The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-05-04
"The Village Blacksmiths'
Pdssing Of James Dick Starts Parade of Old Time Craftsmen Dos0n Msnorys Lane, Brings Back Mental Pic
 tures Of she Pre-Horseless
Carriage Days.
By THE OLD TIMER

his labor. E. A. Bradley also be- came a familiar name at the same address, 200-204 North Main street. M. B. Hitchcock at 290 South Main street, special ized in fine carriages, wagons, spindles, sleighs, horse goods, harnesses of all kinds.
 The West End Carriage com pany, c. N. Parons, manager, advertised in those days, "Top and No Top Buggies, business, market wagons, slighs, and ask ed his customers to call at his place of trade on Mattatuck street. c. F. Goodwin, 23 Spring street, boasted of the finest in design and easiest riding Con- cords. l.. B. Ives company, offered wagons, carriages, sur- reys, harness and horse goods.
 sPECIALTIES
 Back beyond the days of '8S Johnny Loucks was regarded as the city's veteran horseshoer, carriage maker, and who gave special attention to "shoeing lame and interfering horses" If Mir. Loucks seemed rather boast full in promoting his business let's recall Mike Woods, who ad- vertfsed "all lame and interfer- ing horses shod in the most scientific. manner, on improved principles. Mikes s customers found him at 2S Spring street. And there two Johns at III Jefferson street, who were wide ly.. known. Neybe the names Jack Dempsey and Jack or John F. McCandless may be mean something more. personal to a few of my friends.
 And there were O'Neill & Warmers on Brown street. Billy Doyle on Jefferson street and Walt Whitney on North Main street. The last named was a picturesque character of the old north end, who affected the ap- parel of the real, old western cowboy, whose rolling gait was initiated by kids of the neighbor- hood. And how that man could ride. His horses, and they were so pasture ticketed animals, could travel. Walt would ride sideIike in his saddle, in a way, which would remind you of the present hobby horse Cossacks at : Lakewood park, reaching for the brass ring.
 WALT WHITNEY
 And on East Farm street, but a few hundred yards removed from Whitney's on Division street Andy Kenneally piled his trade as wagon builder and hOrseshocr. Kids of that section thronged about the door of his place, to watch the sparks, to inhale the peculiar odors of a horseshoeing parlor, to hear the echoing blows of his hammer just like Longfellow wrote or as he intended to wtite, as far as the kids could criticize.
 And there was E. W. Robbins at A Brown street, George Pan- neton, Jefferson street and oth- CTS, more or less prominently known in their day, but whose work marked one of the out standing trades of their time.
 The memories of hundreds of kids of the old Croft and St. Mary's schools center around their days as they visited black smith shops in the vicinity of North Elm, Brown, Spring and Jefferson streets. fir. Dick be- came part of that life and trade some forty years ago, when hitching posts in Exchange place and along the green were more common than NO aPrk- ing'' signs today.
 VANISHING SPEEDS
 Mir. Dick has gone on. Accord ing to reports there are S7 hOrseslleft in the city of Water bury. The motor age has almost made its conquest complete, but as time wings on the youngsters of yesterday still cherish memo ries of the Whitneys, the Pan- netons, O'Neils and yes, of Mike Mcverry as he carried on until only a few years ago on Meadow street, near Chatfield avenue. Each neighborhood has its landmarks and blacksmith shops were common to all-in their day.