The Romance of Norwalk

The Norwalk Gas Light Company was leased to the Consolidated Railway Company August I, 1906 and later was taken over by the Connecticut Railway and Lighting Company. In 1918 this property was taken over by the Connecticut Light and Power Company, the existing owner. December 12, 1898 John D. Milne took charge of the local company branch, moving here from Rockville, where he had been operating the Rockville Gas Company for a period of 1 5 years. The company office then stood where the Norwalk post office now stands, 14 Wall st. At that time the total gas made per day was 45,000 cubic feet. By 1918, the gas made per day had jumped to 400,000 cubic feet. This usage has gradually increased until, at the present time, the total gas made per day is 900,000 cubic feet. The company supplies a total of 6,800 cus¬ tomers in this city with gas, through a main system totaling 60 miles in length. Mr. Milne has seen more than 30 years of service with the company in Norwalk. The Connecticut Light and Power Co. now handles electricity in addition to gas and at the present time has 10,900 electric customers in Norwalk. The electricity, which is made at Devon and transmitted to Norwalk over high voltage transmission line, is served over an area comprising 250 square miles. The Norwalk division, Connecticut Light and Power Co. em¬ ploys 168 men and women. Edwin A. Harris is manager. The office is at 69 Wall st. EAST NORWALK PLANT The history of the East Norwalk Electric Light plant must necessarily be preceded by the history of the East Norwalk fire district which was organized for fire pro¬ tection June 8, 1894. First officers were, committee: M. H. Tolies, J. S. Randall, Gilbert E. Bogart; treasurer, L. W. Doty; clerk, E. H. Gumbart; collector, W. S. Tate; audi¬ tors, E. B. Smith, John S. Seymour and E. C. Caswell. May 25, 1906, the powers of the fire district were increased 380 ROMANCE OF NORWALK to maintain sewers and to light the streets. July 17, 1907, an act was passed by the state legislature authorizing the purchase of current from the city of South Norwalk; March 26, 1908, it was voted to build lines and purchase current from South Norwalk. Later, further legislation was passed so that the district could generate its own current. In 1913 the East Norwalk Fire District was succeeded by the third taxing district of the city of Norwalk and on April 27 of the following year, land was purchased at Second and New sts. for a new station. The station first generated its own current in December 1914. October 25, 1918, con¬ tract was made to purchase all current from the Connecti¬ cut Light and Power Co. Growth of the station is demon¬ strated by the following figures: 1912, 90 customers re¬ ported using 67,000 k.w.h. per year; 1929, 1450 cus¬ tomers were using 1,127,494 k.w.h. per year. Present officers are : commissioners : James L. Hoyt, Edward E. Gor¬ ham, and Stewart C. Marshall, while the treasurer is Les¬ lie W. Gorham. “THE BRIDGE,” NORWALK Chapter XXXII Norwalk Becomes City in 18Q3 — Local Men Fight In Spanish American War — Dr. Arthur N. Clark Brings First Automobile To Town — Alpha Bicycle Club And Its Blinker Hill Day Races — Norwalk In igoi had Popu¬ lation of IQ,Q32 By an act of the Connecticut legislature, June 30, 1893, the City of Norwalk was incorporated. On July 22, a special borough meeting of the Borough of Norwalk was held at which time the charter of the city of Norwalk was approved and in October, 1893, the first city officials were named. The Hope Hose rooms on Commerce st., Nor¬ walk, then Water st., was the scene of the first city election, the following being named: Mayor: Edwin O. Keeler; councilmen: John A. Osborn, Elbert S. Adams, Arthur C. Wheeler, Eugene L. Boyer, Alfred A. Chinery, Jr., J. Arthur Pinneo; auditor, Victor S. Selleck; collector, Addison A. Betts; city treasurer and treasurer of the water fund, Henry P. Price; board of registration: Alfred E. Austin, Bernard C. Feeney; inspec¬ tors of elections: Edward M. Lockwood, Bernard Tully; city sheriff, Robert N. Morehouse; hoard of water com¬ missioners: John P. Treadwell, Frederick Mead, Clarence B. Coolidge. The new council held its first meeting in Janu¬ ary, 1894, the following being elected: President of Coun¬ cil, John A. Osborn; city clerk and corporation counsel, Edward M. Lockwood; board of relief, William F. Acton, Aurelius J. Meeker, Burr Smith; health officer, Jarvis Kel¬ logg; commissioner of streets, Elbert S. Adams; fire in¬ spector, Frederick E. Lockwood; fire department chief en¬ gineer, J. Thornton Prowitt. 381 ROMANCE OF NORWALK 382 The mayors of the city of Norwalk have been as follows: 1894, Edwin O. Keeler; 1895, James T. Hubbell, (now Judge Hubbell) ; 1896 and 1897, Arthur C. Wheeler; 1898, 1899 and 1900, Charles Glover; 1901, George Buxton; 1902, Charles Glover; 1903, Ferdinand B. Smith; 1904, George Buxton; 1905, Charles Glover; 1906, Wallace Dann; 1907, Charles A. Scofield; 1908, John Cavanagh; 1909, Leeman Brundage; 1910, Leeman Brundage, (died during term of office) ; 1910, E. J. Finnegan, finished Bon¬ dage's unexpired term; 19 1 1, E. J. Finnegan, reelected. He served until the consolidation in 1913. SPANISH AMERICAN WAR ‘‘Remember the Maine!” is the slogan of the veterans of the Spanish American War 1898-99, and Norwalk has just cause to remember the Maine for she had two sol¬ diers aboard, Oscar Anderson and Col. James Allen. Anderson received injuries on the ship which later resulted in his death. For many years he lived at Oyster Shell Point where he ran a boat works. He passed away about ten years ago. Col. Allen was also injured on the ship. Norwalk sent a whole company to the front, Company L, Third Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. The com¬ pany however, did not leave the states. But there were Norwalkers who did; Norwalkers who saw service not only in Cuba but in the Philippines. Among those who went to Cuba were: Fred Hodges, 7 Hayes st. ; Albert R. Williams, 66 Clinton ave.; Benjamin Sugden, 251 Ely ave. ; Michael J. Murphy, 9 Reed st. ; Aaron T. Dawson, 31 Spring st. and Charles Vollmer. Mr. Dawson also saw service in the Philippines, as did James E. Flynn, 132 Flaxhill road; Frank P. Rooney, 4 Jefferson st. ; Harry J. Keena, 38 Center ave.; William Bassen, George Hopkins, Crescent Terrace; John Gorman, Milton Lockwood, in U. S. Marines, was stationed in China. The majority of the Norwalkers enlisted in Company L, “THE BRIDGE ” NORWALK 383 Third Connecticut. The men, all volunteers, left Norwalk June 23, 1898 and made camp in Niantic where they re¬ mained for two months. The next camp was in Meade, Pa., where the company remained for two more months. From November 17, 1898 until January 21, 1899, the company was in Camp Marion, South Carolina; Jan. 22, Camp Onward, Ga. From Feb. 20, 1899 until March 15, the men were on provost guard in Savannah, Georgia, where they remained until they were mustered out, at Camp Onward March 20, 1899. There was a great demonstra¬ tion at the station when Company L, left Norwalk for no one knew how long the soldiers were to be gone, nor where they would go, nor what they would do. After camp broke in Niantic, the men took train for New York on their way to Camp Meade, Pa. It was expected that the train would stop in South Norwalk and large crowds gathered to hail the local soldiers and to cheer them on their way. At the last minute, some change in schedule erased the stop from the program and the train dashed through the station so fast that the boys on board could not even see those who had come down to bid them a last good bye. In camp, the Norwalkers fared very well. Only in Meade was trouble experienced when an epidemic of typhoid broke out. Twelve Norwalk men were stricken but all recovered. There were 40,000 soldiers at Meade at the time and hundreds of the soldiers were taken with the sickness. Stam¬ ford lost three men. In South Carolina, rifles were issued and the men were sure they were to see service at last. But nothing happened. On the day that Company L was scheduled to return to Norwalk, the whole city turned out in greeting and the station was black with people. A large banquet had been prepared for the occasion and everything was in readiness for a grand time for the returning boys. But alas ! Once again a change in the schedule served Nor¬ walk a disappointment and the day came and went without a sign of a soldier. Not until nearly 24 hours later did the boys arrive. We do not know whether or not the ban ROMANCE OF NORWALK 3^4 quet was warmed over. The names of those who served in Company L, Third Regiment, the names of those who served in other companies, Third Regiment, and the names of those who served in other companies and other regiments, during the Spanish American War will be found in the appendix. FIRST AUTO IN NORWALK Bolting horses, frightened women, and much clatter and noise marked the appearance of the first automobile in Norwalk, owned by Dr. Arthur N. Clark, now of 3 Wash¬ ington st, in October, 1899. The car was a Winton with the machinery under the body, large hard rubber tires, high dashboard and one stiff, lone seat. As Dr. Clark went dashing down the street in his five horsepower car at the rate of 20 miles an hour, the people of the town dashed out en masse to the piazzas, some to cheer and wave, some to stare in mute astonishment, some to shake their heads in sadness as they predicted the good physician’s early demise. The car made such a racket that it could be heard blocks away, and screaming women and bolting horses were a common occurrence. Typical of the manner in which the Norwalkers accepted the advent of the automobile in Nor¬ walk is the following conversation over the telephone be¬ tween a woman in Georgetown and Dr. Clark: “Doctor, do you intend to go out today?’’ “Why, I don’t know, why do you ask?” “Well, doctor, if you aren’t going out, I’d like to come downtown in my horse and carriage and do a little market¬ ing!”