USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Woodsville > History of Woodsville, N.H. > Part 3
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In 1918 an addition was built on the front of the bank to provide for more room.
H. W. Keyes is the president of the National bank and G. E. Cummings is the president of the Savings bank.
CHURCHES
The Episcopal church was the first which was built in Woodsville. It was built June 1, 1885, on land do- nated by C. B. Smith. The services were held in the school house until the church was completed. The first Episcopal minister was W. B. Smith. He was followed by Rev. Herbert A. Remick, Rev. William H. Burbank, Rev. A. W. Jenks, Rev. James Flanders,
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
Rev. Mr. Cowper, Rev. Mr. Savage, and Rev. Mr. Cairns, who is now in charge.
The Methodist church was the second one to be built. It was first built where the Lovejoy building now stands and was later moved to Maple street. It was built in 1885 and moved in 1890. The first min- ister was Rev. A. Twitchell.
The Holiness church was the next and that was built where Mrs. Carl Taylor lives. It was composed of some of the members who left the Methodist church.
The Universalist church was built in 1893 and dedi- cated in 1894. The services were held in Music Hall, In the Odd Fellows' block, for three years before the church was built. The first minister was Rev. F. L. Carrier.
In 1896 the Catholic people held their first mass In Music Hall and a year from then the Catholic church was erected.
Railroads
The Boston, Concord, and Montreal railroad, that part of the Boston and Maine system now known as the White Mountain division, was incorporated in 1844. The first stake of the final survey was driven at Concord on May 20, 1845, and from then on the road made slow but sure progress toward opening up the White Mountains. The same year the line was sur- veyed to a point on the Connecticut river in the town of Haverhill. The original intention of the company was that this road should connect with the Passump- sic road nearly opposite Haverhill Corner. They were very anxious to get the road through Haverhill Cor- ner, that being the principal village in this part of the country.
It appears that the surveyors found trouble with their line at Pike Station. After getting over Warren Summit they could not get down to a low enough level to cross the river at Haverhill Corner, so it was de- cided to follow the natural tendency of the land and have the lines connect at Wells River, for Woodsville was of little importance at that time.
On March 19, 1849, the road was opened to Fogg's, or what is now Winona, to Plymouth in 1850, where headquarters were established, to Warren in 1851, and to Wells River on July 4, 1853.
The White Mountains railroad was started from Wells River toward Lancaster in 1853, but after reach- ing Littleton, ran out of funds and was later leased by the Boston and Maine.
The offices of the Boston, Concord & Montreal were first at Concord. They were moved to Plymouth in
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
1854, and to Woodsville in 1884, as the officials had seen that this was to be the strategic point of the road. The first superintendent of the road was Peter Clark, who was followed by James Elkins, 1847-1853. James Whiton 1853-1857. Joseph Dodge 1858-1SS3. W. A. Stowell 1883-1889, E. F. Mann 1889-1892, G. E. Cummings 1892-1918. At present the office is in the hands of F. C. Mayo.
The railroad buildings of 1870 and thereabouts were situated somewhat differently than those of today. They consisted of the roundhouse, with a turn table. and five pits, with a blacksmith shop on the rear. The buildings were of brick. Back of the engine house was the woodshed, some two or three hundred feet long. A stationary engine used to saw wood and pump water for the use of the locomotives, and Inci- dentally for the use of the few people who lived near the engine house, since they had no other means of water supply. These buildings were situated where the heating plant now stands, but in 1907. the engine house was destroyed by fire. Then a better and more modern set of shops was erected at the south end of the town, near the newly constructed freight yards.
A typical country station stood about where the road department offices are now. It was practically the same kind of building and was occupied by both the freight and passenger departments. There were two small walting rooms with the ticket office be- tween. This building now contains the offices of the freight department. Opposite the present station was a car house, holding four cars. A Ittle north of this on the same side of the tracks, opposite Lorenzo's shoe store was a rail shop.
The present station was built in 1890 and Includes the superintendent's, dispatchers' and time keeper's offices, besides a director's room, several store houses. and two moderately large waiting rooms.
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
In 1895 the Boston and Maine leased the road and still manages it. Needless to say the railroad is the one source of Woodsville's prosperity. It has prop- erty valued at many thousands of dollars, employs two-thirds of the town's population, and is a domi- nant factor in politics, as it owns the controlling in- terest in the Aqueduct Company.
Some facts concerning the engines and rolling stock first used might be of interest. The first engines were small wood-burning affairs, with their cylinders set at an angle. They all carried a great deal of brass work, and were the pets of the engineers who ran them. Such names as "Chocura," "Peter Clark," "Pea," and "Lady of the Lake" were bestowed upon them. The modern locomotive came here in 1900. The rolling stock consisted of a few flat topped coaches, decorated with gilt and heated by sheet iron stoves placed in the middle of the cars. Light was furnished by two candles, one on each side of the car. The cars were hitched up with pin and link couplers; and, of course, there were no such things as air brakes. Bell cords were used only in case of emergency. If the conductor wished to stop his train there was a hand signal that slid out from the end of the car. The engineer was expected to be on the watch and look back for it.
The freight cars at that time were very crude. Only a few box cars had brakes of any kind. The longest car was twenty-eight feet and had a capacity of twenty thousand pounds.
Wages paid in those days were very different from those of today. Section-hands received ninety cents a day compared with three dollars of today, station agents received from forty-seven cents up to one dol- lar and twenty-three cents, engineers two dollars, firemen one dollar and ten cents, and officials were paid accordingly. The highest official was the super-
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
Intendent, who received six dollars and thirty-eight cents. Shop hands got one dollar and thirty cents a day. Today they are paid sixty-eight cents an hour, and are going to get eighty-four cents soon.
The first telegraph line came here from Plymouth in 1862, but no attempt was made to utilize it in dis- patching trains until 1882, when George Randall was made chlef dispatcher with headquarters at Plymouth. He came here In 1884 and at present the Woodsville office controls all the White mountain division, to- gether with the complete system of the Montpelier and Wells River railroad.
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The Woodsville Concert Band
On May 19, 1915, twenty bandmen met in what is now the Palace Bowling Alleys. Several of these had been members of the Wells River band, but had de- cided to cast their lot with the new organization which became known as the Woodsville Concert band. The officers elected at this meeting were Eldon E. Stark, leader, and Guy Day, manager.
At first the band met with no little opposition. Townspeople did not give them much support. They did not have a suitable place in which to practice. However, these things did not discourage the mana- ger and during the summer of this year a few con- certs were held.
As the year 1916 drew to a close the members of the band felt that they must have a new band room. By a petition they were able to secure Hose House Hall, which is still used by them. This was much warmer than the old Theatre and frozen horns became a thing of the past.
In 1917 the fame of the band had so spread that several out-of-town engagements were filled. In the fall, Stark was called away to fill a better position and the members elected Perley Klarke to fill Stark's va- cancy. Klarke soon enlisted in the navy and Lennie Stevens of Haverhill became leader of the outfit until Klarke's return.
In 1918 at town meeting $200 was donated to sup- port the band and in the present year $300 was given for the same purpose.
The band is just coming into its own. Seven or eight members were in the service, where they studied
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
music under trained musicians. The town is just be- ginning to see that a band is a really worth-while or- ganization to support, and several are interesting themselves in a plan to build a band-stand. Let us hope that they may meet with success. There is no reason why the band from now on should not have a permanent and well thought of position in Woods- ville.
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The Telephone System
The first telephone system in Woodsville was or- ganized by O. D. Eastman in 1899.
The New England Telephone Company had run a line through Wells River some time previous to 1899, but no attempt had been made to introduce the sys- tem into Woodsville.
The Eastman, or the Citizen's phone was at the be- ginning a private affair since only six houses and the postoffice were connected. In 1900 many more were joined by the system. The office was in Mr. East- man's house on the lower end of Maple street.
In 1903 the New England put an exchange in this town. Their plan was to get the business if possible; and to do this they offered to install the phone for three months, absolutely free, if the persons would agree to keep it for the remainder of the year. A great majority of the people took advantage of this offer.
This started competition and the five farming dis- trict lines, Lyme, Monroe, Topsham, and two other places decided to consolidate into one company with Eastman for the purpose of lessening the business of the New England.
This situation was nearly stable until 1911 when the Citizen's phone sold out because of failure. All of this time the New England had been gaining on the business because of the size and capital it had.
In 1913 the Citizen's system was reorganized in con- nection with the Bradford Telephone Company. F. L. Walbridge was put in charge and an office was in- stalled at his home on Court street. In the summer of 1918 the office was burned.
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HISTORY OF WOODSVILLE
Second hand apparatus was procured and the sys- tem maintained its service as well as possible under the circumstances.
For some time the office of the New England phone was in Plymouth, but in 1909 it was installed in the 1. O. O. F. block on Pleasant street in this town.
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AFTERWORD
This history was written as a requirement in his- tory, and was never intended for publication. It was not decided to put it in book form until the very last of the year and there was no time for the changing of reports that were not done in the best form. This will show the reason for briefness of many of the chapters. The book is a resume of the beginning and progress of Woodsville up to the present time. The history has been read and mistakes in facts corrected. We feel reasonably sure that what we do have are facts, and we hope this booklet will be interesting to the people of the community.
We wish to thank the citizens of the precinct for their co-operation in making this enterprise a success.
HENRY ROWDEN, REGINALD DOWNING.
Editors.
Woodsville Business Men -- OUR PATRONS
Woodsville Bakery Give our Fresh Made Goods a trial and you will become one of our customers.
V. GOBEILLE, Prop.
C. N. DAVISON GROCER
Mann's Opera Block General Store
Groceries of All Kinds Huston's Biscuits are The Best Fresh Bread and Pastry Every Day JOSEPH M. HOWE, Manager
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THE BEST PLACE TO TRADE
is where you get the most for your money and that place is
THE F. H. MANN CO. 119 Central Street, Woodsville
DR. BAKER DENTIST Stahl Block, Woodsville
WIGGIN'S GARAGE
Storage, Repairing Supplies and Tires FREE AIR
WOODSVILLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
E. B. MANN & CO. DRUGGISTS Opera Block, Woodsville, N. H.
THE PEOPLE'S MARKET
Meats, Vegetables, Fresh Fish Telephone 44-2
C. A. BUTSON,
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PROP.
M. W. FIELD GROCER.
Compliments of WOODSVILLE VARIETY STORE H. C. CARPENTER
RAILROADMAN'S LUNCH Clean Food Well Cooked Open Day and Night R. H. WELLS
-FOR- NEW SHOES AND FIRST CLASS REPAIRING CO TO A. LORENZO VIŞIT SHINE PARLOR
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Batchelder - Libbey Po.
Snappy Styles in Men's Young Men's and Boys' CLOTHING
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For Men and Women and Little Men and Women SHOES
GEORGE D. TILTON
Teaming and Trucking WOODSVILLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE Telephone 146-3
C. E. BASSETT BARBER
Hair Cutting to Suit Features Shaving, Shampooing, etc.
CENTRAL STREET
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Compliments of Schaefer's Restaurant
C. P. BLAKE BARBER
Stahl Block
Woodsville, N. H.
L. C. GEORGE, Auctioneer
Woodsville, N. H.
Licensed in New Hampshire and Vermont Tel 142-4
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A. E. DAVIS R. S. RINEHART
DAVIS & RINEHART Horse and Auto Livery Carriages, Sleighs, Harnesses, Robes, Blankets, Baled Hay, Shavings, Straw, United States Tires. WOODSVILLE, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Woodsville Furniture Co. Undertaking and Embalming Licensed in New Hampshire and Vermont
D. R. ROUHAN, -
Proprietor
Woodsville, N. H.
ONE PRICE CASH STORE
E. A. SARGENT DRY GOODS, CLOTHING, SHOES, FURNISHINGS
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American Express Money Orders
Safest, Cheapest and Most Convenient Method of Forwarding Money ... For Sale a Amerlean Railway Express Office and F. II. Mann Company.
American Railway Express Co. We solicit your patronage. Call es-t and our teams will call for your shipments
A SQUARE DEAL IN
COAL
MARY D. RANDALL
Dealer In Best Quality D. & H., Lackawanna, Old Company's Lehigh, Horny Brook Lehigh Coal and Stove Coke. No long walts for your coal: no short weights when you get It TELEPHONE 1414
RHETT R. SCRUGGS HARDWARE, PLUMBING AND HEATING WOODSVILLE, N. H.
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WOODSVILLE OPERA HOUSE
Offering a Varied, Artistic and Wholesome Entertainment Designed to appeal to people of intelligence and Presented amid Well-ordered Surroundings
OPEN EVERY NIGHT
Hobart's Studio School Street Woodsville, New Hampshire
C. G. CONN, LTD. Manufacturer of HIGHEST GRADE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS = L. L. HOSFORD, AGENT
Eagle Candy and Fruit Company Wholesalers Woodsville - New Hampshire
CHARLES H. HOSFORD Attorney-at-Law Rooms 4 and 5 Opera Block Woodsville. N. H.
F. G. WEEKS, D. D. L. Opera Block Woodsville, New Hampshire
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H. P. Cummings Construction Co. WARE, MASS. Boston, Mass., 166 Devonshire St. Portland, Maine, Fidelity Building Woodsville, New Hampshire Glen Falls, New York
BELL'S . . LUNCH OPEN NIGHT AND DAY ALL HOME COOKING
KUGELMAN'S Woodsville, N. H. FULL LINE OF WOMAN'S FURNISHINGS We Specialize in Suits, Coats and Dresses N. E. Phone 86-4
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WHEN FRIENDS DROP IN
entertain them with the muslo of the
Victrola
There's always fresh interest lu
Victor Records of the world's masterpieces, sung and played by the world's greatest artists, in the latest popular songs and the newest dance music .. There are no "embarassing moments" when you entertalu with the Vlctrola
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BAILEY'S MUSIC ROOMS
Henderson Hotel
Hot and Cold Water in Every Room
Henderson Theatre Woodsville, N. H. Pictures Change Daily
THE MEN'S SHOP Everything New In Our Line R. M. STAHL
CONSULT R. E. BOEMIG REGISTERED OPTOMETRIST FOR BETTER VISION
Palace Bowling Alleys Three Pool Tables Soft Drinks, Cigars and Tobacco One Dollar Given Each Day for Highest Score E. R. Bagonzi
Go 2 Chas. L. Christopher Opposite Passenger Station For Fresh Fruits, Ice Cream and Soda Candies, Chocolates and Smokers' Supplies
Thank U
C. TABOR GATES JEWELER Fine Watch, Clock and Jewelry Repairing District Watch Inspector for B. & M R R. Opera House Block, Woodsville, N. H.
MIKE COSTELLO
First Class Shoe Repairing Shoe Shine Parlor
CIGARS, PIPES AND TOBACCO
GO TO WOODSVILLE LUNCH
FOR Home - made Bread and Pastry. Open Night and Day. T. G. CUMMINGS, Proprietor
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