The Westford Wardsman, January, 1914
Saturday, January 3, 1914
Center. Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Taylor have returned from their honeymoon trip and are keeping house in their pretty new home. A newly installed telephone, 53-4, makes them accessible to their large circle of friends. Being present at the firemen’s ball on Tuesday evening they were the recipients of a miniature and impromptu reception.
Many people were interested in watching the “sundog” last Sunday. The old prophecy that heavy rain or snow storms would follow this phenomena of nature did not hold good, locally at least.
Edmund Baker has concluded his services as janitor at the Unitarian church.
Mrs. David Wallace is at West Hartford, Vt., bridging over affairs in the family home where her mother has been seriously ill for a long time and recently her sister, who is nurse and care-taker, has had an acute illness. Mrs. Wallace hopes to return to home duties the first of the week.
The members of the Y.P.S.S.C.E. are planning to go to Graniteville this Saturday evening to enjoy the hospitality of the young people there, this visit having been necessarily deferred on account of the recent scarlet fever cases.
The annual meeting of the Congregational church will be held one week from Monday. Dinner at noon will be followed by roll call of church members and election of officers and committees.
Miss Sarah Loker, president of the Tadmuck club, and Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Miss Alice M. Howard, Miss Eva E. Fletcher and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler were an invited group present at the meeting of the Ayer Woman’s club on Wednesday afternoon and enjoyed the music lecture and recital by Mrs. J. H. Potter, of Fitchburg. Mrs. Potter ably illustrated her lecture at the piano, her selections illustrating the characteristics of different nations as symbolized in its music.
On Sunday morning the new year’s communion service will be held at the Congregational church.
A sign of the times as exemplified in modern convenience took place the evening of the firemen’s ball. Owing to the large attendance the committee in charge did not feel sure of their supply of ice cream being sufficient and telephoned to Lowell for five additional gallons, which could be supplied. This was at nearly ten o’clock in the evening and George E. Gould, of executive ability and decision, was pressed into service and made a speedy trip to the city by auto and the re-inforced [sic] supply was entirely ready by intermission. As far removed as we are from the city, this would not have been possible a decade or two ago. Another sign of the times was the large number of automobile parties coming to the festivities. A radical change from old methods of conveyance in the country on snow-covered ground.
Tadmuck Club. The last meeting of the old year of the Tadmuck club was held on Tuesday afternoon at Library hall. The president, Miss Loker, extended a beautiful new year’s greeting and good wishes to the membership as embodied in the first stanza of Robert Browning’s “Rabbi Ben Ezra.” by Miss Alice M. Howard.
The next meeting of the West Chelmsford Debating society will be held in Historic hall on Tuesday evening, January 6. The program will be announced after the meeting has adjourned.
Frank C. Drew, one of the thrifties in the Stony Brook valley, finished grinding the last of his corn raised in 1912 on January 1, 1914. A full corn barn is liable to produce a full pocket book. The New England farmer has been raising too much on western lands and idleness and briars at home.
Willis Hildreth is increasing the sunshine on his farm on Main street and decreasing the apple scale and moth combination by uprooting trees that have passed the utility stage. Many other farmers would be wise if they went to the roots of utility pruning.
Jonas Hamilton has removed from the Whitney cottage near the Peletiah Fletcher place on the Lowell road and gone down east as far as Lowell.
Fragments of the Westford Dramatic club are gathering up the fragments and planning for a play, “Among the breakers.” Of those who will take part some can be mentioned as Joe Wall, who is chief “breaker.” Others who are breakers of some kind are John P. Wright, Fred A. Blodgett, William R. Taylor, Henry Colburn and others who have not got named yet, but will practice breaking as soon as they get named.
Miss Mabel Drew is visiting the H. B. Hall family in the Boston realms.
Charles W. Whitney has been ill at his home on the Lowell road.
The oral announcement is made of the engagement of Frank Davis and Mrs. Effie Harris Richardson.
The ladies of the Unitarian church will give a whist party and sociable, refreshments and other inducements to bring an audience at the vestry this Saturday evening, in charge of Mrs. Eben Prescott.
Fred A. Snow, as executor of the will of Joseph Marshall, is having the estate appraised by Capt. John J. Monahan, Fred W. Edwards and Samuel Naylor.
Unitarian Christmas Tree. Not crowd numerous, but crowd happy was the gathering for the Christmas exercises at the Unitarian church vestry on Tuesday evening of last week. Miss Gertrude Hamlin read “The birds’ Christmas carol,” illustrated by a tableau by the children. Next came Santa Claus, who has taken unto himself a Mrs. Santa Claus since the last year perambulations of Santa. Yes, he did first rate. He is bright, youthful and up-to-date without any trace of the back number in procedure. Such is the temperamental diagnosis of the Santa Claus who distributed tangible pleasure at the tree feast for the Sunday school scholars of the First Parish. He is known on the street, among men and in social life, as Harold W. Hildreth. The committee who did the preliminary work for the evening were Mrs. Homer M. Seavey, Mrs. H. V. Hildreth and Miss Mabel Drew. Possibly there were others, but the writer has not received any wireless notice of such.
Get on Your Guard V.T. E. Only a lack of space and an excess of head space has prevented the writer from replying to V. T. [Vernon True] Esten [1859-1947] (glad to get his very near full name after years of V. T. E.) As soon as I have more of the former and less of the latter I will try and make a few right and left swings and uppercuts for next week. During the interval I will tribute justly the articles which have appeared for several years signed V. T. E. bear the trademarks of brains, the concentrated opinions of a thinker, and the surprise is that so much that is bright, spicy and charged with keen, briar bite to it should pass as unchallenged truth. The writer realizes that he is too little in stature to attempt “catch as catch can” with him, yet if he doesn’t do anything more than give an exhibition of Scotch grit and ignorance, the contrast will help somebody and the public. The show will commence next week. Admission is free.
Forge Village. Tomorrow being the first Sunday in January, services will be held in the morning at 9:30 o’clock. Holy communion will be administered, Rev. W. M. Ford officiating.
Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Daly and daughter Gladys spent Christmas at the home of Mrs. Daly’s father, Mr. [Solomon] Dufort, in Leominster, where twenty-four sat down to dinner.
Mr. and Mrs. Percy Hargreaves, of Beverly, were at the home of Mrs. Hargreaves’ grandmother, Mrs. M. A. Lowther, on Christmas day.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Naylor entertained Mr. and Mrs. Fred Eckells, of Lowell, on the holiday.
Business at the mill of Abbot & Company is booming. A very busy year is promised and the wool scouring, sorting and combing departments are running Saturday afternoons.
Forge pond is frozen over and many skaters are already enjoying the sport. If the cold weather keeps up an early ice harvest is anticipated.
Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett entertained at their home on Christmas the following children and grandchildren: Mr. and Mrs. [Polly] Ernest Longbottom and son William, of East Lexington; Mrs. [Laura] J. H. Jones, of Worcester, and daughter, Miss Ethel; Mr. and Mrs. [Emma] Chester Blodgett, of Groton; Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett and baby son Leonard, of this village.
Skating and coasting are being enjoyed by the young people and excellent sleighing, the first of the season, has been also enjoyed for the past week.
Mr. and Mrs. James Whigham entertained Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Jones, of Worcester, Mr. and Mrs. George Cottrerell, of Boston, and Mrs. William Blodgett, of Groton, on the holiday. Owing to the slight illness of little Edward Blodgett, his father and little brother George held their Christmas tree at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Hunt and Mr. and Mrs. William Hunt had as their guests Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Cocroft and Miss Sarah Hunt, of Ware, for the holiday.
Mrs. Margaret Rose and family, of Belmont, spent the day at the home of her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Splain.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett entertained at their home on Tuesday and Wednesday Miss Abbie Blaisdell, of Wamesit.
Graniteville. Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Choate, with their daughter Irene, of Lowell, and Marcia L. Park, of Boston, have been recent guests of Mrs. Clara Gray and her father, A. R. Choate.
Mr. and Mrs. James B. Healy have been recent guests of friends in Groton.
Miss Annie Healy, of Concord, N.H., has been a recent visitor at her home here.
The annual firemen’s ball attracted a large number of people to the town hall on last week Thursday night. Poole’s celebrated orchestra, of Boston, furnished the music and the whole affair proved to be very enjoyable.
Miss Bertha Galbraith has recently returned from a very pleasant holiday trip spent with relatives in Springfield.
The frame work for the new firehouse is now under way and the work will be pushed rapidly by P. Henry Harrington, contractor, until the job is completed.
Mrs. John Lowell, of South Dakota, who has been stopping in New York for the past few weeks, has been a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Furbush and they have not seen each other for many years. The brother and sister who have been living so far apart in the country for so many years made a flying visit to their former home in Maine this week.
Excellent sleighing has been enjoyed in this vicinity during the past few days, while the children have been taking advantage of the fine coasting on the numerous hills during the remaining days of the school vacation.
Officers Elected. The members of Court Westford, M.C.O.F., held a well-attended and interesting meeting in their rooms on Friday evening of last week with R. J. McCarthy, chief ranger, in the chair. This being the last meeting of the year considerable business of importance was transacted. The different officers gave highly interesting reports and under the head of new business the following officers were duly elected for the coming year: F. G. Sullivan, c.r.; Charles E. Pope, v.c.r.; Albert R. Wall, rec. sec.; Miss Agnes Charlton, fin. sec.; J. A. Healy, treas.; Mrs. Lena Monahan, s.con.; Mrs. Emma Carpenter, j.con.; Frank E. Charlton, l.s.; James H. Payne, o.s.; Mrs. Julia B. Wall, Joseph Wall, Mrs. Elizabeth Harrington, trustees; Robert J. McCarthy, J. A. Healy, delegates; Miss Fannie McCarthy, Joseph Wall, alternates.
All the above-named newly-elected officers will be duly installed the first meeting night of the new year, January 8. It is also planned to hold an entertainment after the installation.
Saturday, January 10, 1914
Center. At the next meeting of the grange the new lecturer, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, has arranged for the following program: Instrumental music, Miss Grace Robinson; reading, Horace E. Gould; ladies’ quartet with these members, Miss Ruth Smith, Miss Edith A. Wright, Misses Beatrice and Lillian Sutherland; debate, Resolved, “That the world owes a larger debt of gratitude to the farmer than to the mechanic,” L. W. Wheeler and J. E. Everett, affir., Arthur E. Day and O. A. Nelson, neg., to be followed by general discussion; S. L. Taylor will contribute “Some experiences on the farm for 1913.” At this meeting the lecturer will have the new programs for the year ready for distribution.
Presidents’ day of the Tadmuck club next Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 will be held at the Congregational church instead of at the Unitarian church as previously planned. Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher is the hostess of the afternoon with a capable group of assistants and a most interesting afternoon is assured. There will be responses from the seven invited clubs as follows: Lowell, Concord, Groton, Ayer, West Acton, Pepperell and Shirley. Mrs. Nettie E. Roberts, of Lowell, will sing and there will be other music, followed by a club luncheon and social hour.
Mr. Hartwell, of Littleton, has made his annual distribution of calendars to his Westford customers, the subject being this year a pleasing marine view with fine large calendar pad.
Moonlight and just the right amount of hard, smooth snow, has been ideal for coasting some of the nights this week and the young people have improved this opportunity to the utmost; also, the good sleighing has been made the most of.
Rev. Mr. Kernahan, of Graniteville, and Rev. David Wallace will exchange pulpits Sunday morning. One week from Sunday will be observed as an “everybody-at-church Sunday” and a concerted effort will be made to have full churches that day. The annual meeting of the Congregational church will be held on Monday. Dinner and roll call at noon, followed by the business meeting in the afternoon.
Mrs. Harry Jaques, of Malden, was an over Sunday visitor at her father’s, William Sutherland, this last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold W. Hildreth spent last Sunday with the latter’s parents at Campello.
Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Watson are entertaining at their home the former’s uncle, Albert H. Bangert, of New Bern, N.C. Mr. Bangert is the mayor of his home city.
Mrs. O. R. Spalding enjoyed the presentation of the opera “Madam Butterfly” at the Boston Opera house last week Friday evening. This was all the more enjoyable from having recently heard Mr. Hubbard’s illuminating talk on this same opera before the Littleton’s Woman’s Club.
Miss May E. Day, Mt. Holyoke ’12, is teaching at Riverhead, N.Y., located on Long Island Sound.
Mrs. Abbie T. Hamlin [nee Tower] observed her seventy-eighth birthday Monday [Jan. 5] of this week and her sisters and nieces and other friends made the day memorably pleasant for her with visits, beautiful flowers, two birthday cakes, ice cream and other messages and tokens from friends. Mrs. Hamlin, who has been a shut-in and a sufferer this winter, was very comfortable that day and able to enjoy this pleasant sociability and manifestations of love and good will from her friends.
Miss Sarah W. Loker, president of the Tadmuck club, was among the invited guests at the new year’s reception of the Middlesex Woman’s club at Lowell, Monday afternoon. Miss Loker with a group of other suburban presidents assisted Miss Ward, president of the Lowell club, in the receiving line. This was followed by a club luncheon and the gathering in every way was most pleasantly successful.
The Edward M. Abbot Hose Co. held their regular monthly meeting and supper at their headquarters on Boston road Tuesday evening. This was a real extra good session planned by some of the members. A fine turkey supper with all the fixings was served by Caterer Geo. E. Gould. Every member of the company was present with one exception and a few invited guests were present, including Arnold Perham and one other representative of the Chelmsford Fire Co. The committee for the recent fireman’s ball were not quite ready with a report, as all bills had not come in, but the committee are sure of a balance on the right side and that it was a decided social success.
Miss Bertha Norris, formerly of the academy teaching force, was a weekend guest at Miss Ella Hildreth’s this last week and among those present at the Unitarian whist party Saturday evening.
Pleasant letters come from the Misses Atwood spending the winter at Jacksonville, Fla., telling of all being well and of being very pleasantly located. They much appreciate keeping in touch with the home happenings through the columns of this paper.
Miss Elizabeth Kittredge, who graduated at Vassar college in 1912 and who took a special course at Columbia university last year, has been spending part of her Christmas holidays with the Westford relatives. Miss Kittredge is now teaching in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mrs. Albert Heywood was acutely sick the first of the week with threatened appendicitis, but is now much more comfortable.
Miss Adrith Carter has been enjoying a two weeks’ vacation with Providence, R.I., relatives.
Miss Emily F. Fletcher represented the Tadmuck club Wednesday of last week at the annual extra members meeting at Fitchburg. This meeting was devoted principally to federation topics and Mrs. George H. Perkins, president of the State Federation, was the principal speaker. Miss Fletcher reports a most enjoyable afternoon.
Leon Hildreth has been detained at home from his studies at the Lowell high school this week and under the doctor’s care with an attack of grippe [i.e., flu].
W.C.T.U. The W.C.T.U. held its meeting for January with Mrs. George A. Walker on Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Walker has very kindly entertained the union a number of times and her spacious rooms make a most agreeable place of meeting. The meeting on Wednesday afternoon was held in conjunction with the Ladies’ Missionary society and there was a good representation of this latter’s membership present. The president of the union, Mrs. Jeanette Wright, presided with the following program: Reading of the pledge, Mrs. Wright; scripture reading, Miss Loker, followed by the Lord’s prayer in unison; singing of the union’s hymn, “Blest be the tie that binds.” Mrs. Seavey and Mrs. Blaney contributed two excellent musical numbers. Miss Mary P. Bunce, by special invitation, repeated the paper recently given by her before the Ladies’ Missionary society, entitled “Fifty years of freedom,” showing the progress of the colored people along all lines since their emancipation. At the close of the program refreshments of cake and chocolate were served and a pleasant social hour enjoyed. There were about thirty five present.
About Town. A petition signed by Warren P. Sweetser and seventy-four others has been sent to the county commissioners asking for repairs and alterations on the Acton and Lowell road near Carlisle station. The commissioners have granted the hearing, which is set for February 16, at Lowell. Carlisle station would sound more like a common sense view point for a hearing.
The well planned whist and social in the vestry of the Unitarian church last Saturday evening was all that was planned for, and it was planned for all to have a good time, including refreshments both solids and liquids. Mrs. Eben Prescott was at top notch in charge of affairs with hereditary assistance in Miss Lucindia Prescott. Others who were in the role of efficiency were Mrs. Ida Walkden Fletcher, Mrs. John Feeney. For high score cards, Mrs. Ryan and Robert Prescott led all grades of ability.
Miss Amelia W. Lambert, of Fortnightly club reserve force, and southward journeying, arrived at Wheeling, West Va., new year’s day, with a stop off at Baltimore with her uncle, Edward H. Keyes, and a side stop off at Ellicott City to visit her cousin, Miss Edith Keyes.
Howard W. Foster has arranged to hold the next farmers’ institute in Westford on Wednesday, January 21. Prof. Maynard, formerly of Amherst, will give the address. The subject will be “Small fruits on New England farms—how to grow and how to sell.”
Seth W. Banister, one of the bright boys at Amherst, who has been enjoying Christmas and new year home luxuries, returned to college luxuries on Monday.
“Everybody-at-church Sunday” will be observed on Sunday, January 18, in all the churches in Westford.
Oscar R. Spaulding is working the lumber lot of Frank D. Lewis, Chicopee row, Groton, with portable saw mill and many men with many axes.
George Howard, after two weeks of the Old Oaken Bucket farm environments with a specialty program, returned to his native country, Bound Brook, N.J.
The annual parish meeting of the First Parish Unitarian church will be held in the parlor of the church on Saturday evening, January 10, for the election of officers, to hear reports of committees and transact any other business that may legally come before the meeting.
Rev. Mr. Titus, of Medford, conducted the services at the Unitarian church last Sunday and delivered an eloquent, conservative and practical address on “Habits of life.” He was a schoolmate of Mr. Rafter, Main street, who was present to hear the words of wisdom from his early schoolmate in the district schools of Maine.
At a meeting of the selectmen on last Saturday night the following were appointed to appraise the property of the town farm and eat dinner, as has been the custom for years: Alec Fisher, Charles A. Blodgett, David L. Greig. They will be assisted in eating by the town officers.
The Fortnightly club of grit and evolution of ideas and fun held itself to the usual task last week Friday evening with Fred A. Blodgett, vice president, as director of this literary experiment station. The following is a part of the experiences of the station that evening: Readings, Mrs. Alice Lambert and Ernest Wright; song duet, Miss Sears and Miss Alice Dane; phonograph selections, Edwin H. Gould; stories, wit and other ingredients, Horace E. Gould & Co. The next meeting will be held next week Friday evening.
The next meeting of the West Chelmsford Benevolent society will be held in the vestry of the village church on next week Wednesday evening. Mrs. William C. Edwards will have charge, which being interpreted according to personal adaptation means that it will be an advantage for everyone to attend.
Everybody is log rolling for Hugo T. Page and his new saw mill on Keyes brook.
The next meeting of Westford grange will be held at the newly-painted town house on next week Thursday evening. The unprinted part of the program as planned by the lecturer, Mrs. Alonzo H. Sutherland, will be “Experiences at the Old Oaken Bucket farm, 1913.” Such as how many more beans than you planted did you harvest on that gravel knoll, where it rained not for three months and three minutes, and did you know them as beans when you saw them, have you finished mowing that Tadmuck Brook meadow, how are woodchucks and other two-legged vegetarians?
John A. Taylor, after Christmas, new year’s and best man festivities, left the precinct of Brookside, of which Westford is a part, for Grand Forks, N.D., 2500 miles nearer the north pole.
On Sunday afternoon, January 4, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Howard of Bound Brook, N.J. The baby is named George Taylor Howard and is the third grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Law Taylor, the other two being Perry Taylor Snow and Stanley Law Snow, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Allen Snow of West Chelmsford. This young heir represents the fourth generation to be connected with the old “Taylor homestead.”
Installation. The officers of Westford grange were installed on Thursday evening of last week by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Colburn, of Dracut grange. Efficiency was clearly their act. The following were installed:
William R. Taylor, m.; Fred A. Blodgett, o.; Mrs. Arvilla Wright, sec.; Mrs. Daisy Colburn, l.a.s.; James B. Hartford, asst. stew.; Alonzo H. Sutherland, treas.; Mrs. Alonzo H. Sutherland, lec.; Mrs. Eben Prescott, chap.; Clyde Prescott, g.k.; J. Willard Fletcher, stew.; Maud Robinson, Flora; Mary Hickey, Ceres; Ruth Smith, Pomona; John P. Wright, ex. com. 3 yrs.
After the installation the installing officer, in behalf of Westford grange, presented Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Taylor, the new bride and groom, with a clock as an information bureau of time, a timely remembrance for which the twain made timely remarks with thanks attached. Littleton and other towns not so little were represented. Edward Barrow and Charles F. Watts, past masters, of Littleton, both sprang to their feet when called to spring, and by their cheery remarks made it seem quite spring-like. Refreshments were served in the lower hall. The janitor does his best or the best can be done, but there it is. The hall is not warm and it is likely to remain not warm.
Board of Trade. The Westford Board of Trade held the annual meeting on Wednesday evening with much people present and much enthusiasm. The election of officers came first and other easy pleasant tasks later:
Hon. Edward Fisher, pres.; P. Henry Harrington, v.p.; Charles L. Hildreth, sec.; Leonard W. Wheeler, treas.; Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, Albert R. Wall, Edward T. Hanley, Herbert V. Hildreth, Samuel L. Taylor, trustees.
The following committees were appointed:
George T. Day, Hammett D. Wright, Julian A. Cameron, town affairs; John C. Abbot, Herbert E. Fletcher, Hon. Edward Fisher, transportation; Julian A. Cameron, Frederick G. Sargent, P. Henry Harrington, manufacturing; Charles L. Hildreth, John B. Carmichael, Sebastian B. Watson, historical and pictorial; Albert R. Choate, Oscar R. Spalding, Edward T. Hanley, public buildings; W. C. Roudenbush, Robert J. McCarthy, William R. Taylor, athletic; Charles O. Prescott, Albert R. Wall, Walter J. Merritt, entertainment.
A vote was passed, instructing the directors to investigate the advisability of opening new highways in Westford Center as an inducement to attract people to town and erect buildings. The committee on towns, George F. Day, Julian A. Cameron, Hammett D. Wright, were chosen to act with the directors in making this investigation.
The following new members were added to the Board of Trade: J. W. Rafter, Charles S. Edwards, John S. Greig, Albert A. Hildreth, F. C. Hildreth, C. E. Hildreth, Harold W. Hildreth, Frank W. Banister, C. J. Wetmore, V. C. B. Wetmore, Edward Roby, Edward Clement, John Feeney, jr., Samuel H. Balch, Sebastian B. Watson, William C. Edwards.
After business came the feast of entertainment by W. H. Clark, of Waltham, in song, impersonation and story telling, assisted by Mrs. Clark as piano performer. The next meeting will be held in early March to discuss the annual town meeting warrant.
Here It Is V.T.E. After much delay and numerous obstacles of a very agreeable nature, such as births and marriages, I have got into the “ring” to face V. T. E. (initials will do in the ring). I appoint my recent grandson, George Taylor Howard, as my second. Like his ancestor he has good lungs and when he cries “time” you can hear. I am informed by authority to be brief this week, therefore I shall only attempt replying to one charge, for if I should reply to all the indictments in one communication it would occupy the space of the whole paper. Such is the density of my ignorance.
In my original communication I quoted from the testimony of an impartial observer in regard to the workings of socialism in New Zealand, which run by labor leaders for the benefit of labor leaders and by English capital who refuse any more loans on impeding bankruptcy. It is headquarters for vice, laziness, mismanagement and “hating prosperity.” Instead of a reply from V. T. E. he side-steps and shouts “Lo here. Lo there. Lo everywhere,” except “Lo Zealand,” and presents an array of figure facts of troubles nearer home and feints at a knock-out blow in the first round when he says in regard to his thoughts and figures: “His keen, logical mind shown by his arguments cannot fail to see a point when called to his attention.”
He believes the reverse of his statement. I plead guilty to the reverse. Society also pleads guilty for me and this will save the expense of any more ink in proving an admitted point.
The Standard Oil is his pet darling of dislike for an opening fire—”111,000,000 dividends on $100,000,000 authorized capital.” His figures prove one thing that it isn’t charged up with—watered stock—however much “watered talk” there has been in regard to other “financial cruelties.”
Let us go back to early beginnings (walk back, to ride back might help somebody and ourselves too, and that is against first principles of love). Oh the dear old days of individual oil wells, when it cost so much to undersell somebody else that the people, the oppressed people, were writing to continue to be oppressed and buy oil at fifty cents per gallon if it could only be labeled. Power competition. Alas, what a change from those good old days when the consumer was willing to pay the price necessary to help the competitive producer, an individual business factor. Alas, now everything has gone to the dogs and the dogs are millionaires and the millionaires won’t let you have oil unless you are willing to pay twelve cent a gallon for it. Oh I do hate this kind of prosperity. Oil at one-quarter of competition price, offset with the wickedness of prosperity of somebody else tax me to the very doors of the almshouse if it is necessary to prevent the prosperity of the producer.
Thanks to the present administration it is doing its best to bring back those good old days of unprosperous competition and fifty-cent oil. “Loose hands” said the administration and they have, and sent oil up a cent a gallon. “Authorized capital,” saith V. T. E. Who authorized it? Why government of course, that dear creature that V. T. E. is anxious to be all and in all and beside which there shall be none other, and it can’t do wrong this creature government. Yet all the “watered stock” jobs he alludes to railroads or oil roads. Government has been in collusion. I will allude to it in my next illusion.
Graniteville. Mrs. James Mullen, of New York, formerly Miss Laura Healy, has been a recent visitor here.
The members of Court Westford, M.C.O.F., held a very largely attended and interesting meeting in their rooms on Thursday night of last week. Business of importance was transacted and during the meeting the newly-elected officers were duly installed by William J. Enright, d.g.c.r., and suite, of Lowell. After the meeting a very fine entertainment was given. Lunch was also served and the affair was brought to a close by an enjoyable dance. The whole affair was very pleasing and reflects great credit on the committee in charge.
A son [Vincent Walsh Dudevoir] was born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Dudevoir on Friday, January 2.
Excellent skating has been enjoyed on the mill pond during the past few days, while the coasting on the numerous hills here has been good at all times.
All the schools were opened at the usual time on last Monday morning and the children returned much refreshed after their two-weeks’ vacation.
The reduction in the working force of the Boston and Maine railroad employees will not make any material changes at the station on the Stony Brook branch here, for owing to the water tower being here it is found necessary to have three shifts. Many of the men on this particular part of the road have been laid off owing to the new “block” system that has been recently installed on the Stony Brook branch of the road.
The members of the A. R. Choate hose company held their regular meeting in their rooms on last Monday night with Capt. J. A. Healy in the chair. Business of a routine order was transacted and at the close of the meeting a social hour was enjoyed. The new firehouse is now rapidly nearing completion and under the supervision of P. Henry Harrington this work will be pushed as fast as practical in order that all the apparatus used by the firemen may be properly housed and incidentally the members of the fire company may have a suitable room for their social comfort in order to hold their meetings.
The spirited horse owned by Mr. Duchenneau, of West Graniteville, ran away on him last Saturday and kept on going until it was finally stopped in Forge Village by Horace Buckingham. No one was hurt, but the running gear was a wreck.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church met with Mrs. W. O. Hawkes on last Thursday.
Many Graniteville members of the Westford Board of Trade attended the first regular meeting of the board that was held on last Wednesday night at the Calvary building [20 Boston Road] at Westford Center. Elections of officers and enrolling new members was the principal business. A fine entertainment was given and luncheon was served.
Saturday, January 17, 1914
Center. Mrs. Addie M. Seavey, local superintendent of the school savings department, reports the following amounts deposited by the children of the three schools as follows, giving also the number of depositors in each school [and the average deposit per pupil]: Frost school, 60, $115.11 [$1.92]; Sargent school, 59, $169.83 [$2.88]; Cameron school, 68, $160.40 [$2.36]; total depositors 187; total amount deposited, $445.34 [$2.38]. The representative from the Central Savings bank, Lowell, where the deposits are made, had not thought recently the amounts contributed by the children quite worth while coming out to collect, but Supt. Frank H. Hill, upon looking into the matter, is sure it is worth while in teaching thrift to the children and will encourage its continuance and will see to it that all amounts brought in will continue to be deposited.
Sunday, January 18, will be observed as “Everybody-at-church Sunday.” It is the purpose of an inter-denominational committee to have every person in the town of Westford attend the church of his choice on Sunday, January 18. Let everyone who is in the habit of going to church be sure to attend and those who have not just get the habit Sunday.
Owing to the extreme cold and the difficulty of getting public buildings adequately warm this week the Ladies’ Aid society of the Congregational church postponed their monthly meeting this week to the last Wednesday in the month, January 28.
Miss Eudora Jones, of Lunenburg, is a guest at the Congregational parsonage.
People who felt any anxiety about the ice crop ought to feel that this week’s cold snap has sufficiently settled it. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning the thermometers ranged from ten to sixteen below zero and the high wind added to the discomfort and suffering of those obliged to be out. Frost bites were numerously reported and frozen water pipes were quite the usual thing. Both schools suspended sessions and owing to water pipes bursting and the necessary repairs the Frost school remained closed the rest of the week to re-open on Monday.
Clipping. We quote the following from a recent issue of the New England Homestead, being of interest to our readers as Mr. MacDougal is one of our Westford young men:
“College on the farm—Six months ago the first automobile demonstration outfit was sent out from the Massachusetts Agricultural college [now UMass Amherst] in charge of Allister F. MacDougal. This truck, equipped with various kinds of approved apparatus for testing milk, pruning and spraying trees, and for other farm operations, together with a supply of literature upon agricultural subjects, has traveled from farm to farm and from town to town. During this time the following cities and towns have been visited: Barre, Petersham, Hubbardston, Littleton, South Williamstown, Lanesboro, Monterey, Sutton, Williamsburg, Worthington, Chesterfield, Granville, Blandford, Dighton, Assonet, Swansea, Fall River, Somerset, Pottersville [in Somerset], Westport, North Dartmouth, Achushnet [Acushnet], Fairhaven, Mattapoisett, Long Plain [in Acushnet], New Bedford, Braley [?], Woods Hole, Falmouth, Cotuit, Sandwich, Martin’s [Marstons] Mills, West Barnstable, Barnstable, Hyannis, Dennis, Yarmouth, Brewster, Harwich and East Orleans.
“Cold weather has now necessitated the cessation of this work until along in the spring when the weather and the roads will permit. This method has proved to be very satisfactory as a means of carrying the college to the farmer, for by this method many farmers are reached who could not or would not attend a lecture or a series of lectures even if given in their home town. The strongest recommendation for this sort of work lies in the individuality of the instruction given and the free and open discussion of concrete problems of the farm.”
Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Congregational church always scheduled for the second Monday in January, took place on the twelfth. The business meeting was preceded by an excellent dinner at noon in charge of the deacons’ wives, Mrs. H. G. Osgood and Mrs. A. E. Day and a number of assistants. For the past three or four years Mrs. Osgood has been unable to assume this duty owing to ill health and it was very pleasant to her church friends to have her as one of the capable hostesses on Monday. The dinner was promptly served at the appointed hour, was abundant and appetizing and with pretty decorations. Neat little folders at each plate, tied with green ribbons, contained appropriate scriptural quotations to read at the roll call of members.
This is the one time of year when the church membership got together by themselves and never was the spirit of good fellowship more manifest in the church family than at this gathering. There were present thirty-nine members, seven guests and three children. At the conclusion of the dinner the clerk called the roll which met with good response from those present as well as some absent ones, the latter containing messages and in two instances checks for the church work.
The business meeting convened at two o’clock. After prayer by the pastor Arthur E. Day was chosen as moderator. Reports were given from the deacons, pastor, auditor, collector, treasurer and trustees; also, from the superintendent of Y.P.S.C.E., superintendent of Sunday school, secretary of Ladies’ Missionary society, secretary of Ladies’ Aid and historian, these latter with special votes of thanks.
The following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: L. W. Wheeler, clerk; Miss L. B. Atwood, treas.; John P. Wright, asst. treas.; H. G. Osgood, col.; Miss Bunce and Miss Atwood, assts.; James W. Rafter, aud.; H. G. Osgood, supt. Sunday school; W. Otis Day, Charles D. Colburn, assts.; L. W. Wheeler, A. E. Day, H. G. Osgood, L. B. Atwood and C. D. Colburn, trustees.
It was voted to authorize the treasurer to renew any insurance policies that may expire during the year. There have been nine added to the church by letter during the year and two deaths, making a net gain of seven. Material improvements and gains during the year have been the renovating of the vestry, new floors covering the auditorium and a legacy of five hundred dollars from the estate of Miss Sarah Richardson, the church’s oldest member, died during the year.
The treasurer’s account showed of $1138.73, payments $1132.10; receipts in sociable account $154.00, payments therefrom $96.42, balance $58.10; benevolences $102.50; receipts on repair account $487.16, payments $415.65, balance $71.51; invested funds $8268.53.
The beautiful carnations used on the tables for the dinner were later sent to Miss Miranda Luce and Mrs. Martha Taylor Howard.
His Last Trip. One of the many reminders that it is the unexpected that happens many times was the sudden death of Conductor Charles McDuffie, who has made his daily trips through this town for the last six years as conductor on the Nashua and Acton railroad, running to and from Nashua and Concord Junction twice daily. Saturday was Conductor McDuffie’s last trip on this road and as it proved on any other. It seems that owing to changes on the different lines he had been, as it is known in railroad parlance, “bumped out” of his run between Nashua and Concord Junction and transferred to a train between Keene and Boston, the conductor taking his route having the right of choice and precedence owing to a longer service. This change necessitated moving his family to Boston and on Saturday afternoon he bade good-bye to those along the line and at Concord Junction finished up everything.
Not feeling well he went across the square to a drug store. Just as he was going into the store he met a doctor that he knew and told him of feeling ill. These were really his last words, for he merged into unconsciousness, being stricken with apoplexy. All that skill and care could do was without avail. He was taken back on the train to Nashua to his home, never regaining consciousness and passed away in a few hours.
Mr. McDuffie was fifty-five years of age. His home was in Nashua, where he leaves a wife, three daughters and one son to mourn his loss. He was a genial, faithful and accommodating railroad man and his sudden death with an unusual amount of pathos attending the circumstances seems especially sad.
Tadmuck Club. Tuesday afternoon was observed as presidents’ day by the Tadmuck club, the meeting taking place at the Congregational church. All details for the afternoon had been delightfully planned by the committee in charge and the only thing that failed to cooperate was the weather. It was bitterly cold and King Boreas was on a prolonged rampage. Of course many of the members living at a distance found it impossible to be present and of the eight clubs invited only representations from two were able to be present—Lowell and Ayer—and they were indeed welcomed, making the effort to respond on such a day. Those contributing the musical program were all present and gave genuine pleasure with their finely rendered selections. Mrs. Roberts, contralto, and Mrs. Symonds, soprano, both of Lowell, were the soloists and Mrs. Helen C. Taylor, also of Lowell, was the efficient accompanist.
Mrs. Lovejoy, president of the Ayer club, was concise and enjoyable in outlining the work of her club. Miss Grace Ward, president of the Middlesex Woman’s club, Lowell, responded for her club, representing six hundred members, and a waiting list of many more. Ably and clearly she outlined some of the relative merits of both the large and the small club. At the close of the program a very pretty club tea was served. The club’s recent brides, Mrs. W. R. Taylor and Mrs. H. W. Hildreth, presided at the tea urns and were assisted in serving by Mrs. Fred A. Snow, Mrs. Elliot F. Humiston, Miss Rita Bickford, of West Chelmsford, and Mrs. A. H. Hartford and Mrs. W. A. Roudenbush, of this village.
Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher was the hostess of the day, assisted by Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher and Mrs. Goldsmith Conant. The vestry was transformed in appearance with its pretty tea table with beautiful appointments and about the rooms were used rugs, easy chairs, pillows, screens and flowers.
About Town. At the annual parish meeting of the Unitarian church last Saturday evening Hon. Edward Fisher was chosen as moderator, Abiel J. Abbot, clerk; Charles O. Prescott, collector and treasurer; Abiel J. Abbot, Edward Fisher, Clara Fisher, prudential committee.
Word has been passed around and emphasized with appeal from which it is hoped there will be no appeal, that everybody who ever saw the inside or outside of a church will revive an old-time New England sacred custom and duty and take themselves “the sword of the spirit and the helmet of salvation” and observe Sunday as “everybody-at-church Sunday.” There is danger that life become lopsided tugging away with its excessive materialism. If there is such a phase of life as “eye hath not seen or ear heard” it must have nutrition. Better go to church on Sunday and give it a little something to eat. It has fasted long enough.
Mrs. Anna Hall died at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. William Baker, on the Boston road, last week Friday night aged 70 yrs., 10 mos. She had not lived in town long enough to have an identity that governs a long residence.
The West Chelmsford Debating society have arranged to present to the public, regardless of village, town or state lines, a feast without knives, forks, dishes, table or material food. They are going to present a drama “Real life stories.” The cast of characters is as follows: Hon. James P. Ramsey, of Lowell, probation officer for Middlesex county, has consented to act all parts, counsel for plaintiff and counsel for defendant, law-abiding citizen and law-abiding criminal, judge, jury and bailiff. Mr. Ramsey has had many years of experience as probation officer, has traveled extensively in England and Scotland, where he made a special study of prison life. He is well tuned up with Scotch wit and wisdom and never off the key. With these gifts and this play he should be greeted with three cheers and a full house. This play will come about on Tuesday evening, January 20 in Historic hall, West Chelmsford.
The Prairie farm, Amos Polley manager, is preparing to build a new, up-to-date cow barn. The lumber is being cut on Rocky Hill road and will be sawed by the Hugo T. Page saw mill. P. Henry Harrington, the ever reliable carpenter demonstrator, will prove this statement by his works.
Clarence Spaulding, of Francis hill, has accepted a position as designer at Brookside mills.
Mrs. James H. O’Brien is ill at her home on the Stony Brook road, Pigeon hill division. Dr. O. V. Wells has applied some skill and it has taken effect.
At the next meeting of Middlesex-North Pomona grange at the usual bridge street, Lowell, Hon. Edward Fisher, of Westford, will give an address on “Our new currency bill” at an open meeting in the afternoon of Friday, February 6. The grange will discuss in the morning “What are the causes that have led to the decline in securities in New England railroads? Would government ownership be a benefit to the stockholders and the traveling public?” This is a part of the announced program.
Mrs. Carlos Dyer Cushing, of Framingham, has been visiting her daughter, Mrs. William R. Taylor.
The funeral of Mrs. Anna Hall took place from the home of her daughter, Mrs. William Baker, on Sunday afternoon. Rev. David Wallace conducted the services. The bearers were Messrs. Baker, Hall, Joslin, Courtney. Burial was in Palmer.
Mrs. Sarah Flanders died at her home on the Boston road, Westford Center, on Thursday morning of last week at the age of eighty years. She was a cousin of William Sargent, living on the Edwin Heywood farm, and had been a resident of the town but a few months. Funeral and burial was at Warner, N.H., last Saturday.
The next farmers’ institute will be held at the town hall, Westford Center, on Wednesday, January 21. Prof. S. T. Maynard, of Northboro, formerly of Amherst Agricultural college, will speak in the morning on “The growth of tree fruits;” afternoon subject, “Small fruits for the home garden.” Dinner will be furnished by the ladies of the Congregational church. After dinner there will be speeches, story telling, wit, wisdom, instrumental music and all by those who know how. Electric cars leave Brookside hourly five minutes past the hour. Leave North Chelmsford ten minute of the hour. Merrimack square, Lowell, eighteen minutes past the hour.
Rep. Charles A. Kimball, of the State House law makers, has been assigned to the committee on education. We need it.
Death. Ward Augustus Coburn, who died at his home in Lowell on Tuesday after a lingering illness, was a native of Tyngsboro, where he was born on January 20, 1847, being one of five children of Ward and Sybil (Thurlow) Coburn. When a young man he worked several years at the North Chelmsford foundry and later at the Forge Village nail works. By the older residents he is well remembered. He was genial in his companionship, active in the problems of the times, and at all times able to give a “reason for the faith that was in him.” [He was] temperate in his habits and thus loyally consistent in his attitude for temperance principles. In political opinions he was a loyal republican and was never swayed “by every wind of doctrine.” While in town he attended the Unitarian church, the faith of his early manhood life in Tyngsboro.
Of late years he has been in the employ of H. W. Tarbell, the well-known landscape gardener, of Lowell. Prior to this for several years he was superintendent of the Littleton town farm. His father, Ward Coburn, is well remembered as the master of the Westford town farm for several years.
The subject of this sketch was married in Wilton, N.H., April 28, 1869, to Jennie E. Smart, who, with two daughters, Mrs. Linwood P. Sanders and Miss A. I. Coburn, survive him. He was a member of the Masonic order, Lowell Nest of Owls and Oberlin, I.O.O.F. The funeral took place from the First Universalist church, Lowell, on Thursday afternoon.
Continued From Last Week. Continuing the oil monopoly wickedness that I selected to spar with to start off, because it is well known oil is very illuminating and would make a good headlight to grope around with and keep track of my opponent who by this time may be in Zealand looking after the beloved loveliness of the condensed fruits of socialism—vice, laziness and prospective bankruptcy—where the government is all in all and more too. Authority of old explained the oil monopoly in his day on grounds of natural law, “Give us of your oil for our lamps have gone out.” The same authority could explain the hooting, tooting of socialism and its pleas to the government for deliverance from the oil and money trust combinations in modern life by the same natural law. “Give us of your brains for we are not equal to success.” Like the prodigal son and the foolish virgins, sold out to the low, cheap, cheating pleasures of a low life of animalism and then squeal: “Help, government. Oh help. Deliver us from the thralldom of brains.”
Here is an example of what to be delivered from. There was a time when all the by-products of the oil dynasty were thrown away as worthless, but somebody of brains discovered by experimenting that there was money in it (called by the socialists tyranny) and all money and wickedness from oil comes from the by-products and there is money or wickedness in the oil itself. Now I will submit that the brains that made this discovery and saved this waste whereby he made himself a multi-millionaire and everybody got cheaper oil is a menace to prosperity. At any rate I do hate this kind of prosperity. He should be compelled by law to divide and equalize brains for the only solution of our troubles is a bill of rights by process of law to divide up brains and this wealth and happiness, all of which the decrees of natural law and the higher decrees of heaven are framed and pledged against. V. T. E. as school teacher or watchman has seen serving humanity for a financial reason as the first influential motive and Rockefeller or any other fellow with less of rock to him has not served with any less of the motive of “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
In both the motive is a unit, the difference is in the scope. Now if we have got oil enough, and I think we have, to last until daylight, let us go fireless (that perhaps will help corporation wealth prosper the least on any conveyance we can take) and review other alarms that you have marked in the dangerous list—the railroads own the government.
Ah, indeed. Pray tell us if the government is such a cripple in honesty in all this comes to. Need we expect if the government owned the railroads it would become connected to righteousness as suddenly and lasting as Paul on the way to Mars hill? If the railroads as a money power own the government now, would this ownership cease when the government became the owner of the railroads, or would it by the law of experience, past, present and future to come, increase the opportunity for rake-offs, take-offs, grafts, pensions, salaries without service and an endless number of dove-tailed extravagances developed on the eternal uncontradicted principle of business experience? The more and greater variety of people combined to transact business the greater the opportunity and temptation to dishonest and extravagant management.
Emerson has summed up this phase of life somewhat like this: “Complaint is made that business men are dishonest with each other. The remedy proposed is to bunch them all up together and have them do business under the firm name of Government. Is the world suddenly to become honest by enlarging its scope; by labeling the rogue’s gallery government? Will the government now charged with graft and extravagance cease to do these things by simply increasing its opportunity to do these tricks?”
But let us get down to some of the alarms: “Missouri State Public Service commission has just authorized the St. Paul Railroad Company to issue $470,000,000 mortgage bonds at six percent to run ninety-nine years. Annual interest $28, 200,000; for the ninety-nine years $2,791,800,000.” Ah yes. Something wrong here, of course. My ignorance is too dense to figure it out as it should be but I can see day light enough through my hazy ignorance to ask: “Who issued this opportunity to make this trick possible?” Why the government of Missouri. Why? What an argument for government ownership if it can plan a trick loan like this on one small line of road. What would it not be able to devise by way of a safe guarded, honest dollars’ worth of honest railroading if all the government owned all the railroads? What an indictment in favor of government ownership it can’t look on and regulate and do it honestly in the interests of the people. But it could own the railroads and operate them honestly against capital and for the trampled down rights of the people. Oh dear me what logic. It gives me a headache, but I have got to keep on, headache and all.
Charles Edward Russell gives a table showing government grants and assistance by the state of California to the Union and Pacific railroads of $86,000,000. The cost of construction was returned at a little over $44,000,000. The rest went to encourage “private enterprise.” To state it a little differently the government is dishonestly assisting and regulating private railroads by giving them two dollars where they need but one. The balance is covered up under “private enterprise,” known in other kinds of bookkeeping as “incidentals” which covers a multitude of sins.
The vital question is if California owned these roads would she be likely to hand out two dollars where only one is required? She can’t regulate and be honest, but she could own and be honest. I will leave it to the California earthquake fund to answer this question. Hark ye, the Miners Magazine is about to testify now on the witness stand:
“Of the railroad stocks listed in Wall street nineteen billions are the purest of water [i.e., “watered down” stocks] and that on this water we, the people, paid last year $283,000,000 in dividends. We pay probably as much more on the legitimate stock.” Oh my. I didn’t know there was so much water consumed annually in the United States. Surprising that the prohibition vote is not larger.
But to get serious without being savage: “Who is Miners Magazine.” I don’t seem to know him. Is he one of those created by labor, and by labor is meant muscle. If he is I will throw him off the witness stand in a twinkle and go for my twinkle as I don’t twinkle as quick as some. It will give a little longer time to exhibit on the witness stand as an uncaged idiot. And Wall street. Oh, yes, I have heard of Wall street. I think I have anyway. Just at present it is willing to get an honest living by selling watered stock. High-grade witnesses these. But let down the check rein and let the horse bait a little green grass while I show the green.
Before any figures of watered stock can be allowed there must first be a physical valuation of all the railroads by an unprejudiced expert authority. I nominate Miners Magazine and Wall street to perform this duty. Don’t laugh. I am doing the best I can. Before they undertake this task I have a few instructions. Will they kindly inform the public what the difference is between watered stock and depreciated stock to the inside workings of a stockholder’s pocketbook.
The valuation of the railroads in 1911 was $19,208,935,081, now this being thus.
Hark! I hear my second, George Taylor Howard [the author’s newborn grandson], crying “Time” (milking time I guess). More, worse and nearer home next time.
–Samuel L. Taylor.
Graniteville. After the second mass in St. Catherine’s church last Sunday morning the regular meeting of the Holy Name society was held and during the meeting the following officers were duly elected for the ensuing year: John F. Kavanaugh, pres.; J. A. Healy, treas.; James O’Brien, fin. sec.; A. R. Wall, rec. sec. The members of the local society of St. Catherine voted to join with their fellow members of St. John’s church, North Chelmsford, in attending [the] special union service of the Holy Name societies that will be held in St. Michael’s church, Lowell, next Sunday.
The new firehouse is rapidly nearing completion and it certainly presents a very neat appearance and it appears to be the general impression that the new quarters for the firemen is situated on an ideal site.
Winter has set in to stay judging from appearances and we have been experiencing some of the coldest weather we have had yet with the mercury hovering about 18º and 20º below zero. There is no question but what the annual ice crop in Forge Village will be harvested all right and the crop promises to be a good one.
A merry party from here enjoyed a fishing trip through the ice at Cow pond [in Groton] on last Saturday and report a good catch.
Mrs. Lillian McLenna fell on the icy sidewalk a few days ago, fracturing a rib and receiving a severe shaking up. She is expected to be about in a few days.
Joseph Wall will be stage manager of that interesting drama, “Among the breakers,” of Lowell, assisted by a soloist, will give the entertainment of the afternoon. This will be followed by a club tea and a social hour. It is hoped that every member of the club will be present and extend the courtesy of an invitation to some friend to accompany them by the payment of the customary small fee.
Wallace Johnson and his men are a busy group these days getting the annual ice harvest at Burgess [sic] pond. The ice is of good thickness and excellent quality.
Miss Miranda G. Luce remains very seriously ill at her home.
Mrs. Albert W. Heywood underwent an operation for appendicitis at the Lowell General hospital on Thursday morning of this week.
Pleasantly Entertained. Mr. and Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher extended the use of their pretty home on Wednesday evening of last week for a pleasant evening of whist for a group of the young people. Miss Smith and Miss Hickey of the academy and Miss Sampson and Miss Craig, who have been engaged in town for some time on vital statistics work, were the hostesses for the evening and looked after the details of the game, the refreshments and the entertaining generally. There were four tables of whist, Miss Hazel Hartford making the highest score for the ladies and Arthur Walker for the gentlemen. The prizes awarded were a pretty sterling silver hem gauge and a nice pack of cards with case. Delicious refreshments were served and later the party gathered about the piano and enjoyed some good singing. In return for their generous thought for the young people Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher said they had one of the jolliest of good times and were royally entertained themselves.
Will Be Sadly Missed. Mrs. Nellie Carkin [nee Nancy S. Spaulding, widow of William Orin Carkin (1836-1901)] and her son Warren Carkin are mourning the loss of their Collie dog “Duke.” He had been an esteemed member of their household for over thirteen years and was a faithful and affectionate housemate. He was devoted to his master and while he was away at work was a great deal of company for Mrs. Carkin, who owing to lameness could not go about much. Duke shared all delicacies of the table and whenever his family went driving he made sure of going too, until he was unable to climb into the vehicle. The last few months he had been especially fond of another household pet, a young kitten, and it was no unusual sight before cold weather to see Duke asleep in the sunny dooryard with this small kitten perched on his back fast asleep in his shaggy coat. At the same time another cat and two parrots in the household received from him only a dignified toleration. He had suffered much the last few weeks and was put to rest Tuesday while under ether administered by Dr. Wells.
“Snowbound.” Clearing and pleasant weather was the prediction for Wednesday’s weather issued by the weather bureau. Instead of that the first hard snowstorm of the season came. People awoke in the morning to what Whittier called in his immortal Snowbound in the town hall, Westford, on Friday evening, January 30.
Kendrick Reignier, the four-weeks-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Reignier, died on Monday at the home of its grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Smith, Brookside. The burial was in Fairview cemetery on Tuesday.
Zero had its own way last week Wednesday evening and had a good time of it. So did everyone who attended the monthly sociable of the village church at West Chelmsford the same evening in charge of Mrs. William C. Edwards. The attendance was large, the program was large and everybody had a large time to be remembered. Talent from the village church, Graniteville, under the direction of Henry Smith, was the event of the evening well worth the chilly obstacles of zero conditions to glimpse it in. Among those who had good goods to sell and made good sales were the Misses Edith Edwards, Mary Anderson, Jessie McNaughton, Clara Anderson. Lowell, North Chelmsford, Westford and Graniteville were represented at the pleasures and profits of this monthly sociable.
Charles E. Walker has been spending a few days in assistance at the home of his sister, Mrs. Clara Littlefield, at Fitchburg. Mrs. Littlefield recently received a slight shock of paralysis.
Mrs. Herbert Coffin, of Berwick, Me., has been a guest recently with her uncle and aunt, Charles E. and Miss Belle Walker, at the old Walker homestead.
The farmers’ institute, which was to have been held last Wednesday at Westford, was postponed on account of the storm until Wednesday, January 28, town hall, Westford. As announced, Prof. S. T. Maynard, of Northboro, will give the address in the forenoon at 10:30 on “The growth of tree fruits,” and in the afternoon will talk on “Small fruits for the home garden.” Dinner at 12:30 by the ladies of the Congregational church. Music will be furnished by the Truant School band, of North Chelmsford. As a side show issue the following after-dinner speakers have been invited: Hon. Edward Fisher, Rep. Charles A. Kimball, Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher, Revs. David Wallace, Lyman B. Weeks, A. H. Kernahan. A humorous reader will add another phase to the day.
The next meeting of the Fortnightly club will be held at the Wright schoolhouse, Groton road, Friday evening, January 30. Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher has volunteered with his usual generous nature and will present stereopticon views of “The Panama canal—people, climate and industries.” The title of this lecture and the generosity of the speaker should fill the house to the packing point.
Mrs. James Hildreth, at Westford station, celebrated her ninety-sixth birthday anniversary on Wednesday. For many years her home with husband and family was on the cosy [sic], snug farm at the upper waters of Long Sought pond. She still preserves much of the youth of girlhood days and could give points in eyesight, ear sight and mental sight to those her junior by four score years and more. She has five children, Martha, with whom she makes her home; Mrs. J. Frank [Emma A.] Chandler, of Tyngsboro; Mrs. [Orrin N.] [Sarah R.] Clark, of Tilton, N.H.; Samuel T. Hildreth, of Lowell, and Frank H. Hildreth. Her husband died several years ago [Sept. 6, 1890].
James H. O’Brien is hauling oak logs from the Francis hill viewpoint of the Old Oaken Bucket farm to the Hugo T. Page saw mill on Keyes brook. These logs will be sawed into inch boards and used to cover blind ditches to prevent the blind from falling into them.
The Nashobah [sic] farm were exhibitors of Black Minorcas [chickens] at the recent poultry show in Boston. They were handsome birds and drew attraction if not a prize, which the writer is not informed on.
Henry A. Fletcher, of Oak hill, has gathered in six foxes and he is still gathering.
Mr. and Mrs. Loren J. Ellinwood, of West Chelmsford, are receiving congratulations on the arrival of a fine boy Sunday, January 18—Harold Winship Ellinwood by name.
The Crescent orchestra, Walter Steele manager and prompter, will furnish music for the entertainment at the town hall next Friday evening when “Red Acre farm” will be presented.
The Hugo T. Page saw mill is now sawing lumber like as though they were doing business under the “new freedom” dispensation.
When the comrades have departed,
When the veterans are no more,
When the bugle call has sounded
On the everlasting shore;
When life’s weary march is ended,
When the camp-fires slumber long,
Who will tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
Who will tell about the marching
From Atlanta to the Sea,
Who will halt, and wait, and listen
When they hear the reveille.
Who will join to swell the chorus
Of some old Grand Army song,
Who will tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
Who will talk of Appomattox
And the glory that they won
When defeat was on their banner,
Who will tell about Bull Run.
What in prison pen they suffered,
How they watched and waited long;
Who will tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
Who will tell about enlisting
Of three hundred thousand more.
How they rallied ‘round the banner,
How they sent it to the fore;
How they crushed that horde of traitors,
How they fought against the wrong.
Who will tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
Who will tell of Abraham Lincoln
When he held the wheel of state,
Who will rise to act his greatness
As the chief among the great.
Who will tell of Grant and Sherman
And the patriotic throng.
Who will tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
Will our children’s children tell it,
Will they tell about the foe
That their grandsires met in battle,
Fought so many years ago;
Will they cherish dear Old Glory,
Will they learn to love it long,
Will they tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone?
We must tell the story sisters,
Just as long as life is spared,
We must never be unmindful
What the soldier did and dared.
We must hold aloft the banner
For its splendid laurels won.
You must tell the story, sisters,
When the Boys in Blue are gone.
Sons and daughters of this nation,
You must tell of triumphs won
When on earth our work is ended
And the veteran claims his own.
You must cherish dear Old Glory
And its teachings pass along.
You must tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone.
By that flag, our country’s emblem,
You must pledge allegiance new.
To its glorious, splendid mission
May our hearts beat ever true.
That the nation will be protected
‘Gainst injustice and all wrong,
You must tell the world the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone.
You must keep each star unblemished
And its stripes without a stain,
You must take the veterans’ places
And repeat their roll of fame;
You must keep our country’s honor
And the flag above the wrong.
We will trust you with the story
When the Boys in Blue are gone.
Saturday, January 31, 1914
Once More. In obedience to the desire of my teacher and superior, V. T. E., of Littleton, I hereby reverse and revise my plans. I have taken out of the J. V. Fletcher library a standard treatise on socialism and as fast as I learn my lesson I will have him hear me recite. Please do not have me stay after school if I do not have a good lesson for I do not wish to punish the teacher more than the scholar, as was the case with poor lessons when I attended the old Stony Brook school. The writer dodged chores by after school hours and the teacher just barely dodged a late supper. Now while I am getting lessons in socialism my teacher is to hear me recite what I know about government owning and operating railroads. I have recited part of one lesson and I ought to take this opportunity to apologize for being so saucy to my teacher. (I suppose it is a return of the Stony Brook habit of school day reviews.)
The principle of “insufficiency” which everywhere abounds is not to be charged up in superabundance against the socialist party as “sinners above all others.” The worst that can be said of their attitude (except those who carry concealed, concentrated vengeance) is their attributing failure up to the attitude of government towards business conditions. In this they make a very sorry, mistaken whine. The difference between a Rockefeller and some other fellow with less rocks or no rocks, is almost wholly temperamental. Some cussed, some fail under the same tariff and the same trust busts the same Wall street money market. These failures (debarring special misfortunes) and the cause, the “insufficiency of the individual,” is well summed up by Emerson, our own beloved Emerson of the “Over soul” vision—“Too late we should have begun with their grandparents.”
But I am straying from the instructions of my teacher. “Stick to the railroads.” I am not sure as I can, so many trains are being taken off. Just for the present I am railroading in Denmark in the employ of the government who owns the railroads and operates them for the benefit of all the people, and perhaps it would be interesting to give a brief diagnosis of Denmark and its people in comparison with the United States and strike a balance and discover the reasons why you can’t have your government perform similar service for all the people, and nearly all the people are farmers.
Now teacher have you got that vital fact down. Farming is about the only “it.” Now here is another vital. Do you know of anyone who could answer right off just what the size of Denmark is? If you know of any such a scholar in school won’t you ask them to stand up and answer. Why Denmark, you little wee Denmark as a nation among the rest of creation, you are no larger than Plymouth Rock and the rest of the surface of the earth that history and everybody associates with said rock known as Massachusetts, not so large as Aroostook County, Me.
Now teacher have you got any scholar in your county who can tell without much hesitancy what the population of Denmark is, where I am now stopping? Come, come, speak up, don’t delay so. Say something if you don’t guess within six people of what the population is. Well I can’t wait any longer. I shall have to answer. The population of Denmark, teacher, is just two million and one half of another million.
Here then is a nation which doth not vary in size of territory from Massachusetts, about a fourth of an acre, and in population somewhere from one to six persons, and about all farmers. Oh my sakes alive, a government that couldn’t run railroads under such small homogeneous conditions would only be fit to be hitched up with New Zealand. Now teacher, have you any scholar that can give the diagnosis of the country where you live, called the United States? I don’t think you have and I can’t wait for you to fumble around and find one.
Now teacher hear me recite from an atlas of the world won in a speaking contest (and presented by a Littleton lady). The population of the United States varies but a little at present from 100,000,000, just about the population of Denmark you see a few hundred more. And what is the type of life of this population? (It looks as though I had turned teacher now.) Everything that has the semblance of man from ape to Emerson, just like Denmark you all see, and all home-grown product. And what is the territory of your country—3,602,990 square miles. Let Denmark represent a pinhead (small one) and the United States a wheel (large), twenty feet in diameter, and you will then see that the two nations vary but little in size.
Now if the government of the United States is going to run the railroads let us know what constitutes the government. Why the people of course. And how do they average up for judgment and honesty. See here, recently two individuals were held up for mayor of a city. One had served time in the Charles street jail. The other had an unblemished official record. And the people, the dear common people who are going to own and manage railroads said give us the Charles street jail as our style of management–$77,000,000 annually fleeced out of the people of the United States through the United States mail in the sale of gold bricks, bogus land schemes and balloon ascensions without any balloon. And these $77,000,000 swindlers are to be part of our great railroad ownership system. Tammany plunder in nearly every large city and they are to be part of this great family ownership of railroads.
God save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and if not too much trouble, dear Lord, include the United States.
–S. L. Taylor
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Houghton G. Osgood were in attendance at the Byam-Hall wedding Wednesday afternoon.
Mrs. Albert W. Heywood, who underwent a serious operation at the Lowell General hospital Thursday of last week, is now convalescing.
Next Sunday evening at the Congregational church there will be a union service with the C.E. society at which H. G. Osgood will be the leader. This next week will be observed in the denomination as “Christian Endeavor week” and it is hoped the service Sunday evening will be both reminiscent and enthusiastic. The following Friday evening a special C.E. social is being planned for.
Will E. Wright has his big Universal auto truck repaired and back in commission after repairs and adjustment with the insurance people.
Mr. and Mrs. Abiel J. Abbot went this week to Florida and other Southern points to spend the next few weeks. John Abbot accompanied them for a shorter stay.
Party. Mrs. William R. Carver entertained a very pleasant party of about forty friends at her home last Saturday afternoon. Progressive whist was enjoyed during the afternoon. Mrs. Harold W. Hildreth attained the highest score, and a prize, consisting of a handsome leather writing case was awarded. The consolation prize went to Miss Edna Ferguson, a fine bottle of lavender smelling salts to revive drooping spirits. There were nine tables of whist and at the conclusion of the game delicious refreshments of ice cream, cake and coffee were served. A number of guests were present from out of town. A real January thaw was in progress and with the amount of snow the village streets were pretty bad for walking, and not the least enjoyable feature was Mrs. Carver’s thoughtfulness in having guests transferred to and from the party in a big two-horse sled.
Tadmuck Club. A good musical number in the Tadmuck club calendar always proves a drawing number. This was the case Tuesday afternoon when a good-sized audience of members and guests gathered to enjoy the delightful recital given by the ladies’ Titanic orchestra of Lowell, assisted by Mrs. Lahey, contralto soloist, also of Lowell. The orchestra consists of Miss Mary B. Raynes, cello, and who is instructor of music in our schools. Miss Mildred Brennan, violinist, and Miss Harriet Mansur, pianist. These ladies gave a fine program of varied range and scope interspersed with songs by Mrs. Lahey, who has a rich and pleasing voice. Her rendering of “The fairy pipers” was a gem of song not soon forgotten.
At the close of the program club tea was served in charge of Miss Edith Forster, chairman of the program committee, and a social hour enjoyed.
At the business session notices of the mid-winter meeting of the state Federation at Dorchester, February 6, was given and several others. Also, a work for our club was proposed in compiling and preserving in some suitable way pictures of old houses and other historic subjects. The subject was discussed with some enthusiasm and it was voted that a committee be chosen by the executive board, said committee to report at the annual meeting.
Action Postponed. Much justifiable apprehension has been felt by our residents over the prospect of discontinuance of our socalled first train in the morning and also the noon train on the Stony Brook railroad. It is relief to know that this will not happen for the present anyway. The arrangement for a hearing before the Public Services commission has been cancelled. Postmaster Sherman H. Fletcher has received the following communication under date of January 23:
Postmaster, Westford, Mass.
I am today in receipt of a communication from Gen’l Supt. Tyter of the Boston and Maine R.R., in which he advises me that there was some thought of discontinuing trains 807 and 814 between Lowell and Ayer, but action has been indefinitely postponed.
Will you kindly advise the patrons of your office who were interested in the matter.
–F. D. Johnson, Superintendent
Obituary. It brought sadness to her many friends in this village when it became known Thursday [Jan. 29] that Miss Miranda G. Luce had died, but withal a thankfulness to those who realized how ill she was that release had come from “a prison house of pain.”
Mr. Craig’s regiment was a part of General Hooker’s old brigade and took part in the siege of Yorktown and in the battle of Williamsburg. In the latter engagement he received a flesh wound in the hip and his captain was killed. Following General Magruder up the Peninsula the regiment took part in the engagements of White House Landing, Fair Oaks, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Chapin’s Farm and Malvern Hill. After the latter battle the regiment encamped at Harrison’s Landing. They fought the second battle of Malvern Hill in the following July and afterwards went to Alexandria and Warrentown Junction.
The noted southern general, Stonewall Jackson, was the next object of attack, the result being the battle of Kettle Run, which was the next battle fought. Mr. Craig lost his right arm in the second battle of Bull Run, a confederate shell cutting off the hand and wrist. Using a knotted handkerchief he checked the flow of blood and went to the rear. The surgeons being too busy at the time to attend to him a rebel prisoner bound up the limb using cloth torn from his own clothing. Mr. Craig spent some time in a hospital at Washington and later went to Annapolis, where his arm was amputated above the elbow.
Leaving the hospital on November 10, 1862, he returned to his home, which was then at Clinton. He had changed so much during his service that for a time he was not recognized by his family. He re-enlisted in July, 1863, in the 99th Company of the Second Battalion of the Veteran Reserve Corps. The corps consisted entirely of men who had lost an arm or a leg in the service and its members were designed for garrison duty.
Their first duty came when the riots of New York city and Boston broke out. In Boston they were obliged to use their swords from the northern railroad station to the barracks on Beach street and the Cooper street armory where they saved the government’s arms and ammunition from falling into the hands of the rioters. Later they went to Alexandria, Va., where they performed provost duty for three months.
Mr. Craig was mustered out at his own request on February 24, 1864. Through the assistance of President Lincoln he then secured a position as messenger in the war department, being mounted and detailed as orderly to Captain Barker at Savannah, acting quartermaster and was in Savannah when a portion of General Johnson’s troops came in to surrender.
Mr. Craig came north soon afterward and joined his folks, who were then living at Westford. Mr. Craig, as will be seen from the foregoing, has a particularly fine record in his country’s service. He is a past commander of the local Grand Army post.