Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-09
Cten Some of His Remnences Together With Brief Nene Witnessed In His Native City During Long and Useful Career

iBill1-AveEy, an unique character, of great regularity of haibits and one who seemed to ransack his brain tor some new joke to be sprung daily upon some unsuspecting victim.
 One Of these is recalled as follows: Noah Lucas, the senior, wl7o was a warm friend of MT. Avery'S, upon go- ing past his store, espied him sitting out on the sidewalk in front, in his accustomed chair and saluted him. ing Noah' It's a hot morning. replied Ar. Avery: Hot, said Noah, sT don'e call this hot" sfWeH. that makes no difference you don't feel the heat. The thermometer is at least 80 right here. Nothing of the sort was the reply, sWelP' said William, with drawl, I'll bet you the - the bet was of merchandise easily obtafnahle, as now, on Water street. 1'll bet you it is 80, by my thermometer there" pointing to one hanging beside the door. The wager was closed and ad- bulb of the thermometer held in his clenched hand, William told him to see for tlimsef Noah fussed around for his reading glasses and adjusting them towards the end of his nose, f1n- ally took an observation, the mer- cury, as a. matter of course, having in the meantime rushed toward 9S de- greeS with all speed. Noah having taken a second look, said, Well Bill,'' you win" come on7, but wouldn't have believed it was so hot a day. i, and they adjoined to the place where they might, and probably did, refresh their souls. The beauty of the story, if it contains any, lies in the fact that some little time elapsed before the trick dawned upon MT. Lucas, and you may believe that he was by no means a dullard, on the contrary, one of the wittiest of men.
 In these days, Norwich boasted a democratic newspaper, published in a building at the corner of Water and Market streets. The Aurora, a weekly publication, afterwards merged with a daily evening edition, known as the "Advertiser'f It was published by
 John W. Stedman, an old style demo- crat, of the Judge Hovey type. MT.
 Stedman also published for many years. Gle only directory Norwich af- forded, and this to was merged into the present directory published by the Price Lee Co., though it still bears the title Stedman's Norwich Directory.
 The newspapers went the way of all democratic newspapers in our town | and MT. Stedman, having received
 from a democratic state administra- ton, the offioe of insurance con1nis-
 ability, afterward became the treaSur-
 CT of one of the Hartford savings
 banks and died in that city.
 Changes in Shetucket Street.
 MT. Burke has seen great changes in Shetuclket street since entering up. on his business career. On the east erly corner of Main and Sheucke' stood the old Norwich Bank, and along side it, toward Main street, a ninia.
 ture fiatiron- building, owned by MT Cook, tailor, who conducted his bus mess up stairs. MT. Charles Johnson was president of the bank, and MT i Frank Johnson the cashier afterWart 1 filling the position of president, witt MT. Stephen B. MeeeGa, as cashier. Tht bank at the end of it's career, closed out it's business and MT. Meech be
 came the cashier of the Thames Ma. ton bank, a position which he helt for many years. The Norwich bank as a state institution, possessed, w
 believe, the unique distinction of be ing the only one in the country emit ting notes of an odd denomination ant value, either @ three or four dolla
 bill. Below the bank, on Shetueke street, was building, occupied by dl . late Mrs. Olive w Platt as a millin cry and fancy goods store, and beloS that a nest of rocks until the the, New bank-building was constructed
 to be occupied in order, by the Chelse Savings bank, the Thames Nationa 5 and the Norwich Savings Society. it is recalled rightly, the gas-offc 7 was in the building next to the Unca