The Westford Wardsman, May 19, 1917
Center. The walks and drives about the Frost school and at the academy have been regraveled and are much improved.
The community sing was held at the town hall Monday evening in charge of Mrs. W. R. Taylor.
The J. V. Fletcher library will be closed for the day on Sunday, May 20, in order to disinfect the museum cases.
Westford friends are sorry to note this week the death of I. L. Hall, of Lowell, husband of Mrs. Belle Harrington Hall. Mrs. Hall has made many friends in Westford, where she has given readings at various times. Mr. Hall’s death leaves his wife the care of his aged mother, he being an only son.
Miss Mabel Drew, Mrs. Sarah J. Drew, Mrs. H. W. Hildreth, Mrs. John Feeney, Jr., and Miss May Balch, of this village, were among those in attendance at the play given by the Littleton Woman’s club in Littleton on Tuesday afternoon of this week and giving an enthusiastic report of its rendering in every way.
Rev. and Mrs. Howard A. Lincoln and Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler were in attendance at the Massachusetts conference on churches in Taunton on Wednesday. While there they met Rev. and Mrs. David Wallace and Rev. Charles P. Marshall.
Last Saturday Principal W. C. Roudenbush and Mrs. Roudenbush took a group of academy scholars to Boston for the day. The group of nine scholars, including the graduating class of five, passed the morning in sight-seeing, including the state house, the old South meeting-house, the Art Museum, dinner at the Copley Square hotel at noon and the afternoon spent in seeing “Treasure Island” at the Hollis street theatre rounded out a day full of enjoyment, instruction and amusement. [This version of “Treasure Island” was a play written in 1915 by American playwright Jules Eckert Goodman (1876-1962) based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s (1850-1894) classic novel. It was produced by American theatrical producer Charles Frohman (1856-1915) with William Harris (1844-1916) and Isaac B. Rich (1827-1908), all three of whom were part owners of the theater. The Hollis Street Theatre at 14 Hollis St. between Washington and Tremont Sts. opened in 1885 with the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta “The Mikado.” By 1917 it was one of only three legitimate Boston stage theaters without a projection room. Frohman died May 7, 1915, when the Cunard liner RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat off the coast of Ireland. See www.bostonathenaeum.org/library/electronic-resources/boston-athenaeum-theater-collection/history.]
Interestingly, the lead role of young Jim Hawkins was played by a “Mrs. Hopkins” at evening performances and by “Ruth Vivian” at matinees.
About noon last Saturday a call came to the fire company at the Center to the town farm and what might have been a serious destruction of valuable town property was averted. Mrs. Isles, with her usual efficiency at such times, rallied a good force of helpers who quickly responded and made record time in covering the distance. The fire was on the ell of the roof of the house at the town farm. It was first seen by the electric car men who gave the warning and but for their timely help the fire might have gained much further headway for it could not be seen from the highway. The hose installed at the farm was quickly brought into use and did valuable first aid work. The fire was extinguished after a considerable hole had been burned in the roof. Peter Clement, of the Westford fire company, remembers many years ago that these buildings were again seriously threatened with a bad fire. A man by the name of [Jotham R.] Bagley was superintendent at the farm at that time [1870-71].
A prize speaking contest by the academy pupils is being arranged for May 25 by Principal Roudenbush.
Monday afternoon all available help was summoned from the village to help fight a woodland fire in the “Texas” territory at the south part of the town. A large tract of land partly in Westford and partly in Acton was burned over and called for much hard work by the fire-fighters.
Last Sunday was observed at the Congregational church in an appropriate manner. Mr. Lincoln outlined the origin of the growth and significance of the day [Mother’s Day] in an excellent sermon. The pulpit was beautifully trimmed with flowers, principally with a large mound of pink-tinted white tulips. These were sent later to some of the older mothers who were members of the church and unable to be present. At the evening service Mr. Lincoln’s subject was a continuation of the morning’s observance his topic being “Some mothers in old testament history.”
Church Social. The monthly social for May at the Congregational church took place last week Friday evening at the vestry and was in charge of Mrs. A. H. Sutherland and Mrs. P. E. Wright. “Aunt Jerusha’s quilting party,” an entertainment in one scene, was given by a large group of ladies assisted by some of the gentlemen. Some interesting old-fashioned costumes were worn, among which was one especially attractive silk wedding dress of a bygone day. Voluminous skirts, pointed waists, fichus old jewelry and high-back combs were much in evidence. Mrs. Perley E. Wright, Aunt Jerusha, was the hostess of the evening and those who came to gather around her quilting frame and act out their respective parts were Miss Crocker, Mrs. Perry Shupe, Frances Wright, Mrs. A. W. Hartford, Mrs. J. W. Fletcher, Mrs. A. E. Day and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler. Mrs. F. E. Miller, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, Miss Martha Grant and Miss Osborn were all good; the gentlemen in the cast were Arthur Walker, John P. Wright, Fred Blodgett and L. W. Wheeler.
Music was added to the program by Miss Lottie Dunn, piano solo; Miss Lillian Sutherland, solo, and a duet, Miss Sutherland and Leonard Burland. A good sum was added to the Ladies’ Aid treasury by this event.
About Town. Letters of March 20 announce that Mr. and Mrs. Abiel J. Abbot have completed a very interesting trip through the South Sea islands, seeing a good deal of the native life. They expected to arrive in Auckland, New Zealand, March 31. Previous to these recent trips they were in Australia.
A good attendance was at the May 3 meeting of the Grange when twenty-three candidates were initiated. The ladies’ degree team performed the floor work in a splendid manner, and the ritual work of the third and fourth degrees glided along smoothly. Deputy Averill of Andover, with appropriate remarks, inspected the Grange, followed by former Deputy Sawyer of Winchendon in a humorous vein. This was followed by the march to supper.
Andrew Johnson, a former section superintendent on the Stony Brook railroad, recently of Detroit, was a visitor at the meeting of the Grange on May 3.
According to government reports there is a world failure of wheat and the war has nothing to do with the failure. As farmers, the government assists us to make a heroic effort to increase the supply of other crops. Which is wiser to risk, overdoing to the point of a glut or undergoing to the point of partial famine? Our wisdom teeth ought to be far enough developed to decide it on lines of “safety first.”
The Tadmuck farm has just finished planting an acre of McIntosh Reds, near the tide waters of Tadmuck brook.
Charles H. Whitney has moved his family from Lowell to his father’s farm on the Lowell road and has commenced planting 400 apple trees.
The Swansons are planting a large acreage of corn on Francis hill on the farm formerly of Trueworthy Keyes [16 Frances Hill Rd.].
John C. Monahan, oldest son of Capt. John J. Monahan, has been ordered to the military training camp at Plattsburg, to train as an officer.
The sum of $3000 has been raised by the town of Edgarton to finance raising 150 acres of beans. It is expected to harvest 3000 bushels.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks have been disturbing more land for more wheat to prevent a bread disturbance later on.
Miss Amy M. Schellinger is companion laborer in Keene N.H., for Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher’s aunt.
Misses Edna and Ruth Sargent, on the Chamberlin road are visiting in Manchester, N.H.
A Tewksbury farmer reports the loss of four acres of corn from rotting in the ground. It is not very good corn weather when New Hampshire reports good sleighing the first week in May in some parts of the state.
Potatoes planted March 31 on the Old Oaken Bucket farm are under strong pressure for cold pressure to get up into the sunlight. There are two acres more that have got the start of May snowstorms.
Miss Emily F. Fletcher was chosen a delegate last Sunday at the Unitarian church to represent the society at the annual meeting of the A.U.A. [American Unitarian Association ] in Boston.
The Prairie farm folks have been busy laying new water supply pipe to the farm buildings.
A farmer who knows when spring has come, on the Lowell road, just over in West Chelmsford, has peas six inches high.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer E. Trull have a new infant. At present they are living with his mother, Mrs. George H. McGregor, Westford corner. The cellar is in for a new house, just over the line in West Chelmsford.
Monday afternoon a fire started in the “Texas” part of South Westford. Encouraged by the winter breezes of May it had no difficulty going where it delighted until called to account by the Westford fire department.
Plant and then plant is the urgent word from President to home missionaries. A whole man should be able to plant and care for five acres; if not he ought to go to some repair shop.
Deaths. Mrs. Fidelia L. Boynton, who fell from her chair recently, died at her home at Chamberlin’s Corner [70 Chamberlain Rd.?] last week Wednesday, aged eighty-six years. The direct cause of death was pneumonia, which set in soon after being confined to the bed for a dislocated hip. She was the widow of George P. Boynton, moving from Carlisle to Westford, where the family have resided for forty years. Mrs. Boynton was a woman of strong character and business efficiency, managing for several years a large farm. She was young in spirit and physical agility for her years and maintained a youthful interest in life until its close. She leaves three children, Arthur G., of Woburn, Edson G., of Medfield, and May, of the home place.
The funeral took place from the home on last week Friday afternoon. Neighbors and friends were well represented. Rev. Howard A. Lincoln conducted the service. Mrs. Edna Ferguson Woods tenderly sang “Abide with me” and “Trusting in thee.” The bearers were Houghton G. Osgood, Mark Jenkins, Fred L. Fletcher, George O. Spalding. Burial was in Fairview cemetery.
Samuel Naylor, one of the most familiar individuals in West Chelmsford, and well-known to the line people of Westford, died at his home in West Chelmsford on Friday morning, May 4, after a long illness, aged sixty-nine years. He was a many-sided useful man, interested in everything for betterment. Though not a member of the village church he was a loyal contributor by his presence when health and business would permit, as well as a contributor in financial support. He was one of the promoters and supporters of the West Chelmsford Debating society in its palmy days. A member of the Spalding Light Cavalry, under Capt. Christopher Roby. When the Roby Sabre Company was organized he was one of the stockholders and managers. Later, when Hiscox File Company was organized he was made traveling salesman, and when the company merged with other companies he was a traveling salesman for the Nashua File & Knife Co. As traveling salesman he was one of the most genial and affable of men, which was one of his prominent assets, whether as salesman or citizen in village life. He was a well versed reader of the best literature and an inspiring conversationalist. Broad, liberal and tolerant in his conduct towards his fellowmen, and of life here and beyond the veil. [Actually, C. Roby & Co., a scythe manufacturer in West Chelmsford prior to the Civil War run by Christopher Roby (1814-1897). As most of their customers were in southern or border states, the war had a significant impact on their sales so they converted to the manufacture of swords and sabers and were probably the second largest manufacturer of sabers to the North during the Civil War. After the war, their business again fell off and the factory was sold to the Hiscox File Company, which made files and knives until about 1888. See www.chelmsfordgov.com/CHCwebsite/HTML/Main190/Image00.htm.]
He leaves his wife, Amanda M. (Decater) Naylor; three sons, Fred D. of Knopp’s pond, Groton, Oscar N. of Detroit and C. Frank of New Bedford; three sisters, Mrs. Thomas H. Elliott, Mrs. Frank Russell and Miss Ellen Naylor of Lowell, and a brother William of Philadelphia.
He was a member of Pentucket lodge of Masons, United Commercial Travelers and past master and charter member of West Chelmsford Grange.
The funeral was held from his home on Sunday afternoon, May 6, the services being conducted by Rev. H. H. Lippincott, of the village church. The Mendelssohn quartet rendered several selections. The house was crowded to its capacity, West Chelmsford Grange being represented in a body. The bearers were Messrs. Arthur Mallalieu, Fred A. Snow, Charles Edwards, George Whitley. Burial was in the family lot in West Chelmsford cemetery, where the burial service was read by Mr. Lippincott.
Walker Homestead Sold. The old Walker homestead on Main street has been sold to Almon Downing of Lowell who has already moved in and got down to farming. This farm has been in the Walker family seventy-seven years. The original house stood between the present house and the road. The present house was built by Lord Timothy Dexter of Newburyport. He of the extremely eccentric orbit and uncle to Nathan and Nancy Dexter, so well remembered by the old residents, living in the small board house on Main street near Tadmuck brook. In the selling of the Walker farm, which contains about eighty acres, it removes about the last of the original residents and scholars of the old Stony Brook school district and they will be missed as companionable people to meet in any walk or talk with their old-fashioned, open hospitality. As scholars at the old Stony Brook school the writer has had many a friendly bout of collar and elbow, snowball and then some bawl. Charles W. Walker and sister Belle, who for many years have lived on the farm, have moved to West Fitchburg to live with their sister, Mrs. Clara Littlefield. We regret losing such good natured, mind their own business people. [Collar and elbow is an old form of wrestling, the modern form originating in Ireland, dating back to at least the 18th century in colonial America. The name comes from the starting stance where the wrestlers grab the opponents elbow with the left hand and his collar area with the right hand. George Washington was taught this form of wrestling at Rev. James Maury’s Academy in Fredericksburg, Va., and was a collar-and-elbow champion. Other presidents who wrestled this style were Zachary Taylor, William Howard Taft, Chester A. Arthur and Calvin Coolidge. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collar-and-elbow.]
Ayer
Favor Ayer. Ayer again assumed great prominence Wednesday afternoon when it became known that Clarence R. Edwards, brigadier general, in charge of the northeastern district, with headquarters in Boston, had sent to Washington a recommendation that this town be secured as a location for a military camp, so that there remains nothing now to be done except to receive the approval of the war department. There are yet a few petty difficulties which are being removed by local citizens.
The recommendation came after a series of visits to the prospective sites in various parts of the state. The choice finally was reduced to Ayer and Springfield, with this place as a favorite. While nothing is certain about the camp’s location it is safe to say that before long Ayer will have within its borders the men and equipment for a division numbering from 25,000 to 30,000 infantry and 10,000 horses. About 5000 acres of land will be required which amount of space is procurable within the limits of Ayer. The first idea of having four divisions aggregating 100,000 men located here has been abandoned and a single division only will come here.
General Edwards says that his instructions apply to only one cantonment for the first infantry division, plus one heavy artillery regiment, one telegraph battalion and one aero battalion and one balloon battalion. The site was selected, he says, with a view to making real soldiers out of the men. There will be no parade ground. The men will be housed in wooden barracks, rough finished for summer, sheathed for winter. The site meets the conditions of behind the land defense lines for protecting Boston, and will serve as a concentrating, training and conditioning camp. A water supply of 4,000,000 gallons daily will be required.
As soon as announcement is made that the site is finally approved, contractors will be asked to submit bids on specifications already determined. The contractor to establish the camp will be chosen from the competitive bidders who submit their figures to Washington and will work under the quartermaster’s department of the army. As soon as word is received of the approval of the camp site work will be rushed until the camp is completed so that the recruits will be housed on their arrival.
Special buildings will be constructed for the horses, the heavy artillery the air planes and the observation balloons. The trees and brush will be cleared away, water pipes laid and electric light and telephone wires strung. The lines already in force in Canada, England and France will be followed in the training of the men under the direction of General Edwards.
In addition to the land to be used in Ayer the officers engaged in looking over a camp site have gone as far as Ashby and Townsend in their endeavor to find a good artillery range. The land in the vicinity of Hell pond, Harvard, and along both sides of the Nashua river has been looked over. An additional supply of water may be procured from the pond and river.
All the Boston papers, the Springfield Republican and other papers throughout the state had accounts of the latest developments in the camp situation this week. The Springfield paper makes the statement, that owing to the severity of New England winters the war department intends to have the bulk of its armies whipped into shape in southern and Pacific coast states, where the climate is warmer and little or no snow to interfere with training the year round. As fast as the men are recruited to full war strength they are to be sent to Charleston, S.C., under Major General Leonard Wood, the head of the southeastern department. From this it appears probable that the camp if it is located here will not be used much in cold weather. The project in view of the amount of territory to be used, the equipment necessary for the camp and the men and horses to be cared for, is a most stupendous one.
The president of the telephone company, P. L. Spaulding; W. R. Driver, general manager; G. H. Manson, chief engineer, and J. G. Patterson, chairman of the war service committee, were in Ayer on Wednesday in connection with the proposed military camp.
The following is taken from the editorial columns of the Lowell Courier-Citizen of Thursday, May 17:
“If Ayer is selected as the site for encamping four divisions of new England troops, or if it is chosen only as the site of training a single division of 30,000 men as is stated to be the chief probability, it will be a choice of very considerable interest for this vicinity, since Ayer is not many miles away and is more logically appurtenant to Lowell than to any other considerable center of population.
“The choice, if made, would involve certain local responsibilities which it is well to envisage at once to the end that they be met with credit and promptitude by our own people. Among other things the local chapter of the Red Cross—which includes the towns of all northern Middlesex—has been told by the Boston headquarters that whatever Red Cross work this camp will make necessary will be transacted in all probability through the local chapter; so that the establishment of permanent headquarters on the Ayer campground, with a volunteer representative in regular attendance there may easily become necessary. In that event there will be a call for the services of men in this neighborhood who have the necessary leisure and the requisite intelligence to attend to whatever demands the location might entail.
“In addition the presence of 30,000 soldiers in a place so near would infallibly open a channel for many forms of needful aid, such as Framingham has proved [sic] in past mobilizations. An unwarlike government provides terribly few of the things that soldiers need. So, if the authorities do finally pick Ayer as the site, some responsibility will fall on us here—and we have no idea that it will be shirked.”
Additional figures and estimates indicate that the magnitude of this camp will be far greater than that of any other army station, even during the Civil war. Further, its vast dimensions are to be duplicated nearly twenty times throughout the United States, when all plans of the war department are set in full swing.
The leases of the land to be occupied at Ayer will run for a period of two years, and will embrace tracts having a total area of seven to ten square miles. Buildings alone will occupy more than a square mile of territory, and the lumber to be used in their construction will exceed 10,000,000 square feet. Other supplies are to run on the same extensive scale.
There will be plenty of fresh air in the type of construction planned for the housing of the men at the cantonment. Each company is to have two-story barracks with a mess and kitchen house and a lavatory. There will be a headquarters for each battalion and for each regiment. Three each, of store houses, stables, shops and wagon sheds will be built for each regiment. The cavalry regiment will have fifteen stables. The two field artillery regiments will have fourteen stables each and six gun sheds. The heavy artillery will have sixteen stables and six gun sheds. There will be a post exchange, schools and administration buildings, guardhouse, medical buildings, hangers, balloon shed and numerous stations. Long sidings will be built for the use of an ammunition train, a supply train, a communication train, and a signal train, which are included in the division.
Gen. Edwards is hopeful of an early start on construction work. He will establish headquarters at the camp for the purpose of administration. The opportunities for military training are exceptional on the site. There is plenty of open territory for maneuvers and target practice.
Liberty Loan. The First National Bank of Ayer gives notice that a committee is being formed to solicit subscriptions from this and neighboring towns to the U.S. Liberty Loan. Full particulars will be announced later.