The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-26
'Main Street," Continued.


 When Sinclair Lewis book, Main Street." was read by residents of larger towns than those of the Go pher Prairie homes which he so truthfully depicted. they. in superior fashion. pitied the cramped lives of those whose lots were thus cast.
 Next, MT. Lewis wrote "Babbitt, discussing a large York state town, painting the people true to life. places directed their ridicule at the starved existence of those last named dweIlers.
 This is all very much like the sim heartily at the antics of the clown. Back of him sat a prosperous mar ketman, who chuckled over the fel- lows simplicity. In back of the mar smiled at the marketman's satisfac- ton with his own superiority. And still further in the rear stood man of the world who smiled at all of them.
 This is about the way in which the story of BridgeQort's Main street Of l2ng ens agS %a'n is Psins eeRted Ry s9 customs and lives of various individ- uals then were primitive compared with those of the present day. How living now will appear just as crude as those men whose superiority at the circus outclassed one another.
 To Paint Truly.
 It is not the object of this review of Main street in Bridgeport to cast ridicule upon the people of long ago, but, like Sinclair Lewis, to paint them true to life.''
 These folks of days gone by did not have the invironments of today. Their mode of life was much simpler and less complex and no doubt they were just as happy, or even happier, fl han of the nTeSenit
 But to go back to Main street: Be- ginning at High street, on the west side of Main, was brick building, which is still there. A store was on the lower floor and overhead was a small hall, used for meetings and theatrical shows. Next was a vacant lot, where now stands Fred Sailer' s building. and on she corner, next to Arch street was the home of Sylves- ter Betts.
 Who They Married.
 Captain Betts' daughter. Lucy. who was very beautiful. married Philo Prindle. son of Captain Prindle. 2 famous old sea-dog, who lived next door to Eli Andrews in East Bridge port. One of MT. and Mrs. Philo Prindle's daughters married John other daughter married Charles S. Cole, of the one-time firm of Prindle and Cole. real estate promoters.
 After the death of Captain Betts, 
 bell, who erected a wooden factory building on it's site. In this he con ducted an extensive hoop-skirt busi- ness. When the ridiculous fashion of wearing hoop-skirts, or "tilters," as they were jocularly called, began to fade away, MT. HubbeI turned his machinery into creating the famous or infamous, as you like, hustle, which, for a decade, added consider able to the graceful curves of the feminine form divine. When that wonderful piece of architecture was kicked into the discard, MT. Hubbell wound tip his factory and started the coal business with Edward Jones. Hubbell and Jones' business was in the yard where now run the trolley tracks and it's storage docks, just east of the elevated waiting station of the New Haven railroad.
 When George Hubbell was a young man. during the Civil war, he had the exclusive right to sell newspapers on the Naugatuck railroad trains. This was before he entered the coal busi- ness. He was arrested by the govern ment agents for selling newspapers that were rife with Secession litera- ture, and for this act, was confined in Fort Lafayette until the war was over.
 "Copperheads'' Sympathized.
 This martyrdom, as it was consid- cred by "copperheads'' and Southern sympathizers in Bridgeport. was the means of securing for Hubbeu and Jones a large patronage. Because of the hourishing condition of this coal firm, it attracted the attention of Miller, recently come to Bridgeport to reside.
 Mir. Miller's sister was married to Irwin Strickland. and the brothers-in- law got together and bought out Hub bell and Jones. forming the firm of Miller and Strickland. That was the beginning of Mir. Miller's career in Bridgeport as manipulator of various projects.
 Millsr and Strickland sold coal in those days at s3.50 a ton. delivered. So also did sherman Cate. Wheeler and Howes, Ira Gregory, Joseph Banks. Black and Wilson. and all other coal dealers, without the pres ent-day doctors prescription. Would not such men today be a blessing to Bridgeport?
 Son Was Shot.
 To refer back to r-e east side of Main street. Next to HubbelPs block was the grocery store of Chester Ben nett. He and ls;s family lived in George Sanford's house on Main street, below where now is Congress street Mfr. Bennett had three sons. Frank. Henry and George. Frank