The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-07-20

Man the eafUn Wllu IulIi Byron.
 Two historic parcels of real estate, centrally located in the city of Bridge port, are for sale. One is the open lot where once stood the North Congre- gational church, and the other is the Plaza" which has cost a million or so, and now is used for parking auto mobiles.
 For that matter, the North church site is also used for the same purpose. and may continue to be so utilized, for the land cannot be sold because 1t was willed to the First Congregational society to be used for church purposes only. If not used this way, it is to re- vert to the heirs of the donors. Just why there heirs do not come forward now and reclaim the land is not known. Perhaps they own automo- piles themselves and have a religious respect for these, in some cases, de- mons of death.
 From this viewpoint it Is not un- reasonable to conclude that the old First church site will not be sold for many generations to come. AS for the Plaza. 1t is doubtful if that un- slightly locality will ever bring the price that it has cost the city, includ- ing the loss of taxes.
 As It Was and Is.
 There is a vast difference in the Plaza now and it was many years ago, Commencing on Wall street, there once stood the City National Bank building. Louis Booths drug store, on the ground floor, was head cause of the geniality of MT. Booth, and more especially for his little back room where the very best liquors were served.
 Next door was Porter and Booths crockery store. in its day the largest of it's kind in Bridgeport. MT. Porter was a devout member of the North church. His partner, Sflas c. Booth,  the firm dissolved partnership, MT. Porter continued the crockery store and MT Booth entered the hardware business in a Wall street building Ginand, and lastly by a Connecticut Brewery company bar-room. This, however, IS now closed.
 On the second floor of the City Bank building were the City National bank quarters. The first president was Ira Sherman, then followed Sher- wood Sterling, George B. Waller. Dam ie! Morgan, Edwin Sanford and Frank Miller. The cashiers were Robert Clark, John Fayerweather. Fred Banks. and R. A. Beers.
 Adjoining the bank described above was the City Savings Bank, with Stiles Middlebrooks as the head and his son, William, as cashier. Next door on Wall street was Curriers' seed store, then came Ed Smiths gun shop, with a wEndow display of NS and an occasional alligator
 Forerunner of ''Times."
 On the corner was the old hotel where General Lafayette stopped and from the balcony of which he ad- dressed the crowds of citizens who assembled to do him honor. Later on. this building was the home of Morse as publishers and proprietors. That popular old newspaper was the forerunner of the '"Times' of today which continues to cherish and up- hold Democracy with unf1agging en- ergy-thanks to Lynn Wilson and Jimmie" McGovern.
 On Water street, next to the hotel, was Isaac Pendleton's harness factory, and next was William G. Stevenson's grocery store, where Marcus Allen omciated as head salesman. Next stood Thomas Hawleys hardware store established there in 1S49. One of Mir. Hawley's sons belonged to the Vigilance Committee of that city, which in those days performed the offices of the present-day Ku KluX Klan-
 When MT. Hawleys son visited Bridgeport it was delightful. as well as blood-curdling to listen to his re- countingS of the hangings. and so forth which were enjoyed in Califor- nit in those happy days, when gold was the lure to draw adventurers from the effete West to the wild and woolly West.
 Just below T. Hawley 6. Co.'S store was the grand stairway leading up to the second story where Nathan Buck ingham's extensive furniture ware rooms and factory were situated. The building extended over quite a large area, and had a back entrance lead ing out to Bank street.
 Along on the Water street front was Billy" Cooks fish market, one or two ready-made clothing stores, and some other shops. But most interesting was "Joe' Thompsons drug store, where '+Thompsons Eye Water was dispensed.
 Billy Sold Fruit and FISh.''
 Billy Cook was well-known character for the reason that he was one of these first enterprising geniuSes