The Westford Wardsman, July 14, 1917
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knight are enjoying a two-weeks’ vacation with relatives in White River Junction, Royalston and Windsor. During Mr. Knight’s absence Henry Colburn is taking care of the Congregational church.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston H. Skidmore and daughter Elaine and Mrs. William R. Carver and children, Elizabeth and William, go this weekend for a stay at Chatham Beach. The party drive down to the cape in the Skidmore auto.
The meeting for the canning demonstration was unavoidably postponed from July 11 to Wednesday, July 25. Again all the housewives and young people are heartily invited to be present. Miss Alma G. Halbower is the home demonstration agent for the Middlesex County Farm Bureau and is a very capable and practical teacher and is highly recommended by all who have seen and heard her. The time and place is Wednesday, July 25, at two o’clock, in the town hall.
Mrs. Anna M. Grant, of Lowell, announces the engagement of her daughter, Elsie May, to Elmer Clark Matthews, L.T.S. ’17. Miss Grant is pleasantly remembered as the skillful and popular dancing school teacher two seasons ago and has many friends in Westford.
The John P. Wrights start Saturday for a week’s stay in South Royalston, Vt. They drive over the road in their auto and stop one night en route at Swanzey, N.H.
Miss Alice MacDougall, who has been for about eight years with the John C. Abbots, is at the Coram hospital in Lowell, where she underwent a serious operation for gallstones on Wednesday. She is reported as standing the operation well and rallying from the anesthetic and a good recovery is hoped for. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Abbot and son Robert are spending a vacation in New Hampshire.
Mrs. Lewis J. Marden [nee Lillian Cass], of Campton, N.H., has been a recent visitor at the home of her sister, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland [nee Martha Luella “Mattie” Cass].
Miss Lillian Sutherland has gone with friends for a week’s auto trip in New Hampshire.
The Sunday school picnic was postponed from this week Thursday until next week Thursday. Perley E. Wright carries the children to Lakeview with his auto truck, and the children and young people are assured of careful transportation thereby.
The electric lights were out of commission on Wednesday evening and people were obliged to use lamps and candles. Workmen worked hard and had the service resumed before many hours. The street lights were not affected by the trouble.
The oil for the streets did not arrive this week and the heavy rain that fell on Wednesday afternoon and evening was most welcome to lay the dust and for the growing crops, although it upset the plans of the hay-makers.
J. W. Rafter is reported as doing nicely at the Lowell General hospital and is expected home soon.
The Oaklands play the Littleton team Saturday at Whitney playground. This will be an interesting game and friends should turn out well and give the team of Westford boys all the friendly encouragement they can. In last week’s game with the Emeralds of Lowell the Westford boys won by the score of 12 to 4.
The home guards, recently organized, who have been doing such good work in their drilling, was inspected on Tuesday evening by Col. Barroll, of Boston. The men made a good impression with the inspector, who stated that he should report favorably for acceptance by Gov. McCall, and the prospect is good for being mustered in within a short time. If accepted, the company will be subject to duty anywhere in Massachusetts.
All land owners are warned against the appearance of the plant known as the orange hawk weed, or “Devil’s paint brush.” This brilliant flower, with its showy yellow and brown colors, if it once gets a hold in gardens or fields is a real pest. It spreads rapidly and is worse than the daisy or common white weed. In many sections in the State of Maine it has gained a foothold. It has been found in several places in Westford and those finding it should burn it up.
Albert Heywood, who is in the navy, has been spending a week’s furlough in town.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth and son Roger go this weekend for a vacation at Ogunquit Beach, Me.
Word comes to Westford friends of the serious illness of Dimock Sutherland of Newton, and of the John Hancock Insurance Co., of Boston. Mr. Sutherland is afflicted with a tumor on the brain and goes to Philadelphia this week to undergo a very critical and delicate operation in the hope that his life may be spared. Mrs. Sutherland and his daughter Thelma accompany him. A. H. Sutherland, of this town, is his brother, and while the senior Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland had a home here the Dimock Sutherlands were frequent visitors in this village.
Red Cross Subscribers. Westford’s subscription to the special fund for Red Cross work, amounting to nearly $52,000, was a generous one. Those contributing five dollars and more are given in this list and grateful acknowledgement is made to those who gave lesser amounts, which would gladly be published did space permit. Thanks is also due to the committees who worked so hard and so faithfully.
Abiel J. Abbot $1500.00
Abbot Worsted Co. 500.00
Julian A. Cameron 500.00
Mrs. Abiel J. Abbott 250.00
Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher 250.00
Friend 200.00
V. C. B. Wetmore 100.00
Oscar R. Spalding 100.00
Edward M. Abbot 100.00
Mr. and Mrs. George T. Day 100.00
Fred G. Sargent 100.00
Allan C. Sargent 50.00
Mrs. Allan C. Sargent 50.00
Mrs. Mary E. Calvert 50.00
Mrs. Hiram Whitney 50.00
Donald M. Cameron 50.00
Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher 25.00
Harwood L. Wright 25.00
John P. Wright 25.00
Dr. W. H. Sherman and wife 25.00
Hon. Edward Fisher 25.00
Henry Smith 25.00
Westford Branch Red Cross 25.00
Chas. G. Sargent 15.00
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Day 15.00
Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Hildreth 15.00
C. V. Wetmore 10.00
W. R. Carver 10.00
Alec Fisher 10.00
Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler 10.00
John Greig 10.00
Hammett D. Wright 10.00
Alfred W. Hartford 10.00
Westford Boy Scouts Troop 10.00
H. G. Osgood 10.00
Walter C. Wright 10.00
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Wilson 5.00
John Wilson 5.00
E. Florence Wetmore 5.00
Frank C. Drew 5.00
Henry A. Fletcher 5.00
C. W. Hildreth 5.00
G. E. Labountely 5.00
Edward T. Hanley 5.00
Samuel H. Balch 5.00
Wm. H. Pollock 5.00
Chas. H. Wright 5.00
C. L. Howard and family 5.00
E. H. Flagg and family 5.00
Joseph L. Kimball 5.00
Mrs. A. M. Richardson 5.00
Mrs. Sherman H. Fletcher 5.00
Gertrude D. Fletcher 5.00
Julia H. Fletcher 5.00
George A. Walker 5.00
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Fletcher 5.00
Charles L. Hildreth 5.00
Ella F. Hildreth 5.00
Charles O. Prescott 5.00
Dr. O. V. Wells 5.00
W. C. Roudenbush 5.00
E. J. Whitney 5.00
Leon Hildreth 5.00
Misses Atwood 5.00
Edmund T. Simpson 5.00
Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Watson 5.00
Mr. and Mrs. Perley E. Wright 5.00
W. L. Wood 5.00
Samuel L. Taylor 5.00
Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Gould 5.00
Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Gould 5.00
C. & F. R. Blodgett 5.00
J. Everett Wood 5.00
Joseph Perkins 5.00
William F. Sargent 5.00
Harry N. Fletcher 5.00
L. P. Palmer 5.00
P. Henry Harrington 5.00
A. J. Charlton 5.00
John A. Healey 5.00
Elisha Manning 5.00
Conrad Richards 5.00
Fortnightly Club 3.83
Westford Grange 3.14
About Town. Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher and family were guests in the State of Maine before and after the Fourth.
Now is beginning to be the closing time for sowing buckwheat. The center of this month will be about the latest.
Amos Polley, of the Prairie farm, will finish haying this week, provided the crops go thirsty for want of rain.
The Carr family, who have had charge of Long-Sought lodge for several years, have resigned and moved to Graniteville. They are splendidly useful and competent people in any community. They are succeeded by Miss Moffatt, of Boston, as manager of the lodge, which is and will continue to be a resort for the poor children of Boston.
At a meeting of the trustees of the Middlesex-North Agricultural society in Lowell on last week Thursday, it was unanimously voted to accept the invitation of the Lowell Board of Trade and the park commission to hold the next fair in Lowell at the Kasino and south common, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 20, 21 and 22, to be known as agricultural week. With the wide-spread incentive for more and better farming it is expected that this fair will eclipse all other eclipses.
Mrs. Charles Noyes, of Framingham, was a recent visitor at the Old Oaken Bucket farm. They owned at one time the farm now owned by W. R. Taylor on Stony Brook road.
Luanna Decatur is at the farm homestead on the Lowell road for the summer from her teaching in New Rochelle, N.Y.
The inhabitants of the Capt. Pelletiah [sic] Fletcher place on the Lowell road have had new, fresh beans from their garden. This beats all other Stony Brook valley farmers.
Messrs. F. W. Bannister, Guy R. Decatur, Amos Polley and S. L. Taylor have sowed several acres of buckwheat. When in bloom good for honey; when ripened good for bread—honey and bread—why not take the lid off that light hay land and sow honey and bread.
Hiram Decatur, of Lynn, is visiting his sister, Mrs. Samuel Naylor of West Chelmsford.
J. Frank Chandler, who recently sold his farm in Tyngsboro, is living with the Hildreth family, near Westford station, and employed at the Fletcher Cold Spring farm.
Let us try and live up to the newest in the mail service. The noon mail has been discontinued and also the mail clerk. The morning mail headed towards California will carry a letter to Ayer within forty-eight hours after it is mailed, bagged at Cold Spring.
The spring wheat at the Old Oaken farm is headed out to look like lower prices for flour. Corn is close to tasseling, which is 14 ½ days behind last year.
Josiah Crosby, of Arlington, is spending his vacation time at the home of his aunt, Mrs. Frank W. Bannister, on the Lowell-Providence road.
At the last meeting of the Grange ten dollars was voted for the use of the lecturer as a “specialty” allowance. The next meeting will be held on the third Thursday in August.
There will be services at the Unitarian church for two more Sundays before the summer vacation.
The Boy Scouts and another boy are taking crop census for the Middlesex County Farm Bureau.
Forge Village. Miss M. Elizabeth Plummer has returned from Beverly, where she attended the wedding of her nephew.
William Burnett is confined to his home with a severe cold and is under the care of a physician.
Alvin S. Bennett, the oldest man in the village, who is now in his ninety-first year, journeyed to Ayer last week Thursday and inspected the army quarters. Then he continued on his way to Worcester, where he spent the remainder of the week with relatives. Sunday he enjoyed an auto trip home. Accompanying him on the return trip were Mr. and Mrs. John Bennett and two children and Mr. and Mrs. Connie Bennett and their two children.
Miss Helen Bennett of Townsend visited her great-grandfather, Alvin S. Bennett on Sunday.
Mrs. Michael Keefe of Townsend Harbor spent the weekend at the home of her sisters, the Misses Edith and Sara Precious.
Mr. and Mrs. John Campling and family of Lawrence returned Saturday after a week’s vacation spent at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Hunt.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvah Bicknell of Somerville spent the weekend at camp here.
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Kirk of Leominster spent the last of the week as guests of Miss Emily Catchpole.
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Collins were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Collins of Southbridge on Saturday and Sunday. Misses Emily and Ethel Collins spent the weekend with relatives in Haverhill.
The Martin Service baseball team was to play the Forge Village A.C. here Saturday afternoon, but failed to appear. A game was arranged with a picked-up team with the Spinner brothers for the battery. This is the first time the Spinner boys have played together for several years and they nearly carried home the bacon.
The meeting of the Red Cross Sewing circle will be held in the sewing rooms of St. Andrew’s mission on Tuesday afternoon, July 17. The sewing will be in charge of Miss Marion L. Blodgett, instead of Miss Eva F. Pyne, who is unable to continue the work
Corporal Edward Blodgett of Co. E, 5th regiment, is visiting his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Weaver, and his many other relatives here for a week.
Joseph Murphy, who left here a short time ago to enlist in the navy as a wireless operator, spent Sunday as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards. Mr. Murphy wore the uniform of the U.S. navy.
Harvard
News Items. Word was received Tuesday that the lumbermen’s war unit, in which Leland Whitney and Robert Sheehan are enrolled, has reached England.
Ayer
News Items. Three hundred members of Major Dolan’s battalion, which is doing guard duty at the military camp, attended the eleven o’clock mass at St. Mary’s church last Sunday. The appearance of the men made a most impressive sight as they marched to the church to attend divine service. The mass was celebrated by Rev. Frank H. Houston. Just before the close of mass Rev. Thomas P. McGinn made a few remarks to the men, saying that the priests would willingly hear confessions at any time they may all decide upon. He also referred to the great danger of their calling and asked them to so conduct themselves as to bear out the reputation which they always had, that of true catholic gentlemen. He further stated that the local Council, K.C., has opened their quarters for them and that they would be always welcome. A number of the protestant members attended services in the Federated church.
A battalion in command of Major William Dolan, of Fitchburg, consisting of three companies which have been in training at Framingham, arrived here last Saturday in a special train with their equipment. The men formed in line at the station and marched to the camp ground, where they will perform guard duty for the present. The marching soldiers made an impressive sight as they passed through the streets.
Field Service. A field service was held in the company street of Company B, 1st regiment of Engineers, last Sunday evening. An orchestra including Fred B., George M. and U. H. Barrows, Walter Lougee, Wallace Kittredge and Guy R. Cook furnished instrumental music, Frank E. Harlow, Fred W. Hosmer, Mrs. W. E. Beckford, Mrs. F. B. Crandall, Misses Alice P. Sanderson, Mabelle K. Pickard and Margaret Hume of the choir of the Unitarian church sang several numbers. Mrs. Beckford sang two solos. Frank J. Lawton, of Shirley Center, played the small portable organ taken up for the occasion. Rev. Frank B. Crandall gave a talk to the men in which he welcomed them to Ayer, and pledged the best efforts of his people to make that welcome real. The feature of the evening was the hearty participation of the men themselves. An organist and several musicians from Company B took their turn in furnishing music for the occasion.
Exemption Board Organized. The local Exemption Board for Division 15, State of Massachusetts, has organized with George H. Creighton, Maynard, chairman and executive officer, and Frank S. Bulkeley, Ayer, clerk. The district, while numerically no larger than others, is made up of towns widely separated, and some with limited means of transportation. In view of this, and to make it more convenient for those called for examination, the district has been sub-divided as follows: District 1, made up of the towns of Groton, Pepperell, Ashby and Townsend, will be called for examination in Groton. District 2, made up of the towns of Maynard, Stow, Acton, Bolton and Berlin, will be called for examination in Maynard. District 3, made up of the towns of Ayer, Shirley, Lunenburg, Westford, Littleton, Harvard and Boxborough, will be called for examination in Ayer.
In each town selected as a meeting place, the town hall or other town offices will be used as the headquarters of the board. If no further instructions are received by the board the above arrangement may be considered permanent.
The services of a stenographer will be needed. Any wishing to apply for the position, address the clerk of the board, Frank S. Bulkeley, Ayer.
Camp Notes. Capt. Arthur H. Strong of the Springfield fire department has been appointed chief of the fire department at Ayer military camp. He will have a trained corps of firemen from various cities in the state, vacations having been arranged so that the men may pass two weeks there and each draw five dollars a day. Capt. Strong is drillmaster of the Springfield department and was formerly connected with the 2nd regiment.
The announcement of the coming of the entire national guard to the local military camp on July 25, has caused quite a stir about town. The total number of men that will encamp here on that date will be about 25,000, according to reports. To this number will be added the recruits who will be drafted for service soon.
A contractor and builder from Malden, who was in town the middle of the week, says that the attention of the building world is now directed to Ayer. In and around Boston the big job here is a strong attraction for builders, many of whom are already here.
Very large numbers of workmen are daily flocking to the camp in search of work. Many who have not secured a job before coming are disappointed and return home.
A trench has been dug from the camp as far as the Nashua river railroad bridge and will be extended to a point near the Bishop farm on the bank of the river, south of the bridge. This will carry off the sewage to the proposed filter beds which are to be made near the farm.
The matter of providing an aviation field for training at the camp grounds has been abandoned, the grounds being unsuitable for such a purpose. This information was given out by Capt. Robert Bonner of the quartermaster’s department of the northeastern district which has charge of procuring leased land for military purposes. He said, however, that there might be land set aside for the practicing of signals by men attached to the signal corps. He also stated that the story of the government trying to secure 2000 acres in the vicinity of Fort and Spec ponds in Lancaster was without foundation.
John Wynne, of Townsend, broke a rib last Saturday when he fell from the top of a building where he was working. He was treated at the camp hospital. He went home Sunday.
The work of getting the water supply is still going on. It is expected in a short time that town water will be flowing into the camp through a large main laid for that purpose.
Because of the rule that no automobiles or teams are allowed in the camp grounds many are disappointed. Persons on foot may go into the grounds. The surest way, however, is to get a pass at the administration building near the Day farm on the Shirley road, and there will be no question of your right to enter the grounds. Some of the workmen, returning to the camp after visiting Ayer nights, report being held up by the officers at the grounds and carefully looked over before being allowed to proceed.
To the Editor: Will you kindly insert in your columns the following appeal for books for the soldiers and sailors:
Books wanted for the Massachusetts soldiers and sailors—it is desirable that the thousands of young men assembled in the various camps should find available for their free hours a supply of good reading matter. The Free Public Library Commission and the library have provided books for guardsmen, but many more books are needed, not only at various points in our vicinity, but also at the large training camp at Ayer.
The library invites the citizens of our town to contribute whatever books they can spare for this purpose. The books should be readable. For old and uninteresting books there will be little use, but among the soldiers will be found men of varying tastes and almost any current book of general interest will be likely to find readers. Good novels and stories of adventure will be likely to find readers. Good novels and stories of adventure will be in demand and books of history, biography, travel, essays, science and especially books about the war—in short, almost any book that appeals to the average reader will be acceptable. Elementary text books for learning the French language and easy French readers will also be welcome.
The library desires not only to assist local guardsmen but also to help in furnishing books for the large national training camp at Ayer. The library will serve as a clearing house. Anyone willing to contribute books for this purpose is invited to bring them or send them to the library, or the library will arrange to call for them if notified. Ayer Library.
Lunenburg
New Items. At least two Lunenburg boys are doing good service in assisting to build the military camp in Ayer—Carroll H. Magoon engaged as carpenter beginning work at seven in the morning and closing at six in the evening each day, and Arnold H. Woods, civil engineer, beginning at eight each morning and working eight hours per day. Several large auto trucks go through town every morning between five and six o’clock, enroute for Ayer, bearing heavy loads of workmen who board in Fitchburg. People here are given a faint idea of the busy scene in Ayer, even if they are not among the steady stream of sight-seers who every day present themselves at headquarters of the camp.