Straight from the digital files of The Evening Sentinel, courtesy of The Ansonia Historical Commission, this week we take a look back at 1909.
The President of the United States was William Howard Taft, who earned an annual salary of $75,000, compared to today’s salary of $400,000.
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the 1909 World Series. Henry Ford offered his Model T automobile with a few options: “Any customer can have a car painted any color they like, as long as it’s black.”
Interesting Fact: Mark Twain predicted his death in 1909, saying “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.” He died in 1910, a day after the comet returned.
Here is what was happening in our Valley!
Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1909
Columbus Day In Schools
ANSONIA – Columbus Day was appropriately observed with half-hour programs, especially adapted to the nature of the day and its historical associations, yesterday afternoon. Many of the schools were appropriately decorated for the celebration and displayed portraits of Columbus and of scenes illustrative of his journey and discovery.
Storms’ Ball
DERBY – Final arrangements for the annual ball of the Storm Engine company have been completed by the committee. The ball this year will be held in St. Mary’s hall. Hoar’s orchestra has been engaged and Prof. M.E. Carey will do the prompting. The Storms’ ball last year proved to be an unprecedented success, but the committee has planned to make the event this year an even greater success.
Much Petty Thieving
SEYMOUR – The petty thieving that usually occurs in the fall of the year is again in progress here. Recently, A.Y. Beach’s store was entered, and about fifty pennies were missing the next morning. The theft was such a petty one that Mr. Beach took no action to discover the thieves, and said very little about it. The thieves were evidently small boys, as they crawled through one of the spaces in the upper half of the front door, from which they broke a pane of glass.
Panhandler Arrested
SHELTON – Chief Robbins was informed this morning that an intoxicated man was holding up people he met and demanding small sums of money. Following the trail of the man, the chief found him on the grounds of Col. Watson J. Miller, and receiving a stern lecture from that gentleman for his condition and behavior.
Thursday, Oct. 14, 1909
Maple Street Bridge Closed
ANSONIA – The work of putting in the steel floor beams at the Maple Street bridge is proceeding very slowly. The workmen found the job of removing the driveway pavement a difficult one and it required hours of laborious work to reach the bridge planking. The tar and stone mixtures which made up the driveway surface, although hardly worn on top, was found to be hard to take up.
City Engineer Clark is supervising the repairs, which will take a week or more to complete.
Scarlet Fever Situation
ANSONIA – No change was reported today in the scarlet fever situation. No new cases were reported to the city health officer this morning, but it would not be surprising if notices from physicians telling of additional patients should drift into the health office before the day closed.
Recovered His Pin
DERBY – The police last night received a complaint from a Bridgeport young man that while in a lodging house in this city on the night before he had been robbed of a scarf pin valued at nine dollars. He said he had been drinking on the night in question and was steered to that house and sent to bed. The police went to the house and demanded that the pin be returned. Denial was made that the pin had been taken by anyone in the house. The police informed the people that unless the pin was produced within a few hours, the house would be pulled. The pin was returned.
Festival Opens
SHELTON – The fourth annual harvest carnival opened in the uncompleted auditorium of the new church of St. Joseph’s parish last evening and the attendance was a record one for the first night. The auditorium was handsomely decorated with autumn leaves and bright colored bunting, while tastily decked booths lined the walls and displayed enticing wares on the counters.
Friday, Oct. 15, 1909
Big Tax Receipts
ANSONIA – Tax collections for the fiscal year which closed at midnight last night have been considerably in excess of the amount estimated by the Board of Apportionment and Taxation last February. The excess of receipts over the estimates is $2,697.01. The board estimated the receipts from the thirteen-mill tax laid on the grand list of 1908 as $30,419.20. To this was added $2,000 estimated receipts from poll and military taxes, making a total of $32,419.20. The amount collected by Tax Collector F. M. McCarthy is $135,116.21.
DHS VS Danbury
DERBY – The Derby High School football team will meet the Danbury High School team on Saturday. A hot contest is expected with their old rivals, and the local boys will leave this city tomorrow with an unusual amount of enthusiasm, for it is felt that this will be necessary in order to hold the Danbury boys in their place. The local team will have practically the same lineup as last week when a victory was scored.
Burglars Secure Considerable Loot
SEYMOUR – Burglars entered several Seymour homes last evening and secured a considerable amount of loot. One of the places visited was the residence of the Molans family, and the saloon conducted by William Molans on Bank Street. The entrance was affected through a window. It is understood that there were no evidences of the use of a jimmy, and possibly the window through which they entered was unfastened.
The room of William Molans was visited, and the thieves there secured $75 in money, which they obtained from a vest which was hanging on the bedstead in which Mr. Molans was sleeping. The burglars also secured two overcoats, one of which was lined with fur, and two gold watches, a suit and a pair of gloves. They also entered the saloon conducted by Mr. Molans and secured about $5.
State Sanitarium Located In Coram
SHELTON – The first step towards the locating here of the state sanitarium by the commission created by the General Assembly which met last year, were taken Thursday, when the committee purchased about forty acres of land from Dwight E. Wakelee of Coram. This matter has been in process of negotiations for several weeks, and the location was only decided upon after a thorough examination of this and a number of other sites.
Saturday, Oct. 16, 1909
12 O’Clock Closing For Ansonia Saloons
ANSONIA – After rejecting the majority report of the ordinance committee favoring the closing of the saloons at 11 o’clock, the Board of Aldermen voted last night to continue the present arrangement and allow liquor selling until midnight.
Fire In Haystack Caused $300 Damage
ANSONIA – A haystack fire at the home of William Clancy on Jewett Street, at 5 o’clock last evening, caused a money loss of between $200 and $300 and endangered property in the vicinity. The stack, which contained from fifteen to twenty tons of hay, was entirely ruined, the hay which was not burned being made unfit for stock feeding. The fire was a difficult one to subdue and the Websters, who were called to the scene by an alarm from Box 31, worked until 9 o’clock last evening to put it out. The hay smoldered all night, and several firemen remained on guard with a line of hose.
Eagles Held Whist
DERBY – Whist and dancing were the principal diversions at the affair held in Eagles’ hall last night, which proved to be one of the most enjoyable socials of its kind held in this city thus far this season. One hundred and fifty persons were entertained in an excellent manner by an energetic and efficient committee. Whist was played at 27 tables. Concert music was furnished by Ziegler’s orchestra, which also played excellent music for dancing that followed.
Rumors of Burglaries
SEYMOUR – Rumors were current this morning that E. H. Rolston’s store had been entered by burglars last evening. Inquiry there brought a denial of any knowledge of any such depredations having been committed.
Thrown From Wagon
SHELTON – As Patrick Cordon was on his way home from Derby Friday afternoon, the wheels of his wagon became caught in the trolley tracks and the vehicle tipped enough to let the seat and Mr. Cordon fall to the ground.
Mr. Cordon struck heavily on his head and was rendered unconscious by the fall. He was picked up and Dr. F. I. Nettleton hastily summoned, but the man had regained consciousness when the doctor arrived, and a hasty examination showed only some superficial cuts and scratches about the face and head.
Sunday, Oct. 17, 1909
The Evening Sentinel Didn’t Publish on Sundays
Monday, Oct. 18, 1909
Nut Gatherers Out in Force
ANSONIA – Nut gatherers were plentiful in the woods here yesterday. The weather was quite cool, the temperature getting down to forty during the morning and early evening, and people found a stroll through the woods exhilarating. Some of them who went out early secured the best picking, several gathering nearly half a bushel of walnuts and chestnuts.
Suffered Bad Defeat
ANSONIA – The Ansonia High School football team suffered defeat at the hands of the Gunnery eleven at Washington Saturday afternoon. The Gunnery boys fairly wiped up the grounds with the visitors, the reported score being 34 to 0 in favor of the Gunnery team. The Ansonia boys put up a stiff fight, but the team was crippled and the Gunnery eleven was much heavier.
Rear-End Collisions On New Haven Trolley
DERBY – A rear-end collision on the New Haven-Derby trolley line near Mt. St. Peter’s cemetery on Saturday evening injured quite a number of passengers on the cars, some of them quite severely, and damaged the two cars so badly that they had to be taken into the car barns by the wrecker. One car was standing still when the other car banged into it almost at full speed. Both cars were filled with passengers, three of whom were standing on the rear platform of the forward car, and as this platform was entirely demolished, the wonder is that all three of these were not killed.
Successful Sale
DERBY – Cakes and candies, all homemade, were disposed of with great rapidity at the sale conducted at the high school building for the benefit of the Derby High School Athletic Association. The association cleared about $46. The association feels gratified at the success of the affair, and appreciate the willing patronage that made the sale the success it proved to be.
Town Drier Than Ever
SEYMOUR – Dry Sundays are being reported in Seymour recently. It is said to be due in a large measure to the stringency of the new excise laws, which will make it extremely unpleasant for a saloon man if he is caught dispensing alcoholic drinks on the Sabbath hereafter. So far as can be learned, most saloon keepers are as careful as possible not to keep their places open after 11 o’clock, the hour designated by the selectmen as the time for closing here.
Rally Day For School
SHELTON – The Sunday school of the M.E. Church had a rally day Sunday, and it proved to be a most interesting occasion. There were 225 members of the school present, and music for the occasion was furnished by an orchestra of eight pieces. The rooms were handsomely decorated for the event, with autumn leaves and evergreens presenting a handsome appearance.