New Britain Herald Newspaper, February 13, 1922, Page 3

$4,000 Rai] [ seies CAY'H PRIZE No (Canvasse NEW BRITAIN DAILY Flks’ Fair HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, Bardeck’s Hall FEB. 17 TO FiiB. 27 922, Don’t Miss The Grand Opening Friday Night FIRST APPEARANCE IN NEW BRITAIN OF ‘Gorgeous Array of Pries n Booths CANAL LINE THROUGH PLAINVILLE ‘ DURING 1848, AS RECALLED TODAY History of Old Transporta- tion Method. Between New Haven and North- ampton Reads Like Pio- neer Days. (Special to The Herald) Plainville, Feb, 13.—Very few peo- ple today can look back to the time when the old canal ran from New Ha- | ven to Northampton through the town of Plainville, There are not many who can remember the time when horses were .seen dragging a boat through the channel with the captain at the rudder and travelling at the rate of ahout three miles an hour with a cargo of merchandise| piled as high as possible and on the| deck an occasional passenger. It was so during the years of 1825 to 1848, after which the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad took over the charter of the canal com- pany and abolished its use in favor of | the present railroad which operates between those two stations. When Canzl Was Duilt. he canal was started in 1826 and| two years later the boats were started | with a grand celebration taking place at every station. Plainville was then one of the main stations oh the line and was considered an junction of all roads. The canal it- self was 50 feet i measured about five feet deep. ments were to be made Rritain to New Haven or Northamp-| ton, the goods were taken to the sta- tion in Plainville and placed on one of the boats to be delivered the fol-| lowing day. There were no schedules for the arrivals of the boats, but when they did come into port the captain would blow his horn long and loud to announce the arrival of the riost modern of transportations that was seen In this territory. The boats used were of the flat bot- tom type with the rudder in the rear, manipulated by the captain. There was a cabin near the back, a flat deck in the center and another small cabin in the foremost of the boat. rail ran completely around it to safe- guard passengers during their voyage. A heavy truck horse’ would draw the boat and the animal was gemer- ally managed by a small boy who would ride its back during the ‘entire trip.” To drive one of the canal horses was considered a great hondr in' those’ days and this position was one envied by many boys and young men. The pay connected with it was too small for the average boy of today but the boy of that generation took into con- sideration the extensive travelling he got out of his work and the beautiful scenery he saw on the trip. Towns on Canal Line. One end of the canal was at North- ampton and the water was furnished from the Congamond lakes. the canal were Cheshire, Southington, Plainvilte, Tarmington, Avon, Simsbury, Granby, Southwick, Westfield and others between the Massachusetts city and New Haven. The streams from the hills along the canal route furnished water for the canal as well as did the lakes and at Avon a feeder connecting with a ditch from Unionville aided with water from the Farmington river. A dam was built across the rive~ and wafer secured from this was run mnw a via- duct to allow the boats to pass direct- Feel Weak, Tired, “All Played Out?”’ Plantsville, Does the least exertion tire you out? Do you feel “hlue” .and wor- ried, suffer dragging backache, head- aches and dizziness? Too many wom- en blame so-called “female trouble” for this unhappy state instead of weak kidneys, which so often are the cause, You must act quickly to prevent more serious trouble. Use Doan's Kidney Pills. They have helped thousands of weak, tired women. They should hely | you. Ask your neighbor! A case in New Britain: Mrs. D. DeBay, Jr., 321 street, says: “After having the ‘flu’ my kidneys were weakened. To bend | or twist my body a little would cause | pains fn my back. The least effort to work tired me out. 1 was advised to try Doan's Widney Pills and got a box. Doan's soon had my back and kidneys strong. 1 am sure they per- formed a lasting cure.” KIDNEY D OAN | PILLS | 60¢at all Drug Stéres Poster-Milbuen Co. MigChen Butfalo,NY. Church important | definite | A guard | Town on | lly over the river. Today some of the ‘m.;: posts which upheld this viaduet are still to be seen in the Led of the Iarmington river at that point. Some [of the stone plers are also left. It ook weeks and weeks of labor to |build that epormous viaduct across [the river with little or none of the assistance from the derricks which |make that work eusy today. Plainville's Line. The canal bed through Plainville and Farmington was called the Long Level, on account of its flat surface. There were no lacks through this part of the canal line until one reached Plantsville. Remembers Old Canal Tocks, Charles 8. Jones of New Haven, but a native of Plantsville, can recall with clearness the old canal and many of the recollections of his boyhood days are entwined with this old canal. As a boy he remembers how impatiently |he would stop whatever he might be |doing and run as fast as he could to the lock at Plantsviile when the shrill whistle announced the arrival of the canal boat. Mr. Jones was born in the house at the southwest corner of the junction at Plantsville and his own father was born in the long, rambling, old-fashioned house, in later years used as a hotel, near the railroad crossing. These houses are but a short | distance from the old lock and today |remnants of the old lock can be easily seen from the highway just a short distance up from the railroad cross- |ing. The old locks were to the south of the roadway, obliquely opposite the |cemetery, and today a large tree marks the end of either side of the| old locks. Can See Old Bed. Part of the canal bed can now be |seen running parallel with the Plain- | ville Grammar school in Plainville. The canal passed over Plerce street, |directly under where the Tierney {home now stands and passed through the yard of the Plainville Lumber & Coal company. The engine room of tha Bristol Knitting Mills is standing over the old bed now as well as the present railroad tracks. The canal ran in back of the Colonial around into Whiting's Basin. A basin was hecessary for a resting place or sort of transfer statfon the boats. Tt was In the form of a ['wide circle built directly off the main canal, where the boats could draw into and of: the line. The home of {Frank T. Wheeler, superintendent of the Trumbull Electric Manufacturing company, s built directly in front of this old basin and part of fhe huge hole can now he seen. At Whiting's Basin, the first general store in Plain- ville and this vicinity was erected. Tt cointained every article necessary to the daily life of a person and also sefved as a storchouse. Tt was erect- led by Hawley and Adna Whiting, from which the basin received its name. | Owners of Boats, The Whiting hrothers did a tre mendons business in those days. Be-| ing the only wholesale merchants in/| these parts they were free from com- petition on all sides. Their business| was 80 large that they owned a canal | boat and operated their own line. The Whiting boat was manned by Captain Andrew Norton, father of Minton Nor- ton, owner of the Plainville Hardware company on Whiting street, Plainville, There were other hoats in addition to che Whitings' and those were by Harmonious M. Welch and Roman- |go Neal. Mr. Welch owned a large {lumber yard and also was a success- | ful merchant. His home was located where how stands the resmence of John B. Miner on Fast Main street, proprietor of the Miner Box com- f at Startled Washmgton inn and | for | |sible. .ple. owned | explosition set fire to the U. S. T' the report spread that the building gasoline- which ignited when workers on the roofbombed. The fire was caused by an explosition of See the firemen laying the hose across thewere laving tar paper on a temporary structure. HOOVER PERSHING _ convma | Elihu Root signing the N standing at his vight. country si pany in New welet of the Part of the old seen in the rear Britain. can be Miner home. Service of Boats, The serviee received from the canal hoats was considered for those boat making the trip be- i New Haven would leave ame time the y from North schedule of two bhoats pz ng the towns in hours. ome times the service was better, but not much, No regular time could be ascertained for their arrival in any town and when a person desired to travel to a neighboring city he had to keep a close watch for the hoat. However, in order to make it casier for those who travelled daily or shipped regularly, the arrival of the boats were hailed with the tooting of a horn. It was a great moment when they did ar the people wounld throng the sides of the canal and | eagerly watch newcomers or get word of the outside world through [the captain. Mail was also forwarded {on the boats and that called out every citizen when they arrived. Stage Coach Helped. | In addition to the service {there was a stage coach operating be- [tween Hartford and Bristol with one trip a day. more when Travel was heavy on that line Blossoms Corner, now known as East street” and FFarmington avenue, jthe main station on the roadway for Ithe stagecoach where the Stecle hotel was the meeting place for many peo- The Steele. hotel is now the home of I, T. Wheeler, having been moved back and modernized. Steele's hotel was the only place for the active citi {zen of those days of '48 to meet and there were also stables for horses, to |accommodate the weary traveller, One of the largest repair shops in the dis- trict was also located there. It wa operated by George Smith, The main output of what was house good in hoat New other ampton one Hav would cast aw his made for canal pos was the shop was reasury Building had Treasury xoof, beenat Washington, D. C. E = Vine- Pu\‘m' treaty on China with Senators Lodge Other notables at the treaty conference are indicated. gned in a group, attaching their signatures to all four treaties. ROYAL MARIMBA BAND —OF LA BALL TA pany, New York, N. Y | cabinet | | bination | BIgNOT bestos 1o Gauge Walter Electrical John A by mesn M. Gilbert Hartford receptacle New Haven gnmonts to 1 ‘orporation. Distri recling meche East Heany nor, Products dey buting ism Leverett W Winsted, Dis- pensing Isadore Tiffany device Tornansky, Hilington. Com tollet articie Alonzo A, Warner, signor to Landers, New Dritain, I'rary & Toaster rbury, as ury Yarrel company Richard 1. signor to I'oundry Header James Wilson, Stratford, assignor Johns-Manville, Incorporated 1ying roofing Wyman, I’ Wilcox, W the Water and Maching ville, Shim Larson, Bridgeport, as assignmen to tol- Mg Auto- or talking ma- Harold Lonis G by umbia Graphophone matic stop mechanism mesne | ehines, | iden flat metal and Underwood Delegates of each called the that is, the vehicle on around. “fifth wheel” on wagons; base of the front of the which the wagon turns Population in 1848, The population of Plalnville in 1848 was mated at about 600. There were lecs than 40 houses, aside from the hotel and stations Taken Over by Railroad. The life of the canal route wa very long. In 1845 the New New Haven & Hartford Railroad company bought the line and took over the charter, proposing to build a railroad over the same route. Work not was started on building the road and | two years later some of it was com- pleted. The main plan was to op- crate a steam, train from New Haven to Plainville by rail and the rest of the distance, canal method This plan be followed, however, break in the canal bed in the vielnity of Granby. The break caused a bad floord at that point and the expense of rebuilding the canal and filling it up gain was figured so great that the railroad company decided to con- tinue with building the roadbed. Canal Boats Are Sold. could not The final day bhefore the sale of the | the | made found two of canal stranded in Whiting's Basin re captains had no chance to run them to the water front al onew Haven and lhe result was that the hoats remained in the basin until three years later when they were sold. I‘armers purchased them and cabins made excellent chicken coops while the flat part of the deck was used in building pig pens. First Train Service. The first train passed over the new railroad in 1848 and at stations the tracks were lined with cheering peo-| ple. thrilled at having such an im- provement built through their land| and confident that naw their dreams would be realized. The trains were fired with wood. The wood itself was canal w boats The Treasu“y Flre Th This photo was taken a few minutes after an A near-panic ensued when York, | to Northampton, by the | due to a bad | the | sawed in the largest house on the line, that house being in Plainville where the depot now stands: The new railroad was RBoston & Erle, but this chunged to the Providence & Vishkill. Tt was originally planned to operate between Providence and | |Fishkill and after some new plans| were made it was named the New | England railroad. J called was Hartford the later | Depot Burns. | The Piainville depot, then of the finest in these parts, was built in 1849 or some date thereabouts, and had two rooms, the ladies' and gen- tlemen's. The ladies’ room had pil llows and upholstered seats and |benches inside was otherwise {elaborately finished. A few years |later it burned and was rebuiit. That station also burned and then it was decided to change its location and it was moved from West Main strest to it present quarters at Railroad street. Remember Old Canal, Although the above history of fthe old canal is brief, it gives one an idea of the travel during those d |the great Improvement to the pr | date. Today the new gas buses being operated over the same line by the New York, New Haven & Hart-| ford railroal. The data given above was coripiled by Town Clerk Robert C. Usher of Plainville, who remembers the events taking place during the last few years of the canal line. In addition to Mr. Usher there are about four other per- sons in this vicinity who can recall {the line. They are George Cook of |New Britain road, A. N. Clark, Mrs. |Sarah Woodruff and Mrs. Jane Tillot |son of Plainville. CONN. PATENTS and | Patents Issued by the U. §. Patent 22 | office January 81, 1922, to Connec- ticut Inventors. (List furnished by the office of H’lr—r old G. Manning, Walk-Over Store, | 211 Maln St, New RBritain.) Edward B. Allen, Bridgeport, as- ignor to The Singer Manufacturing | company. Thread cutting and nip- | ping mechanism for sewing ma- | | chines. | Fugene L. Beecher, New Haven. | Internal combustion engline, | Mirris H. Bennett, Waterbury, ns- | | signor to Scovill Manufacturing com- pany. Electric furnace. Benjamin P. Ifortin, Hartford, ns- signor to U'nderwood Typewriter com- BIG SUCCESS.-- sure and call, Be sure and get yours, | shoe seaming chines Our Beewving Machine Manages—ir, J, Mr. W, O, Ellis, “Silk Artist" and Expert, will bo with us during this Feb Mr. Ellls stitchos your namo with beautful Star Twist on “The “No charge.” ‘Trade-Mark Aetna Nut heel and Internationa and Bridg Reg Southington oe calks istrations. Morse- Mer ted Iver company, Hilvery port The Hartford company, over- het ma- croc sewing Works, New Britair fabel Registration. Dexter Ba “Dexter's (For Bread.) ations for Trade:Mark iration. The Acme Shear compa port. Scissors and shes Eagle Lock company, Padlocks. The Gaynor Waterbury company, Mother's Terryville Manufacturing com- Typewriter | Regis- | , Bridge- | $4,000 ——lf— . CASH PRIZES No (Canvassers Bridgeport, Record cards. & Place, Canaan, Portland cement, pany, Hatmaker lime, Hy- and 7. M. Ney company, Hartford. 6 applications, Gold alloys for dental purposes. Lester 1 Scott, Southington, niture polish. George E. Whitney, Rottle capping machine. W.C.1.0. ANNUAL MEETING Fur- Bridgeport. Reports Will Be Received and Of- Session Which Will Be Held March 7 ficers Eleeted At The next business meeting of the W. .. U, will be held on March 7, when the annual reports will be re- celved and officers will be elected. oOn X\ and 22 there will be % W, G convention in Hart- ford, which ny local members plan to attend. There will not however, be an open meeting of the W. C. T. U. in this city the latter part of this month, as has been stated. Tl(\\*l"l RS (Wy Fr“)fl Common Council to Hml-m Recom- mendations Wednesday. common council at Wednesday will be asked to transfers of funds as follows: fund to school department, inferest and discount to sal- incidentals to taxes, $1,- lentals to municipal garage, tate highway account to char- . $5,000; fire department to chari- sewer department to $2,000; permanent pavement |to charities, $4,500; permanent pave- |ment to municipal home service | pureau, $1,000. Totak $48,300. The evening fegalize session General 000 When Dogs Have Their Day The American Dog Derby w 22 ¢ p:'mmp(ltn ing during The above shows t ill be held at Ashton, Idaho, Feb. and 15 teams of the best-trained dogs in the northwest will he team of Charles Causey rest- a training run while a fair “musher” plays with them. UICKEST to take effect—the safest and most dependable remedy for Head: aches, Colds 3nd La Grippe, Never be without Hill's C. B Q. Tablets. Have them handy—preveat illness by taking them at the frst sign of a Cald or Headsche. B.G SUCCESS ‘.,‘\\u cAscmA(Q oummp | s AR "'Lu(rnl i ---BIG SUCCESS JOHN A. ANDREWS & CO. THE BIG FURNITURE STORE — 132 MAIN STREET, NEW BRITAIN Our February Club Sale and Demonstration of Sewing Machines (WILL CONTINUE ALL THIS WEEK) All Our Sewing Mnachines Fully ®uaranteed. We allow you from $10 to #30 for your Sewing Machine If yon buy the Froe—At this Special Sale. Our Club Sale Means a Big Iteduction (Less Than Cash Price) On Easy Payments. ¢, Witiing—gives you his personal attention. Reduction Sale, Be e Sewing Machine.