Norwich bulletin., 1910-01-29


 it is rarity to see single sailing vessel of any size at a wharf along the water front What a comparison, and Billy Davidson the only spar maker in New London.
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 With the passage of the block and spar business in New London went cooper ages, and now there is not a. single cooper shop in the city, and the only coopers here are employed in the Boss cracker factory heading and repairing barrels, but no new work In the whaling days the cooperage business was among the leading industries, the Clark coorer snops in Water street and the Chipman cooper shop in Pot ter street being the leading concerns and employing many men.
 Another local industry that has gone out of existence is boat building. the principal kind of boats constructed be- ing of the double-end whale boats, with long steering oars. The leading boat shops were the Rogers and Smith in Bank street and the Reeves shops at the corner of Prison and Water streets. Now there is not single boat t-building shop in New London, nor is there q single rigging loft. al- though there were several, the princl- pal ones being those of Brannigan and Manierre.
 These industries were A part of the whaling business, which practically went out of existence in New London
  fulI-rigged ships, laden with granite and designated as the stone fleet, sail- ed from New London and were subse- quently sunk off Charleston South Carolina to aid in the blockade of that then important port. Since then and up to twenty years or SO ago, there were a few small vessels sailing from this port in the whale fisheries, but ly gone out of existence and the only local reminder is the partially sunken hulk of the old schooner Charles Col gate in Winthrop's Cove, the last of the New London whaling vessels.
 The masters of these old-t time yes sells, men noted for their honesty and endurance, and who were conceded to be masters of the art of navigation, mostly all self taught. aided by act ual experience, have all gone on their final voyage, but their noble traits of character, that of typical New England sailors will endure to the end of time.
 Public announcement was made that the committee of the golden anniver- sary observance of the St. Johns Lit erary association had invited the mayor and members of the court of common council to be among the more special invited guests at the anniver- Sary banquet in the Crocker house, where an expensive menu will: be serv- ed and which will mean quite a large bill of expense to the members, each
 
 paying for their own plate and also those of two friends. The city fathers fully realized what this meant to the society members and were surprised at the announcement. Some. of them even doubted the authenticity of the published announcement and waited for the invitations that never came
 In the older days the blame for the blunder would have been placed on the intelligent compositor." but in this case it was probably the fault of the careless reporter, who misunder- stood his informant and gave the council members invitation to the ban quet in the Crocker house instead of to the ball in the state armory where the city fathers could be the guests of the St. Johns at practically no ex- men took in the situation, and also took into consideration that the Crock CT house dining room will be taxed by the members of the society and their cept the amended invitation gracefully and attend the ball as epresentatives of the city of New London.
 Mayor Mahan is a member of the society, as are some other members of the council. and in the years that have gone by many members of that old and honorable society have filled po- sitions of honor and trust in city and state, the professions and business life of the city. While the society is en- tirely freed from politics that fact did not prevent some of the members from indulging in the game. and in nearly ners. with credit to themselves and 
 This reminds us that once upon a time there were so-calIed Irish -Ameri- cans in New London who organized | for the purpose of demanding recogni- | ton from the political parties by mem l oership in the city government, but | this movement did not originate with | the St. Johns society, although some | of the members were active in that | particular line of political work and | were subsequently elected to the court | vas started about thirty-five years | ago and resulted in a political organiz- | ltion known the Patrick Henry | ,1ub, which was formed in what was | Allen building in State street. It | started with a large membership and | lctive political campaigns followed. | Committees attended the democratic | every voter of Irish birth or descent l vas a democraD and demanded that | 1t least one representative be placed | 'n the city ticket, threatening that if his was not done, like application which would be glad of the opportu- lity to comply. and the result would | ,e demoralization and defeat to the IlcH uefnOCFdllc party II New London.
 While the Patrick Henry club served ts purpose and placed some of it's po- itically-a ambitious members into office gradually dawned on the majority l hat the organization was for the per- onal advancement in politics Of a fla -ored few. and that they were simply sed as stepping-stones. Then came dissatisfaction, and the Patrick Henry Tub soon went out of existence, the reat majority being satisfied to form
 part and parcel of the regular par ies and no part of the stand and-de- ver section of any party.
 This same Patrick Henry club had, erhaps, more to do with creating a pirit of independence in local politi- al matters than anything that ever in the city, and, result, ome of the more prominent members hereafter drilled with the republican arty, were selected and elected to ffces in the regular and legitimate ray. As time passed along many oth- rs left the party of their daddies and yer since young men Of Irish descent ave been in the active work of the epublican party and have beeu elect I to office by that party by reason of lerit and fitness and without consid- ration of nationality or religions be- eff. This is as it should be, and is of the change for the etter that has taken place in New |