The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-26

part or the 1bth century that par
 ishes and societies established them. Some of the, books originally in the Union library here in l797
 are to be found in the present
 Bronson library which, incident ally, was built in 1869. Literary and scientific societies followed the book stores and libraries and in later years held their meetings in the Bronson library.
 Lectures were given here as far back as 1890. Pictorial art and
 bury's history starting about 1850.
 No mention clan properly be made of Waterbury's history with out reference to the newspapers. The American. a weekly, was first published December 14, 1S44. In 1866 1t became daily, issuing in the morning. In 1871 1t was changed to an evening paper. The Democrat was first published as a
 weekly, too, the first issue being July 31, 1881. Tn 1886 1t became q Sunday paper and on December 5, 1887 was changed to an evening paper. The Republican, successor to another local newspaper, the Waterbury Independent, was estab- | lished in 1881. The first issue ap- peared october 29, some three | months after the Democrat had
 been introduced. It. too, was a | weekly paper, changing into an afternoon edition during January, 1884 and to a morning paper No-
 yember 4, 1888. The weekly edi- ton was continued also. The Sun day Herald, now known as the Bridgeport Herald, was first issued here on February 19, 1888, the year of the big blizzard. Water bury has had many newspapers
 some of them possessing such | classy names as 'The Hornet.
 The Wasp. and "The Gladiator. Theatricals
 Waterbury's dramatic history be- gan about 1889 when the city hall | of that period was opened. Before that time only travelling actors. or school children, entertained by put ting on a show. They even had bats, too.
 lHe IlTSL IThleTHhI OTbhHlLbtIou
 was the Masonic lodge in 1765. Then came the Independent order of odd Fellows in 1846. The Knights of Pythias followed in 1869. Then in 1871 came the United American Mechanics and three years later the Ancient order of Foresters. Six years later the An cient Order of United Workmen appeared on the scene. In 1885 the Knights of Columbus estab- lished headquarters here.
 Limited space forbids a lengthy outline of Waterbury's military his- tory. We all know that Waterbury has held its head high since it's be- ginning almost three centuries ago. The city's history contains no brighter pages than those which record the military achievements of our soldiers, and sailors. too.
 There were reform advocates away back in 1850 when campaigns were waged against liquor and for the uniform closing of all business establishments at S:30 p. m. And liquor had its supporters then as 1t has now. They conducted their fight on the ground that liquor helped the lawyers plead, the min isters preach, and the doctors car ry on although overburdened with | work.
 Churches Listed
 The ecclesiastical history of Wat erbury is indeed interesting. The | first settlers came from Farming ton and were members of the Con gregational faith. They journeyed back and forth to Pennington for | services for many years. The First | Congregational church was organ ized here in 1891 and the first house | of worship was erected the follow ing year. Almost all Connecticut residents were of the Congregation al church at that time. This situa- ton had remained the same Tor more than 50 years. About l7ZZ attaches of the Church of England appeared here and a score of years later, in 1742, 4 church waH erect ed.
 Waterbury did not escape the cOntagion of the glowing zeal or Methodism and by 1900 preachers of this religion were heard, and hours of worship were celebrated. By 1892 the Mcthodists had a meet ing place all their own and regular services were held. Another reli- gious sect, known as the Baptlsts had also appeared. They organ ized a church in 1903 and in 1918 erected meeting place Tn the northeastern section. In ls"5 they built n church nearer the center Of the city.
 Then came Catholicism and also Advcntism. Ireland, longing TOT freedom, sent thousands of men ana women to America, and many Wendcd their way to this section of the country. Rev. James T. Me- Dcrmott, of New Haven, was the celebrant of the first Mnss Eaid In Waterbury, at the home of one or the first Catholics to settle here, Cornelius Donnelly, who resided on West Main street in the vicinity or Crane street. This was about lSo6 The first resident pastor did not ar rive until 1847. Up'to that time all Catholic baptisnH, marriages and funerals took place in New Haven
 Lutheranism was introduced about this time.
 III l6UD dU hBNbL VI b'AN S'i''' ican Bible society gathered statis- tics of religious denominations here and discovered that. of the 1900 families, or 5000 persons, In Wa terbury, 859 were Protestant and 718 Roman Catholics. The re- mainder were reported as not at tending any church. Today the Catholic denomination probably cx- ceeds all others. Fraternity rules however, as all denOminational dlf- ferences have been forgotten. Six ty-sevcn houses of worship now stand in Waterbury.
 Waterbury Of Today
 The Waterbury of today is re- sultant from, or in exchange for. gallons of precipitation. days and nights of suffering and endless tor ture of bugs and animals. The years have done a miraculous job