The Romance of Norwalk

“The old inhabitant who likes to tell of the ‘old fashioned snow storms’ which we used to have is silent today. With the aid of memory and the liveliest imagination, he is un¬ able to tell of anything like the snow storm which began last night and is still raging. The snow, if it lay level, would undoubtedly be from 18 inches to two feet deep. As it is, it is piled up in huge drifts and travel by rail, by vehicles or on foot is well nigh suspended. One train going west passed this station about 8 o’clock and lays blocked below Stamford. Two trains are blocked at Woodmont. Two locomotives were sent out from Port Chester this morning with a snow plow. They proceeded but a short distance when they got off the track. The 6: 40 train left Danbury ten minutes late and proceeded as far as Redding where it got stalled. Another locomotive was telegraphed for and came to its assistance. At Branchville, both loco¬ motives were put ahead of the train and the rest of the 369 370 ROMANCE OF NORECALK journey to this city was through snow drifts and under the most trying circumstances. The train arrived here at 1 1 135. It is the most complete blockade on record. Factories are all closed down. It is impossible to do any carting. Horses refuse to face the storm. In short, we are experiencing a first class, number one, Western blizzard, lacking the low temperature.” NORWALK POST OFFICE Four pioneer mail carriers trudged the long, dusty high¬ ways of Norwalk and broke ground for the first city de¬ livery service, January 1, 1889. The men, whose head¬ quarters were at the Norwalk post office were: Percy Glen- dening, Henry Mathias, Thomas Murphy and John F. Healy. The first has long since passed on; the second and third resigned; the fourth, who was pensioned in 1925, is still alive and resides at 70 Main st. It is interesting to note that in 1889 it cost a cent an ounce to send packages through the mail regardless of their destination. This meant that where it cost 32 cents to send a two pound package to New York then, today it costs eight. For many years before the institution of the city delivery, Norwalk had boasted a post office. As a matter of fact, the first was established uptown February 25, 1811, accord¬ ing to information received here from the U. S. Post Office Department at Washington, D. C. The year 1844 found William Betts in the postmaster’s chair. Judge Williams also served his city in the Norwalk post office. When the Abraham Lincoln administration commenced, Charles 01m- stead, father of Mrs. LeGrand Betts, 83 East ave., was made postmaster, he continuing in that office for 25 years. Mrs. Betts says that she remembers how her father used to come home each night, bringing with him the postage stamps and the money, for there were no safes in those days. The garret of the Olmstead home, which stood on Union ave., near the Union cemetery, was the hiding place LE T TERS—LIGH TS 37i for the post office valuables. Each morning, as a child, Mrs. Betts watched her father arm himself, for in those days no one knew just what might happen and a man had to be prepared. The Norwalk post office has had many homes: in the “Quintard block” where the Norwalk Hour now stands, then at 41 Wall st., later to the Norwalk club building, 67 Wall st., where a severe rain storm destroyed the records stored in the cellar, then to 16 Main st., and on July 11, 1925, to the present quarters, 14 Wall st. After Charles Olmstead, came the following postmasters: A. C. Golding, Carmi Hubbell, William H. Malone, Bradley S. Keith, E. S. Adams, M. J. Howard and C. Irving Byington, present postmaster. At the present time the main staff includes, in addition to Mr. Byington, Stephen Bray as assistant post¬ master and Wilbur F. Hubbell as superintendent of mails. In addition there are nine regular clerks, 10 city carriers; three rural carriers; one special delivery carrier; and six substitute carriers the latter being employed more or less regularly. There was a post office in Winnipauk until September 30, 1907, the office being where William Betts’ feed store, 352 Main st., now is. Joseph Randle, father of William Randle of 10 Elm st., was postmaster. For a number of years there was a post office in East Norwalk, which went out of existence, July 1, 1895. At one time it was located at the East Norwalk railroad depot with Harry Rider, father of Miss Mary G. Rider, 201 East ave., as postmaster. Later it was removed to what is now the site of M. D. Madey’s store, 234 East ave. When the post office was discontinued, Walter Hoyt was postmaster and Irving Smith, assistant postmaster. Commencing July 1, 1895, East Nor¬ walk mail was handled from the South Norwalk office. Two carriers were assigned to the East Norwalk district: Edwin L. Hanford who often delivered the mail in a horse and wagon and Elbert W, Clark. 372 ROMANCE OF NORWALK SOUTH NORWALK POST OFFICE First a lamplighter and then a mail carrier, Henry O. Bailey of io Couch st., one of the first men employed by the South Norwalk Post Office when it opened its city de¬ livery service, July i, 1889, can recall many interesting old days of Norwalk. Incidentally, the post office at South Norwalk was established on Feb. 14, 1842 under the name of Old Well, according to information received here from the U. S. Post Office Department in Washington, D. C. The name of the office was changed to South Norwalk on March 5, 1842. When the South Norwalk post office de¬ cided to commence a city delivery service, the following men were employed: Alan Tyler, Patrick McNamara, G. Fred Flynn and William O. Merritt as regular carriers, with Henry O. Bailey as substitute. The latter became a regular in 1890. It is believed Mr. Bailey and perhaps Mr. Flynn are the only ones still living. Mr. Bailey knew his route in lower South Norwalk well because as a boy he had covered much the same ground as a lamplighter. It was his job to follow the “trimmer” through the city streets and to light the four paned kerosene lamps. One of the first postmasters in South Norwalk was Homer Taylor who held office at the time the post office was in a small building on the property which now houses the Young Men’s Hebrew Association, West ave. During succeeding years, the post office was moved many times: from West ave., to North Main st., south of the South Norwalk Con¬ gregational church, with William Sammis as postmaster; then to East Washington st. near what was the old home of the People’s Trust Co., 79 Washington st., Nathaniel Wilcox being postmaster here from 1861 to 1871; then to West Washington st., south side, into a store built by Mrs. George Raymond; then to a small building adjoining the above on the site of the present Schultze meat market, corner of Railroad ave. and Washington st., with Joseph Dunning as postmaster in 1872. The next move of the LET TERS—LIGH TS 373 I post office was across the street to the site of the present William Miller grocery store, 33 West Washington st. Later it moved back again to the corner of Railroad ave. and Washington st. Dunning remained in office for 17 years being succeeded by Charles E. Doty who was later removed for irregulari¬ ties. Edwin Adams took his place. When Dr. George Benedict was named postmaster he moved the post office down to East Washington st., near the Rialto theater. Ed¬ mund E. Crowe, present postmaster, was appointed Decem¬ ber 19, 1899 and he added one more lap to the journey of the South Norwalk post office when he had it moved across Washington st. to the South Norwalk Club building to the site now occupied by Taylor and Golden, 115 Wash¬ ington st. In 1914 Andrew Leary became postmaster and Mr. Crowe assumed the editorship of the Evening Sentinel. At the end of eight years Mr. Crowe returned as postmaster which position he now holds. Mr. Crowe was instrumental in having the post office removed from the South Norwalk club building into its present new building at 35 South Main st., erected by Louis Udelman. Possession was taken Janu¬ ary 10, 1928. Today, the staff boasts a postmaster, Mr. Crowe; as- ! sistant postmaster, Frank Field; superintendent of mails, Harry M. Hubbell; 16 clerks; 16 carriers; one rural deliv¬ ery man; one special delivery man. The parcel post system came into existence about the same time as did that in the * Norwalk post office, fifteen years ago. S1 “h ROWAYTON POST OFFICE A terrific battle preceded the establishment of a post office in Rowayton, February 24, 1868. For 25 years the western end of the city boasted a post office called “Roway¬ ton” and a railroad station called “Five Mile River Land¬ ing,” and all because the residents couldn’t agree on a name. Mrs. H. Croswell Tuttle, of whom mention was made a 374 ROMANCE OF NORWALK