History of North Adams, Massachusetts, USA

NORTH ADAMS, Mass., July 3. - About 10 o'clock this morning, Elmer Hewett, a pegger in the Chinese work-room, at Sampson's shoe shop, was struck on the back with a shoe-last by a Chinaman. Retaliating, he struck the Chinaman in the face with his fist, knocking him to the floor, senseless, and afterward he was dragged off by his sympathetic countrymen. Immediately, about 40 Chinese operatives seized their shoe-hammers, knives, and lasts, and in a body rushed upon the obnoxious American. Henry Clark, a fellow-workman of Hewett, stepped forward to his assistance, but received a terrible blow on the head with a last thrown by a Chinaman. The blow dazed him for a moment, but recovering, Clark attacked the Chinamen, knocking them around like ten-pins. Meanwhile, the air was full of flying missiles, threatening everybody in a radius of 30 feet. Men who have worked in the shop for years say that never, in there experience, has such a riot occurred, and they have no desire to pass through...

Some time ago a mysterious epidemic broke out at North Adams, Massachusetts, and for several weeks everybody was wondering what it could be caused by. The pious were a good deal disposed to hold that it was some sort of a judgment. The Kearneyites thought that it was the natural retribution for employing Chinese in the shoe shops. But after all it turns out that the water of the town is responsible for the sickness, and that no supernatural causes were concerned in it. An engineer made a map of the town and having carefully ascertained the direction of the epidemic, found that it followed the lines of the water pipes with a regularity far too stead to be ascribed to accident. He then traced the course of the water up to an old mill dam, which proved to be full of impurities, yet which nobody had ever suspected. Doubtless North Adams is not the first town that has been poisoned by bad water, or that has attributed the evil to everything but the right cause.

The Mosbray nitro-glycerine works at North Adams, Massachusetts, have been blown up three times. They have had ten superintendents, eight of whom were killed by explosion, one blinded, and the last is in charge and waiting his turn.

North Adams, Mass., Oct. 21. - A terrible accident to a caboose containing working men belonging to the North Adams freight yard occurred this morning in which 27 men were injured, several of them fatally. About 6:30 o'clock this morning Engineer CHARLES WELLS and Fireman JOSEPH BOSLEY left the North Adams depot on the engine Deerfield, of the State Road, pushing a caboose loaded with 25 men, who were going to work at different places near Zoar and Charlemont. The parties in the car included the section gang, JOHN FLYNN, foreman; the gang of masons, JOHN C. MADDEN, foreman; the stone-crushers, PETER BARRY, foreman; the track-layers, THOMAS QUINN, foreman, and the carpenters, J. J. PEEKHAM, foreman. The engine and caboose, with its human freight, started for the tunnel, and had gone about half way when the caboose, which was in front, collided with a Troy and Boston engine, smashing the head-light of the engine of the Deerfield and driving the 15-foot flues straight through the furnace ...

North Adams is a flourishing manufacturing town on the Hoosac River, in the northern part of Berkshire County. The junction of the Housatonic Railroad, running south through the county, with the Fitchburg Railroad at North Adams is 143 miles (by the latter road) northwest of Boston. The other stations on this road are Greylock and Blackinton. The post-office is North Adams; and the villages are the places already mentioned and Beaver, Braytonville, Houghtonville and Kempville. The town is bounded on the north by Clarksburg, east by Florida, south by Adams, and west by Williamstown. The assessed area is 9,670 acres. There are 3,866 acres of forest, consisting in part of maple, beech, birch and cherry.

The scenery of the town is wild and picturesque. At the southwest is Saddle Mountain, with Greylock farther south. At the southeast corner is Spruce Hill; 5,288 feet high. This forms the southern point of Hoosac Mountain, which is pierced from east to west by the Hoosac Tunnel, on the...

North Ad'ams, a post-village in North Adams town ship, Berkshire co., Mass., on the Hoosac River, near the W. end of the great Hoosac Tunnel, 20 miles N.N.E. of Pittsfield, and about 36 miles E. of Albany, N.Y. It is 5 miles N.E. of Greylock, the highest mountain in the state, and is surrounded by high hills and beautiful scenery. It contains a national bank, 2 savings-banks, a first class hotel, a fine high school, 2 newspaper offices, and 7 churches. Here are important manufactures of cotton and woollen goods, boots, shoes, and other articles. The town ship has 11 cotton-mills and 6 woollen-mills, and the annual value of the products manufactured here is about $7,000,000. The Hoosac Tunnel, perforated through the Hoosac Mountain, is nearly 5 miles long, and is part of a railroad connecting Boston with Troy and Albany. North Adams is on the Troy & Boston Railroad, at the N. terminus of the Pittsfield & North Adams Railroad. Pop. in 1890, 16,074

North Adams, Mass., Aug. 30 - Charles Davis, aged 41, a milk dealer, was thrown from his wagon, when his horse ran away today, and died three hours later from a fractured skull. He leaves a widow and three children.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass., June 26. - The President [McKinley] was met at 2:30 o'clock on Church street, by Sanford Post G. A. R. and a band, and was taken to a reviewing stand in Monument square, and from which he saw a pretty parade of 2000 school children and citizens of the city. After the parade had passed by, Mayor H. Torrey Cady made an address of welcome to the President.

At the close of the mayor's remarks, there was great cheering. The President stepped forward and expressed his feelings for the most generous welcome that the people of North Adams have extended to the President of the United States. After he had finished speaking the President's carriage was in waiting for his drive about the city. A number of streets were driven through and then he returned to Adams.

A close game of basket ball was played at the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium Saturday night by the Climbers and the Y.M.C.A. team for the benefit of Edward Feige of the association, who sustained a serious injury to his leg in a football game last fall. There was good attendance, but how much was made is not yet known as the tickets are not all in. The closeness of the game may be judged by the fact that the first half ended 14 to 13 in favor of the Climbers and the final score was 27 to 24 in favor of the Y.M.C.A.

North Adams, a city of Berkshire co., Mass., on the Hoosac River, near the W. end of the Hoosac Tunnel, 36 miles E. of Albany, N.Y., on the Boston and Maine and on the Boston and Albany Rs. It is 5 miles NE. of Greylock, the highest mountain in the state, and is surrounded by high hills and beautiful scenery. It is the seat of a state normal school and has extensive cotton, print, and woollen-mills, and manufactures of paper-boxes, boots and shoes, etc. Pop. in 1900, 24,200. Elevation, 700 feet.

Many Rush for the Doors at Empire Theater When Picture Machine Takes Fire - One Woman Trampled on and Others Hysterical - Fire Quickly Put Out.

The moving picture machine in the balcony of the Empire theater at North Adams exploded shortly after 9 o'clock last night, while an audience of some 400 was witnessing the moving picture entertainment then in progress. There was considerable confusion, several women screaming and others making hasty rushes for the exits. Charles Daas, a fireman, who happened to be in the theater, attempted to quiet the audience, but was only partly successful. He then left and had an alarm sounded from box 6, at the corner of Main and Holden streets. By the time the fire apparatus reached the building the greater part of the audience was leaving by the main entrance in an orderly manner, although several women were more or less hysterical. George Roberts, electrician of the Empire theater, who was in charge of the machine, had extinguished the fire with...

...Northwestern Massachusetts also felt the flood. Property loss was estimated at more than $1,000,000 in North Adams alone. The national guard was called out there after 20 houses had been swept away by the overflowing Hoosac River...

MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art): Begin your exploration with a visit to MASS MoCA, one of the largest contemporary art museums in the United States. Located in a repurposed industrial complex, the museum offers a diverse range of ever-changing exhibitions, installations, and performances.

The Clark Art Institute: Situated in nearby Williamstown, The Clark boasts an impressive collection of European and American art. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the museum's galleries and the beautiful surrounding grounds.

Natural Bridge State Park: Experience the natural beauty of the only natural white marble arch in North America at Natural Bridge State Park. Discover marble formations, hike the scenic trails, and take in the stunning views of the park.

Western Gateway Heritage State Park: Explore the North Adams Museum of History and Science, located within the park. Learn about the town's industrial and cultural history through exhibits, and enjoy outdoor concerts ...