the Roll- stone National Bank. Since Mr. Wood's death Augustus Whitman, Benjamin Snow and Lowell M. Miles have served in the office of president. Mr. Miles resigned in 1886, and Hon. Amasa Norcross was elected to the office, and holds it at present. Henry A. Willis is still the treasurer, and Benjamin F. Wallis is assistant treasurer. Deposits, July 1, 1888, $2,593,309.15. Number of depositors, 6795.

The Fitchburg Co-operative Bank .- This savings in- stitution was incorporated October 27, 1877, as "The Fitchburg Co-operative Saving Fund and Loan As- sociation," but July 1, 1883, this name was changed, by legislative enactment, to the simpler one given above.

There is not space to give in detail the method of conducting business in this institution, but it is cer- tain that its good influence has been very marked, for many persons have been induced by it to begin the saving of money in a small way. It has tended to encourage industry, economy and thrift, and well deserves the prosperity it has had in the last ten years.

Dr. Jabez Fisher has been its president from the beginning. George E. Clifford was treasurer during the first four years of its existence, and was succeeded by Charles.F. Baker, who has since held the position. Joseph F. Simonds has acted as secretary during the life of the bank. His office is in a room of the Roll- stone Bauk building, and monthly meetings of the shareholders are held there for the transaction of business.

The Fidelity Co-operative Bank .- Early in the year 1888 the idea of starting a second co-operative bank in town took shape, and April 23, 1888, the Fidelity Co-operative Bank was organized. At that time George E. Clifford was chosen president and Frank

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D. Page treasurer. The bank started with one hundred and forty-nine charter members and one thousand seven hundred shares subscribed for. It has a room for meetings and the transaction of busi- ness in Crocker block, and is a thriving institution.

The Fitchburg Post-Office .- The Fitchburg post- office was established July 1, 1811, and on that date the first postmaster, Jacob Willard, was appointed. He was succeeded January 1, 1813, by Calvin Wil- lard, who seems to have held the position until November 7, 1825, when David Brigham was ap- pointed.

In those early days the post-office was kept in private dwellings. In 1827, when Mr. Brigham was postmaster, the office was in the "Abram Dole house" for a time, and soon afterward was removed to a dwelling-house, further down what is now Main Street. This house now stands in Wesleyan Place, in the rear of the old Methodist Church, and a trace of its former use can now be found in the letter drop, in what was once the post-office room. A wheel about two feet in diameter, provided with alphabetical divisions for holding letters, was all the equipment used.

The next postmaster was Mark Miller, appointed by President Jackson, October 9, 1834. He removed the office to his book-store and printing-office, oppo- site the tavern, which occupied the site of the present Fitchburg Hotel. Mr. Miller soon resigned his position, and left town.

January 21, 1835, Nathaniel Wood was appointed, and held the position upwards of sixteen years. During his service the post-office was twice moved- in 1835 to a building nearly opposite the present Sentinel office, and about 1846 to Shepley's book- store, in the Torrey & Wood block. Call-boxes were first used in the early part of Mr. Wood's service.

May 3, 1851, Goldsmith F. Bailey, Mr. Wood's law partner, was appointed, and held the position two years. He retained the same location as his predecessor, and Mr. Shepley was his assistant.

May 4, 1853, President Pierce appointed John Todd postmaster. The office was soon after removed to much better quarters in the new town-hall building. Mr. Todd's assistant was Charles G. Giles. On ac- count of his removal to New York, Mr. Todd resigned, and January 21, 1857, Joseph W. Mansur was ap- pointed postmaster by President Buchanan. He was re-appointed February 21, 1861, but soon after was removed by President Lincoln. Mr. Giles remained his assistant for a while and was succeeded by Henry Allison.

In 1860 the postmaster's salary was $1727.26 per year.

September 4, 1861, Thornton K. Ware, Esq., was appointed by President Lincoln. His assistant was John W. Kimball. Mr. Ware was re-appointed, but Was soon afterward removed by President Johnson,

who appointed Colonel George E. Goodrich to the position October 16, 1866. Colonel Goodrich was re- appointed March 3, 1871, and February 24, 1875. His assistants were Alfred A. Marshall and Charles E. Wallace.

November 18, 1872, the post-office was removed to its present location in John M. Carpenter's building at the corner of Main and Church Streets. It was formerly the "Trinitarian Church," but was pur- chased by Mr. Carpenter in 1871 and entirely re- modeled for the use of the post-office.

February 10, 1879, President Hayes appointed General John W. Kimball postmaster and he was re- appointed February 7, 1883. He retained Mr. Wal- lace as his assistant through his eight years of ser- více.

In 1882 extensive alterations were made whereby much-needed space was added to the post-office accommodations. During the repairs the office was removed to a store in Spaulding's Block, corner of Main and Grove Streets.

In November, 1884, the free delivery service was begun with five carriers. Many of the call boxes, which were no longer needed, were removed, thus giving more room for the business of the office.

October 1, 1885, the special letter delivery service was begun.

The present postmaster, Frederick A. Currier, was appointed February 22, 1887, after a spirited but good-natured contest by four candidates, Mr. Currier retained Charles E. Wallace as assistant postmaster and nearly all the clerks and letter-carriers. An additional carrier was appointed September 1, 1887, and two more August 1, 1888, making eight carriers employed at the present time.

There are about fifty streetletter boxes, so distributed as to accommodate as large a number of people as pos- sible.

The business of the Fitchburg Post-office is shown by the following items from the returns of the office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, which were kindly furnished the writer by Mr. Currier: $24,914.19 received from sale of stamps, postal cards and stamped envelopes; gross receipts from all sources $26,222.50; 15,886 money orders and postal notes issued or paid, amounting to $102,625.29; 6761 registered letters or packages handled; 1,917,045 pieces handled by the carriers ; 3716 letters advertised; 938 special delivery letters delivered, and 716 special delivery stamps sold.

There is also a post-office in West Fitchburg. John F. Shea, the present postmaster, has held the position since November, 1885.

THE FITCHBURG BOARD OF TRADE .- This is the older of the two mercantile organizations in the city, and was formed in May, 1874. In 1876 the Board of Trade moved into its present rooms in the Post-office building.

THE MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION .- This is the young- er and at this time the more active of our two trade or-

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ganizations, and its membership includes about every merchant in town. It was organized March 24, 1886, and Daniel Cross, the senior merchant in business here, was its first president. Regular monthly meet- ings are held. John F. Bruce is now its president.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE. - The Fitchburg Exchange of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. has been established nearly ten years. The use of the telephone was introduced here by Eliot L. Caldwell, who was manager of the Exchange, 1880-82. The central office is now at 162 Main Street, and F. E. Bowker is manager. This Exchange includes, besides Fitchburg, the towns of Leominster, Ashby, Lunen- burg and Townsend, and there are some three hun- dred subscribers.

THE FITCHBURG MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COM- PANY .- This company was incorporated March 22, 1847, organized June 29th, and began business Sep- temher 1st of the same year. Its first president was Hon. Nathaniel Wood, who held the position during the next twenty-six years, and was also its treasurer for twenty-four years.

For nearly twenty-five years the company's office was in the Torrey & Wood block ; but soon after the completion of the Fitchburg Savings Bank block, the office was removed to the fine suite of rooms at present occupied by the company in that building. Hon. Amasa Norcross is now president, and Edward P. Downe, secretary.

THE MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL AID SOCIETY .- This is strictly a Fitchburg institution, as far as its officers and management are concerned, though its certificates are now spread over a wide extent. It was among the first mutual benefit societies started in this State, and was incorporated February 17, 1879; and its first certificate was issued March 26, 1879. It is a purely mutual association. It has an emergency fund of over $5,000, over 2,500 outstanding certificates in force, representing nearly $5,000,000 of insurance, and has paid about $200,000 on account of death claims. Its membership has grown steadily, and the society has a high standing in insurance circles. From the first, it has been managed by prominent business men in this city. Henry A. Willis, its first president, served five years. He was succeeded by Henry F. Coggshall, who served three years. Henry A. Goodrich succeeded him and still holds the office. Festus C. Currier has held the office of secretary since the society was incorporated, and his efficient work has contributed greatly to its prosperity.

THE UNITED STATES MASONIC ACCIDENT ASSO- CIATION .- This association, incorporated September 1, 1887, insures only Masons between twenty-one and sixty years of age. Its membership, at the present time, is about five hundred. Hon. Eli Culley is president; General John W. Kimball, vice-presi- dent; Charles S. Perry, secretary, and Joel G. Tyler, treasurer.

HALL'S COMMERCIAL BUSINESS COLLEGE .- This

was recently started in town by Mr. A. O. Hall, who secured rooms in Wixon's block for the purpose. The present regular college year began September 4, 1888. with a good attendance. Instruction is given by Mr. Hall and competent assistants in book-keeping, banking, commercial law, short-hand, type-writing, telegraphy, &c., and the college has already made a very prosperous start.

The foregoing comprise the most important financial and commercial institutions and organizations at present existing in the city, and are all that we have space to mention in this chapter.

We will now briefly take up the business houses in the most important lines of trade in Fitchburg. It is, of course, not expected that a complete directory of all who are engaged in the different branches of trade will be given in the succeeding pages, but only a brief account of the business houses that have, for a considerable length of time, been identified with the commercial interests of the town and city.

GENTLEMEN'S FURNISHINGS .- We will begin with this line of trade because one of its representative>, Daniel Cross, is, as has been before stated, the senior merchant in active business in Fitchburg. Mr. Cross was born in Swanzey, N. H., and came to Fitchburg in 1833, when about twenty years of age. He estab- lished his business as a merchant tailor, in a small building where the City Hall now stands. At that time the only merchants in business here were Kim- ball & Farwell, dry goods and groceries, in . the lower story of the present Sentinel building; E. F. Bunnell, dry goods, on the corner of what are now Main and Central Streets; and Silas H. Goodnow, who had a jewelry store in the same building with Mr. Bunnell.

In 1834 Mr. Cross removed to rooms over the store of Kimball & Farwell, where he remained eight years. He then moved into Heywood & Comee's Block, across the street, and was in the store now occupied by John F. Bruce & Co. until about 1876, when he took possession of his present commodious store in the Stiles Block.

Mr. Cross bears his years remarkably well, and is still as active as ever. He was the first president of the Merchants' Association, and in January, 1888, the Association tendered him a complimentary dinner.

Henry A. Goodrich, senior member of the firm of H. A. Goodrich & Co., ranks next in this line. A sketch of Mr. Goodrich appears in another portion of this volume. Mr. W. L. Humes is now the junior partner.

Three merchants, now in the same line of business in Fitchburg, received their training as salesmen in Mr. Goodrich's store, viz .: E. H. Spencer, A. J. Litchfield and Elijah Stebbins, Jr. ; and not a few of his former salesmen have made names for themselves in other cities, notably E. B. Sears, now in the fur business on Summer Street, Boston ; Robert Brooks, head salesman with Max Stadler & Co., New York ;

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and J. R. Wood, now furnishing salesman in Chicago, Ill.

The other leading dealers in gentlemen's furnish- ings in town, in the order of their establishment, are E. H. Spencer, Farnsworth Brothers, Albee & Lyons, Edward Connor, Litchfield & Stebbins, U. E. Cleveland, the Globe Clothing Store, H. E. Goodere and H. F. Leonard.

DRY-GOODS .- James F. Stiles is now the senior mer- chant in active business in this branch. He was born in Cavendish, Vt., and came to Fitchburg in March, 1841. After spending three years in the em- ploy of Thomas C. Caldwell, the grocer, he went into the dry-goods business for himself. For the first two years he occupied the store in the Torrey & Wood block, where R. R. Conn's jewelry-store now is; he then removed a little farther up street, to what is now Warren Upton's market, and soon afterward moved across the street to the store next to the Sentinel building and under the Calvinistic Congregational Church. Here he remained ten years, when he re- moved to Central block, where he had his store until Jannary 1, 1876, when he moved into his present well-appointed and commodious store in the Stiles block, which he built the year previous.

Leander Spragne ranks next to Mr. Stiles. For a few years he was in partnership with Mr. Stiles, under the firm-name of J. F. Stiles & Co. Abont 1852 the firm of L. Spragne & Co. was formed, consisting of Mr. Sprague and Timothy S. Wilson. The firm occupied a store in the Heywood & Comee block, and their business has been carried on there since. Mr. Wilson retired from the firm some years later, and for the last twenty years and more the firm has consisted of Mr. Spragne and Mr. Francis H. Colburn. In addition to dry-goods, this firm has, from the beginning, dealt largely in carpets, crockery &c.

Andrew B. Sherman started in the dry-goods bnsi- ness here in 1855. A sketch of Mr. Sherman is given elsewhere, to which the reader is referred.

The " L. J. Brown Store," latterly the leading dry- goods house in Fitchburg, was established by Lnther J. Brown. For an account of it under his manage- ment the reader is referred to a sketch of Mr. Brown in another portion of this volume.

Since October 1, 1884, it has been managed by Frank I. Nichols and William A. Frost, under the firm-name of Nichols & Frost. This firm now owns the whole establishment, and carries on a very large and prosperous business.

Among the leading dry-goods stores, which have been more recently established in town, may be men- tioned those of L. U. Hammond, E. G. Stowe, Girard & Irish, E. J. Moore & Co., the Boston Dry-Goods Store (E. E. Staples), Chamberlain, Huntress & Co., the Northern Supply Company, and J. L. Clark, in the city proper, and H. J. Lacey, G. A. Whitney and M. A. Shea & Co., in West Fitchburg.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 88

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