Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-07-09
CANAL STREET IMPROVEMENTS.
Something About Canal Street of Former
Times, and as it is Now.

Times, and as it is Now.
"EN years ago even Canal street
H was somewhat different from
what it is now. Who does not
y remember the mud? 1t was ia
nous with teamster and pedestri-
an. Ten years ago the Harris
block was standing, alive with its scores
of dirty and ragged occupants. There
were rum shops, too; nuisances there as
everywhere. The small bakery build
ings were very unsightly for the position
they occupied, but their history is inter-
esting. They were nearly as old as any
in the square, and were celebrated in the
good old days of 1850 as a landing place
for boats passing on the canal, and for
the well of water which all the old resi-
dents speak of with praise. The well is
still in existence, and it is a peculiar fact
that, though only few feet from the
canal, the water is lower and does not
seem to be affected in the least by the
water in the canal. 1t is easy to imagine
a busy scene at this landing any time
from 1910 to 1850. Word has passed
around that the old fiatboat "Col. Went
WORTH was coming through the locks
and would soon arrive at the landing.
The upper lock was in the vicinity OF the
stone arch bridge. The crowd gathers
and soon the cargo of West India rum,
mOlasses, etc., awaits unloading. This
boat was one of many that brought
freight up the Connecticut, and was
owned by Col. Asa Wentworth. The
well sweep is put in motion, drawing
the cool water, some to be drank clear
and some to be mixed with part OF the
cargo. The items of personal history
Oh, al, f1o;c
be known to the generation which is
hurrying up and down over the Canal
street of these days.
The change began when the town fur
nished money to pave the street with
granite blocks. Thus the mud nuisance
was abated forever. Next came the con.
crete sidewalks, and then the saloons
vanished. Messrs. A. Fl. & F. H. Brown
came in possession of the buildings on
that side of the street. Harris block was
cleansed and re-mOdeled into stores.
This change created as well as supplied
demand and good tenants quickly occu-
pied them as the location was acknowl-
edged one of the best. After that change
came the tearing down of the bakery
buildings and the building of the new
thrown" block on that site. These are
the principal changes, but with them
has gone the general cleaning up about
the buildings and keeping business
places tidy which always go with an
honest pride in ones surroundings.
Browns block is an ornament to the
square and from first to last the work
was done by the day; no contract work
entered into its construction in any par
ticular. Work was begun in May, 1889,
and it took year to complete the build
ing. The foundation walls were laid
heavy and strong, the rear one being IL
feet deep and resting upon bed of hard
gravel. The stone work was under the
Supervision of jeremiah Leach and /.
Edison. The building is wood frame
covered entirely with iron, novelty in
this region. 1t is rated equal to brick in
resisting fire from the outside. The car,
penter work was under the direction OF
Joseph Griswold and was thoroughly
done. The frame is one of the old fash
ioped sort. All the floor timbers are
3x12 inches and set II inches from cen
tiers.
The building was rented before it was
finished. A. f. Winnewisser occupies
the north basement, store, second story
and the whole of the third story, with
his rapidly growing furniture business;
The dimensions of the floor space used