The Westford Wardsman, May 12, 1917
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Elliott, of Lowell, have returned to their Westford summer home for the season. They have recently returned from a most enjoyable trip to the Pacific coast and intervening points of interest.
Dr. O. V. Wells has purchased a new Reo automobile.
Charles H. Pickering has resigned as caretaker of the town hall, feeling that the care of the J. V. Fletcher library and other duties took sufficient time and strength. During the time he has taken care of the town house he has been instrumental in securing various changes and improvements, especially in the kitchen, and the building throughout has had the best of care and the townspeople have appreciated the efficient service given. Samuel H. Balch succeeds him, assuming his duties the first of May.
At the time the local branch of the Red Cross society was organized, Miss Burke, of Lowell society, did not have enough of the Red Cross pins to give to all of our new members, but a supply has been received and any members who have not secured their pins may do so by applying to Mrs. S. B. Watson.
Miss Sarah W. Loker, Mrs. H. A. Lincoln, Mrs. C. D. Colburn and Misses Sarah and May Atwood attended the spring meeting of the North Middlesex Branch of the Woman’s Board of Missions held with the church in Ashby on Tuesday. Mrs. Colburn took the party of five in her automobile, which she drives most capably.
The Library Art club has loaned a most interesting group of pictures to the J. V. Fletcher library, a group depicting some of the finest studies of earlier New England architecture as found in old Newbury and Newburyport. These show many of the historic old residences, including the fine old Lord Timothy Dexter mansion, and there are many fine views of interiors and exteriors and some splendid types of doorways, staircases, mantels and fireplaces full of interest to those in any way interested in New England architecture.
Mrs. M. Elizabeth Whitney is expected home next week from an extended California trip.
The Ladies’ Aid society held its regular monthly meeting for May Thursday afternoon, meeting at the home of the president, Mrs. William C. Roudenbush.
Mrs. A. W. Hartford visited relatives in Melrose during the earlier part of the week.
A well-attended meeting of the Red Cross society met last Saturday at Library hall and again on Tuesday afternoon. Now that the work is organized it is expected that the sewing meetings will be held on Tuesday afternoons and the meetings for preparing surgical dressings on Saturday afternoons. Mrs. H. V. Hildreth and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler are in charge of the sewing, and Mrs. Adrith Feeney in charge of the surgical dressings. Mrs. Hildreth also has the care of the knitting work. The Ladies’ Aid society has loaned the use of their sewing machine for the summer, and it has been moved to the hall, and tables neatly covered with table oil cloth have been arranged for the work.
The selectmen have appointed Alfred W. Hartford, Alfred W. Tuttle, Charles L. Hildreth and Robert J. McCarty for the making up of the registration in compliance with the selective draft. Charles L. Hildreth will act as clerk of the board, and this group will serve without pay. The registration and military enrollment will be made in the four precincts of the town within fifteen days.
A call came from Fort Slocum [New Rochelle, N.Y.,] the first of the week from the men in quarantine for reading matter which met with good response. Contributions were sent to Mrs. Isles who had charge of packing and sending the budget of good readable matter. The call came from Perley M. Bartlett, who was enlisted in the coast artillery and is a son of Mrs. H. M. Bartlett of this village.
The community sing will be held at the town hall on Monday evening.
Graniteville. The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held a very successful supper and entertainment in the church vestry on Thursday evening that was well attended. An excellent supper was served from 6:30 to 8, after which a very pleasing program was given that consisted of vocal talent, assisted by Mrs. Perley Wright, reader, of Westford. Quite a neat sum was realized on this event.
Harry Ingalls, who for almost three years has served in the office of Sunday school superintendent at the M.E. church, tendered his resignation to the school board after the session last Sunday. His business taking him an inconvenient distance from the church he felt that a man more locally situated should be elected who could be right here on the ground. After due consideration the board accepted Mr. Ingalls’ request to be released. His successor has not as yet been elected.
The members of the Westford Veterans’ association will hold the usual memorial service this year in the M.E. church in this village. After the service luncheon will be served the veterans in the church vestry. The afternoon will be spent in decorating the graves of the deceased soldiers. Following the usual custom of the past two years there will be community singing at all the cemeteries in the town. Again the invitation is extended to all automobile owners to kindly volunteer the use of their cars on Memorial Sunday to convey the veterans and the singers. All those who wish to give the use of their cars kindly get in communication with W. O. Hawkes of this village.
Miss Agnes Dunn, formerly of Brookside, has recently opened dressmaking rooms in the postoffice [sic] building here.
Miss Lizzie Tanner, who has been absent in Maine for the past few weeks, has recently returned to her home in this village. Her sister returned home with her and will remain for a few weeks.
The Sargent school baseball club defeated the Cameron school nine at Forge Village last week Friday by the score of 14 to 7. The Graniteville boys had only eight players in the field, otherwise the score would have been more in their favor. Smith and Prackneck did the battery work for the Sargent school.
The Graniteville Auxiliary of the American Red Cross society held a well-attended meeting in Healy’s hall on last Wednesday evening. Mrs. W. H. Sherman was in charge and many speakers told of the good work that is now going on for this noble cause. During the evening many new names were added to the list.
The members of Westford Court, M.C.O.F., held a whist party and entertainment after the regular meeting on Thursday evening. There were many in attendance and the affair was voted a great success.
The members of Cameron circle held their regular meeting on Tuesday evening with a good attendance. After the meeting a social hour was enjoyed during which a light lunch was served.
Both masses in St. Catherine’s church last Sunday morning were celebrated by Rev. Henry L. Scott, who gave interesting sermons. At the first mass the members of the Woman’s Sodality received holy communion in a body. After the second mass a meeting of the Holy Name society was held. On last Tuesday morning mass was celebrated by Rev. Henry L. Scott, and in the evening the usual May devotions were conducted by the Pastor, Rev. C. P. Heaney. The evening services were largely attended.
Ayer
Work Progressing Rapidly. Fourteen of the new racks in the south railroad yard were turned over to the railroad company for use the past week. The remaining ten tracks included in the contract of Wilson & English, having the work in charge, are now being put in condition for use. M. F. Sheehan, foreman, has now a large force of laborers engaged in the work of grading the tracks, which he says will be ready for use soon. The work will, it is expected, be finished about June 15.
A “run around” track has been built on the west side of the yard by means of which locomotives can run to the engine house without using the main line track after leaving their trains in the yard. More laborers were added to the force Thursday, coming from Boston.
Mr. Sheehan will soon take charge of enlarging the Boston and Maine yard in Lowell, which work will be carried on in connection with the work here. Later, he will have charge of laying another main track from North Chelmsford to Ayer on the Stony Brook branch, thus completing a double main line between these points. This project has been considered by the Boston and Maine for several years and will relieve the congestion of freight which passes over this branch in great quantities.
Tour of Inspection. Brigadier General Clarence R. Edwards, Col. Beaumont B. Buck, both of Boston, and other military men, made a tour of inspection about town this week Friday forenoon for a location for the proposed military camp. The party was accompanied by several members of the local committee on public safety. The places visited were the Bishop place, Camp Stevens, near the Woods Village bridge, and the plains near the Harvard line. This trip was made so that General Edwards might see the various sites, as he has never been here before, although the other members of the party had been here several times. Gen. Edwards said that there is nothing settled as yet in regard to a camp location. There are four places in view at the present time for the camp. The party had dinner at the depot restaurant during the noon hour. Frank D. Gourley, general passenger agent, and R. D. Jones, city ticket agent, of the Boston and Maine railroad, accompanied the party. [Brig. Gen. Clarence Ransom Edwards (1859-1931) was the recently appointed head of the Department of the Northeast, covering the New England states. In August he would be promoted to Major General in command of the newly formed 26th “Yankee” Division, a National Guard division, which by September, 1917, would be in France serving on the Western Front. He was “sharp-tongued and contentious” and was “despised” by Gen. Pershing, Commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) in France. By October he had been relieved of command. Camp Edwards in western Barnstable County, Mass., is named for him. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Ransom_Edwards.]