The Westford Wardsman, October, 1906
Saturday, October 13, 1906
Graniteville. We are pleased to note the kindly interest Littleton is now taking in the welfare of this village, and considering the rapid fire questions that were hurled at our head in the last week’s issue, it will be necessary for us to sink into a reminiscent mood for a few minutes and jog our memory on facts concerning the past and present, also a few items for the future. Well, her goes:
Graniteville is situated in a valley of the town of Westford and is about two miles from the town hall. It is on the Stony Brook branch of the Boston and Maine railroad, and also has a railroad station on the Nashua and Acton branch at West Graniteville. W. O. Hawkes is station agent at Graniteville proper, while Thomas Danio is telegraph operator and agent at the West Graniteville station. The mileage is ten miles from Lowell and seven miles from Ayer. We are ten miles from Concord Junction on the other branch, and twelve miles from Nashua. This distance is greater over the turnpike. The new electric road of the Lowell and Fitchburg line is estimated at fourteen miles, the distance between Ayer and North Chelmsford, and runs directly through the main street of Graniteville. There are three stops—one at West Graniteville, another near the Boston and Maine station, and the most important one at the Abbot mills near Broadway.
The condition of affairs here is very good. the health of the town is excellent at present, although malaria was prevalent here a few years ago. Dr. S. Lees Joslin is the resident physician. This is not a wealthy place, for the majority of the people are of the hardy, industrious working class, who live well according to their means and put a dollar away occasionally for a “rainy day.”
The principal industry is the Abbot worsted mills, which employ about 250 hands and are always busy. The working time is fifty-eight hours per week and they have no dull season. The business is the making of carpet worsted and camel’s hair worsted yarns. The officers of this concern are J. A. Cameron, pres.; J. C. Abbot, vice pres.; A. J. Abbot, treas. C. G. Sargent’s [Sons] machine shop comes next, with from fifty to seventy-five men employed during the busy season. Their business is the making of woolen machinery such as wool washers, dusters, pickers, carbonizers, etc. This firm is composed of the following: Frederick G. Sargent, his son, C. G. Sargent, and Allan C. Sargent, brother of Frederick. The stone quarries employ quite a number of men during the summer months, but not so many as in former years. The principal dealers are L. P. Palmer, H. V. Hildreth & Co., Hammett D. Wright, Thos. Rafferty and Charles Coture.
Trade here is very good. We have three grocery stores, three variety stores, a fruit store, a butter and cheese establishment, a millinery store, several dressmakers, and also a blacksmith shop and provision store, to say nothing of the many peddlers and other business dealers that drive in from neighboring towns.
There are two churches—the Graniteville Methodist Episcopal church, organized 1870 [1869], Rev. W. E. Anderson, pastor; F. G. Sargent, W. O. Hawkes, W. C. Wright, Mrs. Lucy A. Blood, trustees; W. C. Wright, treas.; W. O. Hawkes, supt. of Sunday school; Willard H. Beebe, sexton. St. Catherine’s Roman Catholic church, built in 1892, Rev. Edmund T. Schofield, pastor; John A. Healey, sexton. St. Catherine’s church has a seating capacity of 200, but is too small for the ever increasing congregation, and plans for building a new church are now under way.
Our public schools are known as district No. 10, and are in charge of the following teachers; Henry Vaughn, principal and teacher of the upper grammar and eight grade, which is the highest taught here; Miss Issie Parker, intermediate; Miss Flora Palmer, upper primary; Miss Ruth Tuttle, lower primary. About 175 pupils are in attendance in the four rooms [enlarged to eight rooms in 1924].
The ladies’ aid society of the Methodist church is the nearest approach to a woman’s club we have here. The fraternal societies consist of the Foresters of America, with something like 100 members; the Companions of the Foresters of America, (a woman’s organization), with about fifty members; the Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters, with forty-one members.
The population of the village is about 500, of which about three percent is foreign. The valuation of the village, including the mills, shops, quarries and residences, could be roughly estimated at about $500,000, although one would have to peruse the valuation book of the town of Westford to be sure of facts. The population has increased about five percent during the last ten years, although there have not been many new buildings erected in that time.
Now I hope the readers of this article will not think I am compiling history, or “blowing my own horn,” in singing the praises of the people of Graniteville. Littleton asked for a little information and I am doing my best in a humble way to grant the request. Be kind, gentle reader, pass over the flaws and accept this long-winded article in the spirit in which it is written. Come again, Littleton.
–W.
The ladies’ aid society of the Methodist church met with Mrs. W. O. Hawkes on Thursday afternoon last week.
Forge. The Abbot Worsted Co. are putting in the foundation for a new “new mill,” which will be built in the near future; also, three new cottages are to be built on Pond st., immediately.
The wife and daughter of Mr. Wadleigh, the new overseer at the mill, were in town last week. They will be here to live as soon as there is a vacant house for them.
Mr. and Mrs. John Wentworth of Waltham are visiting at Mrs. R. D. Prescott’s. Mr. Wentworth has been seriously ill, but is gaining in strength every day.
Allan Carkin of Gardner spent the Sabbath with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Carkin.
G. L. Sanborn has returned from his vacation.
Geo. W. Goode has closed his cottage for the winter. After a short stay at Westford center Mr. and Mrs. Goode will go to New York for the winter.
Saturday, October 20, 1906
About Town. The gentlemen of the Unitarian society having been invited by the ladies to furnish supper and entertainment, will do so next Tuesday evening. The supper will be furnished from their own personal resources, including waiting on the table; but a lack of personal resources, accompanied by bashfulness, prevented the gentlemen from attempting the entertainments. The audience should consider themselves fortunate in this narrow escape, also fortunate that the entertainment will be furnished by a Lowell quartet of entertaining experience, accompanied by a well-known reader.
With town clerk, Edward Fisher, as counsel for the town of Chelmsford, and Judge A. A. Fisher of Lowell, in the suit of Bassett vs. Chelmsford, for personal injuries and burning of an automobile in an accident on the Groton road as the result of the electric road, the jury found for the defendant.
Miss Martha Taylor spent last Saturday and Sunday at Williamstown.
Clarence Reid, who recently lost his barn by fire, is making preparations to rebuild. Mr. Reid is not so much of a Littleton factor as a recent detailed statement that the interesting and well-equipped Littleton correspondent set forth. Said Reid is not close by Littleton line, being some two miles distant, belongs to Westford grange and is above the average in attendance. He is closely associated with the popular entertainments of the town, and about all the claim that Littleton has on him is by way of immersion, and this may be shut off when we install that public water supply.
The new electric road has rounded the corner at Brookside onto the Lowell road with rails and ties. Everything is on the move, dirt, trees, stones, all that is in the way and much that is out of the way. Shade trees are as nothing and stone walls less than naught. We have retreated from the stand, “Woodman, spare that street,” and make a final stand, “Spare that open well” at the Old Oaken Bucket road. A few more surveys and the well will never be well again. Mr. Spaulding has been called to Brookside several times to estimate damages to property as the result of excavations by the electric road.
The Nabnasset school has been closed on account of scarlet fever in the family of George Perkins, where the teacher boards.
The board of registrars will meet at Healy’s hall, Graniteville, Monday evening, Oct. 22 from 7 to 9; at Forge Village Wednesday evening, Oct. 24, at Abbot’s hall from 7 to 9, and the final opportunity for registering, Saturday, Oct. 27, from 12 noon to 10 p.m., at selectmen’s room, town hall.
Eben W. Tallent, who has been quite ill with a complication of troubles, is still under the supervising instruction of Dr. Wells.
Mrs. Edward Moore at Brookside has all her household goods in readiness to leave the village, which she has been contemplating for some time. The destined location has not been fully decided upon.
Wm. A. Perkins, living on Plain road in the house of Heyward & Burbeck, has moved to Westford Center to the house of Henry O. Keyes, near Orthodox church.
Ervin E. Staples, who has been quite ill, is tenderly resuming normal conditions and as a strengthener he will early resume inhaling the mountain air of Vermont, the air of his earliest breathings.
Center. A large delegation from the Congregational church attended the Middlesex union conference at Concord Wednesday. A party of fourteen went in a barge, besides others in their own teams. A good program and the hospitality for which this fine old church is famous, was enjoyed by those attending. The spring conference will be held with the church at West Groton.
Miss Lillian B. and Miss Mary Atwood returned from the “Haystack centennial” of the American board of foreign missions, held at Williamstown, with much enthusiasm over the inspiring session held there. On the return they spent a few days with Rev. and Mrs. C. C. P. Hiller in Springfield, who sent by them most cordial greetings to their many friends in Westford.
Warren Carkin and his mother are moving into the house opposite the town hall, recently vacated by Joseph Sears. They are to have the whole house, and Herbert Mills and family will remove from the smaller tenement to the house owned by Mrs. Brow on Providence road.
A set of photographs illustrating the development of art in Italy is on exhibition at the library and will remain until Oct. 27.
Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Goode have not returned to New York after closing their camp at Forge pond. With three places of abode during the year their friends on Westford hilltop are anxious to claim all the time spent here spring and fall. They do not expect to close their house here and go to New York until December.
Miss Sarah Loker is away from her home at Providence farm, enjoying a two weeks’ vacation with friends in Boston and vicinity. As president of the Tadmuck club, Miss Loker waited until its first successful meeting was over before going away.
Grange. The first of the series of entertainments under the auspices of Westford grange took place Thursday evening at town hall, and was thoroughly successful from every point of view. A large audience turned out to hear Charles R. Taggart, the versatile entertainer and impersonator. Mr. Taggart kept his audience thoroughly interested and amused from the time he appeared until he said good night. Added to much natural ability was that thorough training that gave smoothness and finish to all he undertook, whether in impersonation, song, monologue, at the piano or in ventriloquism. A unique feature was his imitation of the calls of many of our New England birds. Altogether as the sole entertainer of the evening Mr. Taggart furnished a varied and attractive program of unexceptionable tone throughout and the wish has been expressed by many that we might have him with us again sometime.
The next in the series will be Peter MacQueen on “The great Panama canal,” fully illustrated. Mr. MacQueen stands high among the lecturing fraternity, and those attending the course may be sure of a profitable evening.
Graniteville. Owen F. McNally, D.G.C.R., with brothers John F. McManimin and James McQuaid of North Chelmsford, visited Court Westford, M.C.O.F. of this village on Thursday evening, Oct. 11.
The sixth annual party under the auspices of Court Westford, F. of A., was held in town hall, Westford on Friday evening, Oct. 12, and was very largely attended, many being present from out of town. Flanagan’s orchestra of Marlboro furnished the music for dancing, and during intermission an excellent supper was served in the lower hall, members of the F. of A. being the waiters. The success of this affair rests with the following committee: general manager, Timothy Riney; asst. manager, R. J. McCarthy; floor director, Edward Defoe; asst., James R. Healy; aids, Edward Riney, Henry Leduc, R. J. Hemen, John Spinner and other members of the order.
Leavenworth, writer, humorist and impersonator, gave a pleasing entertainment before a large and appreciative audience in the M.E. church on last Tuesday evening.
John Morrison, who resided in the village several years ago, but of late years has been living with his family in Canada, is now visiting relatives here.
Fred Defoe, assistant station agent at Harrisville, N.H., made a short visit on friends here last week.
Joseph B. Riney of Westport, N.Y., is visiting relatives in this village.
The work of widening Main st. is still going on. The gravel has been removed in front of Timothy Driscoll’s residence, and the masons have begun laying the foundation for the new bank wall. Considerable difficulty was experienced in removing this gravel as the soil was of a very rocky nature and huge boulders had to be blasted in order to make any headway whatever. Most of the stone will be used in the foundation of the new wall, and in this way the expense will be lessened to a certain extent. This job is lasting much longer than was first anticipated, and many of the knowing ones who are interested in stone work are wondering how it can be completed for $1600, the price named in the contract. It is estimated that the widening of the road, the building of the wall and the grading of the street will be completed in about four weeks.
Saturday, October 27, 1906
About Town. A. G. Polley has completed a fourteen-foot wall to accommodate two feet of water.
At the recent Unitarian conference in Pepperell Abiel J. Abbot of Westford was elected president.
Next Sunday, Rev. J. S. Moulton of Stow, a former pastor, will conduct the services at the Unitarian church. [Rev. Joseph Moulton was pastor of the Unitarian church from 1876 to 1885.]
Edward A. Hamblin has been appointed sexton at the Unitarian church in place of Samuel H. Balch, resigned.
Mrs. Edward Moore of Brookside has gone to live with her sister at Haverhill.
Late on Wednesday afternoon, several Italians in the employ of the electric road while unloading ties at Westford station, got in an exciting dispute, developing into a rough and tumble fight with fists.