The Romance of Norwalk

The following Norwalk factories or establishments are named either by the state survey or by their local owners as having from 50 to 100 employees: The Connecticut Co., of which mention was previously made in the trolley story; Enterprise Century Underwear Co., commenced in 1917, now employs 80, Samuel Dinkowitz, president; Lounsbury and Bissell Co., incorporated in 1845 although there had been a company here some time before that, now employs 70, Judge Henry Gregory, president; Neptune Hardware Mfg. Co., organized August 7, 1906, J. G. Baumbach, presi¬ dent, 35 employees according to local count; Streb Fur Cutting Co., Inc., 1923, 40 employees, Philip Streb, presi¬ dent; Pearl Silk Co., 65 employees, Max Goldberg, head; Rosenblatt and Hollub, Inc.; Norwalk Co., originally Nor¬ walk Iron Works, commenced in 1875, now employs 50- 75, N. J. Conoughey, Cleveland, Ohio, president; R. T. Vanderbilt Co., Inc., founded in October, 1916 with R. T. Vanderbilt at the head of the firm, 50 employees. The following employ 100 to 500 men and women: E. H. Hotchkiss Co., incorporated in December, 1895, now em¬ ploys 125, Charles F. Kuch, president; Star Union Overall Co., Inc., came to Norwalk from New York in August, 1923, 125 employed, Max Wilker, president; Meyers Mfg. Co., George, Samuel and Henry Meyers, partners, com- ROMANCE OF NORWALK 428 pany ten years old, 145 employees; Rabhor Co., Inc., organized here seven years ago, 200 employees, Leo C. Safir, head; Fred Huth, glass works, formerly Charles H. Harris, Inc., founded by Charles H. Harris, eight years ago, 200 employed; Leroy Shirt Co., founded in 1909, 200 now employed, Charles Schnitzer present head; Segal Lock Co. and Norwalk Lock Co., each one now employs 275, Louis Segal is head of both; Norwalk Lock Co., founded in 1856; Lockwood Mfg. Co., founded in 1888, Charles W. Beaver is president and 300 are employed there; Norwalk Tire and Rubber Co., founded in 1914, 450-500 now em¬ ployed, John W. Whitehead, president; J. and J. Cash Inc., now employing 200. The company was founded in 1825; New York office opened in 1865 ; factory built in South Nor¬ walk in 1906; company incorporated in U. S. A. in 1919, Sidney Cash, president, and Frank Goodchild, vice-president and general manager; Wear Ever Slipper Co., founded in 1926, 150 now employed, Max Becker and Morris Caspler, partners, H. C. Field, general manager; Muller Gloria Mills, commenced in 1903, now employs 100, Richard Muller owner; M. N. Mayehoff, commenced 1914, now employs 200, M. N. Mayehoff, president; Standard Oil Co., South Norwalk branch, established in 1914, James A. Landgraff now in charge. The following employ more than 500: Cluett, Peabody and Co., Inc., founded in 1851, C. R. Palmer, present head, 650 men and women employed in the local plant, George H. Barnes, local manager; Nash Engineering Co., 400-600, Douglas Nash, president and treasurer, company is 25 years old; R. and G. Corset Co., Inc., commenced January 1, 1880, originally Roth and Goldschmidt, now employs 800- 900, W. E. Marvle, president; Charles T. Dimond, vice president; H. Jacob and Sons, Inc., founded in 1890, now employing 1000, Moe Jacob, president; Crofut and Knapp Co., hats, founded in 1858, 1500 now employed, John J. Cavanagh, president. The complete list of Norwalk manu¬ facturing establishments will be found in the appendix. MODERN NORWALK 429 OLD TIME STORES In the number of stores in its city center, Norwalk is most generous, having among others: 20 automobile agencies, 19 dry goods stores, five furniture stores, one department store, 1 14 grocery stores, 17 drug stores, 11 hardware stores, 18 bakeries, 26 clothing stores, 10 retail cigar and tobacco stores. One of the oldest establishments in town is Rogers and Stevens, clothing, with two stores, 14 South Main and 27 Wall sts. In 1867 when the business was commenced it was known as the Comstock Brothers. J. Emory Stevens, now in charge of the South Main st. store arrived in 1886 and Charles Rogers, now in charge of the Wall st. store two years later. The downtown store was formerly across the street, South Main st., later next to its present quarters, South Main st., where it has been for 25 years. The store in upper Norwalk used to be on Main st., then where the Central Fairfield Trust Co. now is, and then at a site op¬ posite the present one on Wall st. The present firm name came into being in 1903. Tristram and Hyatt’s, drygoods, 28 Wall st., was commenced in May, 1891. The business which now has an eastern wing, western wing and basement, employs 26. Charles Tristram is president. Milton Elwood’s shoe company, Washington st., now the Emerson-Elwood Shoe Co. was commenced in 1897 by M. H. Glover. The store became Elwood and Glover, and later, the Milton Elwood store. In 1927, after the death of Mr. Elwood, the firm became the Emerson-Elwood Co., with Mark E. Emerson at its head. William Miller, 33 Washington st., has been in the grocery business 43 years. The company was formerly known as Seymour Brothers. Fifteen years ago it became known as the store of “William Miller, leading grocer.” IT. Krieger and Co., department store, 31 Washington st., was founded in 1868, was first located on Washington st. where the South Norwalk Trust Co. stands and later in the Mahackemo building, where the ROMANCE OF NORWALK 430 Beck Hazzard Shoe Co. now is. The rent in the latter place was $33 a month, considered high in those days. In 1891 Samuel Greenstein married one of the Krieger daugh¬ ters, was taken into the business and the firm of Krieger and Co., organized. The new junior partner enlarged the busi¬ ness to such an extent that more room was needed and so the old Brown homestead owned by the Ely estate was pur¬ chased and the present building on Washington st. erected in 1900. Mr. Greenstein is now president of the company. The Joseph H. Davis store, merchant tailor and men’s furnishings, 47-49 North Main is another old establishment. The Jay Cooke panic of 1873 was the direct cause of Israel Davis’ coming to Norwalk. Having lost all he had invested in the wholesale clothing trade in New York city, he arrived in this community early in January, 1874, and founded the present Davis store. The store was then on North Main st. In 1880 it moved to the Mahackemo hotel block; in 1899 to 85 Washington st., and in 1924 to the present location. Joseph, son of Israel Davis, is the present owner. Forty years old is Keeler’s shoe store, Keeler building, Wash¬ ington st., founded by George Keeler. It formerly stood on the old wooden Washington st. Bridge. George Keeler and Benjamin Keeler are partners. On the day the great blizzard descended on Norwalk, March 11, 1888, Thomas O’Gorman commenced the busi¬ ness which later became so well known as “The Old Boston Store.” Two years later, the store moved to the corner of Main and Wall sts. In 1894 Patrick F. Masterson and Peter F. Burns purchased the business from O’Gorman. In 1900, Peter Burns bought out Masterson. In 1928, the Boston Store Inc. moved to its present location, 12 Main st. Francis Burns, son of Peter Burns is now president. Guard¬ ian of the industrial welfare of the city is the Norwalk Board of Trade, formerly the South Norwalk Board of Trade, reorganized in June, 1928. Robert Benedict was the first president, Ross Kellogg, first executive secretary after MODERN NORWALK 43i the reorganization. Emile Hemming is now president and Peter Foley, executive secretary. I RECREATIONAL CLUBS Whether it be the golf club, the tennis racket, the bathing ■ suit, the sail boat, the motor boat, the card game or the 1 smoker which reveals the recreational desire of the Nonvalk- ers, the city can satisfy each and every desire. The Shore- > haven Golf Club with its spacious clubhouse, 19 hole golf course, and private swimming pool, is one of Norwalk’s 1 most prominent clubs. The Shorehaven Leasing Corporation * was organized March 1, 1922. This was amended to change 1 the name to Shorehaven Golf Club, October 11, 1923. The ■ club is noted for its social affairs, balls, costume dances and concerts. The first president was Philip N. Knapp. The 1 Norwalk Country club, Dorlon’s or Gregory’s Point, was organized in 1908 with the following officers : E. O. Keeler, ' president; R. H. Golden, vice president; Charles E. Hoyt, secretary; John V. Olmstead, treasurer. The club, which has a large membership, includes tennis, bathing and boating in its activities, in addition to banquets and dances. The Saugatuck Shores Beach and Tennis Club, at Saugatuck Shores, is a new organization, formed in the summer of 1929. The Norwalk Yacht club had for its first commo¬ dore, Gilbert E. Bogart, 1894-1895. The club, which has an excellent harbor and mooring ground for the many sail and motor craft belonging to its members, is often used as an overnight anchorage by large New York yachts on trips. The clubhouse, which has seen many improvements in recent years is a social center as well as a boating center, and fea¬ tures dinners, dances and other affairs. Charles H. Harris has been commodore for the past two years. The complete | list of commodores is given in the appendix. There are four other boat clubs in town: the East Norwalk Yacht club, organized March 1, 1909 with Harry Rider as first 432 ROMANCE OF NORWALK commodore; the Ischoda Yacht Club, the Norwalk Boat Club and the South Norwalk Boat Club. The Norwalk club, 67 Wall st., a social organization, was formed in 1887. A similar organization, the South Norwalk club, formed in 1898, is at 103 Washington st. There are three community houses in the city: the Roway- ton Community hall, under the direction of the Rowayton Library Association; the East Norwalk Community hall, Van Zant st., and the Catholic Community House, Leonard st. The Broad River Community club, Broad River, a social organization, was commenced in January, 1922. The Village Room, Silvermine, music, art, social affairs, 1913- 19 1 4- SICK, AGED, POOR