Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA
1892 - Woonsocket
WOONSOCKET
Although extending back nearly two and a-half centuries, there is little interest connected with the history of Woonsocket up to within a comparatively recent period. It was, in fact, an insignificant place fifty years ago. From an unimportant village it has grown during the lifetime of a generation to be one of the great industrial centers of the country. The value of the cotton and woolen goods manufactured here annually is something enormous. Of the latter, Woonsocket produces more than any other town or city in the United States, while in the former industry it is excelled by few. There are now in operation in this place seventeen cotton-mills and seven woolen-mills with an aggregate capital of about $5,000,000.
Among the other important industries are the manufacture of rubber goods, machinery, tools, castings, wringing machines, thread, silk, jewelry, sash, blinds, doors, etc.
Altogether there must be upward of ten thousand hands employed in the manufacture of textile fabrics alone in this town.
The population has more than doubled in the last two decades. The number of inhabitants in 1870 was 11, 527, and this had increased to 16,053 in 1880. The census of 1890 gives the population as 20,830, but it is supposed to have been much more than that, being now not far from 25,000.
Woonsocket as a manufacturing center owes its prominence to the magnificent water-power within its limits. The immense fall of water on the Blackstone River, which has long been regarded as a great natural curiosity, affords unlimited power. It is some twenty feet in height, and is almost perpendicular, the force of the volume of water being broken on its way down by huge rocks. The fall of water upon the precipice, through a succession of ages, has caused numerous excavations in the rocks, all of which are smooth and circular, and some of the these are sufficiently large to hold several hogsheads.
The town takes its name from the falls. As the word indicates, the name is of Indian origin. The original form was 'Woone-Suckete', from 'Woone', said to mean thunder, and 'Suckete', meaning mists.
The first settlers in the immediate vicinity of Woonsocket Falls were Richard Arnold and Samuel Comstock. The exact date of their appearance here is a matter of conjecture, but is generally supposed to have been early in the second half of the seventeenth century, for there was a sawmill (the first venture of the kind) built on the river in 1666 by the former. The early settlers planted themselves in the most promising sites by the Blackstone and began at once to turn to account the bounties of nature so generously provided. Notwithstanding the facilities at their control, but little progress was made in the new settlement for some time. As the soil was fertile and fuel abundant, the community, whose wants were few, prospered fairly well, however. Richard Arnold, who erected the pioneer sawmill in Woonsocket, acquired considerable wealth, and at his death his four sons came into possession of quite a large estate close by the falls.
Other settlers, too, succeeded in placing their families in tolerably comfortable circumstances, and the second generation saw considerable progress. In the course of time, the little hamlet grew into a prosperous village, which in 1867, was incorporated under a town form of government.
A distinctly noteworthy fact concerning the early inhabitants of this place, as related by Mr. Richardson, the historian of Woonsocket, is, that the people, unlike those of all the other New England settlements, were not overmuch given to the exercise of piety. Indeed, it appears they were for years without a church or house of prayer. It was not until 1718 that divine services began to be held here, and the initiative was taken by the Society of Friends. With the exception of the Quaker meeting-house, there was no other place of worship for more than a hundred years. Referring to this subject Richardson says:
'Woonsocket became, not so much from the piety of the inhabitants as from the natural advantages of its location, first a religious and after an educational center of the large territory now comprised within the counties of Worcester in Massachusetts and Providence in Rhode Island.'
In this connection it is worthy of remark, that the disciples of George Fox were the first to move in the direction of introducing free schools, although their efforts do not appear to have received the approbation such a commendable project deserved; for we are informed that the plan of opening a free school for all classes was defeated at first 'by a vote of the ignorant backwoodsmen of Smithfield, many of whom were unable to write their names'. Up to the close of the last century the opportunities afforded the youth for acquiring even an elementary education hereabouts were very limited. In 1800 the town of Smithfield voted the sum of $2,200 for the support of twenty-four schools. It was not for some forty years later, however, that the people fully awoke to the importance of public schools. But the past half a century has witnessed remarkable progress in this direction, speaking of which Richardson well says: 'The system of education with the won has made a marked advancement since the introduction of public schools. The rude and often ill-constructed schoolhouse has given place to the present fine and convenient buildings, furnished with all the modern appliances for the comfort and convenience of both teacher and pupil. These excellent institutions are presided over by competent and accomplished teachers, and the citizens of Woonsocket have just reason to be proud of their present educational interests.'
photo on page 233: Main Street, Looking North, Showing Harris Block.
The town of Woonsocket was incorporated from parts of the towns of Cumberland and Smithfield, in 1867. The section of the town lying to the east of the river was for a hundred and thirty years previous to that, a village in the town of Cumberland. In 1871 this was still further increased by the addition of that portion of Smithfield which constituted West Woonsocket. The Blackstone River, which flows directly through the business center of the town, affords inexhaustible water-power and valuable sites for mills and manufacturing plants, all of which have been greatly improved. There is no place of its size in New England possessing better manufacturing facilities or greater hydraulic power, and in none have these been applied more advantageously.
Woonsocket lies in the heart of a fertile region and is distant sixteen miles from Providence and thirty-seven from Boston. The town has over seventy miles of streets, and is rapidly extending its corporate limits. The Providence & Worcester Railroad runs through the town, and the New York & New England connects it with Boston. It contains many handsome public buildings and institutions.
The town has nine churches, a high school and eight lower schools, several public halls and a free circulating library. The latter belongs to the Harris Institute, connected with which are also a lyceum, reading-rooms,etc.
The town supports a daily and two weekly newspapers and has two opera houses.
There are six national banks and five savings-banks in Woonsocket, and they are all solid and substantial institutions.
The town contains several excellent hostelries too, and first-class accommodations are provided for the local and traveling public.
As has been intimated, the surrounding country is very productive and market-gardening and dairying are carried on extensively. The quantities of fruits, vegetables, garden products generally, butter, eggs, etc., disposed of annually, reach enormous proportions. Then again Woonsocket is the center of an extensive retail and jobbing trade, and has a number of handsome and flourishing establishments in the various mercantile lines of business. Altogether the town presents a pleasing and lively appearance and everybody seems busy. About half the population is of foreign birth. This is accounted for by the large number of factories here. Many of these are immense plants, and most of them are concentrated within a very limited area, making one of the busiest industrial centers in the country.
Among the largest cotton-mills may be named those of the Social Manufacturing Company, the Clinton Manufacturing Company, the Woonsocket Mill and the Woonsocket Yarn Company. The most extensive manufacturers of woolens are the Harris Woolen Company, the Lippitt Woolen Company and the American Worsted Company. Other big concerns are the Woonsocket Rubber Company, the Bailey Wringing Company, the Woonsocket Spool and Bobbin Manufacturing Company, and the H. C. Lazelle Loom Harness Manufactory, and numerous establishments devoted to the production of machinery, castings, tools, builders' supplies, etc.
Industries and Wealth of the Principal Points in Rhode Island, being the city of Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, Woonsocket, Newport, Narragansett Pier, Bristol & Westerly.
New York: A. F. Parsons Publishing Co., 1892
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