The Westford Wardsman, October 27, 1917
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Elliott have closed their summer home [6 Priscilla Lane] this week and returned to Lowell.
Deacon and Mrs. M. C. Harvey, of Rochester, Vt., former parishioners of Rev. and Mrs. C. A. Lincoln, are expected guests at the Congregational parsonage over the weekend.
Alec McDonald had the misfortune this week to lose a gold watch with fob attached.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Meyer plan to close their home on the Flagg road the first of November and move to the village, living with Mrs. Clarence E. Hildreth for the winter. With Mr. Hildreth at Camp Devens it will be pleasanter for Mrs. Hildreth to have these friends with her and the convenience to the postoffice will facilitate Mr. Meyers’ R.F.D. work.
A real estate transfer of interest this last week is that of the home of the late Mrs. Mary E. Heywood [nee Mulhern, died Jan. 3, 1916, widow of George Washington Heywood] at the Center to Harry S. Stiles. It will be converted into two tenements. Mr. and Mrs. Stiles occupying one and their daughter Mrs. [Fred Viola (Stiles)] Prescott, and husband [Benjamin Adams Prescott, married June 27, 1917,] occupying the other.
The children’s dancing class in charge of Miss Josephine M. Ockington is proving most successful, there being thirty-six children in the class, held on Wednesday afternoon.
At the business meeting of the Spalding Light Cavalry association held at the Association building [20 Boston Road] last Wednesday evening, it was voted to purchase a one-thousand-dollar liberty bond.
Progress in the renovation of the old academy building into a fire house for the headquarters of the Edward M. Abbot hose company, in charge of P. Henry Harrington, contractor, is delayed owing to shortage of help and waiting for stock ordered for the finish work.
Rev. and Mrs. David Wallace were in town the first of the week, guests of Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler. They were attending to the removal of some of their household goods stored at the parsonage to their new pastorate in Sterling, and in the short time they were here tried to greet as many old friends as possible.
Notwithstanding the pouring rainstorm of Wednesday afternoon there were twenty-two workers at the Red Cross meeting in Library hall with good interest and good work accomplished.
Rev. and Mrs. H. A. Lincoln and Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler were in attendance at the fall meeting of the Middlesex Union Association of Churches held in Maynard on Wednesday.
Reception to Soldier Boys. Westford plans to do her bit for her enlisted and drafted men, and in charge of the entertainment committee of Company L, M. S. G. and the public safety committee, and co-operation of the townspeople, will give the men a complimentary dinner at the town hall this Saturday evening, followed by a dance. Owing to the complication of the quarantine for measles at Camp Devens, which affects several of our boys, a postponement of this event seemed best, but letters of invitations had already been sent to some of the boys at a distance, and in the event of the rest of the men being removed to a southern training camp, it seemed best to carry the event through Saturday evening for as many of the soldiers as could be there. Arrangements are being made with the company commanders to grant all the young men concerned leave of absence for the time being.
The ladies of the Red Cross will have charge of the dinner for the boys and will provide a choice menu of the best home-cooked foods and have planned pretty decorations.
Gray’s mandolin orchestra, of Lowell, will furnish music for the dancing. There will be short addresses by Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher, Hon. Edward Fisher and Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher will act as toastmaster. The committee in charge comprises the officers of Company L, Capt. Charles L. Robinson, Lieut. H. V. Hildreth, 2d Lieut. W. J. Robinson and also Alfred W. Hartford, James Mays, George Wilson, W. E. Wright and Edward Riney with the public safety committee.
At the dancing party, which commences promptly at eight o’clock, the public is earnestly and cordially invited to attend and help give the boys a good time.
Westford Boys in Service. The soldiers’ information bureau for the town has made a canvass and has a list on file of forty-eight Westford boys now in the United States service. It has not been possible to secure the address correctly of all the soldiers, and corrections will be gladly received by the committee in charge, A. W. Hartford, E. T. Hanley and W. O. Hawkes.
Furthermore, this soldiers’ information committee has received a bulletin from headquarters requesting that all people of the town who have relatives enlisted in the service fly a service flag from their home. This is being done everywhere for reasons of sentiment as well as a matter of respect for those who are at the front.
The following is the roll of honor of the Westford boys in service to date: Arthur C. Awanitis, Seth W. Banister, Walter O. Beebe, Frank L. Blaisdell, Alexander Brunell, Frank Charlton, Gustave Elliason, John A. Healy, Clarence E. Hildreth, Harold W. Hildreth, Leon F. Hildreth, John Hobson, Robert Orr, Jr., Joseph Perkins, Jr., Marden H. Seavey, Herbert Smith, Herbert A. Walkden, at Camp Devens; Leroy C. Bicknell, 38th N.Y. Infantry; Edward Buchard, Co. E, 49th Infantry, regular army; Leo K. Bouchard Co. M, 50th Infantry, regular army; Ernest L. Burland, Fort Ethan Allen, Vt.; Alexander Cameron, Harvard Radio school; Joseph A. Carpentier, Fort Ethan Allen, Vt.; William Corchaine, Signal Corps, Milford, N.H.; Alfred James Couture, France; Leo Cushing, Receiving Ship, Newport, R.I.; Emerson DeRohen, Fort Banks, Winthrop; Matthew Elliott, Jr., France; William C. Furbush, U.S. Destroyer Tucker; Claude E. Gladu, Aviation Corps, San Antonio, Texas; John B. Gray, Harvard Radio School, Cambridge; Eugene Guichard, Co. D, 6th regulars; Albert W. Heywood, U.S. Gunboat Dubuque, Annapolis; Justin Jenkins, France; Frank C. Johnson, Camp Bartlett, Westfield; Adlat Langley, Aviation Corps; Thomas Merrick, Camp Stewart; William H. Mills, France; Albert Momeniwory, Co. K, 104th Infantry, 2d division; John O’Neil, Fort Grant, Rockford, Ill.; Antonio Palermo, Co. K, 104th Infantry, 2d division; Joseph Pelkey, Co. C, 6th regiment; Bertram F. Robinson, 16th U.S. Infantry, regular army; Edwin A. Robey, France; Frederick Stewart, regular army; Daniel Sullivan, Aviation Corps, Squantum. [total = 46]
Tadmuck Club. The second meeting of the season for the Tadmuck club took place at the Congregational church vestry Tuesday afternoon and was in charge of the Literature and Library Extension Committee, Mrs. William C. Roudenbush chairman. Rev. Howard A. Lincoln gave current events, a talk which he called “The era of the two cent stamp.” Early in November it is announced that three cent postage will go into effect, after two cent postage since [the] early eighties. In his talk Tuesday afternoon Mr. Lincoln reviewed in most interesting fashion the progress of events along all lines in this interim. Mrs. Goldsmith H. Conant reviewed the book by Clifford H. Beers, “A mind that found itself,” a true story of a nervous breakdown and its cure. The hallucinations of a sick mind and the way back to normal mentality were cleverly interpreted by Mrs. Conant and followed with closest attention.
Vocal solos were given by Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, accompanied by Mrs. Grace Naylor at the piano, both of West Chelmsford.
At the business session it was voted to send to Mrs. Helen K. Frost, spending the winter at the home of her son, Francis Frost, in Chicago, a letter of greeting and appreciation for the original poem written for the Tadmuck club at the annual luncheon at the close of last season. Notices were given of the autumn meeting of the State Federation early next month at Braintree and of meetings at Pepperell, Stoneham and West Newton.
At the next meeting of the club held November 6 Miss Mary G. Balch will speak on “Humor in art,” and there will be music by the club trio.
About Town. The F. A. Snows and others were visitors at Camp Devens last Sunday.
Charles H. Whitney, on the Lowell road, is improving the appearance of his old barn. It has long stood perpendicular to the sun, moon and stars—it is now being razed to a horizontal position with the equator.
Augustus Swanson is building a house for personal occupancy on Francis hill at the junction of the Chamberlin road and the nameless road that leads to the Trueworthy Keyes place [now 16 Frances Hill Road]. Mr. Swanson has bought a tract of land of Arthur G. Boynton, formerly part of the Keyes farm.
Nathaniel W. Wood, who died at the town farm last week Wednesday, was for several years a resident near Whidden’s corner, living on the old Gilson place, now occupied by Thomas Foye. For several years he was station agent and telegraph operator at West Chelmsford, later removing to Lowell where he engaged in various small business enterprises. He was a poet and singer of some ability and an ordained elder in the church. A man who loved peace and quiet home life. The funeral was held last Saturday afternoon from the undertaking rooms of Higgins Bros. Rev. A. R. Dills of the Calvary Baptist church conducted the service. The bearers were H. Whittier, Charles Coburn, William Brown, Alfred Evans. Burial took place in the West cemetery, Westford. He was past the three score and ten allotment and leaves a widow and several children.
Amos Polley, on the Prairie farm, is in a hurry for early planting next spring and has been employing the Zezus family of Brookside.
At the last meeting of the Grange the third degree was worked by the ladies’ degree team in an efficient manner, both in the drill, march and initiation work. The fourth degree was worked by the regular officers. An invocation, helpful in effect, was offered by the lecturer, Mrs. Joseph E. Knight, in the exhibition of fourteen tableaux, representing a variety of harvest scenes. Mrs. Frank W. Banister, Mrs. John P. Wright, Mrs. John Feeney, Mrs. J. Willard Fletcher, Miss Lucinda Prescott, Miss Crocker, Mrs. William P. Williams, Mrs. J. Everett Woods, Mrs. Joseph Wall taking part who are to be congratulated on their reciprocity with the lecturer in making the tableaux a success. The next meeting will be held on Thursday evening, November 1, at which neighbors’ night will be observed, Bedford and Carlisle Granges being invited.
The government is still wisely after us on economical feeding. No more white flour bread, a fast day on meat twice a week, a sugar famine, potatoes rising so high that an aeroplane will be necessary to get one, and much else that is on the danger list of prices. Keep right after us, Mr. government.
The next meeting of Middlesex-North Pomona Grange will be held at Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge street, Lowell, Friday, November 2. The morning session will be devoted to the election of officers. In the afternoon a speaker from the Y.M.C.A., Boston, will give an address on “The work of the association.”
The next meeting of the Ladies’ Sewing circle and Westford Branch Alliance of the First Parish church will be held with Mrs. George T. Day on Thursday afternoon, November 8, at 2:30 o’clock. Subject, “The poetry of the bible,” by Miss Anstrice G. Flanders.
Two deer paid a leaping visit to the Stony Brook valley last Saturday morning.
John A. Taylor writes from North Dakota of good sleighing and more in sight.
Mice are doing much mischief with potatoes in the ground, a mischief that is growing every year. Owls and hawks live quite largely on field mice and yet we turn about and try to exterminate our anti-mice friends. Perhaps we have done it already—it looks that way. Shooting these benefactors is about as good judgment as the rest of the bird-shooting performance.
The Unitarian church is being wired for electric lights, and the Lowell road to Brookside is poled for electric lighting.
Mrs. E. A. Flagg and Mrs. M. K. Caulkins were chosen last Sunday to attend as delegates the Baptist state anniversaries at Springfield on October 30, 31 and November 1.
A food conservation committee was chosen last Sunday at the Baptist church cooperate with the U.S. food administration, consisting of Mrs. Hattie Robinson, William L. Goddard and Miss Emma E. Tenney.
At the annual business meeting of the Baptist church held on October 18, few changes were made in the list of officers. The report of the treasurer showed the church to be in good financial condition with no considerable debt.
Six lunch stands were doing business at or near the common last Sunday afternoon with varying degrees of success.
A narrow escape from serious injury was the good feature of five Boston men on Monday while going through Russell street. The car in which they were riding apparently skidded a little, went off the road, knocking down the supporting post of a culvert railing, and brought up astride of the ditch. The top rail of the fence went over the car, smashed the windshield, knocked off the steering wheel, passed between the men on both front and rear seats and smashed the top without hitting any of them. The driver who was wearing glasses was rather severely cut over the eye. None of the others were injured in any way. Dr. Sherman gave the necessary treatment of wounds afflicted.
The Board of Trade asks the cooperation of the residents of the town with the contractors who are constructing the road between the Center and Common, by avoiding all travel over the road that is not absolutely necessary. The work is being destroyed and seriously delayed, causing extra expense to both the contractors and the town by traffic which with very little inconvenience can be diverted or avoided.
Taxes unpaid are now drawing interest unless paid by November 1. Well, some of us will be there if liberty bonds don’t keep us in bonds.
A recent issue of the Congregationalist gives an account of the National Congregational Council in Columbus. A quotation will be of interest to the people here who liked Mr. Marshall when he preached in the Congregational church [1905-1910]: “Rev. Charles P. Marshal, pastor of Plymouth, Mass., made an earnest plea for holding the international council at Plymouth in 1920; and, subject to war conditions, it is to be expected that the invitation will be accepted.”
Old Resident Visiting Here. Mrs. Elizabeth Wright Miles, widow of Rev. Henry A. Miles, has been visiting her cousin, Miss Ella Wright, at her summer home in Brookside. Mrs. Miles will be better remembered as the daughter of John Wright, the principal of Westford academy, 1823-1825. She married Rev. Henry A. Miles, one of the early ministers of the First Unitarian church in Lowell. He removed to Hingham, where he died, and where his widow lives in clear mental health and well preserved physically at the age of ninety-two.
Another cousin, Mrs. Lindsay, of Burlington, has also been visiting Miss Wright. Miss Wright’s father came from a family of ten sons, and her mother from a family of seven daughters and one son, so naturally there are a good many cousins. It is a great delight to Miss Wright to keep open house for her relatives. Her summer house has all been restored to its old time glory of spacious rooms and open fireplaces. With its fine mahogany furniture it is a wonderful place now. There is to be found true beauty, simplicity and dignity in this lovely old place. Miss Helen Whittier, the founder and first president of the Middlesex Woman’s club, has spent much of the summer with her friend, Miss Wright.
Miss Wright has much of current interest to tell of her nephew, Dr. George Crile, of Cleveland, Ohio. He is one of the most famous physicians and surgeons in the world. He standardized the Red Cross base hospital and has the honor of taking over the first Red Cross unit, known as the Lakeside unit. He was summoned back to this country recently to tell about his work before the Clinical Congress of Surgeons which is now in session in Chicago.
Graniteville. Henry Smith, superintendent of the Abbot Worsted mills here, had his right leg crushed in an elevator while in the performance of his duties at the mill early Monday morning. The injured man was conveyed to his home and Dr. C. A. Blaney of Westford was summoned. After a hasty examination Dr. Blaney called Dr. J. A. Gage, of Lowell, for consultation, when it was decided to move the patient to a hospital for a thorough X-ray examination. The Lowell ambulance was sent for and Mr. Smith, accompanied by Dr. Blaney, was taken to the Lowell General hospital, where it was found that he had a compound fracture of the leg and consequently will be laid up for several weeks.
The Abbot Worsted Company has recently closed a contract for the erection of twelve new houses, including cottage, double and four tenement buildings with all modern improvements. The work on these houses will be started at once. P. Henry Harrington has the contract.
Many people from here attended the dance for the benefit of the Red Cross that was held in Forge Village last week Friday night.
The grocery and provision store of Conrad Richard was broken into by thieves last week Friday night, entrance being made by boring a hole in the back door and unfastening the bolt. A small amount of money was taken and a large box of canned goods and other eatables were carried away.
Miss Bessie Sinton, of Renton, N.B., was the guest of her aunt, Mrs. A. B. Carr, recently.
Little Jessie Hanning, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Hanning, celebrated her sixth birthday anniversary by holding a party at her home here last Monday afternoon which was attended by many of her little friends. The time was pleasantly spent from three to five o’clock by playing games and other amusements so dear to the heart of childhood, and all had a thoroughly good time. Dainty refreshments of ice cream, cake and candy were served by Mrs. Hanning, and it is needless to say that the children found this a very interesting part of the program. Little Miss Jessie received many pretty gifts from her playmates, while the large birthday cake with its lighted candles, presented by Mrs. Maria Wall, held the place of honor at the festive board.
Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Sargent quietly observed the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage at their home here on Monday, October 22.
Forge Village. A pleasant surprise party took place last Saturday evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Orr, when their son, Private Robert Orr, of Company 3 [sic, B?], 6th Battalion, at Camp Devens was given a wrist watch. John Shackelton made the presentation and Private Orr, after the surprise was over, thanked those present for their thoughtfulness. A delightful evening was spent in music and dancing. Refreshments were served and the party broke up at a late hour, all wishing the young soldier the best of luck. Among those present were Sergt. Rose of Company B and Privates Bishop, Young, Shoemaker and Amabel of the same company and Leon Hildreth and Frank Charlton of the Depot Brigade. Those who contributed toward the musical program were Charles Douglass, James May, Frank Charlton, Miss Edith Spinner and Miss Annie Kavanaugh.
The Jolly club composed of a number of young women of the village who are deeply interested in Red Cross work, held a social dance in Abbot hall last week Friday evening for the benefit of the local branch of the Red Cross. Refreshments were served at intermission and a general good time was enjoyed. Nearly thirty-five dollars was realized from this event and will be turned over immediately to the society. The young women are to be congratulated for their efforts in behalf of the Red Cross, as they have already turned in forty dollars. Miss Edith Spinner was general manager assisted by Miss Annie Orr and members of the club.
The Forge Village soccer football club defeated Maynard on the new ball grounds last Saturday afternoon by the score of 6 to 0. The Maynard team was minus six of its regular players, as three enlisted in the Canadian regiment and three were called to Camp Devens.
Herbert Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Smith, was pleasantly surprised at his home last Sunday evening with a signet ring. Owing to his duties at Camp Devens, where he has been since he enlisted, he was unable to be present Saturday evening, the time originally set for the presentation. Mrs. Mary Douglass presented the gift and Private Smith responded fittingly. A number of friends were present and spent a very enjoyable evening. Dainty refreshments were served.
The Ladies’ Sewing circle of St. Andrew’s mission held a baked bean and salad supper on last week Thursday evening that proved to be a big success. Over seventy people partook of the meal and had the pleasure of meeting their new vicar, Rev. Angus Dun, for the first time at a social gathering.
Emerson DeRoehn of the Coast Artillery and William DeRoehn of Worcester visited their grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Weaver, last Sunday.
The Neighborhood club of the Ridges district held its final meeting of the season last Saturday evening when Mr. and Mrs. Bullock of the Ward farm entertained twenty-five at supper. These neighbors have enjoyed the weekly meeting throughout the summer.
Frank Bennett of Worcester, Miss Helen Bennett of Townsend, and Mr. and Mrs. William Roberts of Somerville were the guests of Mrs. Harriet E. Randall last Sunday. Mrs. Roberts is pleasantly remembered as Miss Clara Hammond, a former teacher at Cameron school.
Miss Elizabeth Plummer has returned from a visit of several days with relatives in Woonsocket, R.I.
Miss Alice Donohue, of Winterport, Me., is visiting at the home of her relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Eaton.
Mrs. Edward T. Crowell, with her son and daughter, who have been spending the summer at Forge pond, have closed their cottage and gone to Kentucky to spend the winter with Mr. Crowell.
Ayer
Camp News. A genuine scare was given the officials at the camp last Sunday morning at 2:30 o’clock, when it was discovered that the immense base hospital was on fire. Owing to the fine work of the camp fire department, under Lieut. John McAree of the Quartermaster Corps, who was a former fire chief in New York city, and the soldiers, the fire was speedily put under control. The only portion of the hospital destroyed was the receiving ward. A rumor spread about the camp that two men in the hospital had lost their lives. The origin of this story lay in the fact that two patients had died from disease and were at the time of the fire in the hospital. The names of the dead men are B. H. Johnson of the headquarters company of the 303rd Infantry, who died of pneumonia at one o’clock Sunday morning, and Peter G. Botaris, of Springfield, a private in the 30th company of the depot brigade, who died of hemorrhage of the brain.
In addition to the loss on the building 250 uniforms of men confined in the hospital, as well as a lot of valuable medical instruments, were destroyed. The efforts of the fire-fighters in preventing further loss to the property are all the more praiseworthy in view of the fact that the hospital is at the most remote point in the cantonment, making it necessary for them to go a long distance to combat the flames, as well as to the fact that the firemen were unexpectedly called at a time when all the camp was slumbering. There were no patients in the burned structure.
In the receiving ward when the fire broke out were Capt. L. H. Spooner, formerly on the staff of the Massachusetts General hospital; Sergt. N. J. Berry, of Dedham; Sergt. Joseph Molsson, of Clinton, and Private Edward Evans, of Boston, an orderly. Molsson and Evans were first to discover the fire and gave the alarm. So quickly did the flames spread that Capt. Spooner barely escaped. As it was he had his hair singed and made a hurried exit through a window, receiving minor cuts in so doing. Sergt. Berry, in attempting to save valuable records in the building, was knocked down by a hot air explosion, receiving two gashes in the face and a bruised knee and foot. Sixty-four patients were removed from the two wards nearest the fire. It is expected that the burned part of the building will be rebuilt and ready for occupancy the last of this week. The explosion of an oil heater is given as the cause of the fire.
Last Sunday there were fewer visitors at the camp since its establishment of any of the preceding Sundays. The main reason for the smaller attendance was that about 20,000 men had obtained leaves of absence and returned to their homes over the weekend. As it was there was a good crowd on hand sufficient to keep the local and military police busy all day in handling traffic.
The Massachusetts men are the first purchasers of liberty bonds. The total amount subscribed at the camp to date is about $1,000,000.
Former Governor David I. Walsh visited the camp last Sunday.
The five long special trains ran from Boston last Sunday and the two from Worcester as well as the regular trains were literally packed with visitors and soldiers returning to the camp.
Among the noted visitors at the camp during the past week were Governor H. G. Graham, of Vermont, who spent several hours there last week Friday, and Lieut. Gen. S. B. M. Young, retired, who visited Major General Hodges and made an inspection of the camp last Saturday. The last named officer expressed himself well pleased in the healthful condition of the camp, which is due in a large measure to its ideal location so far as sanitary conditions are concerned.
The officials of the Red Cross desire a list of the names of men who are not provided with sweaters, wristers, comforters and pillows so that such articles can be provided.
According to reports a large number of dental students among the draft recruits will be discharged and reenlisted in the medical reserve corps.
Major General Hodges, the commander of the camp, asks the cooperation of all loyal citizens in not spreading untrue stories concerning the cantonment, which are said to have been put in circulation through German agents. Similar reports are in circulation about the other camps throughout the country, the object being, according to government authorities, to cause unrest and fear among the men at the camps.
Men in national cantonments, including Camp Devens, who are suffering in the least from nervous diseases, are to be weeded out of the service. A corps of 150 nerve specialists has been formed to examine the men for this trouble. Such diseases, says the war department, are very likely to escape the attention of physicians conducting the physical examination. An official announcement says that no man can be expected to become a good soldier under present methods of warfare if he has any organic nerve disease, any mental defect, any touch of insanity, or if he is chronically addicted to the use of alcohol or drugs.
Plans are well under way for the establishment of a coffee house and reception room for the soldiers in Ayer. The idea behind the project is to provide a suitable place where men at the camp may meet their relatives and friends, and also enjoy the privilege of having first-class meals served them at cost. The Boston Equal Suffrage association and the Massachusetts Woman Suffrage association are pushing the project. Prominent in the undertaking are the following Boston ladies: Mrs. J. L. Crowley, Mrs. L. P. Boyer, Mrs. R. G. Shaw, Mrs. George Fearing, Mrs. R. D. Coe, Mrs. Mary Hutchinson Page and Mrs. Jerome Johnson.
A third series of training camps for officers is soon to be started by the war department, and these schools will be at various cantonments throughout the country. According to orders received by Major O. A. Pritchett of the Department of the Northeast, one of these training camps will open at Camp Devens on January 5 and continue until April 5. In these new camps, which will be limited to college men, graduates and undergraduates, and enlisted men of the service, the quota will be 2400 men. The age limit for college men is twenty-one to thirty-one, and for enlisted men twenty-one to forty. Married men will be taken, but single men will have the preference. The allotment to Camp Devens is as follows: Yale 26, Wesleyan 14, Bowdoin 6, Williams 40, Norwich university 44, University of Maine 26, New Hampshire College of Agriculture 26, University of Vermont 24.
Lieut. W. S. Foster, formerly a professor of psychology at Cornell university, is making examinations into the mental and nervous health of all the men at camp. Illiterates are also to be eliminated. There have been quite a number of rejections in the above classes of men.
Preparations have been made during the past week for giving the men a taste of trench life. Several miles of ditches have been constructed in the training ground outside the cantonment with front line, firing line, reserve, communication and supervision trenches.
Frank J. Sherlock, of New Haven, Conn., a special agent of the Knights of Columbus, is making a tour of the cantonments of the east and south, including Camp Devens.
The three field artillery regiments are a long distance ahead of any others of equal numbers in their subscriptions to the liberty loan.
The School and Society league of the Lowell Normal school will hold a fair for the benefit of the soldiers in Ayer on the afternoon and evening of November 10.
William P. Murphy, of Haverhill, a draftee, who objects to being sent to Camp Devens, declares that he will go on a hunger strike if ordered here. The chief objection he has to training for war is that he dislikes fighting for England.
Leon G. Wilson, one of the Ayer boys at Camp Devens, is doing military police duty and according to his superior officers he is performing his work well. Mr. Wilson is son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Wilson.
Orders have been issued from Division headquarters in regard to the use of the new macadam roads at Camp Devens. Vehicles of all descriptions must be driven so as to interfere as little as possible with troops on the roads, and automobiles must not exceed a speed limit of fifteen miles per hour. Traffic in the late afternoon assumes the proportions of that of a large city and presents difficulties in handling it properly. Military guards will see that the regulations in this respect are obeyed.
While one of the camp workmen was watching a game of craps on Wednesday somebody in the crowd relieved him of thirty-five dollars. The identity of the beneficiary is not known.
Mayor John M. Curley, of Boston, and the city council were guests of Major Rhinelander Waldo at the camp this week Friday by special invitation of the major.
A building to be used for giving entertainments is soon to be erected by the Masons of Boston for the benefit of the soldiers.
Two draft men from the camp pleaded not guilty in the Lowell police court on Wednesday morning in the larceny of an automobile in Lowell which was the property of Thomas W. Smith, of Nashua, N.H. F. H. Jones and Thomas Murray, the pair alleged to be responsible for the theft, were found guilty and were given over to the charge of the military authorities at the camp.
B. Moore, head foreman at the camp, was given a surprise at the Richardson hotel, Lowell, Wednesday evening, by the sub-foremen working under him. Mr. Moore was presented with a gold watch and chain in appreciation of his good work among the men employed at the camp. His assistant, Mr. Cornell, was also remembered in the gift of a traveling bag and toilet set. A general social time followed the presentations.
Thursday was “Providence day” at the camp. The occasion was honored by the presence of Governor Beeckman and staff of Rhode Island, who received a warm reception.
A meeting was held in the cathedral church of St. Paul, Boston, Wednesday night to discuss plans for religious work at Camp Devens. The speakers were Bishop Lawrence of the Episcopal church and Rev. H. Bartow, a volunteer chaplain at the camp.
Newton H. Baker, secretary of war, made a short visit to the camp on Wednesday. He was met at the Ayer railroad station by Major General Hodges and the latter’s aide de camp and taken to the division headquarters in an automobile. The secretary on his brief visit received much information in regard to the camp. He after went to Manchester, N.H.
The heavy storm of Wednesday spoiled all preparations for liberty loan day among the visitors at the camp, when it was expected that a considerable amount of money would be obtained from voluntary offerings of those coming for the observation of the day. An elaborate program of outdoor sports which was arranged in honor of the event was cancelled on account of the very inclement weather, the worst experienced in many years in this section.
Many soldiers have been sent away during the week in special trains for some unknown destination, the place of their going being kept as a strict military secret.
The Saco, Me., exemption board has reaffirmed a decision by which it refused to exempt Waldek Cyganieweiz, known as Zbyszko, the wrestler, who is now at Camp Devens, [who] claimed exemption on the ground that his mother and sister, living in Austria, were dependent upon him. After the Saco board had denied the claim a month ago Zbyszko applied to the state board and to President Wilson. The president returned the case to the Saco board.
District Court. This week Friday morning Theodore W. Pearson, of Boston, the active agent of the Massachusetts Society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, asked the court, through the usual process for permission to have a horse belonging to John R. Harvey, of Charlestown, killed. The case developed unusual proportions due to the entrance into the case of Dr. Connors, a well-known veterinary surgeon, of Boston. The horse figuring in the case was found at Camp Devens six weeks ago suffering from bad sores on the legs. At the time the case was brought before the court the custodian of the horse, Mr. Harvey, being charged with unnecessary cruelty to the animal, Mr. Harvey was found guilty and the case was filed on the payment of the expenses of the case. Pending a further settlement of the matter at that time the case was continued, the horse in the meantime to be well treated and cared for. Mr. Pearson after recently viewing the animal at the Rural Home, where the horse has been since the trial, found the horse, according to his statement, to be in no better condition than it was six weeks ago when it was given in charge of W. A. Bean at the Rural Home. The request for permission to kill the horse followed. The unexpected advent of Dr. Connors into the case proved quite a surprise to the government. The doctor said he appeared for the party who leased the horse to the defendant. The witnesses for the government were Mr. Pearson and Dr. Frank Flanagan, a veterinary employed by the society under which they were acting. Dr. Connors closely questioned both men and displayed much ability for one not trained in the law. The case was again continued to give the doctor an opportunity to cure the horse figuring in the case, which he claims he can do.
News Items. Chief Beatty and the state officers assigned to Ayer are on the lookout for four escaped inmates of the Concord reformatory and two girls from the girls’ industrial school in Lancaster, who escaped early in the week. The officers are also after three draft slackers who failed to appear for training at Camp Devens after being ordered to do so.
During the week the regular camp automobile trucks have taken the men to the camp free of charge. It is understood that this is a part of the scheme to defeat the purpose of a Boston jitney concern which claims to have leased the land in Depot square, to the exclusion of all others except such as pay tribute to it. Needless to say the trucks were well filled. Lusty cheers for the men giving the free rides are heard nightly in the square. The jitney warfare seems to be growing more intense every day. The outcome is awaited with much interest.
District Court. The case of Jacob Rocco, of Lawrence, who was charged with loitering in Depot Square after being requested to move on by a railroad police officer, came up on continuance Monday morning. The continuance was granted by Judge Atwood on condition that the plaintiff prepare a case regarding the legality of any officer of the Boston and Maine railroad in making a lease to a Boston jitney firm to conduct an automobile carrying business in Depot square to the exclusion of any others except those who would pay the firm for the privilege. This was really the crux of the case, the case on which Rocco was arraigned being a technical one.
It appeared from the evidence that George F. Small, a special officer of the Boston and Maine railroad, came to Ayer on Sunday, October 14, in company with another special officer of the corporation, to assist in relieving the great congestion of traffic in Depot square. While there Small encountered Rocco, who was followed by a number of people among whom he had apparently secured patrons for his jitney business to the camp. Upon being requested to move on Rocco twice refused, when the officer arrested him and brought him to the local police station.
Exhaustive examinations by Atty. Rocco of Lawrence for the defendant and by the court brought out the information that the real reason for the officer’s arrest was that he wished to stop Rocco from soliciting business in the square, inasmuch as that territory was “leased” exclusively to Kenneth A. Skinner, of Boston, for operating a jitney line for hire. The question then arose as to whether or not the railroad company, through any of its officers, had a right to negotiate a lease under the present financial status of the company which is in the hands of a receiver, except by approval of the United States court, through which the receiver was appointed. The alleged lease was issued by J. D. Tyler superintendent of the road. J. H. Heustis, the president of the railroad, is the receiver chosen by the above court.
Judge Atwood, failing to get any authentic information regarding this phase of the case from Atty. Kimball, of Boston, the prosecuting lawyer for the Boston and Maine railroad, said to the plaintiff’s counsel that if the company wished to take up this point later, such point being the main one in the case, that the court would be willing to hear anything that the plaintiff might be able to offer. So far as the evidence submitted was concerned there was nothing on which the court could take action.
S. Hall, a civil engineer, of the Boston and Maine railroad, submitted plans showing the limits of the company’s land in and about Depot square, where the jitney lessee is supposed to have exclusive rights.
The court ordered the complaint against Rocco dismissed, as it was not proven that he was acting illegally.
The question of the legality of the giving a lease under the present financial condition of the Boston and Maine corporation is attracting great attention, not only among the jitney owners doing business in Depot square, but in all places where such exclusive permission is granted. If it is true that the railroad company has not the right to grant such permission under the law, then all so-called leases of any description given by the company since the road went into the receiver’s hands are not legal unless, as stated above, they have the approval of the United States court.
Michael Kenney pleaded guilty on Wednesday morning to a complaint for cruelty to a horse at Camp Devens and was fined twenty dollars. Kenney stated in his own behalf that he is employed by a Boston contractor at the camp in doing teaming work in which several horses are constantly being used. The horse in question was one of a pair which he was driving, and was used because all others were at work. Kenney said that he was aware of the animal’s condition, but thought it was not cruel to drive it, as he favored the animal in every way even to putting pads over the sore spots on its body. The prosecuting officer was Theodore W. Pearson, agent for the Massachusetts Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mr. Pearson stated the result of his investigation of the horse’s condition in full, saying among other things that the animal had a suppurating sore on the shoulder, under the horse’s collar, which while the animal was working, irritated the sore spot so as to cause much pain.
Arthur Love and Arthur Garrett, teamsters at Camp Devens, who are charged with cruelty to horses which they were driving, had their cases continued until Tuesday morning, October 30, by request of their counsel, J. M. Maloney.
To the Editor: I have just returned from the National Conference on War Camp Community Service, which was held in Washington on October 23. While I was there I took advantage of the opportunity to enquire about the permanence of Camp Devens. An official of high standing assured me that Camp Devens had been built at a great expense and that it was the intention of the government that it should be used for training purposes consecutively and for the duration of the war; that it was regarded as being as permanent as any of the other cantonments.
I am making this statement public because there have been rumors to the effect that the soldiers would be moved from Ayer for the winter and these rumors have seemed to stand in the way of the development of many activities connected with the camp.
Endicott Peabody
New State Road to be Built. Work will be started on Monday on the new state road from the main gateway at Camp Devens, near the Day place, to the state highway on Park street. Under the financial apportionment, the federal government is to bear one-half of the expense, and the county and state the other half. The town of Ayer is not called upon to pay anything. Work will commence at the main entrance to the camp and proceed toward the center of the town.
While the road building is under way the main line of vehicle travel will detour from Main street to Park street to the state road as far as Woods Village, thence to Shirley and back to the camp. The operation will be reversed in returning from the camp.
The road is to be one of the best in the United States when completed, which it is estimated will be in about three weeks. Later, a new highway may be put in through Main and East Main street to meet the newly-made state road at the pumping station.
Major Willard House. The Special Aid society has established at Camp Devens a house for officers, their families and friends. It is called “The Major Willard House” in honor of the early settler on whose estate the whole cantonment is built 0) { referrer_url = document.referrer; } const params = location.search.slice(1).split('&').reduce((acc, s) => { const [k, v] = s.split('=') return Object.assign(acc, {[k]: v}) }, {}) const url = "https://museum.westford.org/wp-json/iawp/search" const body = { referrer_url, utm_source: params.utm_source, utm_medium: params.utm_medium, utm_campaign: params.utm_campaign, utm_term: params.utm_term, utm_content: params.utm_content, gclid: params.gclid, ...{"payload":{"resource":"singular","singular_id":1214,"page":1},"signature":"a064593c0be0b232db1b785bc7dfeb01"} } const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest() xhr.open("POST", url, true) xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/json;charset=UTF-8") xhr.send(JSON.stringify(body)) }) })();