Norwich bulletin., 1914-08-20
NORWICH IN 1850.
Woman Former Resident. Wr'tss Of
 Her RecoIlections..

A former resident of Norwich, now long having had residence in the west. writes to the Bulletin her rec ollections of Norwich in 1850. She re- calls the following interesting inci- dents and local history:
 first became acquainted with Nor wien, and also with The Bulletin, in 1850, though I remember little about the paper except the heading.
 In the spring of that year my father went to work in the machine shop near the river, at the opposite side of the street from Franklin hall. The family, consisting of my father. mother, md myself, boarded for while with same street, but some distance from the river. An unmarried daughter lived with her, and her son, 2. Coon. was merchant, and had store on Water street
 We soon came down the street near CT to the shop. and boarded with MT. and Mrs. Levi Kinney. who occupied half a double tenement house there. We had large front room on the second floor, with an alcove for a bed and a small bed room, which we fur nished. lighted ard heated. ourselves. three of us, and the use of the kitchen for laundry and other work by my mother. we paid $4 a week Perhaps it might be interesting to compare my fathers wages with those of today. He was a skillful maclinist to who was given the most difficult work of the shop. and many times fine work was brought to the shop express ly on his account For this he had s9 a week, or nine shilling day as the general reckoning was then During the first of the year, eleven hours was a legal days work, but this was changed to ten hours during the summer.
 I heard my father say to one of his shop mates. eff any man objects tc cause he is lazy. Ten hours gives plenty of time for rest and refrea- tion."
 Commodore Vanderbilt used to brine his propeller to this shop for repairs to the machinery, and my father was
 always detailed for the work As the commodore worked with him l they became acquainted, and my fath- CT said once "They say that man i: worth a million. but I don't believe it He does not dress any better than do, and works as hard, and seems tC have less time for recreation | During the spring of 1851 we moved into rooms-or a fiat, as it would b, called however the store of MT. Tru man, directly across the square iron | Franklin hall. Mir. Truman had liveS | in these rooms himself until shor new brick house close by, and livet
 there with his wife, daughter, anC
 son-in-law MT. Tubbs.
 | MT. Truman was a fine man, HkeI and respected by all, and his man.
 kindnesses to a little child are stil gratefully remembered.
 When we went there, the inside O | the hl00Ix SC ryrO1un6 and
 as a place to dry clothes by the wo | men, and a play ground by the chil dren. But the Wauregan house wa built during the year, and the pla, ground was spoiled.
 | My aunt Miss Diantha Maine, an
 her friend, Miss Susan Adams, wer
 teachers in the public schools at tha
 time. and I visited them often Fror
 my recollection of the schools,
 should say they compared favorabl
 with the public schools of today.
 was thought to be too young to at
 tend one, so went at first to a sn1a-
 private school taught by Mrs. Rogers the widow of a. M. E. preacher, an later to one taught by two maide
 ladies, whose names I do not remem
 Der.
 MT. Hazen was the best know
 teacher of dancing. and his littl daughter, Fannie. was noted for he graceful dancing.
 During this year. 1852. there was
 fire which started at the to } of the hill. two or three streets be ] low Franklin square and swept dow one, side of the street. There was a old church used as drying hous } which was filled to the roof with sea
 soned lumber, which caught fire 6
 the very beginning, and the intens
 heat and flying pieces of burnin
 boards kindled a fire which could nc be controlled. The fire engine wa
 able to keep it from crossing tn { street until it reached the dock, whe
 two warehouses on opposite sides too
 fire at the same time. Some of tn 3 fire company were on the dock. an ) were cut off by the fire. 7 "Jumpl jump into the riveri" erie : the crowd.
 9 We can't swim was answered. A silence fell on the crowd so pro l found that it seemed like death, UT
 til it was broken by a mighty chet r when a boat appeared from the rive } and the threatened fremen jumped 1T I to it and were rescued by the boat e men.
 e Soon after this, the Fire compan 8 held their annual celebration, consis f ing of drill work, a parade, and
 banquet in the evening, followed by
 ball. Several of the young ladit
 who had friends in the company al
 ranged to present them with a monst,
 wreath of flowers to adorn their CT y zine, which was to be presented dul Q ing the public parade, with a suitab l speech.
 The young ladies were to meet tl e procession at a certain corner. at given time. but some mistake WI
 made.
 y The wreath and its bearers waite . at one corner, while the Fire con = pany passed at another. Both u '' firemen and the ladies were disal = pointed and another parade was a e ranged for the afternoon. when u = wreath was presented. this time bea
 ing a card inscribed, Better late ths