Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-09-23
One of the Best Known Citizens
 of Waterbury.
SICK ONLY A FEW DAYS.

Was Clerk in the Superintendent of
 Streets Of1ce-His Death a Surprise
 and Shock to His Many Friends
 Formerly Was a We'll Known Busi
 ness Man in Brooklyn District and
 Served Several Years as Bronson IL
 brary Agent
 James Horigan,, for the past three years clerk in the office of Superinten dent B. B. Kelley of the street depart his home, 745 North Main street, after short illness.
 MT Horigan was born in the parish of Glenroe, Limerick, Ireland, and came to Waterbury about thirty years ago and lived here ever since. For years he conducted grocery store and saloon at the corner of Bank and South Leonard streets and commanded very large and profitable trade not only in that district but in almost every section of the town, his honest, straightforward methods of dealing with the public winning him patrons among people who had to travel long distances to reach his place of business. He was prominent Ill politics and wielded an influence Tn the third ward which no man in the deno. l cratic camp who aspired to ofnce coulu afford to ignore. He never sought anything for himself, although ms l friends talked of him for selectman and deputy sheriff, but he was ever l on the alert in the interest or otners' 1 and many Waterbury people who nave | had political honors thrust upon them owe their success to MT Horlgan CT l forts on their behalf. He retired 1ro.i business. some time ago and shorty after accepted position Tn the oplce of the superintendent of streets, Whefe he proved himself very efnc'ent anu trustworthy man, winning the esleeEa I of those who had charge over him as well as commanding the respect of everybody who had occasion to call upon him in any capacity. Mir Kelley was deeply touched at the news of his death and said to-day that he never knew a more conscientious or com petent employe than Mir Horigan had proved himself as clerk of the street and sewer departments. He was a splendid accountant and took pride 1 in Keeping his books so that l they would always be in proper shape l for inspection by anybody who de- sired to see them. Comptroller Russell l said this morning that in all the reports of one kind and another submitted to him by Mir Horigan during his connec- tion with the street departn'ant he could not recollect even on 9ror in 1 his accounts.
 MT Horigan was prominent in church and society affairs Tn the early days of the history of St Pat l rick's parish he was the inspiring 4 genius of few men who kept the agi- tation for cross street from Rurnham 1 street to South Leonard street going :, and on more than one occasion ran big risks in battering down the barbed l wire fences erected by the railroad l company to prevent people reaching I the church and getting to the factories by the shorter route. The place was I finally opened to public travel and while many elements entered into it I it was admitted at the time that noth- | I the project than the determination of l the residents to keep it open in spite I of the company. He was one of the founders of Protector Hose company No and retained his membership in I the organization up to the time of his death. He was also member of I Company c. c. N. G., and rose to the rank of first lieutenant and had an I honorable discharge from the com pany. He also served term of twelve years as member of the board of agents of the Silas Bronson library l fund.
 But perhaps it was in Irish national bodies that MT Horigan was best known and where his real character was revealed. He received a classical 1 education in his native country and taught school for a time there prior to leaving for America, and this fact being known to many of his associates | here he was invariab bly, selected to fill positions of trust in every organization | he was associated with. He was a man of strong national tendencies and entered into every movement gotten
 up in this town with view to battling for the overthrow of British rule in
 Ireland with great earnestness, and de- voted much of his talents and means to the cause. Hn was prominent
 member Of the T. F. Meagher club. took leading part in the Irish Nation al Land league, was secretary of the
 Stephen T. Meany funeral committee.
 assisted in raising tho funds to send his body to Ireland for burial with
 the ashes of his fathers in hisanative
 Clare and was one of about twenty l five citizens of Waterbury who waved
 an adieu from the wharf to the dele
 gate who accompanied the remains to
 Ireland as the steamship sailed out Of the harbor at New York. Like others of his class he never despaired of see
 ing brighter days in Ireland than it
 enjoyed in his boyhood. and short
 time ago after the passage of the land
 act. remarked to the writer of this
 sketch that this was simply the enter | ing wedge for home rule in Ireland | and a parliament in College Green