Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1915-10-08


stuffy in winter, and ineonyenient at
all times OF the year. but It was used
until early In the sixties, when it was
voted to excaYate the earth from the
south side of the church and put in
walls on both sides This was done
at an expense of about $400, and
very convenient room was the result
1t was not long after this that the
improvement in business. and the am
bition of the pebble led them to agitate
the question OF new church building
The organization had grown in mum
bers and presumably ia wealth and
culture, and a natural desire was ere.
ated for a more modern and larger
house of worship. The discussion re
suited IN the sale of the old property
at a handsome advance on the original
cost and a purchase OF the lot upon
which the present edifice stands
When We remember that the society
was only a little more than twenty
years old. that its entire possessions
in 1854 were not much over 81 .000,
that while there was no great depres-
| sion in business yet on account of the
| late war. prices of building material
We're inflated, and everything unfavor-
able for new enterprise. it seems
like tremendous undertaking.
The greatest honor is due to the
I skl1fgl management of the building
committee Nessrs G W Phillips, Ed
gar Clark G.. NJ Fisher under whose
/ supervision the building was erected
and made ready for dedication April
20, 1870 Vt would be matter OF
great intarr7 Il we could only ser the
/ subscription list covering the eontri-
/ buttons tbat Made this building pos
sihiHty. Without any question. Hhe
sacrifices we're such that everyone
+ felt the stress THAR was made upon
them, and ii WAS only accomplished
! through love OF me cause As nearly
as can be ascettaiued the cost of the
structure was $32 600
Improvements and Changes
improvements aud repairs have
been made unon the building as the
| times and conditions demanded. As
| early as 1883 it was found necessary
| TO remodel the tower and radical
changes were made both in the truss
| es of the roof aud other supports In
| 1887 the ladies received permission
! to add parlor and kitchen TO the east
| pleted at an expense of about 81 .000.
Early in the pastorate of Mr. Love,
a house was erected for a parsonage
| but did not pass into the hands of the
society until 1895. In 1890 a new
floor and sheathing was placed in the
| chapel by the Endeavor societies.
The walls were repainted through the
| benevolenee of MIR. T. T. Botham,
| ah a Nv - 4.-ta
and a pulpit desk by Mr. and Mrs. Ed
ward Mesner as a memorial of their
children In 1892 steps We're taken
to hQuidate debt of 81. see and pro
| cure a new organ and place the same
| ON a platform With the pulpit Over
| 5000 was raised at this time and at
the dedication of the new organ the
society was declared out at debt Fiji
1896. stained glass wiadovs rH
| church and chapel mostly memorial
replaced the old ones.
In 1900 extensive repairs were
made upon the ceiling and walls 1T
the auditorium, woodwork repainted
and a new carpet laid costing i'm all
some some SINNe In the latter par.
OF l9a6 the property In the rear ef the
church. known as the Sears Estate
was put upon the market and the de
sireahility of controlling the lot. SO
far appealed 90 the people that after
due consideration, the property was
bought tine purchase prize being
$4,000. some $500 az which was
raised by subscription and the bal
ance secured by a mortgage From
time TO time the amount of this mort
gage has been reduced until now il is
about Sl,ana, and the expectation is
that this VIII be Cancelled as soon as
the legacy OF Miss Sarah Dixie be-
comes available
In the summer Of 1907 the matter Of
providing some suitable place for ban
quets. social functions. gymnasium,
etc was discussed with the result that
in the latter part of that year the
present arrangement of rooms in the
basement of the church was secured.
The total cost OF these improvements