The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-24
BY THE OUT EASTER


 The proof that Old Out East is
 dying was demonstrated by the recent death of Patrick H. Hack cit, probably as well known as any resident of this particular section of the city.
 Just think of it; Pat Hackett was born out herA and practical ly lived his long life in and
 around the people of Out East. He saw the church of the Sacred
 Heart established; he saw the Meriden railroad organize and run it's first trains between Wa
 terbury, Meriden and the Con- necticut river at Cromwell; he saw the Scovill Company ad- vance it's properties from Mill and Hayden streets to and along east
 Main street west of where MT. Hackett owned and conducted his
 place of business; he was here when the first horse railroad was established, and he saw the ad- vance of the trolley car, followed by its discard in favor of the pub lie bus. There was no Hamilton park in Pats early days, but he lived to see the park located as it is around the triangular piece of property, bounded by East Main street Idylwood avenue, and the Plank road, and also small strip on Silver street.
 Baseball Fan
 When Pat attended ball games they were played professionally around the old New England de- pot, and later in the west end. He saw the Barnum circus change it's location from the westbend to the vacant lots about the vicinity of the present Beecher avenue, around the early part of the nine teen hundreds; he saw new ball grounds opened by Harry Durant, also around 1909, and he saw many interesting and well fought games played on the Rockville grounds. He lived to see Wolcott road made 8 state highway, when it was nothing more than COW path in its early days, with OK drawn vehicles and horse drawn wood wagons forming the greater part of the main traffic. There were other things in his life that he observed and talked about as the years grew on him. and which he outlined to his numerous friends from time to time. in review of happenings of years ago.
 Out East was thoroughly Irish, along with Old Dublin street when Pat arrived for the first time. The Hackett families, sev- eral of them, owned property on the north side of East Main street while Pats people owned stretch of that adjoining old John D's pond on the south side. Remem- ber the Falls of the old and his toric pond. The water flowed over the dam, and was watched by many of the young of the day from what they thought were large embankments on either side.
 John D's"
 There was a gate house to the extreme southwest, near the ter imnuS of Doolittle alley, with small canal running westerly for the benefit of the Scovill, l com pany and Its factories down around Mill street. John Ds pond, as it was affectionately called by the young who skated there in the winter season, was 8 most popular resort, not only for the boys ana girls of the eastern part ot the city, but for mary others as well. There was ice skating at the Manhan, and hundreds enjoyed it, but in latter years a charge was made by one Griswold, and this drove hundreds to the big area back of Pats first little one story shack, in which he transac- ted his business. If we are not greatly mistaken, underneath the main floor of the emporium was shed, for the accommodation of the family COW; every family out east then supplied its own milk in such a manner.
 There are many people out here who recall the time the late Sam Pepin rented John Ds pond as an ice skating rink. Scovills had and leased it out to Sam, we believe. In the meantime ice skating was free to the people at Hamilton Park. Something hap pened to the ice on the city pond one fine night, when plenty Of rock salt was Sprinkled about the surface and the ice melted. News papers carried numerous stories ]