|
| |
The
Cassidy House
|
|
Newspaper
Clippings |
| Intro,
Clippings,
Dining
room,
Doors 1,
Exterior,
Ext
Doors,
Front
Doors
, History,
Interior,
Painting 1,
Painting 2,
Peek
In,
Pocket
Doors ,
Porch,
Roof,
Stained
Glass,
Staircase |
|
|
 
|
|
|
Clipping about the building of the Cassidy House (1888 -
1890) and the 1905 fire
were generously provided by Jeanne Cassidy Duffy. |
|
|
No date or title. Assumed to be around
1888
|
| Dr. Paddock’s
house on Washington Street is covered in and is to be a handsome
structure. Dr.
Cassidy’s dwelling, just north of it, is rising from the
foundation wall; it is to be finished in even finer style than the
other doctor’s, Dr. Cassidy’s house will cost not less than
$17,000. A facetious
resident on the street suggests that the new street, which is yet to
be laid out from Washington Street to Yantic cover, and on which the
new dwellings are located, be called Doctors’ court. No other building lots on the projected street have been sold
as yet, but it will not be long, probably, before all of them are
bought, as the location is one of the best in town. |
|
A Popular Doctor’s Commodious Home
Assumed to be from 1890
|
|
Dr.
Cassidy’s new home on Washington Street was declared finished
yesterday. In May 1888,
Architect Preston finished the plans and awarded the stone work to
F.B. Durfey, the brick and mason work to J. McWilliams, woodwork to
Arnold & Hiscox, plumbing to A. Troland & Son and the
painting and interior decoration to P.F. Murtagh.
The work progressed without interruption till Wednesday and
now adds one more fine and costly residence to the many, which adorn
and beautify our city. The
house is of the English style, combining the substantial and the
ornamental, and contains 25 large, well-ventilated and sightly
rooms.
Rich and rare
woods have been placed by skilled workmen, also terra cottas,
tilings, mantels, large mirrors, thoroughly appointed library,
dining rooms, parlors, reception halls, billiard hall, music room
and countless closets, nooks and corners form an elegant whole that
is not excelled by any other house in the city, and reflects much
credit on our local workers.
The doctor
has made a specialty of employing none but local talent, from the
beginning to the completion of his palatial home, and the fact that
the entire work has progressed from the start to finish without a
hitch, showing a complete and perfect whole, tends to prove that the
doctor made proper selections.
We anticipate
the doctor’s next move will be to add to his already built and
much admired property on Church and Washington streets by building a
large and commodious block on his Main street location, which we
understand, he has been meditating for some time. Apparently the doctor is a firm believer in Norwich and its
future and it would be well for the town if every citizen was like
him. |
|
|
Dr. Cassidy’s House Gutted by Fire
Dr. Paddock’s House Also Damaged – Firemen Work Well
Hand dated May
2, 1905
|
| Monday afternoon
Chief Stanton and all the regular men at the fire station were on
duty and were discussing fires in a general way when an alarm came
in at 4:10 o’clock from box No. 35 and everybody got busy.
It was found that the fire was in the handsome home of Dr.
Cassidy at No. 104 Washington Street.
Chief Stanton was the first to reach the house and then
flames were issuing from a dormer window in the southeast side of
the roof and south of the chimney in the house. The window was in a room occupied by the servant, Miss Nellie
Buckley. Mrs. Cassidy
was not a home and the only occupants of the house were the servant
and a young son of Dr. Cassidy.
The fire was burning fiercely
when the firemen arrived and smoke was issuing from the two cupolas
on the front of the house. There
was a strong wind blowing.
The roof was very irregular in
shape and was covered with slates.
These facts and the strong wind made it a difficult matter to
fight the fire. As the
roof burned away hot slates began to fall on all sides of the house
and this made the work of the firemen more dangerous.
On account of the close
proximity of wooden houses on the south and the great distance of
hydrants Chief Stanton summoned two volunteer hose companies to his
aid, Numbers 4 and 6, and when they arrived a large volume of water
was poured on the burning house. About 5 o’clock, when it was seen
that the attic of the house would be destroyed and the second story
was in danger, a large number of men and boys began to help Dr.
Cassidy remove his household goods to a place of safety.
About 5:30 o’clock the
firemen cut away several feet of partitions before the flames could
be subdued. Several
carpets and some furniture were removed from the Paddock house but
that was against the advice of Chief Stanton, as he assured the
inmates that there was no danger of the Cassidy house endangering
the Paddock house to any great extent.
The Norton house west of Christ
Church was slightly damaged by sparks.
The cause of the fire is
unknown. There was a report current that it was caused by an oil stove
exploding but Dr. Cassidy says that the house did not contain an oil
stove. Miss Buckley
says she left her room at 6:30 o’clock in the morning and did not
return to it until about 4 o’clock in the afternoon and then she
found the room in flames. She
was ironing in the kitchen when people in the Paddock house called
to her and informed her that the house was on fire.
Most of Dr. Cassidy’s
household goods were placed in his barn and in the old Sturtevant
house, which was promptly placed at the doctor’s disposal by Frank
H. Smith. None of the
expensive glass in the windows on the main floor and very little in
the second story was broken. A
big crowd watched the firemen at work and Policemen Stanley, Irish,
Toomey and Ebberts did good service in keeping the people out of the
houses and in protecting the property.
Joseph Wedge, the boss lineman
for the local light company, was one of the first to reach the fire
and he shut off the gas in the cellar and thus prevented it from
adding fuel to the flames.
Chief Stanton had the big
steamer located at a hydrant near Christ Church to be read in case
she was needed.
Hoseman Patrick J. Caples of
the chemical company was quite badly hurt at the fire, as was also
John E. Blackburn of Hose Company No. 5.
One of the latter’s hands was cut by slate or tin and he
was nearly suffocated with smoke. Fireman Smith of the steamer company was cut in the face.
When the firemen returned to
the Central station they were furnished sandwiches and coffee by
Rev. Neilson Poe Carry. His
kindness was greatly appreciated.
Dr. Cassidy and his wife spent
last night at the Wauregan house.
They were greatly depressed on account of the damage to their
handsome home. They
were visited last night by their son, Dr. P. J. Cassidy, of New
London.
The Cassidy house cost about
$18,000 and was built about 13 years ago.
The house and its contents are insured, but last night Dr.
Cassidy could not tell the exact amounts of his policies.
Several hundred people visited
the burned house last evening.
Much sympathy is expressed for the doctor and his family.
The house will probably be repaired as soon as possible. |
|
Insurance Was $5,000
After May 2nd,
1905 |
|
Dr. Patrick
Cassidy on Tuesday evening stated that he had $5,000 insurance on
his house on Washington Street, which was partially destroyed by
fire Monday afternoon. On
Tuesday morning Chief Stanton went over the burned building, but
nothing new regarding the manner in which the fire started was
learned. A trunk full
of curious which Miss McCloud brought home from the Philippines was
taken from the upper story with most of the articles intact.
It has become
known that …….. was made to burn the barn on Dr. Patrick Cassidy
on Maple Grove Avenue a week ago Sunday night.
Miss Nellie McCloud looked out of a window from the rear of
the doctor’s residence and saw a light in the barn.
The doctor was notified and hastily ran to the barn and
discovered a rag soaked in kerosene ablaze.
It was located near the hay in the front of the barn.
Prompt application of a pail of water extinguished the blaze
which if allowed to burn a few minutes more would have enveloped the
entire building and have caused considerable damage.
The barn is situated near the residence of Henry F. Ulmer. |
|
|
|
|
