Straight from the digital files of The Evening Sentinel, courtesy of The Ansonia Historical Commission, this week we take a look back at 1915, when the first stop sign appeared in Detroit, Michigan. It was white with black letters.
Maybelline mascara was created by Tom Lyle Williams when his sister Mabel used a mixture of Vaseline and coal dust to darken her eyelashes.
Fun fact: Growers got together to try and make their “Alligator Pears” sound more appealing. Collectively, they decided to change the name of the fruit to “Avocados.”
Here is what was happening in our Valley!
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 1915
Oldest Man In City Has 90th Birthday
ANSONIA – In celebration of his 90th birthday, Jacob A. Fisk, of Franklin Street, the oldest man in Ansonia, went to Springfield, Mass., today to visit friends. Ninety years ago today, Mr. Fisk was born on Staten Island. Thirty years later he came to Ansonia, and he has been a resident here since 1855. Though he holds the position of general manager of the Fountain Water Co., he has retired from active work. Mr. Fisk enjoys good health and was in fine spirits when he left for Springfield this morning.
Three-Legged Game Cock
DERBY – People who are born with the blessing or curse of extra limbs, fingers or toes are seldom heard to speak with pride of such gifts. In fact, most people bemoan them, but Thomas O’Donnell of New Haven Avenue has a game cock which came into the world with three legs and is as healthy as, and enjoys life as much, as any other fowl. The rooster is a great curiosity and has been the talk of the neighborhood for some time.
Buys Derby Neck Farm
DERBY – Miss Frances E. Osborne has purchased from Edward Lewis and others thirty-six acres of land located on Chatfield Street and known as the Bowen Farm. Miss Osborne has also bought from Mrs. John W. Osborne the property located on Minerva Street, directly north of St. James’ Church.
Highest Chimney In Town
SEYMOUR – The M.W. Kellogg company, chimney builders of New York, are erecting a smokestack at the plant of the Seymour Manufacturing Co. to be used for the new casting shop, which is now under construction.
The chimney, which is to be constructed of Kellogg improved perforated radial brick, will have an expansion lining built of fire brick. When completed, the smokestack will measure 175 feet in height. It will probably be completed by the latter part of December and will be the highest smokestack in the town of Seymour.
Many At Sale
SEYMOUR – The sale at the store of the W. L. Ward Company opened this morning. The store was so crowded this afternoon that it was necessary for them to close the store between the hours of 12 and 2 o’clock. About five hundred people visited the store this morning.
Dr. Shelton Improving
SHELTON – Health Officer Dr. Gould A. Shelton, who has been confined to his home for the past month by illness, is able to be up again, although he has not as yet ventured out. Dr. Shelton is recovering rapidly and expects to be able to be out soon.
Thursday, Nov. 18, 1915
Naugatuck 53; Ansonia 0
ANSONIA – Being beaten 53 to 0 is getting to be quite a specialty with Ansonia High School football team, for that was the score of yesterday’s carnage in Naugatuck when Naugatuck High’s Huskies ripped the AHS eleven to pieces. Previous to yesterday’s game, Ansonia’s last time out was when New Haven trampled the Ansonians 53 to 0.
Run Down By Auto
ANSONIA – A young boy named Andrew Koval was run down by an automobile on Grove Street shortly after 1 o’clock this afternoon. The machine, it was said, was in charge of Carl Comen, the baker. The lad was taken to his home on Meadow Street after the accident, but how badly he was injured was not definitely known at press time.
Recovered From Lockjaw
DERBY – William Larke, the small boy who has been undergoing treatment in the Griffin Hospital for lockjaw, left that institution yesterday having been discharged as cured. The lad seems to be all right except that he is weak and will take him some time to get back his strength. This case has been watched with a great deal of interest because the lad’s jaws were locked when he entered the institution and for some time after the antitoxin had been administered, he had to be fed with a medicine dropper. The disease is supposed to have entered the system through a small wound over the eye.
Much Interest In Game
SEYMOUR – The announcement that Seymour and Naugatuck will again clash on the gridiron has caused a good deal of excitement among the fans, and the game will undoubtedly be the best one seen on the local field this season. The teams met two weeks ago, and Naugatuck managed to nose out the locals by two points.
Training For Game
SHELTON – The Shelton High School football team, under the eyes of Coach Seeley, is fast rounding into shape for its game with the Derby High School eleven to be played in Derby on Saturday afternoon. It is likely that the local team will be accompanied to the city across the river by a large crowd of rooters, mostly members of the school. The team has not played in a week, the last game being with Danbury on Friday and nearly every day this week a strenuous practice has been imposed on the members.
Friday, Nov. 19, 1915
Struck By Buggy
ANSONIA – Frank Tiano, of Prospect Street, Derby, a track greaser in the employ of the Connecticut Company, was painfully injured yesterday afternoon when he was struck by a buggy in which was seated Yale Rubin and two other men. Tiano had about completed the task of greasing the curve of the trolley express turnout on lower Main Street when he was struck in the back at a point below his shoulder by the shaft of the Rubin vehicle and knocked down. In falling, Tiano’s head struck the pavement, a bad gash over the eye, which required five or six stitches to close.
Not Worth Repairs
DERBY – Ansonia and Derby officials who inspected the Division Street bridge yesterday afternoon, decided that the structure was not worth fixing up. While a sign on the bridge says it is closed to travel, the structure is being used daily, and members of the Ansonia aldermanic board expressed the opinion that in case of accident, Ansonia and Derby would have to assume responsibility. The opinion was expressed that the bridge should either be made safe or closed entirely to travel.
Fined For Stealing Wood
SEYMOUR – Mrs. Theresa Florek was brought before Justice Conine on Wednesday afternoon by Officer McEnerney on the charge of stealing a quantity of wood from the yard of Center School. The wood consisted of branches, which were cut from some of the trees on the school premises. Mrs. Florek resides on Franklin Street and upon investigation, the wood was found to be in her possession. A fine of $5 and costs were imposed.
Will See The Game
SHELTON – Many Shelton people will accompany the high school football team to Derby on Saturday afternoon when the local aggregation will engage in a gridiron contest with the Derby High School eleven. The contest promises to be an interesting one, for both teams have shown up well in the various contests this year.
Saturday, Nov. 20, 1915
Arm Crushed By Trolley
ANSONIA – Dororthy Wheeler, the seven-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wheeler, of Woodbridge Avenue, was knocked down and injured by a trolley on Main Street about 1:30 this afternoon. She was taken to the Griffin Hospital, and it was stated she had a badly crushed arm.
According to a witness of the accident, the little girl was running across Main Streett toward the Ansonia Electrical Co. She ran directly in front of the northbound car. Motorman Frank Rowley plugged the car, but it did not stop until the girl had been knocked down, and the fender had gone over her.
Burned By Hot Metal
ANSONIA – John Swan, of North Main Street, was painfully burned by hot metal at the casting shop of the A.B. & C. Co. branch of the American Brass Company yesterday. A damp mold, it is said, caused an explosion and some of the hot metal struck Mr. Swan in the face. One eye was badly burned, but sight, it is thought, will not be affected.
Special Musical Service
DERBY – The choir of the Derby M.E. Church will give a musical service on Sunday evening under the direction of Dr. G. H. Kneen and will be assisted by Lloyd Beeman with harp and organ and Theodore Wirths with violin. A very elaborate program has been arranged and as the choir has been rehearsing for some time, the event is sure to be a very fine one.
Tree Blows Over
SHELTON – Yesterday’s storm did little damage here outside of putting the roads in bad shape. The only real damage was the blowing over of a tree on Howe Avenue which put the trolley and telephone wires out of commission. The trolley wire was immediately repaired but the telephones on one side of Howe Avenue were out during the afternoon and this morning.
Sunday. Nov. 21, 1915
The Evening Sentinel Didn’t Publish On Sundays
Monday, Nov. 22, 1915
Big Night At Fair
ANSONIA – Assumption Hall was hardly large enough Saturday night to accommodate the throngs who attended the parish fair of the Church of the Assumption. The Webster Hose Company was in charge, the firemen assembling at the hose house in uniform and marching to the hall, headed by the Ansonia band. A great crowd followed. The Websters took entire charge of the fair. The stage entertainment was furnished by the Tinney family, which gave a varied program of vocal and instrumental selections.
Scared Coal Stealers
ANSONIA – Three boys were detected this morning by Railroad Detective Robert Demain stealing coal in the local freight yards. The youngsters beat a retreat when they saw the officer, abandoning three bags, well filled with coal.
Derby High Won Game From Shelton
DERBY – After the Derby-Shelton high school football game, which was played on the meadows Saturday afternoon, many people in Derby and Shelton were willing to believe the saying that history repeats itself, for the big game ended as on last Thanksgiving Day with a score of 19 to 0 in favor of the defenders of the white “D.” Derby’s victory was not unexpected, either by all Derby followers or by conservative Shelton fans, who realized that the local lads were in a fair way of shutting out the plucky but lighter aggregation from across the river.
Preparing Roads For Winter
SEYMOUR – The selectmen of the town are busily engaged, having the roads about town put into proper shape for the winter months. Just at present, they are completing the work in the Deerfield section, in the southeastern part of town. The men are obliged to spend more time in this section than was anticipated, owing to the great number of rocks which they must take out of the road. Because of this, and the scarcity of help, the work of fixing up the roads throughout the town is not progressing very rapidly.