History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 102

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

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Familiar Science and Fancier's Journal is a monthly publi- cation, and occupies an important rank in journals of its kind. The Hampden Whig was established Feb. 24, 1830, by John B. Eldridge. It subsequently passed into the possession of E. D. Beach. Later, D. F. Ashley became a partner, and the paper was issued by them, under the title of the Humpden Post, until July 1, 1843, when it was sold to Alanson Harley.

The Independent Democrat was started May 26, 1841, by

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HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

Apollos Munn. In 1843 it was sold to Dr. Elijah Ashley, who continued it until 1844, when he, having purchased the Hampden Post, merged the two papers in each other.

The Hampden Statesman was commenced by Apollos Munn Aug. 2, 1845, and lived until 1847, when it was merged in the Hampden Post.

The Springfield Gurette was established in 1841 by Geo. W. Callendar, Henry Kirkham, and Lewis Briggs, and was, after various vicissitudes, merged with the Republican.

The Hampden Intelligencer, an anti-Masonic organ, was established Ang. 25, 1831, by J. B. Clapp, and lived about one year.

The Hampden Washingtonian, a temperance sheet, was commenced by A. G. Tannatt, in 1842, and discontinued in 1848.

The Bay State Weekly Courier, a literary publication, was established Jan. 1, 1847, by Dr. J. G. Holland, now the editor of Scribner's Magazine. " Holland's History of West- ern Massachusetts, " Vol. I., page 442, in speaking of this paper, says: " The Bay State Weekly Courier, a literary newspaper, was commenced by J. G. Holland, a physician, as a refuge from uncongenial pills, and a still more uncongenial lack of opportunity for dispensing them." It soon after passed into the possession of Il. S. Taylor, and at the close of six months was discontinued.

The Constellation, the Spirit Messenger, the Mechanics' Re- porter, and the Connecticut Valley Farmer also for a time helped make up the press of Springfield. The latter was commenced as the Connecticut Valley Farmer and Mechanic in 1858, and was edited by Hon. Wmn. B. Calhoun. It was moved to Am- herst in 1855, and Professor J. A. Nash became publisher and editor.

TIIE HOME FOR THE FRIENDLESS.#

The Springfield Home for Friendless Women and Children was established in 1865. It was the first institution of its kind in Western Massachusetts, and grew out of the real necessities of the community. These necessities were many and various, and sometimes conflicting, and therefore it is not surprising that the character of the Home in regard to its object and the classes of persons who should become its inmates was at first rather indefinite and subject to change.

Benevolent individuals had often felt the need of some place of refuge other than the almshouse for the temporarily poor, -- not really paupers, but who, from sickness or other causes, were for a time unable to provide for themselves, and who, after a few weeks of rest in a comfortable home, would be again independent and self-supporting.

This need has been felt also in the case of children,-or- phans, or those whose parents were unable or unfit to give them the care necessary to prepare them for a useful life; especially the children of soldiers who had fallen in the late war. These, it was thought, should be cared for until they were able to earn their own living, or could be placed in charge of other suitable guardians.

Then there was the class of young girls who come to the city to seek employment, often without money and without friends, who, after seeking in vain for work, become disconr- aged and fell an easy prey to the tempters who are too often watching to mislead them. To take in such as these, and to provide them with respectable employment,-this duty ap- pealed to every virtuous heart.

Sometimes, too, the attention of charitable ladies had been called by our city officers to the case of other young girls found in suspicious places, whose feet had perchance slipped from the straight path of virtue, but who had been more sinned against than sinning; individual effort had done much to save them, but something more was needed.

But, perhaps more than all, the pitiable condition of the

female convicts released from our jail and house of correction had impressed both the officers of justice and philanthropic persons to whose attention their cases had been brought. Many of these offenders were very young, and had been led astray by others older and deeper in sin than themselves; but when they emerged from confinement,-often with no home or friends to go to, with the stamp of crime and punishment upon their foreheads, with the door of an honest living shut in their faces, and vicious companions lying in wait to throw their toils over them,-who can wonder that they so often fell again, and became at last hardened offenders, or the victims of disease and early death ?

A few ladies in the city, whose charity would not let them rest where there was suffering to relieve or a chance to reclaim the fallen, had for several years been laboring especially for this class. All that patient personal effort and tender thought- fulness could do they had done, but the evil could not be con- trolled by the means and agencies at their command; and they at length conceived the plan of an institution like the Home, where these women and others needing similar shelter should be received, guarded, and taught, until they should be morally strong enough to be sent into the world to battle with temptation and earn an honest living.

No sooner was this plan started in their minds than they proceeded to consult with philanthropic persons, clergymen and others, respecting it. They found a ready response, and a call was issued for a meeting of citizens interested in pro- viding such a home.

This meeting was held on Monday, Feb. 13, 1865, at the chapel of the South Church. About fifty ladies and gentle- men were present, representing nearly all the religious socie- ties in the city. After a general expression that an institution of the kind proposed was not only desirable, but necessary, and that the citizens were ready to sustain it, a committee of ladies was appointed to prepare and report a plan of or- ganization. This organization was completed at a subsequent meeting, and a board of directors was appointed, two from each religious society in the city, from whom the officers of the association-a president, two vice-presidents, a recording secretary, corresponding secretary, and treasurer-were chosen.

An appeal, setting forth the importance and necessity of the charity, was then made to the public, and so hearty was the response that, in less than a month after the organization of the association, a well-built and commodious house, capable of accommodating twenty persons, had been bought and paid for at a cost of 84500, and more than $2000 had been raised for the purpose of carrying it on. And the general interest in the new charity was not shown by gifts of money alone. Mechanics contributed liberally of labor and materials for making necessary alterations in the house; merchants and citizens of all classes sent furniture to fit it up, and provision and clothing for its inmates.

While the house was being prepared for occupation, it was thought necessary to define more distinctly the objects of the Home, and to determine what class or classes should be re- ceived as inmates. At one of the preliminary meetings it had been voted " that the directors be instructed to make this a home for the friendless who are virtuous, and also to provide in other ways, as far as practicable, for the vicious who show any disposition to reform." At an early meeting of the di- rectors it had been voted " that our Home is for friendless females, of all ages and classes, and that the directors shall decide upon each case as it presents itself." But now some of those who had been warmest in their sympathy and most active in their zeal were of the opinion that too broad a field of operations was proposed, and that it would not be wise to bring the fallen and vicious into contact with virtuous girls and innocent children ; that the Home should be therefore for children and the virtuous poor alone, while we should care for the fallen who should come to us by sending them to institu-

* By Mrs. Rev. William Rice.

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HISTORY OF THIE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

tions of reform in other parts of the State. This plan was adopted and followed for a short time, but for a short time only.

The first idea in the establishment of a Home had been to raise the fallen, to restore the erring, as well as to save those whose feet had wellnigh slipped, and it was hard for some to give up any part of this cherished object. But the problem was soon to be practically solved. Before the end of the first summer there was brought to the Home for admission a young girl, fallen, indeed, but whose case called so deeply for sympa- thy and help that this refuge could not be denied her. She was admitted, a meeting of the directors was called, the ques- tion again discussed, and it was unanimously resolved that none could be more friendless than those of this class, and that henceforth the doors of the Home should be open to them, if to no others.

It was determined to engage a second Matron, whose espe- cial business should be to take care of the children, and to keep them entirely separate from all association with those who could in any way contaminate them. At the same time a stricter supervision was required over the adult inmates. From that time there was a definite though broad field of operation. The managers have never designed to receive the aged or permanently disabled, but rather the young, who have a future before them, and who can be helped and en- couraged to lead useful lives. At first it was thought that no one should be received who did not properly belong to Spring- field, or at least reside here at the time of application, but very soon applicants were received from the neighboring towns, and some of these towns contributed liberally of money and clothing for the institution.

It has been said that the Home was first organized as a vol- untary association, but, after money had been raised and a house purchased, it was thought expedient to obtain an act of incorporation from the Legislature, and such an act was passed in April, 1865, but it was not until March of the following year that an organization was effected under the charter, and the present constitution and by-laws substantially adopted.

Soon after this permanent organization an appeal was made to the Legislature for a grant in aid of the corporation, the ground of the appeal being the actual saving of expense to the State by the prevention of crime and pauperism in various ways, especially by receiving at the Home all female offenders discharged from the jail, who were willing to avail themselves of this refuge. This petition was favorably received, and the sum of $2000 granted on condition that an equal amount should be contributed by private individuals. This amount was easily raised, and the appropriation accordingly received from the State treasurer. For the four succeeding years the same grant was made on the same conditions, the appropria- tions amounting in all to $10,000. After the fifth year, owing to the increasing number of similar institutions, all claiming State aid, no further appropriation was made, and the corpo- ration was thrown upon its own resources. But the Ilome had been steadily growing in public estimation, and the citi- zens of Springfield came nobly to the rescue, and neighboring towns sent in their contributions, so that the institution, though constantly increasing in expenditure, was never crip- pled in its usefulness by any serious lack of funds.

When the house on Union Street was purchased, it was placed by the subscribers to the purchase-money in the hands of trustees, to be conveyed to the corporation at the end of three years, if in their judgment the enterprise had then proved successful, and the Home had vindicated its claim to become a permanent institution. There was no question as to this success, and the house therefore became the property of the corporation. In the second year of its occupation the house had been enlarged in its capacity by putting another story upon the rear part, thus making it two stories in its whole extent, but it was still too small to accommodate the

increasing number of inmates, and applicants were often turned away for lack of room and beds to receive them. Already the managers were looking to a separate and more spacious build- ing for the children alone. It was, however, more than a year after this house had been conveyed to the corporation before actual efforts were made toward the erection of the Children's lome.

At a meeting of the corporation, Oet. 9, 1869, it was unan- imously voted to build a new house, to be called the " Chil- dren's Home," and subscriptions were solicited for that pur- pose. Mr. Horace Kibbe made a donation of a lot of land, and Mr. Gurdon Bill headed the subscription list with $2000. Afterward a more eligible lot of an acre of ground was given by Messrs. John and William MeKnight, G. W. and J. F. Tapley, and Theodore Haynes ; and Mr. Kibbe bought back his original gift of land for $2000. These generous gifts, in the very beginning of the project, gave encouragement and hope to those who had undertaken the work. It was consid- ered desirable to raise about $30,000, considerably more than the proposed cost of the building, in order to have a reserve fund for repairs and other emergencies. The sum of $23,000 was raised by subscription, mostly in Springfield, and a fair was held in the city-hall in May, which continued one week, and netted $7500. At this fair the towns of Westfield, Chicopee, Holyoke, Northampton, and Greenfield were liberally repre- sented, and each furnished one or more rooms in the new building.

Work on the Children's Home was commenced in May, 1870, and the building was first occupied in May, 1871. It is capable of accommodating 50 or 60 children. The location on Buckingham Street is dry and airy, and at a convenient dis- tance from the centre of the city. It is a substantial brick building with stone foundation and facings, 50 by 40 feet in the main part, with an L 29 by 38 feet. It is two stories high throughout, with a Mansard roof and finished attic over all, and a broad piazza extending around three sides. It contains twenty-one rooms, exclusive of halls, closets, bath-room, and basement. It has a laundry in the basement, and is supplied with hot and cold water, and all modern conveniences. There is a spacious yard in front, a play-ground on the east side, and a vegetable garden in the rear. The entire cost of the struc- ture, exclusive of land, was $16,000. It would have been im- possible to build so economically but for the excellent build- ing committee appointed by the association, one of whom, Mr. Kibbe, gave a large portion of his time to the personal super- intendence of the work, besides planning most judiciously the arrangements of the house.

The whole number of inmates received the first year at the Home on Union Street was 80, but the average number was not much over 12. During the next three years the average number was 18, though the whole number received was by no means proportionally greater. The last year before their removal to Buckingham Street, the number of children was much larger than ever before, and after their removal it continued to increase. The average number of children for the first year after the opening of the new llome was 30, the second year it was 40, the greatest number at any one time being 51. From that time to the present the average number has been between 30 and 40. The whole number of children received and cared for during the ten years after its organiza- tion was 466.

Since the opening of the Children's HIome the house on Union Street has been appropriated to women alone, or to mothers with infants too young to be separated from them. In rare instances other children have been received there when some epidemic has been prevailing at the Children's Home. The average number there is from 12 to 14.

One of the principal aims of this institution has been to find suitable places for the women and children under its care, and much has been accomplished in this direction. Very little

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HISTORY OF HAMPDEN COUNTY.

difficulty has ever been experienced in finding a place for any woman who was able to work, even with the disadvantage of taking a child with her; and there are always more or less applications for girls old enough to render some service. Great care is exercised in selecting suitable places for these children, but the managers do not give them up when they thus go out into the world. They are statedly visited by the children's committee, and reported upon at the managers' meeting, and if these places do not prove suitable, and the conditions of their service are not fulfilled, the children are taken back to the llome and sent out again under more favorable circum- stances. A large number of the children at the IFome have been adopted into good families as their own children. Some are in the families of the managers of the institution. But even when thus adopted the institution never loses sight of them.

Among the generous donations from all classes of citizens, the gratuitous attendance of physicians should not be unmen- tioned. From the very first no fee has been charged for their services, and yet the best skill and the most careful attention have been bestowed. In 1872 a board of four physicians was elected, to whom was committed the medical and sanitary con- dition of the two houses. Each of these physicians serves for three months, assisted by two younger ones, who act under his direction.

The health of the children has been remarkable from the beginning. There have been in all but six deaths, and three of these were of children who were sick when received. The peculiar diseases incident to children prevail to a considerable extent, but health is soon re-established, and the routine of the family scarcely disturbed. At the Woman's llome it is not so. The inmates, received from all conditions, under such various circumstances and habits of life, are seldom in sound health ; and, though the managers have not designed to make the house a hospital, there have been many cases of severe and protracted illness. Very few deaths have occurred, however.

It is not to be supposed that no mistakes are made in the management of the Home. Doubtless there are many ; and yet it is true that few institutions have been conducted with so much real ability and careful forethought. The wisdom of the management appears in the financial as well as in the philanthropie aspect of the institution. In its earliest years it was dependent wholly npon the yearly subscriptions, and there was no reserve-fund to fall back upon in case of emer- gencies. The corporators saw that such a fund was not only desirable, but almost a necessity, and from the very first en- deavored to raise yearly an amount more than sufficient to eover the expenditure, and thus become the nucleus of such a fund. When the subscriptions for the Children's Home were solicited, it was intended to secure a surplus over the actual expenses of the building ; and this was successfully accom- plished, so that after the completion of the building there remained in the treasury the sum of $16,904.17.

But the yearly subscriptions were still solicited and still cheerfully given, except that in the Centennial year a fair was held instead, which netted about the usual amount. Thus, through the changes and depression of the times this fund has been kept nearly the same, sometimes drawn upon, sometimes added to, and the interest upon it has been a very considerable help toward the yearly outlay.

" The Home" is emphatically an institution of the city. It is appreciated and cherished by the people, and they will never let it suffer for lack of funds. Still, it is very desirable that its support should be secured in some less laborious and contingent manner than by yearly solicitations and subserip- tions ; and it is to be hoped that some of our wealthy philan- thropists, living or dying, will remember this institution in the wise bestowment of their charities, and so increase its endowment that it will be less dependent upon the yearly donations.

INDIAN ORCHARD, AND INDIAN ORCHARD MILL COM- PANY.

The territory now occupied by the village of Indian Or- chard was originally laid out as follows : 415th lot, in the first tier, below the river, to Richard Bliss ; 416th lot, same tier, to Benjamin Day ; 421st lot, second tier, to Samuel Ely, Jr. ; 422d lot, same tier, to Daniel Morgan ; 431st lot, third tier, to Franeis Ball; part of two lots, same tier, to Ebenezer Bagg ; 430th lot, same tier, to Ebenezer Leonard.

Reuben Bliss sold John Paulk, Nov. 19, 1802, lot 415, and recites in the deed conveying it, " Originally laid out to me in the Inward Commons." The other property reeited above was purchased at different times by Mr. Paulk, and Dec. 14, 1804, he sold 120 acres to Benjamin Corey, of Brooklyn, Mid- dlesex Co., Mass. Mr. Corey mortgaged a part of the prop- erty, in 1808, to James S. and Henry Dwight, which mort- gage was assigned several times, and finally foreclosed, and Samuel Osgood passed into peaccable possession. May 2, 1825, Charles Stearns, of Springfield, commenced purchasing land in this section on the river, with a view to developing the water-power, and purchased at different times for several years, associating with him Geo. Bliss, James Brewer, Willis Phelps, and others; and September, 1839, Charles Stearns, James Brewer, and George Bliss deeded their property to the Indian Orchard Canal Company. Surveys were made, but no active operations were commenced until 1846.

In September, 1845, the Springfield Manufacturing Com- pany sold to this company the land owned by them on the south side of the river. The Springfield Manufacturing Company was organized in 1821, with Benjamin Jenks as its leading spirit. Mills were built in Ludlow, with boarding- houses opposite, in the town of Springfield, near " Old Put's Bridge."

In 1845 a survey of the plat and plan of a dam were made by William H. Butler, surveyor, and in the summer of 1846 the massive stone dam, costing $28,000, and 28 feet high, was constructed, and completed in the autumn of that year. Capt. Charles MeClallan and a Mr. Willard, of Cabotville, now Chicopee Falls, were the builders. In that year also were built a honse for the agent and several boarding-houses. During the next year the hills were leveled, ravines filled, and streets laid out and graded. The Rev. F. A. Barton was the first agent ; he was succeeded by William Bemis. Dec. 1, 1853, the Indian Orchard Canal Company conveyed all the rights, titles, buildings, and water-privileges belonging to them to the Ward Manufacturing Company. At this time the canal company had erected the walls of the present mill No. 1, and the old part of No. 2, which used to be known as the machine-shop. Samuel Weber, Jr., was appointed as agent.

During the company's possession looms and spindles were added from time to time, until, at the transfer of the property to the Indian Orchard Mills Company, there were 18,000 spindles and 352 looms. The Ward Manufacturing Company deeded, Nov. 3, 1857, the property to Wm. Dehon, Henry V. Ward, and Samuel Frothingham, trustees ; and it was mort- gaged to Geo. Bliss, Geo. Walker, and Caleb Barstow, trus- tees, Jan. 5, 1858. This mortgage was released for a consid- eration paid by the Indian Orchard Mills Company, and the property passed into their possession. At that time there were twenty-five houses in the village, including the " Big Block" and the " Myrtle Street Block, " both brick.

At the present time there are about one hundred buildings. including four hotels (" Indian Leap," " Indian Orchard," "Sulphur Springs," and " National"), eight stores, three churches, and a post-office.

In 1859 the Lower Mill, No. 2, was built, with 18,000 spin- dies and 385 looms. Spindles and looms were added from time to time, until they now contain 52,000 spindles and 1168 looms. No. 1 Mill is 64 by 270 feet, five stories high, and is run by two

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

turbine-wheels, of 476 horse-power in the aggregate. No. 2 Mill is 74 by 169 feet, four stories high, and has one turbine- wheel, of 558 horse-power. A storehouse, three stories high, 40 by 100 feet, stands near the river ; an office, also, 35 by 45 feet, is situated midway between Mills No. 1 and 2. These buildings are all of brick.

About 1859 the company erected a library building and reading-room, and supplied the latter with the weekly papers and magazines, and kept it open evenings for several years for the use of the employés. The library now contains about 1700 volumes.

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 102

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896