Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-28
.r.1D Odd m1DpLErowN.

The Beauties of the Place-Its Sum-
mer Quiet - The Real Estate and
Building Boom - Its Citizens and
visitors-The Bicyclists-TheS Streets
The Business Mems Protective
Assoc1ation-AN New Opera House.
Of all the beautiful cities in New Eng
land, and their number is great, Middle
town takes one of the first, if not the first
place. Those who have visited the city
and driven and walked through its shady
streets never forget it, and without an ex-
ception wish to see it again. If one stands
on some of the elevated spots to the south
of the city it is almost impossible to see
the houses at all, SO thick are the trees,
and yet no one ever. complains that it is an
unhealthy place. Even adding in the
deaths at the insane retreat and the in
dustrial school, as is always done, the death
rate is below that of many of the almost
treeless cities in other parts of New Eng
land. The name "Forest City" is well
given.
The dullness and sleepiness of Middle
town have been used as a subject for the
so-called funny column by country edl-
tors for so long period that the joke has
thoroughly come to ante-date the joke on
the ice cream eating capacity of
girls. AS fact though, mot many cities
of the size of Middletown can equal it in
the amount of business done or in money
invested in manufacture, and in money
represented by its inhabitants. Middle
town leads them all.
The real estate business in the city has
not been in such a prosperous condition
for years, and the best part of it is that it
is good, solid, healthy growth. 1t is not
one Of the mushroom growths like those in
the west, where the population of a town
doubles itself in one night and real estate
doubles itself four or five times only. to
come down more rapidly than it went up.
Those who are fortunate enough to own
real estate in Middletown much prefer to
hold on to it and to wait for the further
rise in prices, which is coming slowly but
surely. Never before has there been so
much building, both of dwelling houses
and of business blocks, as is now going
forward. In the last two years almost
every available spot for a dwelling
house near the center of the city has
more removed from the center have been
bought and either built upon Immediately
or held as an investment. Broad, Pearl
and High streets especially show the
growth of the city. Rents are never left
vacant, and notwithstanding that so much
is said about the high rate of taxation,
many are to-day getting 10 per cent. and
more on their money invested in houses.
Many buildings are now in course of cree
ton in all parts of the city, and among
them two especially worthy of mention
are the business blocks which
Mr.. George N. Ward and Mr.. J. w.
Sturck are putting up on Main street, just
above Washington street. Allen & Tyler
of New Haven are the architects of the
Ward building, and their plans show that
it will be very handsome indeed. Pressed
brick and granite are the materials to be
used in its construction.
The advent of the Schuyler Electrical
Manufacturing company to Middletown
was great thing for the city and, al
though the men who invested their money
in the enterprise when it was first started
here were obliged to sell their stock to the
Thomson-Houston company, the
large number of hands employ
ed by the concern help to
increase the business in the city. The
company has only recently built larg
addition to its factory on HamGn street
just at the present time many of the citi-
zens are away on their summer vacations,
which of course makes the place more
quiet than usual and business on the street
rather dull. During the coming winter,
though, it is prophesied that there will be
more activity and life than has ever been
seen before.
The citizens of Middletown, taken as a
whole, are about as nice class of people
| as can be found in the United States.
Somewhat exclusive and slow to become
acquainted with to be be sure, but when
| once known they are all that can be de-
sired or asked for. Many people, residents
of New York and other large cities, spend
almost their entire summer in Middle
town on account of it's beauty and health
fitness, and others, who are not fortunate
| enough to have the time, pay short visit
of week or more. Many of the inhabit-
ants are people of wealth who have settled
| in the city, coming from other places,
| larger maybe, but lacking the quiet beauty
| which is one of Middletown's chief
! charms.
The bicycle craze struck the Middletown
young ladies with great force and SO many
wheels are now owned by girls that they
| almost outnumber the young men. A
spring it will be on a firm footing. The
one thing which is the most talked of
among wheel owners at present is the
building of bicycle path down to Dur
ham, a village some six miles below the
| city. The road is one of the most beauti-
full in the whole surrounding country, but
as far as bicycles go is almost impossible
on account of the sand. A path around
the sandy places would make fine road
of it for evening runs and no doubt
many would be the couples who
would ride that way. The
streets in the city are in disgracefnl con-
! %I,o 1x,1i o, :
spent each year in their repair. After a
rain of any length at all the middle of
Main street resembles swamp more than
anything else. Something must be radi-
cally wrong somewhere when in spite of
the protests of tax paying citizens such a
state of things continues.
A great deal has been heard recently
about the Business Mems Protective asso-
| citation, which has been formed to protect
merchants from debtors who refuse to pay
their bills. Many have remarked that it
was nothing more or less than black
mailing scheme, but prominent
Main street merchant said the other night
that it was nothing that an honest man
need be afraid of in the least. If man
refused to pay the slightest attention when
bills were sent to him, and on being spoken
to said that he never had intended to pay
| up, then if on due notice to him that I'M
| less he did make some settlement his debt
| would be auctioned off in public, he had
| only himself to blame if it were done.
Now that the would-be beats see that the
merchants are in sober earnest about the
matter there have been quite a number of
ancient accounts settled up at the first
| notice that they were shortly to be sold to
/ the highest bidder.
A new opera house is what Middletown
| has needed for years, and it now looks as
| though it were coming and would soon be
built. The old hall had such small stage
| that play of any size could not be put on
| properly. The site selected for the theatre
| is in the rear of the Assurance building on
| Main street, just below the college, and
! the building will be well ventilated and
provided with exits for emergencies,
| SO that if it were crowded it
| could be emptied in very quick
time. The insurance company, which
| owns the Insurance building and all the
property around it, is the financial hacker
in the enterprise. To give an idea of what
the theater is in size one who has seen the
plans and knows all about it said short
time ago that the stage alone would be
larger than the whole auditorium of the
McDonough opera house. May the plan
60 through is the wish of all, so that the
citizens can have frst-class entertainments
| during the winter.
| A PROPOSED SUMMER RESORT.