The Westford Wardsman, February 10, 1917
Center. At the recent meeting of the Westford Water Company, held at the home of George T. Day, the following directors were elected: George T. Day, John C. Abbot, Charles O. Prescott, Julian A. Cameron and Sherman H. Fletcher. At the directors meeting the following officers were elected: George T. Day, pres.; Charles O. Prescott, sec. and treas.; Sherman H. Fletcher, mgr.; Alonzo H. Sutherland, supt.; Charles F. Kellogg, au. The important work of the last year has been the installing of the big new pump, a Rumsey triplex pump, 10×14 feet. This means added safety to property within the water district and a reserve power in case of accident or breakdown to the original pump. During the year 912 feet of six-inch main on new construction has been laid. About $5,000 has been spent on new construction, leaving a balance of cash on hand, January 1, of $663.36.
The monthly meeting of the Edward M. Abbot hose company met at their headquarters in the old academy building Tuesday evening. An excellent supper in charge of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Knight was served. There were twelve members present.
The meeting of the community sing took place at the vestry of the Congregational church on Tuesday evening under the direction of Mrs. W. R. Taylor. There were over twenty in attendance and much interest and enthusiasm was manifested in the singing together of old and new musical favorites.
The plan for the program for next Tuesday afternoon at the Tadmuck club has been changed owing to the illness of the one in charge. The resourceful program committee have secured for the afternoon Hugh F. Molloy, of Lowell, who will give a lecture on “Marie Antoinette.” Mr. Molloy’s connection with the Lowell Normal school and his present work as superintendent of schools in Lowell make him well-known to many. He is a thoughtful and able speaker and this lecture given before larger clubs, especially the Middlesex Woman’s club of Lowell, has been most favorably received. The Tadmuck club is to be congratulated upon securing this speaker, and a good attendance of the members is hoped for.
The Boy Scouts are to be present in a body at the Congregational church Sunday morning, in charge of William C. Roudenbush, scoutmaster. Mr. Lincoln’s sermon will be appropriate to the occasion, and the attendance of this organization will be an interesting feature of the day’s service.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the Congregational church held an all-day meeting Thursday at the vestry with a luncheon at noon. A good portion of work was accomplished and a social good time was enjoyed as the result of the gathering.
Mrs. Harry B. Prescott, who underwent a serious operation at the Homeopathic hospital in Boston earlier in the week, is reported resting as comfortably as can be expected.
The heaviest snowstorm of the season came on Monday, making traveling hard and affecting the school sessions, etc. The branch line electrics had their full quota of trouble with the bulk of snow all along the line and heavy drifts in exposed places. In spite of much hard work by the crew, the town teams and others, it was impossible to get back to regular schedule before Wednesday afternoon.
Mrs. O. V. Wells entertained the Christmas club Wednesday afternoon very pleasantly with an attendance of nine members present.
A sad coincidence coming with the death of Mrs. Caroline M. Whitney was the death of her aged half-sister, Mrs. Sybil R. Edwards, widow of Dr. N. B. Edwards, of North Chelmsford, the deaths coming but a few hours apart. Mr. Whitney attended the funeral of Mrs. Edwards in North Chelmsford the afternoon following his wife’s funeral.
Death. Mrs. Caroline M. Whitney, wife of Emory J. Whitney, died at her home in this village on Saturday evening, February 3. Mrs. Whitney’s last illness was of brief duration, having been stricken with paralysis Friday at noon and never having regained consciousness. She had not enjoyed the best of health for a number of years but by using care and good sense had been able to meet her household duties and care for in all ways the home that she loved so well, a home in which flowers, plants, good reading, music and hospitality all had their place. Also, she had been able to enter into the community life to quite a large extent and she enjoyed a large circle of friends. Only last week Tuesday evening she was able, with Mr. Whitney, to be present at the annual guest night of the Tadmuck club and enjoy its sociability.
Caroline M. Hutchins was born on December 8, 1850, at the pleasant farm home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eliakim Hutchins, in the southeast part of the town, and here her childhood, girlhood and young womanhood were spent. She attended school in what was known as the old No. 4 schoolhouse and later attended Westford academy. Her father died while she was quite young and it fell to her lot with her mother to meet many home cares and responsibilities, and these she met with courageous outlook that strengthened her New England inheritance of energy, thrift and capability.
She was united in marriage on September 4, 1874, to Emory J. Whitney by Rev. Henry H. Hamilton, who was pastor of the Congregational church at that time. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney carried on the home farm for fifteen years, when they bought a farm in the center of Littleton, where they worked successfully for twenty years. In 1907 Mr. Whitney retired and they bought and fitted up to their liking the cosey [sic] home at Westford Center. A little son [Jay Emory] born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitney died in infancy [1888].
Mrs. Whitney united with the Congregational church on March 3, 1899, and during the period of nearly thirty years had been loyal to its best interests and had never removed her membership elsewhere. She was a member of Ida McKinley chapter, O.E.S., of Ayer, and attended its meetings whenever health and circumstances permitted. She was also a member of the W.C.T.U., of Westford, and a firm adherent to the principals it represented. For a number of years Mrs. Whitney had been a member of the Tadmuck club and of the Ladies’ Aid society of her church.
Mrs. Whitney is survived by her husband, Emory J. Whitney, and the sympathy of the community goes out to him in his bereavement.
The funeral service took place on Tuesday afternoon at the Congregational church at two o’clock in the presence of a large gathering of relatives, friends and neighbors. Rev. Howard A. Lincoln, pastor of the church, was the officiating clergyman and brought a sincere message of sympathy, comfort and help. Mrs. Charles H. Wright and Mrs. Charles D. Colburn sang two selections, “Does Jesus care?” and “Shall we gather at the river?” with Miss Edith A. Wright at the organ. The bearers were Harwood L. Wright, Charles H. Wright, Arthur E. Day and Leonard W. Wheeler. Interment was in Fairview cemetery. Relatives were present from Lunenburg, Lowell, Concord Junction and Boylston.
The floral offerings were very beautiful, from the husband a large pillow with the word “Wife”; a group of neighbors sent a large wreath of galax leaves, roses and violets, Mrs. W. R. Carver, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Colburn, Mrs. Phonsie Isles, Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Pickering, Mr. and Mrs. George A. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Stiles and Miss Freida [sic] Stiles, Mrs. Joseph Moran, Mr. and Mrs. Perley E. Wright; spray of white calla lilies, Union Congregational church; spray of roses, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Edwards; sprays of pinks, Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Varnum, Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Jamison, Mr. and Mrs. George H. Jamison; basket, Mr. and Mrs. Leon P. Alford; spray of carnations, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fisher; wreath of galax leaves and pinks, Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Allen and family; spray of carnations and narcissus, Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler; spray, Arthur Burland and family; star, Ida McKinley chapter, O.E.S., Ayer; large mound of roses, pinks and violets from the following members of the W.C.T.U.: Mrs. Walker, Mrs. C. H. Wright, Mrs. S. O. Taylor, Mrs. C. A. Blaney, Mrs. H. G. Osgood, Mrs. F. C. Wright, Miss Louisa Crosby, Miss Edith A. Wright, Mrs. J. W. Fletcher, Mrs. J. L. Kimball, Mrs. John Wright, Mrs. Fred Myers, Mrs. Arthur E. Day, Mrs. Emma Day, Mrs. Labouteley, Mrs. Pitkin and Mrs. F. E. Miller.
About Town. The underground water system at the Prairie farm, with Amos Polley as steerage proprietor, froze to a shut-off during the below zero snap, but thawed out during the recent Boston thunder shower snap.
There will be a meeting of the directors of Middlesex County Farm Bureau at the town hall, Littleton, next Tuesday evening at 7:45.
Westford Grange will observe Valentine day next Thursday evening, in charge of the Misses Grant and Osborne.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Banister and eldest daughter, Frances, observed their birthdays last Saturday. It is so unusual for three in one family to have a birthday on the same day that it was really worth the while for friends to specialize and individualize the event.
Foxes are seemingly abundant and certainly tame. Two were recently seen at Banister’s Corner, close to the car tracks. They appeared not to be afraid of shock or shot. Several have been seen on Francis hill, and close by one was recently shot by J. Herbert Fletcher. Better hold the annual fox hunt in Westford next year. If the foxes get scarce, there is the woodchuck which doeth more damage and is destructively abundant.
The lecture and lantern slides on “Practical poultry keeping,” which was to have been given last Monday evening, was postponed on account of the storm until Monday evening, February 12, in the vestry of the Unitarian church. Rev. L. H. Buckshorn will operate the lantern and Harold Hildreth will act as end man interlocutor.
The first thunder shower of the summer passed over Boston and vicinity Monday morning, and the first big snowstorm passed over Brookside and larger territory and places the same morning.
Announcement is made of the engagement of Miss Edith Proctor, daughter of Charles S. Proctor, of Lowell, to Harold Hill Fletcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher, of Westford.
The Lowell Fish and Game club were represented at an open meeting of Westford Grange last week Thursday evening. Among those who showed fight for the principles for which the club is organized were Simon B. Harris, president of the club, Willis S. Holt, vice president and game warden, and Robert McCarthy, treasurer. Their contention seemed to some as “Down with your trespass signs, the earth is the lord’s and the fullness thereof.” They would stop just this side of extermination. It is quite evident that to reduce game to that thin out is too dangerous a margin. Those who opened fire on the part of the Grange for a better protection of bird life was Mrs. Frank C. Wright, Mrs. J. E. Knight, S. L. Taylor. Chelmsford was represented by a better defence [sic] of bird life by J. E. Peck and J. L Morse, deputy game wardens. Miss Durn, of the high school, opened cheer by a piano solo, and Mrs. Charles D. Colburn followed later in good fellowship spirit with the uplift of a solo.
The Westford Board of Trade listened to a clear explanation and illustration of the new income tax by Hon. George P. Drury, of Waltham, last week Friday evening. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, president, introduced the speaker and presided. Mr. Drury has lost none of his straight forward, plain, concentrated way of going to affairs since he has become an ex-member of the Massachusetts legislature. He leaves the overflow of hot air to those who are specialists in it. The meeting adjourned to the annual meeting and entertainment at some near future date.
S. L. Taylor attended the hearing before the committee on fish and game on his petition for a closed season for five years.
Chester Barnham, who has been lit with rheumatic fever, is well over the serious aspects of it and will soon be back at the old stand of health and youth.
Warrant Posted. Town meeting, the one of all others in the years that elects officers and taxes, will be held on Monday at the town hall. There will be no contest for offices. The relocation and straightening of the road from the Center to Graniteville ought to pass. For the aesthetic taste those woodland curves can’t be beat; for danger those curves can’t be beat.
Article 35, the last one, calls for lighting Lowell road from Westford station to Brookside Corner. The inhabitants on this road have to light their way on this road largely by the light of their countenance. This is good when it is all there, but when it is not all there, then as of old it must be said, “Give us of your oil for our lamps have gone out,” besides the electric car track has curves that pinches the road. If the town intends to reach out it is better one road at a time and finish it, than one light at a time all over the town and finish never.
Article 20 calls for music. Hope we shall be on the key and play the same tune when this article comes up to purchasing a new piano for the town hall. The finance committee report in favor of $500 for a too much neglected public need. The amen side of this article is all with the finance committee’s report.
Article 21, to raise and appropriate $200 for the George Washington Memorial building in Washington. Don’t want to stand aloof and small in this matter, but good authority says Washington D.C., is already covered over with memorials and monuments.
Article 26 calls for an appropriation of $50 as salary for a game and fish warden. Yes, by all means give him $50. He is well worth the money for his attitude on [the] whole question of protection to game. Joseph Wall, in his report says: “I would like to call your attention to the good work done by some of our leading citizens; also, the Lowell Fish and Game association, through their efforts we have received a larger lot of fish than any other town in the state. We are expecting a shipment of birds.” About 8,000 fish were placed in Flushing pond, 57,000 in Forge pond, 102,500 in Keyes pond, 104,500 in Long-Sought pond, 817,000 in Nabnassett pond, and 92,200 brook trout, besides eight mallard ducks as a foundation were liberated in the swamp south of Forge pond. Our warden has been a bountiful benefactor to the town in the above allotments.
Article 25, to see what action the town will take towards continuing taking water from the Westford Water Company—continue.
Graniteville. The Ladies Aid society of the M.E. church met with Mrs. Ellsworth York on Thursday afternoon, February 8, at three o’clock.
Many people from this village attended the joint installation of officers of Court Wannalancit and Court Westford of Graniteville that was held in the town hall at North Chelmsford on last Sunday afternoon at three o’clock. The offices were installed by District Deputy Peter P. Welch of Boston, assisted by the young women’s degree staff from Merrimack court of Haverhill, under the direction of Michael Roche. Daniel H. McGuire, high secretary, treasurer, representing the high standing committee, was present.
The members of Cameron circle, C.F. of A., held a very successful dance in Forge Village on last week Friday evening that was largely attended.
Charles Wiley, father-in-law of Mrs. Mary McDermott Wiley, died at his home in Cuttingsville, Vt., on Saturday, February 4. The funeral was held on last Tuesday.
The worst snow storm of the season visited here on last Monday and during the day it reached the height of a regular blizzard.
The annual town meeting will be held in the town hall on next Monday.