The Westford Wardsman, July 26, 1919
Center. Harry Stiles is adding a piazza across the front and at one side of his house [on Boston Road] and which when completed will be a great improvement.
Miss May E. Day, commencing next week, will take the summer librarian’s course at Simmons college, being gone for the number of weeks that the course lasts, from Monday until Friday. During this time Miss Alice M. Howard will be in attendance at the J. V. Fletcher library.
Pleasant accounts come from the Arthur E. Days on their Canadian trip. Going to their destination at Coe Hill [the primary hamlet in Wollaston Township, Hastings County, Ontario, located about 143 miles northeast of Toronto], which took about a week, they rested from driving over Sunday in Toronto. They reported no machine trouble, nor a punctured tire. In about a week they start the return trip home.
Rev. William Anderson has a new telephone installed at his residence, 41-12, and the John P. Wrights have their telephone, 53, which was disconnected during their absence from town.
Miss Hazel Hartford is enjoying a two-weeks’ vacation from the John Hancock insurance offices in Boston, and is at camp at Forge pond.
Mrs. Ruth Millis and children have been spending a part of this week with her parents in North Chelmsford.
Perley E. Wright has purchased a new 3½-ton National truck to be used in his trucking business.
It has been pretty trying weather for everyone this week, especially for the hay-makers, who have hay down, and for those who have more to cut. It has also interfered with the raspberry crop. Shipments of early apples are coming in good and the first shipments of blackberries have started this week.
Mrs. Cyril A. Blaney and their children have returned from a vacation spent with relatives in Framingham.
Master Richard L. Hildreth has been a pretty sick little boy this last week—a combination of mumps and an indulgence in green apples, the latter causing more trouble than the first.
Mrs. Maria Stone remains very seriously ill. Mrs. James B. Hartford is reported as gaining slowly. Both patients are in the care of trained nurses.
There will be a special business meeting of the Ladies’ Aid of the Congregational church next Thursday afternoon at 2:30 at the home of the president, Mrs. Perley E. Wright. This meeting is to make plans and choose committees for the annual agricultural fair in September.
Sunday will be the last Sabbath before the August vacation at the Congregational church. Mr. Brownsey’s morning subject will be “Men of heroic mould,” [sic] and at the evening service at 7:30 his topic will be “The way out.” The evening services will be continued during vacation. Mr. Brownsey will take the first one and the other leaders will be Mr. Hanscomb, Mr. Rafter, Miss Loker and Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler.
Mrs. O. L. Brownsey goes the first of the week to Dunbarton, N.H., to spend her vacation with her mother, Mrs. Charles Dickey. Mr. Brownsey, after attendance at some meetings in Boston, goes later to Dunbarton.
Harold Connell, son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Connell, has recently returned to his soldier duties at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., after a month’s furlough spent with his home people. The Saturday evening before he went back he was given a farewell supper party at the home of his brother and wife, Mr. and Mrs. John Connell, which was a large and enjoyable gathering of kinspeople. Young Mr. Connell has made a good record, having received high ranking in horsemanship and marksmanship.
M. S. G. The members of Company H, M. S. G., which is part of the second battalion of the 11th regiment, came back from East Boxford, Camp Robert Bacon, last Saturday. They were a tired lot of men and the week’s tour of duty had been a strenuous one. The men kept in good health, although we are sorry to report one accident. Charles Roby, in the company’s spectacular and victorious game of baseball between the Westford team and Company A, of Newton, was hit by a baseball and suffered a fractured jaw. The blow knocked him senseless for a time but he recovered and pluckily finished out the game before having his injury attended to. He also stuck by his duties in the commissary department until camp was broken.
The company made a great record at baseball, having defeated the Framingham and Haverhill companies earlier in the week, and as a result of their three victories brought home a trophy of a large silver cup.
There will be no more drills of the company until September.
About Town. Mrs. Oliver Desjardin, accompanied by the town nurse, went to the Tewksbury hospital on Monday for treatment for an internal trouble which has been a source of anxiety for a long period of time.
The old white horse of Guy R. Decatur, reported last week as strayed or stolen, was found Sunday afternoon by Frank C. Drew in the abandoned icehouse cellar in his pasture fronting on the Lowell road. This cellar is about eight feet deep, into which the horse in the darkness of the night and impaired eyesight fell, and where he had remained nearly a week. When found he was standing up and apparently no worse for the fall or fasting. He was gotten out by neighbors building a sloping platform at the bulkhead entrance, which was two feet lower than the cellar walls. The building has long since been self removed by age. This old icehouse was known as Tower’s ice house, built in the days of individual icehouses.
The Middlesex County Bulletin for July has a picture of Gordon Seavey and his trained pig [“Soot”]. He received first prize last season in the pig club contest, and is the youngest subscriber to the Bulletin.
G. E. LaBoutley, former manager of the Drew farm, has made several visits to town recently from his farm in West Acton. Besides fruit and dairying he is adding poultry and is buying freely of Rhode Island Reds of Mr. Hanscom on the Tadmuck road.
We are sorry to report that the Hanscom and Loveless families are planning to leave town about September 1. They have been in town about three years and have been unusually active in church, Grange, social life and all else that makes for betterment. Mr. Hanscom organized the men’s inquiry class at the Congregational church and was elected its president. In farming he has made a specialty of poultry with great success.
Among the farms visited by the recent tour of Middlesex County Extension Workers was the Drew fruit farm, where conditions of apple storage were studied.
Private Ernest T. Wright has recently returned from several months’ service overseas. While in France he was assigned to duty at the adjutant general’s office in Tours, and later was privileged to attend the A.E.F. university at Beauve. His brother Karl is still on duty in France. They are the sons of the late Mr. and Mrs. Gilman F. Wright on the Groton road and graduates of Westford academy, and were active in the Fortnightly club while it had activity.
Miss Lillian G. Wright has recently returned from the Lowell General hospital after a successful operation of appendicitis. Miss Wright is a successful teacher at the Sargent school in Graniteville.
Graniteville. Court Graniteville, F. of A., held a well attended meeting in the rooms on last week Thursday evening with R. J. McCarthy, chief ranger, in the chair. The following officers were elected: John Shackelton, chief ranger; Thomas Hughes, sub chief; A. R. Wall, rec. sec.; Raymond Charlton, s.w.; Charles Eaton, j.w.; Joseph Wall, s.b.; R. J. McCarthy, G. P. LeDuc, Joseph Wall, trustees. All of these officers will be duly installed at the next regular meeting.
Private John Healy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Healy, has recently returned from overseas. He has received his discharge and is now at his home here.
Miss Anna Healy, who served during the war as an army nurse at the various cantonments in New York and New Jersey, has been a recent visitor here.
The Abbot Worsted Company team played the Lamson Company ball team at the big outing held at Canobie Lake park last Saturday and were defeated by the score of 11 to 10. It was a game filled with all kinds of baseball in which the local club failed to get any of the breaks. On Saturday of this week the strong Townsend A.A. will play on the home grounds in Graniteville and a good game is expected.
A reunion of the Wall family was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wall last Sunday, the occasion being in the nature of a welcome to Mr. and Mrs. J. Fred Wall, of Detroit, Mich., who are now spending a few days here. A good old-fashioned dinner with all the fixings was served on the veranda and it is needless to say that this was very much enjoyed. A group picture of the entire company was then taken, after which a short, but pleasing entertainment was given that consisted of songs by Miss Rachel Wall, readings by Miss Etta May Sheahan and recitation by Raymond Wall. The time was spent in sociability and good cheer, and the day will long be remembered as a very enjoyable one for all those present.
Joseph Wall, the local fish and game warden, has recently received some pheasant eggs from the state game farm at Wilbraham. The different settings have been given to people interested in poultry here, and it is the intention after the birds are hatched to care for them for such time as they are able to care for themselves, when they will be liberated in the covers in this vicinity.
The members of Court Westford M.C.O.F. held their regular meeting on Thursday evening with a good attendance.
Owing to the new 48-hours-per-week law the Abbot Worsted Company is now working on the following schedule: 6:45 until 12 and from 1 o’clock until 4:30, and Saturdays until eleven o’clock.
Death. Herbert F. Shattuck, son of Mr. and Mrs. David H. Shattuck, died at his home here on last week Thursday after a long illness at the age of thirty-four years. Besides his parents he leaves a wife, Helen, and two small children; also, two brothers and three sisters, Arthur of Lowell and Walter of Portland, Me., and Mrs. Frank Caunter, Mrs. Cora McEnaney and Miss Stella Shattuck of this village. The funeral took place from his late home here on last Sunday afternoon at two o’clock and were well attended, the services being conducted by Rev. William E. Anderson, pastor of the M.E. church, who spoke with deep feeling on the life of the departed, his words being a source of great consolation to the bereaved family. The singing was by Miss Alice May Gilson and Mrs. William Gilson, who sung [sic] “Beautiful isle of somewhere” and “Christian’s goodnight.”
There was a profusion of beautiful floral offerings sent by loving relatives and friends. The bearers were J. Ellsworth York, Joseph Profita, John Donehue and John E. McCarthy.
The burial took place in the family lot in Fairview cemetery, Westford, where the committal service was read by Rev. W. E. Anderson.
Forge Village. At St. Andrew’s mission on Sunday communion services will be held at 4:30 in the afternoon. Rev. Leslie Wallace will preach. This will be the last service until September 7, as the church will be closed throughout the month of August. The vicar will leave August 4 on his vacation, to be gone one month.
John Spinner, Jr., and Miss Edith Spinner are spending their vacation with friends in Fall River.
The employees of Abbot Worsted Company started on a new schedule this week, beginning at 6:45 until 12, and from 1 until 4:30 [8-3/4 hrs.]; Saturdays until 11 o’clock [4-1/4 hrs. making a 48-hour week].
Mr. and Mrs. James Kelley are visiting relatives in New York.
The Misses Caroline, Pamelya [sic] and Mildred Precious furnished music for an informal dancing party last Saturday evening in South Chelmsford.
The Forge Village A.C. met and defeated the strong Orford A.A. of Lawrence last Saturday, the score being 14 to 3. Although the score indicates a slow and rather slack game it was much the contrary, being filled with spectacular plays and fine base running. The seventh inning proved disastrous to the Lawrence team, when the A.C. batted around for a total of seven runs. Monroe and Spinner worked in the points for the A.C.; Elsey and Myers did the battery work for the Lawrence team. The Forge Village A.C. would like to meet any of the following teams in the near future; Abbot Worsted Co., the Bellevues or the K. of C. of Lowell. The Abbot Worsted Company team is preferred and it is hoped they will accept the challenge. Send all challenges through this paper or write James Kelly, Forge Village Telephone 6-2.
Mr. and Mrs. James H. Brown, of Clinton, with their little son Stephen, are spending a two-weeks’ vacation at the home of Mr. Brown’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Merrick.
Miss Emma Goucher is spending the summer with her sister, Mrs. George Walker, of New York city.
Ayer
News Items. Hereafter the base hospital at Camp Devens will be known as the post hospital. There are now six wards open, containing 250 patients. The wards at the convalescent building are to be closed and the few remaining patients kept at the hospital until discharged. No more five-day passes are now issued, the men being under more restrictions.
Lieut. J. H. Cassidy of the Motor Transport Corps states that reports in circulation that there will be a sale of automobiles at Camp Devens is without foundation. He declares that the disabled cars in the “automobile graveyard” in camp will not be sold for junk. During the past week automobile dealers visited the camp and looked at the government cars and several offered to buy those needing slight repairs. Others inquired about the unused cars which were supposed to be shipped to France and were held here pending disposition. It is understood that the government has an understanding with the concern which made the cars to return them at a fair price.