The Westford Wardsman, December 22, 1917
Center. The schools close this Friday afternoon for the two weeks’ vacation and will reopen January 7.
There will be Christmas festivities for the children of both Sunday schools on Monday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hildreth of Munson expect to spend the Christmas school vacation with Westford relatives. Mrs. Hildreth’s mother of Nashua has recently died, leaving beside Mrs. Hildreth to mourn her loss, a son, Mr. Galusha of Sharon, who formerly lived in this village.
The local branch of the Red Cross has held its regular meetings this week Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon. The special consignment of surgical dressings apportioned to this branch has been finished and regular work of which there is abundance will now go on. The evening meeting for work will now be on Friday evening and not Tuesday. As the work is to be done down stairs at the library after this to conserve the fuel supply the meeting in the evening has to be other than a library evening. Will the workers please remember the place and time—down stairs in the library, Wednesday afternoon and Friday evening.
There will be a special Christmas music sermon, etc., at the Congregational church Sunday. Miss Hazel Hartford has kindly consented to play the organ for this Sunday.
The funeral of Mrs. Cornelia A. Day took place Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock and was well attended by relatives, neighbors and friends. Rev. L. H. Buckshorn was the officiating clergyman and spoke words of comfort and of loving appreciation of the life of Mrs. Day. Mr. Buckshorn was assisted in the service by Rev. Howard A. Lincoln with the reading of the scripture. Mrs. Charles H. Wright and Mrs. David L. Greig sang two beautiful selections, “Above the bright blue” and “No sorrow there.” The many floral tributes were especially beautiful. Those acting as pall bearers were J. Willard Fletcher, James L. Kimball, Alonzo H. Sutherland and Charles O. Prescott. Interment was in Fairview cemetery.
The monthly entertainment for December at the Congregational church took place Thursday evening of last week. Weather and traveling affected the attendance, but those present enjoyed Miss Mabel Burgess of Boston, reader, who presented “Pollyanna grows up” and who conveyed the message of cheerful optimism that this story teaches. Interspersed in the program was a solo by Mrs. Charles D. Colburn, accompanist, Miss Elinor Colburn; duet, Mrs. C. A. Blaney and Mrs. William R. Taylor, accompanist, Miss Julia Fletcher. The singing of the “Star Spangled Banner,” with Gordon Seavey in scout uniform wearing a large American flag. Those in charge of the evening’s entertainment were Mrs. William R. Taylor and Mrs. A. W. Hartford.
The people of the town find that the noon train which was discontinued by the Boston and Maine the past summer has caused much inconvenience and the condition is worse with the winter season. With the big camp at Ayer it would seem as though the curtailment of trains on the Stony Brook branches was put into effect at the wrong time. The electric road finds it hard to make schedule time with increased traffic and especially the weather conditions of the winter season. It appears that the boards of trade of Ayer, Westford, Chelmsford and Lowell could get together and consult with the officials of the railroad in regard to midday service between Ayer, Lowell and way stations.
The canvas for members for the Red Cross is meeting with loyal response. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher is in charge and the town has been districted off and those in charge of that part of the town apportioned to them are doing good work. Results will be given later. This is one of the most worthy calls of all the worthy calls to help win the war. Do your bit when the solicitor comes.
Seth Banister writes from his training camp in San Antonio, Texas, that he is well and finds much of interest to see, but that New England in the background looks pretty good. His account of one of the Texas sandstorms is interesting.
Mrs. Elizabeth Whitney is quite seriously sick at her home.
The junior class of the academy held a dancing party at the town hall on Friday evening of last week. There were about fifty couples present and Broderick’s orchestra, five pieces, of Lowell, furnished music for the dancing. Refreshments were served at intermission and pleasant time is reported.
Westford contributions to the relief for the Halifax sufferers was $915.
The recent change in the running time of the branch line electrics is as follows: Leave Westford 7:05, 8:15, 11:45 a.m., 12:15, 1:15, 2:05 (Saturdays 2:15), 3:15, 4:15, 5:05 and 5:45 p.m. The Sunday time is 8:45, 9:15, 10:15 a.m., 12:45 and at quarter past the hour every hour until 6:15.
Large family gatherings for Christmas are being planned for at O. R. Spalding’s, George F. White’s, Perley E. Wright’s and J. E. Knight’s.
The weekly drill for the home guard took place at the town hall on Tuesday evening, and with the weather and traveling considered was well attended. The new overcoats for the members have arrived and were distributed. Next week, on account of the holiday, there will be no officers’ drill Monday evening, and the regular drill will be held on Thursday evening instead of on Tuesday evening.
Harold W. Hildreth, who has been located with the Depot Brigade in Ayer, has been transferred to the 28th Engineer’s Quarry Regiment and went to Camp Meade, Maryland, this week. He was at home on Wednesday for a brief furlough to say goodbye to his family. Just previous to this transfer he had been promoted to corporal in his brigade in Ayer.
Edward Clement, one of our drafted men, has received notice that his number has been drawn and to be ready for call.
Death. It was with genuine sadness that the townspeople learned of the death early in the week of Mrs. Cornelia A. Day, a life-long and highly esteemed resident of Westford. Death took place at the Lowell General hospital, where Mrs. Day had been taken ten days previous for surgical treatment, and for several days encouraging reports of her condition were received, but death came Sunday evening, the immediate cause being hyperstatic pneumonia. Her illness was of many months’ duration.
Cornelia A. Fletcher was born in Westford on June 8, 1841; and was the oldest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Sherman D. Fletcher. On January 8, 1867, she was united in marriage to George T. Day, and had she lived a few weeks longer would have completed the fiftieth anniversary of that event.
In her younger days Mrs. Day was active in all that represented the best interests of community life. She was a prominent member of the Unitarian church, a member of the choir and the church organist at one period. She received her education in the public schools and Westford academy. During her attendance at the academy she studied under the instruction of Luther E. Sheppard, and Margaret E. Foley, the artist [and sculptor], as assistant, and the late Governor John D. Long and Miss Harriet B. Rogers, of Billerica, assistant. She was graduated under Mr. Long and Miss Rogers in 1859. Some years ago, when the academy reached its 100th year the trustees voted to publish a catalogue of all the pupils who had attended the academy, and Mrs. Day was appointed to prepare this work.
The records were kept by individual teachers and not as a school record. By research in college records, the library at Harvard university and the Boston public library, New England genealogical room in addition to circulars sent to students as far as addresses could be carried, and through many letters, the civil and military records and other items of interest were acquired in regard to trustees and teachers, as well as students. To this work Mrs. Day brought a keen and logical mind which with accuracy and a retentive memory made it a valuable service and one of her best memorials. She was constantly being consulted by those who were making researches in genealogical history and had many records of great value.
In 1863 she was treasurer of the sanitary commission in town during the civil war, and was active in working for the soldiers. During this present world’s war she has been greatly interested and an active worker for the Red Cross. She was a member of the Ladies’ Sewing circle and Branch Alliance of the First parish church, and took active part in postoffice mission and cheerful letter work.
At two different times Mr. and Mrs. Day enjoyed trips to the Pacific coast, to California, New Mexico and other places.
Many people sincerely mourn the passing of Mrs. Day. In all the relations of life she brought thereto a genuine sincerity and integrity of purpose.
The sympathy of the townspeople go out to Mr. Day in his bereavement and to her only sister, Miss Emily F. Fletcher; her brother, Capt. Sherman M. Fletcher, and her two nieces Misses Gertrude D. Fletcher and Julia H. Fletcher.
Tadmuck Club. The second meeting of the Tadmuck club for December took place at the Congregational church vestry Tuesday afternoon. The program was in charge of the committee on public health, Mrs. Sherman, Mrs. Well and Mrs. Loveless. Dr. Warren H. Sherman of Graniteville was the speaker of the afternoon and gave a sensible and practical address on “Community health problems.” William C. Roudenbush preceded him with a talk on current events, which he made one event, as relating to the war seal preparedness, and made a good argument for universal military training. Miss Cora Nelson of Ayer was present and spoke interestingly of the Girl Scout work in Ayer and other adjacent towns.
With scarcity of fuel and with a spirit of conservation of resources the club wants to do its part and as Library hall will not be available for the remainder of the winter on account of fuel shortage those meetings scheduled for Library hall will be held at the Congregational church and on Monday afternoon instead of Tuesday, the usual meeting day. Will members please take notice of this arrangement? At the next meeting, which will be on January 7, Hon. Edward Fisher will be the speaker. Subject, “The constitutional convention,” and Mrs. F. L. Roberts will sing.
About Town. Prof. John A. Taylor of the University of North Dakota has been elected president of the Alpha chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in North Dakota. This is the honor society in American colleges of men who have taken such rank in scholarship that they are honored with an election to this society. Mr. Taylor was elected president of the North Dakota chapter to take the place of President McVey, who has been called to be president of the University of Kentucky.
Associate members of the legal advisory board for division 15 of Massachusetts have been appointed for helping all registrants answer the questionnaire, which has to be made out according to the requirements of the selective draft law. The questionnaire is rather complicated and this advisory board helps out free of charge. It is very different from the simple arrangement of the civil war days. The advisory board for Westford is composed of Charles L. Hildreth, chairman, Charles O. Prescott, William R. Taylor and Edward Hanley. They meet at the town hall on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, from 7 to 9:30. They help answer the questions and take the oaths of those registering. These papers have to be filled out within seven days from the date mentioned on the first page and returned to the local exemption board in Ayer. On Wednesday and Saturday evenings arrangements have been made to have an interpreter present who speaks Polish and Russian.
One of the greatest of film plays, “Civilization,” will be shown in Page’s Hall theatre, Ayer, one day only—Christmas. Three shows—2, 6 and 8:30 p.m.
The children of the Unitarian Sunday school will give the usual Christmas entertainments at the church next Monday afternoon and evening, December 24, beginning at four o’clock. There will be recitations, songs, wholesome dancing and a play. At six o’clock supper will be served at which Hoover will be recognized as chairman of supply, and the demand will have to salute accordingly, but promises to be a good supper. At seven o’clock the Christmas tree will be unloaded, for which a collection was taken last Sunday to load.
This paper last week had a pathetic quotation from a Boston paper in regard to the height of our boasted civilized christianity in killing deer—all kinds of deer, male, female and nursing infants of all ages; dogs to scare these animals into the open, where if they don’t meet instant death they meet broken legs, painful wounds and zero weather starvation—an unjustifiable cruelty, but little removed from the inhumanity that sinks a relief ship or bombards a hospital, having no justification in the law of self defense. No wonder that we have war when the government continues to cater to such unjustifiable blood cruelty. The principle of taking life for sport, and void of self defense, should be thrown overboard as Jonah was, without his resurrection.
Many thanks to [Herbert] Hoover, we are to be donated three pounds of sugar per individual per month. This will be an increase of two pounds and fourteen ounces and a half for the last few months.
A left over pheasant from the open season slaughter was seen near the old Oaken Bucket farm feeding on weed seed. Even the birds are dieting according to Hoover limitations.
The first corn, wheat and rye to be ground at the new mill of Charles Wright was from the Old Oaken Bucket farm. Brethren, we have got to go back to old-fashioned grain raising. The large corn barns that are a prominent part of the Stony Brook farms, Francis hill and New England generally, were once to the roof with corn and other grain, but of recent years there hasn’t been grain enough in these barns to feed an industrious mouse.
Wallace Johnson is making signs of preparing to cut ice on Burgess pond. It is reported to be about twelve inches thick.
The threatened coal famine will be a serious affair when it gets into gear for there is no antidote for the bite of zero but heat.
At the Old Oaken Bucket farm last Sunday the thermometer registered ten degrees below zero.
“Chop wood.” In obedience to this twenty-two acres of forest in Lincoln on the farm of James J. Storrow were chopped at by one for home use firewood and all the colleges are to be turned loose vacation days and chop at somebody’s woodland. Massachusetts Agricultural college authority says “Don’t burn green wood, there is only sixty-five percent of heat in it.” Hold tight there, gentlemen, for it depends on the kind of green wood. Green birch, elm, apple and maple, with one-fourth dry wood of any kind will lay all dry wood into the cool shade.
Rev. H. H. Lippincott, of the West Chelmsford M.E. church, has had the honor to be assigned by Secretary Daniels to the receiving ship at Commonwealth pier, Boston, where he will act as chaplain.
Axel Lundberg, who was the official collector around Brookside and vicinity on the Halifax fund, has turned in the sum of $17.75.
Arthur Whitley, who has been superintendent of the Brookside worsted mills for several years, resigned his position this week to accept the position of superintendent of the Abbot mills at Graniteville. He succeeds the late Henry Smith. Mr. Whitley has been very successful at Brookside, and his friends there presented him with a beautiful traveling bag. George C. Moore, Jr., son of the owner of the Brookside mill, will succeed Mr. Whitley.
Quite recently the Rural New Yorker commented severely on the appointment of E. G. Lewis as food administrator for California by Mr. Hoover, national food administrator. The following letter is in justice to facts, and is addressed to the Rural New Yorker:
“Our attention has been called to a clipping from your paper in which you refer to the appointment of E. G. Lewis as food administrator for the State of California, and make some comment on his record. Mr. Lewis was never appointed food administrator for California. The food administrator in that state is Ralph Merritt. At the beginning of the intensive campaign for food pledges Mr. Merritt made some use of Mr. Lewis as an organizer of the women of the state, but as a result of an investigation of his record it was soon decided to dispense with his services. We feel confident that you desire to be perfectly fair to Mr. Hoover and the food administration, and we therefore hope that you will correct the mistaken impression given by the article to which we refer. U.S. Food administration, public information division. Frederick C. Underwood”
Charles Wright has righted his mill for grinding grain and sawing wood, located near Westford station. The Old Oaken Bucket farm and others are contributing corn, wheat and rye toward the essential desirability of having a mill to grind so close by the land where the grain is raised.
Charles W. Whitney, who has been ill with pneumonia and heart dangers, has improved enough to automatically lower the danger signals.
Mark W. Jenkins has closed up his blacksmith shop at Chamberlin’s corner and closed up his farming and moved to Lowell for the winter. He is in the employ of the Boston and Maine railroad.
The Bay State Electric railroad has gone into the hands of a receiver. This line extends from Nashua, N.H., to Newport, R.I., and over 900 miles of track is involved.
To show that the national and state appeal to be patriotic and raise more victuals, and the activities of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau urging to more and better planting, the following statistics will show that the farmer did some lifting. The Farm Bureau reports a survey of thirty-three towns in Middlesex county carried out by local members of the farm bureau during the planting season revealed the following significant increases in acreage over 1916: Silage corn 13 percent; field corn 74; buckwheat 23; Barley 45; potatoes 67; peas 17; beans 73; garden truck 12 ½; total acreage plowed 29 ½ percent. These increases do not include home gardens, of which it is estimated that there were over 56,000 in the county. Practically all this increased acreage seems to have been at the expense of hay land, a great deal of which would have produced only poor yields of hay at best.
Harold Hill Fletcher, who was organizing a road construction unit to take “over,” has given up that plan since he received an appointment from the government to be an instructor in the use of machine guns at the Boston School of Technology. He is now a member of the aviation corps and will be stationed in Boston. Ralph Andrew Fletcher has also received a commission from the government as ensign in the navy and he, too, will be assigned to duty at the School of Technology in Boston. Both young men are sons of Hon. and Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher. They are both mechanical and well trained in a technical line, and will be of special service to the government.
Donald Fiske Cameron, who was one of the six Carney medal scholars at the Lowell high school last June in a class of nearly 300, has taken further honors. He entered the class of 1918 at Phillips-Andover academy to further prepare for college. He has received for his work this fall honors in chemistry, German, physics and trigonometry. We are pleased to hear such good reports of his scholarly ability.
In Memoriam. The writer feels that he ought not to refrain from a brief allusion to the death of Mrs. George T. Day, remembering her back in her Westford academy days, under the instruction of such teachers as Luther E. Sheppard and Governor John D. Long. She was the ideal picture of healthful beauty, happiness and highly useful intelligence. He remembers her as an efficient part of the choir and organist of the Unitarian church. These were the days of healthy every-body-go-to-church, with its forenoon and Sunday school and afternoon services. He remembers her during the civil war as vitally interested in the history of every soldier enlisted from Westford and treasurer in town of the sanitary commission, another name for the Red Cross of today.
Mrs. Day was always actively identified with the Unitarian church, directly and indirectly, being a member of the Ladies’ Sewing circle and Branch Alliance of the old First parish church, having charge of the postoffice mission and cheerful letter. This subdivision of the work of the Alliance couldn’t have been delegated to anyone more equipped by congenial adaptation. Both by nature and studious cultivation she was a devotee of idealisms, aesthetic, moral, social, educational and religious. The gatherings of her youthful days and the increments of the passing years of mature life was hers as an individuality to the last as a visibility and hers into the invisible future. To such life we say no farewells.
Towed to Camp. Two soldiers from Camp Devens during the darkness of evening and the ice of daylight and darkness, ran over the railed embankment with their automobile at the narrow roadbed on the Lowell road, below the residence of Mr. Roak, last week Wednesday evening, who was awakened, and with horses towed the machine to right side up, but it was incapacitated for passenger service. The soldiers traveled up the Lowell road in search of transportation, calling at several houses. About three o’clock Thursday morning a tow line was unlocked at the Old Oaken Bucket farm, where they were sheltered and fed, and after several miles of telephoning Arthur H. Burnham acted as a good fellow and with his automobile hitch started toward Camp Devens, but after reaching the Fletcher Cold Spring farm they were obliged to interfere with the dreams of William Pollock and have him pull them up the icy hill to Westford Center. After reaching Pingreyville [on the Ayer-Littleton line] an auto truck on the same errand to Camp Devens did the relief act to the camp.
Graniteville. The new war thrift stamps, a cook in the 301st Regiment, died last week Friday evening following an operation for appendicitis, which was performed at the base hospital. The fatal attack came very suddenly as Terrio has been at his work serving food in the trenches a short time before he was taken ill.
Hector Fromett, of Bellows Falls, Vt., a former member of the 6th Regiment, was brought to camp on Tuesday to answer to a charge of overstaying his leave of absence. He was arrested in Fitchburg on Monday. Fromett obtained a leave of absence of four days when the regiment was encamped at Camp Bartlett, Westfield. While at home he injured his back and was given additional time before reporting. When he went back to Westfield the regiment had gone to Spartanburg, S.C. He applied to the quartermaster at Camp Devens on December 12, and was given transportation money for the southern camp. Instead of going there he went to Fitchburg, where he was married, and later arrested as a deserter.
The officers’ club of the Depot Brigade was opened on Tuesday evening with an informal reception, Brigadier General Weigel being the guest of honor.
Three hundred horses for the military police arrived Tuesday.
Twenty-five prisoners confined in the guard house of the provost guard are affected by an outbreak of measles which occurred on Tuesday. Some of the inmates whose terms had nearly expired will have to remain there for three weeks more before the quarantine is removed.
An order has been issued to every state and exemption board to hurry their men here in order that the full number of the division’s eighty-five percent may be assembled before January 1. One thousand men are still due to fill the places made vacant by rejections.
Thirty men have been given provisional discharges and have been sent back to work in munitions shops, which they left to come here. The government officials consider that the men are more needed in this work than as soldiers. Most of the men have gone to Bridgeport, New Haven, Norwalk and Danbury, Conn., to work on supplies urgently demanded by the army. The men are drawn from the 304th Infantry. Others have been sent to factories for making leggings and other equipment for soldiers. The war department, however, still holds claim to these men and in case they cease to work on munitions they can be recalled into the army. When these men appeared before local examination boards claims for exemption for industrial reasons were made by the factory owners and were denied. These owners have appealed to officials at Camp Devens for provisional discharges, the appeals finally going to the war department with the above result. Some of the men were glad to avail themselves of the provisional discharge, while others wanted to remain here as soldiers. Other men will, it is expected, be returned to munitions factories from time to time.
Three hundred and sixty newly-commissioned officers reported for duty last Saturday from Plattsburg.
Sergeant Rae of Whitinsville was beaten into insensibility and robbed of $142 late last Saturday night while he was walking from the Y.M.C.A. hut 23 to his barracks. He was taken to the base hospital for treatment. His assailants are unknown.
During the past week 300 sacks of mail filled with old magazines and fashion periodicals arrived at the post-office at the camp. The total weight was 20,000 pounds. A request is made that only recent magazines be sent.
Ross rifles were issued to the depot brigade last Saturday.
The New Hampshire State college [now the University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H.] has been assigned 26 men for the reserve officers’ training camp in connection with Camp Devens. The college has sent over 400 men into the army and navy.
Camp Devens was represented at the Millrose Athletic association games in New York this week Friday by four quarter mile runners, former Harvard college stars.
Ayer
News Items. The legal advisory board of the 15th division, which will assist in the coming army draft in making out questionnaires, has opened headquarters in the district court room which will be open for business of this kind daily. The division, which embraces all the towns in this section, has been subdivided in order to make it more convenient for those in line for the coming draft. The subdivisions include Maynard, Westford, Pepperell and Townsend and towns near such places. The headquarters of the division, however, will be in Ayer.
The constant traffic of automobiles to and from Camp Devens has made travel on Main and West Main streets very disagreeable for vehicle of all kinds. The machines operating in the center of the highway have thrown up the heavy snow, mixed with dirt, in piles on either side of the roadway, making condition far from satisfactory.
A large American bald eagle, which was killed in Maynard, was on exhibition at Pillman’s bowling alley this week. The bird measured six feet and six inches from tip to tip, and is a magnificent specimen of its species. The eagle was killed by George Hartford, a farmer, of Maynard, after it had killed one of Mr. Hartford’s small pigs and was about to eat it. The bird was turned over to Edward E. Bachus, Jr., of Ayer, fish and game commissioner. It is thought that hunger caused the eagle to come so near the farm house for food, as one rarely comes so close if it can find food in the woods. Eagles are rarely seen in this section.
Corp. Goodrich, of Reading, who did duty at Camp Devens last summer, and later went to France, in a letter to Ayer friends this week, says that there is an almost continual rain there and plenty of mud. The writer says that “Sunny France” is a misnomer and might be more appropriately called “Muddy France.”
The town is now furnishing Camp Devens with 200,000 gallons of water per day to fill the deficiency caused by the added demand on the camp source of supply. Tuesday, the remount station was cut off and all water directed to the main cantonment. The town supply filled the standpipes at the cantonment and while this was being done the camp pumps remained idle part of Monday night, as they took more water from the town than they could use with their own pumps running.
A regular army private who recently came from California to Camp Devens states that while traveling east he encountered severe winter weather from Ogden, Utah, to Ayer. Between these points, a distance of about 2000 miles, the ground was completely covered with snow, not a bit of bare ground to be seen anywhere. The soldier said that in his experience in covering the country six times he never witnessed similar conditions all through the winter months. His home is in Montana. One of the things that appeared strange to him in the east was the use of pennies in making purchases. In the western country their use is unknown, the smallest coin used being a nickel.