The Bridgeport Post from Bridgeport, Connecticut • Page 29

100 Years of Water They were a determined little group, the five men who gathered at 58 Water itreet, June 29, 1857, to found the Bridgeport. Hydraulic Company. They stood at a crossroads they knew it. All held bonds of the defunct Bridgeport Water company. Four had been associated with the earlier firm.

They knew the problems ahead, and the re- ipoimbilitiej they were as- turning. They knew that the physical propertiei of the company good; that the 51-year-old city was growing; that business and residential properties had to have water. And they knew-too well--that Bridgeport, like the reit of the country, was In ths throes of a depression. It was the combination of Increased water-needs, and national financial panic tight money, that had brought the Bridgeport Water company to foreclosure. They were brave men to take over in the circumstances.

They Knew the Background Their spokesman was probably Joseph Richardson. A native of England and a stone mason by early training, he had built the masonry distributing reservoir in North Bridgeport, where water was pumped from Factory pond to flow to the city center by gravity. He had later built Bunnell's Lower Reservoir to Increase the tupply. He knew the problems and his fellow respected his knowledge. They elected him the Bridgeport Hy.

draulic company's Brst president. Of other four. Nathaniel had aparkplugged the formation of the older concern. John Wtjhbura, Bridgeport Insurance cotapuy bead, had been a director. So had William S.

Knowlton, for the past two yeara also president Only Nathan of New York, had no earlier db rert connection with water history. Tb9 Hydraulic company records of the meeting merely ahow that the company came Into being that day, having been chartered the month previous. But surely the five talked about the city's water-saga to date. They would have mentioned Captain Stephen Burroughs-farmer, ship-builder, shipmaster, and staunch "cold-water had tapped springs near his wharf and run water Into a wooden trough for convenience of ships coming Into the harbor to take on supplies. Burroughs' dockside neighbor, Robert Linus, had followed suit.

They would recall, too, that when sailors (not being strictly "cold-water got a bit hilarious and smashed the trough, Teetotaller Burroughs and Linus took to celling the water by the cask, Instead of giving it away. A Civic-minded Parson They'd have mentioned the Rev. Elijah Waterman, of Golden Hill street, who piped water to downtown Bridgeport springs on his property, through bored-out logs butted end to end. That had been in 1818, but folks still lamented the old "PUBLIC WATER" trough that waterman Waterman had set up on Main street, where Cannon later came in. Inspired by Waterman's example, a Harrison street brewery had opened other nearby Then in 1823, Louis C.

had bought and operated the Waterman spring-lot. He was followed by a grojp of. men who formed the Bridgeport Golden Hill Aqueduct company. This WPS the city's only water-works until Nathaniel Greene and associates formed the Bridgeport Water company. What had started Nathaniel Greene agitating for a better water-supply was the Fire of IMS.

It had started everybody agitating. It had broken out in tha night two weeks before Christinas, in George Wells' Oyster Saloon on Batik street. The tide was out, no harbor water waa available, and the piped supply was soon exhausted. By (Cottoned Fire) BRIDGEPORT'S Mi. port Bridgeport Hydraulic from its fouadinc in MAIN OFFICES el the Briditpert SO THIS IS OURTOWN By TAYLOR GLENN Witli Tern Mtgnir, Eddi.

Shugru. tui Miitron.rdl "BORN IN A CROWD," Gloria Bragg.otti's story of her a clan (including Franccsca Lodge i looms as one of the season's book i i soon a i of a i i i i code grapevine already has it a Marshall Farrington will' i i VriL- but get inspector's job, for which Erik Olson, inspector, is more than qualified bv experience area Ainer naan. area mencana: Dr. Emily Dunning Barringer of Xcw Ca- aan lirst "Oman ambulance surgeon, now NJ, is grcat-great-great a a of Bailev swordmaker to George Washington of parishioners called in two oi i Ben and Al Bobowick, to serve last night's corned beef ami cabbage bt. Patrick's i Monroe's Alex M.

Glu- haretf is now representing United Life Bill Flynn's departure from bus i a a to full time So insurance means be in front i competition with MS long-time friend and neighbor, Tom Minogue fancy a a i at Wcslport's Wcstnor this eve' Buck Clayton and a contingent of associates from woodman's orchestra, at the Waldorf-Astoria Ehrsam, the a i and Squire of Long Hill ras gamed 10 pounds since he gave up cigarettes- Nibbling on candy does i M. Aerosol echmques artist, 1ms become associated i General lectric Tom Moran's nephew, Jimmy Stapleton graduating from Boston college Law school in June, will jpm Uncle Sam's Treasury department Playhouse already has its Post road entrance igns up Dr. Jack Gray observes that a modern idea i it is i i a car without power ay npr 7 rl Serling $10.000 each for' hre Playhouse 90 scripts. NOT TO BE OUTDONE by their i the men of Brook-lawn Country Club have asked i of the Arcade Men's Shop, to show the latest in spring and fashions at the big style show to be sta at he next Saturday night'. Dick Revenaugh.

Bob tcarns and Peter Griggs will serve as models teve Zakos was host to of the Beefeater's Club XVeslport Clam Box the i jovial Joe jaynor, who was one of the town's first heroes'as an am- mlance driver in North A i a i the early ot War II is back in town working for his father's electrical supply i Henry Weiss has been MVCU green i on a big development project on Booth road, I I the second large realty deal or the popular local broker Phil Dorkin, retired Rav- jestos employe and ex-fighter, was honored on his 66th birthday Monday by his sons, Jule and Bill, at a party the Red Mill restaurant We can't vouch for ii but this is the way it is reported to have happened- two men got in conversation while waiting in line at the Motor I their license plates. One man said he hoped he got small numbered plates. The second man said he care what numbers got. As it turned nnmW T1 a SmaU tour- numbered plates aiid the man who didn't care received three-numbered Then, to the amazement of an onlooker, they swapped plates--and walked out of the builciinir to ttieir respective cars Charlie Galla, long-time popular nriTr' tra tf el and his wife the former Regina Loch living the.r a i new home in Oxford which designed and constructed himself DOUGLAS EDWARDS, Weslon'c CBS newshawk wa, aboard the Boeing 707 that crossed th continent west-lo-east in 3 hours 45 minutes last ilondav Julie Cobbs 11,11 nn celebrated fifth anniversary under same management last week: Longest time the inn. las ever had same owner State GOP women honor- ng Mrs.

Meade Alcorn, wife of Republican National ommittee chairman, at tea in Statler hotel, Hartford March I- A 9 REAT DAY for the I i at the St. Patricks day luncheon of the Kiwani, club Thursday in he Stratfield program for the 40th anniversary ear was charge of Frank J. Brpnnan, past president. 3S ge hn McG of the City court nt Tl ard Educatio a i a Brenan kept the members and guests in good humor through- a i annual home baked cake was sent by Airs. Brennan and was drawn bv (just to keep the olor scheme of the day) James McKiernan, manager of th a 5tore president Tim- ndian tribes at A New Mexico on a trip dIr 1C nt re Er rllali0 the tables rank O'Rr 'th occasion shamrocks.

rank Brarthwaite led the co. nunitv smginr of Irish et gnS iro Tr he pia 10 et pilot Bob Fox and the pretty Air Force nurse he on while stationed in United States are now the roud parents ot a son, Robert Barnes Fox IV i aoan re 5'' Hi5 Mr 'and obert B. I'ox, of 1362 Iranian avenue, already'are BOB Rn7ERT, WNAB sports- doing t. great job on the disc-jockey Forward," b- lUon' ow, "Goini nee of Jac! du 'y- who of Florida, is usual. "Might if I can't straighten out this world situation while I'm there," quipj Dave I only have two does radio show in addition to his tn office and imn out In Washington might take little longer than that." delayed triumph of justice was'r last spectator in Superior guns likens firearms to fire: a shoplifting gang which at i i i to Vratl'here "Th" th' isn't right at all, i other cifiei th caution.

Most impressive they only got 30 davs opposition to Rkl Svertesk; Youth ta- used restrictions on guns commander, eafneB the title sed th USand guns ot "Blackjack" when he hurled Irv on? wh ch Sp0rts en for ij Few people. wbcM routinea re tDccted tern- (Ceadnel bout tht odds mcrasea during a leglsliHve D.TW winter far Washington iutetd.