Norwalk After Two Hundred & Fifty Years

Present Officers. — President, Joseph Schon; Vice- President, Emery Transport ; Clerk, Steven Pramer ; Secretary, John Ungvari ; Treasurer, John Fedor ; Con- troller, Steven Simonszky. RAKOCZY SICK BENEVOLENT SOCIETY, (Being a branch of the Bridgeport Rakoczy Sick Benev olent Society). Objects. — Aiding sick members financially, and life insurance. Date of Organization. — July 24, 1901. Number of Members. — Forty-one. Present Officers. — President, John Loncsak ; Vice- President, Michael Draskoczy ; Clerk and Secretary, Joseph Makkay ; Treasurer, John Rochrick. NORWALK MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. Objects of Organization. — To devise and carry into effect measures for our mutual improvement ; to pro- mote a good understanding and harmonious intercourse 853 with each other; and to secure a uniformity in profes- sional fees. Date of Organization. — December 14, 1868. Number of Members. — Eleven. Present Officers.— President, L. M. Allen, M. D.; Vice-President, A. N. Clark, M. D.; Secretary, H. C. Sherer, M. D. LINCOLN COUNCIL, No. 4, ORDER OF UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS. Objects of the Organization. — The objects are to promote the interests, elevate the character and secure the happiness of the members. To assist each other in every way possible. To encourage each other in busi- ness. To establish a sick and funeral fund. To assist the widows and orphans of deceased members. To aid members, who have become incapable of following their usual vocations in obtaining situations suitable to their afflictions. To defend ourselves from the injurious com- petition of foreign emigrants and our Government from their corrupting influence ; and to adopt such measures as may best accomplish these desirable ends. Date of Organization. — February 6, 1893. Number of Members. — Ninety-eight. Present Officers. — Counselor, John H. Piander; Vice-Counselor, James E. Stevens ; Jr. Ex-Counselor, John S. Seymour ; Sr. Ex-Counselor, Fred W. Weed ; Chaplain, Rev. G. Haulenbeck ; Rec. Secretary, C. H. Adams ; Asst. Secretary, J. L. Brunciage ; Financial Sec- retary, Frederick Scofield ; Treasurer, Henry A. Wood ; Inductor, William D. Piatt; Examiner, Edw. Norton; Inside Protector, C. H. Ferris; Outside Protector, C. S. Dauchy ; Trustees, James E. Stevens, Edw. L. Gray, George Cummings ; Organist, William Q. Merriam. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATION- ARY ENGINEERS, No. 13, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONN. The organization is based upon the following ob- jects:— The better education of its members in the art 854 and science of steam engineering. To protect the in- terests of competent engineers in their vocation. To enroll all competent engineers in this organization. Im- parting information beneficial to the trade. Assisting members out of employment to obtain the same. To procure by legal enactment greater safety in the opera- tion of steam plants. Date of Organization. — July 12, 1893. Number of Members. — Nine active, four honorary. Present Officers. — President, T. R. Fancher; Vice- President, N. I. Meserve ; Treasurer and Financial Sec- retary, H. S. Pickering; Deputy President, Recording and Corresponding Secretary, L. J. Jones ; Conductor and Doorkeeper, Frank Caftery ; Trustees, Patrick Hen- nessy, G. H. Howard, William Johnson; Education Committee, N. I. Meserve, L. J. Jones; Examining Committee, H. Pickering, L. J. Jones, G. H. Howard. NORWALK HAT TRIMMERS' ASSOCIATION. Objects of the Organization. — Mutual benefit and protection. Date of Organization. — 1858. Number of Members. — Two hundred and twenty. Present Officers. — President, D. Fenton Pomeroy ; Vice-President, David Bernard ; Secretary, John W. Sculley ; Treasurer, Stephen H. Carlin. HAT TRIMMERS' UNION OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONN. Objects of the Organization. — To protect the rights of each member and secure justice. Date of Organization. — April, 1885. Number of Members. — Four hundred. Present Officers. — Mrs. F. Joyce, President ; Mrs. Wilkinson, Vice-President; Miss E. Buxton, Secretary; Jennie Bedient, Treasurer. sss UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS, LOCAL No. 746. Objects of the Organization. — To promote the wel- fare of the members in the trade; sick benefits. Date of Organization. — Feb. 4, 1891. Number of Members. — Fifty-two. Present Officers. — W. J. Sheehan. President; A. H. Buttery, Vice President; S. O. Kemp, Secretary; W. A. Kellogg, Fin. Sec; E. K. St. John, Treas. NORWALK LODGE, No. 2881, G. U. O. of O. F. Objects of the Organization. — Take care of the sick and bury the dead. Date of Organization. — July 5th, 1887. Number of Members. — Twelve. Present Officers. — N. M. Jackson, P. S. ; J. D. Taylor, W. T. 366 NORWALK'S INDUSTRIES By Edmund E. Crowe. [HE opportunities for industrial growth possessed by Norwalk are not the good fortune of many New England towns. Located on the line of the greatest railroad in the world, with excellent harbor, close proximity to Greater New York, first-class electric railway system, water works, electric plants, handsome church edifices and hospital, well con- ducted public schools, up-to-date hotels, seaside resorts, nothing is lacking to attract industries to our town. What has been our progress along industrial lines during the past two hundred and fifty years? The pop- ular opinion is that Norwalk has not lived up to her possibilities and, therefore, has little reason for boast- ing. This may in a large measure be true, but to the close observer it is evident that Norwalk, after all, is not unimportant in the world of business. Her repu- tation for air compressors, hats, shoes, corsets, locks, hardware, woolen goods and other manufactured products is as favorable in all parts of the world as to our own people. In the work of compiling the statistics for the Twelfth Census of the United States, just completed, the Director of the Census, in order to show the extent of the concentration of the manufactures of Connecti- cut, selected 61 cities and towns and appointed special agents to collect the statistics. In the Census Bulletin issued Nov. 9th, 1901, Norwalk's record was given in the table of urban manufactures, as follows: Number of establishments, 247; capital, $4,129,841 ; proprietors and firm members,, 265. Wage Earners. — Average number, 3,172; total wages, $1,586,509. Miscellaneous expenses, $296,075 ; cost of material used, $2,261,195. Products. — Value, $5,097,720; rank, 16; per cent, of total, 1.4. Population. — Total, 19,932; rank, 8; per cent of total, 2.2. The following information is invaluable in consid- ering our industrial standing at this time, furnishing as 857 it does accurate statistics gathered by the special census agents for the census year 1900: Capital. — Land, $367,084; buildings, $592,205; machinery, tools and implements, $1,009,719; cash and sundries, $2,160,833; total, $4,129,841. Salaried officials, clerks, Etc. — Number, 124; sala- ries, $150,776. Average number of wage earners and total wages. — Average number, 3,172; wages, $1,586,509. Men, 16 years and over, average number, 2,350; wages, $1,321,- 645; women, 16 years and over, 791; wages, $259,085; children, under 16 years, 31 ; wages, $5,779. Miscellaneous expenses. — Rent of works, $45,532 ; taxes, $9,840; rent of offices, interest, etc., $168,795: contract work, $71,908; total, $296,075. Cost of materials used. — Principal materials, in- cluding mill supplies and freight, $2,202,470; fuel and rent of power and heat, $58,725; total, $2,261,195. Value of products, including custom work and re- pairing, $5,097,720. It is intended by the writer to record in a general way what Norwalk has to-day as a result of her indus- trial existence. With changing years industries have come and gone. It will be of interest, however, to go back a few years and see what our people did in early days and observe how few of the goods manufactured here then are made at this time. Below we quote a few statistics of Norwalk com- piled in 1845: Comb factory, 1 ; value of manufactures, $600 : capital, $300; employees, 3. Cotton mill, 1; spindles, 328; cotton consumed, 41,000 lbs.; yarn manufactured, 35,200 lbs.; value, $5,280. Cotton batting manufactured, 11,315 lbs.; value, $668.90; capital, $3,000; male employees, 9; fe- male employees, 7. Screw factory, 1 ; screws manufactured, 10,000 gross; value, $5,000; capital. $3,000; employees, 7. Shovel, Spade, Fork and Hoe factory, 1 ; value of manufactures, $225; capital. $100; employees, 2. Metal Button factory, 1 ; buttons manufactured, 5.000 gross; value, $4,000; capital, $500; employees, 5. Flouring mill, 1 ; flour manufactured, 2,300 lbs. : value, $13,200; capital, $8,000; employees, 3. Tanneries, 2; hides tanned, 9,900; leather manu- factured, value $7,000; capital, $7,000; employees, 7. 358 Boots made, 3,189 pairs; shoes, 90,491 pairs; value, $77,189; male employees, 274; female employees, 202. Snuff, Tobacco and Segars manufactured, value, $11,900; employees, II. Lumber prepared for market, 43,350 feet ; value, $2,875 ; employees, 9. Fire Wood prepared for market, 200 cords ; value, $660; employees, 3. Watch, Jewelry, Etc. — Factory, 1 ; value of manu- facturers, $1,000.; capital, $500; employees, 2. Saddle, Trunk and Harness factory, 1 ; value of manufactures, $2,000; capital, $1,000; employees, 2. Flat and Cap factories, 1 1 ; hats and caps manu- factured, 36,000; value, $71,840; capital, $27,500; em- ployees, 83. Coach, Wagon and Sleigh factories, 4; value of manufactures, $19,845; capital, $800; employees, 23. Tallow Candle factory, 1 ; candles manufactured, 25,000 lbs.; value, $2,500; capital, $800; employees, 2. Chair and Cabinet factories, 3 ; value of manufac- tures, $4,200; capital, $ 2,200; employees, 7. Tin factories, 2; value of manufactures, $12,500: capital, $13,000; employees, 6. Felt Cloth factory, 1 ; cloth manufactured, 75,000 yds.; value, $67,500; male employees, 15; female em- ployees, 6; capital, $20,000; wool consumed, 80,000 lbs. Stone and Earthenware factories, 3 ; value of man- ufactures, $26,000; capital, $26,000; male employees, 35. Confectionery factories, 2 ; value of manufactures, $6,400; capital, $1,000; employees, 4. Marble Monument factory, 1 : value of manufac- tures, $3,000; capital, $1,000; employees, 3. All other articles manufactured, value, $102,900; capital, $48,000; employees, 63.