USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > North Providence > Annals of Centerdale : in the town of North Providence, Rhode Island : its past and present, 1636-1909 > Part 4
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This was long before the advent of the steam railroad. and for those days the stage-coach furnished satisfactory and ample means of communication between Providence and Putnam, via Centerdale, Greenville, and Chepachet. Although it took two days to make the round trip, the traveling public appeared satisfied. This was the first public conveyance the people of Centerdale had enjoyed.
Who the parties were who originated the line is unknown at this time: but a man by the name of John Richards was at one time a part owner, and was a noted stage driver on that line for many years, or until the steam railroad was built which connected Putnam with other important places, which rendered the stage line unprofitable, and it finally was withdrawn about 1860.
About the year 1845 two brothers. Daniel and Weston Whipple. established a line of stage-coaches from Pascoag
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TRANSPORTATION.
to Providence, via Chepachet, Greenville, and Centerdale, passing over the same road traveled by the Putnam line.
The venture did not prove a profitable one, and two years later they sold out, and bought a line just started by Sterry Frye from Georgiaville (then called Nightin- gale's) to Providence, via Centerdale.
This eventually proved to be the popular line for the people of Centerdale, as the distance from Georgiaville to Providence was only about seven miles, and more trips could be made daily and in quicker time.
In the early days of the line two round trips were made each day, while a few years later four round trips were made; and the public no doubt considered that they were as well provided for as the people to-day are with the electric cars running every few minutes.
In June, 1867, Thomas Wilson Mathewson purchased the line from Daniel Whipple (his brother Weston having long since withdrawn from the company).
After selling the route to Mathewson, Daniel Whipple decided to continue in the business, which resulted in a spirited rivalry for the passenger traffic between the two lines, with the result that the patrons of both lines were more benefited by the opposition running than were the proprietors; for the fares were soon reduced from twenty- five cents to ten cents from Centerdale to Providence, and for a time the Whipple, or opposition, line was credited with carrying their passengers free and standing treat at the end of the route. But it is doubtful if every passenger received his treat, whatever may have been true as regards the fare.
The Whipple line continued to run until 1871, when it was withdrawn, leaving the Mathewson line in possession
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
of the road, and this continued to run until August 11th, 1873, when the building of the steam railroad put an end to the stage line, which was purchased by the railroad company, and the stage-coaches withdrawn.
Several attempts were made, after the railroad was built, to establish a line of omnibuses between Centerdale and Providence, by Frank Cooper, James Barnes, and James H. Angell, but none met with any degree of success.
It will now be necessary to go back a few years in our story, to about the year 1856.
The rapid development of the cotton and woolen in- dustries throughout the northern part of the State caused those connected with the manufacturing industries to seek for better transportation facilities than the slow and tedious method afforded by horses and oxen.
The project of constructing a railroad from Providence through the Woonasquatucket valley to Pascoag attracted the attention of some of the prominent business men. and in 1856 a preliminary survey was made by L. M. E. Stone. a civil engineer, and it was found that the natural features of the country were such that the road could be easily and economically constructed. and would prove a great benefit to the many industries of the northern part of the State.
At the January session of the General Assembly in 1857 a charter was granted under the corporate name of The Woonasquatucket Railroad. For a time matters looked very encouraging for the immediate construction of the road; but before sufficient funds could be secured to begin the work the financial depression which overspread the conntry in 1857 and 1858 caused a delay in building the road, this being followed by the breaking out of the
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TRANSPORTATION.
Civil War in 1861, and the dull times that followed the close of the war still further delayed the construction until 1872.
In December, 1871, a new company was formed and elected William Tinkham, president; J. C. Knight, sec- retary ; Lemuel M. E. Stone, treasurer, superintendent, and chief engineer. The old charter was revived and the name changed to The Providence and Springfield Rail- road, a new survey was made, and vigorous efforts were put forth by President Tinkham to complete the road at as early a date as possible. Messrs. Clyde & Dillon, of New York, received the contract for its construction and equipment. The roadbed to be built was about twenty- three miles in length, and to expedite its completion was sublet in sections of varying lengths. The section passing through Centerdale was sublet to Messrs. Finnegan & Sullivan, who broke ground about one thousand feet south from the Centerdale station, May 7th, 1872.
Work was pushed rapidly along, and the following year the road was opened for public travel. The first pas- senger train to pass through Centerdale was upon the morning of August 11th, 1873, at 8 o'clock.
The first time-table called for only two round trips each day, the first train leaving Centerdale for Providence at 8 o'clock in the morning, and on its return arriving here a few minutes before 10. The second trip was made in the afternoon, leaving Centerdale about 1:20, and arriving here upon the return trip from Providence about 4:30 o'clock.
After a short time another train was added, leaving Centerdale at 6:15 A. M., and arriving at Centerdale on its return trip at 6:40 P. M. The running time was about
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
twenty-six minutes. The fare was twenty cents to Provi- dence. One freight train was also run, making one round trip daily.
As the population increased the need of better facilities for travel began to be called for.
The stage-coach and omnibus had long been relegated. The steam cars, which for a time appeared to furnish ample accommodation, now seemed to satisfy only those who lived within easy walking distance of the station.
A line of horse cars by way of Smith street now appeared to be the only resource, and a project to establish a line was proposed by Hon. Ira Olney, of Fruit Hill, who at that time was serving as senator from North Providence to the General Assembly.
At first the project was ridiculed by many as far in advance of the requirements of the limited travel to be accommodated along Smith street, which was not deemed sufficient to warrant a financial success.
The proposition finally attracted a few adherents, and in the early fall of 1890 notices were posted inviting all interested to meet at the town hall in Centerdale to consider the question.
The result of the meeting was that Hon. Ira Olney was instructed to obtain a charter incorporating a company to build and operate a line of horse cars from Centerdale to Providence, via Smith street. The act was passed by the senate, but the legislature adjourned before action was taken upon it in the house of representatives.
In the meantime the introduction of electricity as a motive power for propelling cars was making rapid pro- gress, and some of the lines around Providence were being equipped with the new motive power, and it was
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TRANSPORTATION.
apparent to many that horse cars would soon go the way of the stage-coach and omnibus. The presence of this transition period caused some delay in further action until October 12th, 1891, when a meeting was held to take into further consideration the question of transportation facili- ties. At this meeting a committee of five was appointed, consisting of Frank C. Angell, Walter W. Whipple, James C. Collins, Stephen A. Kelly, and Thomas W. Angell, to confer with the Union Railroad Company and ascertain upon what terms they would build and operate the much desired line.
The result of the committee's efforts was that the Union Railroad Company agreed to construct and operate the line as soon as the town would put the street in suitable condition to lay rails upon it, and they also agreed to con- struct and operate a line upon Woonasquatucket avenue and Douglas avenue within a certain time named in the agreement, provided the town of North Providence would grant to the company the exclusive franchise of the streets for twenty years.
This the town readily agreed to do, and the company commenced the work of construction upon Smith street during the spring of 1893.
The work was pushed rapidly along during the summer, and about 6 o'clock upon the evening of November 11th, 1893, the first electric car arrived in Centerdale. This was considered a trial trip, and brought the officers of the road and a few invited friends.
After completing many details, the line was opened for public travel, upon a forty-minute schedule, Sunday morn- ing, November 19th, 1893.
After about two years a thirty-minute schedule was run
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
which continued until 1902, when cars were run every twenty minutes until a fifteen-minute schedule was run in 1906.
During the summer of 1895 the Union Railroad Com- pany (now known as the Rhode Island Company) com- menced laying rails upon Woonasquatucket river avenue from the junction of Smith street at Centerdale, and con- necting with the rails of the Manton avenue line at Manton, where the rails continued on to Providence; and June Ist, 1896, the first regular car was run over the street upon a forty-minute schedule, continuing until December, 1904, when cars were run every thirty minutes.
The opening of the line of electrics upon Smith street to Centerdale in 1893 led many of the people of Providence, who had never journeyed up the beautiful Woonasqua- tucket valley, to do so, and thousands availed themselves of the opportunity, to ride over the new line and view the beautiful scenery.
In reviewing the progress made in transportation throughout this section it is interesting to note the re- markable progress made in the moving of freight as well as the rapid and comfortable means of traveling from one distant place to another.
A little more than four score years ago, there were only the old colonial roads, hardly suitable for the passage of vehicles other than farm wagons.
The turnpike roads which supplanted the colonial roads have come and gone. The roads constructed and main- tained by the towns are fast giving way to the perfected State roads.
The stage-coach has come and gone, the horse cars have been supplanted by the swift-moving electrics, and the
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TRANSPORTATION.
ponderous locomotive, moving heavily loaded freight trains, has lightened the burdens of the faithful horse.
Remarkable as has been this transition, it has all taken place within the recollection of men now living.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE COTTON MILL.
HE successful spinning of cotton by water-power in America by Samuel Slater, in 1791, encouraged men of means to secure many of the available sites where suffi- cient water-power could be obtained and erect mills for the spinning of cotton. Up to this time cotton was picked. spun, and woven by hand in America, although spinning by water-power was introduced in England several years previous to its introduction in America; for England was very jealous of the industry, and forbade any person, under pain of forfeiture, to carry or send from the United Kingdom models, patterns, or machinery used in the process of manufacturing cotton yarn. But at the close of the War of the Revolution the colonist took a different view of the question, and bounties were offered to persons who would come to this country and construct machinery for the manufacture of cotton yarn.
It was to secure this bounty that young Samuel Slater came to this country.
It was several years after this before the power loom was introduced, or about the year 1814, but it was not in successful operation until 1816.
William Gilmore explained the Scotch loom to Judge Lyman, of North Providence, who caused one to be made under the direction of Mr. Gilmore. After a few diffi- culties were overcome the loom was in successful operation in the mills at Lymansville, North Providence.
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THE COTTON MILL.
The Woonasquatucket river offered many available sites for water-power, and the country around Centerdale was a convenient distance from Providence, where the supply of cotton could be had and also a ready market secured for the product of the mill. The Powder-Mill turnpike was already being constructed, and would provide ample highway facilities, and these conditions offered sufficient inducements for Jonathan Congdon to purchase, in 1810, the saw and grist-mill privilege, together with the dam and pond, and also the land where the Centerdale Worsted Mills now stand.
Congdon, either for the want of capital or lack of knowledge of cotton spinning, failed to improve the prop- erty, and sold the same to Israel Arnold, March 8, 1812.
Soon after Arnold purchased the property he proceeded to improve it, and erected a cotton-spinning mill. The mill was built of wood and was of small dimensions, 18 x 57 feet, two stories high. A few years later, after the success of the power loom was assured, a small addition was built of stone, 25 X 45 feet, and the original mill was used to accommodate about a dozen looms.
To provide homes for the employees necessitated the building of four two-tenement cottages which were ar- ranged in a row near the line of the street leading from the mill in a southerly direction. These houses were, in 1892, moved to Waterman avenue.
The little mill with the four or five houses now gave the place the appearance of a busy little village, and was des- tined soon to be christened with a name.
After the mill was set in operation Arnold gave the name of Centre to the place. The name seemed a very appropriate designation for the little village, it being about
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
four miles from Greenville on the north, four miles from Pawtucket on the east, four miles from Providence on the south, and seven miles from Scituate on the west. The business was conducted under the name of The Centre Cotton Manufacturing Company.
The country around Centre soon began to feel the impetus given to it by the new industry, which invited other industries to locate here. Soon a store was started, followed by a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, and other enterprises which will be spoken of later.
The village continued to be known by the name of Centre until about 1830, when MILL was appended to the name, and for many years it was called Centremill, and by some, Centreville, until the United States Government established a post-office here in 1849, when the name was changed to Center Dale, that the mails might not confuse the mails going to an office previously established at Centerville, in the town of Warwick. R. I. The name continued to be spelled with the capital D to the last syllable until about 1870, when the post-office depart- ment ordered that the name of the office be spelled as one word, Centerdale, and since that time it has remained unchanged.
Just what degree of success Israel Arnold had in the manufacture of cotton cloth is not known; but it is but fair to presume that he was rewarded with reasonable success considering the early stages of the industry in this country at that time.
But whatever his success may have been, great credit should be given him for his courage and energy in estab- lishing a new industry in a new country.
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THE COTTON MILL.
He continued to operate the mill until 1823, when he sold one-half of his interest to Richard Anthony, who was already operating a mill at Greystone.
In 1826, Israel Arnold, et al, sold his remaining in- terest to James Anthony, a son of Richard, the mill be- ing run under the firm name of Richard Anthony & Son.
After the Anthonys bought the mill they made many improvements. An addition, 40 x 80 feet, was built. The wooden weave room was moved across the street and made into a four-tenement house, where it is still in use, and is the building numbered 10, 11, 12, 13.
The capacity of the mill now was about fifty looms, and their product always found a ready market in New York and Philadelphia.
The Anthonys were very progressive men, and took active part in advancing the local interest of the com- munity.
They built and established the first store, and were prominently connected with the building of the first church, and other village improvements, accounts of which will be given in another chapter.
Their business was very prosperous until the death of James Anthony, the junior member of the company, who possessed a good business capacity and was much relied upon in the administration of the affairs by his father in his advancing years.
The death of James Anthony and the declining health of Richard Anthony, who died in 1840, prompted the latter to retire from business, and in 1838 he sold the mill to Joseph Cunliff, who continued to operate the mill with the average success of small mills of that day.
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
On the night of March 17, 1850. fire was discovered in one part of the mill, and soon the whole structure was in flames. There being no engine or fire apparatus at hand, the whole village was in great danger from the fire. and an alarm was carried to Providence by a man on horseback, and after considerable delay a hand engine with firemen to man it was dispatched to Centerdale, but it arrived too late to save the mill from total destruction : but the firemen lent valuable assistance in saving the village from being destroyed.
The destruction of the mill was a severe blow to the community, and many feared that the mill would not soon be rebuilt, and that the little village would consequently be allowed to fall into decay.
But the water privilege was not destined to remain long idle.
CENTERDALE MILL IN 1875
In 1853 Mr. Cunliff rebuilt the mill, and October 29, 1853, leased it to Zebulon Whipple; but before it was set
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THE COTTON MILL.
in operation Whipple subleased it to John D. Burgess, September 12, 1854, for the manufacture of cotton cloth.
Mr. Burgess continued to operate the mill until the property was sold in 1859 by Joseph Cunliff et al, to Amos N. Beckwith, who at that time was running a mill at Dyerville. At the May session of the General Assembly, 1860, the business of the Beckwiths was in- corporated under the name of The Dyerville Manufact- uring Company, with Amos N. Beckwith and Truman Beckwith as incorporators.
Under the management of the Beckwith's many im- provements were made to the property. A new dam was constructed, an addition built to the mill, and a Corliss steam engine was installed to assist the old wooden-breast water-wheel, which was quite ready at that time to give way to the modern turbine wheel which was set in 1876, under the direct supervision of Thomas Wilmarth, who was at that time superintendent and general manager of the Dyerville Co .; and while under his management the production of the mill was increased to a considerable extent.
In 1888 the looms were removed and machinery in- stalled for making warps and filling for the mill at Dyer- ville, where all of the weaving was to be done.
About noontime, August 7th, 1889, fire again broke out in the upper story of the mill; but by the aid of a detach- ment of the Providence fire department, which responded to a call for aid, the mill was saved from destruction, but was damaged to a considerable extent.
Business prospects not being very encouraging, the company decided to make a few temporary repairs to the
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
mill, and wait for a more favorable time before again setting the machinery in operation.
In January, 1891, the property was sold to Henry H. Green, and at the May session of the General Assembly, 1891, an act was passed incorporating the Centerdale Worsted Mill, with Henry H. Green, John C. Baldwin, and William Dracup, as the incorporators.
New and improved machinery was installed for the manufacture of worsted yarn.
Thus closed, after nearly eighty years of existence, the first epoch of the cotton industry in this place.
CENTERDALE MILL IN 1909.
The Centerdale worsted mills under the management of Messrs. Green. Baldwin, and Dracup did not continue the business long: Messrs. Green and Baldwin with- drawing from the company in September, 1891. selling their shares to James Lister, Jr .. and William Mackie. who reorganized the company, electing William Mackie.
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THE COTTON MILL.
president; James Lister, Jr., treasurer; and William Dracup, secretary.
Under the new organization the village quickly assumed a new appearance, extensive repairs were made to all of the houses, a large addition was added to the mill, and the little cotton factory of a few years before was trans- formed into a large and well-equipped worsted mill.
New machinery was brought from England suitable for spinning the finest grades of worsted yarns used princi- pally in the manufacture of cloth for men's wear and dress goods.
The mill has been increased to about three times its former size since it came into the possession of the present owners, and gives employment to about 300 in its different departments.
RIVER SCENE NEAR CENTERDALE MILL.
5
CHAPTER IN.
SCHOOLS.
I T is much regretted that no record can be found to establish the time when interest was first awakened in the cause of education in this vicinity; but from that which can be gathered from sources at all reliable, the time may be fixed as having been between the years 1802 and 1805.
Previous to that time there was no pressing need of school facilities here, as the population hardly exceeded half a dozen families within a radius of one mile, and there was already a school at Fruit Hill, about one mile away: and a school not more than two miles away was not considered distant in those days.
But during the time intervening between the year 1800 and 1810 the spinning of cotton by water-power was attracting considerable attention, and parties were negotia- ting for the old saw-mill privilege, together with the land adjoining, for the purpose of erecting a spinning mill. which necessarily would cause many new families to locate here; and it was also evident that with the increase of population which the new industry would call together, better school facilities would be needed.
There were no public schools established by law in Rhode Island at that time, as Rhode Island was con- siderably behind some of her sister States in establishing free schools. Although attempts were made in the colony as early as 1663 to establish free schools for " poor chil- dren," and in after years by several towns, none seem to have met with success.
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SCHOOLS.
In 1789 The Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers was formed, and during the transaction of the business of the association the members soon dis- covered their deficiencies in education.
Important papers were to be drawn up and various kinds of technical documents prepared such as but few were competent to execute; and it did not take the mem- bers long to decide that their children should have better advantages for obtaining an education than they them- selves had. The association began to agitate the question of better school facilities, and kept up the agitation until 1799, when they decided to petition to the General Assem- bly, which was then in session, to establish free schools throughout the State.
John Howland was a member of the Mechanics Asso- ciation and was foremost in advocating the measure, most of the labor of pushing along the movement falling upon him. And to his untiring energy and persistent efforts the final triumph of free education throughout the State is due, and he may be justly called the founder of free public schools in Rhode Island.
A memorial or petition was prepared by Mr. Howland, and under the name of The Providence Mechanics Asso- ciation he presented the same to the General Assembly at the February session, 1799, praying them to enact such laws as would establish a system of free schools throughout the State.
The memorial was strongly opposed by some of the members, and, strange as it may appear, the strongest opponents to the law were the delegates from the poorer towns, which really were to receive the most benefit.
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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
The subject was finally referred by the General Assem- bly to a committee, which reported, in June, 1799, a bill that was ordered to be printed and to be distributed to the several towns for inspection.
At the October session the bill was taken up, and after much discussion was passed by the house of representa- tives. It was then sent to the senate, which postponed acting upon it until the session held in February, 1800. when it passed without much opposition and became a law. Thus was achieved the first great triumph in the cause of education in Rhode Island.
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