New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-08
A MODEL VILLAGE.
THE BEAUTIES OF wINsTED. CONN. DUE
TO A WISE LOCAL PATRIOTISM.
,rs coSvESrENcEs FOR WORK AND FOR REC
nrar1oN-Sow SHIRE TowN-wILLIAM


L. G1LBERr's GIFT OF si.oOOOOo.
4he EdftOr OF The Tribune
SIR A visit Just made to Winsted, Conn.,, shows
49,, =, deserves recognition among the model towns de-
sn~,nsd in The Tribune's pamphlet "village I'm
or,ents A lecture that subject fifteen years ago
p ,,ror+ed in 1.-The Winsted Herald which from
.hot time has been the earnest advocate OF all wise i'm
~oments and has aided in developing that local
,5otism town pride and public spirit which happily
sn.-acterze this community. Owing in part to the
n-us rivalry between the east and west villages
our practically merged in oneL formal Improvement
.o,v was formed. A Board OF Trade OF over one
srdrd members, comprising the leading citizens Sc
,csed irrespective of party sect, has deserVeoy WI"
,ne confidence Of the community harmoninns all IN
tests and faternizing the people so that te township
ryincheSter) readily adopts its recomnenoa'ous
vinsted has a dozen more manufacturing es'aonsn
rnents unlike towns that might be named IL r
never been an aggregation OF mooherent eeinenls. I
rosperity has been promoted by It's social spirit is
community OF sympathies and Interests ms mas Dec"
specially true OF the two model manu'ac'ur'HH VILLAGES
- America ~ not OF the vorld-St JOhnsbury Vermont
and south Manchester Conn. In the tormcr the three
noble brothers and their descendants and IN the aVer
,b rsg,4ed and liberal Cheneys. fater sons and
crandsons for more than sixty years have carried od'
wise and literal plans OF public improvement anu io
the vellbeing OF their operatives Hence harmony anu
cooperation has been matter of course and strikes anu
for an equal period Of time its varied If not conhcuhs
onterur,ses have been reconciled and united In hoer
plans for the prosperity of the town.
Among the many improvements MADE Slhoe InS Ni'
visit To this place electric lights FaS WORKS
works electric fire alarm, telephone ana uS'r'o' V
graph systems daily as well as weekly ne~sp'p..S
yonn0 Mems Christian Association Building lheIuulls
-, -r,rasi ,ro the whole costing $4,000 a public
Iih-rv founded by MIS- Elliott bcardsey with si''
NJ $4,000 and the of furnished room lieo VI run
for a series Of years and now containing o'-oo N'i
miles Of GOOD sidewalks and excellent roads lu'
business street being macadamized Ihs Vo"" -
ranks first in Lnchfeld County both In populat'o-t
ga wealth Its water from Highland Lake loO
,as+ above the level Of the main street. Is pure "u
brraant The water mains traverse every sUcV
IN the borough below the lake for Its outlet aru
the boat wharves are within the borough MINUS I
annie fire hydrants, besides protecting rum Ni'''
lessen the rate Of fire insurance ,-,,.-
such proofs Of enterprise, inteLlgence' l-pe'"ii''
,d thrift atev led the Legislature 10 make TINS one
~ the shire towns OF Litchhed County the borough
literally providing the necessary county DullHnsS'
It's position as a railway centre at the m'elSec'on
~ the Naugaturk and Central New England ana WeSI
ern railroads favored this result The new Boston
and Washington trains by the Poughkeepse bruso
onte cross the Naugatuck at this point making close
Connection with the trunk lines South and West The
new New-York express line via the Harlem roaH'
running through without change put on June LOT
tha srecial benefit Of voriOl, Starts from ana re-
turns 70 Winsted allowing business hours stay
In New-York. of the many natural attractions Oh
yy,rs,ad I can now speak only of Highland Lake-a
haortful sheet of water nearly three miles in length
whose outlet Is within ten minutes walk OF te
main street thence extending back with three me
HAYS among wooded hills. The Wakefield Drive Is
charming carriage road, recently made along us en-
tire length, and within few feet OF lis western
,od.- A bronze tablet set in a niche cut in an
overhannng granite ledge bears a fit inscription 10
Harvey Wakefield whose gift of $4,000 provdcd THIS
lakeside DIVE. A similar driveway IS nearly com
pleted for mile the eastern border ana VIII
intimately encircle the entire lake. Where Is there
anothr lake so beautiful high and yet so near a
large Village and encrcled with such driveway3
Labor and capital have been harmOnized TO saIe
decree How often have their alienation caused us
tress and crime one side and enormous losses on
the other7 The leading citizens here have aimed W
anticipate and 10 prevent unrest and discomfort by
lettering the condition of the and incres
ing their means of comfort and happiness encouraging
healthu recreation and outings, such as are furnheo
nv Highland Lake, its shores and surrounding plssuro
grounds its fields athletic sports and us ATTRACTIVE
gymnasium and Christian Association rooms open ~
all seasons.
The varied metallic wares and other fabrics here
made REQUIRE skilled labor, and the woFkmen-largey
Americans-are, unusually intelligent. The mahulac|
rers have wisely encouraged the ownership of homes
They have said their hands III Is Deter IOI you ~
nav interest on your houses than to pay rent O"
n home and you have something 70 wO Ior.
Crowded tenement houses such a. dcfacc ana uellor
sIlze many manufacturing villages are haid ID nnd
here where the ownership of homes has helped IN tie
snsnstrv soiiety and thrift Inns conservative infu
ence has long been felt in Winsted, for some OF te
workmen have continued over forty years ID the sdne
factory. Many OF them are toeIi4hoeS' yi,o1s ,
owning their neat homes, with ample ana weikept
grounds Instead OF the y rahy OI capitI W. -
or hostility of labor 70 capital they have worked 10
getier cOpartners who could not afford 20 De ahs
0ni The local patriotism so manifest here naturally de
veloped great national patriotism wneh le sSlo, ~
the greatest crisis OF its history, caHeQ Iot
for 352 soldiers then enlisted from THIS town (Nli4
chester Did larger number ei9tyeB' eiist ,l HUH
any Connecticut town! IN their hOnOr tno C.uzti,S
have erected lofty memorial stone tower, surinounEd
by bronze soldiers statue Inc lne'Cr 1s,o 10 W ~
lined with marble tablets Inscribed WIN inc naIles VI
the fallen heroes The whole structure, wen cc III
crown Of steep, conical hui near the oeue Oi Ie
village this unique tower. from its obSet vatory, loo
feet above main street, gives one Detutiu par
oramic view cf the borough and the encircling NILS
1t Is another striking Illustration q local ptlrotsn
that William L. Gilbert the Oldest representative Gu
zen receDtv deceased al eighty -four years OF age)
gave 81 900 900 for the benefit Of this 0wL whete ne
had lived for than sixty years, and which ne QUO
SO much 10 enrich by his enterprise, by his counsel
and BY his life and character lie gave spDO,OOO lol
the Gilbert Home for FienGless Children, the Dl1dng
having been completed and having begun its benetcen.
work under his supervision. lie also gave or lelt
eIber High school to be free to all residents Of the
town He gained his first earnings as teacher IN MS
beginning nearly sixty ago as a clock manu-
faeturer eager for knowledge and vet an ndeiatgabe
worker he early learned that brains help the hands In
ali work that knowledge mutplies the productive
power Of muscle. that what a man IS stamps an IN
press upOn what he does, In the humblest work
The Skilled mechanic forecasts his work That every
blow tells he economies both strength and stocs
Thus one dlgnhes work improving IL processes ana
Increasing its products. With such views, and with
full appreciation OF liberal culture nc maae th's NUM-
cent eft to educate and elevate the youth OF WlnSted
throuSh coming ages j. G.. NORTIIRUP.
'-H Clinton, Conn, May 90, 1891
MR.. GLADSTONE AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: For years have been an interested and ad-
niring reader of Mr. smallcy's letters from which
nh