The Westford Wardsman, November, 1909
Saturday, November 6, 1909
About Town. Elmer J. Whitney has been appointed by the selectmen inspector of meat in place of Wilbert E. Parsons resigned. Mr. Parsons has returned from a short visit to Newton, Me., where the affections of earlier life repose in the cemetery, among whom are his first wife and three children, the latter all dying in one year. This visit was preparatory to leaving town for California and Oregon.
Deer are holding camp meeting in the forest near Cold Spring, and can be seen with the naked eye in the mowing fields that are close by. Give them a chance to eat a little old grass fog, and don’t for mere sport give aim with shot gun and dog.
Mrs. David L. Greig and Mrs. Alma Richardson started Monday for New York and New Jersey for a two weeks’ visit. If they expect to see all, hear all and tell all in that time, it will be a busier two weeks than the berry season at the fruitful Greig farm with haying following as a close second.
Rev. Seth Walker of the Walker homestead on Main street has opened a school for boys on Foster street, Lowell, to be under the control of the Advent society, of which Rev. Walker is the minister for Lowell. He holds out a wide open welcome to the people of his native town to attend services Saturday afternoons at Branch street, Lowell.
Unless the elements of nature and other unforeseen contingencies form a modern trust to prevent, Rev. B. H. Bailey will exchange with Rev. P. H. Cressey of Groton next Sunday. Odd age, you know, has to guard carefully its promises of exchange, as the approaches to that season of the year are close by when we shall be reminded of the words of Emerson, “heralded by all the trumpets of the sky, arrives the snow.” and the Mohawk valley to points further west. They expect to arrive at their destination Monday, November 14. They will also spend some time in Southern California.
Stephen Keefe of Townsend Harbor and James Coughlin were over-Sunday guests of Mr. and Mrs. John Carmichael.
A very pretty wedding occurred at St. Catherine’s church, Tuesday morning, November 9, when Miss Pamela Lefare, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gensia Lefare, was united in marriage to Joseph Geauriepy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Geauriepy, Rev. E. T. Schofield officiating. The bride was daintily gowned in a white hat and carried valley lilies. A wedding breakfast was served at the home of the groom’s parents. In the evening a reception was held in Cabot’s hall.
Antonio Campanini, an Italian employed on the foundation of the new mill which Abbot & Co. are erecting, met with a very painful accident Monday morning. He was digging in a sand bank near the wool-sorting room, when it suddenly caved in, burying him up to his shoulders. His cries attracted his fellow workmen, who quickly went to his rescue. He was carried to his home close by, where Drs. W. H. Sherman and O. V. Wells attended him. He received a very severe spraining and will be unable to resume work for some time.
Musicale. Miss Sarah Precious held a very enjoyable musicale at her home, Saturday, at which all the relatives of her pupils attended. She was assisted by Misses Cressey and Theresa Lowther and Rachel Cheney as vocalists. The program consisted of a duet for piano, Misses Annie and Mary Cherry; vocal solo, “The buzzing bumble bee,” Miss Ethel Collins; piano solo, “The rose fay,” Miss Marion Lord; vocal solo, “Oh let a rosebud fall,” Mrs. John Carmichael; duet, “Under the mistletoe,” Miss Sarah Precious, Miss Emily Collins; song, “Just in the same old way,” Miss Rachel Cherry; piano duet, “McGinty’s first love, Miss Kathryn Brown, Miss Carolyn E. Precious; duet, “Woodland echoes,” Misses Cressy [sic] and Theresa Lowther; song, “First love,” Miss Bertha Collins. After the musical refreshments of ice cream, sandwiches, cake and coffee were served.
Death. Daniel W. Harrington, a highly-esteemed young man of this village, died at his home on Second street, early Sunday morning, November 7, after an illness of only five days’ duration, aged twenty-nine years. Death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage, caused from a stream of water from a hose while fighting fire at the barn of J. A. Healy that was burned on Monday night, November 1. Mr. Harrington was rendered unconscious at the time, and, although the very best medical attendance was given him, he never fully recovered from the shock and death relieved all suffering early Sunday morning. He leaves a wife, Mrs. Hannah R. Harrington, one brother, P. Henry Harrington, and four sisters, Miss Mary Harrington and Mrs. Henry J. Healy of this village, and Miss Katherine and Anna Harrington of Leominster, as well as numerous relatives in Lowell and Fitchburg. Seldom, if ever, has a death in this village aroused such heart-felt sympathy as is expressed by the entire community in the passing away of this popular young man. “Dan” Harrington, as he was familiarly called, was a friend of everybody and leaves a host of friends both here and in surrounding towns, where his position as salesman brought him in contact with many, who can testify to his sterling, manly qualities. Being a big, jovial fellow with a pleasing personality, he was beloved by young and old who had the pleasure of his acquaintance, and his untimely death will be sincerely mourned by all. He was always interested in the village welfare and ever ready to help a worthy cause. He was a devout member of St. Catherine’s church, having been one of the first altar boys selected to serve at mass when the present church was dedicated. He was an honored member of Court Westford, 170, Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters of America, a trustee of Court Graniteville 179, Foresters of America, a lieutenant of the A. R. Choate hose company, and a willing worker in the cause of temperance, being a member of St. Catherine’s Temperance society of this village. All of the above-named organizations held special meetings on Sunday afternoon, when they took suitable action on the death of their fellow member and appointed committees on attending the funeral.
On Sunday evening, at seven o’clock, the members of Court Westford, headed by R. J. McCarthy, chief ranger, formed in line at Healy’s hall and marched in a body to the late home of the deceased.
The funeral took place on Tuesday morning and was one of the largest attended funerals ever witnessed in this village. At nine o’clock the members of Court Westford, headed by R. J. McCarthy, assembled at Healy’s hall, where they formed in line and marched to the home of their deceased brother, where the prayers for the dead were recited. Shortly after, the members of Court Graniteville 179, F. of A., marched in a body from the hall to the home, Florence Sullivan, chief ranger, and his staff of officers having their regalias draped in mourning. At the house Florence Sullivan read a farewell address to the bereaved family. The members of the A. R. Choate hose company and the members of St. Catherine’s Temperance society were already present. The different societies and organizations lining each side of the street. When the family had taken leave of their loved one for the last time, the line of march for the funeral procession was formed in the following order:
Fire wagon of the A. R. Choate company, draped in mourning and containing the floral offerings, driven by William Tousignant and followed by Lieut. Alfred Prinn and the members of the fire company; the hearse came next and was followed by the members of Court Graniteville, St. Catherine’s Temperance society, Court Westford, and a delegation of the Sons of Veterans. All marched to St. Catherine’s church, where the members of the Edward M. Abbot hose company of Westford, and the John Edwards hose company of Forge Village, joined with the local fire company as a guard of honor over their deceased member.
At ten o’clock a requiem mass was celebrated by the pastor, Rev. Edmund T. Schofield. The choir under the direction of Miss Mary F. Hanley sang the Gregorian chant and at the offertory Miss Hanley sang the “Pie Jesu.” At the conclusion of the mass, Rev. E. F. Schofield said a few words on the past life of deceased. His remarks made a deep impression, and when he finished there was not a dry eye in the church. Never since the church has been built has so many people attended a funeral service of this kind. The church was filled to the doors and many were obliged to stand during the service.
Aside from the many who were present from the immediate vicinity, there were many relatives and friends from Fitchburg, Wilton and Manchester, N.H., Lowell, Leominster, Lawrence, West and North Chelmsford, Forge Village and surrounding towns.
During the day and Monday, by request of the teachers in the Sargent school, the flag on the school building was placed at half mast, out of respect for the deceased. Many school children attended the services at the church.
The floral tributes were varied and beautiful, which testified in a marked degree to the high esteem in which the deceased was held. The bearers were James R. Healy, Charles McLenna, Edward Riney, Henry Le Duc, J. Austin Healy, R. J. Hemen.
At the conclusion of the services in the church the line of march was then formed and proceeded to St. Catherine’s cemetery. Rev. Edmund T. Schofield officiated at the grave. Fr. Schofield also served as chaplain of Court Westford 170, and read the final prayers. The services at the grave were completed by the members of Court Graniteville, Chief Ranger Florence Sullivan and the official staff performing the last sad rites of Forestry. Burial took place at St. Catherine’s cemetery at twelve o’clock noon. Undertaker, J. A. Healy had charge.
The following letter has been received from Capt. S. H. Fletcher, chief of the Westford fire department, addressed to Mrs. Daniel Harrington, widow of the deceased:
Westford, Mass., Nov. 8, 1909.
Mrs. Daniel Harrington.
Dear Madam: I am greatly shocked to hear of the death of your beloved husband. Accept my most sincere sympathy in your bereavement. It is not only a loss to the fire department, but also to the community in which he lived. I trust you may be able to bear up bravely in your affliction, knowing that he was much respected by those who knew him. Very respectfully,
Sherman H. Fletcher,
Chief Westford Fire Department.
Much gloom has settled over the village in the death of this well-known young man, and the different organizations, of which the late Daniel W. Harrington was a member, have suspended all forms of entertainment until the period of mourning is over.
Saturday, November 20, 1909
Center. Rev. C. P. Marshall will exchange pulpits this coming Sunday with Rev. D. A. Hudson of North Chelmsford.
During this past week Revs. Marshall, Hudson, Bouton and Henry, pastors of the Congregational church at Westford, North Chelmsford, Chelmsford Center and Tyngsborough, have been holding a series of meetings together. Their respective parishes are something alike as to numbers, conditions, etc., and these meetings have been a sort of conference of methods and interchange of ideas with a view to the possible strengthening and bettering of conditions.
The William E. Frost school reopened Monday after an interim of several days. The diphtheria cases are all doing well and no new cases have developed. Miss Ruth Fisher is making good recovery at her home and will be able to resume her duties soon.
Mrs. Mary E. Fletcher moved into her new home Monday of this week.
Mrs. L. W. Wheeler entertained the members of the Thimble club at her home, Tuesday afternoon, with a full attendance of the members present. A luncheon was served by the hostess. Mrs. Thomas F. Fisher and Mrs. Willard D. Pratt of Lowell were special guests for the afternoon.
The W.C.T.U. held its regular monthly meeting with Mrs. C. H. Wright on Wednesday afternoon. Being rainy, the attendance was not quite as large as usual, but there was an interesting meeting and much routine business transacted. It was voted to send a thanksgiving box to the Flower Mission in Boston; also a similar donation to the Willard Settlement.
Miss Grace Lumbert has been connected by telephone this last week, number 8-6.
Mrs. Frank E. Miller, who is ill with typhoid fever, is making good progress toward recovery.
Alex Fisher has been making improvements in his barn, putting on new foundation walls.
The members of the loyalty club, composed of girls in the Congregational Sunday school, in charge of Mrs. Marshall and Mrs. Lumbert, had a meeting with Misses Etta and Minnie Whitney in the south part of the town, the latter part of last week. It was Miss Etta’s birthday, and a general good time with games, music and refreshments was enjoyed.
A Great Improvement. Mrs. Hiram Whitney has been making quite considerable and radical changes in the grounds about her place [4 Leland Rd.], under the direction of landscape gardener, W. H. Tarbell. The long triangular piece of ground in front of O. R. Spaulding’s [1 Leland Rd.], which is owned by the town, has been nicely graded at Mrs. Whitney’s expense. This is a great improvement, and Mrs. Whitney has the well-merited gratitude of all concerned. This piece has its fine setting of elm trees of many years’ growth, and is also ornamented with the big stone in the shape of an anvil. This was brought from the Patten farm some years ago and many contended that it is an Indian relic, while many others think it is a piece of nature’s handiwork washed smooth by the action of water in some bygone time, this last being the most generally accepted theory. So much for this piece of ground made to harmonize with its surroundings.
The long concrete path in the center, with its shrubbery and flowers on either side, which has been the approach to the Whitney house for pedestrians for so long, has been done away with, with the result of a wide and spacious lawn. A walk has been made approaching the house at the right, while the driveway approaching the porte-cochere from either side remains as it has been. Shrubbery and ornamental trees have been placed advantageously. At the back of the house a well-laid-out tennis court is being constructed.
These changes are but one more in the steps of individual progress in the line of village improvement which help to give our village the stamp of progress and prosperity.
Husking. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett and George E. Gould [probably 7 Depot St.] had a husking at their home in this village last Saturday evening, which was a most successful and jolly affair. There were fully seventy-five in attendance, a good number coming from Graniteville and Forge Village, and barges were run for the convenience of these.
A quantity of corn was arranged in the large well-lighted barn, and the huskers had a busy, merry time for about two hours, after which adjournment was made to the house, where a supper was served. There was great abundance and variety, and it was a real culinary triumph for the hostess to serve as many so well and so abundantly. The decorations were chrysanthemums.
After supper dancing was enjoyed to the accompaniment of the Grange orchestra, of which Mr. Blodgett is the leader.
About Town. Brookside precinct seems to be growing, if not in the direct heart of the city. Just at present it is expanding in its Oak Hill outskirts, where Augustus F. Whidden is building a two-story boarding house at the corner of Groton and Oak Hill road. The contract for the cellar has been awarded to former selectman R. Wilson Dix of Chelmsford, and the contract for the building to Thomas B. Johnson of Lowell. It is rumored that more building operations will follow.
S. Thompson Blood of Concord Junction gave another of his familiar, smiling entertainments at the vestry of the village church, West Chelmsford, on Thursday evening. The proceeds were devoted to paying for a new carpet vacuum cleaner. Mr. Thompson succeeded in making the dust fly without any machinery.
Perley A. Wright has bought the John O’Brien farm on Tadmuck road, and will take possession at the present time. This farm is a well-known fruit and milk farm on the easterly slope of Providence hill and extending easterly into Tadmuck swamp, covering the territory where Mysterious spring is located. Mr. Wright will be remembered as the son of Kendall A. Wright, for many years a resident of Westford, owning and living on the Deacon Andrew Wright place.
Selectman Dunn of Chelmsford has bought the standing grass on the Nutting meadow on Keyes brook, and is busy cutting it these Thanksgiving days.
The Farmers’ Institute of Groton was brilliantly good and more too, and more than newspaper reportings, so writes Chairman Trull; also that in place of a December institute the State Board of Agriculture will hold a three days’ session, Grange hall, Dracut, December 7, 8, 9, with able speakers from various parts of the United States, and that the next regular Farmers’ Institute will be held with the good, old, rugged hilly, entertaining town of Westford, where everybody likes to come for fun. In January, get ready.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett gave an open-house and barn-husking party at their home, Westford Center, last Saturday evening. Everybody was cared for in a hospitable manner with abundant supper and cheerful music by the grange orchestra. Forge Village was there, with R. D. Prescott to see that they were there. Graniteville also got there and stayed until the hour of departure overtook all.
The town was fittingly represented at the funeral of County Commissioner Samuel O. Upham, last Saturday, by George T. Day, Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher and Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher, all intimate friends for many years.
Joshua C. Decatur of Boston market is in town looking after the apples on the Read farm, which he has bought.
First meeting. The fortnightly club of North Westford held its first meeting of the season at the Wright schoolhouse last week Friday evening. A good literary program was set off with encouraging effect. Songs, double and single, speaking, sober and mirthful. “Spraying of fruit trees,” William H. Decatur; “How to raise sixty potatoes and have them weigh seventy-five pounds,” Fred L. Snow. After all these things had been disposed of the election of officers followed. Frank Chandler was elected president; Albert Dege, vice-president; J. Everett Woods, treasurer; Miss Lillian Wright, secretary; executive committee, Mrs. Lillian Snow, Mrs. William Wyman, Hiram Dane. The next meeting will be held Friday evening, November 26. “What is the best roofing for farm buildings.” Lots of variety, fun and instruction to go with the roofing.
Graniteville. Workmen have been busy this week tearing down the charred timbers of what was formerly the fine barn of J. A. Healy. While at work on Tuesday a portion of the side wall fell from the top, but luckily no one was under it at the time, or otherwise someone would have been injured. Mr. Healy intends to have a general cleaning up in the vicinity of the barn, and will probably rebuild in the early spring.
The members of St. Catherine’s Temperance society held a very interesting meeting in their rooms on Wednesday night. Considerable business of importance was transacted and two new members were initiated into membership of the society.
Business in C. G. Sargent’s shop continues to be very good and there is some talk of running overtime a few hours each evening during the week.
John Green, who works in this village but resides in Tyngsborough, while returning a few days ago, left his horse standing outside of Reeve’s store for a few minutes, when the horse suddenly took fright at something and started to run away. He ran for about a quarter of a mile when he was stopped by a young man on a bicycle. Neither horse nor buggy was injured.
The regular meeting of Court Graniteville 179, F. of A., was held in their rooms on last Thursday evening.
Forge Village. The primary school teacher, Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell, and Miss Eva F. Pyne are planning to hold a small entertainment at Cameron school before Thanksgiving. Miss Pyne, who has charge of forty-two children, has had considerable difficulty over the condition of the heads of the foreign element. With the assistance of Dr. Cyril C. Blaney, it is hoped the trouble will be remedied.
The members of the John Edwards hose company enjoyed an excellent chicken supper at their clubrooms last Saturday evening. After the cigars were passed a social hour was enjoyed. It is planned to hold many more during the winter.
Rev. John Gregson of Cambridge conducted the services at St. Andrew’s mission last Sunday evening and proved a very effective speaker.
John Caddell of Lowell was the guest Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. Myles Collins.
It is about time that some of the kitchen barrooms were put out of business here. If some of the money that was appropriated for the suppression of liquor was put in circulation, the nuisance would be gotten rid of.
Mr. and Mrs. Finn and seven children, and Mr. and Mrs. P. T. McNiff and eight children arrived on the Cymric of the White Star line from Keithley, England. They will make their home in this village. Miss Ellen Burns and James Burns were at the docks to meet their sister, Mrs. Finn.
A large number from here attended the husking bee which Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Blodgett gave at their home in Westford. All report an excellent time with red ears in abundance.
The members of St. Andrew’s choir held their experience party in Recreation hall, Wednesday evening, and a general good time was enjoyed by all. About thirty members earned a dollar each, which was turned into the treasury. During the evening the members gave their experience of earning the money, which was the cause of much merriment. Refreshments of sandwiches, cake and coffee was served.
Death. Mrs. Mary Morris McArdell, wife of Robert McArdell of Dorchester, and mother of Mrs. John E. Burnett of this village, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. William King, Wednesday, November 10, after a long and painful illness, aged fifty-three years. Mrs. McArdell was a resident of Lowell for many years, where she was well known and highly respected. She was a regular attendant at St. Patrick’s church. On account of ill health she went to live with her daughter, Mrs. King of Dorchester, a little over a year ago, and remained with her until her death.
A funeral mass was celebrated at St. Peter’s church, Dorchester, last week Friday morning, Rev. Fr. Kenny officiating. Burial was in the Cambridge cemetery.
She leaves besides her husband, Robert McArdell, two daughters, Mrs. William King of Dorchester and Mrs. John E. Burnett of this village, and numerous other relatives in Lowell, who will be pained to learn of her death.
Saturday, November 27, 1909
Center. Miss Sarah W. Loker has recently attended the annual meeting of the Woman’s Board of Missions at Park Street church, Boston.
Rev. D. A. Hudson of North Chelmsford and Rev. C. P. Marshall exchanged pulpits last Sunday. The church was prettily decorated with chrysanthemums, ferns, sumac and bitter sweet. There was special thanksgiving music and all the service was especially appropriate to the spirit of the season. At the evening service there was a good attendance with praise service and a brief address by the pastor, based on the thoughts from the twenty-third psalm, which is always a subject for praise and thanksgiving.
The high school dance, which was postponed on account of the several cases of diphtheria, is to be given on Friday night, December 3. The proceeds are to be used to furnish the gymnasium.
Teacher’s Social. The special social arranged and carried out by the enterprise and enthusiasm of our teachers, last Friday evening at the Congregational church, was very much of a success. The entertainment consisted of the “Sunflower chorus,” which was unique and smoothly carried out, the various sunflowers all giving their songs, recitations and choruses with vivacity. William R. Taylor and Miss Martha Grant acted the parts of Goodman Tabor and Mistress Carey in the garden scene. Those who took the parts of the sunflowers were Miss Elizabeth Cushing, Miss Edith Lawrence, Miss Winnifred Burnham, Miss Ruby Carter, Miss Hazel Hartford, Miss Adrith Carter and Miss Hilda Isles. Mrs. Charles P. Marshall was the accompanist. After the entertainment refreshments of cake and cocoa were served to all followed by merry games and a general good time. All were grateful to Misses Cushing, Grant, Burnham and Lawrence for making this social the success it was. The next event in the social calendar of the winter is the annual banquet to take place about the middle of December. Committees are already at work to sustain the creditable standard of this affair of its predecessor.
Grange. The second meeting of the Grange for November took place at the town hall, Thursday evening, with a fair attendance. At the business session details of the coming Farmers’ Institute were discussed. The lecturer had arranged a good program for his hour, which was well carried out. The subject for the evening was “Lessons from the lives of noted men and women.” S. L. Taylor gave a well-though-out discourse given with characteristic originality and insight. Governor Johnson, Congressman Anderson of Ohio, and Congressman John Grant of North Carolina, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller and Edward Everett Hale were among those chosen by the speakers. There was singing by Mrs. S. B. Wright; also, a duet by her and Fred A. Smith. A quartet consisting of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, E. G. Boynton and Miss Cushing gave selections, followed by readings by Miss Grant and Miss Cushing. L. W. Wheeler closed the program with an article on “Halley and his comet.”
The regular meeting of the North Middlesex Pomona will be held at Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge street, Lowell, Friday, December 3. Part of the day’s program will be the election of officers for the year. It is the turn of the Westford members to have charge of the dinner, and Miss Josie A. Prescott was appointed chairman.
The annual meeting of the state grange convenes at Springfield, December 14, 15 and 16, and some members of Westford grange are planning to attend the session.
Graniteville. The Big Four club, composed of Miss Julia Rafferty, Miss Daisy Gagnon, Miss Myra McNulty and Miss Mayme Healy of this village, held a very successful dancing party in Abbot hall, Forge Village, on last Saturday night that was largely attended. McNally’s orchestra furnished excellent dance music, and at intermission refreshments were served.
Florence G. Sullivan has recently severed his connection with the Abbot Worsted Co. and accepted a position as clerk in the grocery store of Henry J. Healy.
The anniversary mass for the deceased members of Court Westford 170, Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, was celebrated in St. Catherine’s church on Thanksgiving morning at 7:30 o’clock. The services were largely attended.
Mrs. Anne Casey of Salem has been a recent visitor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Welsh in this village.
Mr. and Mrs. George Day of Damariscotta, Me., are now visiting at the home of Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Sherman in this village.
Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Putney with their little son Charles Alfred of Needham, have been recent guests of Miss Issie Parker in this village.
Miss Mary F. Dailey of Manchester, N.H., has been a recent visitor here.
Disastrous Fire. Fire, which caused a property loss of $3000 and for a time threatened valuable surrounding property on Monday night, destroyed two barns belonging to Mrs. Rachel Reed in West Graniteville. No live stock was lost, horses and pigs having been removed before they were reached by the flames. The fire was discovered about 8:30 o’clock by Charles McLenna, who gave the alarm. The local apparatus, the A. R. Choate hose company, responded very promptly, and shortly after the Edward Abbot company of Westford and the John Edwards company of Forge Village arrived on the scene. So excellent was the work of the firemen that within twenty-five minutes of the start of the fire, the department had it safely under control. The flames first started in a small barn, whose lower floor is occupied by William Lambert as a fish market. The upper floor was filled with hay, etc., and it was in the hay the flames started. Mr. Lambert suffered a loss of about $70. The cause of the fire is unknown.
In a short time the flames spread to the big barn, which stands only about twelve feet from the small structure. This barn was used as a storehouse by Victor Pigeon, and such was its contents that it was splendid food for the flames. Mr. Pigeon, who had a stock of meats and provisions in the barn, was one of the principal losers, though he is partly covered by insurance. Both barns were also insured. Within fifty feet of the barns stands the house occupied by J. Ellsworth York and family. Heroic efforts of the firemen saved this structure without any damage whatever.
William H. Beebe, who had property stored in the small barn, lost about $200. Two of his sleighs, a pung and a lot of hay was a total loss.
The fire was a spectacular one and attracted a large crowd from here and in the surrounding villages. The absence of wind undoubtedly kept the loss at a low figure. The members of the local fire department deserve special praise for their quick work and untiring efforts at the fire.
Captain Healy and his men were right on the job, and the fine horses attached to the fire wagon certainly made a record run on Monday night.
Center. Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Hildreth and little daughter have returned from a visit to Andover.
The Thanksgiving prayer service at the Congregational vestry for Wednesday evening was omitted on account of the storm.
The gathering of pansies and bluets in the warm sunshine of Tuesday was quite a change to the wintry storm of Wednesday, which developed into something of a blizzard.
The electric car men on the branch line found it impossible to make anything like regular time, but they worked bravely to get the Thanksgiving home-comers and others to their destinations.
Miss Evelyn Atwood, who has been spending the summer and fall at the north and who has recently been staying at Winthrop, came up to Westford this week for a final visit of a few days with grandmother and aunts before leaving for her home in Daytona, Fla.
Letters have been received by friends here from Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Harmon, telling of their safe arrival at South Lake Weir, Fla., and of being greatly pleased with climate and conditions. Mr. Harmon tells of packing grape fruit for market, measuring fully eighteen inches around.
Accident. Mrs. Charles H. Wright met with an unfortunate accident last Thursday night and one which was a narrow escape from much more serious consequences. As she was driving just beyond Pine Ridge, about a quarter before six, at which time it was pretty dark, an automobile, coming at a good pace, without any lights from the opposite direction, collided with her team. Mrs. Wright saw it coming and did her best to turn out, and seeing that the machine did not turn out, screamed loudly at the last minute, which warned the driver of the machine a little. She was thrown out and badly shaken up. She was so wrapped up in the carriage blankets that it helped somewhat in softening the fall. Miss Helen Murray was with Mrs. Wright in the carriage. She had with her a half peck of beans, which she had purchased at the store. The bag burst in the mix-up and beans were strewn broadcast along the road, all at an unfortunate time for planting. The automobile was from a neighboring town. The real owner of the machine was not in it at the time of the accident. The following day he came to see Mrs. Wright to offer all possible apology and reparation.
Tadmuck Club. Owing to the fact that the weather was unfavorable and that the days just preceding Thanksgiving were apt to be busy ones with housewives, the attendance at the regular meeting of the Tadmuck club in Library hall, Tuesday afternoon, was not as large as usual.
Those present felt well repaid for coming, for the program for the afternoon was one of the travel talks that prove so entertaining and instructive. Rev. Winifred Cheney Rhodes of Roxbury, who made such a favorable impression before the club last season, was the speaker of the afternoon with “From Paris to Versailles,” for his subject. Mr. Rhodes is a fluent and interesting speaker, and gave a most unhackneyed and pleasing description of his impressions of this famous city, showing himself a thorough student of its history as full of bloodshed and tragedy. He sketched its great architectural beauty, its parks and avenues, its churches and great cathedral of Nortre Dame, the Louvre and the Latin quarter and many other points. The speaker finished with a description of the wonderful palace at Versailles and the part it has had in French history.
The subject for the next meeting, December 7, will be “Conservation of our national resources,” Miss Edith Foster, chairman, and promises to be of much interest. Mr. Foster has arranged for some special music for the afternoon, and the meeting will be an open one to be held in the vestry of the Congregational church.
About Town. Extensive additions and improvements are being made on the buildings on the “Birchwood” farm located just north of Keyes pond, not only the buildings but the farm generally has taken on an appetizing appearance in the sense of beautifying rural life. The farm is under the controlling influence of one who believes in the attractions of surroundings, Hans C. Dage, for many years a resident of Lowell.
Rev. Thomas Jay Horner, remembered as the minister of the Unitarian church in Westford at one time [1890-1892], has recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of his ministry with the Unitarian church in Melrose. The church in Melrose has flourished under his ministrations, and the wise and influential citizens are among its supporters. The anniversary was a large and harmonious testimony of the prosperity of the early ministry of Mr. Horner. An occasional visit to the Westford church is always with pleasure and power.
The freight house at Westford station is full of No. 1 new barrels and they in turn are full of No. 1 new supplies from the Read farm. 0) { referrer_url = document.referrer; } const params = location.search.slice(1).split('&').reduce((acc, s) => { const [k, v] = s.split('=') return Object.assign(acc, {[k]: v}) }, {}) const url = "https://museum.westford.org/wp-json/iawp/search" const body = { referrer_url, utm_source: params.utm_source, utm_medium: params.utm_medium, utm_campaign: params.utm_campaign, utm_term: params.utm_term, utm_content: params.utm_content, gclid: params.gclid, ...{"payload":{"resource":"singular","singular_id":1774,"page":1},"signature":"fac65150251b5ca2e3814f857c0eae8e"} } const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest() xhr.open("POST", url, true) xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/json;charset=UTF-8") xhr.send(JSON.stringify(body)) }) })();