USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Holyoke > Holyoke daily transcript > Part 8
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In 1988 came the big blizzard, and who of us that can recall it will ever forget it? How the wind drove the sheets of snow in a dead horizontal line. At 8 p. m. that evening the city was a vast desert of snow. The next even- ing, after the storm cleared away, a fire broke out, and the Transcript specially commended the skillful driving of "Tim" Harrington. M. F. Walsh declares that "Tim" was forty-nine years of age at the time, and if so, the genial fireman would be about seventy-three now, and certainly holds his age well.
Another event of paramount importance to the writer occurred in 1888 in the founding of the H. D. Allyn Real Estate Agency by H. D. Allyn, his father. Henry D. Allyn established the business in competition with the successful and reliable Mark Wood Agency by pure skill of salesman- ship and power of perseverance. Mr. Wood is still the dean of real estate men, hale and hearty, respected and honored by all. The Allyn Agency, second in years, has sold millions of dollars worth of property and placed a like aggregate of mortgage loan, and still hustles hard for existence. Both agencies have seen High street property quintuple in value and the city nearly triple in population.
J. S. Comins built Brown- ing Hall at the corner where the City Bank building now stands, ahout 1888, and it was destroyed in 1995 by one of the fiercest conflagrations the city has seen. Though a hand- some building it was not of fireproof construction, and burned like tinder.
Mr. Comins, the owner, carried no insurance, not be- lieving in it, and when the fire- men and policemen attempted to check his entrance into the burning mass. he knocked them down like ten pins till subdued. It was indeed a nerve-racking loss to anyone.
The writer recalls the days of the horsecars, when, on Ap- pleton street. near Beech. John Mac Dounell (now chief con- ductor and General Grand Pan- jandrum ) used to stand ready with an extra pair of horses to couple on for the pull up the liill. The Street Railway was a great market for the pur- chase and sale of horses, until it was electrified, in 1891.
The writer well remembers when the first elcetric came up Dwight street, with people gaping at it from the sidewalks and windows.
Holyoke had two or three prohibition experiences, one back in the early 70's under state prohibition, the other in 1896 or 1887 under Mayor J. J. O'Connor, who, when the old licenses ran ont May 1st, refused to sign the new ones for a few weeks.
The state prohibition law was enforced by State Con- stables Borlen and Casey, Mr. Casey afterwards studying law, and becoming judge of police court at Lee.
Grave doubts were entertained of Borlen's rigid en- forcement, as is said to have been the onse hack years be- fore in the late 50's, when the state constable was one Wig- gin, whom it is said, used to finil a roll of bills in his (Imwer mornings, and a memo where it came from.
But Constable Casey's integrity was unassailable. He at that time lived in a small house on Northampton street, where D. F Coghlan afterwards built, or owned, the house now ocenpied by Joseph Fowles. The Casey honse was burned to the ground, and about that time Mr. Casey's horse died, and he always believed that his liquor traffic foes burned the one mid poisoned the other.
It was in 1882, we think, that the closest mayoralty contest on record ocenrred. The first returns showed F. P. Goodall elected by one vote, but a recount elected his op- ponent, Roswell P. Crafts, hy one vote.
The Home National bank was organized in 1885, and
G. HAARMANN & CO.
ARCHITECTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND STRUCTURAL STEEL AND IRON WORK
IRON FENCES AND GATEWAYS
ILLUMINATING SIDEWALK LIGHTS
BLACKSMITHING AND GENERAL JOBBING
MANUFACTURERS OF CORE OVENS
ROOF TRUSSES, GIRDERS AND COLUMNS
INTERIOR STAIRS AND FIRE ESCAPES FOR BUILDINGS
WE CARRY A LARGE STOCK OF BEAMS, CHANNELS AND ANGLES OF ALL SIZES.
COMMERCIAL AND JACKSON STREETS
HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
- BY
GEORGE H. ALLYN
HIGH STREET, LOOKING SOUTH.
located in Tiller's block, where MeAnslan & Wakelin now are, not on the corner, which the latter purchased of Mrs. Wolcott. The People's Savings bank was organized at practically the same time. Later, in 1902, the bank re- moved to its present location, accompanied by the savings bank.
Some internecine financial war resulted in E. L. Mnun's withdrawing in 1852 and organizing the Park National bank, which located in the Hubbard & Taber block, on the site of which J. R. Smith's building now stands. This was the third national bank organized by Mr. Mının in Holyoke. The Holyoke Co-operative bank was also organized in 1880, and the City Co-operative in 1889.
The Whiting Street reservoir was built in 1888, and was another good Delaney job, although John Delaney had passed away.
John Delaney had accumulated a fortnite largely since 1874, when his dam at Florence stood while all others were swept away like straw before the Mill River flood, Mr. Delaney's character and personality were interwoven in that dann as in other work, and it stood the supreme test.
The George R. Dickinson Paper Company and the American Pad Company had been established, the D. Mackintosh & Sons mills had reached a high pitch of pros- perity, and Holyoke entered the 90's nder a full head of steam.
One unpleasant experience was the establishment of the Kenting Wheel Company, which was established in the Mosher (afterward Whitcomb) Imilding, near the first level canal, and for stock in which Holyoke people passed out the long green in lunches. The investors never saw a cent, and Mr. Keating removed to Middletown, Conn .. where it is reported the venture also was a failure.
Another shock was the failure of the Winona Paper Companys m 189t. This mill had been dubbed the "slimghter honse" by other expert paper men bernuse of the loose methods of mamifacturing and selling, but B. F. Hosford, thr treasurer, always kept a big bank balance. and anyone who saw him driving abont with his superb equipage would set him down for a millionaire at least. In contrast with these concerns were the splendid Coburn Trolley Track Company and the Syms & Dudley Paper Company, both of which Holyoke lost, the latter in 1892 removing to Michigan (W. F. Whiting Inying R. S. Syms' splendid new residence on Linden street), and the Coburn Trolley Company going to Willimamsett in 1899-1900.
The Coburn Trolley's removal was due to the impos- sibility of getting a large tract of land in Holyoke at a reasonable figure, and we may believe that if W A. Chase had retained the management of the Water Power Cam- pany, this concern would now be located at South Holyoke.
The writer has amitted the fact of the Second Congre- gational Church's change of base to the corner of High and Appletun strerts in 1885, when John Delaney built the Marble Block on the old sie. P. B. Johnson, the church contractor. went "stone broke" on the job, and never fully recoveredl financially, we believe. The Second Baptist had also sold out on Main street to "Tim" Merrick, who later sold to the Water Power Company, and came to their pres- ent location, as d'at the Methodist Church a little later. Grace Chapel had been established, new Catholic churches
built, etc, matters which the Rev. Mr. Robin. D11 11ms fally noted in his account. and which the writer, always a poor church- man. can, thereforr. pass over
Springdale had boomlied with the street railway exten- sion, and Ingleside Terrace was opened 111 1893, getting the cars in 1894, to Springfield It was in 1893 that the panic stunned Holyoke temporarily.
Our French eiti- zens were becoming foremast in enterprise and trade. P. Bon- vouloir, the Laporte lırothers. A. D. Daro- cher and many others besides those hereto- fore mentioned, had come to the front, hint of partienlar moment was the entry of Louis A. LaFrance into the build- ing business in 1891. Forming later a partnership with Gilbert Potvin he initiated a new era in apartment building.
The panic of 1803 caught them hard, and made then "turn handsprings" financially, so that Mr. Potvin, already wealthy and conservative, retired, leaving Mr. LaFrance to campaign as the Napoleon of builders. It would be idle to recoimt the structures he has built, bot though often criticised, he revolutionized the tenement system, with the net results that in Ward One and Sonth Holyoke modern, up-to-date tenements can be had by the workingman for very little higher rental than the old wooden frame build- ings commanded, or the brick blocks with the crudest com- forts.
Times there were during the last twenty years when it must have looked somewhat squally to Mr. LaFrance, but he had Rooseveltian nerve, strong backing, and today his position is impregnable.
Mr. LaFrance and J. R. Smith are the only citizens who have the honor of owning eight-story buildings.
Casper Ranger has also been a power in local and ont- side contracting for over twenty-five years.
In 1855 the Street Railway Company extended their line to Mountain Park, and two or three years later the Mt Tom road was built, and the Northampton extension made. In 1896 the Somh Hadley Center extension was laid, Mr. Looms being reported as saying "it wouldn't pay for the grense on the wheels."
The People's Street Railway Company had applied for n franchise npon abont every street in the city in 1894, but W. S. has always had the confidence of our citizens, in spite of his occasional periods of wrath, and, though the aldermen granted the franchise, the promoters didn't spunk np courage to huncck the redoubtable William.
Fairview, Chico- pee Falls, Chicopee Street, and Westfield caine in later with Amherst connections. and Holyoke believes that she can give any other city in the country an exemplifi- cation of « model street railway.
11 1996 the sni: of the Lyman Mills for a reduction of taxes dragged its słow length along till ahont 1504, when it was settled in favor of the city.
Mr. Dowd. the chairman of the board uf assessors, was ab- solntely conscientions aml just in believing that the strongest cor- poration, 110 more than the weakest eiti-
zen, should evade its tax. But it was unfortunate that he employed the Inte T. W. Mann, a most gifted engineer, but so unique in ideas and personality that it was impossible to get along woh him. He sted the city for services, and we don't think the case was ever settled, though the mili- tor reported on it It was back in the 80's that Mr. Man contracted with the city for the assessors' maps, and the city strove for years to have him prepare theint, in vain. Though he did an enormous amount of field work. When he died, about 1907, there was thought to be a small gold mine in his incompleted maps.
As a matter of fact it cannot be found that lie had ever drawn a line of them. lle had field books fall vi data in- trlligible to no one bnt himself ; but not a map or a sign of one lind he made. If ever there was a scientific and mathe- matical genius who spoiled all by careless procrastination. n was Thomas W. Mann.
His sister, Bridget R. Mann, was for a long tune all Efficient and respected school teacher.
During the period from 1887 to 1897 the municipal machinery was becoming more cumbersome. The city had grown to nearly 36,000 in 1890, and the old charter, with the allerminnic and councilor committees sharing anthority with the mayor, cansed a lack of direet responsibility, and a clogging of efficiency that became more and more notice- ahle yearly. So, after a warm discussion, in which several spouters delivered invectives against centralization, a new charter was secored in 1896. It was time for a new regime also, for carelessness and lack of responsibility, with a tax defalention, which did not probably have its inception in pure dishonesty (for few believe that Jantes C. Keongh was a deliberate defaulter), had for the time being got the prosperous city "in bad" financially.
it had prospered materially : the Brown brothers' land had been cut up into the Keough tract in 1899, the Greaney tract on Dwight street opened the same year, the O'Connell tract opened in 1894, after the costliest job of grading ever known in Holyoke, and Elmwood had boonted beyond alinost belief, already developing the famed Elmwood etpacity for kicking for what it wanted with vigor and persistence. The Farr and Skinner concerns were entering upon a period of unrivaled "good times."
Speaking of the Brown brothers, recalls the fact that back in the early 70's L. H. Ayers (better known as Dan Ayers) built a large wooden hotel right on Pleasant street, at the edge of the present fill across to North Pleasant street. What under the sun possessed Mr. A. to build a hotel clear out of the world there cannot be determined.
The water mains had not been extended there, so water from a brook running through the ravine was bronght up by a big water wheel. There never was any patronage save a few dances, and the hotel fortnitously burned a year or so later,
A. B. Chapin was the first reform mayor under the new charter, and whatever political or personal hostility there may have been against him (and the writer voted for Messrs. Buckley, Hamilton, anıl Griffin against him), it minst be acknowledged today that he was an ideal man for the place. Cool, keen, determined, and remorseless, yet just, he brought the city out of the financial slough most marvelously, and "put the fear of the Lord" into its officials and employes.
SECOND LEVEL CANAL, HOLYOKE, MA
SECOND LEVEL CANAL, FROM LYMAN STREET.
1883, FIRST STORE, ADAMS STREET.
1890, SECOND STORE, PARK STREET.
THE DIETZ BAKING COMPANY
llow Holyoke has grown along retail lines as well as in manufacturing is well exemplified in the case of The Dietz Baking Company. It was in 1883 that Mr. Dietz first began business ou Adams street, employing only one man besides him- self. Seven years later larger quarters became necessary, and he accordingly moved to Park street, where he remained ten years and employed a force of eight men. When it again be- came necessary to move, in 1900, it was found that the trend of business and population was west of the canals; so he lo- cated at 440 High street, the present quarters, with a working force of twenty-seven. In 1909, seeing opportunity for a re- tail bakery in the heart of Springfield, Mr. Dietz opened a store
at 335 Main street. The number now employed at both stores is forty-three, six teams and one anto truck heing kept con- stantly busy.
Six months ago the bakery was incorporated with the fol- lowing officers: R. H. Dietz, president and treasurer ; Angust F. Glesmann, vice-president and manager of the Holyoke store : Walter H. Dietz, secretary and manager of the Springheld store.
Plans for a big factory to be erected in the near future and to take care of the increased wholesale and retail business have already been drawn.
1909, SPRINGFIELD STORE, 335 MAIN STREET.
1900. PRESENT HOLYOKE STORE. 440 HIGH STREET.
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
GEORGE H. ALLYN BY
He raised the municipal morale to a fine pitch, and when N. P. Avery succeeded as mayor his work was cut out for him, and he entered npon it with the spirit of a crusader.
The first fine office buildings, the Senior and Ball blocks, were built in 1898.
It would be idle to enumerate the legal, medical, and mercantile fraternity who have come in with Holyoke's growth during the last twenty years. Sufficient it is that in William H. Brooks we have had for years the leader of the Hampden County bar, and when he retires C. T. Calla- han will be a worthy successor, while A. L. Green will still be able to wring luscious verdicts from reluctant juries by Itoneyed speech and cherubic candor. We recall his once disqualifying John Tilley as a real estate expert, because the opposing counsel had forgotten to qualify him save as a furniture dealer.
Some years ago, at a papermakers' dinner at the Ham- ilton, Squire Brooks was a guest, and in a droll speech said his acquaintance with the difficult and ingenious process of papermaking was comprised in the manufacture of promissory notes, and, though he thoroughly understood the process, he sometimes found great diffi- culty in "marketing his product." But wealth as well as fame has come to him, though he never seems to have stopped to accumulate or hoard.
Our police court justices have been Buckland, Underwood, Pcarsons, Sher- man, the present, old-time, and honor- able (in every sense of the word) E. W. Chapin, John Hildreth, and Robert A. Allyn. William Slattery also held an appointment, bitt ill-health prevented actual service. A. A. Tyler, for over a quarter of a century, was the city's most expert title-searcher and conveyancer.
No llolyoker ever had a higher place in the esteem of our citizens than Judge Pearsons. Ile was an admirable character, but though temperate, not n total abstainer. One day a fellow came before him for drinkenness (so the story goes), who had seen the judge himself indulge once or twice the day before.
"Your honor, I plead not guilty, 1 wns saher as a judge yesterday ?"
"fis said the old judge looked grave- ly over his glasses at him for a full min- ute. "Sober as n judge ought to he, you mean," and then let him off easily. We don't vouch for this, however.
'Twas in 1894 that Dr. Mitivier at- tempted 10 pot Joseph N. Prew with a revolver, though we doubt if he really meant to shoot. No doubt remained in Joe's mim!, however, and to this day he believes the "Doc." would have "got" him had he not nsed rim fire cartridges in a center fire pistol.
The advent of Dr. Frank Holyoke in the early 80's may be noted as that of a lineal descendant of Elizur Hol- yoke, the pioneer of 1650.
In 1899 the American Writing Paper Company was organized, centralizing a lot of mills, and, while the consolidation may have had some merits, we can't believe as a whole it advantaged Holyoke. The llolyuke trade mark is seemingly submerged and individuality lost.
The Water Power Company, in the decade from 1888 to 1898, changed radically from the old liberal policy of the Bartholomew-Chase regine, and this, coupled with various municipal hitches, slowed up the sicam roller of progress to some extent. In 1808 the new board of public works asked the Water Power Company for more favorable terms on a new electric lighting contract, as the old one was ahout to expire. Agent Waters' reply probably cost his company the ownership of the electric and gas plauts. He curtly informed the board that the contract would be renewed at the old rates if at all.
This was practically a threat to throw the city in dark- ness if it didn't pay the price, and was keenly resented by the mass of the people. A bill was introduced to the I.eg.
islature for the taking over of the plants, and, though the company, the manufacturers, and the local press bitterly fought it. the majority of the voters twice endorsed it, and it became a law, though litigation caused the actual taking over of the plants to delay till 1902.
The city had to pay a most exorbitant price for a down-at-the-heels plant, but never was municipal owner- ship more signally vindicated than by the logic of events.
Holyoke has phenomenally low electric rates, and eighty-cent gas is in sight. This, with the new venture handicapped hy tremendous expenditures in renewing and modernizing the plants and system).
How many New England cities are there that own a railroad and an electric and gas plant in successful oper- ation, aside from the best equipped and lowest water works system imaginable? There have been some blue days, though.
South High street realty phenomenally increased, and
HOLYOKE'S FIRST OPERA HOUSE.
north lligh street correspondingly decreased, till the in- crease of our Polish population and their thrift brought north High street property to its own again, while lower lhigh street marches on.
In 1895, ex-Mayor and Chief of Police Whitcomb, one of the strongest and most forceful personalities in Hol- yoke's history, got a bill for a local police commission through the Legislature, only to have it vetoed by Gover- nor Greenhalge on the broad and fine ground that Holyoke had shown herself capable of reform and regeneration, and should he allowed to work herself out of her political slough, which she immediately proceeded to do.
Mr. Whitcomb was a bosom friend of Judge Pearsons and, naturally, was a bitter opponent of R. P Crafts. The latter was an infinite wag, and one day when a Whately farmer called to sell him a horse, told him to go down to the police court and see Mr. Whitcomb, and when the latter told him he didn't want a horse to Gnally inform him that
he had a private tip from R. P. Crafts that he (Whitcomb) wanted to buy "a good, fast horse to go out of town with."
The farmer obcyed implicitly; was courteously re- ceived by Mr. Whitcomb, who disclaimed desire to buy, but upon the farmer's persisting, Mr. W.'s strong temper began to rise, and the farmer then delivered Mr. Craft's message. Mr. Whitcomb's wrath was boundless, and no man ever surpassed him in force and fluency of expression,
Later on Mr. Whitcomb and Judge Pearsons bought and opened Highland Park, which failed to develop till the marvelous genius of Sam Hoyt began to enthrall the buyers by means of flying machine exhibitions and other insidious arts.
Elmwood continued to develop in a manner well-nigh miraculous, the Hitchcock traet, Merrick tract, Horace Brown-Moody-Warren Company tract, and Cleary traets having all been developed in the last ten or twelve years.
The Highland district was very sluggish till within a few years back, though the beautiful Highland school soon filled up when built, in 1899-1900.
The splendid new High school was built in 1897-1898, and a couple of years later Albert Steiger had begun to elec- trify the town with a Napoleonic dry goods and real estate campaign.
The city had attained a population of over 45,000 in 1900, and from 1890 to the present time it would be difficult to partieularize all noteworthy individuals and buildings.
In teachers we might mention David Stratton and John A. Callahan by rea- son of length of faithful service and strong individuality. Mr. Callahan has become an almost integral part of the Highland school, and has always ex- emplified fine literary research and high educational idcals. David Stratton taught the old North Chestnut street school for many years, our present may- or attending under him.
He was an enthusiastic teacher, and a supreme master of wit and dry sar- casm. Back before the war he was a fearless abolitionist in a copperhead town in New Jersey, and came near be- ing mobbed. One scurrilous verse cir- culated after he had fearlessly told his assailants that the negroes in Massachu- setts were more intelligent than they were, appealed to his sense of humor : "If the negroes of Massachusetts are so bright,
Why in blazes don't they send us n bet- der specimen of the white!"
W. E. Judd commenced teaching in 1874, though his service has not been continuons.
The writer will not attempt to com- ment upon the clergymen of the last twenty years, save that the Rev. P. J. Harkins was a personality requiring a colunm to adequately characterize. The term "Father Harkins" revealed much. Fle had the sternness of a father, but he loved Holyoke, and harmonized with its rugged, old-time spirit, a trifle out of touch with the more modern ideas and fad> The title Monsignor never fitted lum for a moment. and most of us refuse to recall him save by the famihar. rongh-and-ready nanie, which ftted lum like a glove.
Under Mayor Avery the city's spirit became more idealistic. The city had few parks worthy of the name snve Hampden, acquired in the early town days, largely through the work and munificence of Jones S. Divis, and Prospect Park, laid out in the early 80's, till Elmwood Park was projected, and gradually became a place of surpassing natural beauty, But still the South Holyoke section Jacked a public breathing space till Springdale Park was acquired, in 1905. Later, m 1909, the Jones' farm was taken over, and Inrge tracts of land purchased for public playgrounds. W. J Howes and C. E. Mackintosh were enthusiastic park men, giving their best efforts without money and without price, and though their ideals (especially those of Mr. Howes) sometimes ran ahend faster than the city's pocketbook would warrant, they yet builded well for the grand Holyoke that the future generations shall know.
D. F. MORIARTY, President
GEORGE B. CASE, Secretary
F. A. CHAMPLIN, Treasurer
HOLYOKE SUPPLY CO.
STEAM ENGINEERS AND CONTRACTORS
MANUFACTURERS OF
THE FLYNN COMBINATION STEAM FIRE ENGINE HEATER
PIPE FITTINGS, VALVES, STEAM SPECIALTIES, RADIATORS AND BOILERS, PIPE COVERING, PACKINGS, ETC. PIPE CUTTING TO SKETCH.
TELEPHONE 565
174 APPLETON STREET and 63 RACE STREET,
HOLYOKE, MASS.
SKETCH OF HOLYOKE
BY --- GEORGE H. ALLYN
C
In our realty recollections we became oblivians of our city's part in the Spanish war, but it was most creiltable. .ind tirenty times the mennher of men enlisting conbl hin'e been supplied, if neriled. We have always thought that Capt. W. J. Crosier and his innle never received quite the amount of credit which really should have been ac. corded them.
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