Читать книгу History of Bridgeport and Vicinity, Volume 1 - George Curtis Waldo jr. - Страница 8

Prior to June 11, 1821, all that portion of Bridgeport lying east of Park Avenue constituted a part of the Town of Stratford and all that part lying west of this avenue remained a portion of the Town of Fairfield for forty-nine years afterward, or, until July 5, 1870. Tin's same Park Avenue was known during the borough times as the Line Road, which name it has been called in the preceding chapter. When Bridgeport became a city, that part of it below the "Old Stage Road," or North Avenue, was named Division Street. Not until the west side was annexed to the city was the present and legal name of Park Avenue given to it.

The May session of the General Court of Connecticut in the year 1821 brought an important change in the Town of Stratford. All of the inhabitants living in the western section of Stratford were at this time set off and incorporated as a town by themselves. The inhabitants of the section thus set off did not accept this treatment with a smile; in fact, they considered it a forcible expulsion from the town. The reason has been advanced that the western part of Stratford was rapidly becoming more populous and the people of the Village of Stratford feared that in time the western half would gain the upper hand, with the result of moving the town records to the Borough of Bridgeport. Again the demands of the borough upon the town treasury were undoubtedly large and often threatened bankruptcy.

The people of the western section had little or nothing to say during the action of the General Assembly and it is presumed that they had just cause to remonstrate. It is possible, that had they been allowed a voice in the proceedings, this opposition would not have been so marked. In the Act of Incorporation the territory which was assigned to them is described as follows:

BOUNDARIES

"That all of that part of the Town of Stratford lying west of the following lines, viz.: Beginning at the point where the north line of the 'Old Stage Road' intersects the Old Mill Creek at the bottom of the west side of Old Mill Hill, so-called, and thence running in a course due north until it strikes the division line between the Towns of Stratford and Trumbull, and running also from the point of intersection first above mentioned in a southwardly course as said creek runs to the middle of Benjamin s Bridge, thence southerly across said bridge in the middle of said creek to the middle of the channel leading out of Bridgeport Harbor, and thence following said channel to Long Island Sound, with all the inhabitants residing within said limits, be and the same is hereby incorporated into a new and distinct town by the name of 'Bridgeport.' "

This territory assigned to Bridgeport was wedge-shaped, with the edge lying along the Sound, comprising the principal portion of the village. This bit of territory seemed very confining to the Bridgeporters, whose dignity had already suffered a severe blow when the General Assembly had granted the right to the residents of the town living outside their limits to say whether or not those of Bridgeport should be set aside as a separate town and giving them, the people of Bridgeport, absolutely no say in the matter. It was also provided that "this grant shall be void and of no effect unless the inhabitants of the Town of Stratford (not including those within said Town of Bridgeport), shall at a meeting legally warned and held at their town house in said Stratford on or before the first day of July next pass a vote relinquishing all claim to two Representatives and consenting forever hereafter to have but one Representative to the General Assembly of the State * * *"

By the Act of Incorporation: "The first town meeting in the said Town of Bridgeport shall be held at the Presbyterian meeting house therein on the second Monday of June, 1821, and Enoch Foote, or either of the selectmen of said Stratford residing within the Borough of Bridgeport, shall be Moderator thereof, and shall warn said meeting by setting up a notification thereof on the public signpost in said town, and at such place as he may deem proper, at least five days inclusive before said meeting.

"And said Town of Bridgeport, at such first meeting, shall have all the powers incident to the other towns in the state, and full right to act accordingly; and the officers elected at such meeting shall hold their offices until others are legally chosen and sworn in their stead."

FIRST MEETING

At the first town meeting, held June 11, 1821, with General Enoch Foote presiding, Salmon Hubbell was elected town clerk; James E. Beach, Noah Plumb, Reuben Tweedy, Wilson Hawley, Enoch Foote, Joseph Knapp and David Nichols, Jr., selectmen; Smith Tweedy, treasurer; Ezra Gregory, Jr., Robert Gregory, Henry Judson, Benjamin S. Smith and Matthew Curtis, constables; David Curtis, Ezra Gregory, Jr., Johnson Tuttle and Sylvanus Sterling, grand jurors. There was also appointed fence viewers, tything-men, haywards, etc.

To show the temper of the people at this first meeting, the formal protest made by them and ordered to be placed upon the town records is quoted in the following paragraph. The Bridgeport inhabitants were much incensed and in order to impress this feeling sufficiently upon the future generations they ordered the protest entered upon the record books before any other business whatever. This protest is long, but without it, the history of the Town of Bridgeport would not be complete. It follows:

THE PROTEST

"At the first legal meeting of the inhabitants of the Town of Bridgeport, in pursuance of the foregoing, their Act of Incorporation, on the second Monday of June, A. D., 1821, at the Presbyterian meeting house therein,

"Voted, That whereas this meeting is convened in pursuance of a resolve of the General Assembly at their session in May, 1821, by which we are commanded this day to meet and organize ourselves as a town according to the laws of the state, and whereas, our so doing may be construed as a willing acquiescence in the condition we are by said resolve placed; which to prevent and to make known to our fellow citizens throughout the state the light in which we view the whole transaction which has resulted in the necessity of submitting to the strong hand of power, however exercised.

"We do most solemnly protest against this resolve for reasons following, to wit:

"1st. Because said resolve is, in our opinion, most palpably unconstitutional and unjust, in that by it a majority of the Town of Stratford living in a particular section thereof are wholly disenfranchised and deprived of all right as citizens of that town against their will and at the instigation of the minority of said inhabitants living in another section; and in that said majority are deprived of the privilege of sending two representatives to the General Assembly without their consent or agreement by the vote of the minority only, at a meeting at which said majority were forbidden to act, a right expressly guaranteed to any town from which any new town is made, by the Constitution of the State; and in that said majority are by said resolve deprived of their lawful name as a town and have another imposed upon them, all without their consent; and in that they are in like manner deprived of their town records which, with the name, is given to said minority.

"2nd. And because the line of division is unequal and unjust, in that it leaves to said majority not more than one-fourth part of the actual territory of said town, and in that said division line runs three fourths of its entire distance through enclosed farms, by which the owners of them, being a part of said majority, will become taxable for town expenses in the town composed of said minority, all of which might have been prevented by adopting a certain highway and brook called Knees-and-Paws Creek, or at some other place, as a line of division; and in that there is left to said majority a breadth of boundary on the sea of not more than sixty rods, while said minority possess a boundary, as they state in their petition for said resolve, of about five miles on the sea and ten miles on the Housatonic River, and in that said resolve gives to said minority the control of one-half of Bridgeport Harbor for all purposes of quarantine, which may prove an intolerable vexation to said majority, whereas if a line had been run in said highway and creek, etc., nearly all the evils mentioned might have been obviated.

"3rd. And because in case of a disagreement as to a division of the property and burdens, a great proportion of which consists of bridges, three-fourths of which are in the western division of said Town of Stratford, the dispute must be determined without appeal by a single individual, whom indeed the majority highly respect, but who was nominated and his appointment procured by the minority without the knowledge and consent of the majority.

"4th. And because said resolve will be a precedent for the violation of all other rights of all citizens of the state.

"5th. And because said majority are impressed with a belief that said resolve was procured a passage through said Assembly by information given to its members which was altogether incorrect, and by which they were deceived into a belief of its propriety without the inquiry before the House.

"Wherefore, for the reason above stated and many others apparent from their said resolve, this meeting does most solemnly PROTEST against said resolve; that it is unconstitutional, arbitrary and unjust, and hereby do declare that whatever shall be done at their meeting, or at any future meeting in carrying into effect said resolve, is submission to the strong hand of power, reserving to ourselves notwithstanding what may be done, the right at any future time to seek redress by all lawful wavs and means whatsoever.

"Voted, That the foregoing be entered as the first article in the record of said Town of Bridgeport, and that the printers of this town be requested to publish the same in their respective papers.

"Dated this 11th day of June, 1821.

"Enoch Foote, Moderator.

"Salmon Hubbell, Clerk."

The question which so angered the people of Bridgeport was apparently dropped for the time being, but at a town meeting held April 15, 1822, it was "Voted, That we will petition the General Assembly at the approaching session for an alteration in the line between the Towns of Bridgeport and Stratford. Voted, That a committee be appointed to examine the proposed lines between Bridgeport and Stratford, say Knees-and-Paws Creek and Yellow 31 ill Bridge, north and south."

Noah Plumb, John Brooks and Daniel Sterling were appointed as such committee, and the meeting adjourned until the following afternoon when it was "Voted. To direct ––– persons to petition the General Assembly for an alteration in the division between Bridgeport and Stratford line, beginning at Knees-and-Paws Creek and thence running south to the Sound and north to the Trumbull line." It was further "Voted, That General Enoch Foote be agent for the said petition to the General Assembly, and that he have permission to employ counsel." The meeting adjourned to Monday, April 22nd, when the following was passed: "Whereas, the time is too short to bring a petition to the approaching legislature, Voted, That we suspend any further proceedings in regard to an alteration in the lines between the Towns of Bridgeport and Stratford for the present."

Nothing more of consequence was done upon this subject until sixty-eight years later.

HIGHWAYS

In the matter of expenditures the early town authorities were very economical. The records contain very little to give information regarding the expenses. It was customary to levy a one cent tax direct for highway purposes. Persons had the privilege of paying their tax by an equivalent amount of labor if they so desired. The surveyor of highways in each district had a rate hook, in which was entered the amount of tax or labor assigned to each resident of his district. The boundaries of these districts were never recorded, the same being a matter of common knowledge, consequently there seemed to be no cause for recording them. The tax raised in the town was very small, that of 1822 being only $2.30 and that of 1830 less than $300. As almost every person paid his tax with his labor, the town authorities fixed the compensation for a day's work as 75 cents, an equal amount allowed for a team of horses or mules, or a pair of oxen. Later the day's work was judged to be worth only fifty cents.

The first highway improvement made by the town was the building of a bridge across what was known as Baker's Pond. This pond has long since passed from existence. It was only a creek which at one time extended from the harbor about where South Avenue is located across Main Street. It was the outlet for small rivulets which drained the swamp lands north of State Street between Broad and Courtland streets. It is said that skating parties would start from the vicinity of 200 State Street, skate to the harbor and around the beacon, the outlet being over Baker's Pond.

The borough had purchased part of the land to extend Main Street south of State Street as early as 1807 and individuals had extended the street as far as Baker's Pond. However, neither the borough or Town of Stratford had taken any steps to bridge this pond. After much dickering, appointment of investigating committees, etc., on October 11, 1822, the town "Voted, That the town pay James W. Allen out of the town treasury $225 so soon as said Allen will and shall build a solid bridge over Baker's Pond, logged with log sides, 14 feet wide, tilled with stones, or gravel, or sod; laid firm like a wharf, with a sluice in the middle twenty feet wide, well anchored, to the acceptance of the selectmen of said town, with a proper railing." It is known that Captain Allen constructed this bridge, but all remnants have disappeared. For many years a bridge on Main Street at South Avenue, fully 175 feet long, was in existence, but the memory of it has gone. It is presumed that the town officials faced the same problems and experienced the same difficulties in road building as did the borough officials. Much opposition is shown upon the records to the laying out of proposed roads, while very many highways were approved.

The only street that the selectmen laid out between 1821 and the incorporation of the city in 1836 was Pequonnock Street. In October, 1827, the selectmen laid out a road from near the dwelling house of Gideon Wells to the Golden Hill Road. The road was probably already there, the action of the selectmen being simply to legalize the highway.

ALMS HOUSE, WORK HOUSE AND HOUSE OF CORRECTION

The care of the poor in the town, the provision for a place to incarcerate those who were guilty of disobeying the law, and where they could be self-supporting during the time of their imprisonment, were matters occupying the attention of the early town meetings to a large extent. At a meeting held September 20, 1822, it was

"Voted, That a committee of three be appointed to examine and report at the adjourned meeting in regard to a house of correction or poor house.

"Voted, That the committee appointed on the subject of a workhouse and house of correction, to be connected with an asylum for the poor, inquire, 1st, Into the expediency of such an establishment; 2nd. And as to the proper place for the erection of such an establishment and the cost of obtaining proper land and buildings for it; and lastly, whatever else they may deem proper upon the subject, and report at an adjourned meeting."

Enoch Foote, Daniel Sterling and Wilson Hawley were appointed members of this committee and they reported on the 11th of October as follows:

"The committee to whom was referred the consideration of the expediency of establishing a workhouse, etc., respectfully report as follows, to wit:

"1st. That they have attended to the duty assigned them agreeable to their instructions, and are of the opinion that it is inexpedient to establish a workhouse and house of correction, with an asylum for the poor.

"2nd. And do recommend that the town hire a house and one acre of land from Elijah Burritt, called Parrish's house, for five years, if the rent can be hired at $30 a year, which place we think a very proper one and the house convenient.

"3rd. The committee believe it will be a considerable saving to the town, the town poor made more comfortable than they are at present, and the vicious placed in security.

"Enoch Foote,

"Daniel Sterling,

"Wilson Hawley."

This report was accepted and the selectmen authorized to proceed with the work. It is evident that the selectmen found some difficulty in doing this, as it states in a warning for a meeting to be held October 0, 1823, that the purpose was "to take into consideration the propriety of purchasing or hiring a building for a poorhouse and house of correction." The meeting appointed Daniel Sterling, Enoch Foote and Thomas C. Wordin "to inquire into the situation of David Sherwood's property, in regard to its value and encumbrance, and report to the next annual meeting." The report submitted by the committee was unfavorable and for the time being the question was dropped from consideration.

On June 25, 1825, it was voted that the town should establish a suitable house of correction and that the selectmen should find a suitable location. They reported on July 11th that they had not been able to secure a suitable building, but recommended that a building be erected upon some desirable spot, the same not to cost more than two hundred dollars. On September 21st the selectmen approved of the house, which had been erected near the home of Abel M. Wheeler. This house was designated as a workhouse and house of correction. On September 15, 1827, the matter of a poorhouse again came up. when a committee, composed of Enoch Foote, David Nichols and Sylvanus Sterling, was appointed to examine the subject. The result was that the selectmen advertised to "contract with any person to support and maintain all the town poor for the year ensuing. From this lime on for many years the subject of a poorhouse and house of correction was debated in almost every town meeting. Hardly any action was taken which could be called important or worthy of mention, most of it consisting of the appointment of investigating committees which invariably returned an indefinite report of their findings.

On August 19, 1837, a committee purchased of Philip A. Cannon, Samuel Peet and John Plumb, for the sum of $700, "a certain tract or parcel of land situated at a place called East Bridgeport, in said Town of Bridgeport, containing five acres, bounded northerly on highway, easterly on land of Bryant B. Parrott, southerly on land of Isaac Seeley, and westerly on land of Jesse and Legrand Sterling and Lucy Parrott." This house was constructed and later additional land was purchased adjacent to the original ground.

TOWN HOUSE

During the first years of the town's official life there was no necessity of having a building devoted to the care of the town records. There were probably only two books — the record of town meetings and the land record — which had to be kept and these the town clerk kept at his house or place of business. On April 15, 1833, it was voted at a meeting to instruct the treasurer to purchase an iron safe for not more than forty dollars. This is the first instance of any special effort being made to protect the books. Immediately following the completion of the almshouse there arose the question of building a suitable town house for Bridgeport. At this time Bridgeport had become a city and it was planned to use the contemplated building for both town and city house. The selectmen found everything agreeable to the idea of a new building and they were given power to attend to all preliminary arrangements.

A special meeting was called for March 16, 1838, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency and propriety of building a town house and public market on the Public Green in said Bridgeport, between the houses of Daniel Fayerweather and Daniel O. Wheeler, or on land owned by William Peet, Esq., between the Episcopal and North Congregational churches." The house of Daniel Fayerweather stood on the site of the City Hall Building and the Daniel O. Wheeler house on the northwest corner of Broad and State streets. The Public Green was that portion of the City Hall Green lying west of the building. The lot owned by William Peet was the northeast corner of Broad and John streets, extending from the post-office to John Street. At this time Broad Street and Main Street were not used for business and this fact, coupled with the prospective high cost of building, brought forth the decision that it was inexpedient to build a town house at that time.

The City of Bridgeport had by this time grown to at least four thousand population and the necessity for some place to hold meetings and conduct business was dire. The Baptist Church, on the southeast corner of State and Broad streets, was used for meetings, with the express stipulation that those present "shall not be allowed to stand on any seat." Probably for this reason it soon became the custom to immediately adjourn the meetings held in the church to the city court room, at the southeast corner of Main and Wall streets. This was a large hall occupying the upper stories of three stores known as the Exchange Building.

At the meeting of November 28, 1840, the matter of building a town house again came up and a committee was appointed to learn whether or not a proper location for a town house could be secured and also the cost of the same. By the following February it was decided to contract for a room owned by James Robinson, the same located in the Exchange Building. At a special meeting held January 20, 1845, the selectmen were instructed "to contract for the enlargement of the room known as the town hall for a sum not exceeding one hundred dollars per annum," with certain other considerations.

In March, 1851, a committee composed of George Wade, Lemuel Coleman and P. C. Calhoun was appointed to again inquire into the expediency of building a town house. From the subsequent records it is evident that this committee decided not only upon a site for the town house, but had also formulated a plan for a building. Another special meeting was held May 10, 1851, "for the purpose of hearing the report of the committee appointed to purchase a lot for a town house, to appoint a building committee to erect a suitable building thereon and empower them to borrow money for said purpose and to appoint an agent to sign a note or notes for the same."

The selectmen were authorized to give the note of the town to Dr. David H. Nash for the sum of $3,000 in payment of the lot purchased of him for the site of the town house. Lemuel Coleman, Henry K. Harral, John Brooks, Jr., and Philo C. Calhoun were appointed as a building committee. The lot purchased from Doctor Nash was bounded on the west by practically the same line as the west side of the present city hall building. It was evidently the purpose of the town to erect here on this 100 by 15 ft. lot a modest town hall fronting the west. On June 14-, 1851, however, a special meeting was held "for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of purchasing the remainder of the Fayerweather lot, now belonging to Dr. David H. Nash and selling a portion of the lot recently purchased of said Nash, also to provide ways and means of paying for the same." Building operations were suspended for a year for financial reasons. On July 12th Doctor Nash conveyed to the town in consideration of $5,200 "A certain piece of land, with the dwelling house and other buildings thereon, situated in said Bridgeport and bounded westerly on the public green, so-called, or highway, southerly on State Street sixty feet, easterly on land of said Nash, and northerly on land of said Town of Bridgeport (which was purchased of said Nash and deeded to them the 30th of May, 1851 ) , sixty feet, subject to a lease to the present proprietor of said dwelling house until the 1st of April, 1852, the Town of Bridgeport receiving the rent therefrom."

On the same day the selectmen deeded to David H. Nash all that portion of the lot on Bank Street lying east of the direct line of the Fayerweather lot, extending to Bank Street, or forty feet fronting on that street, for $1,200. This purchase gave to the town a lot sixty feet wide, extending from State Street to Bank Street, and the one on which the city hall now stands.

COURTHOUSE

As early as 1830 the citizens of Bridgeport had aspirations to have their village the site of the county courthouse. Norwalk had also experienced the same desire, but both towns did not feel that the treasury would warrant any extended campaign at that time for the removal of the seat of justice from Fairfield. A special town meeting was held in Bridgeport December 28, 1833, "for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of making an effort to obtain the removal of the county courthouse and gaol from Fairfield to Bridgeport." A committee consisting of Samuel Simons, Daniel Thatcher, Philo Hurd, Smith Tweedy and Fitch Wheeler was selected to inquire about the subject and report later. They accomplished the investigation ordered and then "recommended that a committee of nine be appointed to bring a petition to the next General Assembly to remove the place of holding the courts from Fairfield to Bridgeport, provided the Town of Bridgeport will furnish a courthouse and gaol to the acceptance of a committee appointed by the county." The meeting then appointed as the committee to bring the petition Fitch Wheeler, Alanson Hamlin, Daniel Fayerweather, Smith Tweedy, Ira Peck, Mark Moore, Josiah Hubbell, Abijah Hawley and Enoch Foote.

On April 28, 1841, there was held another special meeting. Prior to this Norwalk had petitioned the General Assembly for the removal of the courthouse and jail from Fairfield to that town and a number of the citizens also had a petition ready asking that Bridgeport be made the shire town of the lower end of the county. A warning was issued at this meeting of the 28th "to take into consideration the propriety of remonstrating against any petitions that have been brought to the next General Assembly of this state for removing the courthouse from the Town of Fairfield to any place westerly or northerly of said Fairfield," also several other items. The meeting closed with the adoption of resolutions reading as follows:

"Resolved, That this town assume and maintain the petition of Charles Bostwick, Esq., and others, brought to the General Assembly of this state for the removal of the courthouse and gaol from Fairfield to Bridgeport.

"Resolved, That in consideration of the peculiar advantages which a courthouse and gaol will be to Bridgeport we will, with such aid as the present county property at Fairfield wilt afford, erect at our own expense the necessary and proper buildings for a county house and gaol, and save the county harmless therefrom.

"Resolved, That an agent be appointed to carry into effect the foregoing resolutions.

"Resolved, That James C. Loomis be appointed said agent.

"Resolved, That the Town of Bridgeport are opposed to the removal of the courthouse and gaol from the Town of Fairfield to the Town of Norwalk, and that the agent hereby appointed at this meeting to attend to the petition of Charles Bostwick, Esq., and others, be authorized and directed to file a remonstrance to the General Assembly in the name of this town to the petition of the Town of Norwalk. brought to the said General Assembly for the purpose aforesaid."

The result was that neither Bridgeport nor Norwalk succeeded in wresting the county seat honors from Fairfield. Bridgeport did not again attempt to do so for nearly ten years.

In 1850 the Town of Norwalk again petitioned the General Assembly for the removal of the courthouse there. This was the signal for Bridgeport again to take up arms. A special meeting was held in Bridgeport on April 27th, when vigorous resolutions were passed against Norwalk's action, and incidentally pressing forward Bridgeport's claims again. Although the latter town did not secure the courthouse the strong opposition really prevented Norwalk from achieving the honor. At this time also Bridgeporters took renewed courage, as their town had become the most likely town in the county for the location of the county courthouse. A decade previous this could not be said. Then Fairfield held advantages above both Bridgeport and Norwalk. During the ten years intervening, however, Bridgeport grew in population and commerce, while Fairfield deteriorated. The cause of Bridgeport was rapidly assuming momentum and strength.

The meeting of April 19, 1852, was held "for the purpose of making such arrangements as are necessary and proper in petitioning the next General Assembly of the state for the removal of the courthouse and jail from Fairfield to Bridgeport and to appoint all necessary agents to carry forward and prosecute the same before said assembly." James C. Loomis, William P. Burrall and E. S. Abernethy were named for the committee. As had been the case before Norwalk then followed Bridgeport's lead and voted to petition the General Assembly herself, Bridgeport counteracting naturally with a set of resolutions condemning Norwalk's move and offering to build a county courthouse at Bridgeport free from expense to the county. But Bridgeport was doomed yet to wait.

On February 13, 1853, the following was adopted by the town meeting:

"Whereas, Reports have been industriously circulated that the citizens of Bridgeport have never obligated themselves to build the public buildings at their own expense in case of the removal of the county seat of the lower shire to that place, whereby a false impression has been made, Now, therefore, for the purpose of removing such impression and stopping all further cavil on the subject, we do resolve,

" First. That believing that the public interests will be promoted by the removal of the county seat in the lower shire from Fairfield to Bridgeport, it is our intention to petition the next General Assembly to that effect.

"Second. We do hereby obligate and bind ourselves to the County of Fairfield, in case of such removal, ( with the use of the count v property at Fairfield,) to provide suitable sites at said Bridgeport for the courthouse and jail and to erect thereon suitable, sufficient and proper buildings under the supervision of such committee as the legislature may appoint, with all reasonable dispatch for the use of the county, at our own cost and expense and without any cost or expense to the county whatsoever.

"Third. That our Representative in the General Assembly be requested to present these resolutions to the meeting of the Representatives of the county holden at Westport on the 17th instant."

Undoubtedly this was the most opportune moment to bid for the favor of the remaining towns in the county. Just then a new jail was in process of construction at Fairfield, the expense of which was borne by several towns. Now that Bridgeport had made it clear to the other towns that they would not have to share in the cost of constructing a courthouse, she secured a leverage which went far to make her efforts successful.

A special meeting was held April 19, 1853, to "take into consideration the propriety of petitioning the next General Assembly for the removal of the county seat from Fairfield to Bridgeport; of determining the terms and conditions upon which said application shall be made, and making all such arrangements and provisions as may be necessary and proper to earn the same into effect." The meeting voted to bring the petition and further

"Voted, That in consideration of the advantages that may result to the town from such removal, the town will at their own cost and expense provide a suitable place or places for the necessary public buildings and erect the same for the use of the county free from any cost or expense to the county; and will also assume all the contracts that may have been made by the county commissioners for lumber, timber, brick, lime and other materials for the erection of the jail at Fairfield, and save the county harmless from any cost or expense in relation to the same.

"Voted, That James C. Loomis, E. S. Abernethy, Dwight Morris and John Brooks, Jr., be and are, hereby appointed the agents of the town to prepare a petition for the purpose aforesaid, and present and prosecute the same accordingly, and that said agents be and they are. hereby fully authorized and empowered to make any and all further propositions for and in behalf of said town in relation to the premises which in their opinion may be necessary and proper.

"Voted, That said agents be and they are, hereby authorized to draw on the treasurer of the town for such sums of money as they may deem necessary to expend in prosecuting said petition."

THE ACT OF REMOVAL

This unmistakable sincerity on the part of Bridgeport resulted in her acquisition of the county courthouse and jail. An "Act in alteration of an Act relating to Courts, and an Act concerning Persons," was passed by the General Assembly and approved June 30, 1853. This Act provided "that from and after the first day of October next, the Supreme Court of Errors, the Superior Court and the County .Court in the County of Fairfield shall be held in Bridgeport in said county, at the several times when they are now by law required and authorized to be held in the said county." It was made the duty of the Town of Bridgeport, free of expense to the County of Fairfield, "to erect on the lot between State and Bank streets, on the east side of the public square, a building with suitable and convenient rooms with the necessary fixtures for the accommodation of said courts, and with a fire-proof vault for the safe custody and preservation of the public records, to the acceptance of any three judges of the Supreme Court of Errors." The town was to execute and deliver to the county treasurer a conveyance of "the right to said rooms for the purposes aforesaid during the time when said courts shall be by law held in said Bridgeport." It was also made the duty of the town "to erect, free of expense to said county, a suitable jail" to the acceptance of three Supreme Court judges, with "all the necessary arrangements for the confinement of persons committed to said jail" and convey the same to the county. The expenses of the judges in visiting and examining the buildings to determine whether the same ought to be accepted was to be paid by the town. The town was also to pay to the treasurer of the county "the amount of all expense and liability incurred in the erection of the new county buildings in Fairfield," and of all the materials used in the construction. The commissioners were authorized to convey the same over to Bridgeport upon the payment of this claim. When this money was paid into the county treasury then the commissioners were to "refund to any town in said county any sum which may have been paid by such town on account of the tax laid to defray the expense of said building." It was provided that "if the said Town of Bridgeport shall not, on or before the first day of October, 1854, have erected said buildings according to the provisions of the act," said town, "shall pay into the treasury of the County of Fairfield the sum of $20,000, recoverable in any proper action brought for that purpose." Bridgeport was also instructed to provide good quarters for the courts during the time that the courthouse was being built. The sheriff was given the power to see that this was done and to use the town money for the same if necessary. The town was also authorized to lay a tax and collect the same to carry out the provisions of the act.

That the town had assumed an immense obligation is shown by reports of subsequent meetings, when committees were appointed to investigate the cost of the removal. A special town meeting was called for July 7, 1853, "for the purpose of taking into consideration and adopting such measures as may be necessary to carry into effect the. act removing the county seat of the Lower Shire from Fairfield to Bridgeport," and also to take such measures, "as may be thought necessary and proper for procuring a lot for the location of the county jail, and also of a building on the lot owned by the town between State and Bank streets, with suitable accommodations for the courts of said county pursuant to the provisions of said Act, and also a town hall and such other rooms as may be deemed necessary and proper for the use of the town, and to appoint all such committees, with such powers as may be deemed proper, to carry into effect the aforesaid objects."

James C. Loomis, Henry K. Harral. Hanford Lyon, Philo C. Calhoun, John Brooks, Jr., Lemuel Coleman and William S. Knowlton were appointed as a building committee and they were "empowered to erect on the lot between State and Bank streets, on the east side of the public square, a building of such form and dimensions as may be deemed by them necessary and proper for a town hall, town clerk's office, and for such other purposes as the interests of the town may require, containing convenient and suitable rooms with the necessary fixtures therein for the accommodation of the courts of Fairfield County, together with a fire-proof vault for the safe custody and preservation of the public records, and in conformity in all respects with the provisions of the 'Act in Alteration of an Act relating to Courts, and of an Act concerning persons.' "

This committee was further authorized and empowered to purchase a suitable lot and to build there a county jail, to borrow money and make satisfactory disposition of the buildings then standing on the town lot on the east side of the public square. This committee was given arbitrary powers by the citizens, because it was composed of the most influential and at the same time wealthiest men of the town.

No further action was taken by the town itself until April 1, 1854, when a town meeting was held for the purpose of "authorizing and empowering the building committee or some other proper persons to convey, according to the requirements of the statute in such case made and provided, to the treasurer of the County of Fairfield and his successors in office, the land and buildings belonging to the town, situated on Broad Street, on which the jail has recently been erected by said town."

This lot was purchased by the committee on August 22, 1853, of William H. Knowlton, the price paid being $4,000. The description in the deed reads as follows:

"A certain piece of land, and buildings thereon standing, containing about 45 rods, more or less: bounded westerly on Broad Street 81 feet in part, and in part westerly on land of Pearl H. S perry 52 feet: northerly on land of Pearl H. S perry 76 feet 4 inches in part, and in part on land of George W. Griswold 53 feet: easterly on land of William M. Ayres 118 feet; southerly on land of Stephen Lounsbury 133 feet, the same being situated in said Bridgeport, and the lines or bounds of said land being as the same is now fenced."

This lot was on the east side of Broad Street, near South Avenue.

On April 11, 1854, James C. Loomis, Henry K. Harral, Hanford Lyon, Philo C. Calhoun, John Brooks, Jr., and Lemuel Coleman, conveyed to X. H. Wildman, of Danbury, treasurer of Fairfield County, and his successors in office, for the consideration of $1, "for the uses and purposes of a common jail for the County of Fairfield, according to the provisions of a certain statute law of this state, entitled 'An Act in Alteration of an Act relating-to Courts, and an Act concerning persons,' passed in May, 1853, a certain tract of land situated in said Town of Bridgeport, in quantity half an acre, more or less, and bounded on a line running from front to rear one foot north of and parallel to the north wall of the brick building now standing on the land in this deed described and hereby conveyed; easterly on George Everson; southerly on Stephen Lounsbury, and westerly on Broad Street, with all the buildings thereon."

It was not until May 2nd following, however, that the conveyance was duly accepted by the judges of the Supreme Court. Nor did this conveyance "convey" to the county the whole of the land which had been purchased of Knowlton. On the back of the north side there was a strip 52 by 53 feet, which evidently was held by the town, together with eight feet of frontage on Broad Street. This was sold by Silas C. Booth, as agent for the town, to Jessup Alvord, county treasurer, on February 18, 1856, for the consideration of $600.

In May, 1854, the town decided to issue bonds to cover the expenses incurred in the erection of the county buildings and to this end voted to prepare a petition for the next General Assembly, asking for authority to issue these bonds. The General Assembly, at its May session, granted this authority, provided that the sum of the bonds, promissory notes, etc., did not exceed the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars.

In August, 1834, steps were taken to purchase the lot on the east side of the courthouse, which had been recently bought by the building committee of Messrs. Hall and Miller for the town. The original lot had been purchased of David H. Nash on July 12, 1851, and this had a frontage of sixty feet on both State and Bank streets. In September, 1853, Orlando B. Hall and Edward H. Taylor, who had bought the adjoining property on the east, conveyed to the town a strip ten feet wide from State to Bank streets, the consideration being $1,100. Hall and Taylor, after this sale had a lot fifty-six feet wide from street to street. Taylor conveyed his interest to Hall and the latter in time gave his interest to Henry Hall. The building committee, on July 18, 1854, bought this lot of Henry Hall for $4,312.06 and assumed a mortgage of $3,500 thereon, held by David H. Nash. Also, on the same day, the committee bought of Emery A. Weller a lot twenty-six feet wide adjoining at the east, extending from street to street, and assumed another mortgage for $2,000 held by Nash. This constituted all the land held by the town east of the then courthouse.

The mortgages of David H. Nash of $5,500 were paid January 13, 1855. The aggregate cost of the lot was $19,546.12, that is of the lot on which the city hall now stands and the ground east of it. This was at the rate of $128.60 per front foot, running from street to street.

In consideration of the promise made to the Town of Fairfield and the agreement entered into, at a special meeting held September 16, 1854, it was

"Voted, That the building committee, consisting of James C. Loomis, Hanford Lyon, Philo C. Calhoun, John Brooks, Jr., Lemuel Coleman and William S. Knowlton, be and they hereby are authorized and empowered for and in behalf of the Town of Bridgeport to make, execute and deliver to St. Paul's Church and Society at Fairfield a quit claim deed and conveyance to said church and society all the right, title and interest of the Town of Bridgeport in or to the land in the said Town of Fairfield on which the jail formerly stood, with the buildings thereon, conveyed to said Town of Bridgeport by the Commissioners of Fairfield County by deed dated the 12th day of September, 1853; also that said committee sell and dispose of the buildings, fences and stones on the town lot in which the courthouse now stands; fill up the cellar under said house, grade and prepare said lot so far as may be necessary and proper for the purpose of a public square."

At a town meeting November 15, 1854, "for the purpose of authorizing the building committee on courthouse to make conveyance of the same as required by law on that subject, passed at the session of the Legislature in 1853," it was voted that the building committee should be "authorized and empowered for and in behalf of the Town of Bridgeport to make, execute and deliver unto the treasurer of Fairfield County and his successors in office a good and sufficient deed or other instrument obligatory to the acceptance of any three of the judges of the Supreme Court of Errors of this state conveying unto said treasurer and his successors in said office the right to all the rooms, except the southeast room, together with the fireproof vault on the second floor of the public building in said Bridgeport known and denominated the courthouse; also the right of the rooms on the third floor of said building known and denominated as the gallery, with the two small rooms on the east and west sides of the same known and denominated as the consultation rooms, with the right to use the northwest corner basement room for the purpose of placing a furnace there for the heating of the other rooms if the same shall become necessary; also for the purpose of storing the necessary coal and fuel for the use of said rooms, with the right to use all the flues in said building that may become necessary for the heating of said rooms; also the right to use all the entrances, halls and stairways in said building for free ingress and egress to and from said rooms, according to the requirements and provisions, and for the uses and purposes expressed and contained in a statute law of this state passed at the May session of the General Assembly, A. D., 1853, and approved on the 30th day of June in said year, and entitled 'An Act in Alteration of an Act relating to Courts, and an Act concerning Persons.' "

The southeast room on the second floor was also appropriated for the use of the Bridgeport Library Company. At the meeting on November 29, 1854, it was "Voted, That the room below called the basement in this building be hereafter used as a town hall, and that all town meetings be held there: and that the northeast room on the same floor be appropriated for holding justice courts."

On February 20, 1855, the courthouse committee presented a report of their work and were officially thanked for their services. This committee had been the same since the first, with the exception of Henry K. Harral, who died in 1854. William S. Knowlton took his place on the board. On March 14, 1855, the selectmen were instructed "to build a temporary fence around the courthouse and improve and finish the grounds connected therewith." This action practically completed the building of Bridgeport's first courthouse, the identical building which is now the city hall.

THE SECOND COURTHOUSE

At a special meeting held May 11, 1872, "for the purpose of selling to the county the interest of the town in the courthouse," it was

"Resolved, That Francis Ives, George Mallory and Egbert Marsh he appointed a committee to confer with the county commissioners to perfect if possible such an arrangement as will enable the county to rent for the use of the Court of Common Pleas Washington Hall, subject to the use of the town and city for purposes of public meetings, and to perfect such arrangements as shall be just by which the court house building and premises may be kept in good order and report their doings as early as possible."

The committee reported on July 27th "that they had an interview with the commissioners in relation to the above mentioned subject and understand from them that one-half the hall, together with one of the corner rooms on the same floor, will afford all the room needed by the Court of Common Pleas, and f or this the county would be willing to pay $600 per annum, taking a lease for ten years and making the alterations and fitting up the rooms at the expense of the county." It was finally decided to authorize the selectmen to lease to the county for the term of twelve years the west half of Washington Hall and the room adjoining north of the same at a yearly rent of $600, the county to make all alterations.

Mr. Franklin Sherwood wrote in regard to this matter: "Now had the town at this particular time voted to turn over to the county the courthouse and the green for county purposes it would have been a profitable investment. The only accommodation offered by a courthouse in Bridgeport was to the Bridgeport attorneys. The town had, in one of its generous moods, as in the case of the building of the Housatonic Railroad, bonded itself heavily to build a courthouse which, it was claimed by the attorneys of that day and our local statesmen, would accommodate the courts for all time, and the building was constructed that it might be a monument of beauty and convenience for centuries to come. It was a little out of town at the time, but the more far-seeing of the statesmen believed that the city would in time grow out to it, and in the meantime the quietude of the situation would be of advantage to the courts while in session. But it only required a quarter of a century to have the county courts expand and the legal fraternity to follow suit to the extent that the courthouse was considered to be inadequate to afford the accommodations demanded, and in 1886 the aforesaid attorneys were pressing the matter of building new additions to it."

On February 6, 1886, another special town meeting was held. This meeting was to consider the appointment of an agent "to procure and convey to the county a suitable site for a courthouse, including the present courthouse and the land belonging to the town on the east side thereof, if deemed advisable."

D. B. Lockwood offered a resolution embodying facts which were not accepted, whereupon he withdrew the same and offered another which was adopted. This follows:

"Resolved, That if the County of Fairfield will release to the Town of Bridgeport all its right, title and interest in the present courthouse, the Town of Bridgeport, by its town agent, who is hereby authorized so to do, will convey by a proper deed of conveyance to the County of Fairfield the lot belonging to the Town of Bridgeport lying east of the present courthouse for the purpose of having erected thereon by the county commissioners a court house of suitable dimensions to meet the wants of the county; or, in case the county commissioners should decide upon some other location in said Bridgeport, the town will purchase the interest of said county in the present courthouse at a fair valuation."

At a special meeting held for road purposes on February 26, 1886, D. M. Read offered the following, which was adopted:

"Whereas, An attempt is being made in the General Assembly of this state to remove the county seat from Bridgeport to Norwalk, and March 3, 1886, has been fixed as a day for a hearing upon the matter before the committee of the General Assembly on new counties and county seats at Hartford; and

"Whereas, Bridgeport by reason of its location, population, grand list and business it furnishes to the courts, is the proper and most suitable location for the county seat and no good reason exists for the proposed change to Norwalk; therefore

"Resolved, That the 1st Selectman of the Town of Bridgeport be and he is hereby directed and empowered to use all proper means to protect the interests of this town in the matter of the bill now pending before said committee of the General Assembly proposing to change the county seat of the County of Fairfield from the Town of Bridgeport to the Town of Norwalk, and to employ such assistance at the expense of the town as he may deem necessary and proper to prevent such change."

At a city meeting of March 1, 1886, Alderman Klein presented similar resolutions, which were adopted. The mayor appointed such attorneys as A. B. Beers, Curtis Thompson, D. Davenport and , J. B. Klein, also a committee of citizens composed of W. H. Noble, Jarratt Morford, E. W. Marsh, P. W. Wren, J. N. Near, P. H. Skidmore, Jr., T. L. Watson, J. L. Harlem, F. M. Wilson, W. F. Pinkham, B. Keating, W. H. Rockwell, F. Sailer, C. A. Mooney, J. D. Frary, William Greisinger, C. Fones, W. H. Stevenson, R. H. Shannon, Albert Wintter and John Sexton to help to defeat the Norwalk proposition.

Again quoting from Franklin Sherwood, historian: "This whereas and resolution was alright as far as it went. Bridgeport had built one courthouse at its own expense to accommodate the court and its attorneys and had offered to present to it a new site on which to erect a new courthouse to suit itself. If the other towns in the county, now that the courts and attorneys were ambitious for more elegant and modernized quarters, took advantage of Bridgeport's weakness to relieve themselves of the expense which would be entailed upon them, should the county be called upon to build a new courthouse, by threatening to remove the county seat from Bridgeport, they were not to be blamed. They understood full well that it only required a petition to the General Assembly for a change to bring Bridgeport to terms and thus relieve the rest of the county from any of the expense. The petition of Norwalk did the business and Bridgeport at once responded, as it was expected and designed that she should do." A. B. Beers followed the Read resolution (mentioned in preceding paragraphs) with another set of resolutions as follows:

"Resolved, That the Town of Bridgeport is in favor of making an appropriation for such sum as may be necessary for the purpose of erecting a suitable county courthouse at said Bridgeport.

"Resolved, That the selectmen of the town are hereby requested to call a special meeting immediately for the purpose of making an appropriation for such purpose and the transaction of any and all business necessary and proper to carry this resolution into effect and to prevent the removal of the county seat from Bridgeport." These resolutions were forthwith adopted.

Frankly, Bridgeport was shaking in her shoes. The town and city had grown rapidly; her business, her population and her interests were superior to any other place in the county; consequently, the thought of losing the county seat to Norwalk and with it all her advantages, brought the citizens of Bridgeport to their feet as a body. It is to be readily believed that most any sum would have been appropriated, one far greater than that which eventually was given.

A special town meeting was called for and held March 3rd. "For the purpose of making a suitable appropriation and provision for a site and the erection thereon of a courthouse at Bridgeport suitable for the wants of the county and to authorize the selectmen of the town to borrow such a sum of money in behalf of the town and upon its credit at a rate of interest not to exceed 4%, as may be decided by said meeting to be necessary and proper for the purpose specified. Also to appoint a committee to act with the county commissioners on the location of said lot and the erection of the courthouse. * * * Also to ratify and confirm the town meeting of February 26, 1886, relative to the appointment of the first selectman to oppose the removal of the courthouse from Bridgeport."

The action of the previous meeting was not legal, because it was not called for the purpose on which it took action.

A. B. Beers opened the meeting with the following, which was adopted:

"Resolved, That the sum of $150,000 be and the same is hereby appropriated to be expended in erecting a county courthouse within the Town of Bridgeport.

"Resolved, That the selectmen are hereby authorized to borrow said sum of $150,000 in behalf of this town and upon its credit at a rate of interest not to exceed 4% per annum for the purpose above specified.

"Resolved, That Hon. Sidney B. Beardsley, Hon. Nathaniel Wheeler, E. F. Strong, P. T. Barnum, S. B. Sumner, with the county commissioners of Fairfield County, be and they are appointed a committee with full power and authority to determine upon a site for said county courthouse and to procure plans for and superintend the construction of the same."

Another resolution was presented, naming a committee of sixty men who should go to Hartford and oppose the hill then pending before the General Assembly.

The committee appointed selected a site on Golden Hill known as the Jacob Kiefer property. John Stevenson offered resolutions stating that he favored buying the property, but thought it an injustice, and that the committee should be dismissed and a new one appointed. D. B. Lockwood moved that the resolutions offered by Stevenson be indefinitely postponed, which was done. At a special meeting held March 5, 1888, E. F. Strong offered resolutions accepting and ratifying the act of the General Assembly at its January session of 1888, authorizing the town to issue bonds; authorizing W. E. Seeley, D. N. Morgan and Frederick Hurd to act as agents of the town in pledging credit for the bonds to the amount of $1.50,000, also to sell them.

This closed the business matters of any importance preceding the erection of the courthouse. Mr. Kiefer's house on Golden Hill was moved to the rear, facing on Chapel Street, and on the site cleared the present magnificent courthouse was duly erected. On July 28, 1886, the design of Warren K. Briggs, architect, was chosen in competition and the cornerstone was laid June 24, 1887. The structure was completed and first occupied in 1888.

Closely connected with the history of the Town of Bridgeport is the story of the consolidation of Bridgeport City and the Town of Bridgeport for governmental purposes. This is related in the following chapter on the City of Bridgeport, also the story of the annexation of West Stratford to the City of Bridgeport.