Turner's Public Spirit, May 6, 1922
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. The active work of the fire department saved the barn occupied by Harry Ingalls and owned by S. B. Watson from a total loss last Saturday noon. The fire is supposed to have originated from a spark from an adjoining chimney.
“The Tadmuck club trio, Mrs. Cyril A. Blaney, Mrs. W. R. Taylor and Mrs. Frederic Meyer, were invited to sing on Thursday afternoon at the meeting of the Littleton Woman’s club.
“The First Parish annual meeting was called to order at seven o’clock on last Saturday evening and was well attended….
“The regular monthly social and supper was held at the Congregational church on last week Wednesday evening. A group of young people from the Gordon Bible school, Boston, furnished the program during the evening, consisting of selections by a male quartet and also a double mixed quartet….
“Mrs. J. A. Cameron and Miss Eleanor Cameron, of this town, who went to the Pacific coast by the way of the Panama canal and Honolulu, have been spending some time in Pasadena, Cal….
“The ball game between the William E. Frost and the Sargent school teams in Graniteville, recently, was attended by many baseball fans of the younger generation. The game was well played, the Sargent school team winning by the score of 21 to 13.
“Westford academy baseball team played their initial game with Littleton high school in Littleton last week and won by the score of 11 to 9.
“Tadmuck Club. The closing of the seventeenth year of the Tadmuck club and the ninth annual luncheon took place on Tuesday afternoon of last week in the Unitarian church vestry….
“About Town. The Farm Bureau have delivered the seed potatoes that were ordered by farmers. Those left at the Morning Glory farm [of Amos Polley] were a handsome lot—large, smooth, well started to sprouting, and the bag tagged with the name of the raiser and two official inspectors, having been inspected in the field while growing and after being dug. They bear the official endorsement of the State of Maine, coming from Fort Fairfield, Aroostook county….
“Last week the Morning Glory farm ploughed up a very ancient coin, said to have a likeness of Queen Anne [1702-1714] upon it. The date is somewhat obscure [due] to age and corroding environment.
“The Morning Glory farm planted an acre of potatoes on Wednesday with a two-horse machine planter and on Thursday ditto at the Old Oaken Bucket farm. This is two weeks or more behind the usual planting in the Stony Brook valley….
“Dr. Coburn has had his new home painted which lightens up splendidly that side of the street and fits in well with the color scheme of the town—fresh white paint and green blinds.
“Death. James H. O’Brien died at his home on Pigeon hill, Stony Brook road, early Wednesday morning, following several years of lingering illness, aged sixty-two years. He was born in Westford and lived here all his life….
“Forest Fire. One of the worst forest and brush fires that Westford has been called upon to face this year and perhaps for several years started on Monday morning near the Stone house on the Tyngsboro road, a little west of Oak hill. It soon swept over Oak hill and past Fletcher’s quarries and swept down to the Tyngsboro and Dunstable town lines, and soon had a line of fire a mile and a half wide and over five miles long. The Westford fire company was summoned in the early forenoon and made a determined stand against the fire, but it was clearly evident that the fire was beyond their control and the fire companies from Chelmsford, North Chelmsford, West Chelmsford, Tyngsboro and Dunstable were summoned, and yet with all this fighting force and an abundance of help outside of fire companies the fire continued to sweep on all day Monday and all Monday night, and was not subdued until Tuesday forenoon. The fire in the evening made a most spectacular show-off and was visible for miles around, attracting a large crowd, and the Dunstable road was lined with automobiles.
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted soccer club played a tie game of one goal each with the Falcos of Holyoke on the grounds of the Fore River club in Quincy on last Saturday before a crowd of 4000 fans. No overtime was played and as the game is for the state soccer championship the official ruling decides this was an incomplete contest and will be replayed on the same grounds in Quincy on Saturday….”
The Boston Globe, April 30, 1922, p. 21.