USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Winthrop > The history of Winthrop, Massachusetts ; 1630-1952 > Part 27
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A new newspaper, the Winthrop Transcript, was started June 15, 1944, by Thomas H. Fielding and John W. Fielding. This was taken over by Robert S. Remer, August 22, 1946. Since December 15, 1949, Andrew P. Quigley of Chelsea has been the publisher and general manager of the Winthrop Transcript with Mr. Remer as editor.
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Chapter Nineteen WINTHROP POLICE DEPARTMENT BY PAUL V. ABELY SERGEANT AND CLERK
THERE is no mention in the early records of constables or police, or any police action. The first entry of any police action is made in the report of 1856, which shows an expenditure of $1.25 to transport a prisoner to Boston, showing there must have been a crime and an arrest. In the next few years there is no mention in the town reports of any police or even constables; the report of 1859 shows that $6.25 was spent for the purchase of five pairs of handcuffs. Again, in 1864, the report shows that $5.22 was spent for six constables' badges.
It would appear from town reports, as shown above, that the Selectmen must have appointed persons to act as constables, who acted as police, for in 1865 the report by the Selectmen states that several men were appointed to work several nights during the summer, and also states that the sum of $2.00 was paid for the arrest and transportation of a prisoner to the sta- tion house. The town reports for the next five years mention from time to time expenditures of money to maintain public order. In the year of 1869 a record is made of a trip to the Westboro Reform School of a young boy, which would mean a crime, and arrest and conviction, but the cost of this trip was hidden away, in of all places, the Poor Fund. In 1870 an item of $72.58, a sizeable sum for those days, was spent for police, without record. Mention is made in the reports from 1870 to 1888 of the appointment of constables to enforce the Lord's Day Law at the various beaches in the summer months, and the em- ployment of special police on the Night Before the Fourth to prevent malicious damage to property.
In the year of 1888, in their annual report, the Board of Selectmen recommended that the town appropriate a sum of money so that they could appoint a regular police force of a Chief and a few men. In 1889, the town did appropriate the sum of $300, and the Board appointed H. W. Tewksbury as Chief, J. C. Small, H. C. Hamilton, S. P. Fales and P. P. Floyd, Jr. as
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police officers. These men were employed part time and it is interesting to note from the records, that the Chief received for his work that year, just a few pennies less than a patrolman receives for a week's work in 1952. In the first annual report of the Chief of Police, dated 1889, he reported 14 arrests (12 males and 2 females), and the cost of maintaining the depart- ment was $107.00 out of the $300 that the town appropriated. One of the two females arrested was caught selling intoxicating liquor to some of the young blades of that time.
In 1892, because of the many complaints the Selectmen re- ceived from citizens, a regular day and night patrol of three men was established.
It was the practice of the Board of Selectmen to appoint, each year, all the department including the Chief, and the turn- over in the department was great. From 1906 until the year 1910, there was agitation to give the policemen some security by placing them under Civil Service, and in the year of 1910 the Town Meeting voted to accept the Civil Service Act for the police, with the exception of the Chief. The office of Chief was an appointive office until 1919 when that office and its Chief were placed under the Act. The Chief of Police at that time, William A. McNeil, served until his retirement in 1933. In 1934, William F. Pumphret, the present Chief was appointed.
Prior to 1900, a police officer on patrol, when he needed to communicate with the police station, went to the nearest public or private telephone. In 1901 or 1902, the town placed their own telephones on electric light poles for the use of the police. These were located in four or five of the town squares. This method was invaluable in the early hours, when other telephones were not available, but was replaced in 1916 by a system which is still in operation. The system is called the Gamewell system, which is in use by all police departments throughout the country to-day. This system increased the efficiency of police procedure greatly as not only could the patrolmen's method of patrol be planned so that his route was recorded on a signal tape, but if needed he could be recalled to the station (or sent where needed). In 1948, the Gamewell system was supplemented with a two way radio system, so that in 1952 the department operates with the New England Telephone service to receive and transmit calls, the original Gamewell signal desk to receive and transmit to route patrolmen and the radio to transmit and receive messages from the radio patrol cars, ambulance and Fire Chief's car.
Up until the year 1904, all police work was done on foot, and in that year, when the Chief requested the town to buy a horse and team-they purchased two bicycles. The bicycles allowed the men to answer calls for assistance more quickly but when
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they made an arrest, they had to find a cart, passing team or failing this-carry the man on their backs to the station. In - 1907, the City of Springfield gave the town one of its old horse- drawn patrol-wagons, and about 1919 this was replaced with a motor driven patrol wagon. Automobiles were first put into use in 1922 when a Ford touring car was purchased. The first am- bulance in use by the department was a combination ambulance and patrol-wagon purchased in 1928, and was in use until 1948.
In the one hundred years, just past, the department has seen many changes in the 'keeping of the peace' but is proud of its record of maintaining a quiet and peaceful town to the enjoy- ment of all its citizens, while at the same time maintaining a low record of arrests.
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Chapter Twenty WINTHROP FIRE DEPARTMENT BY DEPUTY CHIEF A. J. WYMAN
FROM 1852 until 1885 there is no record of any organized fire department in the town. During this period fires, what few there were, were extinguished by fire wards and citizens. At the time of a fire, the fire ward in his respective district had the power to command any citizen to assist in extinguishing the fire, using water buckets, hose reels, or any other appliances availa- ble.
In 1885 the system of fire wards was abandoned and a board of fire engineers was appointed by the selectmen as pro- vided by law. This board, to consist of not less than three or more than twelve, must be appointed in April each year to take effect May 1. This board then meets and elects a chief who with the other engineers has complete charge of the fire department. We are still operating under this antiquated system.
On October 21, 1888, the first horse drawn hose wagon was purchased at a cost of $394. On June 1, 1891, a second horse drawn wagon was purchased at a cost of $390. The first horse drawn ladder truck was purchased May 10, 1892, at a cost of $300. The first steam pumping engine, horse drawn, was pur- chased November 4, 1908, at a cost of $6,000. The first motorized apparatus, a combination chemical and hose wagon, was pur- chased September 28, 1910, and cost $3,800. From this time on more modern apparatus was purchased until at the present time we are completely modernized as far as apparatus is concerned with the following:
One pumping engine, 1000 gallon capacity, cost
$18,000
One pumping engine, 750 gallon capacity,
cost
14,550
One pumping engine 500 gallon capacity,
cost 8,000
One aerial ladder truck, 65 foot,
cost
14,595
One city service truck (ladder),
One Chief's car,
The first permanent fireman was appointed in 1898 and the manpower has steadily increased until at the present time there are sixteen permanent firemen consisting of a deputy chief, cap- tain, and fourteen privates, also thirty-three call firemen. The
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BOOK & LADDER I & HOS
HOOK &LADO
12 OCTOBER 1892. Fire Department lined up in front of fire house on Pauline St., nearly opposite the present fire house. L. to r .: Frank Burrill, Nathan Collins, Charles Small, Harry C. Gillmore, Jack Douglas, Warren Belcher (later the chief), Chief E. Buck Floyd, Munroe Treworgy. Leonard Schuler, Emmet Doane, Ralph Patch, Frank Lamb, Silas Kilbourn. The ladder truck was built by Frank W. Tucker in his barn in 1885.
-
1890. Looking east up Pauline St. to old Town Hall and First Methodist Church spire in background. Fire house and look-out tower in foreground.
permanent men are all under Civil Service and must take a com- petitive examination to qualify for appointment and promotion.
The working conditions have steadily improved. The first permanent men had a day off in seven which was about 144 hours on duty each week. The town accepted the two platoon law which reduced the hours to 84 each week and in 1948 further reduced the hours until the men are now working 70 hours each week.
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Chapter Twenty-One WINTHROP YACHT CLUBS
BY MARY ALICE AND WILLIAM F. CLARK
FOR nearly 75 years now Winthrop has been home to an energetic yachting fraternity. The several yacht clubs are not only prominent in matters maritime but also play a leading part in many civic and social affairs.
Winthrop would not be Winthrop without its yacht clubs. All summer long there are evening yacht races with big races each Saturday, Sunday and holiday. The whole program culmi- nates in a huge three-day regatta over Labor Day when the Win- throp Yacht Clubs in turn are host to all the yacht clubs of Bos- ton Harbor. Then, after the racing ends for the season, the clubs variously arrange for a series of dances and parties which run through the Winter.
WINTHROP YACHT CLUB
The oldest club is the Winthrop Yacht Club. On July 18, 1884, W. S. Chamberlin, C. B. Belcher, Albert E. Prince, Charles S. Tewksbury, Clarence H. Billings, F. L. Woodward, George H. Payne and Ensign K. Tewksbury, all boat owners living in or spending their summers at Winthrop, met to organize a yacht club. On July 24, they applied for a charter to form a corporation to be known as the Great Head Yacht Club.
The facilities of the young organization consisted of a pier opposite Tewksbury Street. There was no channel from deep water to the landing so the boats could not be taken out except at high tide. The first clubhouse was built in the year 1886 behind the pier. The accommodations of this one and one-half story build- ing were a hall in the upper part with a large room below con- taining one billiard table, one pool table and a large cast iron station stove. Between the large room and the pier were lockers for the members to use for storage of their gear.
The year 1890 saw the clubhouse moved from its original site to the present location. This time instead of resting on solid land it was placed on piles twenty feet from the street from which a plank platform was constructed to serve as a bridge.
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The following year through the efforts of Congressman Henry Cabot Lodge a channel connecting the new pier with deep water was dredged forty feet wide and six feet deep.
On March 26, 1891, Governor William E. Russell approved the act changing the name of the Great Head Yacht Club to the Winthrop Yacht Club.
The clubhouse was enlarged in 1894 by adding a front that extended to the street and two bowling alleys. This work was done under the direction of George E. Leighton who was then the Treasurer. In the spring of 1895 the State enlarged the channel to fifty feet width and seven feet depth.
In December, 1903, the clubhouse was destroyed by fire. Through the efforts of Commodore William D. Allen, Vice-Com- modore Samuel C. L. Haskell and Treasurer Edgar H. Whitney the spirits of the members were not allowed to droop; a new and better building must be built. Willard M. Bacon was chosen by the members of the Board of Directors to be the architect for the new clubhouse. The membership was divided into committees to go out and get bids on the construction or furnishings for the various parts of the building. No money was spent unless ap- proved by the whole membership of the Club in a regular or special meeting. In this way all the members had a part to play in the design and furnishing and everyone knew what was going on. With appropriate ceremonies under the direction of Com- modore William D. Allen the clubhouse was dedicated July 4, 1904.
The year 1913 brought a change in racing boats at Winthrop through the construction of six one design sail boats known as the "Winthrop 15-foot Class". Up to this time racing had always been accomplished with one or more handicap classes. These one design boats were built for racing and were owned by the Club the first year. The second year they passed into the ownership of one or more members for each boat.
With the declaration of war in 1917 a change was seen in the easy going life at the Club. Ten members and eighteen sons of members entered the armed services with two members in the State Guard. The hall in the clubhouse was turned over to the Army for their use, one unit of the Engineers making it their headquarters.
The mortgage of the present clubhouse was burned in 1925. This year marked the start of the second one design class, the "Winthrop Hustlers".
1927 marked the first of the series of three-day regattas held over the week-end of Labor Day under the joint auspices of the Winthrop and Cottage Park Yacht Clubs. These races are open to all the sailboats in Boston Harbor.
In 1931 the people at Point Shirley desired a playground
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and the Club a new basin. Through co-operation between the Town and the Club both desires were realized. 1934 brought an enlarged channel sixty feet wide and nine feet deep.
The organization which started sixty-five years ago with eight members and as many boats has now 300 members and 100 boats. From a pier without building or floats it has pro- gressed to the present large, well-appointed club-house with its large area of floats and equipment; from a bay from which boats could only be taken at high tide to the present basin and channel where any boat may come and go at any stage of the tide.
COTTAGE PARK YACHT CLUB
On May 28, 1902, a group of Winthrop men met to discuss plans for the forming of a Yacht Club. A committee was ap- pointed to confer with the Lewis Estate for the purchase and sale of the estate landing, where the Winthrop and Boston Steam- boat Company used to come in for passengers.
The first club house was the ticket office on the pier. This house was used from 1903 to 1907. The second meeting was held in this house on June 2, 1902, when it was voted to become a permanent club and to be chartered. There were 73 chartered members at the time of organization. Arthur T. Bliss was elected Commodore on June 9, at the third meeting. A. E. Whittemore was elected Vice Commodore and, at this time, is the only original charter member now living in Winthrop.
The landing and adjacent land was rented from the Lewis Estate for the sum of $100 a month for 10 months, with an option to buy. There was some friction between the members about purchasing the landing, but on July 14, 1902, it was voted to lease the property and $15,000 in bonds was raised for the erection of a building. Bids were opened for the erection of the new clubhouse on October 13, 1902. The bids ranged from $600 to $14,000.
At the first meeting of Directors on June 18, 1902, it was voted to "supply a barrel, faucet, and ice ; also to hire a piano for three months for $30, including moving." The Board of Direc- tors were G. S. Tolman, Orlando F. Belcher, Frederick W. Walsh, A. T. Bliss, A. E. Whittemore, and August Becker.
The first annual club meeting was held in the Town Hall on July 14, 1903, and the club had, at that time, 291 members.
The second clubhouse, which was erected in 1908, was totally destroyed by fire in 1926. The third and present building was erected in 1928. The club is active all year around, and serves as a community club, as well as a Yacht Club.
One of the early class of boats at Cottage Park Yacht Club
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was the "I" class, and in the middle 20's, the Cottage Park 15 footer was very popular, as well as the Coot class. The "I" Boat class was one of the most prominent classes in Massachu- setts Bay racing for years but, through fires and sinkings, most of them were lost and the class finally disbanded.
The club served as the Coast Guard Auxiliary base for Boston Harbor during world War II. The Auxiliary boats guarded all port entrances, etc.
Mr. Channing Howard, well known Winthrop resident, was one early member of the club and is now an honorary member.
POINT SHIRLEY YACHT CLUB
Organized in 1908 and incorporated in 1909, the Point Shirley Yacht Club's charter members included William Brad- ford, John Simpson, Bernard Farrell, Tom Davidson, George Floyd, Eric Swenson and Frank Walker.
The clubhouse was built by George Floyd, one of the mem- bers, on a site at the Point next to the old railroad pier. The members of the club enjoyed deep water for their boats at all times, which made it the only club in the town with the facilities to handle large yachts on every tide.
The club membership was formed mostly of summer resi- dents and the club was the scene of much social activity in season.
The clubhouse was totally destroyed by fire in the early thirties, to make it the third yacht club in the town to be so ruined.
A few members succeeded in building a small cottage on the original site but were forced to disband shortly before the second World War, and the club was sold and made into a summer cottage.
THE PLEASANT PARK YACHT CLUB
On August 12, 1910, Henry B. Fiske, Fred J. Karrer, Nathaniel T. Freeman, Charles E. Clarke, Ely Moore, Augustus E. Wyman, Gilbert W. Rich, William A. Clisby, Leonard T. Farris, Charles S. Winne, Hugh B. Shaw, and others, held a meeting at the home of Henry B. Fiske, corner of Main and Pleasant Streets, to organize a yacht club. During this meeting, Henry B. Fiske was made permanent Chairman and Nathaniel T. Freeman permanent Clerk.
At a meeting held at Commodore Fiske's home September 18, 1910, it was proposed to contact Jeremiah Green in regard to purchase of land fronting on Pleasant Street.
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A Flag Raising was held on September 27, 1910, on the Club Pier near the southwest corner of Pleasant and Main Sts.
On September 29, 1910, the members voted to draw up a set of By-Laws. Application for Charter was made October 12, 1910, and granted November 1, 1910, and from then on, the club was known as the Pleasant Park Yacht Club.
The properties of the new organization consisted of a pier and float near the southwest corner of Main and Pleasant Streets, on the land of Jeremiah Green. On May 3, 1911 a License was granted by the Harbors and Land Commission to drive piles for the new club house on the present location. Work was started on the building in the early part of June, a one-story clubhouse was completed August 2, 1911. All piles and sills for the building were donated by Charles Rogers.
The clubhouse was dedicated September 2, 1911. The cere- monies consisted of a reception to visiting Yachtsmen, presenta- tion of house keys, by Charles S. Winne, Chairman of the Land and Building Committee, and a Dedication address by the Hon. Joseph Walker, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In the year 1924, under the leadership of Commodore Louis DeGraves, new life was instilled in the club and things progressed very rapidly from then on.
The building was enlarged in 1926, by the adding of another story. This improvement gave the club a beautiful main hall, a reading room, and a directors' room. Since 1940, the club has installed a Commodore's locker and Ladies' lounge on the first floor. Later on, on the second floor, a fine enclosed sun room was added where the members and Regatta Committee can observe yacht racing, and which also gives a beautiful view of the Boston Harbor and Logan Airport.
August 2, 1930, the Town of Winthrop held its Tercentenary celebration in which the Pleasant Park Yacht Club took a prominent part. In the parade, some fifty members participated with a large float and had a duplication of the schooner Franklin built on top of the float. During the parade the history of Captain Mugford and the schooner Franklin, and the Battle of Shirley Gut was distributed by six sea-scouts to all spectators of the parade. The Club was awarded third prize by the Judges ; the prize, being cash, was donated to the Winthrop Community Hospital.
On March, 1935, the club made its first appearance in the class yacht racing game and the Regatta Committee had Samuel S. Crocker design a new boat which was accepted and was called the "Radio Class".
Nothing has brought about more interest and action in the
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Pleasant Park Yacht Club than the introduction of the "Radio" boats.
The members now enjoy a private parking area for their automobiles, 100' x 60' in size, which is enclosed by a chain-link fence. It is hoped, with the completion of the Logan Airport, that the Club will have the finest waterway in Massachusetts, with 32' of water in depth at low water. This work has been completed.
The Club now has a closed membership of three hundred members.
This data was compiled by Commodore John W. Hendricks, and Ex-Commodore George J. Hamilton, and owing to incomplete early records of the club, some of the history may have been omitted.
HIGHLANDS YACHT CLUB
In 1914 a dozen men living in the Highlands section of the town met at the home of Ralph Halford for the purpose of organizing a yacht club. They succeeded in raising the initial capital under the direction of the first Commodore, William Keith. The charter members consisted of William J. Clark, Eugene Somerby, Alfred Mortimer, Louis Leitch, Walter Grundy, Ralph Halford, Bert Statham, Bert Clough, Frank Gorman, John Orral and William Keith-many of whom still reside in Winthrop.
The Club was very active in town affairs during its early history and sponsored a team in the town bowling league for many years.
The location of the original clubhouse was chosen on the north shore of the Highlands. The site was blessed with a deep water basin but storms wrecked many of the members' boats and the others quickly moved their craft to the safer precincts of the inner harbor.
The clubhouse was narrowly saved from being destroyed by fire when quick action by the members extinguished a fire started by an oilburner.
The club remained active until the beginning of World War II at which time the members turned the facilities of the club over to the local U. S. O. Committee for the use of soldiers stationed in the town. The clubhouse later became a private residence.
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Chapter Twenty-Two WINTHROP BANKS
(MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY PRESTON B. CHURCHILL)
WINTHROP has been very fortunate in its banks; they have not only been successfully operated but they have attracted to their management men of sound judgment and probity. It may seem unusual that three banking institutions should have flour- ished under the very shadow of Boston's comparatively vast fi- nancial foundations. None the less, the Winthrop Savings Bank and the Winthrop Cooperative Bank have done precisely that and seem destined to continue to do so indefinitely. The third financial institution, the Winthrop Trust Company, after years of serv- ice to the community finally did become a victim to modern banking development. Of its own free will and without the slightest difficulty or embarrassment to any depositor, this third bank recently closed its honored career and became a part of the First National Bank of Boston. The only difference to the patrons of the Winthrop Trust Company was that they used a check with a different imprint. Indeed, the shift was a conven- ience to the patrons of the former Trust Company because the imprint of the First National Bank made their checks of value everywhere and the resources of New England's largest bank became available-if ever needed.
WINTHROP CO-OPERATIVE BANK
Winthrop's senior bank, the Co-operative, is now in its 45th year, having been organized in 1907 and opened for busi- ness March 6th of that year in a small room in Wadsworth Block. There was but one employee (without salary then). He was Almon E. Whittemore, the treasurer-as he is today although the bank now occupies half of its own modern building down near the old Center Station and lists assets of $3,517,243.61. Probably it would be next to impossible to ascertain how many Winthrop homes have been financed by this one bank; present loans on real estate total $2,460,506.40.
In 1907, which was a period of financial distress, Winthrop
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was a rapidly growing town of homes. There was no co-opera- tive bank to finance home ownership; the nearest such institution was in the adjacent city of Revere. Clearly there was need of such a bank in Winthrop. So, after some discussion, a group of men met on the night of January 10, 1907, at Masonic Hall and formed the Winthrop Co-operative Bank. The signers of the Articles of Association included many of the leading citizens of the Town-Almon E. Whittemore, Preston B. Churchill, Walter P. Simonds, Channing Howard, Joseph E. Davison, Ahrend C. J. Pope, Joseph L. Newton, Edward B. Newton, Edward J. Clark, Frank F. Cook, William G. McNeil, Henry Hutchinson, Herbert G. Flinn, M. Austin Belcher, Jeremiah Green, Charles G. Craib, Harry W. Aiken, Henry J. Wright, Henry M. Belcher, Elmer E. Dawson, David Floyd, Amos W. Shepard, Charles C. Hutchinson, Frank W. Atwood, Frank P. Anthony, John R. Neal, James C. Walker, Hallie C. Blake, Browning K. Baker, Jr., Edward S. Freeman, Henry F. Rich, B. L. Colby, Louis A. Radell, and William G. Grant-all men of distinction and standing in the town, business men for the most part and men who were, had been or were to be officials and leaders of the town. The capital was fixed at a million dollars and shares were established at $200.
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