The Westford Wardsman, May, 1909
Saturday, May 1, 1909
Centre. A fine large sign reading William E. Frost school has been placed across the front of the new school building recently, which plainly and fitly labels it.
A group of girls, about a dozen in all, the members of Mrs. Houghton G. Osgood’s Sunday school class, met at the home of Miss Hilda Isles with the object of forming a girls’ club. Only the preliminaries were discussed at this gathering, and the meeting closed with a pleasant social. There were games and singing, piano duets and solos and Mrs. Isles served refreshments to her little daughter’s guests.
The ladies of the W.C.T.U. are making arrangements to entertain the county convention at the Congregational church, Thursday, May 20.
Henry A. Bunce of Chelmsford is building a summer cottage on the sightly slope of Providence hill on his father’s farm.
Harry Prescott has been spending a few days at his boyhood home in this village.
Miss Sarah W. Loker was a guest last week at the Wm. A. Perkins home in Grafton.
Miss Mary Sargent and Miss Gertrude Craven were guests with Mrs. Henry Hildreth at the Tadmuck club Tuesday.
Miss Emily F. Fletcher supplemented the two long papers with a brief account of the park system of greater Boston.
Mr. and Mrs. Wells who have been spending the winter with their son, Dr. O. V. Wells, returned to their home in northern Vermont Saturday of last week.
Firemen’s Meeting. The board of fire engineers, consisting of Capt. S. H. Fletcher, Albert R. Choate and John Edwards, met at the town hall last week Thursday evening for the purpose of working out a harmonious and well understood course of action in case of fire. The captains and lieutenants of the three hose companies were also present. To prevent conflict of authority it was decided that the fire engineers will act only in the water district and the firewards to attend fires in buildings outside the water district, the forest fireward and his deputies to attend all forest fires.
The public should take notice that they should not call upon the hose companies outside of the water districts. While they may be willing and have responded to such calls it is the duty of these other mentioned officers to attend these fires. Attention to such fires falls by law to these officers.
A change in the by-laws was made so that the Edward M. Abbot hose company, No. 1, should hold their annual meeting the first Tuesday in May, instead of the first Monday, and the Albert R. Choate company, No. 2, the first Monday evening in May, instead of the first Tuesday evening.
The engineers are to equip the three hose wagons with gongs.
Tadmuck Club. It was the annual meeting of the Tadmuck club for its fourth season of work together Tuesday afternoon. The club has never had but one president, and with a good attendance of members with all voting every ballot was for Miss Loker. Miss Loker, who has directed the club with such tactful efficiency during its several seasons, thanked the members for all loyalty and helpfulness. Mrs. B. H. Bailey, who has also served the club as vice-president since its beginning, declined renomination and Miss Ella F. Hildreth was elected in her place. Mrs. Wm. A. Woodward succeeds Mrs. L. W. Wheeler, who has been the club’s secretary and treasurer for two years.
The program for the afternoon was, “Boston; its historical points of interest and its present day attractions,” in charge of Mrs. B. H. Bailey. Mrs. Bailey was unable to be present, having been called away by the death of a relative, but left the excellent program she had secured in charge of Miss Emily F. Fletcher. Miss Clara Smith gave a paper on “Historic Boston,” choosing out of a wealth of material, an interesting group of subjects, told with characteristic, clear-cut good sense.
Mrs. Harriet Sargent Hildreth presented the second paper, “Modern Boston.” With a preliminary sketch of many attractions, Mrs. Hildreth confined the remainder of her paper to Copley square, giving accounts of beautiful Trinity church, the art museum and the public library, particularly of the latter. The paper was so smoothly written and well presented that it could only be the result of much thorough and patient research, and was heartily appreciated by the members.
About Town. If you are not too busy prying open the frozen ground to plant, try and remember and attend the next meeting of Middlesex North Pomona at Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge st., Lowell, on Friday, May 7, and also carry this thought around with you, that for your special benefit, who are trying to rush nature long before she has got through her freezing up and thawing out premeditations, there will be an afternoon and evening session only, so that you can have the forenoon to give nature the usual rush thrust that you are ready for business, and kindly hint to her to clear the track of frozen ground for the race. In the evening you certainly can’t rush the race unless you borrow Amos Polley’s new and handsome rainbow headlight.
The annual Parish meeting of the Unitarian society will be held at the vestry of the church this evening, Saturday, May 1, at eight o’clock. There are seven articles in the warrant, which is directed to Abiel J. Abbot, clerk of the parish and is signed by H. V. Hildreth, W. H. H. Burbeck, Edward Fisher, assessors of first parish.
The Enterprise club at its Sunday evening meeting reviewed the life and writings of Robert Louis Stevenson [1850-1894]. Miss Mabel Miller led the meeting. Contributions were most appropriately given by Mrs. H. B. Hall, Miss Gertrude Bartlett, Miss Edith Babbitt, Miss Grace Bennett and Miss Gertrude Hamlin. Rev. B. H. Bailey illuminated the subject as he read in his clear emphatic manner selections from the writings of Stevenson.
This afternoon and evening, May 1, at the town hall, the children of the Frost school will give an entertainment for the benefit of a piano fund. The grange orchestra will furnish music for the benefit of those who can’t keep their feet still. Now you surely won’t forget to come. This will be a financial saving to you, over a subscription list. You are bound to be caught in one, for the children know how it is done, so make preparations to come out from your hiding place and help along the cause of music that hath charms to soothe the savage breast. at one time president of Wellesley college. Appropriate selections were read by Miss Edith Babbitt, Miss Gertrude Bartlett, Miss Beatrice Sutherland, Miss Ruth Miller, Miss Gertrude Hamlin, Miss Mabel Miller and Miss Grace Bennett. These were followed by Rev. B. H. Bailey in his usual comprehensive survey of individual influences.
Twelve persons were present Wednesday afternoon at the meeting of the W.C.T.U. at the residence of Mrs. Emery J. Whitney on Main st. The meeting was largely devoted to arranging plans for the W.C.T.U. county convention, which will meet in Westford, Thursday, May 20, the program of which will be ready for publication next week.
Frank F. Johnson has been appointed mail carrier, temporarily, in place of Charles E. Whidden, deceased. The United States government has called for sealed proposals for carrying the mail from Westford station to Westford Center. Blanks for sealed proposals can be obtained of Postmaster Fletcher. All bids must be in by May 10.
An adjourned as well as regular monthly meeting of the Spaulding light cavalry association will be held at the armory of the company, Saturday afternoon and evening, May 15. At this meeting the report of the committee on making arrangements for the annual reunion will be presented for consideration. As this will be an important meeting let us trust some nearby members will not always exemplify human life as if [of?] old, who when asked to go work in the vineyard today, answered “I go sir,” and went not. [Matthew 21:30]
Rev. C. P. Marshall and Charles O. Prescott attended the Tuesday evening lecture by a black-colored individual at Littleton.
Forge. The teachers of Cameron school held a very successful dancing party in Abbot’s hall last Friday evening. A large number were present from North Chelmsford, Littleton and Graniteville. Icecream and cake were served during intermission. Music was furnished by Miss Sarah Precious, piano and James H. Brown, violin. Quite a sum of money was realized which will be used for purchasing pictures for the school. The following teachers were in charge of the affair: Miss Letitia N. Ward, manager, Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell, Miss Mary A. Garvey, Miss Jantzen, assistants.
John Britko, a Pole, while at work in Abbot’s mills last Saturday afternoon had the first finger of his right hand cut off at the second joint. He was taken to his home in Graniteville, where Dr. O. V. Wells dressed the injured member.
The Iroquois of Lowell played the Forge Village Lions on the home grounds last Saturday afternoon and were defeated by the score of 10 to 4. The features of the game were the excellent battery work of the Spinner brothers and the heavy hitting of Fred Clement. Albert Turner, a new member, put up a fine game on first base and there was fine fielding by Dumont.
Sunday school will commence at St. Andrew’s Mission Sunday afternoon at 3:30. Services will be at 4:30, the usual hour, and will be conducted by Rev. T. L. Fisher, the pastor.
Abbot & Co. are erecting three double houses on Pond St. P. H. Harrington of Graniteville has the contract for carpenter work.
The ladies’ sewing circle met Thursday afternoon, with Mrs. Geo. L. Sanborn. A large number were present.
Mrs. Geo. Cougle is very sick with acute rheumatism and tonsillitis. Dr. Cyril A. Blaney is attending her.
Mrs. Clarence Handy of Worcester was the guest of her aunt, Miss Ellen Comey, the past week.
Fennimore Morton has moved into the house vacated by Herbert Wadleigh.
About Town. [p. 2] Hiram Dane gave a party and reception last week Thursday evening at his home on the Dunstable road, in honor of his daughter, Miss Josie Dane, who has recently returned from California, where she has been for several years. She will spend the summer in town. About twenty-five or thirty were registered in the reception party. The invited served music for refreshments, the receiver served food for refreshments, and thus was dual man provided for.
Rev. George H. Young, a former pastor of the Unitarian church [1866-72], was seriously injured in Boston while walking on the sidewalk, by being knocked down and run over by an auto cab. Several ribs were broken, back injured and a general derangement of the plan, by which the human body conducts business, to the extent that he was picked up in an unconscious condition. The accident was caused by the chauffeur using the wrong lever.
Henry Fletcher of Greenfield was in town recently visiting relatives and friends. He will long be remembered by the older citizens as the sexton of the Unitarian church, “In the days of auld lang syne.” Those were the days when the old bell in the ancient belfry rang a ring with vim, chiming forth like a Sabbath hymn, and it was “him” who carried about with him the understanding how to do it. This peculiar tact of knowing just how is not contagious; it has had no previous, it has had no since.
James H. O’Brien on the Stony Brook road, while he has been attending to some light work on the farm since his recent illness, is gradually having a relapse, and present indications seem to be forebodings of another surgical operation. Mary, the oldest girl, is still suffering from internal trouble in both ears, and by advice of medical authority has changed environments.
Mrs. Theodore H. Hamblett at Brookside celebrated her eighty-third year of sunrise and sunset last Saturday. These long years are induced to some degree in harmony with the summing up of life by the poet:
He liveth long who liveth well,
All else is life but flung away;
He liveth longest who can tell
Of true things truly done each day.
Walter J. Merritt has bought the True A. Bean place on Depot st. This is to serve as a tenement for his hired help.
With peas budded to blow, sweet corn ready to hoe, potatoes so you can see the row and rye waving for some one to mow, and planting not half through, how pleasantly aggravating the thought frequently expressed “Oh, why so slow,” some of you farmers down around in the valley where the Stony Brook crooks to clear itself of the overhanging skunk cubbage [sic, cabbage?].
John A. Taylor has been and is now looking over the wheat fields in Ohio to see what there is to harvest.
Fares Raised. We are here in Westford now being treated to an equity in burden-bearing, wherein the inhabitants in one village ride four miles for five cents, and another village rides two and one-half miles for fifteen cents. (I should say that is the price, but they don’t ride.) Our forefathers threw the tea overboard in Boston harbor because of unjust taxation. That tax was not as discriminating or unjust as the present tax, carfare rate of fifteen cents from Westford to Brookside, only two and one-half miles. It is doubtful if such unjustifiable discrimination can be paralleled in the history of railroading in the United State of America, and if we have got left even a mild and diluted remnant of the grit of our forefathers we will rise and occupy our innate rights and if we can’t find any tea to throw overboard, we can at least find out who is going to be Jonah [Jonah 1:17] and who is going to be whale, all the time.
The town has been domineeringly insulted by not being consulted in changes long enough. Car service is discontinued and tariff rates rise in the twinkling of your eyes. When any one with half the financial wisdom of the prodigal son (and that wasn’t much) could easily discern that there was no way the revenue of the road could be increased so much, and preserve honor and peace, as by a six-cent fare to all patrons of the road. Who ever heard in all the annals of finance of such a scheme to increase revenues. But halt, you have played this game once too much. Your blundersome, cumbersome, extravagant road-building debt is not all going to be collected in 15-cent fares out of the citizens of Westford, who would have saved you thousands of dollars if you had taken their advice in building the road. Yes, halt it is, and the selectmen have petitioned the railroad commissioners for a hearing. If they decide that a discriminating fare is the way to equalize burdens, then we shall all feel at least better towards each other, you in running empty cars, and the town in having tried to remove the bars.
Center. The children and young people in the village are reminded that the old law about riding bicycles on the sidewalks is not obsolete. Bicycles are not used as much as formerly and consequently the old rule is not brought to public attention as much, but the pedestrian’s rights to the sidewalks come first and the bicyclists’ second. When the swift, silent steeds come up from behind an aged person, or one a little deaf may not happen to dodge in the direction expected, then there is trouble. A cheerful acquiescence to the spirit rather than the letter of the law is what the older people would appreciate.
Bertram E. Cass of Boston is spending two weeks at the home of his sister, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland.
Miss Jeanette Sutherland and her friend, Miss Brown, were over Sunday guests of her grandparents [parents, per 1900 census] Mr. and Mrs. William Sutherland.
A farmers’ institute will be held by Middlesex North Pomona grange at Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge st., Lowell, Friday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. This will be an open meeting and a large attendance is desired. Prof. F. C. Sears, professor of pomology [science of fruits and fruit growing] at Massachusetts Agricultural college at Amherst, will give his lecture on “Spraying materials and apparatus.”
As a revenue producer the action of the Lowell and Fitchburg electric railroad in raising the fare between Westford and Brookside to fifteen cents each way is a distinct failure, as an almost complete boycott of the cars prevails. There is a full revival of the old-time methods of leaving town—a procession of pedestrians and carriages to and from Westford depot. The railroad commissioners have granted a hearing for Tuesday, May 25, when it is up to the citizens to go to Boston and show that such a raise of fare is a prohibitory rate and unjustifiable.
Black bases, red bodies and white caps make our village hydrants with their new coat of paint, conspicuous, to say the least.
Sunday evening Rec. C. P. Marshall continued his series of sermons on “The sacraments of life,” taking play and recreation as the special topics, giving a practical and sensible talk.
Rev. C. P. Marshall and Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler attended the session of the Massachusetts Association of Congregational churches at Park st. church, Boston, on Wednesday.
We were glad to welcome at church Sunday as out-of-town guests Miss Abbie Cutter of Littleton, visiting her aunt, Mrs. J. B. Fletcher; Miss Maria Bunce, visiting her brother, Augustus Bunce; Miss Florence Joliffe, visiting at the Osgoods; and Miss Janet Scott visiting her sister, Mrs. John Wilson.
The ladies’ degree staff of Westford grange rehearsed Monday evening, preparatory to their visit to Concord grange June 1, where they are to confer the third degree upon a class of candidates.
Some are expecting to attend the second annual convention of the Lowell Christian Endeavor union at the First Congregational church, Lowell, Saturday, May 22. Sessions at 2:30 and seven p.m.
There are rumors of a conveyance of the real estate near the Congregational church, belonging to H. O. Keyes, to the Ayer home for children in Lowell, they to use the present dwelling as a cook-house and the old academy as a dormitory in the summer. This will remove old landmarks, the blacksmith and harness shops, etc.
The Middlesex County convention of the W.C.T.U. was held at the Congregational church, Thursday and was a well-attended and profitable session.
“Nicholas Nickleby”, a much-prized pet parrot that has been in the Hiram Whitney family for many years, escaped from its care-taker, Miss Sarah Rogers, housekeeper for H. M. Wright, Saturday. Consternation reigned in the neighborhood for a while and a general out-turn of the people in the vicinage resulted after a while in finding the valuable bird on the Fisher lawn, where Miss Rogers easily captured it.
Graniteville. Thursday, May 20, being the feast of the Ascension, mass was celebrated in St. Catherine’s church in the morning at 7:30 o’clock. In the evening the May devotions were held in the same church at the usual hour.
The amateur farmers in this vicinity have now commenced operations and intend to show a good display of garden truck during the coming summer. The crops last season were very small owing to the unusually dry weather, but better results are predicted for this year.
Court Graniteville, F. of A., held its regular meeting on last Thursday night.
Mrs. Noah P. Shipley of Tyngsboro and Mrs. Robert Clark of Manchester, N.H., were recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Choate in this village.
Miss Inez George, the well known vocalist, who formerly resided here, but who is now located in Portland, Me., with her parents visited friends in this village this week.
Miss Blanche Loftus of Lowell has been a recent visitor here.
An Enjoyable Evening. The many friends of Miss Josie Dane, who has been absent in California for the past six years, assembled at her home in North Westford on last Thursday evening, the occasion being the nature of a welcome home party. Miss Dane is extremely popular in this locality and her many former schoolmates and friends were very much pleased for the opportunity to extend the glad hand of welcome, and spend the evening in renewing old friendship and early reminiscences of the happy days spent at her girlhood home near Long-Sought-For pond. The merry party that numbered over forty spent the evening very pleasantly in fun, music and song, and all present entered into the spirit of the affair as though it were one large family gathering instead of a mutual meeting of friends, some of whom had not seen each other for many years. Guests were present from Lowell, Nashua, Dunstable and Tyngsboro, besides those present in the immediate vicinity.
Both Miss Dane and her genial father, Hiram Dane, kept everyone interested at all times and the whole affair was very enjoyable. During the evening refreshments were served, and before the departure of the guests “Auld lang syne” was sung by the entire company.
Baseball. The Iola baseball club of Middlesex visited here on last Saturday afternoon and met with defeat at the hands of the Graniteville Blues by the score of 9 to 1. The game was well played throughout, and the locals won mainly through their ability to bat hard when hits meant runs. Tom McCarthy was on the firing line for the Blues and was well supported behind the bat by Ledwith, whose timely hitting was a factor in scoring many of the runs for the winning side. The Graniteville boys presented a good strong lineup on last Saturday, and as it is the intention of the management to keep the present team intact as far as possible, some interesting games are looked for in the Stony Brook league, of which the Graniteville Blues are a part. As the schedule of games in this league has not been made out as yet, it is not known at the present writing just who the local club will have for opponents this Saturday, although a game is certain on the home grounds here, with possibly some team from Lowell. Harry Hartford of Westford umpired last Saturday and gave general satisfaction.
About Town. [p. 5] The Edwin E. Heywood farm on the Chamberlain road was sold Thursday afternoon at auction to Maj. Edward J. Noyes of Lowell for $3050. The purchaser will be remembered as a former city marshal of Lowell, and is at present a corporate detective. It is also rumored that he purchased the farm for ex-police officer James A. Hadley, who has a financial interest in the place.
At a meeting of the grange Thursday evening a resolution was unanimously passed setting forth the grievances and injustice of the discrimination in the recent 15-cent raise in fare from Westford to Brookside, and unreliable car service even at that bill of fare on the Lowell and Fitchburg railway. Said resolution is to be presented at the hearing before the railroad commissioners next Tuesday and Rev. Charles P. Marshall was chosen to represent the grange.
A Jersey calf belonging to William Pollock was killed by a freight train on the Stony Brook road near Westford station, Wednesday morning. Game warden, Mills of Ayer, was called to see if it was not a deer. If it had been it might be dear work for the railroad, on account of the law against killing deer, don’t you know.
The Maurice Dailey farm was sold at auction Tuesday to C. H. Hinckley of Lowell for $900. It is to be fitted up and renovated for a summer resort. The farm is on the Tyngsboro road near the town line and the last farm in town but one going towards Tyngsboro.
George A. Kimball of Parkerville has an acre of field corn up and it has been up for some time. So there now, you farmers in the Stony Brook valley are not the whole show and go, after all.
The ballgame last Saturday on the ball grounds at Westford station between Westford academy and Chelmsford high school was won by the latter by a score of 4 to 3, a close game and exciting work. The Westford A.A. team will open the season with a game on the above field, on Decoration day, Monday, May 31. The game will be called in season to close for the exercises of Decoration day at the town hall. Just who they will be matched up against is not quite clear at present. You know we have been having lots of cloudy weather.
Eugene Ward as collector of milk for A. G. Boynton, has been awarded leave of absence, not returnable, and Walter Coney of Germany sometime during the ancestral line of ascent, has been appointed the reins of collectorship.
Saturday, May 29, 1909
About Town. [p. 1] S. L. Taylor had peas in blossom May 27. This means peas for dinner June 10, two days earlier than e’er before and all those farmers in the Stony Brook valley who have been in this contest and are now beaten, he invites to dine on green peas on the above date. But don’t be too hungry, for he is likely to have more sympathy for you than peas. Get ready for next spring’s contest.
The early morning feature of Memorial day will be a ball game at railroad park near Westford station between the Westford team and the Mathews of Lowell, who have the reputation of being the fastest team in this vicinity, and the Westford boys have got to get one of their old-time movements with a high and elastic spring to it, to get round before the experienced from Lowell do. The game will be called at nine a.m., and finish in season for the exercises at the hall.
The Middlesex Northwest conference of Unitarian and other Christian churches will hold its spring meeting with the old historic church in Chelmsford Wednesday, June 2. The morning address will be given by Prof. Chandler of Boston on “Some economic problems of the country church.”
The school committee have appointed John A. Taylor to take the school census.
The Railroad Hearing. The selectmen, town counsel and a liberal number of representative citizens of the town attended the hearing in Boston before the railroad commissioners last Tuesday, in a remonstrance against the rise in fare from Westford to Brookside. Edward Fisher, counsel for the town, opened the case for the remonstrants, and gave a clear and comprehensive statement of the history of the electric railway company from its franchise until the present time. From this review it appears that the railway company have done as they pleased; they have kept promises and broken promises and changed plans as it suited them, not as it suited the town. The main line was planned to go through Westford Center. This they failed to fulfill. Then down the Groton road let us go, and we will take care of Westford Center by building a spur from Graniteville and another spur from the Groton road to Brookside. This they failed to fulfill. What next? Let us out of the spur from Graniteville up to the center and we will take care of you by extending the spur from Brookside up to the center. And the town let them off, and after a good many efforts at lassoing them they were finally tamed into a manageable condition and reluctantly fulfilled this last agreement, and to pay the citizens of Westford for enforcing this agreement they raise the fare to a point that is higher than any thing in the state; hence this hearing to remonstrate.
Lawyer Brooks opened for the company and admitted that a 15-cent fare was exorbitant, but that it was done as an experiment to show that the company could not run either on a 5-cent, 10-cent or 15-cent fare to Westford and live. But the spur line as a whole he did not show and now as ever Brookside is considered as a terminal. He further stated that the company was willing to return to a 10-cent fare and perhaps lower, but the company could not consider a 6-cent fare on the whole line. It would not be just to the mill help in the villages, as a 5-cent fare is their opportunity for pleasure and recreation.
In so far as the company is unable to pay its fixed charges they have the sympathy of all patrons of the branch line and elsewhere, and this misfortune is not to be sneeringly charged against them in so far as this cripples them in efficiency. But this doesn’t seem to be a valid excuse for taxing the citizens of Westford a fare in excess treble what it is on any other part of the line, or in the state for distance, nor does it excuse discourteous treatment, or refusing a free and open hearing before the citizens, rather than this spirit to take your 15-cent fare on a twenty-four hours’ notice. Why single out the citizens of Westford? This question has been asked many times and never answered. Are we such a high and mighty people, or so isolated that the outside world have to be charged fifteen cents to get a peep at us? It is true we are worth looking at even at that price of admission.
Forge. Owing to the rain Saturday afternoon the game between the Forge Village Lions and the Iolas of Middlesex was called off.
Memorial exercises were held at Cameron school Friday as follows: Miss Jantzen’s rooms at 1:30 p.m., Miss Blaisdell’s from 1:30 to two; Miss Ward’s and Miss Garvey’s, united, from two to 2:30, after which a line of march was formed to Westlawn cemetery where the graves of soldiers were decorated.
Dr. and Mrs. Raddin of Chelsea were in town Sunday at Mr. Willett’s cottage, which they have engaged for the season.
The members of the L.S.C. met with Mrs. R. D. Prescott Thursday afternoon. Much work was accomplished and Mrs. Prescott served a lunch of icecream and cake, after which a short time was spent in a pleasant social.
Loyal Self Help lodge, I.O.O.F., M.U., will attend the memorial services of Loyal Nashobah lodge in Littleton Sunday, May 30. The barge will leave the square at one o’clock. Members who would like to attend are requested to be on time so that no delay will be made in starting.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Harlow and son, returning from Riverside, Cal., where they spent the winter, to their home Ft. Fairfield, Me., made a short call on his cousin, W. E. Parsons, Monday. Mr. Harlow has purchased a large orange grove in Riverside and intends returning as soon as he disposes of his farm at Ft. Fairfield, liking the warm and genial climate of California better than the cold one of Aroostook county.
Alvin Bennett and sister, Mrs. Mary Drake, started Tuesday for Weyauwega, Wis., for a visit to his old home.
Mrs. A. W. Carkin is confined to the house with a severe attack of muscular rheumatism.
Mrs. James Berry and daughter, Mrs. George Nussy, and Mrs. Walter Teele of Lawrence were calling upon old acquaintances Wednesday night.
About Town. [p. 2] John A. Taylor, who was looking over the wheat fields of Ohio, last week, has returned home. He reports the harvest prospects good and secured his prospective share, having accepted the position of instructor of public speaking at Miami university, Oxford, Ohio. This is the oldest college west of the Allegheny mountains. It will celebrate its one hundredth anniversary in June.
A. H. Reed has moved from Cambridge into the O’Brien cottage on the Providence road. He is a relative of C. A. Reed, near Harmon’s corner. He has several children, the oldest boy is ill with tuberculosis.
The Enterprise club held its usual Sunday evening meeting in the vestry of the Unitarian church. Although the number present was based on the principle of “Where two or three are gathered together,”[Matthew 18:20] the quality of the meeting was grandly large and inspiring. The subject of the evening was “Books.” Miss Gertrude Hamlin read a well poised and original paper on the value of good books, with special emphasis on the bible. Rev. B. H. Bailey encouragingly alluded to the variety of knowledge that could be derived from studying the bible, history, poetry, government, religion. Short and appropriate quotations were read by Miss May Balch, Miss Gertrude Fletcher, Miss Grace Bennett, Miss Mabel Miller, Mrs. H. B. Hall and Frank Johnson.
Middlesex North Pomona grange will hold a farmers’ institute, Friday evening, June 4, at Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge st., Lowell. The address will be given by Prof. Sears of Amherst agricultural college, subject, “Spraying fruit trees; best apparatus and method.” The lecture will be illustrated and demonstrated. Wide open to the public.
Heavy frosts were reported in various parts of the town Tuesday night, mostly in the low lands in the south and west. The shock was not felt in the Stony Brook valley, and those early peas and sweet corn, still continue to wave “O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”
Much to the regret of all, Mrs. Bryant the organist at the Unitarian church, resigned her position last Sunday. She has proved an exceptionally affable choir director and organist. She resigns this position on account of changing her residence from Lowell to Chicago.
A successful food sale, strawberry and other temptations was held at the house of Mrs. Abiel J. Abbot, Thursday afternoon. The proceeds go towards repairs and improvements on the interior of the Unitarian church.
A Large Order. Our over-busy citizen Daniel H. Sheehan is double-decked busy just at present, having received an order from the state for 15,000,000 yards of burlap in behalf of the gypsy moth industry. This seems like a large order for the size of a one-horse water power and a one-man power. In addition to this Mr. Sheehan has come in possession for debt of 19,000 acres of land in Maine, covered with timber, trout brooks, ponds and lakes, band sawmills. Just at present he is busy tearing down the old wooden mill on Tadmuck brook, which was erected over forty years ago by Joshua Decatur. The building has neither been shingled, painted, whitewashed or carpeted since it was built. For all this it didn’t leak enough last summer to raise good crops.
This old building has been occupied for various industries by various parties; first by the owner as a carpenter shop, next by Waldron Bros. of Nelson, N.H., for a wheel-wright shop, followed by James Barney of North Chelmsford, who continued the wheel industry. There being too much wheeling for the amount of water-wheeling power to make wheels with, he departed on a wheel for elsewhere. For a few years Hamblett & Brown of Brookside and West Chelmsford opened it as a studio for painting, confined mostly to wagons, sleighs and wheel-barrows, then True A. Bean of Westford believed there was money in wheels and he started in to demonstrate it, but he didn’t make enough to—well, never mind, guess at it. After a lapse of useful idleness for a season, Fisher & Fifield started in to make brackets, and continued to do so without any racket, until the firm was dissolved by an active law of nature with cemetery proceedings.
The present owner, Mr. Sheehan, is about to make extensive improvements in the water power; a new cement dam eight feet high, with flowage back to Main st. So get off your huckleberry bushes and cranberry tops before the deluge of modern manufactory leaveth not even a green twig for a dove, as in the ancient flood [Genesis 8:10-11]. The land to be moistened by this enterprise includes land of John Haley, C. R. P. Decatur and Charles E. Miller.
Center. The J. V. Fletcher library will not be open Sunday noon as usual. Both churches being closed, it seemed unnecessary.
Married in New York, April 18, J. S. Nathan and Mrs. Mary Meldrum. Mr. Nathan is Mrs. J. Henry Colburn’s father.
Miss Elizabeth Cushing of the Frost school had for a guest on Sunday her father, Charles D. Cushing of Southboro.
George M. Balch is at his father’s home, completing the tedious convalescence from typhoid, with which he was so ill in Manchester.
Cyrus Hosmer of Wakefield has been a visitor in town this past week, spending part of the time with his granddaughter, Mrs. W. J. Merritt, and the latter part with his daughter, Mrs. W. M. Wright.
Robert S. Young from Arlington has taken up his permanent residence with Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Merritt.
Roadmaster Frank E. Miller, and his men have, during the week, been putting the village streets in fine order previous to Memorial day.
Miss Perham at the Luce homestead is taking a week’s vacation, and Mrs. Jane Brow is staying with Miss Luce during her absence.
Additional notices have been posted calling for bids for carrying the mail between Westford depot and the center of the town. Only one was received previously and that considered too high for consideration.
Mrs. Donald M. Cameron entertained a group of Lowell friends with whist at her home Thursday afternoon of last week.
At a meeting of the school board held at the town hall, Friday evening, May 21, the following teachers were elected for next year for the center: Wm. E. Frost school, Miss Ruth Fisher, principal, Miss M. L. Grant and Miss Elizabeth Cushing; assistant at the high school, Miss Gertrude E. Bartlett; teacher of drawing, Mr. Brackett; supervisor of music, Miss Mollie Raynes of Chelmsford.
Rev. C. P. Marshall’s subject for the morning discourse at the Congregational church Sunday morning was on “Prayer,” and in the evening “What it means to be a Christian,” with good attendance at both services. At the Wednesday evening service Miss S. W. Loker lead the meeting, with “Missionary heroes of the far north,” for a subject, speaking specially of missionary work in Alaska. The ladies missionary society of this church met with Mrs. John B. Fletcher Thursday afternoon with a good attendance.
Memorial Exercises. The union memorial service will be held with the church at Graniteville, Sunday. All the churches in town will unite in this service and Rev. Philip Armand, pastor of the Graniteville church, will deliver the sermon. The choirs of our two village churches are practicing to make the musical part of the service one of excellence. Revs. B. H. Bailey and C. P. Marshall will have part in the conduct of the service.
Monday the veterans and Sons of Veterans will assemble at the town hall and march to Fairview cemetery accompanied by the Nashua military band of twenty-five pieces.
The program for the exercises at the town hall promises to be exceedingly good. The Arian quartet of Lowell, which has sung so acceptably at former occasions of this kind, has been engaged. This well-known quartet is as follows; Miss Lillian Salmon soprano; Harry Hopkins, tenor; Mrs. F. D. Roberts, contralto; James E. Donelly, bass. Hon. Herbert Fletcher will deliver the address and John A. Taylor will read, and there will be selections by the band.
Dinner will be served in the lower hall at noon, at the conclusion of the exercises, in charge of caterer, Fred A. Smith, with the following menu: sirloin roast beef, boiled ham, boiled tongue, mashed potatoes, peas, rolls, doughnuts, cheese, fancy pies, cake, coffee, icecream and fruit.
In the afternoon the Nashua military band will give a concert on the common from two to four.
Grange. The meeting of the grange at the town hall last week Thursday evening was one of profit and pleasure, with its large attendance and good program.
Charles M. Gardner, lecturer of the Massachusetts state grange and member of the legislature, was the speaker of the evening. He has won many friends in this grange and his address Thursday evening was full of interest and good sense to his hearers. It was bright and optimistic to a degree, and dwelt upon the unity of the order and its mission of helpfulness and hopefulness to old and young members alike. A hearty vote of thanks was extended to Mr. Gardner at the close of the evening for his excellent address.
The grange orchestra gave some good selections which were heartily encored, and there were songs by E. G. Boynton and Mrs. John McIntosh. A farce which was given by the ladies during the winter at the Congregational vestry was repeated by special request. It was bright and witty, and pointed an excellent lesson for accuracy in repeating statements. The name of the play was “How the story grew,” and was presented by the following cast: Mrs. David L. Greig, Mrs. Alvin Nelson, Mrs. Wm. A. Woodward, Mrs. Joseph E. Knight, Mrs. L. W. Wheeler, Miss Elizabeth Cushing and Miss Martha Grant.
At the business session W. M. Wright and E. G. Boynton were appointed a committee of two to make arrangements for the transportation of the ladies’ degree staff to go to Concord Tuesday evening, June 1.
Resolutions were drawn up to be presented at the street railway hearing the following Tuesday in Boston, and Rev. C. P. Marshall was appointed to represent the two hundred members of the grange at that hearing. Mrs. John Feeney was appointed chairman of the feast committee for children’s night, June 3.
Graniteville. The repair work on Broadway, under the supervision of contractor J. A. Healy, is now progressing rapidly, and when finished will be a source of pleasure to the village and a credit to the town.
Entertainment. The children of the Sargent school gave that pleasing cantata entitled “The carnival of flowers,” in the M. E. church on Tuesday evening and the entertainment met with great success. The children all did finely which reflects great credit on the unfailing efforts of the teachers in charge. The whole affair was given under the personal supervision of Edwin N. C. Barnes, the musical instructor in the school, Miss E. Marion Sweatt, accompanist. A special attraction and one that proved to be very pleasing was the excellent violin selections given by Gunnar A. G. Ekman of Boston. Quite a neat sum was realized on this affair and the money is to be used toward a fund with which to buy a piano for the school building. The following teachers had charge of the children in Tuesday night’s performance: Gerald Decatur, Miss Issie Parker, Miss M. A. Dunn.
Death. Miss T. Judith S. Mattson, a well known young woman of this village, died at her home in West Graniteville on Friday night, May 21, after a lingering illness, aged twenty-two years. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Mattson, and besides her father and mother she leaves one brother John, and four sisters, Blenda, Engla, Ruth and Lily Mattson, as well as a wide circle of friends to mourn her loss. Although her death was unexpected, the end came as a severe shock to her many friends here, with whom she was very popular. Miss Mattson’s illness covered a period of over two years, and although the members of her family were unfailing in their devotion and care of the favorite sister, and the best of medical aid given in the hope that she might regain her lost health, it seemed to be the will of Almighty God to pick this frail flower in the bloom of young womanhood and place her among his chosen ones. Her parents sent her to Rutland sanatorium in the early stages of her illness, and although every attention was given her there and she fought hard to withstand the ravages of the disease, she returned home but slightly improved in health and since then the loving father and mother, brother and sisters gratified her every wish and showered upon her their tenderest care and devotion to the very end.
The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock, with a brief prayer service at the house that was conducted by Rev. Benedict Nelson of the Swedish M. E. church of Lowell. By special request of [the] deceased before she died the following singers of that church sang a Swedish melody: Victor Hedlund, Alex Bratt, Arvil Jonson, Adaff Forsberg, Raynor Linstrom, Frank Hallstrom, and Charles Laurin. At the Graniteville M. E. church the regular services were conducted by Rev. S. H. Armand, assisted by Rev. Benedict Nelson. The large church was entirely filled with friends who came to pay their last respects to one whom they loved so dearly. Mr. Armand spoke feelingly on the life of the departed, dwelling at length on here Christian fortitude and patience and her keen appreciation of all that her relatives and friends had done to help to alleviate her suffering. She was a devout member of the church and having made her peace with God, was ready and willing for the summons to go. Mr. Nelson spoke words of consolation to the bereaved family, his remarks making a deep impression on all those present. The regular choir, with Miss Emily Prinn organist, and the following singers, E. G. Boynton, Stephen Gardell, Frank Counter, Henry Smith, Alfred Prinn, Mrs. Armand, Mrs. C. H. Wright, Mrs. W. C. Wright and Mrs. Caroline Prinn, sang “home of the soul” and Mrs. Armand sang “Lord, I’m coming home.” Charles Laurin, assisted by the singers of the Swedish church, sang very feelingly, “Jesus, lover of my soul,” and a Swedish melody. The body rested in a fine white casket, surrounded by banks of flowers. The floral tributes were varied and beautiful, which testified in a marked degree to the high esteem in which deceased was held. The bearers were Thomas E. Danio, William F. Sargent, Fred E. Reed, Edward M. Riney, F. Russell Furbush, Fred W. Leland. Burial was in Fairview cemetery, Westford, Mr. Armand and Mr. Nelson performed the last sad rites at the grave, and there was appropriate singing by the quartet from the Swedish church.
Among those in attendance at the funeral were many from out of town, including Mrs. H. J. Nutting, Mrs. Harry Cunningham and Mrs. Orrin Kidder of Ayer; Robert and Miss Emma Jones and John Hanlon, South Chelmsford; Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Eliason and Miss Elsa R. M. Anderson of West Chelmsford; Mr. and Mrs. Hedlund, Mrs. Benedict Nelson, Miss Eva S. Craven, Charles Deveno, Joseph Higgins, J. Edward Kearns and Frank McGovern of Lowell.