Читать книгу History of Bridgeport and Vicinity, Volume 1 - George Curtis Waldo jr. - Страница 7

THE BOROUGH

The second period in the governmental history of the City of Bridgeport begins in the year 1800 when the inhabitants of the Village of Newfield were incorporated as a borough under the corporate title of the Borough of Bridgeport. This incorporation occurred on October 28th, the records of Joseph Backus, the last village clerk, stating such fact and that "hereafter no business will be done except in the name of the warden, burgesses and freeman of the Borough of Bridgeport."

The borough era of Bridgeport covers a period of about thirty-six years, during which time the small village of 200 people grew into a community of 3,000 souls. It released itself from the government of Stratford and, according to all available records, progressed faster during these years than any other community in the state. That the change should have come to the people of Newfield was only natural, as the system of town government was rapidly becoming too cumbersome. The center of that government was a good three miles away in the Village of Stratford and consequently the Stratford authorities took little interest in Newfield. Money which was used for town improvements found little use in Newfield, as the latter was just a small fractional part of the whole in land area. At last it became evident that the only method of securing necessary improvements was by a special act of the General Assembly, granting to them powers of self-government in order to make such improvements as they needed and were willing to purchase. In order to accomplish this they appealed to the General Assembly at its October session of 1800 to be incorporated as a borough. The first section of the charter was as follows:

"An Act for incorporating part of the Town of Stratford made and passed in and by the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut holden at New Haven in said State on the Second Thursday of October, A. D., 1800.

"Sec. 1. — Re it enacted by the Governor and Common Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled: That all the Freemen of this state, inhabitants of the Town of Stratford, in Fairfield County, dwelling and inhabiting within the following bounds, viz.: Beginning at the sea at the south end of the line dividing the Towns of Stratford and Fairfield, and thence running north on said line to the south end of the Line Road, so called, between the Towns of Stratford and Fairfield, thence east to the east side of the said Line Road, thence northwardly on the east side of said Line Road to the southwest end of the Golden Hill Road, so-called, thence on the southeast side of the said Golden Hill Road to the Newtown Road, so-called, thence east across said Newtown Road to the west side of Indian Lot, so-called, thence northwardly on the east side of said Newtown Road to the northwest corner of said Indian Lot, thence eastwardly on the north line of said Indian Lot to the west side of Newfield Harbor, thence southwardly to an island or dry knoll in Newfield Harbor opposite said Indian Lot, thence southwardly to the middle of Newfield or Lottery Bridge, so-called, thence southwardly to the easternmost end of Welles Tongue, so-called, at low water mark, thence southwestwardly on the edge of the beach at low water mark to the first mentioned bounds on the south side of the line dividing said Towns of Stratfield and Fairfield, be and the same are hereby ordained, constituted and declared to be from time to time, forever hereafter, one body corporate and politic in fact and in name, by the name of the Warden, Burgesses and Freeman of the Borough of Bridgeport, and by that name they and their successors, forever shall and may have perpetual succession and shall be persons in law, capable of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded in all suits of what nature soever, and also to purchase, hold and convey away estate, real or personal, and may have a common seal and may change and alter the same at pleasure, and shall be freeman of said borough."

These borough limits described above did not materially increase the territorial limits of the corporation. The new lines only added the territory belonging to Stratford which lay west of it, and which for some reason was seemingly intentionally omitted therefrom, and notwithstanding, in so doing, imaginary instead of fixed boundaries had to be substituted. By the new act the western boundary of the borough began at "the sea" at the south end of the dividing line between the towns of Stratford and Fairfield. The Line Road, or Park Avenue, which formed the dividing line between the two towns, ended at about the place where it enters Seaside Park now. Between here and Long Island Sound was privately owned property, mostly farm lands, across which passed the fictitious line of division between the towns. The borough line also followed this Park Avenue line, although instead of taking the center of the highway as did the town boundary it was shifted to the east side of the road and followed the street line north to the southeast corner of Washington Avenue, or Golden Hill Lane. From this point the line followed the southern side of Washington Street to the Pequonnock River, which in the quoted description is called "Newfield Harbor," a designation of mysterious origin. The eastern boundary of the borough was somewhat changed. The borough line was evidently designed to follow the channel of the Pequonnock from the northern end east of the Indian Lot to an island opposite the said lot, near its southern line, which was near what is now Lumber Street. This island was also known as Indian Island and was situated at East Washington Avenue. The island has long since been obliterated. From this island the borough line was to intersect the center of the "Newfield or Lottery Bridge," which bridge started a few rods west of East Main Street, on what is now Stratford Avenue, and its western end was about at the foot of Wall Street. The site of the bridge was changed in 1807 and placed where the Fairfield Avenue Bridge was afterward located. From the center of this bridge the line extended to the low water mark at Welles Tongue, thence westward to the Fairfield line.

The annual borough election was to be "holden in November at such time and place as the by-laws of said borough shall direct," and that there should be chosen a warden six burgesses, a clerk, treasurer and bailiff by ballot. The borough was, also, in "legal meeting assembled" empowered to lay taxes on the polls and ratable estates within the limits of said borough for such purposes as said borough shall deem proper." A collector could be chosen to collect these taxes. The bailiff had powers very similar to the latter office of constable. The warden and burgesses had full power to transact business relative to the improvement of the borough, making of public ordinances and setting all difficulties arising. There was a difference in the making of ordinances from the later Courts of Common Council was that the wardens and burgesses had to submit all new ordinances to the freeman at a borough meeting.

FIRST BOROUGH MEETING

The following is a copy of the record of the 'first meeting of the Freeman of the Borough under its charter:

"At the first legal meeting of the Freeman of the Borough of Bridgeport, holden at the brick school house in said Borough on the second Wednesday or 12th day of November, A. D., 1800, Abijah Sterling, Esq., presiding.

"Joseph Backus was chosen clerk of the said borough for the year ensuing, and the oath by law prescribed was by said Abijah Sterling, justice of the peace for Fairfield County, immediately administered to him, the said Joseph Backus.

"And Amos Hubbell was chosen warden of said borough, and sworn according to law by said Justice Sterling.

"And Josiah Lacy was chosen first burgess.

"And –––– –––– was chosen second burgess, and John S. Cannon was chosen third burgess, and Salmon Hubbell was chosen fourth burgess, and Lambert Lockwood was chosen fifth burgess, and William Peet was chosen sixth burgess, and all were duly sworn by Justice Sterling according to law, and William Wordin second burgess, but refused to serve.

"And Isaac Hinman was chosen treasurer.

"And William Peabody was chosen bailiff and sworn by said Justice Sterling according to law.

"And voted, That the first meeting of the warden and burgesses be holden at the dwelling house of Ezra Gregory in said borough on the 24th day of November, A. D., 1800, at 2 o'clock, afternoon.

"Test., Joseph Backus, clerk."

It may be said here that Joseph Backus claimed to have been the author of the borough charter. In reality, it is believed that the charter was simply an adaptation of other city charters.

The William Wordin who was chosen second burgess, but refused to accept the office, was the leader of a small crowd which was opposed to the best interests of the borough. His residence stood on the northeast corner of Park Avenue and State Street and was excluded from the corporation limits, the line coming just to the east line of his dooryard fence. He, with his neighbors, afterward tried to be set off from the borough.

According to the plans formulated the warden and burgesses met at the house of Ezra Gregory on November 24th and transacted their first official business. The first thing done was to instruct the clerk to procure a record book, whereupon they adjourned until 6 o'clock of the same day. The clerk appeared with the book, which he had purchased from Lazarus Beach for five shillings six pence and charged the same to the borough. The men in session also voted to erect a sign post according to law "on public ground near the northwest corner of the fire engine house." The only public ground known to have existed at that time was that portion of State Street east of the east line of Water Street. Here the fire engine house was probably located. To speak of this as a fire engine house may give the impression that it was a commodious building, wherein it was undoubtedly a shack, or frame shed, to protect the engine.

After due consideration and several meetings at the homes of the members the warden and burgesses met at the brick school house on January 16, 1810 and approved the first by-laws of the borough. These were relative to the conduct of borough meetings, with a few extra rules, not the least interesting of which is the following: "A Bylaw for restraining swine from going at large within the limits of this Borough." Any person could, after this ordinance or by-law went into effect, impound any stray porker, whereupon the owner would have to pay fifty cents per head for the release of his animals. Of the fifty cents the borough got twenty-five cents, the impounder twenty and the pound keeper five cents. A suit by Anson Hawley later resulted in minor changes in this particular by-law. The financial affairs of the borough during its infancy remains a mystery as the records have been lost. One debt of $109.06 was paid, its identity not known. Other small sums were paid out to different citizens and a tax of two cents on the dollar was levied on the list of the polls and ratable estates for the year 1801.

THE BOROUGH HIGHWAYS

The portion of Water Street lying between Bank and State streets was not a public highway, although it had been used as such at the beginning of the century. Also Bank Street, then known as Morris Street, was mostly private property. This grew directly out of the establishment of the road along the Pequonnock River about 1750. This highway, which was largely theoretical, followed an indefinite course, going along the shore of the river and turning at the creeks and coves of the harbor. There was a creek at Bank Street and here the highway turned westward until it reached high water mark, then turned to the east again going to the river along the south side of the creek. With the coining of the Newtown Road, or Main Street, and the Fairfield Road, or State Street, that part of the highway on the north side of the creek was extended to the Newtown Road and public travel naturally followed State Street on the south side of the creek. This change left a space in Water Street between Bank and State which was private property. Stephen Burroughs then owned a piece of property on the river front, from the south line of Bank Street to some point between that and State Street. He also laid claim to the water front from the north side of his property to a line drawn on a line with the north side of Bank Street. There were two stores on this property, known as the South and North stores. In erecting the latter, with a wharf attached, he had occupied one rod in width of the water front north of the south line of Bank Street. This the borough inhabitants claimed was public highway, probably having been a part of the original 1750 highway. Burroughs in 1802 made propositions to the warden and burgesses to secure a release of the borough's interest in that rod of land in question and also for a highway on the east side of his stores. The officials, at meeting January 22, 1802, held that "the warden and burgesses will compound with Captain Stephen Burroughs respecting his encroachments on what is claimed a highway wherein said Burroughs has a wharf and store, provided he will quit claim all his right and title to the slip north of his store, together with the highway west of said slip on the south side of the lands of the heirs of Amos Hubbell, called Morris Street, out to the Newtown Road." The up-shot of the matter was that Burroughs by quit claim deed conveyed all of his right and title in Morris Street and the slip in question to the borough. This is without doubt the. first authority vested in the borough to lay out new streets and highways.

The east half of the square between Bank and State Streets, which was originally the creek, became a danger to the public health. Most of the time the ground was covered with stagnant water wherein mosquitoes multiplied unhindered. The power which had been given to the warden and burgesses was first exercised here when they issued an order to the owners of the property to raise their buildings and fill in their lots in order to rid the community of the menace to health. This order was passed at a meeting held March 21, 1805. Margaretta Young, Benjamin Wheeler, Silas Sherman, Salmon Hubbell and Robert Linus were the property owners directly effected by this order.

From this order, which is very lengthy, it appears that State Street was at that time, 1805, called State Street and Water Street was called Water Street. Bank Street was known as Morris Street and was not changed until the Bridgeport Bank was located on the northeast corner of Morris Street and the Newtown Road.

On October 1, 1805 the warden and burgesses laid out eight public highways in the borough, and Samuel Gregory, Jr., Isaac Booth and Philip Sterling were appointed appraisers to estimate the damages consequent upon their layout. It is believed, however, that the eight roads were practically highways at the time they were laid out. as the bill for damages was very small considering the scope of the work. The first highway laid out was that portion of Water Street between Fairfield Avenue and Wall Street. The second was Fairfield Avenue between Main Street and Water Street. The third was Wall Street and the eighth, Court Street from State Street six rods south. Wall Street to Fairfield Avenue. The fifth, Broad Street from State Street to John Street. The sixth, John Street from Main Street to Broad Street. The seventh, Bank Street from Main Street to Broad Street and the eight, Court Street from State Street six rods souths.

This improvement was very extensive considering the financial status of the population and as a consequence when this was completed there came a decided lull in the civic improvement activity. The warden and burgesses could find no funds in the treasury to lay out additional roads, nor would the people consent to pay taxes sufficient to warrant the work. The officials could and had the power to lay out a highway any place they chose, but in so doing they were compelled to pay the land owners for the ground utilized. This was a decided obstacle to further work. However, there were two improvements they desired above all else — a Public Green and the extension of the Newtown Road south to the old highway, or "that portion of Water Street which passed around Baker's Pond so-called."

The funds for this work could not be secured from the people, so the borough "fathers" met and devised another plan to raise the cash. It seems as if the borough owned a portion of a highway which was not used for public travel and which could be sold. The Fairfield Road (State Street) ended on the east at low water mark on the Pequonnock River and that portion east of the east line of Water Street was known as the "borough slip." This was forty-nine and a half feet wide, located in the center of the business portion, and was not used, except that the fire engine shack stood on the north side of it. On December 17, 1806 the warden and burgesses ordered a meeting on the 26th for discussing the advisability of selling this ground, "the avails thereof to be applied to the purchasing of new highways, etc." At the meeting on the 26th the officials were empowered to sell this land. Not until February 9th of the next year, 1807, was any further action taken. Then the burgesses voted to sell twenty-six feet of the slip at public auction on the second Monday in the following March. All that is known in addition to this is that on the 17th of March a deed was given to William De Forest, the same signed by Josiah Lacy, warden, William Peet, Salmon Hubbell, Isaac Hinman, Ezra Gregory and Reuben Tweedy, burgesses. The fact that the engine house occupied the other part of the slip probably accounts for the failure to sell all of it at this time. At this same time, also, the officials purchased a parcel of land from Salmon Hubbe! 1 for .$800, the same which now constitutes the portion of the City Hall Green west of the building. The building itself stands on land then owned by Daniel Fayerweather. All of this ground was afterwards referred to in the record as the "Public Green." It was purchased ostensibly for highway purposes, but was never, either before or after the purchase, intended as such. The remainder of the slip above mentioned was sold to De Forest in 1824 for $300, which was one-fifth of the amount he first paid for a portion in 1807.

As has been stated the southern terminus of the Newtown Road was at State Street. The inhabitants desired its extension to the "traveled road near the dwelling house of Ebenezer Allen." This traveled road was that portion of the original layout of Water Street which curved around what was known as Baker's Pond, and constituted the original of South Avenue. The first purchase to secure this extension was made from William W. Gilbert of New York on June 6, 1807, $100 being the consideration. Other purchases were made from Silas Sherman and Aaron Hawley. These conveyances opened a highway to below what is now Gilbert Street, probably to Thomas Street. The records apparently prove that nothing definite was ever done in regard to laying out this road, although a highway traversed the route. Fourteen years after, when the Town of Bridgeport was asked to bridge Baker's Pond that Main Street might be extended south, the committee reported that Main Street between State and Baker's Pond had never been accepted as a public highway, and therefore the town was not obliged to keep it in repair or to bridge the creek.

The first by-laws of a purely municipal character for the borough were approved at the meeting held May 3, 1808. There were four of these, relating to the creation of the offices for street and fire inspectors; the removing of obstructions from the streets and highways of the borough; the naming of the streets; and the establishment of building lines. The by-law for the naming of the streets reads as follows:

"A By-Law Naming the Streets in the Borough of Bridgeport.

"Be it ordained by the Warden, Burgesses and Freemen of the Borough of Bridgeport: —

"That the name of the street running northerly and southerly on the margin of the harbor be called Water Street.

"And that the name of the street running northerly between the house lot of Robert Linus on the west and the land of Charles Nichols on the east be Middle Street.

"And that the name of the street running southerly from the southerly end of the Bridgeport and Newtown Turnpike Road be Main Street.

"And that the name of the street running northerly from the outer harbor by the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches be Broad Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the land of the late Major Aaron Hawley on the north and the house of the late Daniel Young on the south be Union Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the store of the heirs of Daniel Clifford on the south and the store of Salmon Hubbell on the north be State Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the store of Beach and Sterling on the south and land of Mrs. Elinor Hubbell on the north be Bank Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the house of Edmund Lewis on the south and the land of Charles Nichols on the north be Wall Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the house of John S. Cannon on the south and Stephen Burroughs, Jr. on the north be Beaver Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Water Street between the land of Sterling Edwards on the south and Jesse Sterling on the north be Gold Street.

"And that the name of the street running westerly from Main Street between the house of Isaac Burroughs on the south and Samuel Burr on the north be John Street."

The only new street mentioned in this record is Gold Street, which before this time occupied no place in the borough books. In 1805 Samuel Porter owned a tract of land extending from the Newtown Road east to the Pequonnock River. On December 11th of that year he deeded to Nancy De Forest a lot bounded on the west by the Newtown Road on land left for a highway to be laid open by him, two rods in width. The lot sold to Nancy De Forest is the north corner of Gold and Main streets. He subsequently deeded a piece of property to Joseph Sterling Edwards and Jesse Sterling and in each case gave as one of the boundaries a two-rod highway on land laid open for a highway. This land so laid open constituted Gold Street in 1808. Although the records make no mention of the matter, it is highly probable that Mr. Porter gave a quit claim deed for this highway to the city, else the warden and burgesses could not, under the law have treated it as a public highway when they approved the by-laws naming the streets. The officials of the borough were rather lax in interpreting the law at different times during these years, also in recording the transactions made by themselves.

After the streets had been named and a by-law passed establishing building lines on all the streets and highways within the borough limits, there came a period of fifteen years when no tax was levied upon the inhabitants. Public business, building operations and borough improvements were at a standstill during this time. Up until this time the wardens of the borough had been: Amos Hubbell, Josiah Lacy, William Peet, John S. Cannon, Joseph Backus, Lambert Lock wood, William Benedict, Hezekiah Ripley and Simon Backus. The burgesses included such men as: David Minot, Silas Sherman, Salmon Hubbell, Ezra Gregory, Abijah Hawley, Isaac Hinman, Samuel Hawley, Thomas Gouge, Lewis Sturges, Reuben Tweedy, Willam De Forest, Aaron Hawley, David Sterling, George Hayt, Daniel Sterling, William King, David Rodgers, Daniel Burritt, Ezekiel Hubbell, James W. Alen, Agur Lewis, Jr., and Jesse Sterling.

During this period, it is claimed upon good authority, the expenses of the borough rarely run over $10 per year. The roads were kept in repair by the Town of Stratford; the paupers were cared for by individuals or by the community and education was conducted by districts. About the only real borough expense was the fire engine. The taxes which were levied in rather an indifferent manner served to pay all the necessary expenses of the borough, of which there were few.

In 1817 building lines were established on the west side of Water Street between Beaver and Wall Streets and on the north side of Wall Street. However, at that time there were no buildings erected at any of these points. In September the Court appears to have made an effort to lay out some new streets and widen some of the old ones. The opening of a road from Fairfield Avenue to Washington Avenue was one of the items; this corresponded to what is now the north part of Cortland Street. Another was the extension of Golden Hill Street through the land of Samuel Hawley and that of the heirs of Zebulon Kirtland. The widening of Water Street at the southeast corner of Wall Street; the extension of Middle Street from Fairfield Avenue north to Gold Street; the extension of Broad Street north from John Street to Beaver Street, were other propositions made, but upon which no immediate action was taken, due probably to the fact that the property owners demanded too much in damages. This brings up the true condition of affairs during those years, when money was made in small quantities and also spent in equally small portions. There were first of all two classes of freemen in the Borough of Bridgeport — the farmer and the merchant. Between these two there existed a mild rivalry, perhaps opposition. Town government was yet in the experimental stage. For about seventeen years the village had been under the government of the Town of Stratford, of which its territory was but a very small part. Once the Borough of Bridgeport came into being there arose questions of government which were too burdensome for the freeman and too expensive for their pocketbooks. The burgesses laid out streets, it is true, but in almost every case these streets had been highways before, so it became simply the task of making these roads public highways in order that the expense of caring for them should fall upon the Town of Stratford. The treasury of the borough was practically nothing and the freeman hesitated to tax themselves to lay out new highways. Highways cost money, as the land owners had to be compensated unless they donated their ground to the community, which they very seldom did. Under the charter of the borough the burgesses, with the approval of the freeman, could lay out new highways, also widen and straighten the old ones within the borough limits. The Town of Stratford could do likewise. The only difference was that in the former case the borough freemen bore the expense and in the latter the town freeman paid the bills. Again, as the borough freemen were necessarily a part of the town they were called upon to share in the expense of laying out roads in parts of the town removed from Bridgeport. So, it is not strange that they should think that in return the town freemen should help in the street improvements within the limits of the borough. The people of the town failed to harmonize with the borough upon this proposition, as they believed that every street in Bridgeport would mean extra expense to the town for repairs and maintenance. They had sufficient highways for their own use and they failed to comprehend why the merchants living along the Pequonnock should not pay for extra roads from which they would alone derive profit. The rural population had not yet realized that the greater the population the greater value their farms would have. In one way their attitude might be called selfishness and in another ignorance of conditions.

The borough owned certain portions of highways which could be sold according to the provisions of the charter and the proceeds applied to the purchase of new ones, as had been done in 1807, in the sale of the public slip at the foot of State Street. There were three of these slips remaining and the more progressive of the citizens thought that they should be sold and the funds used to lay out new highways. Other people believed to the contrary. At the meeting of May 7, 1818 it was voted to be "expedient to sell the remainder of the highway east of Water Street between the store of William DeForest and the wharf of David Minot for the purchasing and widening of highways." The sale was held and the land bought by Henry Burr for $502. However, Burr never took possession of the land, a future record of the court stating that the sale was given up.

In 1818 a tax of seven mills upon the dollar was levied for the purpose of providing better fire protection. This tax was the first since the year 1802, when a tax of two cents on the dollar was made. A committee was later appointed to purchase a fire engine, but beyond this statement no further facts are available.

In March, 1821, acting on the petition of Isaac Sherman and others, the burgesses ordered the extension of Middle Street from Fairfield Avenue to Gold Street.

FIRST WATER PIPES

On September 17, 1822 permission was granted to Reuben Tweedy, Smith Tweedy and Lemuel Hubbell to place logs or pipes under the ground for the purpose of carrying water in this borough, provided that the public should not be inconvenienced by the breaking up of the ground. This was the first attempt to supply public water to the community in places where water was not readily obtainable. It was the pioneer of the "Bridgeport Golden Hill Aqueduct Company," chartered eleven years later. The sources of supply for this crude affair were two springs on the south side of Golden Hill. The first spring was north of Golden Hill Street and west of Hewitt Street. The other was just east of the Powder House. The pipes, which were made from logs bored through the center lengthwise, were laid across the vacant lots to Beaver Street and then connected into one main. This main followed the north line of Beaver Street to Main, thence on the west line of Main Street to State, and thence on the north line of State Street to Water.

MOKE HIGHWAYS

The borough officials held a meeting on September 10, 1824, when the question of naming streets again came up for action. The records state the results of this meeting as follows:

"Voted, that the following names of streets be offered for acceptance by the freemen of the borough, viz.:

"That the street commencing south of David Sterling's house lot on Main Street and running west over Golden Hill be Golden Hill Street.

"And that the street commencing on State Street west of the house lot of Widow James Fayerweather and running southerly in front of the house of Capt. Joel Thorp, said street being three rods wide, be called Fayette Street.

"And that the street commencing on State Street, laid out three rods wide by L. Lockwood, Esq., twenty rods west of Fayette Street and running in a southerly direction through the land of L. Lockwood, Esq., be called Lambert Street.

"And that the street three rods wide between the dwelling house of Jesse Sterling on the north and David B. Nichols on the south, running west to Broad Street, be called Gilbert Street.

"And that the street commencing opposite the twin houses of Ira Sherman on Broad Street and running west to Fayette Street, it being three rods wide, be called Liberty Street.

"And that the street commencing on Beaver Street and running in a northwesterly direction in front of Samuel C Kirtland's dwelling house be called Courtland Street."

At a later meeting of the freemen of the borough the action of the burgesses in naming the streets was approved. It has been claimed that Courtland Street was named after Samuel C. Kirtland and that he laid out the street, but the records seem to disprove this idea. It is more probable that the street derived its name in honor of the family of Zebulon Kirtland than from any one of his descendants. Lambert Street was named after Lambert Lockwood; this street was later named Warren Street. John Street took its name from John S. Cannon and Gilbert Street from W. W. Gilbert of New York, who owned a large tract of land extending from the water front across Main Street. Fayette Street, later more properly called Lafayette Street, was undoubtedly named after the famous French Marquis, who had just visited Bridgeport.

The Court of Burgesses, at their meeting of December 18, 1830, at the store of D. B. Nichols, "Voted, that the following names for the new streets be offered to the electors of this borough for acceptance, viz.: The one running east and west between D. B. Nichols and Jesse Sterling's dwelling be called Gilbert Street; the one running east and west between Moses Plat and Gideon Thompson's dwelling be called Clinton Street; the one running east of the Episcopal and Congregational churches be called Church Street; the one running east and west between James Allen, Jr., and Elias Hodge's dwelling be called James Street, and the one running south of Isaac Mason's dwelling house be called Mott Street."

At the borough meeting of the 27th of the same month it was "Voted, That the street running east and west between the dwellings of Joseph Allen and Elias Hodge be called Division Street; and that the street south of Isaac Mason's dwelling house running east and west be called Mott Street."

The burgesses, on January 24, 1833, "Voted, That the following name for the street running from Main Street to the Golden Hill Road be offered to the electors of this borough for acceptance, viz.: Arch Street." The borough meeting of February loth voted to so name the street. On September 25, 1833, the burgesses "Voted, That the street running from Main to Broad Street between the houses of Captain Thaddeus Hubbell and Doctor Samuel Simons be named Cannon Street."

FIRST STREET LIGHTING

At the annual borough meeting held November 28, 1825 it was voted that Ransom C. Canfield and Lewis C. Segee be appointed a committee to investigate the cost of street lamps for the principal highways of the borough. By December 7th the following resolution was passed: "Resolved, That eight lights be erected in the borough, to be distributed as follows: One to be put in the center of Company Block; one on the corner of Thaddeus Hubbell's store; one at the corner of Seth B. Jones' shop; one at Kippen & Camp's; one at the corner of Charles Winton's house; one at Widow Miriam Hubbell's corner; one at the corner of D. Sterling's store; one at the west end of the bridge."

The first lamp was to be located about midway between Main Street and the old post-office on State Street; the second on Water Street between State and Bank; the third on the west side of Water Street, near Union Street; the fourth on the west side of Water Street between Bank and Wall streets; the fifth on the northwest corner of Main and Bank streets; the sixth at the southeast corner of Wall and Main streets; the seventh at the northwest corner of Wall and Water streets; and the eighth at the foot of Beaver Street, or Fairfield Avenue.

This was undoubtedly the first attempt at street lighting in Bridgeport. The lights, so far as illumination was concerned, were inadequate; whale oil was used in the lamps, the light from which was little more than that from a tallow candle. In the winter the lamps were taken down and stored away until the coming of spring. Just why this was done is not clear, except that travel upon the highways was not great during the severe winter months and the inhabitants remained at home more.

FIRST SIDEWALK ACTION

At the borough meeting held February 3, 1828 "a by-law respecting sidewalks" was approved. This was the first attempt to provide sidewalks in Bridgeport, that is, through borough action. The Varden and burgesses were given the power to order sidewalks to be built wherever needed and to compel the owner of the land where they were needed to pay for them. The by-law, as made then, was not of legal validity. It was modeled after those of several other cities in the state, notably Hartford, New Haven, New London and Middletown, none of which had ever believed the by-law to be of much strength. However, the fact remains that the officials of the Borough of Bridgeport made the law and enforced it to the letter. If there was any opposition at any time it does not appear upon the borough records.

At this same meeting a by-law was passed relating to a watch, which is the first indication of the need of a public watch to protect property and maintain peace in the borough. The watch was empowered to place his prisoner in the house of correction until trial.

At a meeting of the Court of Burgesses September 17, 1829, at the office of Alanson Hamlin, it was

"Voted, That in the opinion of this Court it is necessary that following sidewalks should be made or repaired, and that the clerk order the proprietor of the lands adjoining to do the same with gravel, six feet wide by the 27th day of October next, viz.:

"East side of the Public Green.

"East side of Broad Street from the Episcopal Church to the house of John Brooks, Jr., and from John Street to Beaver Street.

"North side of State Street from the house of P. and S. F. Hurd to the western limit of the borough.

"South side of State Street from Main Street to the land of Matthew Curtis.

"North side of Bank Street to Broad Street.

"South side of Beaver Street from Main Street to Courtland Street.

"North side of Beaver Street from Water Street to the land of Philip A. Cannon.

"East side of Water Street in front of D. Perry's wharf, and from store of P. and E. Lewis to P. A. Cannon's wharf.

"West side of Water Street in front of the store occupied by Curtis & Seeley and house lot of D. B. Nichols.

"West side of Main Street in front of Philip Hayt's land.

"East side of Main Street in front of bank lot and the store of William De Forest and Jesse Sterling.

"South side of Wall Street in front of Miriam Hubbell's."

This was the beginning of the establishment of public sidewalks by the borough authorities. The walks were not graded, but followed the natural inclination of the ground.

FIRE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT

During the period of borough government in Bridgeport the principal object which held the attention of the warden and burgesses was the fire department. It was at once the most important and most indispensable of the borough's possessions. The meetings held by the Court of Burgesses invariably were largely occupied by the discussion of ways and means of bettering the department, adding new apparatus and determining on the number and identity of the members. Something has been said in preceding paragraphs about the beginning of the department, and now something more of the development during the borough period must be told as introductory to the description of the present efficient firefighting organization of the City of Bridgeport.

In March of 1828 a fire started in the cooper shop occupied by Ashbel Olmstead, which was consumed, together with six stores and dwellings on Bank and State streets, causing a loss of $6,000. The borough naturally hurried to meet in order to devise something new in the way of fire protection. On March 31st it was 44 Voted, That pumps be provided at the expense of the borough for the well at the southeast corner of Main and State streets and all other wells which shall be dug by individuals for public use, of eight feet in diameter at the bottom and of such a depth as the warden and burgesses shall approve. That the warden and burgesses provide for the use of the borough six fire hooks, six ladders, and sufficient length of hose and rope and two axes, and put the engines in complete repair." Acts were also passed regulating the 'mode of building within the borough limits and prescribing certain rules for the inhabitants to follow, all to further secure the community from the ravages of fire.

The old fire bucket preceded the modern hydrant and the use of it was largely governed by the amount of water in any given locality in the community. The "suction engine" had succeeded the primitive apparatus, which was simply a force pump on wheels and had to be supplied with water by pouring it into a tank underneath the pump, which water had to be carried from wells nearby. This led to the formation of the "bucket brigade." Every male person within certain prescribed ages was considered a volunteer in the department and when an alarm sounded he had to run for the scene of the fire, bringing with him his bucket. In this manner water could be carried from all wells within reach and the tank underneath the pump was thereby kept full.

The fire of 1828 was so disastrous that the freemen quickly came to the realization that something more must be done. They applied to the General Assembly to establish fire limits in the borough and within which was prohibited the erection of any building in which a fire was to be kept, unless the building was constructed of brick or stone. The Assembly immediately passed an amendment to the charter with this provision incorporated. The fire limits thus established comprised practically all of the business section of the borough. Steamboats lying along the water front were placed under restrictions in firing up, lest cinders and sparks from the "chimneys" ignite nearby frame buildings. Blacksmiths, tallow chandlers, bakers and others who demanded a fire within their place of business had to obtain permission to open up in the fire limits. New fire engines were purchased from time to time and new hook and ladder trucks. New companies were formed, with their regular complement of officers, to man these wagons.

On the night of November 21, 1833, another disastrous fire started. It originated in the cabinet maker's shop of Parrott & Hubbell on Main Street, south of Wall Street, and before the flames were brought under control the cabinet shop, a store, and eight dwellings were burned, entailing a loss of $12,000. Immediately afterward a new suction pump engine was purchased.

This brings the history of Bridgeport up to the time of its incorporation as a city. The last annual meeting of the freemen for the election of officers was held at the high school on State Street December 23, 1835.