Patchogue has always been a live town
and according to an article in the Brookhaven Daily Eagle for
November 9, 1907, it was a leader in the towns along the Great
South Bay in those days and earlier. We quote from the article in
the Eagle:
"The secret of Patchogue's leadership
is quickly noticed by the stranger who may happen into the town. It
is found in the get together policy that exists, and when it comes
to a question of Patchogue or some other place, everybody gets out
and hustles for Patchogue, and immediately becomes a press agent for
the 'Queen Village.'
"The spirit of standing together is
well shown in the government of local affairs. Ever since the
village was incorporated in 1893, there has been no thought of
politics in the selection of its officials. The residents meet in
annual primary and nominate a non-partisan ticket, which is elected
with no opposition. The confidence of the voters in the selection of
the nominees is shown by the small vote cast on election day. Last
year there were just 23 votes cast at the charter election.
"Patchogue is not only well, and most
economically governed, but it has been commented on by visitors that
they never saw a town witness disorder and drunkenness. The two
local justices of the peace probably have not a dozen cases a year
of this sort.
"The incorporated section of Patchogue
extends from the bay north to Cedar Grove Avenue and east and west
from Patchogue River to Bay Avenue and contains a population of
about 4,000. West Lake has been recently purchased by the Great
South Bay Water Company, and the village fathers signed a contract
last August with the company to furnish the village with "pure and
wholesome' water at a figure much less than that of the old contract
which expired September 1. The water company is now at work
improving its plant, which will give Patchogue double the water
supply of the old plant. class dirt roads at present.
"The fire department is another to
which Patchoguers point with pride, and three years ago the village
raised $13,000 by bond issue for the erection of a modern brick
headquarters, and an electric telegraph alarm system, the only of
its kind on the Island. The equipment includes a large $1,700. hook
and ladder truck, a smaller truck, a hand engine, the old "Honey
Bee," whose fame as a prize winner is a part of Long Island's
history. Also two hose reels, three hose jumpers, and two 45-gallon
chemical extinguishers. The membership in the four companies is
about 150.
"The industries of the village are
varied with the largest being the Patchogue Manufacturing Company,
which makes lace curtains and other lace products. Over 1,000,000
pairs of curtains are turned out every year and over 600 people are
employed with a payroll of over $6,000 a week.
"Next in importance is the lumber mill
of E. Bailey & Sons, which employs 275 men. The plant covers about
10 acres of brick and frame buildings and has branch yards at
Sayville and Islip.
The shipbuilding firms which put out
over $100,000 worth of boats every year line both sides of Patchogue
river.
"Then there is the steel tape plant of
Justus Roe & Sons, the Hiscox Chemical Works, the Hygeia Ice Mfg.
Company and a number of smaller concerns. There are three banks, The
Patchogue Bank, The Citizens Trust Co. and the Union Savings Bank.
"The school facilities are of the best
with the high school on Ocean Avenue of 14 rooms, the River Avenue
School of six rooms and the Maple Avenue School of eight rooms. The
taxpayers have recently voted $70,000 for a 16-room school on Bay
Avenue. The total registration is a 1,210 with a daily attendance of
1,100.