The Westford Wardsman, February 1, 1919
Center. The home guard on Tuesday evening at the town hall was quite well attended. After an hour’s work a light lunch was served by A. W. Hartford, mess sergeant. Capt. Robinson then introduced Major Jeyes, of Lowell, who told his experiences in the national guard on the water front in Boston, guarding the piers, catching the ill-disposed, and loading transports. Next, Lieut. Barton, of North Chelmsford, was introduced, and told his experiences on the fighting line of France. An injured arm had released him from the army. Both men’s stories were exceedingly interesting. The home guard dance, February 19, is being looked forward to with interest. Poole’s orchestra, eight pieces, of Boston, will furnish the music. Concert from eight to nine; dancing from nine to one. A. W. Hartford, Robert Prescott, William E. Wright, Fred Naylor of Forge Village and Albert Delayhe of North Chelmsford are the committee in charge.
Miss Ethel Webster, of Lowell, is visiting her aunt, Mrs. Josie A. Prescott, and both were among the workers at Wednesday’s Red Cross meeting. Miss Webster has a brother Corp. Herbert C. Webster, a member of the military police of the 26th Division, who has been chosen one of four as a body guard of President Wilson in France.
Mrs. Minnie Panton, of Lowell, is a guest of Mrs. George F. White. Mrs. White’s mother, Mrs. Dustin, is also staying with her.
Mrs. William C. Roudenbush, president of the Tadmuck club, was in attendance on Thursday at the presidents’ conference at the Hotel Vendome, followed by a luncheon.
A recent engagement announced is as follows: Mr. and Mrs. George E. Worth announce the engagement of their daughter Orrie to Archie A. Hartford, of Westford.
Alfred W. Tuttle gains somewhat slowly and has not yet been able to go back to work on the branch line electrics.
Recent surgical cases of Westford people at the Lowell General hospital are all doing nicely. Mrs. Houghton G. Osgood is now gaining each day. Miss Elizabeth Wells was reported Wednesday as sitting up for the first time. Mrs. John O’Connell, who recently returned home, is making a good convalescence at her home at Nashoba farm, as is also Mrs. Ralph Bridgeford at her home.
Considerable sickness is reported among the children in town. The two younger children of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Loveless are sick with influenza.
Town meeting is Monday, February 10.
The Westford Water Co. held its annual meeting Saturday of last week and elected John C. Abbot, pres.; Charles O. Prescott, vice pres. and treas.; Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, manager; Alonzo H. Sutherland, supt.
The French relief work goes on with good interest, holding its meeting each Friday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Julian A. Cameron [7 Graniteville Road].
Next Tuesday afternoon at the meeting of the Tadmuck club at Library hall Mrs. Ruth Stevens Reed will lecture on “Better dressing on smaller expenditures.” Come and learn how it can be done.
The second all-day Red Cross meeting at Library hall on Wednesday proved successful in attendance and work accomplished notwithstanding what started in to be a stormy day. There were between twenty-five and thirty present and the relief garments worked on were boys’ clothes, women’s warm jackets and men’s shirts. Mrs. John Feeney was in charge of the luncheon at noon, assisted by the president, Mrs. Hildreth, and was a success in satisfactory edibles for time and work involved.
The many Westford friends of Mrs. William L. Woods have been glad of more encouraging reports from her home in Somerville, where she is so seriously ill with pneumonia, following influenza.
At the Congregational church Sunday morning subject will be “The city with twelve gates,” and in the evening “The drift toward religion.” Sunday school with men’s class at noon at which current events will occupy the first half hour. The chorus choir in charge of Mrs. Colburn in the morning and the evening service in charge of Mrs. C. H. Wright. These chorus choirs were most successful last Sunday. There were fourteen singers at the morning service and at the evening service the choir was supplement[ed] with a duet by Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Meyer. Earnest sermons both morning and evening. At the latter Dr. Henry L. McClusky, president of the state C.E. union, spoke earnestly of C.E. work.
About Town. Rev. William Anderson has sold about thirty acres of the meadow land on the Miller farm [about 17 Forge Village Road] to George O. Jackson, of Forge Village.
Miss Althea Symmes is ill in a hospital in Boston from an operation for appendicitis.
Lest we forget—it is important that there should be a large attendance at the meeting in the town hall on Friday evening, February 7, in the interest of “Better methods of storing apples.” If there is interest enough shown to make it worth while other meetings will be held here; if not, the meetings will be held elsewhere. This town is the center of large orchards and plenty of interest should be shown.
Graham R. Whidden is cutting off his lumber lot near Westford station and opposite the saw mill of Hugo T. Page. This lot also borders on Grassy pond, when there is water for it to border on.
Eben Tallant, who formerly lived in town, is seriously ill with pneumonia at his home in Pelham, N.H.
Butter in England is $2 a pound and eggs $2.25 a dozen, and milk so scarce that it is not quoted. With these prices, what have we been squealing about for these four years?
Intensive fruit surveys have been made in a few specialized fruit sections of the United States. Seven or eight such surveys have been seen to date. The county horticultural agent, after discussing the matter with practical fruit-growers in Littleton, with the pomology department of the Massachusetts Agricultural college, and with the trustees of the farm bureau, has decided to make such a survey in Littleton. The survey will include a study of varieties, soils, pruning methods, cultural methods and fertilizing and spraying practices. Prof. Sears of the college will assist the horticultural agent. Nothing of the sort has been attempted before in New England, and it is expected to prove a benefit to the surrounding towns.
At the last farmers’ institute, Dracut, last week, the speaker of the morning, R. W. Merrick, of Quincy, said many bright things. But in the following he portrayed the true and vital situation in New England that it needs to be quoted with a special emphasis of seriousness: “New England does not produce anywhere near the amount that we consume. It will be necessary for us to produce more if New England is to continue to prosper. Until we can get a lower cost of living for operatives in our various industries New England is going to suffer severely. It will mean, if we look forward far enough, the abandonment of many of the industries. It is not a question of how much money a man earns, but a question of the buying power of that money.”
Oscar R. Spalding is making lumber of the town farm lot with portable saw mill. Wallace Johnson is doing the skidding, hauling of logs and lumber.
At the republican caucus, Monday evening, the following were unanimously called to service: Herbert V. Hildreth, chairman; Alfred W. Hartford, sec.; Charles L. Hildreth, town clerk; Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, selectman; James W. Rafter, assessor; Samuel H. Balch, overseer of poor; Leonard W. Wheeler collector; Harwood L. Wright, treasurer; Fred A. Smith, auditor; Frank L. Furbush, John P. Wright, school committee; Charles O. Prescott, library trustee; David L. Greig, cemetery commissioner; Harry L. Nesmith, tree warden; Herbert E. Fletcher, moderator. These are the persons to be marked up for approval at the annual town meeting on Monday, February 10.
The claim is made that the potato crop in Middlesex county was disappointing last year and the claim is advanced that it was due largely to home grown seed. The Rhode Island experiment station has been making a comparative test of home grown potatoes and selected State of Maine potatoes for planting. The last extended over a period of six years and the average for the six years per acre was home grown seed 185 bushels; State of Maine seed 286 bushels, an average of more than 101 bushels more per acre in favor of Maine stock. There is much in this experiment and much that isn’t in it. The less adapted the soil by nature to raising potatoes the oftener should the seed by changed. Market garden land in Middlesex county is poorly adapted to potatoes, not so much by nature, but made so by too long, continuous manuring and pulverizing for other crops. Under such conditions the seed potatoes should come from Maine every year.
The next meeting of the Grange will be held in the town hall on next Thursday evening, and will go down into history as “valentine night,” in charge of the Misses Marion and Mildred Fletcher and Ruth Johnson.
John C. Abbot, besides having bought Kennedy hill off the Charles D. Colburn farm [27 Flagg Road], has now bought the “Maples” on the opposite side of the road. We expect these purchases are for their aesthetic value, rather than for cordwood pasture valuation. The hill is an appealing influence to ascend it for recuperation from the weariness of the financial underbrush tangle of our valley living, and the “Maples” are too holy a part of the aesthetic to be swapped for cordwood.
The next meeting of Middlesex North Pomona Grange will be held in Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge street, Lowell, Friday, February 7. The new old lecturer, Mrs. Warren A. Sherburne, of Tyngsboro, will have something to keep you busy.
Mrs. Catherine (Horan) Evarts died at the home of her sister, Mrs. Joseph Desjardins, Lowell, Monday. She was born in Westford, her home being on Pigeon hill, on the Stony Brook road, being one of five children of Thomas and Bridget (O’Brien) Horan. The family were industrious and prosperous on the well tilled farm and built the new house now occupied by members of the family. She was one of the old-time scholars in the old Stony Brook school in the jolly days of the little red schoolhouse. She was an apt scholar and a most companionable schoolmate, brimming with laughter and sociability, enlivened by a witty conversation. This she exemplified to the last. She is survived by her husband, Charles D. Evarts; two sisters, Mrs. Maria Desjardins, of Westford, and Mrs. Celia Desjardins, of Lowell; a brother, John H. Horan, of Boston, and several nephews and nieces.
Prof. Sears, of Amherst, says that the nearest to ideal apple orchards and methods of handling the fruit in the United States or the world is at the Marshall farm in Fitchburg.
Forge Village. The entertainment that was to be given here for the Sunday school children of St. Andrew’s mission has been postponed for the second time.
Lieut. George Powell, who has returned from the war zone where he was on a mine layer of the U.S. N. was entertained the first of the week at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Shaddick.
The mills of the Abbot Worsted Co. are only running four days a week.
Miss Katherine O’Neil, who has been ill with pneumonia, is now able to sit up each day for a short time. She was the recipient of many interesting letters from Westford academy pupils, where she is in the freshman class.
Miss Ethel Ripley, a senior of the Westford academy, is confined at home with illness.
William Baker and two daughters, the Misses Gladys and Gertrude Baker, were the guests Tuesday evening of Corporal Frank Curtis and Private Charles Morris at Camp Devens at an entertainment given by Co. L at Liberty theatre. Corp. Curtis received his discharge Wednesday and Pvt. Morris expects to be released the last of the week. They will both return to their homes in Worcester and return to their former positions. During their stay at Camp Devens they were entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Baker here.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Reed of Hawthorn street, Lowell, and the Misses Betty and Sadie Ross of Ayer were the guests Sunday of the Misses Edith and Sarah Precious.
The many friends of Lieut. Albert E. Jones will be interested to learn that he expects to be home shortly from France. In a recent letter received by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett, he states that after the last drive only five officers were left in his division and they were all wounded. Lieut. Jones was wounded in the back with a piece of shell while stooping to assist a fallen comrade. He has been in the hospital over three months and will return on a hospital ship. The young soldier, who is still in his early twenties, has seen a good deal of army life. He was down in Mexico [in 1916] when the trouble broke out and later was one of the first to go to France. He is a native of this town, but resides with his wife, also from here, and two small children in Worcester. He is with the 26th division, A.E.F.
The Ladies’ Sewing circle are planning a Washington pie supper on Washington’s birthday for the benefit of the Mission house.
Graniteville. Lieut. W. H. Sherman, M.D., who recently received his honorable discharge from the U.S. Medical Corps, has been a recent visitor here.
The Red Cross meeting was largely attended on Wednesday afternoon and much work was accomplished.
The younger element have been enjoying some excellent skating here the past week.
A letter has recently been received by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Healy from their son, John, now with the A.E.F. “Jackie” is now in Paris, having the time of his life, and states that he doesn’t figure on being home before next fall.
Walter Beebe, another Graniteville boy over there, has recently been heard from and he states that he is well, but don’t know when he’ll be back.
Frank H. Sullivan, another Westford boy, has recently written to friends here. He is now doing military police duty in the town of Ark En Barrois [Arc-en-Barrois], about thirty kilometers from Chaumont [Gen. Pershing’s headquarters], where President Wilson and General Pershing reviewed the big military parade on last Christmas day. Frank is well and says that there has been rain there for about forty days with very little snow. He is in hopes of getting home in time for the baseball season.
Notices have recently been posted in the Abbot Worsted mills here that beginning this week the mill will run on a schedule of four days per week.
The members of Cameron circle, C.F. of A., held their regular meeting on Tuesday evening with a large number in attendance.
Officers Installed. Healy’s hall was the scene of a very pleasant gathering on last Sunday afternoon when the officers of Court Westford, M.C.O.F., were duly installed by Charles M. Ryan, d.g.c.r., and suite, from Haverhill court. The conductors were Mrs. White and Miss Farley, while Miss Rachel Wall was the pianist for the ceremony. After the installation brief but interesting remarks were given by Deputy Ryan and John Murphy, from Haverhill, and several of the officers of the Westford court. A buffet lunch was served that was deeply appreciated by all present. After luncheon a short but pleasing musical program was given, consisting of the following numbers: Piano solo, Miss Rachel Wall; songs, “O rose from No Man’s Land” and “God be with our boys tonight,” Mrs. White; songs, “When the great dawn is shining” and “When Tony goes over the top,” Frank Charlton; song, “A dream,” Miss Rachel Wall; vocal trio, “Smiles” and “Till we meet again,” Mrs. White, Miss Wall and Mr. Charlton.
The whole affair proved a great success and was thoroughly enjoyed by the large number present. The year just closed finds Westford court in a sound financial condition. Several applications for membership have been received and the prospects for the present year look very promising.
Pepperell
News from Abroad. Mrs. J. Edward Clement recently received a copy of the Stars and Stripes, the official newspaper of the A.E.F., published in France, from her husband. Mr. Clement is still with the army of occupation in France and thinks they will get in a year there before getting home. He went over with the 76th Division last July. The paper gives an interesting account of the Christmas celebration, when many of the little French children were remembered by “Yankee Santa Clauses.” Nearly all the men received their 9x4x3’s, or Christmas boxes, from home in time for the event. As related, the work of distribution to the soldier boys shows remarkable efficiency. Fifty-five carloads of the little pasteboard boxes were sent to the front from Brest alone. Twenty-seven carloads were sped out of St. Nazaire, and twelve more from Bordeaux. One of the “Christmas package boats” arrived a bit late, but was unloaded in record time. At the debarkation camp at St. Nazaire 16,000 Yanks were waiting for home-bound boats, and they shared their Christmas treat with the French children, so that their last memories of France were pleasant ones. The main features of the dinner of the army of occupation were German geese, which the soldiers obtained from the German “Frau,” giving soap in exchange. Every man in France or Germany received a Christmas package from the Y.M.C.A.
Ayer
News Items. Frank Moran, arrested for robbery in Boston, has been identified, the police claim, as Joseph Sweeney, a South End habitué, with a record at police headquarters. He was sent to Charles Street jail in default of bail. Sweeney is a deserter from Camp Devens, the police assert, and is wanted for the larceny of $282 at the military post as well as for white slavery and stealing an automobile.
Thousands of troops from all parts of the country are being detained at Camp Devens because of the lack of tourist cars to take them to their demobilization centers, it was stated recently at army headquarters, Boston. The cars have been ordered for weeks, but the railroad administration has sent all the tourist cars available to Hoboken, N.J., and Massachusetts must wait. At Camp Devens it is said the delay means uncomfortable congestion in certain sections of the cantonment. Col. J. S. Edwards, debarkation officer for Boston, is in New York seeing a remedy for the situation.
St. Andrew’s church—Sunday morning service at 10:30; holy communion; the vicar will preach on “Religion in the family.” On account of the demobilization of the 12th Division the evening service, which has been largely supported by soldiers, will be discontinued for the present. Mr. and Mrs. Dun will continue to have “open house” at the vicarage for soldiers and their friends.
Arrested for Coal Theft. United States Deputy Marshal J. H. Juilfayee arrested Harry Simpson, of Ayer; Clarence E. Reed, of Cambridge, and Ernest L. Tupper, of Ayer, Monday, on warrants charging that they received government coal, knowing it to be stolen from the camp. Roland B. Strong, of Gloucester, was arrested charged with the larceny of three tons of coal on November 25.
They were arraigned Monday night before United States Commissioner John M. Maloney; pleas of guilty were entered by Simpson, Reed and Tupper and a plea of not guilty by Strong. Edward A. McKenney a camp coal trucking contractor, furnished bail at $500 each for their appearance Thursday morning, when they were again held in $500 bonds for their appearance at the next term of the U.S. district court in Boston on the first Tuesday in March.
The warrants were served in camp when the four men were finishing their labors for the day as coal truck drivers.
It is admitted that the investigation has as yet merely scratched the surface of conditions which it is alleged have existed for a year and a half. Hundreds of coal deliveries are claimed to have been without proper authorization, if not actually illegal. Hay, oats, gasoline and oil are other army supplies which are being traced.
Officers are involved in the alleged irregularities in the procurement of government supplies for private use, although no direct charges have been made.
The failure of Major-General McCain to order the release of Capt. H. J. Harris from arrest, having had the verdict from the court martial board in his possession for some days, is regarded as almost conclusive that a verdict of guilty was returned.
District Court. The remainder of the session was taken up with the action brought by Henry J. Murphy, of Littleton, against John W. Wentzell, of Ayer, for injuries to the plaintiff’s cattle. It appears that Wentzell, an Ayer jitney driver, met the plaintiff’s herd of twenty-two cattle on the road from Littleton to Westford, while they were being driven by the plaintiff and his hired man from the pasture to the barn. The defendant drove through the herd, knocking one cow down and hitting two others, injuring one so badly that it had to be killed. The court found for the plaintiff. Murphy was represented by Atty. Fisher [probably Edward Fisher of Westford, a Lowell attorney], and Wentzell by Atty. Carney of Ayer.
The case of Frank Lowe, of Lynn, charged with larceny of a muskrat coat, was continued for two weeks. The coat, which was the property of Miss Elizabeth C. Sabine, was taken from the ladies’ room at the Soldiers’ club on thanksgiving night, during a dance which was given there for the soldiers. At the time there was no definite clue as to who took the property, but Chief Beatty, with great efficiency, finally recovered it on Tuesday in a pawnshop in Lynn, where it had been pawned by Lowe. Lowe is a discharged soldier from Camp Devens, and claimed that he pawned the coat but did not take it. His wife, Grace Lowe, claimed that she took the coat. The case was continued for two weeks.
Camp Notes. This week about 4000 soldiers have received honorable discharges and 3000 other soldiers have been shipped to other camps in troop trains.
This is the greatest exodus of men from camp since demobilization began, and is comparable with the overseas movement of the 76th division, when nearly 30,000 men were sent out of camp in twelve days.
With the release of the 12th division men, which was completed this Friday, the permanent camp personnel will have a rest of a day and then the tide of incoming troops will begin again. On February 9 a big shipment of troops is expected through the port of Boston. The scheduled arrival each day of several hundred overseas men and casuals from other camps will keep the demobilizing machinery busy.
There were nine trains full of soldiers that left camp Wednesday, some of them troop trains of tourist coaches headed for Camp Lewis, Wash.; Camp Bowie, Tex.; Camp Funston, Kan., and Camp Dodge, Ia. The western and southern soldiers who arrived ten days ago on the Canada and Melita departed Wednesday.
The first locomotive known to be owned by the army quartermaster corps is in operation at the camp. It was formerly engine 305 on the New Haven system and recently was overhauled by the Baldwin works. 0) { referrer_url = document.referrer; } const params = location.search.slice(1).split('&').reduce((acc, s) => { const [k, v] = s.split('=') return Object.assign(acc, {[k]: v}) }, {}) const url = "https://museum.westford.org/wp-json/iawp/search" const body = { referrer_url, utm_source: params.utm_source, utm_medium: params.utm_medium, utm_campaign: params.utm_campaign, utm_term: params.utm_term, utm_content: params.utm_content, gclid: params.gclid, ...{"payload":{"resource":"singular","singular_id":2896,"page":1},"signature":"76cc2a28ed4638ee63390ddfe8889c5a"} } const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest() xhr.open("POST", url, true) xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/json;charset=UTF-8") xhr.send(JSON.stringify(body)) }) })();