Blizzard of 1934

The 1934 Blizzard, although stranding many in town for a week or more, made for some interesting experiences as people passed the time and adapted to the situation.  Supply and demand ruled.  Snowshoes and skis were greatly desired articles.  Stanley Bevin and Wayne Denman walked to work on snowshoes and Ed Barton and Avery West made good use of skis, carting bread to the First Nation Store at the Four Corners from the Sanitary Bakery in the Village Center.  Down at the Pocotopaug Pharmacy, which many knew at Thatcher Drug Store, the clerks engaged all comers at setback.  “All comers” were few and far between however, with seldom enough customers to play four-handed. And the electric company fared no better.  Several breaks in the 4600 volt power lines supplying Haddam, Haddam Neck and Higganum on a “ring feed” circuit were caused by the heavy snow, which bent tree branches over the wires (sound familiar to the hurricane and early snow in 2011).  As soon as the breaks were reported, Charles Beyer, Albert Anderson and Stanley Nichols (the father of school bus contractor Charles Nichols), local trouble-shooters, were sent out a 2 am on Feb 21^st.  Proceeding by auto, it took them 12 hours to reach Haddam by way of Moodus and East Haddam.  Haddam had power restored by 5 pm but Haddam Neck remained powerless for a couple more days.  That morning another work gang, headed by Charles Jones, started for Leesville on the Skinnerville Road with a horse and sleigh and a pair of horses and bobsled.  Neither could get father than Skinnerville Four Corners (intersection of Rt. 16 and 196), the drifts averaging four feet in depth.  The horses just floundered about, so efforts were curtailed.

Some things never change.  President Obama talked about tackling the issue of global warming and climate change in his inaugural address Monday.  Severe weather and storms are hardly a recent phenomena. On February 20, 1934, the northeast was struck by a storm that rivaled the famous Blizzard of 1888.  Headlines "Blizzard Buries Community, Highways Blocked By Snow" written three days later report of our town whose roads were still unploughed and the community isolated as multiple plow trucks broke down becoming stuck.  Whipped by wind gales in excess of 35 mph, drifts up to six feet formed effectively blocking all highways and cutting the town off from all but telephone and radio communications with the outside world  as temperatures hovered at 10 degrees above zero . With roads blocked, buses, trains and private cars were all useless.  The State Highway Department began plowing at 10 P. M. Monday.  By 6 o'clock the following morning, both plows got stuck at the south end of Lake Pocotopaug. Heavy wind, blowing snow soon froze the engines.  The men, Timothy and Joseph Wall and workers Frank Pelletti and Charles Anderson finally abandoned the trucks and fought their way through deep snows to their homes.  A relief plow was sent from Portland and it too became stuck in the deep drifts and required a tow truck to extricate it from its predicament.  The second Portland truck reached the EH Four Corners at 10:30 Wednesday having left Portland at 3 P. M. Tuesday.  Some of our citizens made due with the situation.  "Fred" Fitch, "Bub" Wall and Ed "Wynn" Barton enjoyed a new sport on the snow -covered ice of Lake Pocotopaug. Fred drove his car round the lake with the others being towed behind on ski’s.

Certainly, we experienced a significant storm with blizzard Charlotte. The advancement of media coverage and instantaneous on-the-scene news enables us to glimpse first hand conditions from around the state (unless of course you were without electricity), and, based on these experiences, many viewed this storm historic, yielding the most snow from one storm in their lives. From my recollection, the 1978 blizzard equalled this present storm and from what I read, none come even close to the great blizzard of 1888; but regardless of which has bragging rights, I'm ready for summer sun, 90 degree temperatures and even some humidity. Accounts I've studied of the 1934 blizzard noted one significant difference from today. In spite of the inconvenience and adversities, people seemed to enjoy the situation. Sure, roads were not passable nor cleared for nearly a week. Food was scarce, mail service curtailed and travel limited, but people did not take themselves quite so seriously or were not so demanding as I observed in several situation after the recent storm. It seems the "now generation" requires "instant gratification." If parking lots or walkways were not cleared immediately, demands to know why were voiced. "Why" was quite obvious. But in 1934, our citizens seemed to do what needed to be done. For instance, "Jacob Day of (Old) Marlborough Road, on his way to Day and Hansen's Garage (now the home of Jack & Janis Solomon)

 

 

 

found his path blocked in front of the garage by a six-foot drift. Walking proved ineffectual, but Mr. Day declined to be stumped by such an obstacle, while so near his destination. The solution! He laid down in the snow and rolled to the garage door! Just one of the unusual incidents of an unusual storm..."

 

Birdman Locates Still

Front page news: "Birdman Ferrets Out Still Skillfully Hidden in Wilds of Marlborough; Jail Owner." The article began "Great are the possibilities of the airplane. It remains for the State police to employ aircraft for detecting crime of the bootlegging brand."

 

Just a couple years earlier on January 16, 1920, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution instituting Prohibition began. Ironically, the people of Connecticut never ratified that Amendment, but as a nation and a union, we became obliged to recognize and carryout the law. We think of moonshiners as "southern good old boys," but reality is, the illegal manufacturing of alcohol had no state boundary limits. Sounds a bit like illegal drugs today. Enforcing the law in 1923, however, landed Jacob Rogers of Marlborough a 30 day sentence in Hartford County jail and a fine of $434.75. The still was found, by the help of an unidentified aircraft and pilot who sketched a map of the location, pinpointing on a sequestered nook in the wildest part of Marlborough converging near the point where East Hampton, Colchester and Marlborough converge.

 

Apprehended by State Police and Grand Juror Henry Cordes, they found a full still at work and Rogers bossing the job. The State Police took the still, destroyed the mash and confiscated what little liquor was about the place. Justice was swift. Rogers was taken to a local Justice of the Peace where he pleaded guilty and was immediately transferred to jail. According to police, Roger had so skillfully concealed his movements that the officers could not find his still without the assistance of the birdman whose map directed them to the still.

 

Last Wednesday, December 5th was the 79th anniversary of the ratification of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution - Repeal of Prohibition. As reported in the November 11, 1932 edition of the The East Hampton News, East Hampton citizens voted 560 yes for repeal, 113 no.

 

The great moral experiment, a failure of monumental proportions, ended with joyous celebration.

The Cost of Running for Office

Our annual ritual is over - election of those who will represents us. Some may question that statement, but that's cannon fodder for another day. Dominating media broadcasts were reports of this, 2012,  being the most costly election in U.S. history, often overshadowing the ideas and platforms the various candidates espoused.

 

Hundreds of millions spent by candidates and Super-Pac's probably should make us all shutter. Connecticut was not immune with the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Linda McManon,  spending nearly $40 million of personal wealth  unsuccessfully seeking this office - all for a position that pays $165,000 annually.  Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy whose campaign, although well funded, raised probably a tenth of McManon's funding.

 

I know the barrage of negative or attack ads was sufficient incentive for me to read a good book. We also see the cost of State Senate and Representative races significantly more expensive since the introduction of public funding. A Senate candidate can qualify for approximately $90,000 and a House candidate $29,000.

 

I think back to my first campaign for State Representative in 1978. Our campaign cost about $2,100, and we raised money in a lot of creative ways.  One of our successful and fun events was a spaghetti dinner - $5.00 a family - all you could eat or drink. 

 

Looking over some old East Hampton records, various candidates reported their expenditures in the 1935 local town elections. First their were no public funds. At the time were were in the midst of the Great Depression. Makes me wonder why we have all this spending for campaigns while we are in the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. However, in 1935 the two parties supported their candidates - the Republicans incurred $53 while the Democrats $35.  Personally, unsuccessful First Selectman candidated, N.B.A. Carrier (D) spent no money while winner Ralph G. Sellew (R) spent $19. Raymond S. Thatcher (D), candidate for Town Treasurer spent a whopping $8. His opponent Arnold A. Simonson reported no expenditures. Thatcher won. I guess that's the effect of big money spent in a campaign.

Where Were You When?

This past week many of us were reminiscing and playing the game “where were you when?”  This was particularly significant since November 22^nd was the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I came across tickets dated November 21, 1985.  Where were you on what may be recognized as one of the most important dates in history? That evening, Debbie and I were seated in the House of Representatives gallery  We took a trip to tour our Nation's Capitol and when we visited with our good friend Congressman Sam Gejdenson, he asked if we’d like to attend a rare joint session of Congress, quickly convened that morning for an address by the President.  I remember the event vividly.  To this day I’m somewhat dismayed at what I perceived the lack of respect some of the stalwarts of my Democratic Party displayed prior to the President’s arrival.  Senators such as Ted Kennedy, Chris Dodd and Gary Hart, bantering and joking amongst themselves – I could almost read their lips as they downplayed the significance of the joint session called to report the meeting between the President and the leader of the Soviet Union.  Up until that time, I can honestly say I wasn’t a fan of the President, but when the Sergeant of Arms, in his gravelly voice pronounced, “Mr. Speaker (then Tip O’Neill from our neighboring Massachusetts) the President of the United States,” I saw the face of victory, President Ronald Reagan’s, beaming like a Cheshire cat.  Several minutes later, smug faces and jaws dropped and a bi-partisan cheer erupted as Reagan announced he had stared down the Soviets and Mr. Gorbachev had blinked.

That evening, the doomsday watchers turned the nuclear clock back an hour and from there we have witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communism, the dismantling of the Berlin Wall and fall of the Iron Curtain.  So in a small sense, East Hampton was there!  Oh - as for my initial question – Mr. May’s American History class.

Late Summer Tradition - Haddam Neck Fair

Innovations Feature Haddam Neck Fair - Baby Show, Snapshot Contest Among Attractions headlined the 1932 news. Locally with 2012 being its 101st year, Labor Day weekend has meant one thing - the Haddam Neck Fair.

 

Begun to showcase local agricultural products and livestock from our area farms, the fair has seen a variety of changes especially in recent years as farms, once so prevalent to the landscape have been replaced by housing subdivisions and shopping centers. Although still attracting prize vegetables and livestock, the numbers of exhibitors and variety of produce has greatly diminished. Some old standbys continue - entertainment, outside attractions, blue red and yellow ribbons for best canned goods, flower arrangements, poultry and rabbits, and of course, the baby show for cutest or best smile.

 

And some things never change. As reported in 1932, "Despite threatening weather Labor Day morning, nearly 1,500 persons attended the annual Haddam Neck Fair Monday. This year the weathermen (and ladies) were predicting Monday would have downpours and the tail end of Hurricane      made its way from the Ohio Valley east.  Fortunately, weather patterns don't always act as the prognosticators predict.  Monday turned into a spectacular sunny day.  Tuesday ended up differently, but after the patrons and livestock and tractors and horses had all gone home for another year.

 

During the four-day event of 1932, hundreds of prizes, totaling nearly $500 were awarded by the association." In 2011, as you may recall, the aftermath of Hurricane Irene left a great many of us without electricity. The fair provided a pleasant respite and for many an opportunity to get a cold drink or warm meal. 80 years ago oxen and horses would show their prowess.

 

Although still popular, the tractor and truck pulls now seem to capture a larger following although many believe the heavy breathing of the cattle as they pull stone a few yards is more pleasant than the roar of unmuffled trucks or tractors.

 

 In 1932 a highlight was the association's famous turkey sit down dinner. I'm not sure when it stopped, probably sometime in the late 1950s,  but the Haddam Neck Covenant Church chicken BBQ certainly makes up for its loss. And food is one of the major attractions.  A variety of vendors roam the Fair Circuit but the real treat are the local organizations such as the Church, the Lions Club with burgers and fryes or the Haddam Neck Volunteer Fire Department with sausage, pepper and onion sandwiches.

 

Regardless of your preferences, take some time this weekend with family or friends to experience a tradition where everyone smiles.

Bevin, Bells and the Fire

Dozens of stories and tributes emerged in the aftermath of the horrendous inferno that destroyed the Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. factory beginning Saturday night May 26, 2012 - the last of the nearly 45 bell manufacturers that operated in East Hampton since 1807. Matt Bevin, the 6th generation family President, who has become an impassioned advocate of the company's history and its tie to East Hampton, took valuable time from his hectic schedule to tour the remnants of the 130 year old factory with me on June 6th and discussed the tedious process sifting through rubble in hopes of recovering the key component that could enable Bevin Bros. to be the Phoenix that rises from the Ashes - the dies and molds of the fabled bells for which this town identifies itself. Many factors contributed to the success of the bell industry and with some good old Yankee ingenuity, a bright future may emerge yet. The growth of the bell industry can be traced to a myriad of factors, but I believe several most important. First and foremost, William Barton, the founder and first bell maker laid the ground work for the industry's future. It was Barton, in his small foundry just east of his home on the crest of what is now Barton Hill that took so many of the young men of Chatham into apprenticeship and taught them the trade and encouraged them to venture out on their own. Many of the apprentices also worked in Cairo, New York before coming back to East Hampton. It was this freely given training and information that ultimately served the impetus for growth. Among the many apprentices were Barton's sons Hiram and Hubbard and grandson William E. Barton and two young men, William and Abner Bevin, who learned the trade and in 1832 with brother Chauncey, established Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co.

In the aftermath of the recent fire, many have recounted the importance the bell industry, and in particular Bevin Bros., has had on our community. I doubt that William Barton had any idea how significant and extensive his teaching would extend, and it is only with the destructive force of nature, sparked by lighting, that we seem to appreciate it. In 1832 when Bevin Bros. formed, East Hampton would hardly be considered a suitable location to develop a product or industry that would stretch to the far corners of the world - but it did. William Barton's generosity to train the men of Chatham was the first key factor. The second factor that propelled the industry into national prominence was the railroad. In the 1860s, tracks were laid for the New York and Boston Railroad (which went through bankruptcy and was reformed as the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company) through East Hampton over the Airline which was dubbed the shortest route between New York and Boston. The introduction of mass transportation enabled East Hampton products to be distributed inexpensively throughout the country and ultimately the world - a fact that did not go unnoticed locally as other entrepreneurs created sister companies. In 1866, H. H. Abbe, E. C. Barton, E. G. Cone and A. H. Conklin formed the Gong Bell Manufacturing Company. Based on a design by Elijah Barton, the company created revolving chimes in bell toys on wheels. Some of these toys were among the earliest promoting Disney cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse. Bevin Bros. as you may remember, specialized in sleigh bells from which the town became known as the "jingle bell town" due to the distinctive sound they created in the horse drawn carriage era. N. N. Hill Brass Co. became the first to stamp bells from sheet metal.

The success of the East Hampton bell industry, which started with limited capital in one or two man shops or barns, is a microcosm of so many other industries that developed in America and elsewhere around the world by enterprising entrepreneurs. Three key components melded small artisans into the world's largest producers. The first was the education and training young apprentices from Chatham received from William Barton as they learned how to blend base metals - iron, tin, silver and nickel - into alloys that would produce those sweat sounds and chimes from the forged bells they crafted. The second, the development of rail service through our community enabled cost effective distribution throughout our nation. But the third and often overlooked component for the transformation of small handcrafted bells produced in charcoal fired foundries to mass production of millions of bells, was inexpensive energy. For our bell industry that energy source was water. Still in use at the time of the tragic fire on May 26th, water power was used to operate the presses and machinery at the factory. A water turbine powered shaft, pulley and belt system drove many machines with safe, clean and non-polluting energy. The flow of water from Lake Pocotopaug powered not only Bevin Bros. but the other factories along Pocotopaug Creek, and, water power may yet be part of the salvation of Bevin Bros. and the bell industry in days to come. Until the early 1960s, mill ponds dotted the landscape as Pocotopaug Creek tumbled from the lake's outlet and dam near the American Distilling Plant (our other major industry and the world's largest produceer of Witch Hazel) through the center of town exiting our community through the great meadows between Young Street and Chestnut Hill.

Tranformation to world's largest bell producer required an inexpensive energy source. The water flowing from the lake became essential, and with a bit of Yankee ingenuity, a constant flow or head was maintained. The "Head", defined as "a body of water kept in reserve at a height; the containing bank, dam or wall; a mass of water in motion; and the difference in elevation between two points in a body of fuid," quite simple explains how water pressure drove the turbines that powered the machinery that produced bells, bells and more bells. To provide a constant water flow, retaining ponds, beginning with Bevin's Pond were created enabling constant flow regardless of weather conditions as Pocotopaug Creek descended nearly 100 feet from the lake's edge until exiting town. Although most have been reclaimed over the years, I remember the mill ponds situated near each factory as Pocotopaug Creek headed toward the Salmon River. A small pond remains between Bevin's and the Summit Tread building and a parking lot now exists in front of Sal Floridia's small engine repair shop that was once the reservoir for Starr Bros. Mfg. Co. The J. C. Barton building on Skinner Street was built on the former retaining pond for N. N. Hill Brass. Others existed as well. Bevin's Pond is also but a small remnant from my youth. After the disasterous rains and flooding in June 1982, the State DEP, at the direction of Governor William O'Neill, performed a complete inventory and comprehensive evaluation of all dams throughout the State. Owners were required to upgrade the dams to comply with 100 year storm standards or dismantle the dam for safety reasons. Because of the significant cost to reconstruct these private dams which held retaining ponds, many owners, including Bevin Bros., opted to dismantle rather than rebuild.

The mill ponds, important storage reservoirs to maintain a constant water flow year round to power turbines, have become another vestige of our once prominent bell industry here in East Hampton. Perhaps when Matt Bevin and Bevin Bros. Manufacturing Co. rebuild their plant, plans will include repair and reconstruction of the dam and revival of the once prominent Bevin Pond. Although a small pond remains, I have visions as a small boy casting my fishing line into much grander expanse. Over time, memories fade. I always thought the pond was 10 or 12 feet deep, which one might expect when you see the back side of the dam, or what remains of it. When it was drained in the mid 1980s, I was amazed to find the pond never reached a depth of more than 3 or 4 feet. It also occurred to me that until the notoriety of the Bevin Bros. fire a few weeks back, only a small number of residents actually knew where the Bevin Bell Factory was and far fewer had actually ever visited it. Tucked behind the old Summit Thread Mill on Summit Street and shielded by trees, one would hardly know it existed or that millions of bells were manufactured there and shipped throughout the world.. Even when thousands return to East Hampton for Old Home Days festivities at the Center School grounds, I suspect few have been aware of the 1880s factory only 500 feet away, nor do we think about the generous gift by the Bevin family of those very grounds we tread upon while partaking of hamburgs, cold drinks, pizza, baked potatoes, a dozen other treats and enjoying the variety of entertainment organized by the Old Home Days Committee

Six Degrees of Separation

The concept six degrees of separation, that everyone is, on average, approximately 6 steps away by way of introduction from any other person on Earth, was popularized in a game tying any movie, actor or actress to Kevin Bacon or one of his films.  This concept really hadn't occurred to me until recently when I came across an article from 1937 in the Middletown Press.

East Hampton has had a long and active tradition of community performances and amateur performers.  In recent years Podium Players, YPPCA or Epic Arts, but in the past more informal groups where church choir singers and others from the community would participate in a local production. Often such productions developed through organizations such as the Odd Fellows, Masons, Eastern Star or church fellowship clubs and were choreographed  for community events such as Old Home Day.

That 1937 article's headline Minstrelsy To Be Given on Saturday - Rehearsal of Large Cast is Held Under Mrs. Duryea"s Direction began "Chairman Percy P. Markham (my grandfather) was satisfied with the rehearsal last night of the minstrel troupe which will present a show in the open air on Saturday evening at 8:30." Reading further, many familiar names appeared - Jane Gorin, who was performing a tap dance; song and dance by Margaret Butts and Ruby Dureya; a magic show by Lou Schwartz; a number by Claude West and his girls; and a concert by Stan Johnson and his Kay Rock Inn orchestra. Soloists included Dorothy anderson, helen Nelson, Peggy Roberts, and the end men were Francis O'Collell, Pat O'Connell, Wayne Denman, Jack Roberts, Bill Nelson and Gerald Wall.  The chorus included Gordon Bevin, Eleanor Purple, Inez Smith, Alice Daly, Julia Vondrich, Marion Bransfield, Claude West, Emil Nelson, Natalie Lutzsky, Buddy Fiegel, but two in particular, Jack Krauth and Janet Green, struck a familiar cord. 

Two years ago, a gentleman from California, Tim Krauth was referred to me at Prudential CT Realty to assist him in finding a home.  We have finally find a beauty in Columbia so I'm please to welcome his wife Lorie and he back to the area.  You see, in our discussions, he talk about him visiting his grandmother's house in East Hampton as a boy. With a little detective work, I found the house on the corner of Edgerton Street and Main Street, now owned by Chip and Bonnie Goodrich, who graciously welcomed Tim into their home when he traveled east in December 2010. 

In some additional research, I found that Jack Krauth married Janet Green, and they were Tim's parents! I am constantly amazed on how small our world has become and how truly intertwined we humans are, here at the center of it all in East Hampton.