Norwich Bulletin Newspaper, July 3, 1909, Page 12

nvoy an c y fbr the & 1 " At other ti; from seven to twelve per cent. 4/ a like clause to return a propor tional if ‘convoy is taken, unti 1783, when the premium was two and one-half per cent; and from 1767 to 1742, but two per cent. These invoices contained, literally, an assortment of almost every con. celvable thing for apparel and personal use, with not a few for ornament ury gooas, hardware, nails, spices, hemp, steel, coals, grindstones, window glass, crockery and China ware, ropes empty bottles, pewter and brass ware, ‘hooks, hats, &c., &c. éa Among the dry goeds were many ar- ticles not known by the same name al the present day—ailpeens, balladine (sewing silk), death-heads (button: ~ garlix, goshee, grozet, prushinetts, tan-, & dems,’ spriggs, &c. Linens were staple articles; the quantity was not only large, but the quality ran through at least half a dozen numbers, wit corresporiding prices. .Many of then are named as French linens, and some as Irish cloths, and while these are large packages, we have 5. cotton Holland, at fifteen and three-quarter pence, and “two ps. No. 2, at nineteen noe—evitlently the commencement that manufacture which has since nearly filled the civilized world—cot- ton shirting. Ribbons, like nails, arc classed as four-penny, six-penny, ten- penny, &c., &c. gle ribbens (of only ‘one color, probably), 8, cost six shil and nine pence; 104 nine shillings, and 12d. eleven shillings and sixpence: while a 4d. paduasoy cost nine shillings, and 6d. ‘satin fit- / teen shillings. Crape (Italian), ficty- four yards, No. 1, cost fifty-eight shil- lings, and No. 7, four pounds. Thread lace, No. 1, cost five and a half pence Ne.' 13, two shillings and sixpence. These are the wholesale prices in Lon- den, in sterling fneney. How much was added to convert them into our currency and afford the importers & profit, we have no means of knowing. Some' articles certaiply did not stop | short of one hundred per cent. The books imported -were entirely religious or sclentific, mostly the for- mer. Of twenty-six different works, at one time, twenty-one were on prac- tical religlon, and seventeen, includ- “ing one on agtronomy, and one on im- provement of the mind, were written - by Doot. Wats. Among articles partly useful and partly ornamental, knee buckles and shoe” buckles held a prominent place among the men—as did ‘“barly-corn cklaces” and “London lettered gar- tering” among the women. Jewsharps, for music, masked distinctly the ad- vance of the fine arts. While pip for smoking—four hundred and sev- enty-four and a half of which came over in one ship—and with twenty pounds of nutmegs, four pounds of cinnamen, four pounds of cloves, four pounds of mace, bottled heer, punch bowls of four quarts capacity, and “two shundred and ninety-six pounds of best s in 642 bottles, at the rate of 12 lhs. in 26 bottles,” costing Zorty-two pounds ten shillings and six- gencertold the insidious, * but sure roads which luxury was making in the simple habits of our grandsires and granddames. Loaf sugar was brought over at seventy-four shillings for the Tundred weght (a debenture being allowed of fourteen shillings and six- penge—bue we have not noticed tea as imported onee during the full term of fourteen years. Coals and grindstones were both shipped by the chaldron, Wwhile nails of every size, description and quality, are Invariably charged by the thousand, and Tot by welght—2d. at thirteen pence, up to six shillings and threepence for 20d. Meanwhile, perhaps, an editor may feel an in- terest in knowing that the London rice of foolscap—(which, of course, @ never wears), was eleven shillings, and sometimes twelve and sixpence. Manufacturers of paper may also learn that potts were eight shillings, elght and sixpence, and nine and sixpence, relatively,” for numbers 4, 3, and 2 The orthography of these documents is much too. variable to be recelved as the standard of the England languaze in that day. Bays (baise), chape (shape), tax (tacks), rhlem (ream— riem, by the way, is good Dutch), with other peculiarities, give no very high opinion of the early clerks to London and Bristol merchants. In one inyoice (1769) we find the following entry: “The children’s morocco shoes are two dozen short, as we could not pro- cure any more in time”; and in an- other (1764)—"“You wrate for twelve large Bibles at thirteen shillings—there are tione at that price. We have there- fore sent six, of two sizes that come nearest to your price. . The Bibles printed in Scotland, we cannot send a8 lere is a penalty on their Sold in Londonr > o (Based on an editorfal In the.Nor- wich Courier of November 17, 1853.) Chipbuilding, which had been ihe teindation of the prosperity of West Chelsea, flourished during this period. In 1800 & beautiful ship of 400 tons vurthen, the Oliver ~Ellsworth, was launched trom Willet's shipyard on the west side of the Thames river. Just @ _year before this date the Courier dad contained the following account 9f the launching of the sloop of war, “rumbull, built at the same yard for the federal government: “Yesterday, between the hours of 10 #nd 11 o'clock, the Trumbull, sloop of was launched from Mr. Jedediah et's Ship Yard in this place. he nt into the water with the most easy €1.d graceful motion, amid the ac mations of thousands ef spectators, fer appearance on the water was Leautiful and majestic, and command- ei the admiration of the best judges, Ske is completely coppered, is pisrced for 18 guns. and will be commanded by David Jewett, Lvq “The eleady and majestic movement of the ship, the {mmense crowd of epectators, of this and neighboring towns, which occupled the surround- ing wharves and eminences, the re- reated huzzas, which seemed to rend ine’ alr, formed a scene never before witnessed in this place. "Bhe was immediately warped up to the Bhip Yard Wharf, from whence tbe took her departure- “The interesting scene was honored Dy the presence of His Excellency Gegernor Trumbull. er figurehead is a good repre- gentation of the fllustrious statesman vhose name she bears. It represents tho Governor In the attitude of draw- ing his sword, as if in the act of de- fending the American Ensign, which is firled upon his right side, resting up- on the skirt of his coat, while his lett svot 1s. supported by the muzzle of a cacnon, and his right advanced and supported by an el t scroll. The carving upon her stern and galleries is @lowed by every one to be complete. In a word, it %s but justice to say, sh is as fine a ship of her size as any in the Navy. “The carved work was executed un- der the direction of Mr. Danlel N. Train from New York, a young gentle- man of much professional abilities, and Who bid falr, in a short time, to be a complete artist in the sclence of Sculpture. "P}l))r must we here be silent, re- specting the good venduct of the mas- ter bullder, Mr. Jed. Willet, a person vf much genius and abilities in naval architecture, who has ‘thus, In a viry e crt period, presented his country with so fine a shi Al this cammercial activity brought an increase ‘of population to Chelsea 1anding. Warehouses multiplied along Water street. which then lay directly on_the river's bank. In® 1760 Middle or Second street, the present Main sireet, was opened at an expense of £100, ding which. stood h!m b'mm '.h‘n carper now * Gooupled B he Novwloh Sevings so- e — citty s sald to have been the fr biick building erected in Norwich. 1 15 not known when it was built, or b vhom. Occupied before the Revoiu tiom as a public house, it was after wards well known as an auetion stai Miss Caulkine telds us that anothc “cld hotel stood in Water street, ne:.r Iy in the rear of the Merchants! bani W'th its upper story on a level witl Main street.” In 1809 Ralph Bolle crened the hotel known as the Chelsea Ciffee House The Merchants’ hote on Main street, in the present Austir Biuck, was built in 1797, Church street was called L'p;or or Third gtreet. Here, In 1800, lived Shu- Luel Breed, Nathaniel Peabody, Rev. John Tyler, and Dr. Lemuel Beswell. The principal householders on wist side of the river were Elija Frrrick, Jedediah Willett, Dewey Eiomley, Thomas Gavvitt, = Septimus Stephen Story, and Luther Ed- , all_engaged in shipbuilding, or some business- pearly comnected wHb it. A rope-walk had been estab- lihed in West Chelsea. in 1797. East Chelsea, comprising everything east of Frankiin square, was known Swallow-all. There was no road Greeneville, East Main street was norrow and crooked, with wells, fences, siiops and houses extending fam ipto the present street. Franklin street and tswell avenue formed the Poad to Lisbon. An editorial in the Norwich Ceurler of May 25, 1385, describes the cpening up of this part of Chelsea as I-Tlows: ‘The work of digging up both sides of Main street, east of the Wauregan, Ly two Aqueduct companies—though L iversaily pronounced a public nuis- ance—has resulted in the discovery of certain relics of the elder day, whie are not without interest. At the cor- 1¢r, by the Norwich Bank, some four or five feet under ground, was found one of the old wooden pipes laid in the ar 1798, by the first Aqueduct com- vany formed in this city, who brought water from springs in, the rear of the present residence of Col. George L. Forkins. The pipe was in a good state of preservvation. Directly in front of wvi office, under the crosswalk, the v-rkmen found a covered well about twenty feet deep, with eight feet of water, which was formerly used by the occupants of the old Lathrop house, vhich stood right in the center of the ricsent street. “It §s within the recollection of many of our citizens when the ground ail tirough the vicinity on the south side of Bast Main street was universally célled ‘Swallow all’ on account of the f'oodg. from the Shetucket and the b1ook which runs in the rear of Frank- lin street. . The street was altered in- ta its_present shape in 1830, by Dr. Wm. P. Eaton, who removed houses, Juvelled the steep hill which stood at (ke cornér, made a good road ard tiew Franklin square Into its present foim._Ir. 1831 Chapman’s block, where ‘fe Bulletin office is located, was Liult, and the street soon filled up with’ buildings.” Between 1790 and 1800 the section of the town lying arcund Chelsea Parade, then knon simply as the Little Plain, was brought into notice. Building lots were purchased and houses built upon ts borders, but the central portion lay untilled and unfenced and was popu- larly known as “Adgate’s threg-square Tot.” In 1797 Joseph Perkins and Thomas Fanning, who owned land upon its borders, undertook to clear this cen- tral area of all ciaims and incum- brances, and, having effected this, con- veyed ihe fee as a free gift to the town. The preamble of the deed reads as follow “We, Thomas Fanning and Joseph Perkins, both of Norwich, for and in consideration of the good will we have and do bear to the inhabitants of the Town of Nerwich, and in consideration of the desire we have that eald in- habitants may continually and at all times be furnished and accommodated with a free, open, unincumbered plece of land or ground, convenien: for a public Parade or Walk, do give, grant, remise, release and forever quit claim unto Doctor Joshua Lathrop, one of the principal inhabltants of said town, and to all the rest of the inhabitants of said Town of Norwich in their cor- porate capacity, and to their success- ors forever, for the use and purpose ot a Public Parade or open Walk, to be unincumbered with any kind of bulld- ing or buildings, public or private, or nuisance whatever, and for no other purpose. “Dated 5th day of April, 1797.* The first house ‘of any note to be built in this section of the town was built by Captain Henry Billings in 1785. This was later occupied as a store by Uriah Rogers & Sonm, but in 1814 hecame the home of the Rev. Al- fred Mitchell, ang here his son, Donald G, Mitchell, was born. This house steod back of the resi- dence of Henry A. Tirrell. Another house, long occupled by. the Dunham family, stood near the present corner of Washingtori and Sachem streets, The brick house, now the parsonage of the Park church, was buflt In 1789 and 1790 and immediately advertised as “The Teel House, sign of General Washington.” It was noted for its fine hall, where entertainments of va- rious kinds were given. In 1797 it was advertised for sale “on the central plain between the town and Landing, which according to the natural appedr- ance of things bids fair to be the seat of business for the town of Norwich.” At one time Willlam Woodbridge co Queted a scéhool here, and in 1813 it was 0ld to General William Willlams, who lived there for many years. The road leading from the east side of the Parade to the Landing, now Broadway, was {mproved abgut this time, Here lived Captain Solomon In- graham and Thomas Coit. Here were the L'Hommedieu house and ropewalk and the houses of Hezekiah Perkins and Captain Z. P. Burnham. Thomas Mumfprd occupied an estate of eight acres at the junction of the present. Union street and Broadway. Union street was the main thoroughfare, Broadway between the head of Union street and the court house not being opened until the year 1800. Christopher liss Brewer. “ernett. vices + At the opening of sentur, ated in Chelsea. owned by in homgs, church: of its own, wi Norwich as Viewed from Sunnyside in 1853 il lived where the court house now | twenty ve ands, The western road to Chelsea Landing 1y 2180 Improved dbout this time, and new section_thrown open. ver side of the street & house had | ‘n built In 1730 by Elijah Lathrop. | firs liis house was afterwards moved to | postoffice undoubtedly helped also to location further down the street, | loos vhere it is still standing, occupied by Between 1795 and 1509 ouses were built by Samuel Wood-| The first local newspaper, the . Nor- ridge, Theodore Barrell | Par The Breed family it the Jower end of Washington street | th < said to be the oldest house now re- aining in Chelsea. 1780 by Gershom Breed the TRUE NOATH On the and John residence It was built about | until Ju! nineteenth there were three churches sit- The services of the Second Congregational church. orgau- ized in 1751 as the Sixth society, were being held in a frame building on the site of the present.stone church, the Rey. Walter King being the pastor. Christ Bpiscopal church, pastoral care of the Rev. John Tyler, under the | people of the L‘ndlns had been obliged corner for their mail, But in 1803 the wbtished, with Jacob DeWitt as the postmaster. This change in the n the ties between the two settle- ments. wich Packet, had 'been started in 1773 by the firm of Robertsons & Trumbull, ir printing office being “at the foot of the Green near the Gourt House," 1776, when it was removed to a new bullding “near the Meeting House,” which continued to be known | for fitty years as Trumbull's printing office. For nearly, twenty years the Packet was the only Norwich paver. but in 1791 appeared the Weekly Register, the direct ancestor of the present Norwich Bulletin. The Register was a twelve- column, four-page journal, 10x17 inch- NORWICH CONN, IN. 1795 B HOUSES STiLL STANDING, 0 HOUSES REMOVED SINCE 1795 X HOUSES REMOVED BEFORE (795 SCALE (% _pe0 pm s00 500 ‘ap0 feel the the Trinity | by | T Hubbard. in a building which | 4 FPGULLIVER 1895 rs after the establishment of | postoffice of Chelsea Landing was es- | es In size, changing the next year to| one of sixteen columns, the dimensions | Chelsea Courler was issued. ~Although coming out under a different name, the paper had the same proprietor, editor, and publisher, the same press and type. The first issue of the Courler contained the following “Proposal:” PROPOSAL orF (THOMAS HURBARD * ublishing & Weekly Paper To Be Entitled CHELSEA COURIER. Conditions. 1. The Couridr will be printed* at Chelsea, ‘on Wednesday, and delivered to_City subscribers, fn_the forenoon. It shall be printed on good paper, of Royal size. 3. It shall contain the most {mport- ant Foreign and Domestic Inteiligence, together with such original produc- tions, &c,, as shail be thought deserv- ing of public iention. 4. The price to subscribers will be one dollar and sixty-seven cents per For annum, exclusive of postage. 5. One-half of the subscription will occupled a church bullding situated on ] remaining unaltered. It was printed the lot now Episcopal church. Tn 1800 a Baptist church was organ- | s ized, Elder John Stefry bein~ ordained s the first pastor. The ordination ser- | Congregational church, but a house of worship was | Chels. raised by the society in West Chelsea and occupled the next vea~ although | probable business center of the town. it remained*for a long time unfinished. Thus Chelsea Landing, having now business enterprises fast becoming inde- pendent of the mother settlement. For Ebenezer Bushnell, and later by opposite Trumbull's print- | ing offi By 1796 the Landing, gradually ac- Society, was beginning to &i promise of its future importance as the Believing in the future of this section of the town, Mr. Hubbard at this time determined upon the removal of his paper to the new fleld, and in eovem- ber, 1796, the frst mumber of the be expected on number. The first number of The Courler this makes its appearance. , That it continue and flourish, the liberal patronage of the public is’ necessary. To obtain which, the Editor is sensi- delivery of the first { quiring the name of New Chelséy, or [ble it must, at least, equal other pub- o | lications. of the kind, some of which, | in consequence of leng establishment, l and local situation may be thought by some to have the nreference. .As to locality of place, The Courier may vie with any, being issued from a place of as much business as any in this State, and where marine and oth- er intelligence can be obtained as early as elsewhere. A new h- ment generally stimulates to - artlons Of tourse, the Baiter vequiists his fellow citizens to_give him their patronage for a few months, st leas if they are not satisfied they bave the liberty of withdrawing it. Literary Gentlemen who are dis- posed to give their assistance will ha: the thanks of the - EDITOR. War with England was declared by the United States on June 19, 181 All activity ip the way of commerce on the Thames ceased at once, giving place to a period of anxiety, depres- slon, and gloom. An effective block- ade of the river was maintained for about two vears, and New London and other places on the Sound were in constant fear of an assault. A .call for troops went forth as follows “NEW CORPS Enlisted for ONE YEAR!!! “The future welfare of our injured country requires that the nation which . has presumed to violate ouf rights shiould be taught that-she cannot do it with impunity; ahd that it is her in- terest to observe rectitude of conduct towards a people whose character has been portrayed by an eminentt political writer in Europe, in these words: ‘The Americans are active in their persons; they are enterprisingy they are brave; and, which is of vast con- sequence, they are, from education, and almost from constitution, Sober, a vir- tue not at all less valuable 'In the Army than it is in domestic life. the n they' need so their minds. per manth, f 18 to 45, who ent, U. 8. Infantry have also provided artigles of Clothing and Medicines, for ician will attend kness, and if he n the service of his Country, he will be entitled to a pen- sion. “DAVID TRACY, Jun. “34 Lieut, 37th Regiment, U. 8. In- fantry. u‘ Rlfi‘duvom. Chelsea Landing, May . B~—Musiclans wanted Immedi- Bvery bald recruit! Twn't be afrald or skittish, Put mn me to Canada, 2nd to fight the British 1 ate saucy dogs, you know, CCT. their jackets—pray do; &;1 any Lobster in a pot, "Twill look as as they do. Den't be to meet the slaves, Who look so flaming red, Sir, Tho' Bull may hin soldlers fine, I've often seen them dead, Sir. dier fears not death, eet him oft his trade is, E¢'ll fight a battle when you please, And then he'll kiss the ladies. Cume, then, my enlist at once, To fight with slaves the free go, Good ‘bounty, pay, and clothing, too, Tou'll find with Sergeant GREGO, 26th Reg., U. 8. A « “N. B—Every able badied man he- tween 18 and 50 years of age will be accepted. Minors who enlist will be allowed four days for reflection, cur- ing which time they may withdraw 1t they choose. In August, 1814, the English made an unsuccessful attack upon Stoning- ton. Had it bepn successtul, it would doubtless have been followed by an atlack upon Norwich, which offered eat temptations for such an attack §icre were several valuable mills for the manufacture of paper and cotton clth, an arsenal for the reproduction of gun-carriages, and in the river and harbor were three ships of war, lying ba.pless, together with a crowd of ais- wantled merchant vessels. The situation was coneidered very jeal, and preparations had beeh rade to meet it. In pursuance of or- Cers from His BExcellency the Com- wander-in-Chief, the several regiments ¢ mposing the Third Brigade, had been closely inspected, and directed to hol6 themselves in readiness for ser- vice at a moment's warning Signal poies were erected on commanding points lke Lantern Hill, and if it shculd be Yound necessary to give an alarm, tar barrels were fo be burned on them, and the artillery companies were directtd to fire three times i Quick succession. ‘The news of peace and great were the re; Prep- arations were at once made for the rovival of business- The idle ships in the harbor made haste to resume thelr gear; the last of‘them, the Mace- U salled for New London on Ayril 4th. Although some of the manufacturing irterests of Norwich had recelved an Impetus from the needs of the time. ike general business of the town had teen thoroughly depressed. So much 50, indeed, that it remained almost without growth or improvement for several years. From 1800 to 1820 the population increased only 148. jut during this time the era of steam nsvigation had commenced. The Nor- wich Courler, in its issue of October 15, 1816, announced: o'clock p. m. We #top the press to announce the or- rival at this port of the new Steam Eoat Connecticut, Capt. Bunker,” &c. In 1817 a regular line of steamers cperseded the old packet system, with its days of uncertainty, when a tiip to New York was fkely to con- sume the better part of a week. THE APPRENTICE SYSTEM. vm Youth Were Bound Out to Ser- vice—Advertisements for Runaways ‘Which Disclose in What Esteem or Digesteom They Were Held. In & mew land, where Jaborers and are scarce, everyone must part. There must be black- smiths, ‘coopers, shoemakers, mechan- jcs everywhere. There were no trade schools, and boys desiring to learn a trade were obliged to serve an ap- grenticeship of from three to seven years before they were congidered cdm- petent to carry on business on their own_account. During the first years of their appfenticeship they received only their board In return for their services, living In the family of their employer, and often being given much kindly care and training. In this way William Cleveland, the ndfather of the president, learn f1a trade of siiversmith from {Thom Harland, the watch maker. Benediot ‘Arnold and Solomon_Smith ‘were ap- prentices of Doctors Daniel and Joshua Lathrop, in the first drug shop estab- lished -between Boston and New York. Smith afterwards opened the first’ drug store in Hartford, while Benedict Ar- nold became a successful druggist in New ven. ‘While many of these boys were ca. pable and industrious, mastering their trade, and becoming prosperous busi- ness men, others were incapable and restless, glving great trouble to their employers. In the latter part of the eighteenth tentury such advertige- ments as the following are often to To me suddenly, one r trousers of b meer Kreen pair nankeen 0 cloth trous shirt, come pudding In bis cravat—/ one #ilk sfockings. on. paip wuo.rmlr white cotton, and pair ler-gotton and wors ed ), & black sword cane, one large p bandanna handkerchief, o stampt ditto, representing the Tutelar Saints, tippy shoe, m r talkative— has worked in the ber's papers mijl some yeims, and was seen in com- y With a certain Kbeyezer Ames, @ tall old batchelor, by profession a miller. Sald spprentice also wore a tippy” black hat and a small gold wateh fn his pocket; has a ringworm on his_left temple bone, has a large of an ax, on one of his feet, rear his ancle. Whoever will take up said ‘avpren- tice and return him to his sald mas- ter shall receive the above reward, and all necessary chiarges. CHRIS. LEFFINGWELL. Norwich, in Connecticut, Sept. bth, 1798, One Dollar Reward. Ran away from the subséribed on the night following the ninth inet. indented® boy named Joseph 'P. Lang. ford, about eigitteen years of age, is of a. light complexion, and has Jight hair, and carried with him one mixed coloured great coat, one blug broad- cloth straight bodied do. one clouded nankeen db. one London_ brown vest, one Mersaillen do. one checked ging- ham do. one palr of London Brown trowsers, one rlir of nankeen do. three palr tow-eloth df two Holland skirts, two checked innen do. one muslin handkerchief, ' one Bandanne do. one pair qf Cotton Stockings, one pair of thread de. one n: d hat, and two pair of Bhoes,.—Whoever will re- turn sald 1o his master, shall re- celva ONE DOLLAR reward, and no charges” pajd. All persons are forbid harboring, employing or carrying off said apprentice on penalty of the law, LITAH TRACY. Libon. One Cent Reward. Ranaway—Geo. W. Collin ed boy, 13 years of age, a plexion, full face, middling helight. Wore away a dark fustian jacket, sat- inet pantaloons, and blue cioth cap. I ot reward. Runaway—Benoni Jordan. Ran away from the Subscribef on the first instant, an apprentice boy, named Benon{ Jordan, had on when he went away, & g coat, white shirt, old. patched overhalls, spotted stock- ings, nankeon jacket; is eighfeen yéars old, bushy light colored halr, stocky built, something of a_down look, about middling stature, and sometimes oalls his name Tuckerman. This is to for- bid all masters of vegsels and others from harboring or dealing with, or car- rying off sald boy on penalty of the law. Whoever will return sald boy to the subscriber shall have six cents re- ward and no charges gaid JOHN HUSTON. Runaway—Samuel Roath. About 19 years of age, 5 foet 8 inches high, has a very logy gate, a bashtul look, and a savage disposition. 0 mills reward. NATHAN CHAMPLIN. Run away—Duty Underwood. Ran away from the s eriber on the night following the 23d day of March Inst. an apprentice nimed DUTY UNDERWOOD,sev years of age, about five feet six | s high. Whoever will take up sald Runaway and return him to me, shall have SIX "ENTS reward, and no charges paid All persons are forbid trading wi harboring or concealing said Runaway upon the penalty of the law. Dated at Voluntown, March 81st, 1797, JONAS PORTELO. Runaway—Elizabeth Corey. An apprentice girl in the 17th year of her age “she has dark hair—her teet turn out” Two - cents reward, no charge paid. Exeter. NATHANIEL BARBER. Runaway Thomas Robinson. Mulatto apprentice boy, “of a mid. dling face and long hair” 19 yrs old, a weaver by trade; had on ‘a Grey Coa Walstcoat, and Overalls and Felt Hat 6 cents reward and no charges paid. PHRO MOODY, Preston. Runaway—Azariah Randall. An indented boy, “fourteen years of age, dark complection, and black hadr —He has lost the fors finger of his hand—he wore awhy & dark col- oured short Jacket and coating trows- ers, &c.” 12 cenis’ reward, no charges pata. A CRITICAL PERIOD. Dissatisfaction from 1820 to 1837 Re= sulted In an-Endeavor to Have Nor- wich Town and West Chelsea Sef Off as Separate Towns—Ths Twe Petitions—The Limits of the City Fixed by the Legislature In May, 1827, The years from 1820 to 1836 mark the critical perod in the history et Norwich. Up to this date the old settlement around the green, extending to the cast “around town” to Hur- land’s corner and to the west up to Bean Hill, bad maintained its wu- premacy as fhe business center, the seat of the political governmen and as the court and county seat; and it was also the postoffice center. It has been shown in what has pre. viously been said that the village site of OId Norwich from 1720 to 1784 was the center of all the surrounding vil~ lage sites, even Including that of Chel- sea. It the center of trade for & large rural community. 1 of us who love Norwich with its traditions and history of 250 yea must realize that this center, two mil from tidewater, was not the natursl geographic center of business for t Greater Norwich of the future, which we fondly hope may be an accomplish- ed fact in the course of the next gen- eration, when more active growth takes place, and the village site of Chel- sea, now the city of Norwich, shall have spread in all directions, ‘and con pletely amalgamating the surrounding village site of Thamesville, the West Side, the East Great Plain, the Falls, 01d Norwich (now Norwich Town and Bean Hill, Yantle, Taftville, ville, Long Society, the BEast (Preston), Laurel Hill, Sunnyside, Po- quetanuck, and Hallville. ‘When this has been accomplished, the petty jealousies and sectional strife which have been too characteristic of the history of Norwich for the last 100 years will have entirely disappeared and untfl this is = accomplished we ought all to realize that what Is of real benefit to one ection town or city really benefits the o town and.city., This 18 no new idea. ax will be seen from the following quotation from the Norwich Courle 1823, the time of the heated dixcussions of this critical period: is literally the era of mo":fll. ut thes & his Sclrcely a week pases with being some new schen ti “Come forth, my countrymen, end [be found in the newspapers, ot‘r:rlu improv be School Masters to the foel Ime rewards ranging from; LY