The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-08
(BY THE OUT EAsTER)


 spoon shop, and old days of what we used to call Brandy Hill re- turned to us this day when we learned that the well known James P. shannahan of 6l Wash ington street had died over night.
 We knew Jim Shannahan, and we liked him. He may have been a "diamond in the rough" as the saying is, but no better or loyal friend could be found among the citizenry Of Waterbury. Born in old Brandy Hill, Railroad Hill street he romped the highways Of old Brooklyn in boyhood days, and when the time arrived for the end
 Of old school days, he went into the factory, just like thousands of other boys Of the city. We found him first in the polishing room of the now defunct Rogers e Bro. factory on Silver street. We our. selves were in the old buff room. Jim had come from the Rogers & Hamilton plant connected with the well known Holmes, Booth & Hay. den company. Along with him, those We met were George Candy, Prank Sheridan, John Gleason, Navy" we called him, Jack Flan- rlagan and others. We had been in the plant only short time. young and inexperienced, and looked up to most Of these others aS leaders. And they were leaders, too, i1 the sense that they strived for better pay for all of us. They formed what was then known as the Polishers & Buffers Union. We all Joined. And because Of their activity. and anxiety to promote the union, and secure better wages for US, they began to feel the hand of the manufacturers, none too friendly with the labor inove- fnent Of that day. As we recall, our headquarters were in the lower part of Grand St., near South Main St. The demand for addi- tional pay met with opposition, and we struck. There was a tie- Up, for c while, and then things were smoothed over. More oppoS- sition developed among the factory heads, and finally we oil went out. Just what was the outcome, we really forget, but some of us went to other places, hired because we assumed new names, and new resident places, In fact some of IS declared we had just arrived in the city. Labor then received scant consideration in Waterbury and elsewhere.
 Economic League
 Tn addition to the labor cause, some of those we have mention. cd, including Jim, formed what was then called the Economic League, c sort of political organ- ization, that made itself felt to some extent among the leaders Of the Republican and Democratic parties, locally. Most of the League members were Democrats, and the Republicans bid well for the sup- port Of their candidates from time to time. We shall never forget the popularity of 6 song called Teas. Ing" 3b or 70 years ago. There was C George L. Lilley parade one night, and just as the procession passed Democrat headquarters on Bank St., the American band, un- der instructions from the Repub- lican played Teasing" and as 1t SO happened, one hundred or 70 Democrats of the day were in that Republican parade, not real Re- publicans. but ag friends and fol- lowers of our good friend, Mir. Liiley. Everybody in Waterbury admired and thought well of George L. Lilley, 50 much so that when he rafi for governor, he car. ried the city by 300 votes or 50. Jim ehanahan was among those in the procession; 90 were we.
 fn after years, however. no more loyal Democrat than Jim Shan ahan was among the party work CTS. He worked day and night for the success of the party. Eventual iy, he found himself in the street Dept. as c foreman. And no fore- man in that branch Of the city service promoted more efficiency for the good Of the city. He was far from being c driver, but he insisted upon . days labor on the part Of those under him. He developed into one of the most valuable attaciiees Of the street service. according to those who were in charge. Reiiabic, . Sttd- ent Of the human race, and one thoroughly familiar with charts, maps, sketches, etc, he fulfilled thoroughly every line Of work laid cut for him by his guperiors.
 Old Guard Hurt
 Jim stayed for years with the street Dept. Last fall tIe was "iet ,o," A native Of tiie city, enc Of