USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > Holyoke daily transcript > Part 23
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Dr. Julia M. Patten, Miss Agnes Allyn, Mrs. C. P. Lyman, and Mrs. E. L. Kirtland were among the early forces of the Association, Mrs, C. W. Ranlet was its first president. Three rooms in the old Tilley building on High street made its first home. In the first year there were 165 members and six classes. Its growth was steady and constant. In 1893 tlte Association had become so large that it moved to take a whole floor in the build- ing further down High street, that was owned by the Women's Temperance Union organization. This building later became a source of controversy as to its ownership. The matter was taken to the courts and was finally settled in such a way that a large fund went from it to the Y. W. C. A. That made the nucleus for the new building fund.
When the Association moved down the street a sal- aried secretary was seenred, The first secretary was Miss Louise Patten, under whom the Association grew by leaps and bounds. By the ninth year there was a membership of 350, and a total attendance of 13,128 for the year.
YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.
In 1901 the name of the Association was changed to the Young Women's Christian Association, with a new declaration of principles.
In 1906 the Association hecame affiliated with the Y. W. C. A. of the United States.
When the twentieth anniversary of the Association was celebrated, on April 25, 1908, a membership of 709. and a total annual attendance for the last year of 22,227 was recorded. This was aside from the record of the Skin- ner Coffee House, founded and supported by the daughters
of William Skinner as a memorial to their father. but conducted by the Y. W. C. A.
In 1910 the great Home on Maple street was purchased.
From its start the Association has always been managed and practically supported by women,
In the early months of 1910 the women of Hol- yoke banded together and raised a building fund of $55,000 for the new Home. When the new building was occupied in the fall of that year it was free of debt and an ideal home for the great work they planned to do.
Last year the total membership of the Associa- tion reached 908. There were fifty young women liv- ing in the Boarding Home and one hundred and fifty meals were served daily in the dining room. There were seven clubs and seventy-four classes in various departments. At the Coffee House there were eleven classes and six elnbs, and a total attendance for the year of 18,892.
The work grows and changes with each year, but it is one of the most constructive forces going for- ward in the city and none shows grenter promise of future usefulness.
Notable secretaries of the Association have been Miss Louise Patten and Miss Louise Eastman, the latter having, in a few years of her consecrated life. left a lasting impress upon the Association.
In recent years Mrs. L. H. Clarke's presidency has been a great ern in the Association's work
The present officers are ; Mrs. Jantes H Newton, pres- ident ; Mrs. L. H. Clarke, vice-president ; Mrs. T. W. Kirk- land, second vice-president ; Mrs, F. D. Heywood, treas- urer ; Mrs. S. S. Rogers, clerk, and Miss Bertha 11, Pren- tiss, secretary. There is a board of directors of twenty- fonr members and more than one hundred prominent Hol- voke women are serving on the various committees.
HOLYOKE'S BOARD OF HEALTH
In the early history of Holyoke, while it el was a town, the duties of the Board of Health devolved upon the Board of Selectmen ; and for a time subsequent upon the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, The Selectmen who served from 1851 until Holyoke became ; city are as follows: 1851, Fayette Smith, Hervey Chapin; 1852, Alexander Day; 1853, Hervey Chapin, Daniel Bowdoin, Albert Graves ; 1854, Chester Crafts, Anstin Ely, E. H. Bał; 1855, E. H, Ball, Hervey Chapin, A. O. Colby; 1836, N. W. Quint, George C. Lyons ; 1857, Russell Gilmore, Alfred White, E. Whitaker; 1858, E. Whitaker, llenry Wheeler, Chester Crafts; 1839, E. Whitaker, E. H. Ball, A. O. Colby ; 1960, E. H. Ball, Joel Russell, D. E. Kings- bury; 1861, Joel Russell, Austin Ely, S. H. Walker, 1862, Joel Russell, S. H. Walker, A. C. Slater; 1863-4, W. B. C. Pearsons, Rufus Mosher, Chester Crafts ; 1865, E. Whitaker, E. 11. Ball, R. S. Howard; 1866, Porter Under- wood, E. H. Ball, John C. Newton; 1867, Chester Crafts, Edwin Chase, Rufus Mosher; 1868, Chester Crafts, Edwin Chasc, Timothy Merrick, 1869-70, Chester Crafts, George C. Ewing, Allan Higginbotham ; 1871, W. A. Judd, C. A. Corser, Allan Higginbotham ; 1873, W. A. Judd, Rufus Mosher, John Delaney.
This is wandering somewhat from the his- tory of Holyoke's Boards of Health, but the duties of such Boards were at first not heavy, and it is only within comparatively few years that the importance of municipal cleanliness, as a necessary factor in the prevention of dis- ease has come to be recognized. From the early 80's the Board consisted of three mem- bers with offices enough to go around. One lips been elected chairman, another secretary, and ;mother health officer. Men who served on the Board of Health from the carly 80's to the inauguration of Mayor A. B. Chapin, in- cluded the following: John Bateson, D. H. Donoghue, James J. O'Connor, F. M. Spencer, D. H. New- lon, Dr. D. F. Donoghue, Edward O'Connor, Timothy Sullivan. Dr G 11 Smith, Dr J. C. E Godin, Dr. S. 4 1
DR. FRANK A. WOODS.
Mahoney, Dr. John F. Buckley, Richard She, Dr. A. B. Wetherell, Dr F. X. Patoel In 1898 emne the election of officers of the city for
1899 Tlungs had been going from bad to worse, and a new order was necessary. Arthur B. Chapin, a young man of promise, though comparatively little known, was elected mayor, and new brooms began to appear in every de- partment of the city. Dr. A. B. Wethercell was elected chairman of the Board of Health, Dr. Frank A. Woods, secretary, and Jeremiah J. Linnehan, health officer. These three men laid ont an aggressive policy for betterment of sanitary conditions, which a long tenure of office enabled them to practically complete.
Among the numerous things that were ac- complished by this Board were the removal of all the privy vanlts throughout the city. This reform was begun under Dr. G. H. Smith, al year or two before the Chapin administra- tion, and carried out as fast as circumstances warranted by this Board.
Even before the State Board of Health recognized spotted fever as contagious, the Holyoke Board had begun to quarantine such cases as came under its observation. They also abolished wooden pings on milk cans as dangerous carriers of germs; and for the same reason compelled milk dealers to substitute the coupon form of milk tickets, in place of the larger tickets that it was the custom to use over and over. The Board also combined economy with its plans and made use of the Elmwood Dingle as the dumping grounds, in- creasing the amount of land as the Dingle filled up. The Board also insisted on the en- tire separation of ashes from house offal; and tried vamty for years to get an appropriation for a house-to-house inspection of plumbing,
The present Board now has an alley in- .pector, one of whose duties is to see that the wparation of ashes and house offal is contin- ued. Under a new law passed by the State Legislature, the Board of Health has the power to compel the abuttors in cities the size of Hol- yoke to pave the alleys, That there is strong need of slich paving, especially between Race and Main streets, is only 100 evident, and the present Board has work cut out for it along this line
HOLYOKE'S POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Holyoke Police Department started with only half a dozen men in the organization of the town in the early 50's. This number increased as the size of the town and city grew, requiring more men to keep watch over its in- terests. Their quarters in the City hall have been wholly inadequate for some time, and yet the much-desired police building is apparently far from sight. It is to be hopcd that the fiftieth anniversary of the Holyoke Daily Tran- script will contain a half-tone of a new building, devoted lo their interests. The present police force consists of fifty-six patrolmen Thomas J. Lynch is marshal, Patrick Herbert, assistant marshal; Timothy Haley, captain; Pat- rick E. Sullivan, lieutenant, The sergeants are Dennis Mack, William E. Blackmer, George L. Diekinson, John J. Moriarty, and Patrick F. Ryan. The inspectors are Peter A. Cullen, Maurice M. O'Connor, and Frank R Metcalf,
The patrolmen are as follows: Richard Peters, T. F. Riley, Michael J. Lynch, Francis M. Hastings, John A. Powers, John A, Geran, Cornelius Curran, James B. Grif- fin, Jeremiah J. Linnehan, J. A. Vachon, James F. Dono- ghue, Rock H. Lalonde, Thomas Bresnahan, Maurice HI. Shine, Henry M. Fisher, Damiel McCarthy. R. E. Lowcock, William Carey, Michael Driscoll, P. J. Manning, P. J. Kennedy, W. E, Murray, Edward F. Gilday, James Mal- colm, Patrick J Driscoll, Thomas J. Rourke, Patrick J
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MARSHAL THOMAS J. LYNCH.
1
Gaughan, Andre J. Senay, Albert Mew, J. J. O'Donnell, Maxwell McDowell, James T. Welch, J. J. Grady, Henry Sussenguth, Michael J. Clifford, Michael P. Conroy, Med- eric Beloin, John E. Goss, George W. O'Connell, M. J. Pendergast, J. J. Austin, M. J. Fogarty, T. J. Mannix, George E. Leary. F. W. Kuenzel, William A. Morgan, T. J. Murphy, Michael J. Walsh, J. A. Landry, M. J. Herlihy, James J. Tisdale, John T. Quinn, Albert M. Albin, Garrett Bowler, Patrick J. Falvey, and Joseph P. Kane.
Until 1882, W. G. Ham was the chief of police, hold- ing the unequalled record of over thirty years' continuous service. Somewhere along the line the name of chief of police was sidetracked and that of city marshal was sub- stituted. The offiec, however, is just the same old office Those who have sat in the seat of Ham since it was vacant are as follows: 1882-3, Sumner T. Miller; 1884-5, James Dougherty; 1886-90, M. H. Whitcomb; 1891, Sumner T. Miller; 1892, Valentine J. O'Donnell; 1893, Sumner 'T Miller; 1894-5, George H. Twaddle; 1896, Sumner T, Mil- ler: 1897, M. H. Whitcomb; 1896, Edward J. Gorman, 1899-1907, J. Sydney Wright; 1007-12, T. J. Lynch.
Michael Shine is the oldest living ex-policeman He joined the force in 1869. With him at that time were four others, Henry M. Smith, William Marsh, Ira Smith, and W G. Ham.
HOLYOKE'S BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
On Monday, January 1, 1897, the late Dr. George H South, then mayor, appointed James 11. Newton, Michael F. Walsh, and William B. Reil for the terms of three, two, and one year, respectively, as the Erst members of the Board of Public Works of the city of Holyoke, and at & o'clock that evening the Board organized.
The first chairman, James H. Newton, served as chairman and as a member of the Board a little less than one year, resigning ou December 3t, 1897, to be succeeded by Oren D. Allyn, who declinedl at reappointment on Feb- ruary 5, 1906, The present chairman, M. F. Walsh, was elected to fill the unexpired term of Mr. Newton, and on February 7, 1898, was elected permanent chairman for that year and which position he has continuously hekl
Aside from the original members of the Board there have been but five men to serve as commissioners, these heing O. D Allyn, who assumed office January 1, 1898, and left the Board February 5, 1906; Gilbert Potvin, Jr., who was appointed February 7, 1898, amd resigned April 1, 1909 ; William A Chase, appointed February 5, 1906, to succeed Mr Allyn, and who retired from the Board February 1, 1909, being succeeded by James A. Allen, a present mem- ber of the Board. Gilbert Potvin, Jr., was succeeded by Adelard M. Potvin, a present commissioner, on April 1, 1009. The present makeup of the Board being, as is well known, M F. Walsh, James A. Allen, and A. M. Potvin, whose terms expire respectively on the first Monday of February, 1914, 1915, and 1913
By provision of the city charter the city engineer is made clerk of the Board, the first engineer being John J Kirkpatrick, now superintendent of water works, who was succeeded hy James L Tighe, who retired in February, t911, to become it consulting hydraulic engineer, and at which tune Timothy J. MeCarthy, the present engineer, as- timed office The assistant clerk, Oscar C Ferry, has served ilk Board since its organization
William A Chase died February 8, 1912, this being the only break in the membership of the various boards in the sixteen years of its organization.
A vast number of public improvements has been made under the Board's direction The total expenditures in the departments under its control to December 31, 1911, were four million, two hundred ninety thonsand one hundred and fifty-one ($4,290,151) dollars. The expenditures in 1897, the first year of its organization, were two hundred aul ten thousand ($10,000) dollars In 1909 they had m creised to four hundred and sixty thousand ($400,000) dol Inrs They dropped m 1910 to three hundred and forty thousand ($340,000) dollars, and in 1911 were four hundred and seventy-four thousand ($474,000) dollars
So much then for the men who compose and who have composed the Board of Public Works
11 is understood that this sketch is to be used m /m in1. .Instrial dilition If the improvement- in the idustrial
world shall continue in like mimmer for the next decade and a half as they have since the inception of the Board, the improvements will then have been mdeed wonderful. Think for a moment of what has taken place.
This Board was the first to consider seriously the use of automobiles for business purposes, and as far back as t898, 1 think, went into the matter quite extensively and investigated what was then considered to be the only prac- tical machine made. The United States Envelope Company has been organized and the American Writing Paper Com- pauy, the American Thread Company, and the International Steam Punıp Company have been formed, and vast addi- tions made to the William Skinner's Sons' and the Farr Alpaca Company's plants, all of which have had an indus- trial effect upon Holyoke.
The Board has been persistent in its efforts to keep the Holyoke manufacturers before the public as much as pos- sible. It has insisted that where manufacturers' trade- marks have been used upon any of its products used by the Board that the word "Holyoke" be added to the list or the words "Made in Holyoke" placed upon the product. Il may seem a curious fact that the Paper City of the world was furnishing less paper to the municipality than outside mills when the Board assumed office. Through the ex- ample set by the Board it is safe to assert that Holyoke- made paper is used by all departments, and this is as it should be. The Board has met with some opposition in its ilesires for the use of Holyoke paper.
The High School at Pine and Sargeant streets has been completed in place of the small building on Elm street which was used prior to 1898. New buildings have been erected in the Highlands, in South Holyoke, in Springdale, and in Ingleside. An eight-room addition has been built to the old Elmwood or South Street school Imilding, and a new modern Joseph Metcalf school building has just been completed. The West Street school building was not com- pleted when the Board assumed office. The East Dwight street school building has been entirely remodelled and re- constructed, and a new building has been built on the site of the old North Chestnut Street school building. aml the longed-for schoolhouse in Oakdale has also been built
Probably no two things will stand out in the future with greater prominence as having been started during the early years of the Board as the opening of the Tuberenlosis Hospital, with a contagious disease hospital site nearby, .nad all the plans ready for building, and the opening up to many thousands of children the public playgrounds with their many attractions, and also in a small wav the main- tenance of bath houses, which, without question, saved many n young life each summer.
While the young have been and are being cared for, the ohl and needy have not been forgotten in the extensive mipravenients and additions made to the City Farmi proper- nes, where the city has an institution standing among the first of its kind in the country.
As the city has been constructing buildings for its own use so have individuals and companies. The Realty Trust building, the J. R. Smith building, the Steiger building, on High street, and the vast mumber of modern apartment houses have sprung up under the new city charter. The old Windsor Hotel building has gone, but this created in itself a new Holyoke.
The work in the construction of streets, sewers and sidewalks has kept pace in it proportionate way with the construction of new school buildings. It might be said that all modern pavement has been made since the Board as- sumed office. With the exception of the asphalt pavement on High street, most of which has been replaced through itse, by other forms of pavement, the first permanent street work that was done in Holyoke under the Board, was the paving on Cahot street from Main street to the Williman- sett bridge, which was closely followed by the paving on Appleton street, west of High street. Time does not per- mit mention of the very many other pieces uf street work perfarmed.
The old third level Matu street bridge, which was the cause for many discussions and bitter arguments, was re- placed by a modern structure. The New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company has, through the efforts of the mayor, replaced its antique structure at the entrance to the city with a somewhat modern bridge. At the South Hadley end the old wooden valley bridge has given way to new structure, and in the heart of the city, what was at the beginning of the Board the outskirts, has been opened up on Jackson street under the railroad tracks. A paved street and a new canal bridge has been thrown across the third level canal. At Ingleside the roadway has been widened! and a new bridge built. The SpringGeld road has heen widened :usd straightened, and Northampton street has been laid out and widened from Fairfield Avenne north. The Smiths Ferry district has come into the jurisdiction of the city. A modern bridge has been placed across the first level canal ou Sargeant street
The Oakdale storin water sewer has been extended, a new sewer built for the Highland section, and sewage facili- ties provided for the section of the city still further worth. The Walnut street trink sewer was connected with the Frunt street sewer, this having been desired for many years prior to its accomplishinent High street has been widened south of Prospect street, giving a much desired approach to the park, and also, incidentally, possibly, the desired ap- proach to a bridge which may at some time be constructed at this point across the river to South Hadley Falls
11 is not intended in tins space to give a complete de- tail of all of the work done by this department or to men- tion any one thing in preference in something else with more prominence, the idea having been to set forth as it affects the department, a few of the accomplishments of an industrial nature since the birth of the Board, which, being ouly fifteen years old, can be considered quite young
THE HOLYOKE BOARD OF TRADE
Progressive and growing cittes, these days, who are lakmg their position as centers of influence and power mu The commercial and civic advancement of the nation are equipped with commercial organizations that make it a tisiness to act as the clearing house for the collective ex- pression of opinion of its business men and to work for the growth and advancement of the industrial and com- mercial interests of the communty. Holyoke is the proud possessor nf a modern Board of Trade with a membership of six hundred of its leading citizens, and in a short time since its foundation, in March, 1911, it has accomplished much good for the city, and has won a prominent and in- Quential place among the commercial organizations of New England.
The Board's spacious and beautiful quarters, occupy- ug the entire top floor of the Smith building in the center of the city, has attracted visitors from all over the country, and hans served admirably for conventions and a meeting place for the several business organizations of the city. Throughout the year business meetings, luncheons and smoke talks are held regularly, and men of national prom- inence have been entertained as its guests. A permanent office of secretary is maintained, and information concern- mig the city is furnished all those who ask for it, and the services of the Board are at the disposal of the stranger seeking location for his business or residence
"Do It For Holyoke" 1; the spirit of the Holyoke Board of Trade, and it is endeavoring to publish broadcast through the most effective channels that "Holyoke Delivers the Goods" in every sense of the term
The present officers of the Board of Trade Are as fol- Inws: President, W. H Bullard ; vice-president, F. A. Mc- I.ane; treasurer, A. J. Osborne, secretary, Morton Hull ; directors, Thomas S. Childs, Charles A. Chase, M. P. Con- way, A. Davis, J. F. Kennedy, George W. Messier, F. H Metcalf, James Parfitt, G. J. Prew, Joseph F. Ranger, H L. Russell, H. G. Scars, J. E. Sheldon, J. H Woods, J. L. Wyckoff, and J J White
THREE HOLYOKE PIONEERS
DANIEL O'CONNELL
WILLIAM S. LOOMIS
Here is William S. Loomis, whose success in the Holyoke Daily Transcript in earlier days has been overshadowed by his success in the management of the Holyoke Street Railway Company and Mt. Tom Railroad. If Fate had given Mr. Loomis steam roads to manage in- stead of trolley lines, we'll wager a handsome Baldwin apple that he'd have made an equal success with the larger interests.
We don't know just how old Mr. Loomis is, but he don't look it. And the Holyoke Daily Transcript hopes with hundreds of others that he'll live a score or more years yet. Holyoke is proud of its street railway system, its beautiful Mountain Park, and picturesque Mt. Tom. Mr. Loomis' heart has been in these two projects, and if there are two better in New England we have yet to b.d them. There's a lot more good things ought to be said about Mr. Loomis, but he is modest and we don't want to pain him; and besides, everyone thinks them anyway. so what's the use? It has been part of Holyoke's great good luck to have a Loomis at the head of its trolley system. It is a pity that there are not enough such railway managers to go around, but these few words are written lo lei all know that we appreciate what has been granted to us.
There is no more interesting man in Holyoke today than Damel O'Comell, who is still young, despite the passing of the years, and whose memory of the carlier Holyoke faces and Holyoke happenings is still clear and strong. The youthfulness of the Paper City is mightily emphasized, when from the lips of living mien, the description of the bursting of the waters through the first dam erected by the Hadley Falls Company, is told by a living witness, like Mr. O'Connell.
To have lived and to have seen the onmibus stages pass up and down the valley; to have seen them supplanted by the steam railroads: In have seen the first short, horse-railway lines expand into a network of trolley lines that gridiron New England; to have seen river naviga- tion, an actual fact in days gone by, when as many as six yoke of oxen dragged heavy loads of molasses or sugar, with perhaps a puncheon of rum, from "Jed" Day's landing up over Northampton street, and beyond; to have known Holyoke when it was wholly farms and pasture land; and to have witnessed the building of everyone of its manufactories; to have seen all these things and remembered them clearly; and to have participated in many of the operations of building; to have learned withal how to grow old gracefully. Such is the record not vouchsafed to every man.
Run over the list of men who, through official position or political activity, were promi- nent from 1850 to the present day, and Mr. O'Connell will recall something personal ahout each. There was George C. Ewing, a handsome man, educated, smooth, delightful in con- versation, and who, passing in a friendly way among the owners of the farm lands, quietly obtained options for 1,100 acres of their lands the Hadley Falls Company took over for the nuclens of the new city. There was Chester Crafts, a slight built man, pleasant faced, the genial tavern keeper of Crafts' Tavern, and enjoying the trust of his fellow citizens in no small measure, as witnessed by the fact of his frequent selection as one of the town fathers. And good old Alexander Day, whose memory is yet green in the minds of scores of Hol- yokers who knew him and rejoiced in his spirit of kindliness of good fellowship-these and scores of others, Mr. O'Connell recalls and describes with a vividness that is almost unparalleled
So far as can be learned George W. Prentiss is the oldest hvmg Holyoke manufacturer who is yet in the harness and who yet lives in Holyoke Mr. Prentiss will be eighty-three years old this fall, and was born in Claremont, N. H. He came to Holyoke in 1837. The wire business, which bears his name, was not located as at present, as the Dwight street plant was not built till ahout 1871. At the first Mr. Prentiss was associated with a man named Gray ; but later he bought out his partner's interest and ran the business under his own name. In the early days the wire mills were located nearer the dam, part of the Parsons No. 1 mill being originally a wire mill building. The business increased, and the first building proved inadequate, and more space was obtained. Finally land was hought and the buildings of the present plant erected. The land where Ar. Prentiss' fine residence is located on Northamp- ton street, was originally a part of the R. M Fairfield property. and the house was built about the middle of the 80's
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