USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Springfield city directory and business advertiser 1873-1874 > Part 4
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The property of the Aqueduct Company has been purchased by the city for about $238,000, although accrued interest since swells the price to $250,000; and an additional supply of water is tem- porarily secured by pumping from Garden Brook. Meanwhile the Board of Water Commissioners have employed Phineas Ball, an eminent engineer and formerly Mayor of Worcester, and are exam- ining various streams and rapidly perfecting their plans. It is possible they will decide to bring water by gravitation from Lud- low, which would give a head for fire purposes of 235 feet on Main street, and 100 feet on all parts of Armory hill, while the supply would be ample for a long period in the future. Indeed, while the city aqueduct now yields about a million gallons a day, it is esti- mated that the new water works, when completed two years hence, can deliver ten millions of gallons a day. Of course, after making liberal allowance for domestic use and for any increased consumption that might spring up by a change of drinks, there will be a mag- nificent supply for "out-door hospitality," and for laying dust on the numerous new streets now opening, and giving constant fresh- ness and verdure to parks, lawns and trees.
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
A NEW ENTERPRISE AT THE SOUTH END
Has been commenced by George E. and James L. Howard. The south portion of Crescent Hill on Mill street, as seen from Main, near Marble or Central streets, presented an unsightly appearance, while from Mill and Pine streets the view west and north was hidden by the high banks, bushes and old or cheap houses on that side. The land on both sides of Mill street from Pine to Locust, was purchased by the gentlemen above named, at a cost of nearly fifty thousand dollars. The buildings on the north side, including ten houses, will soon be cleared away. The hill, in some places, is cut down as much as fourteen feet, and for a considerable distance, and will be brought to a gentle slope from Pine to Locust streets, revealing a rare view of the city and river. The work is done under the direction of Mr. Weidman, who is connected with the famous landscape gardeners, Vaux & Olmstead of New York. The grounds, when laid out and graded, will be disposed of in lots of large size for fine residences. R. F. Hawkins has purchased of the Messrs. Howard the eastern lot on the north side of Mill street, and has kept Sackett & Reynolds with a dozen to twenty men and teams at work several weeks, grading and filling. After they are done, Mr. Hawkins will probably erect one of the handsomest and most costly houses in the city. Wealthy people from other places propose to purchase and build here. Beyond Mill river, the grounds of the Messrs. Howard, along the stream, are also to be graded and laid out with wide avenues, developing the beauty of the landscape, and affording attractive sites for residences. From the junction of Pine and Mill streets, an avenue is to be opened south- ward, across the river to connect with the new street on the other side ; and a bridge will be built, quite ornamental in design, and costing about ten thousand dollars. On both sides of Pine and Mill streets, from Maple to Locust, trees and granite curbing have been set by owners of adjacent property.
When two or three shrewd business men expend thus some twenty-five thousand dollars in landscape gardening and "public improvements at private cost," in streets and walks, while at the same time they increase their investments in real estate and manu- factures at the south end to over a million dollars, it shows what they think of the growth of Springfield in the near future,- when another southern railroad is built. It should be added that quite a number of other gentlemen of taste and ample means, are moving with like faith and energy, at Long Hill and the Water Shops.
4
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
BRIGHTWOOD.
North of Memorial Church, on the Connecticut River Railroad, is the new location of the Wason Car Manufacturing Company. Here, during the last two years, the largest car-making shops in this country, have been built, and stocked mostly with new machin- ery, and to this location the office and machinery of the Company have been removed. The land, some seventy acres, was purchased by the present proprietors in 1871, and included the farms of J. H. Demond and Michael Roane, and three acres from that of Wil- liam Birnie. Since that time, eleven streets have been laid out, and a number more projected, and besides the new shops above men- tioned, N. W. Talcott has erected a large forge, a number of houses have been completed and many more are likely to be built this season, besides a new railroad passenger station. One firm has pur- chased seven lots on which they propose to erect a planing mill, and ground has been purchased for a foundry. The Wason Car Manufacturing Company have employed in their old shops about five hundred men, but increase their force here to six hundred, and can employ eight hundred in their shops if necessary. As the ma- jority are skilled workmen, and most of them have families, they will of themselves make a large village, and of course school-houses, a chapel or church, and possibly stores will soon need to be added.
IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE COMO,
And especially on side streets west of it and running north from State, a good deal is being done by private enterprise. New streets are opened, and others improved. Even old streets, as on Thomp- son, are regraded uniformly, curbed and set with trees, and along their sides, in large-sized lots, appear new houses so thoroughly built and attractive in appearance and situation, that they are quickly taken. The Messrs. McKnight and Haynes alone have planted some three hundred trees in this part of the city.
Visitors to Springfield are apt to take the broad way of State street as far as the Armory at least, and will of course see the fine buildings along the route-City Library, Church of the Unity opposite, and just east of the latter the new High School-house in course of erection. Quite a number of churches are near,- a good sign, if they are as thick in other parts of the city. Eastward from the Armory is the Children's Home on Buckingham street ; beyond the lake, a few rods, is the City Hospital ; and some distance farther
27
SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
on, is a handsome building for the poor and the truant school, com- pleted this season at a cost of about fifty thousand dollars.
NEW BUSINESS BLOCKS,
On Main, Hampden, Bridge, Lyman and other streets, are just com- pleted or in process of erection, and illustrate the substantial pros- perity of the city and the increase of business. Worthy's block, on the corner of Main and Worthington streets, the new office of THE CITY DIRECTORY, is a five-story structure of brick, granite and iron, 48 feet wide and 138 deep; and excepting two stores on the lower floor, is devoted entirely to the publishing, printing and book-binding business of Clark W. Bryan & Co., for whom it was designed and erected at a cost of $50,000. Farrar's block, next south, and Shaw's new Gothic block, on the site of the old North church, are very fine buildings ; and the new granite build- ing on Lyman street, to be completed for the Powers Paper Com- pany, will be one of the most solid in the city. Details of these and others will be found under the head of " New Buildings." It will be seen there, also, that a good deal of house-building is being done this season, and on Crescent Hill, Mattoon, Chestnut, School and Union streets, and in other locations, very fine residences are going up. The aggregate of work in this line will be smaller than usual this year ; but it will be noticed that capitalists are preparing a large number of building lots, in some cases at much expense. There is a good demand for tenements, and as mechanics realize that real estate advances each year, they are wisely securing lots, and a largely increasing number will erect homes of their own, so soon as brick are more plenty and cheaper, and other conditions are favorable.
People of wealth and leisure perceive advantages here for location and living hardly equalled in any other part of the Connecticut valley. It is rare to find so many desirable sites for fine houses, on high ground, commanding fine views of the river and the country. On the one hand, are the delights of rural life within easy reach of drive or walk, while on the other are social and religious privileges and educational facilities usually afforded only in a large city. Hence, many are drawn here to settle, whose ability, liberal hands and public spirit and intelligence secure for them at once warm wel- come and genuine respect, and make them valuable citizens.
Surrounding towns share, as we have said, in Springfield's con- tinued prosperity ; and their sons and daughters here have contribu- ted to the fame of skillful inventions, - of a gun that wins against a
28
SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
hundred competitors with severest tests, of dictionaries, of news- papers, of schools,-that goes around the world.
The means of social, intellectual and religious culture, and the appliances and surroundings that mark a thriving city, may well be looked at in detail here, though briefly.
NEW CHURCHES.
Within a few years, seven large houses of worship, costing gen- erally from $50,000 to $100,000 each, have been completed in this city. Two more, one for the North Congregational church, costing some $80,000 including land, and one for the State Street Methodist church, (formerly Union Street,) costing with land nearly $75,000, were begun last year and are nearly completed ; another, for the South Congregational church, was commenced this season, and will cost over $100,000, including land. A large subscription has been made for a new house of worship for the Central Methodist church costing about 45,000; and so soon as the plans are decided upon, its construction will begin. A new chapel, cost- ing, with land, about $30,000, has been commenced for the First Congregational church. Add to these, several other chapels erected the past five or six years, and three more soon to be built ; also a French Catholic church to be commenced this season on Howard street, and a new Catholic church to be put up on Linden street, and the aggregate is not far from a million dollars. Descriptions of the most recent new houses of worship will be found on succeed- ing pages. It might be mentioned that still another new church has been talked of this season, to cost in all some $70,000. It is called the " Free Church," is designed to stand on Emery street, and some $10,000 was subscribed without solicitation, not including a liberal offer from a gentleman in a neighboring town. The com- pletion of this enterprise is, however, deferred till another year.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL-HOUSES.
A new High School-house, costing about $120,000, besides the lot, will be completed in December, and is described on a subsequent page. Six large grammar school-houses have been built by the city since 1865, at an aggregate cost of not less than a quarter of a million of dollars. They are handsome buildings, pleasant and at- tractive within and without, and furnished with valuable apparatus and all the modern conveniences. As most of the old school-build- ings are still occupied with pupils, some of them crowded, and
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
rooms in the City Hall and elsewhere are taken for the same pur- pose, it will be seen that the population of the city increases rapidly.
Ninety-three per cent of all the children in the city were in the public schools last year. Pupils are fitted for college, and so well as to be received sometimes in advanced classes.
Several Chinese boys attend here, and have made good progress in their studies. Thirty-one came from China directly to Spring- field last year, and another company have recently arrived. They are distributed in different towns and cities where they can have the best advantages. Their expenses are borne by the imperial government, and the Chinese Commissioner of Education resides here.
THE CITY LIBRARY
Occupies one of the finest buildings in Springfield, on State street. It contains over 33,000 volumes, and new works are constantly added in various departments. It is practically free to the public, readers being allowed to consult books at the building, and only one dollar a year being required for membership and the privilege of taking books home. It is open on Mondays from 12 M. till 9 P. M., and on other week days from 10 A. M. till 9 P. M.
The museum, which is in the same building, contains a large col- lection of specimens, relics and curiosities, and is constantly in- creasing in value.
A FREE READING-ROOM
Is also provided for the public, in a central location at the corner of Main and Bridge streets, by the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion.
RAILROADS.
The one great secret of the steady growth of Springfield is its importance as a railroad center. The Boston and 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 New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, with over $15,000,000 cap- ital, finishes the southern connection, and with the Boston and 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 $1,800,000 of capital, takes the traveler northward, up the beau- tiful valley of the Connecticut, to connecting lines that will carry him to any part of Northern New England or Canada. The Spring-
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
field, Athol and Northeastern Railroad, some fifty miles long, with a capital of nearly $1,000,000, is a new route of much interest, whose early completion has been referred to. Two more new roads - the Springfield and Longmeadow, and the Springfield and Farmington Valley, are chartered, and it is hoped will be completed in the near future. 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 trib- ute to the business of Springfield. Our city is already one of the most important railroad centers of New England, and with the new roads completed it will have facilities for travel and transportation that will make it still more desirable for residence and business of all kinds. A new iron bridge will be completed, January 1, across the river here, for the Boston and Albany, at a cost, above the piers, of $242,000. It will be 1,265 feet long, with seven spans of extra strength and weight, double-tracked, and of the "lattice " style built by Thomas Leighton of Rochester, N. Y., who has the contract. The crossings at Main and Bridge streets are receiving careful attention from the railroad companies. Their efforts to prevent delays of teams and pedestrians are appreciated by the pub- lic. It is proposed to change the grade of crossings where much inconvenience is felt. When this question is settled, a new passen- ger depot is to be erected.
MANUFACTURES.
Old establishments are considerably increasing the number of their employes, in various instances. At the United States Armory, gun- making is again actively pursued, requiring more men. Preparations are in progress at the Water Shops for making cannon on a large scale, involving a considerable expenditure and introducing there a new branch of industry. A twelve-inch columbiad, weighing 80,000 pounds, is first to be produced as an experiment; and the excavation some forty feet deep in hard rock, and the ponderous machinery, including a trip hammer of several tons weight, make the place interesting to visitors, and more lively for residents.
New concerns appear this year in the city, and the proprietors of one recently removed here, said they were induced to come because the work of Springfield shops, in their line, sold so much better in the market, that they found it best to employ our more skillful me- chanics, and let their products go out hereafter from Springfield.
[See " Business Directory," near the end of this book, for com- plete lists of manufacturing concerns, etc., and especially the index to advertisements, in front.]
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
TRADE.
More goods, perhaps, have been sold here the past year than usual, especially at wholesale. Some sixty dealers are in the latter line, and their transactions for twelve months aggregate a good many millions of dollars. Prices favor buyers just now, and people are naturally taking advantage of them before goods are higher. Many of our mercantile houses have become widely known by years of honorable dealing here. They doubtless give custom- ers more for their money than can be obtained in many other places ; and they can afford to, with sales to residents of so many surround- ing towns for a great distance.
There is " cool comfort," this hot season, in the remark of one of our large ice dealers, who avers that competition here is so sharp, he supplies consumers with ice at the bare cost of cartage. Prob- ably this is because of excessive production last winter, and not from any disposition of dealers to " cut under." If the season has been backward, it will interest them and all our readers to study the meteorological record prepared by Mr. Allin, the government ob- server at the United States Armory, which appears on the follow- ing page.
A good deal may be learned of the great variety of business in this city, by consulting the advertisements in THE DIRECTORY, in front, and at the end, and also the brief cards in names. These are valuable, oftentimes, for the information they give, to those who would make or save money.
Condensed Meteorological Record
FROM THE NATIONAL ARMORY, SPRINGFIELD,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1, 1873. Regular hours of observation, 7 A. M., 2 P. M., and 9 P. M. BY LUCIUS C. ALLIN.
1872.
EXTREMES OF TEM- PERATURE.
Mean temperature for
the month.
Barometer.
Humidity of atmosphere,
per cent.
Inches rain and
melted snow.
Depth of snow
in inches.
No. of days it
stormed.
| Am't of cloudi- ness per cent.
May,
5
39
9
85
60.36
29.86
69.42
3.16
14
47.63
June,
2
44
30
92
69 38
29.87
77.39
3.37
14
51.44
July,
22
58
2
94
74.47
29.87
75 38
6.20
17
49.36
August,
31
50
8
89
73.23
29.94
80.35
7.13
17
47.85
September,
4
40
8
89
63.53
29.95
80.23
4 34
14
58.22
October,
29
31
7
72
49.73
29.99
78.60
3.87
15
48.82
November,
30
10
12
56
36.88
29.94
76.95
4.92
8.8
11
40.33
December,
25
7
6
40
20.00
30.03
77 08
3.41
28.0
17
52.80
1873.
below
January,
30
22
17
43
20.08
30.11
78.86
5.27
14.2
21 53.33
February, .
24
5
4
42
23.62
29.87
74.58
2.89
21.4
10
41.23
March,
6
3
29
51
30.66
29.82
76.30
2.91
5.6
15
50.32
April,
11
30
30
63
44.46
29.85
68.30
2.55
1.01
17
58.22
MEANS,
47.20
29.92
76.12
50.02
79.01
182
49.96
DEPTH OF SNOW THAT FELL DURING THE FIVE PAST WINTERS.
Winter of
Inches.
1868 and '69
63.27
1869 and '70
77.29
1870 and '71.
48.61
1871 and '72.
56.60
* 1872 and '73.
79.01
Total
324.78
MONTHS.
Date.
Lowest.
Date.
Highest.
RAIN AND SNOW.
SKY.
below
below
below
New Buildings.
CHURCHES, CHAPELS, COURT-HOUSE, HIGH SCHOOL-HOUSE, AND OTHER PUBLIC EDIFICES.
A NEW chapel for the First Congregational Church is commenced, on the north side of Elm street, next west of the house of worship. It is to be a hand- some edifice of brick, with Berea (Ohio) stone trimmings, and the extreme size will be 75 by 111 feet, the tower over the front entrance being 83 feet high. The cost of the building will be $25,000, besides land, which is quite valuable here, but of which the church fortunately owned a portion by inheritance from early times. The ample and convenient arrangements for the " Bible service " or Sunday-school, within the new chapel, will especially attract attention, and mark a new departure in New England church architecture. The front part, 43 feet wide, extends back 63 feet, and then the building is widened so as to give entrance each side, from without, to the rear part which, is 43 by 75 feet. Within this is a semi-circular rotunda, around which are separated alcoves for the classes. Above these are similar alcoves on the second floor, but over the rotunda it is open, so that all the school are easily seen by the superintendent from the platform. The pastor's class have a room south of the rotunda and opening into it, but also on the platform ; sliding doors may be dropped from between this platform and the vestry in front, when meetings are held in the latter. The vestry will be 41 by 46 feet. On the upper floor are two parlors, each 22 by 41 feet, one of which will also be used as a dining-room; and in the rear a kitchen and two dressing-rooms, besides the Sunday-school room men- tioned above. With such provision for joyful, religious and social life, is it any wonder that the oldest church organization in the city has the vigor of youth, while an unusual number of its people live to great age ? Perkins & Gardner are the architects of the chapel. Peter B. Johnson is the builder, and is to com- plete it before January 1.
The new house of worship for the South Congregational Church, on the cor- ner of Maple and High streets, is designed by William A. Potter of New York, and Norcross Brothers are the builders. It is, indeed, a rather bold departure from ordinary models, being much like an amphitheater, and entirely unlike any other church building in Springfield. The architectural style may be denomi- nated the Venetian. The general form will be that of a parallelogram, with a large semi-circular projection in front. The extreme length will be 140 feet ; the extreme width, 78 feet ; length of the parallelogram, 116 feet ; radius of the semi-circle, 24 feet. Adjoining the corner of the building, next to the corner of Maple and High streets, will stand the tower, 19 1-2 by 16 feet, through which will be the principal entrance to the church, while admission will also be gained through vestibules at another Maple street entrance and at one on High street.
5
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SPRINGFIELD CITY DIRECTORY.
The audience room will include the semi-circular projection and about two-thirds of the parallelogram, the extreme length of the room being 92 feet, while it will be 71 feet wide and 56 feet high from the floor to the apex of the roof. The arrangement is such that there appears to be a transept in the audience room and corresponding gables appear in the roof, while the lateral walls of the build- ing are unbroken by any projection. The pews in the transepts, as well as those in every other part of the audience room, command a view of the pulpit un- broken by post or pillar, and not one of the 875 sittings but will be considered good. A broad aisle will pass up the center of the room, with two side aisles. The organ will occupy a large space back of the pulpit, but the organist and choir will be at the preacher's right hand. A commodious room opening out of the choir gallery, may be used for rehearsals and a musical library. In the rear of the audience room will be a social parlor, 22 1-2 by 24 1-2 feet; and in the basement there will be a chapel, 33 1-2 by 50 feet, with sittings for 256 persons, and also a kitchen as large as the parlor which is over it. Above the parlor is a Bible-class room of the same size ; over the chapel, a Sunday-school room ; over the music-room, a room for the infant class and Sunday-school library ; and over the High street vestibule, the pastor's study. The church is built of brown- stone, rock-faced, with elaborate trimmings of Ohio sandstone, and ornamental columns of polished Aberdeen granite, and the foundations are also of granite. The audience-room will be lighted by nine large Gothic windows in the semi- circular projection, and two magnificent rose windows, each 26 feet in diameter -one on each side. There will also be graceful groups of other and smaller windows, affording a uniform and grateful light throughout the room. The tower will be carried up of the size named, to the hight of 96 feet, the belfry being designed with special reference to placing a chime of bells therein at some future day. A broad band of elaborate tracery will encompass the tower at this place, above which it will rise, wedge-shaped, to the hight of forty feet more, making the entire hight of the tower 136 feet. Altogether the building will take rank with not only the finest churches in Springfield, but New England as well. Its walls will be up and the roof on before winter, and the contractors agree to have the whole completed before October 1, 1874. The cost will be about $95,000, aside from the lot.
A new house of worship for the North Congregational Church is nearly com- pleted, and will be dedicated the first Sunday in September. It is located on Salem street, nearly opposite Elliott. The designs are by H. H. Richardson of New York, architect of the new court-house and the Church of the Unity ; and, like the latter, it is of brownstone, but of the Norman style of architecture. The building takes the form of a cross, having the tower and spire on the side towards Elliott street, and a chancel, pastor's study and class-room in the rear. Outside, the extreme length of the nave, including chancel, is 123 feet, the width nearly 50 feet, and the width of the transept 88 feet. The hight from floor to ridge-pole is about 50 feet. The tower is 22 feet square, and the spire above it, which is stone throughout, rises to a hight of nearly 150 feet. The audience room will seat 1,000 persons on the ground floor ; the galleries will not be put in at present, but when they are added the house will accommodate 1,300 people. On the north side of the building an addition, 20 by 50 feet, has just been com- menced for a chapel, and will be finished in September. The entire cost of land, church and furnishing will be nearly $90,000.
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