The Westford Wardsman, July, 1913
Saturday, July 5, 1913
Center. The Donald Camerons are at Yarmouth for the month of July.
Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth entertained a group of her classmates who graduated with her from the Lowell Normal school in 1899, at her home on the Boston road Tuesday of this week. These friends have always kept in touch with each other since graduation by a circulating letter going the rounds regularly and by reunions. Those whom Mrs. Hildreth entertained on Tuesday were Miss Ethel Kimball, of Chelmsford, Miss Maud Jarvis, of Lowell, Miss Katherine Jantzen, also of Lowell, and Mrs. Arno Gotz and little son Philip and daughter Selma, of Hudson, N.H.
A few farmers had begun their haying last week, but this week it is under way in earnest.
The baseball game last Saturday afternoon between Graniteville and Westford resulted in a victory for the Westford team with a score of 7 to 1. There was an unusually large number of spectators present.
The J.V. Fletcher library will be closed this Thursday evening preceding the Fourth.
The Westford A.A. will play two games, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with the West Chelmsford team the Fourth of July at Whitney playground. They will also be in charge of refreshment booths and expect the school band from North Chelmsford if the band masters union of Lowell does not interfere too much.
The J.V. Fletcher library will follow its usual custom of being closed Sundays during July and August.
Miss Beatrice Sutherland is enjoying a two-weeks’ visit with relatives in Somerville.
Charles L. Hildreth, whose work with photography belongs in the professional rather than the amateur class of picture taking has some particularly good views of different scenes of the wreck of the Bar Harbor express train which took place at Graniteville two weeks ago, on exhibition at Wright & Fletcher’s store.
Mrs. Eliza Carter is visiting her daughter, Mrs. William E. Wright, and enjoying making acquaintance with her grandson, Kenneth Wright, whom she had never seen.
Mr. and Mrs. Harrison B. Hall, of Waverley, have been recent guests at Mrs. Edward Prescott’s and calling on old friends.
The town hall is to be re-painted, Joseph Wall and helpers doing the work.
Miss Pauline Dole is visiting at Mrs. Alma Richardson’s.
Mrs. Alvan Fisher has been getting out these warm, pleasant days in a wheelchair.
Miss Florence Brewer is renewing former associations at the Willis Hildreth homestead.
Ralph Bridgeford is having an enforced vacation with blood poisoning in one of his hands.
Allister MacDougal went this week to Amherst, where he has a good position connected with the Agricultural college, of which he is a graduate.
Miss Edith Forster goes this month to attend the course of the summer Normal school at Hyannis.
George E. Could has his order placed for a new Ford automobile.
Owing to a serious explosion and fire of a grain elevator at Buffalo, N.Y., a carload of grain just ready for shipment to J. Willard Fletcher, our local grain dealer, was badly damaged. Mr. Fletcher did not lose money on account of the accident, but was much inconvenienced thereby.
Oscar R. Spalding had the misfortune to lose another valuable lot of cord wood and lumber by fire in Carlisle this week.
Death. Westford friends were saddened by the announcement this last week of the death of Mrs. Sarah Heywood Trumbull at her home in Beverly. The body was brought to Westford on Tuesday of this week for interment in Fairview cemetery beside the graves of other kindred. The family home of this Heywood family was on the Graniteville road on land now owned by Julian Cameron. The house was moved away some years ago, but the barn is used by Mr. Cameron. Before her marriage Mrs. Trumbull was actively identified with the social and church life of the community, being much interested in the welfare of the Congregational church and serving for a considerable period as its organist.
Her winters had been spent of recent years with her friend, Miss Harriet Rogers, at her home in Billerica and who, being a former teacher of the academy, also retained an interest in the Westford friends.
Mrs. Trumbull was an accomplished and lovable woman and her contemporaries feel her death keenly. She was eighty-two [83] years of age.
Lively Send-off. A pleasant happening and very much out of the ordinary was the large group of people who gathered at the common on Sunday afternoon to give Ai Bicknell and Samuel G. Humiston a pleasant good-bye send-off as they were starting for the famous fiftieth anniversary celebration at Gettysburg. This gathering had not been much advertised ahead except by much quiet sending of messages and the worthy veterans in whose honor it was planned were much taken by surprise, but they rose to the occasion with genial appreciation. There were fully one hundred people in the group and every one carried a flag larger or smaller. Little Grafton Tarleton, visiting at the parsonage, waved a flag much larger than himself. Miss Hazel Pond pinned small flags onto the veterans beside their bronze badges. Capt. S. H. Fletcher circulated about an album of views taken on a trip with his daughters a few years ago of various scenes of Gettysburg battlefield as it appears today, among which was a picture of the grave of Mr. Bicknell’s brother, whom he himself buried after the second day’s fighting and who now rests in a marked grave.
Miss Miranda G. Luce came out to add her good-bye and good wishes and recalled to those present how fifty years ago she was among those present at the same place to bid farewell to the company of volunteers going from Westford, then in the prime of young manhood.
Presently Conductor Clement sounded his gong and the car moved off amid the waving of flags and singing of “America.” Motorman Cutter, himself a veteran of the Cuban war, entered into the spirit of the occasion with right good will and the car was handsomely decorated with flags. Several of the townspeople accompanied the veterans to Brookside. Others going from town are John Wilson, J. Everett Woods and Albro Fletcher. At South Chelmsford, where John Wilson took the cars, all his children and grandchildren and other friends gathered to see him off.
Obituary. Mrs. Sarah F. Balch, wife of Wayland F. Balch, died at her home on Friday afternoon of last week after a long illness. She was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Solomon Richardson and was born in Jaffrey, N.H., in 1841. For many years the family home was in Parkerville, at the south part of the town, but about seventeen years ago Mr. Balch bought the pleasant village home on Boston road, where they have lived since.
Mrs. Balch is survived by her husband, three daughters—Agnes and Mary, of Westford, and Mrs. Edwin B. Currier, of Carlisle; two grand-daughters, Edna and May Currier, also of Carlisle; one brother, Charles N. Richardson; one sister, Mrs. Sherman H. Fletcher, and two nieces, Misses Gertrude and Julia Fletcher.
Mrs. Balch was a loving wife and devoted mother to the daughters who in turn cared so tenderly for her in her illness. She possessed a gentle and refined personality and was gifted in all the gentle arts of housewifery and the needle, and was especially fond of music, flowers and pictures. Her memory will be cherished by all the relatives and friends who came within the circle of her love and friendship.
The funeral was held from her late home on Monday afternoon of this week, Rev. Lyman B. Weeks being the officiating clergyman. There was a profusion of beautiful floral offerings. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery.
Graniteville. Rev. C. J. Soelberg from Boston university, who is now supplying the pulpit at the M.E. church, will leave in the early fall for India, where he will take up missionary work. [Chris Jörgen Soelberg, born Sept. 26, 1886, in Denmark, supplied the pulpit at the M.E. Church at Graniteville in July and August 1913.]
Misses Bessie and Lettie Ullock with the Misses Murray of Lowell have been recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Barnes.
The Graniteville baseball club met the Westford A.A. on the Whitney playgrounds in Westford last Saturday afternoon and were defeated by the score of 7 to 1. Inability to hit Sharkey safely at critical stages of the game, careless base running and loose playing by the Graniteville outfield were the causes of their downfall. Spinner was on the slab for Graniteville and did good work. Batteries, Sharkey and Sullivan for Westford; Spinner and Henley for Graniteville.
Graniteville will journey to Townsend on July Fourth for a double header, forenoon and afternoon. On next Saturday, July 5, the team will play West Chelmsford on the home grounds.
On last Sunday afternoon [a] preliminary meeting was held at St. Catherine’s church for the purpose of forming plans for the annual picnic to be held soon. Rev. Edward C. Mitchell will be the general manager and his assistants will be J. A. Healy and James Sullivan. Edward T. Hanley was elected treasurer. The full committee has not been elected as yet and another meeting will be held next Sunday afternoon for that purpose [and] at the same time [it will] fix a date for the coming event.
The people of this village will not hold any celebration here July 4. Many of the baseball fans will go to Townsend with the team, while others will spend the day at home and at the different beaches.
Lawn Party. The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held its annual lawn party on the church grounds last Saturday afternoon and evening, the affair being largely attended. The different tables that were tastefully arranged about the lawn all did a flourishing business, for the ladies in charge of the booths had their wares so temptingly set forth that they found ready purchasers. In the evening the grounds were illuminated with varied colored electric lights, which made a very pleasing effect, the wiring being done by W. F. Sargent. During the evening a very pleasing entertainment was given in the church vestry under the direction of William DeRoehn. Henry Smith acted as chairman.
The program, though short, was very good, the hit of the evening being the work of the Zwarski orchestra with Harvey Barnes as leader. A song, “When the dew is on the rose,” was excellently sung by Miss Bertha Wilson. The union quartet, composed of Henry Smith, Albert Blanchard, William DeRoehn and George Wilson, sang “Larboard watch,” so nicely that they were obliged to respond to an encore and gave “The catastrophe,” in a clever manner. A duet was well given by Albert Blanchard and William DeRoehn. The closing number was a selection by the orchestra. The whole affair was a great success and the Ladies’ Aid certainly had good weather with them on this special occasion.
About Town. The H. E. Fletcher Company, who generally head the progressive procession as business is tabulated, have added a “Farrel [sic] jaw crusher.” This machine has a jaw capacity of 36×42 inches, and a stone eight foot long is but a frail toy for it. This is a labor saving machine and is warranted not to strike.
Hazel Fletcher has been ill with diphtheria at her attractive home on Oak hill, where resideth Hon. and Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher. Dr. Wells is in attendance and the disease met with some skilled resistance.
John Flynn, jr., is ill at his home on the Stony Brook road with lumbago and other affections [sic].
The Old Oaken Bucket farm had early peas for dinner on the Fourth. What do you think about that, you Superintendent Smith, of Graniteville, who wished to be remembered to this farm. This is the plain facts Smith, true to nature. No borrowed New Jersey postoffice peas about this act. Nature also moved the previous question and new potatoes came forth from the ground and were ground for dinner at the above farm on the above July date.
Gerald H. Decatur, as teacher in Porto [sic] Rico, arrived home on Wednesday evening for the summer vacation and hay field tanning.
The Unitarian church will be closed for the summer vacation during July and August.
Among the many acts of kindness perpetrated by the last legislature was a non-payed [sic] commission to investigate the damage done by the pheasants and to what extent this damage, if any, is offset by their insect eating habits. At the hearing before the committee on fisheries and game, a few found to testify that they had lost a few cents’ worth of corn from the destructive pheasant and they were ready to annihilate. The pheasants are happy and numerous in the Stony Brook valley. A few cents’ worth of damage is a very large damage to charge up to them. The commission had better equip themselves with microscopes to search for damage.
A large forest fire is reported on Oak hill and still continuing. This is headquarters for forest fires as Oak hill covers many towns and has much territory to dwell in.
Alister F. McDougal [sic], a graduate of Massachusetts Agricultural college, class of 1913, is easy and early with an appointment from the college as instructor in charge of auto demonstration outfit. This duty will take him to the towns in Massachusetts to give demonstrations in spraying, pruning, milk testing and other useful lines, including general advice. This last is one of the evident needs of an over-diffusive farming and a little concentrated wisdom might do much to concentrate the aim. McDougal is a native of Westford. He has made an exceptional college course. He won the Grinnell prize for excellence in agricultural knowledge and was a member of the corn and stock judging team.
Death. Mrs. Sarah Heywood Trumbull, who died at her summer home in Beverly last Saturday, was a native of Westford and was born in Forge Village, the daughter of Amos and Lydia (Buck) Heywood. She attended the old historic Westford academy in 1839-41, when John Kebler was principal, [and] was a trustee of the library in its early days long before it had a library building. Actively intellectual she was an inspiring light in the days of the old lyceum. For many years she played the seraphim at the Union Evangelical church. Long will she be remembered for her labor of love for the church of her ancestry. Later in life and with [the] same love of loyalty to truth she became actively identified with the Unitarian denomination.
Since the death of her husband seventeen years ago she had made her winter home with Miss Harriet B. Rogers, of Billerica, a long-time friend and former teacher in Westford academy. Sarah Heywood, as she was so long and familiarly known, with active step, physical and intellectual with a buoyant spirit that never had time to grow old, she retained youth until the last. The older residents pleasantly recall her cultured life which “shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”
The funeral took place at her home in Beverly on Tuesday and burial in Fairview cemetery, Westford, beside the early loves of kindred.
Saturday, July 12, 1913
Center. The Lowell and Fitchburg Railroad Company are doing quite a good deal of repairing on the branch line track, principally replacing ties.
Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher is enjoying a short visit with Ludlow, Vt., relatives, making the trip by auto, going with her cousin, Mrs. Sadie E. Shepard, of Lowell, in the latter’s machine.
Miss Hazel Hartford went with her grandfather, Wesley O. Hawkes, on a trip to the summit of Mt. Wachusett on Monday. The cool, clear day made ideal conditions for a mountain trip.
Our civil war veterans, Ai Bicknell and Samuel G. Humiston, returned the first of the week from their Gettysburg trip which was successful in every way. These sturdy veterans were none the worse for the hot weather and have much to tell of their travels. They have placed in the library some souvenirs of their trip. Mrs. Edith Bicknell Wilcox came and visited and kept Mrs. Bicknell company during Mr. Bicknell’s absence.
Miss Mary G. Stevens, of Lowell, is enjoying vacation days with her sister, Mrs. A. P. Warren.
Mr. and Mrs. John P. Wright entertained a group of friends from Lowell at the log cabin, Prospect hill for the Fourth. A bountiful dinner at noon and plenty of congenial good cheer made the outing a pleasant one.
Mr. and Mrs. Dimock Sutherland and daughter Thelma, of Newton, have been recent visitors with Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland.
During the next few weeks the C.E. and the regular evening service at the Congregational church will be combined into one service at seven o’clock.
Charles O. Prescott is at his camp at Manomet, and with him are Rev. and Mrs. Charles P. Marshall and daughter. Mr. Marshall is having his vacation this month from his duties at First church, Plymouth.
The assessors have figured out the tax rate at $16.00 on a thousand. They expect to pass over their findings to the collector to issue his bills before very long.
Rev. J. J. Walker, of Boston, secretary of Boston Home Missionary society, will preach on Sunday at the Congregational church.
The raspberry harvest which is now on in earnest is absorbing the attention of growers and pickers. Thursday’s rain was very thoroughly appreciated by the many berry growers in town.
L. W. Gates, who recently lost his home by fire, has bought the Minots Corner farm owned by Virgil C. Mitchell.
Miss Bernice Parker, of Oak Hill, Pepperell, is spending a part of her vacation with her aunt, Mrs. Ralph Bridgford [sic].
The C.E. society of the Congregational society enjoyed a picnic at Forge pond on Thursday. Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Goode gave the use of their pleasant grounds at their camp and did much to make it pleasant for the young people and their gracious kindness was much appreciated. Mr. and Mrs. Wallace had charge of the affair and looked after all details of the outing. Two boats were hired for the day and were much in use. A fine picnic dinner with a liberal treat of ice cream was served at noon.
Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Wright entertained as guests the latter’s brother and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Hosmer, of Wakefield, last Saturday and Sunday.
The Fourth. Our residents had a good celebration of the “Glorious Fourth” for which they are indebted to the good work of the members of the Westford A.A. They worked hard to carry out the many details that go to make up the success of an affair of this kind. The bells were rung at midnight and at sunrise and sunset. The young people were out the night before as well as the night before that.
The program for the day was two rousing games of baseball, morning and afternoon, with the West Chelmsford team. The boys of the County Training school band gave a good outdoor concert in the afternoon. All the events of the day took place at Whitney playground except the dinner served to the two ball teams and the supper given to the members of the band. These were served at the town hall. The A.A. members conducted a refreshment booth at the playground and did a rushing business. The heat of the day made iced drinks and ice cream, etc., find a ready sale.
There was much interest in the ball games, especially the one in the afternoon which was one of the most keenly contested games ever played at the playgrounds. Westford won both games, the score of the morning being 5 to 1, and the afternoon 5 to 4. The batteries for the forenoon were O’Neil and Clark; Smith and Crook. Umpire, G. Reed. For the afternoon, A. W. Sullivan, Clark; Frank Sullivan, Crook. Umpire, Reed. Owing to certain phases of the situation, this double-header victory was especially gratifying to the Westford team.
At 1:30 a list of sports were run off, which resulted as follows: 100 yd. dash, Hildreth 1st, DeRohen 2nd; broad jump, Hugo Page; running broad jump, Nystrom 1st, Blodgett 2nd; boys’ race, Heroux 1st, Perkins 2nd; hop, step and jump, J. Hartford 1st, W. Wright 2nd; boys under eight, Mencan Secca 1st, Peter Clement 2nd.
It was estimated that there were fully five hundred people in attendance. The electric cars carried some good numbers of passengers during the day. Many visitors were noted for the event.
About Town. While mowing the meadow flowers on the banks of Tadmuck brook on Tuesday a small water snake with a large hornpout in its mouth was seen sunning on the banks of the crooked brook. It was a tie game—the snake couldn’t run with the hornpout and the pout couldn’t get into the brook with the snake. In the interest of mercy towards dumb animals they were untied in a manner never to meet again.
Miss Luanna B. Decatur, of the Salem Normal school, is at home for the present for vacation days.
Henry B. Read, while haying Saturday, discovered that it was too hot a day for work and discontinued. This discovery made it necessary to send for a physician.
Mrs. Quincy W. Day and Miss May Day sailed on Monday for New Brunswick. Miss May Day has been teaching in New York state and this is vacation rambles.
Rep. Charles H. Williams, of Billerica, has been unanimously elected as the republican legislative committee for the seventh Middlesex senatorial district. The republican representatives in each senatorial district, by caucus rule, were to elect one of their number. The representatives in this senatorial district are Charles H. Williams, of Billerica; Michael F. Keenan and Francis M. Hill, of Lynn, and Samuel L. Taylor, of Westford. The member elected is endowed with a large amount of workable Yankee common sense, which was born in England. The other three members displayed some sense in this selection if they fell off some in other legislative matters. The eighth senatorial district elected Victor F. Jewett, of Lowell, of staunch stick-to-it build.
Frederick L. McCoy is reported to have bought the Samuel G. Humiston farm, corner of Flagg and Robinson roads. For several years he leased the Melbourne Hutchins farm until sold to Boston parties.
Mrs. Hiram Whitney lost a cow and several sheep recently as the result of grass and arsenate of lead.
Charles L. Hildreth, Fred A. Snow and Taylor brothers played a sharp game of lawn tennis on the Old Oaken Bucket court Tuesday afternoon. A shower of fifteen drops or less prevented knowing who of the above cracks would hold out tennis courting the longest.
Llewellyn Gates, of Parkerville, who was recently made roofless by fire, has bought the roofs and farm at Minot’s Corner owned by Virgil C. Mitchell.
Mrs. Josie Walker Travis and daughter Ruth, of Natick, have been staying the stay of the welcome at the Walker hospitality on Main street.
Editorial Reply. Boston papers report that His Excellency, the governor, whose name is Foss, is contemplating calling a special session of the legislature in September. A recent editorial printed eight miles east of Westford said:
“The trouble with the recent Massachusetts legislature was simply that the men composing it were in a large majority of wholly insufficient caliber. It was a conspicuously mediocre body in every way.”
I supposed, owing to the fact that there was so many two by four stupid creatures in the last legislature, the governor feels it necessary to assemble them again in the hope that rest and haying having taken place the country lads will feel like getting their lesson as the governor assigns it to them.
In regards to the above editorial, if some country lads were not so busy haying, figuratively speaking, somebody would slap said editors in the face and show that however true the charge of “mediocre ability,” said editors were absurdly inconsistent in charging that as the cause of passing certain bills that were so objectionable to said editors. “Calibre” had nothing to do with it. The wisest judgment all around was by those who never once said “Mr. Speaker.” It was this type of legislature who voted against these objectionable bills. Let us not mistake talk for ability.
A Tribute. An additional tribute to the life and memory of the late Mrs. Sarah Heywood Trumbull has been written by a friend who evidently knew the deep soundings of her life.
“There are ships which pass in the night and their rippling course is hardly traced on the great waters. There are lives you quietly meet and from whom you as quietly separate, but the mind and heart have been stirred with a deep sense of the beauty of that mind of sincerity of that heart and the grandeur of the soul. Enriched with these Mrs. Trumbull has from time to time been among us to elevate and help her friends. With her gifted mind and facile pen she has given us some of the finest interpretations of noted authors and so imbued was she with their revelations that her own spirit imparted an inspiration to others.
“That she has been among us, that we have known and loved her, is a magic strand in our lives which weaves a brightness, a tenderness, a reverent love we would never wish to have grow dim.”
In the view of the above tribute, how the words of old appropriately apply: “The kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation,” or those other more aged words in reference to power: “It was not in the earthquake or the fire or the whirlwind, but in the still, small voice.” Mrs. Trumbull was related to our venerable Geo. W. Heywood, as cousin.
Graniteville. The mills of the Abbot Worsted Co. started up after a week’s vacation on last Monday.
C. G. Sargent’s machine shop was closed this week, but work will be resumed on Monday, July 14.
Rev. U. H. Layton, with Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Kentfield and their son Lloyd, of Upton, have been recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Furbush.
Fred Gagnon and Adeloid Cate [Adelard Cote] have recently returned from a brief vacation spent with friends in Three Rivers, P.Q., Canada.
Ferdinand J. LeDuc left here this week to join his wife and family who are now in Canada. They will return in September.
James Harrington of Schenectady, N.Y., is now visiting relatives here.
John V. Downing, of Shelbourne Falls, has been a recent visitor here.
Fred Defoe has recently returned from a brief vacation spent at the beach. During his absence Miss Lilly M. Moran filled the position of telegrapher at the East Littleton station.
Mrs. Martha McCarthy has been spending a few days visiting with friends in Boston.
The members of the A. R. Choate hose company held their regular meeting in their rooms on Monday night with Capt. J. A. Healy in the chair. During the meeting the subject concerning the running of a firemen’s muster and gala day was brought up, but owing to the fact that the full membership was not present this matter was left for a special meeting that will be called at once in order to have this important question freely discussed. There will be a celebration of some kind by the firemen this summer, but just what form it will take will be settled at the special meeting to be called soon.
Robert Tononi, of Newark, N.J., has been a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Marchione.
Mr. and Mrs. Omer Poisson, with their son John, will spend the next few weeks in Standfalls, P.Q., Canada.
F. Russell Furbush has recently returned from a very enjoyable trip spent with friends in New York city and Newark, N.J.
The members of Cameron Circle held a well attended and interesting meeting in their rooms on Tuesday night. Business of importance was transacted and after the meeting a social hour was enjoyed, during which a short but select musical program was given, followed by dancing. Refreshments were served.
Baseball. The Graniteville baseball club, with a large following of fans, visited Townsend on July 4, and split even in a double-header with the Townsend A.A. The morning game went to Graniteville by the score of 2 to 9, and was surely a comedy of errors on both sides, but Graniteville was there with the final punch and copped the game. Bridgeford was on the slab for Graniteville and did great work. With proper support he would have held the Townsend team to a much smaller score. In the afternoon game Graniteville started off well, Buckingham getting a clean home run off Knight after two men had been retired. Townsend was blanked for the first two innings, but in the third they got busy when with three hits, two bases on balls and aided by a couple of errors on the side gathered five runs. In the fourth inning after a three-bagger, a two-bagger and three solid singles had been made off Spinner, which netted four runs, Bridgeport [sic] took up the pitching burden for Graniteville, and in spite of the hard morning game he had worked, pitched excellent ball, only four hits and one earned run being made off him.
The mischief had been done, however, and Townsend won 11 to 4. The Graniteville players received many injuries in this game, Ledwith getting his thumb split, Hurley his ankle sprained and split finger, and Hanson a dislocated finger.
The local fans are looking forward with keen anticipation to the coming ball game between the Graniteville club and the Westford A.A., to be played here on Saturday, July 12. Without a doubt the Graniteville club will be in fine shape and with “Tug” Bridgeford, the southpaw twirler, on the slab for the locals, it looks as though Graniteville will put one over on Westford in this game. Bridgeford has only lost one game so far in all the contests he has engaged in this year. With the Graniteville team going right, Westford A.A. will have to strike a fast clip to hold them. Game called at three o’clock, Hillside park, Graniteville.
Forge Village. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Myers and three children, of Lowell, returned home after a pleasant visit of several days at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Catchpole.
Mr. and Mrs. William Kir, of Worcester, are guests of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Catchpole this week.
The Misses Annie and Ida Reed, with their brothers, Ephraim and Thomas, spent last week as guests of their relatives, Mr. and Mrs. John Broomfield, of East Boston.
Henry Kitchen, of Lowell, who has been visiting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Catchpole, returned home on Sunday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett and baby son were guests of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Blodgett, of the Groton Ridges, last week.
The mills of the Abbot Worsted Company opened on Monday after a vacation of ten days.
Miss Agnes Sullivan and brother Francis, of Nashua, N.H., spent Sunday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Wilson.
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Daly entertained Miss Mary Dufort, of Lowell, at their home on Sunday.
Arthur B. Parrott is preparing to build two camps for out-of-town parties on the shores of Forge pond.
During August, St. Andrew’s mission will be closed with the exception of the first Sunday, when communion services will be held at 9:30 in the morning. This will enable the organist and choir members to enjoy a vacation.
Mr. and Mrs. James Whigham and family spent last Wednesday as guests of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Blodgett, of the Groton Ridges.
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Blodgett, of Groton, entertained Mrs. William Burnett last week Thursday.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Tuttle and little son Richard, were guests of Mrs. Tuttle’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Blodgett, of Groton road, several days last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Davis and son William are spending a few weeks at the home of relatives in Amsterdam, N.Y.
John W. Catchpole while attending the Graniteville-Westford baseball game received a severe injury on Saturday afternoon. He was hit by the bat which slipped from the batter’s hand and had to be attended by Dr. W. H. Sherman, of Graniteville.
Saturday, July 19, 1913
Center. Rev. and Mrs. David Wallace and family have been enjoying camp life at Forge pond this week, occupying one of Mr. Goode’s camps.
The electrical men removed one of the large elm trees in front of E. J. Whitney’s earlier in the week. It was not sound and menaced the safety of the wires below.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry M. Wright and son Livingston have been visiting at H. L. Wright’s previous to their departure for Europe. They sail on July 29, on the White Star SS Arabic for Liverpool. Mr. Wright as headmaster of the mathematical high school, Boston, has his “Sabbatical year” and goes abroad for that time for study and travel.
J. Herbert Fletcher has been undergoing the discomfort and inconvenience of a sprained ankle with injured ligaments caused by jumping over a wall onto a rolling stone. He hopes to discard his crutches before many days.
A pretty little wedding took place Tuesday afternoon, the contracting parties being Alvah W. Frink and Miss Ethel May Bonner. Mr. Frink has been employed by Mr. Carver at the Old Homestead farm for some time and he, with his bride, have fitted up a home for themselves in Mr. Seavey’s tenement next the library. They have been busy for some weeks getting this ready for occupancy and here the wedding took place in the presence of a group of invited guests. Rev. David Wallace performed the ceremony. The bride’s gown was of soft white silk with shadow lace. After a wedding collation the bridal pair departed for a short wedding trip and upon their return will be at home to their friends after August first.
A load of household goods stored in the attic of the house occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Heywood was moved to Lowell on Tuesday. These goods belonged to Mrs. MacIntyre, who lived for some time in our village.
Homer M. Seavey is harvesting the hay and berries on the so-called Andrew Wright place.
One day recently, as Edward Blodgett was coming out of the drive-way at John Feeney’s with one of the Old Homestead horses hitched to a horse rake, the electric car came along causing the horse to step around pretty lively for a minute or two. Motorman Cutter slowed down his [trolley] car quickly and all was going well when Lawrence Holbrook came up with his swift moving motor cycle and tried to go between the electric car and the horse, and this caused more excitement. In the collision the fender on the car was broken and young Blodgett got a shaking up and bruises but considered himself fortunate to get out as well as he did. But for his excellent control of the horse a much more serious result might have happened.
Mrs. Lillian Lumbert and daughter, Miss Grace Lumbert, are enjoying a vacation at Mr. and Mrs. C. H. McIntire’s summer home in Munsonville, NH.
Dr. and Mrs. Wells have enjoyed a brief vacation from home this week.
Misses Georgia and Florence Tebbetts returned to their home in Farmington, NH, the first of the week after spending two pleasant weeks with their cousins, the J. Herbert Fletchers.
Our local carpenters do not seem to find any dull season. Warren Carkin is busy at Graniteville with two helpers converting the house owned by Mr. Worcester from a one-family house into a two-family house. William Sutherland and E. J. Whitney are working at the Augustus Whidden home in the Oak hill district, making repairs and improvements.
It is now about twelve weeks since Miss Elinor Colburn was taken so seriously ill with scarlet fever with later complications of mastoid abscess and other troubles. She is now making good convalescence and getting back to normal healthy childhood, getting out each day on the screened piazza. Mr. and Mrs. Colburn express the keenest gratitude for the skill and care of attending physicians and nurse, the latter a trained nurse from the Lowell General hospital being with them for ten weeks; also, for the many flowers and other manifestations of sympathetic interest from friends.
On last Sunday morning, while people were getting ready for service at the Congregational church, a telephone message came that Rev. J. J. Walker [sic], the speaker of the morning, was delayed at Lowell Junction, owing to some accident to the train and could not get to Westford until the car arriving about twenty minutes past eleven, an hour later than he expected to arrive. In the meantime a good sized congregation assembled and one of the men of the church took charge of the service, conducting all its introductory parts with the assistance of the organist and girls’ vested choir. When Mr. Johnson [sic] arrived and gave a good address as secretary of the Massachusetts Home Missionary society, telling of the conduct of the work of his board not in some remote district, but right within our old Bay State. Miss Edna sang a finely rendered offertory solo. Mr. Wallace went to Haverhill for the day to preach.
Miss Sarah W. Loker has been suffering with an attack of ivy poison this week. Hugh Ferguson has also had the same misfortune, causing him to be really sick with it.
A son [Chester E. Mills, born July 6, 1913] has recently been born to Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Mills in the Westford depot neighborhood.
About Town. Notwithstanding the weather reigneth, but raineth not, Henry M. Kable raised 9000 quarts of strawberries on an acre of loan-gravel soil. Concentration and irrigation—the latter tells in drought, and the former is telling all the time.
A small forest fire with large opportunity celebrated the careless dropping of a cigarette late Tuesday afternoon near the waiting station of the electric road, near the junction of Forest and Groton road. A timely discovery prevented larger adverse results. The forest fire warden ordered a patrol on Tuesday evening.
The boys of the YMCA, of Lowell, have pitched camp among the pitch trees around Nabnassett pond.
Middlesex Central Pomona grange will hold its fifth annual picnic and field day on the common at Acton Center on Saturday, August 2. Band concert at ten in the morning. Dedication of the drinking fountain. Addresses at two o’clock by Hon. N. P. Hull, of Michigan, lecturer of the National grange; Hon. C. O. Bailey, of Boston, secretary of Massachusetts State Forestry department; Charles M. Gardner, master of the Massachusetts State grange; Rev. Albert H. Wheelock, chaplain of the Massachusetts State grange, and other sports with talk and play.
Middlesex-Worcester Pomona grange holds their field day at Whalom park on Saturday, July 29, when a good list of speakers and sports will be on the program. A rousing good time is expected and every granger is expected to be present and make it a gala day.
Charles Edwards, who has been under surgical repairs for several weeks, is still continuing with an occasional symptom of reaction.
David L. Greig, who has been so seriously out of working gear for several months, has so far recovered as to make his usual successful how to farm crops, having started hoeing strawberries.
William H. Decatur, who recently sold his farm on the Littleton road, has accepted a position as superintendent of a large farm in Concord owned by the Seventh-day Adventists.
Mr. and Mrs. George F. Snow are celebrating dry weather at York Beach.
Nomination papers are being passed around for William S. Kinney of Boston for secretary of state. Mr. Kinney was a member of the house last winter and was one of the sharp-pointed members that talked sense without froth and voted without playing to the galleries.
Tells of Trip. Ai Bicknell, a veteran of the civil war and a member of Company C, 16th Massachusetts [Infantry Regiment], first brigade, second division, third corps, at the battle of Gettysburg, gives an interesting account of his recent trip to the famous field of battle after a lapse of fifty years. Mr. Bicknell, who is a little past seventy, was in the three-days’ battle at Gettysburg where thousands were killed and wounded, and on his recent visit he located the exact spot where he buried his brother [Nathan] in a trench without ceremony or coffin. Samuel G. Humiston, seventy-five years of age, accompanied Mr. Bicknell on the trip.
“Our party left Ayer at five o’clock Monday morning and proceeded to Worcester, Springfield and New York, where we were transferred to a boat and crossed the Harlem [Hudson?] river and proceeded by train via Philadelphia arriving at Harrisburg at 9:30 and Gettysburg at two o’clock Tuesday morning,” said Mr. Bicknell. “Every man was met by a guide whom he followed and was escorted to a tent where a blanket and cot bed was furnished. Soon after we arrived the Boy Scouts visited all the tents at intervals of two hours, attending to the needs of the visitors. The Boy Scouts were ever alert and I never saw such a manly lot of young men. The battlefield looked the same in many ways, but changes had come and the trees shrubs and buildings had been changed. A small house near the battlefield had been remodeled somewhat and a peach orchard that was there at the time of battle was gone. I remember how a party of our soldiers went there in search of water and I had a good drink from the same well on my recent trip. I located the spot where I buried my brother by this house, the distance being about four rods from the house. I also visited the national cemetery, where all the bodies of those killed in battle have been buried. Visited General Sickles, who lost his leg at this famous battle. One day Mr. Humiston and I started for a short walk; the thermometer registered ninety in the shade. We went to brigade headquarters and then to Little Round Top, where the glass registered 110 and then proceeded to places of interest until on our return we had walked over eleven miles and did not feel especially tired. The Boy Scouts and Red Cross were all over the field and were on the look-out for all the old soldiers, giving them directions, helping them when in need of help. The food was free to the veterans and was of large variety and good quality and if any man did not secure enough it was his own fault. We can say that the food was excellent and that we were royally taken care of from the time we started on the trip until our return. The camp ground for the veterans was laid out in states and there were 2200 Massachusetts veterans in our colony and when we returned home there were only two who were slightly ill. Two physicians were in attendance on the train on our return, as were some of the Red Cross nurses.”
Graniteville. The employees in the C. G. Sargent Sons’ machine shop resume work on Monday after a ten-days’ vacation.
The members of the A. R. Choate hose company were out for practice duty on Tuesday evening, during which they flushed out many of the hydrants.
A son, Frederic Weston Wentworth, was born to Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Wentworth on Saturday, July 12.
The parishioners of St. Catherine’s church are now making active preparations for the annual picnic to be held in Forge Village on Saturday, August 9.
Miss Martha Doucette is now visiting with friends in New Brunswick for a few weeks.
John J. Horan, of Charlestown, has been visiting friends here for the past few days.
Mr. and Mrs. George Hanscom, from the State of Washington, have recently returned to their home in the west after having spent a very enjoyable visit as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Hawkes.
Baseball. The Graniteville baseball club and the Westford AA team met here on last Saturday afternoon in the second game of the series and in the fastest and best played game of the season. The Westford AA won out by the score of 4 to 3. Gaffney, of Leominster, a young man with a reputation and a glove, started to do the pitching for Graniteville, but he did not have “the goods,” and after Westford had got to him for seven hits and four runs he was replaced by the reliable Bridgeford, who did great work. Bridgeford was in good form, not only stopping the Westfords from further scoring, but holding them to two scattering hits for the rest of the game. The fielding on both sides was especially brilliant, for aside from the fine battery work of Bridgeford and Hurley, the fielding stunts pulled off by Allen, Jenkins and Buckingham for Graniteville were equal to big league stuff, the throw of Buckingham, nipping a man at the plate, being very timely.
The work of Allen, batting out a three-bagger in the ninth with two men on, was great work, but unfortunately he was badly coached to stretch it into a home run which would have tied the score, but he was nailed at the plate on a relay throw, Hartford, Buckley to Crook. This made the second out, and as the next man popped out on a fly to Buckley the game ended with the score as stated.
Westford also pulled off some fast fielding plays, only one error being charged against them in the entire game. It was surely one great contest, and only for that great big “if,” Graniteville would have won.
Forge Village. Services at St. Andrew’s mission will be held at 9:30 o’clock on Sunday morning. Rev. Williston M. Ford will officiate.
Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell, of Wamesit, was the guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Wilson last week Friday. Miss Blaisdell also called on Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett.
Mrs. Henry Byron and family, of Fitchburg, are visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Leclerc.
Mrs. Chester B. Watson and baby daughter, Virginia N., of Worcester, are at the home of her mother, Mrs. Joseph Wilkinson.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sheehan and children, of Leominster, were visitors on Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Daley.
Mrs. Edmund J. Hunt and children, who have been spending the past two weeks visiting relatives in Ware, Barre and Gilbertville, returned home on Saturday.
Miss Letitia V. Ward is the guest of relatives in Bridgeport, Conn., for several weeks.
Little Raymond Caisse, of Fitchburg, is spending the summer at the home of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Augustus Carkin.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Davis and son William returned Monday from a week’s visit with relatives in Amsterdam, N.Y.
Saturday, July 26, 1913
Center. Miss Alice M. Howard has been spending a two-weeks’ vacation at Cotuit, renewing former associations.
Mr. and Mrs. C. Willis Hildreth have recently entertained at their pleasant home their kinswoman Miss Hester Frost, of Colorado Springs, Col. Miss Frost is a teacher in her home city and is a graduate of Wellesley ’07.
Walter L. Cutter has had a few days’ absence from his duties on the branch line electrics this week, motorman Bartlett taking his place.
Mrs. Jennie Fifield observed her seventy-fifth birthday anniversary on Wednesday. Her sister, Mrs. Andrew Kelly, of Nashua, came to visit her and she was the recipient of a number of gifts and remembrances. Mrs. Fifield continues life’s capable activities as housekeeper for her son-in-law, William L. Woods, coming home for the week-ends, her grandson Clifford and for Alec Fisher.
Mrs. Mary A. Prindle has been a recent visitor at Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth’s
Robert Patten, state supervisor of assessors, had his annual conference with our board of assessors and collector at the town house on Tuesday afternoon.
Pleasant greetings from Rev. C. C. P. Hiller, who is enjoying a European trip this summer, have been received by Westford friends.
Mr. and Mrs. John Bright and baby granddaughter have gone to South Royalton, Vt., for a two-weeks’ visit.
Mrs. Ida M. Gould and her friend, Miss Hill, start the first of the week for a stay at Alton Bay, N.H., going as far as Rochester by trolley.
The streets of the village had had a good coating of oil applied this week. Previous to applying the oil they were swept with a rotary horse sweeper and the oil was very evenly distributed which makes a very good result. With the continued dry weather this oiling is very timely. For one thing the housewives do not feel obliged to keep windows facing the street closed.
There will be no more meetings of the Ladies’ Aid society of the Congregational church until the opening of the fall season. There will be the usual Sunday services this coming Sunday, after which the pastor’s vacation will begin, lasting three Sundays. During this time there will be no morning services, the evening services at seven o’clock under the auspices of the C.E. society being the only service of the day. During the vacation the renovating of the vestry which was postponed in the spring will be done.
William E. Wright has been making trips to the Boston markets with berries and some early shipments of apples with his big new auto truck recently purchased. This new method promises to be a success, the berries getting to their destination in just as good condition as when transported by teams. Going to the Boston market with horses, the distance being what it is, has been hard on men and horses alike, and it is hoped by all interested that motor power may wholly replace horse power.
A Miss Brown, agent for the free public library commission of Massachusetts, with headquarters at the state house, Boston, has been at the J. V. Fletcher library this week working with Miss Bunce, deciding which, out of the great accumulation of public documents, should be retained at the library and which returned to Washington.
It was a great victory for the Westford A.A. to win over the strong Nashua team last Saturday at Nashua by the score of 6 to 5. A good number went from here with the home team, going by auto, train and bicycle. Much interest is felt in the game this Saturday afternoon at Whitney playground between Westford and Graniteville.
One morning this week as L. W. Wheeler was going out early in the morning to a nearby field he noticed considerable commotion in his henhouses, and upon getting a little way from the buildings saw a fox in one of the open fields having an early breakfast from a fine young Plymouth Rock hen. Upon seeing Mr. Wheeler the fox dropped his prey and made swiftly off. A fox right on top of Westford hill is very unusual and he is being watched for in the early mornings with a shot gun that he may not continue his depredations.
Dr. C. A. Blaney and family are having a vacation in the Kennebec region, Maine.
A number of grangers from here are planning to attend the grange gala day at Acton on Saturday, August 2. Middlesex-Worcester Pomona grange holds a field day at Whalom park on Tuesday, July 29, with plenty of good speakers and a good program.
Ordered Off. Last Sunday morning a group of men came out from Lowell on the morning train, getting off at Carlisle station. They had plenty of pails with them and three men and a boy started into Warren Sweetser’s berry pasture to make a business of harvesting his blueberries. Now Mr. Sweetser has a family of boys and as owner of the field, planned to get the berries and the revenue therefrom in his own family, so he requested the men to leave which they refused to do, claiming there were no trespass signs posted. Finding he could not control the situation Mr. Sweetser retired from the scene for the time being to appear later with two of the town constables who requested them to clear out. Their police badges impressed the trespassers somewhat and they took their departure though somewhat unwillingly. We have not heard where the rest of the party who left the train at the station went. It does not seem right that a man should be put to so much trouble to protect his own fields from trespassers.
About Town. The Cold Spring farm have estimated to have cut 125 tons of hay this season. The barn room is all occupied and a quantity has been sold direct from the field to the city of Lowell for $18.00 per ton. This farm, which is owned by J. Henry Fletcher, of Belmont, are specializing with hay, apples and swine with some emphasis on currants and peas.
“Wheat Valley,” which is part of the Stony Brook valley, is true to its name. Frank C. Drew has a quantity of winter wheat, while down stream to the eastward the Old Oaken Bucket farm has a quantity of spring wheat “white for the harvest.” Continuing eastward and down stream the Prairie farm has been getting a “corner” on winter wheat. This is the only crop raised in the valley that has not found out that dry weather is reigning.
Henry B. Read, who has been ill from the effects of the heat, is still by advice of authority advised to keep the sun at a shady distance.
The secretary of state has forwarded to Westford nomination papers for representative. They were at once freighted to the small town of large Littleton, this being map year for that town as per the territorial lay-out when the district was formed seven years ago, they to select from the “survival of the fittest.”
Miss Luanna B. Decatur, with friends, is boat rowing and roving among the lakes and the mountains of New Hampshire.
The underground water works on the Prairie farm have added to the muss and dust of dry weather by springing a leak.
The hospitality of the old Walker homestead farm folks was recently extended in song, music and music that was songless and various other talk edifying ways to the Old Oaken Bucket farm folks [i.e., the Samuel L. Taylor family].
Daniel H. Sheehan, who has forty acres of hay to cut, will commence to cut his number one hay on August number 1. At present Daniel is sawing lumber and buying second-hand steam boilers.
On Wednesday afternoon a grass fire started on the Bussey farm near Brookside, which threatened to make a fireside of Brookside. The fire whistle of a passing freight train sounded the alarm and the alarmed arrived and used water and other antidotes and the fire went out of business. An hour later another grass fire started on Pigeon hill, aided by wind and drouth it threatened to make ashes of the aforesaid hill. The alarm was sounded and the Pigeon hill independent fire company, Capt. Oliver Desjardin commander, got a fit of co-operative action and surprised the fire with a flank movement that cut off its base of supply.
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Courtney have vacated the Whitney cottage on the Lowell road and moved to Tyngsboro.
Middlesex North Pomona grange will hold a field meeting at Billerica Center on Wednesday, August 6, on the lawn of Delacy Carkum, who will furnish hospitality and talk. This location is close to electric cars and Bennett hall steam railroad station. Mr. Carkum will be pleased to greet all his friends and those he has wrangled with in debate.
George W. Trull, of Tewksbury, has been re-appointed by Gov. Foss as a member of the dairy bureau. The appointment is a wise one, as Mr. Trull is a live, prosperous farmer and full of action in any sphere where taking hold is required.
Unwarranted Criticism. Much criticism and counter current reply has been generously given the public in regard to the inadequate accommodations of the Westford branch line of the Lowell and Fitchburg electric railroad. At the graduation exercises of Westford academy somebody got left, hence they wish to know why cars do not run every time some one wishes to ride. It is easily answered—to save operating expenses. The criticism says “give better accommodations and the road will pay.” If cars every hour fail to pay, will half-hour or fifteen-minute cars pay? You will have to go outside of Westford to find any one so senseless silly in business and financial management as to believe any such plan would increase the revenue of the road.
The history of travel on this line is identical with all other lines that run to the rural towns. Morning, noon and early evening and you have gathered in most of the carfares, and the in-betweens are not worth the ink to discuss “better paying conditions.” Considering that the travel was mostly morning, noon and early evening the night cars were all discontinued and the ten and eleven o’clock cars in the forenoon, all to curtail the running expenses of the road, and of course it followed by natural law, curtail accommodations. Would the restoration of this service pay? If they would the Lowell and Fitchburg, like any business corporation, are ready to make money, but they cannot, nor ought not to, accommodate the public with any other than carfare money or somebody else’s money. To run accommodation cars is too generous and unbusinesslike to continue.
Thirty electric lines do not pay any dividends and to add to their financial burdens they are under the yoke of “the nine in eleven hour” bill, being one of the 1913 bills, with travel in swarms morning, noon and night, when it takes all the spare men and cars to accommodate the travelling public, how the electric roads can accommodate travel and accommodate the employees by “nine hours in eleven” it hath not yet been devised except by employing an extra amount of help and this means increased expense, and this means running roads with money other than carfare money.
As an abstract principle it might be admitted that “nine hours in eleven” is enough, but we must remember that we are in a world where frequently we must take a choice of evils and also remember that in reality there is no such thing as an abstract principle—everything stands related. Under this bill the electric roads, the public and the employees of the road are involved, and the question resolvers itself down to this: Granting that the present hours of labor are wrong, will wrong be lessened if roads are run at a loss as a result of an increased pay roll, or the other alternative, decreased accommodations and increased carfare? One of these two alternatives saith the railroads must certainly prevail.
Without having tried it on, which of the several evils in this mix-up looks like the least?
Graniteville. Miss Madeline Holland has recently returned from a very enjoyable visit spent with friends in Ayer.
Frederick Parker, with his daughter, Miss Issie Parker, principal of the Sargent school here, have recently returned from a pleasant visit spent with Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Putney and family at Charlemont.
Mrs. Thomas Monahan, of Beverly, has been a recent guest of her son and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Monahan.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held a special meeting with Mrs. Charles Eaton on last Thursday afternoon.
The members of Cameron Circle, C.F. of A., held a well attended and interesting meeting in their rooms on Tuesday evening. Considerable business of importance was transacted and after the meeting a social hour was enjoyed.
Mrs. William Espie, of Fitchburg, has been a recent visitor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wall.
The “Hustlers” and the “Growlers” played an interesting game here on Monday afternoon that was won by the Growlers by the score of 6 to 5.
The parishioners of St. Catherine’s church are now making active preparations for the annual picnic to be held in Forge Village on Saturday, August 9.
Baseball. The West Chelmsford club visited here on last Saturday afternoon and defeated the Graniteville club by the score of 5 to 3. Donahue, a twirler from Ayer, had the game well in hand with a 3 to 2 score until the first of the ninth, when the West Chelmsford boys got busy and with three hits, a base on balls and aided by a couple of errors, they gathered three runs. Graniteville made a strong bid to at least tie the score in the last half, for after two men had been retired by hard drives to left field and shortstop, Gray followed with a clean single to right center. Bridgeford reached first on a fumble by the first baseman and it now was up to Allen. He hit sharply to second, Johnson playing it cleanly to first and the game was over.
Our old friend, George Reid, of Stony Brook Valley league fame, was on the mound for West Chelmsford and he certainly did good work, particularly in the pinches. He was also there with the stick, getting in two nice singles.
In spite of the smallness of the score the game did not arouse any special interest until the ninth innings when there was excitement enough for everybody. On Saturday afternoon Graniteville will play the Westford A.A. in Westford at Whitney park.