USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Springfield city directory, and business advertiser,1870-71 > Part 3
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RAILROADS.
The one great secret of the steady growth of Springfield is its importance as a railroad center. The Boston & Albany Railroad, two hundred miles long, with a capital of $20,000,000 forming a link in the most important line west from Boston, passes through the city from east to west, and has its principal offices here. The Springfield, Hartford & New Haven Railroad, with $6,300,000 cap- ital, finishes the southern connection, and, with the Boston & Albany road, forms part of the most popular through route between New York and Boston,-one the metropolis of the whole country, and the other of New England ; and the Connecticut River Railroad, with $1,700,000 of capital, takes the traveler northward, up the. beautiful valley of the Connecticut, to connecting lines that will carry him to any part of northern New England or Canada. Two more new roads-the Springfield & Longmeadow, and the Spring- field & Farmington Valley, are chartered, and will be completed in a few years, perhaps months. These new roads, while they are never likely to become important as through lines, like the roads already existing, are still sure to be valuable adjuncts to the present roads, and to bring tribute to the business of Springfield. Our city is already one of the most important railroad centres of New Eng- land, and with the new roads completed it will have facilities for travel and transportation that will make it still more desirable for'
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
residence and business of all kinds. The plans for the improvements long in contemplation by the Boston & Albany Railroad, which will obviate the dangerous Main Street crossing, and that at Bridge Street, also, we hope, and which include the building of a new station-house, already mentioned, are now nearly perfected, and the work of carrying them into execution will soon begin. These im- provements will necessitate the expending of at least a million of dollars here,-indeed, the expenditure may be twice that sum ; and as a good share of the money will go into the hands of Springfield mechanics and traders, these improvements will have an important influence in keeping business " lively " for the few months or years to come.
MANUFACTURES.
Of course, in speaking of the influence of the railroads in the growth of Springfield, we did not intend to underrate the value of the manufacturing interest, especially the United States Armory. Doubtless our city would have grown steadily and surely these last eighteen years, had the Armory not been located here. But that the Armory gave a great impetus to the town during the war can not be denied ; and besides directly increasing the population, and with the trade of the city, it has contributed to our prosperity even more valuably in an indirect way, in inducing the location here of smaller manufactories, especially of firearms. During the war the number of men employed at the Armory sometimes exceeded · 3,000, and the daily product of guns was 1,000. The number of men now employed is about 700, and they are mostly. engaged in repairing and cleaning old muskets that have been in service, and in altering the old-fashioned muzzle-loaders to the new style of breech-loading guns.
The other manufacturing interests of Springfield have become so numerous that space fails us in which to mention all in detail, and it would be invidious to speak of a portion and neglect the rest. For details we must refer to the advertisements of each concern, else- where, and be content in saying, generally, here, that the manu- facturing interests of the city are already large and varied, and are constantly increasing in number and scope. In his History of West- ern Massachusetts, published in 1854, Dr. Holland found only twenty-two manufacturing concerns worthy of special mention. Judging by his standard there must be five or six times as many now that would require notice. Several foundries and other work- shops in iron, which are in existence now, had been started then, and the city had already begun to have a reputation for the manufacture of railroad cars, bridges, paints and chemicals, jewelry, candy, and
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
various kinds of machinery. Almost all the branches of manufacture in existence then are still carried on on a greatly enlarged scale, and there have been added the making of small fire-arms, cartridges, many branches of woolen and cotton goods, buttons, skates, silver plate, water filters,-large enough for a paper-mill and small enough for a private house,-soda fountains, toys and games, children's wagons, watches, paper collars and boxes, books, trunks, spectacles, ale, corks, and a thousand things, almost, besides. If we should include the products of Chicopee and Holyoke, as we might with good reason, for this city is the head-quarters of many of the manufacturers there, the list might be indefinitely extended. A notable feature in our manufacturing growth for the last few years is the introduction of small establishments, carried on by a few hands, sometimes even by the proprietor alone, in one room of a large building, and this is the class of manufacturers and of mechanics that ought to be specially encouraged and provided for by our capitalists. Many of these small concerns will grow to be big ones, and of great importance to the city, if they can be helped and fostered a little at the beginning. There is no reason why the manufactures of Springfield should not grow indefinitely. We have every advantage of location and facili- ties for transportation, and all that is necessary now is that capital should hold out a generous hand to ingenuity and skill.
BUSINESS AND TRADE.
During the rapid building up of the city in the last ten years, plenty of croakers have been found who "could not see who was to occupy all the new buildings ;" but there has been no lack of tenants either for dwelling-houses or business blocks, particularly the latter. Indeed, it almost seems as though stores of all kinds had increased faster than the population. Almost entirely the growth of the last ten years is the wholesale business of the city, amounting last year to eighteen million dollars, as was figured up from actual returns of dealers, in a late article in The Republican. Probably more is done at wholesale in paper and groceries than in any other two articles ; but there is considerable wholesaling in most other branches of trade carried on here, and the business is bound to grow. Spring- field is the natural business center of a wide extent of territory, con- taining many thrifty towns, and there is no reason why our dealers should not command almost their entire business. We have no means of getting at the figures to express the amount of the yearly retail trade of the city ; but it is very large and constantly increasing. People come here from a radius of many miles around to do their shopping, and the general verdict is that nowhere can they do better
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
for their money. May the time never come when our dealers have a less honorable and generous reputation than now.
WANTED, A HISTORIAN.
As might be expected in a place growing so rapidly as Springfield, the aspect of the city is changing very fast. Any one, even, who should come here after an absence of ten years, would hardly recog- nize the place; and as for the old town of fifty years ago there is very little remaining. There are a few old landmarks left, but these, like the rest, will soon be swept away by the march of improvement. One old building that dates back to 1820, is still standing and in use,-the carriage shop of J. & W. Loomis, on the corner of San- ford and Berlin streets. This building was originally erected by the town and county for joint use as a town hall and court house, and stood where Sanford street enters Main street. For nearly or quite a century it was used for its intended purpose, and was afterwards occupied as a church chapel before being devoted to its present use. A few rods north of Cooley's Hotel there stands a small wooden building which was the first printing-office in Springfield; and there are a few other similar landmarks still remaining to remind us of the past. There are also a few old men yet living whose minds are rich repositories of interesting facts relating to our early history ; to some extent they have furnished facts for publication ; but all that has yet been printed of Springfield's history has been fragmentary and in- complete. There ought to be a complete and comprehensive history of the town up to this time, and we cannot better close our brief sketch of the city as it is to-day, than by urging that some means be taken, either by the city government or by individuals, to give us a good history of Springfield. Much material is now available that will soon be lost, and there should be no delay in entering upon the work.
STREETS, AVENUES, SQUARES, ETC.
Adams, from Hancock to Colton street. Alden, from Hancock to Eastern avenue. Alert, from East Worthington north, be- low Spring.
Allen, South Wilbraham road, from top of Water Shop hill.
Andrews, from Boston Road, near Car- lisle brook, to Bay road.
Armory, from Federal hill northward.
Armory Road, (formerly called " Toddy Road,") from Armory street north- west to Chicopee.
Armory Square, East State street, same as Union Square.
Ashley, from Pine to East.
Ashmun, south from Central, near Maple. Auburn, from Main to C. R. R. track. Auburn Avenue, from Auburn street north, near Main.
Autumn, from Summer to Worthington, next east of Spring.
Bancroft, from Chicopee to North.
Barnes' Avenue, from Water street east towards Main, between West Bridge and Vernon.
Bay, from Magazine to Bay road. Bay Road, from Factory eastward.
"Benton Hollow," on the North Wil- braham road.
Benton, from Boston road, near Carlisle brook to Sixteen Acres road.
Berlin, from East State to Sanford. Blandford, from Hancock to Eastern avenue.
Bliss, below West State, from Main to Connecticut River.
Bliss Avenue, from Water westward, between Margaret and William.
Bond, from North to Chestnut.
Boston Road, continuation of East State from Lake Como eastward.
Bowdoin, from Factory to East Worth- ington.
Boylston, from Cypress to Clinton. Boylston Avenue, from Boylston street east, between Emery and Clinton.
Bradford, from Main to C. R. R. track. Broad, from Main to H. &. N. H. R. R. track.
Bush Avenue, from Main near United States Hotel.
Byers, from East State to Pearl. Calhoun, from Main to Chestnut.
Carew, from Main east to Chicopee line. Cass, from Liberty to Linden.
Cedar, from Central to Hancock. Central, from Main to Mill.
Central Street Avenue, from Central south, near Central street school-house. Chaffee Avenue, from Walnut street to Eastern avenue, near Water Shops. Charles, from B. &. A. R. R. to Franklin. Charter Avenue, from Oak west, near East State.
Cherry, from Central to Mill.
Chestnut, from East State northward to Chicopee line.
Chicopee, continuation of Main from Carew to Chicopee line.
Clinton, from Main to south entrance to Hampden Park, and Connecticut River. Columbia, from Spring to Winter.
Colton Street, from North Wilbra- ham road to Quincy, beyond Eastern avenue.
Commercial Row, from Main east, north side B. & A. R. R.
Congress, from Main to Chestnut.
Cook's Avenue, from West Bridge to West Worthington.
Court Square, opposite the Court House and City Hall.
Crescent Hill, near junction of Maple, Pine, Mill and Central streets.
Crossett Avenue, from Main to Willow Cross, from Main to Maple.
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
Cypress, fram Main to Connecticut River. Cypress Avenue, off Cypress street. Dale, from East Union to East William. Davis, from Sherman to Andrews, (pro- posed.)
Douglass Avenue, from Fairbanks west to Nettleton's pond.
Dwight, from East State to Lyman. East, from Alden to Mill.
East Bridge, from Main to Chestnut.
East Court, from Main to Dwight.
East State, from Main to junction of Boston and Wilbraham roads.
East Union, from Main to Hancock.
East William, a continuation of Wil- liam street east of Main.
East Worthington, from Main to Factory.
Eastern Avenue, from East State to Hickory.
Elliott, from East State to Salem.
Elm, from Main to Connecticut River.
Emerald Court, from West Union to Wiicox, below Water.
Emery, from Main to Fulton.
Essex, from Main to Chestnut.
Factory, from East State to Chicopee line.
Fairbanks, from East Worthington north below Spring.
Federal Square, east of Armory build- ings.
Ferry, from Main to Chestnut.
Florence, from Pine to Walnut.
Florida, from old Bay road to East Worthington.
Fort, from Main to Water. Franklin, from Main to Nursery.
Fremont, from Main to Water. Frost, from Spring to Byers. Fulton, from Cypress to Plainfield.
Gardner, from Main to H. & N. H. R. R. George, from Bay road to Davis, (pro- posed.)
Government Square, a part of the Armory grounds eastward from Federal Square.
Grant, from Armory to Magazine.
Gray's Court, off Cypress.
Greene, from Hancock to Eastern avenue. Greenwood, from Main to Chestnut, near Franklin.
Grosvenor, from North to Chestnut. Hampden, from Main to Water.
Hancock, from East Worthington to Alden.
Hancock Avenue, from Spruce to Hancock.
Harrison Avenue, from Main street corner Union Block to Chestnut.
Hickory, from East to Wilbraham road. High, from Maple to Walnut.
Highland, from Water Shop hill, near the dam, running soutlı.
Hillman, from Main to Dwight, across Barnes' lot.
Holyoke, from Main to C. R. R. track. Hooker, from Chicopee street to Plain- field road, (proposed.)
Howard, from Main to Connecticut River. Hubbard Avenue, from Main east to Dale.
Ingraham Avenue, from East Union to High.
James, from Cedar to Walnut.
John, from Plainfield west to C. R. R.
John Brown Tract, near Indian Or- chard.
King, from Walnut to Eastern avenue.
Lake, from Sherman to Andrews, (pro- posed.)
Lebanon, from Hancock to Eastern ave. Leon, from North to Chestnut.
Liberty, from Main to Chicopee line.
Lincoln, from Magazine to Federal.
Linden, from Chestnut opposite Essex to Cass.
Loring, from Main to Water.
Lombard, from Main to Water.
Locust, from Main over Blake's hill. Lyman, from Main to Spring.
Madison Avenue, from junction of Central and Cedar, along west side of cemetery.
Magazine, from East State to East Worthington.
Main, from Mill River to Carew.
Maple, from East State to Mill.
Margaret, from Main to H. & N. H. R. R. Marble, from Main east, below Willow avenue.
Market, from East State to Harrison avenue.
Marion, from Bay road to Davis, (pro- posed.)
Massasoit, from Carew northward.
Mechanic, from Water to H. & N. H. R. R. Mechanic's Row, from Howard to Bliss. Mill, from Main to the Water Shops.
Monroe, from Hancock to Eastern avenue. Morris, from Main eastward, next north of Central.
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
Morgan, from Main to North. Mulberry, from Maple to East Union. Myrtle, from East State to High, east of School. New, from East Court north.
North Church Avenue, rear North Church.
North, from Carew to Chestnut. Nursery, from Liberty northward. Oak, from East State to Walnut. Oakland, from Boston road o Bay
road, (proposed.)
Orleans, from East State to Pendleton avenue.
Osgood, from Main to North. Park, from Main to Maple.
"Parker Street," road from School- house at Five Mile Pond to School- house at Sixteen Acres.
Pearl, from Chestnut to Federal. Pendleton Avenue, from Walnut to Hancock.
Pease Hill, South Wilbraham road.
Pine, from Walnut to Mill.
Plainfield, from Bradford, near Main and Carew, to Chicopee line.
Plumtree Road, from South Wilbra- ham road to Sixteen Acres.
Prospect Hill, eastern extremity of Franklin street.
Pynchon, from Main to Water.
Quincy, from Oak to Eastern avenue. Railroad Row, fronts the depot, south side, west of Main.
Ravine, from Magazine to Armory. Ray Avenue, from South Main east- ward.
Ringgold, from North to Chestnut. Salem, from Spring to Chestnut, with branch to Pearl.
Sanford, from Main to Dwight.
Sargent, from Main to Conn. R. R. track. School, from East State to Mulberry.
Seventh, from Fulton eastward, between Sargent and Auburn.
Sharon, from Main east to north Chest- nut, between Ferry and Congress.
Sherman, from Boston road to Bay road, (proposed.)
South, continuation of Main from Mill River to Longmeadow line.
Spring, from E. State to B. & A.R. R.track. Spruce, from Central to Florence.
Stearns' Park, from East Bridge to East Worthington.
Stebbins, from East State to East Union.
Stebbins Avenue, from Maple to Pine. Stockbridge, from Main to Maple, be- tween Cross and East State.
Stony Hill, on North Wilbraham road. Summer, from Spring to Armory.
Summit, from Boston road to Bay road, east of Hancock, (proposed.)
Symonds Avenue, from West Bridge to West Worthington.
Taylor, from Main to Chestnut. Taylor Avenue, from Main to Willow, between Cross and Park.
Terrence, from Swan to Boston road. Tinkham Road, from North Wilbra- ham road near Sixteen Acres to South Wilbraham.
Townsley Avenue, from Main to Market, nearly opposite Pynchon.
Tyler, from Oak to Hancock.
Union Square, in U. S. Armory grounds.
Vernon, from Main to Water.
Vine, from Main to Conn. R. R. track.
Walker, from Water, near Loring, to H. & N. H. R. R.
Walnut, from East State to Water Shops. Walnut Street Avenue, from junc- tion of Walnut and Oak to cemetery.
Warner Road, from East Longmeadow road near Two Mile Pond to South Wilbraham road.
Washington, from Main to H. & N. H. R. R.
Water, from Gardner to near R. R. depot. Webster, from Franklin to Liberty.
Webster Avenue, from Salem across Pearl.
West Bridge, from Conn. River to Main. West Court, from Water to Main.
West State, from Conn. River to Main. West Union, from Main to H. & N. H. R. R. .
West Union Street Avenue, from West Union to Wilcox, below Water.
West William, a continuation of Wil- liam street to the river bank.
West Worthington, from Water to Main.
White, East Longmeadow road from top of Water Shop hill.
Whitney Avenue, from Water to H. & N. H. R. R., opposite Fremont.
Wight Avenue, from Water east, between West Bridge and Vernon.
Wilbraham Road, from Boston Road eastward.
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
Wilcox, from Main to Connecticut
River.
William, from Main to Water.
Willow, from State to Hubbard avenue. Willow Avenue, from Main east below Central.
Winter, from Columbia northward.
Woodworth Avenue, from East State south to High, near Walnut. . York, from Main to Connecticut River.
PONDS, RESERVOIRS, ETC.
City Reservoir, (new,) north of B. & A. R. R. track, and east of Liberty street. City Reservoir, (old,) on Armory road. Five Mile Pond, between Boston road and B. & A. R. R. track, five miles north-east of City Hall.
Lake Como, on Boston road, east of U. S. Armory.
Nettleton's Pond, junction of Spring street and B. & A. R. R. track.
Town Brook, from Nettleton's pond to Worthington street; thence one branch flows under the sidewalk east side of Main street to Central street, and thence to Connecticut River through
· open fields; the other branch runs northerly and empties into Connecticut River at north end of Hampden Park.
BLOCKS.
Allis' Block, North Main street, west side, between R. R. Depot and Cypress street.
Allis' New Block, Main street, north of R. R. Depot.
Barnes' Block, (stores,) Main street, west side, opposite Harrison avenue.
Barnes' Block, (dwellings,) East Bridge street, south side, midway between Main and Chestnut streets.
Bill & Shaw's Block, Main street, west side near West Bridge street.
Birnie's Block, Liberty street, near Chase's lumber yard.
Bliss' Block, (dwellings,) East William street.
Boston and Albany R. R. Block, first north of depot, west side.
Bradley's Block, corner Harrison av- enue and Dwight streets.
Brewer's Block, Brewer's Court, North Main street.
Bridgman's Block, Main street, near corner of Howard street.
Burbank's Block, corner of Stock- bridge and Willow streets.
Burt's Block, Main street, west side, corner Bliss street.
Bush's Block, South Main street, op- posite Howard street.
Byer's Block, Elm street, south side, opposite Court square.
Chicopee Bank Block, Main street, west side, corner Elm street.
Colton's Block, Howard street, north side, near river bank.
Cody's Block, corner North Main and Ferry streets.
Day & Jobson's Block, North Main street, west side, corner Cypress street. Fallon's Block, Main street, near Ver- non street.
First National Bank Block, Main street, east side, opposite Court Square. Foot's Block, Main street, west side, corner West State street.
Fort Block, Main street, west side, corner Fort street.
Franklin Block, corner Main street and Townsley avenue.
Gilmore's Block, Main street, west side, adjoining Music Hall Block.
Goodrich Block, Main street, west side, corner Hampden street.
Granger's Block, Main street, south of Union House.
Gunn's Block, opposite Armory Grounds, East State street.
Hale's Block, corner Main and West Worthington streets.
Hampden Hall Block, Main street, east side, corner East Court street.
Hampden House Block, corner Main and West Court streets.
Haynes' Hotel Block, corner Main and Pynchon streets.
Hitchcock's Block, corner Main and West Worthington streets.
Hubbard's Block, East street, south side, corner Walnut street, and oppo- site Armory grounds.
Hurlbut's Block, corner Main and West Bridge streets.
Lincoln Hall Block, Mill street, near Water Shops.
Massachusetts Mutual Life In- surance Block, Main street, south of Franklin Block.
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
Massasoit Block, Main street, west side, next south of R. R. Depot.
Mills' Block, cor. Main and Morris sts. Montague's Block, East Bridge street, north side, near Main street.
Music Hall Block, Main street, west side, corner Pynchon street.
Old John Hancock Bank Block, East State street, south side, opposite Armory grounds.
Old Post-office Block, Elm street, south side, near Main street, and oppo- site Court Square.
Parker's Block, Harrison Avenue, north side, near Main street.
Parsons' Block, Main street, west side, corner Howard street.
Patton & Loomis' Block, corner Main and Hampden streets.
Pynchon Bank Block, Main street, west side, between State and Elm sts. Pynchon House Block, Main street, east side, corner Lyman street.
Ray & Taylor's Block, West Worth- ington street, south side.
Rice's Block, East State street, south side, opposite Dwight street.
Savings' Bank Block, north-east cor- ner Main and State streets.
Sceery's Block, corner Market and Court streets.
Shaw's Block, Main street, opposite Barnes' lot.
Smith's Block, river bank, foot Pyn- ' chon street.
Stebbins' Block, North Main street, near Carew street.
Stockbridge Block, Main street, east side, corner Stockbridge street.
Taylor & Olmsted's Block, Main street, corner of Taylor street.
Trask's Block, river bank, near foot of Pynchon street.
Townsley's Block, Main street, oppo- site Vernon street.
Union Block, corner Main street, and Harrison avenue, opp. Pynchon street. Union House Block, corner Main and Bliss streets.
Walker's Block, East State street, south side, corner Maple street.
Wilcox Block, Main street, west side, between West Worthington and Fort streets.
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City Government-1870.
MUNICIPAL elections are held the first Monday in December. The City Gov- ernment is organized the first Monday in January. Meetings of the Board of Aldermen and the Common Council are held at their rooms, City Hall, usually on Monday evenings, once in two weeks, and oftener when called by the Mayor and pressed by public business.
City Officers.
MAYOR-WILLIAM L. SMITH ; sal- ary, $1,000.
ALDERMEN-Ward One, J. A. Rum- rill; Ward Two, Eliphalet Trask ; Ward Three, Dr. John Hooker ; Ward Four, Willis Phelps; Ward Five, Joseph M. Hall; Ward Six, I. P. Dickinson; Ward Seven, William H. Pinney; Ward Eight, George Foster.
CLERK-A. T. Folsom.
COMMON COUNCILMEN - President, Henry S. Lee; Ward One, Albert Holt, A. D. Day, C. B. Holbrook; Ward Two, George Dwight, Jr., James S. Bourke, David LeGro; Ward Three, James E. McIntire, George W. Tapley, B. C. Eng- lish; Ward Four, Henry S. Lee, Gur- don Bill, S. R. Phillips; Ward Five, Charles Phelps, William B. Miller, T. B. Wilson; Ward Six, George E. How- ard; Ward Seven, John A. Hall; Ward Eight, Alfred S. Packard.
CLERK-Lucius E. Ladd, salary, $150. CITY CLERK AND TREASURER-AI- bert T. Folsom; salary, $1,800.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE-At Large, Hor- ace Kibbe; Ward One, John M. Steb-
bins; Ward Two, William Rice; Ward Three, S. G. Buckingham; Ward Four, John L. King; Ward Five, S. W. Por- ter; Ward Six, Mrs. Randolph E. Ladd; Ward Seven, W. W. Gardner; Ward Eight, Charles J. Goodwin.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS-E. A. Hubbard; salary, $2,200.
SCHOOL-HOUSE AGENT - Elijah Al- den; salary, $700.
MESSENGER-J. D. Bigelow; salary, $800.
CITY ENGINEER-T. A. Curtis; sal- ary, $5 a day, for actual service.
SUPERVISORS OF HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES-The Mayor, ex-officio; Alder- man Willis Phelps, Councilman Charles Phelps.
SUPERINTENDENT OF STREETS-J. Q. A. Sexton; salary, $1,500.
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