THE BUBBLE THAT BURST
street from the railroad station. He also conducted a grocery store and lived upstairs over the store.
A factory was built near the station, beside the railroad tracks. About 1871, The Sackett Manufacturing Company started business there, but soon failed. Afterward, in 1887, the premises were taken over by the Peerless Buttonhole Attachment Company, Inc. J. Willis Downes of New Haven and William Chauncey Russell of Tyler City were the business partners, Mr. Downes being the Treasurer. This likewise proved unprofitable, so it was discontinued. Using the basement of the building, Edward W. Russell conducted a creamery, where he made butter which was sold both wholesale and retail. In 1897, business was resumed here by a company which made tricycles and baby-carriages. Unfortunately, just before the Christmas season, when the building was full of holiday goods ready for shipment, it caught fire and was totally destroyed.
Near the railroad station, a man started making plaster-of -Paris centerpieces, used to decorate ceilings. He made very ornate ones which were used in the Ferry and Halliwell houses, and he started to build a factory to go into the business in a larger way, but he never got beyond the foundation of his building.
Across the railroad track at Tyler City there was a very fine grove, which made an ideal place for picnic parties and other gatherings. Some of these gatherings were addressed by prominent citizens, such as the Governor of the State, the Mayor of New Haven, and others. One frequent visitor was George Beckwith, the author of the famous Almanac. He was somewhat eccentric, and his usual costume was a long tail-coat and white beaver hat. He was always barefooted. Being a very interesting speaker, he was eagerly welcomed. Later this grove was used by a group of colored people as a Camp-meeting ground.
Mention was previously made of David Treat, who lived on Cranberry Lane, and of his custom of always
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