The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-08-29
Athletic Goods To
Be Shown At Exhibit
Brands OF Connecticut Manufacturers to Feature Dis.
play of Tercentenary Committee in Hartford

II you follow an entlcing stream
of water as 1t winds torturous
course to the happy hunting
grounds OF the fisherman; IL YOU
love the sound and feel of a
twanging bowstring on a leather
armguard and the arched flight of
q feathered arrow; IL you play
football or sping-pong, ice skate or
ride a horse, you will find some
piece of athletic equipment stamp
ed with the brand of Connecticut
manufacturer. The Connecticut
Tercentenary Industrial Exposition,
at the Hartford Armory from Oc-
tober 2 to 10, will have as one of
unany attractive features an exhi.
Bit Of athletic goods and novelties
manufactured in this state. sports
lovers everywhere will he interest,"
cd in the varied number of athle.
tic games and pastimes for which
Connecticut provides equipment.
~~ AS the fish grew scarcer In Con-
,necticut more of a. premium was
put on angling skill and compli-
Gated methods of fishing. Sever
al Connecticut concerns have been
manufacturing reels and lines, as
we'll as mountings and. hooks, foi
"a great many years. The Union
Hardware Company, one OF Con-
necticut's largest producers In the
Sporting goods industry, started az
a small organization in 1854 and
has grown steadily. The Horton
Manufacturing Company OF Bristol
acquired the b. Il. Meek and Sons
Company, manufacturers of fishing
reels, In 1915. Horton then took
sdver the business OF Va. Leroy
Martin. which produced the fa-
nous Kingflsher silk Lines, first
silk lines ever made in America.
I'm 1882 this concern purchased the
T.. w. Edwards and Sons Bamboo
Rod Plant in Mount Carmel,
which now operates In Bristol.
The w. w. Mildrum Jewel Com
asbany of East Berlin was first In.
corporated in 1915. Its manufac-
ture of agate rod mountings re-
quires manipulative skill and dex-
terity, and 1t Is fascinating TO
watch the work of this concern.
The Bevin-Wilcox Line Company
s6f East Hampton, Conn. produces
linen. silk, and braided wire fish
eng lines. The Brown Braid Com
pany, also of East Hampton.
manufactures binding cord for ten
This rackets, golf shaft winding and
silk cord in addition to fish lines.
@T. S. Skilton and Sons of Winsted
is the only firm manufacturing
fishing tackle, exclusively. In Con-
necticut.
"a A Connecticut manufacturer has
also done his share to supply the
paraphenalia for the more modern
but popular game of golf.
In 1910 a General Electric en-
sineer came to the Horton Manu-
featuring Co. with patent for
steel shaft golf club. Horton had
previously perfected \ steel fishing
rod which soon gained popularity.
BY heat treating tubular steel, a
golf club shaft was made which is
now used by many Of the leading
golfing manufacturers. Bristol
steel Shaft Golf clubs were first
sold complete In 1898. The same
type Of opposition greeted the steel
shaft golf club as had the steel
filming rod, but II Is now the most
popular.
Archery, the sport about which
are woven the romantic stories OF
Skilled English longbowmen and
their adventures in medieval castle
and warfare. Is attracting an in.
creasing number OF enthusiasts.
Horton Manufacturing Company
has as II production supervisor,
Russ Hoogerhydc, national archery
champion In 1929-30-31.32 and "a.