Turner's Public Spirit, September 5, 1925
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. H. L. Wright has returned from a short vacation spent at the South Shore.
A daughter, Muriel Evelyn, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Johnson (Ruth Sargent) on Thursday of last week [Aug. 27, 1925, Westford].
Miss Edna Peabody, of Lawrence, is the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Eben Prescott.
Mrs. Julia Dole, of Boston, and Mrs. Clarence Simpson, of Millis, are guests at the home of Mrs. Alma Richardson.
Mrs. John K. Fish has returned from a pleasant visit with relatives in Exeter, Hampton and Stratham, N.H.
The Oratorio society held their first rehearsal of the season Thursday evening with Horace Killam as director.
Miss Elizabeth Wells has returned from a pleasant vacation spent at a girls’ camp at Vineyard Haven.
Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Taylor, who were recently married [Aug. 17, 1925, Worcester], have taken rooms in Mrs. Alice Wells’ house on Main street. Mr. Taylor is a teacher in Westford academy, and his many friends in town extend their best wishes to him and his bride.
Mr. and Mrs. George A. Blackadar took their son Howard to the Lowell Corporation hospital this week for an X-ray examination.
The annual agricultural fair of the Congregational church will be held in the town hall on September 30, afternoon and evening.
Members of the Connecticut Poultry association passed through the Center on Monday afternoon. They were touring Massachusetts and New Hampshire and made a stop at the poultry farm of Otis Day, who is one of the best known poultry raisers in this state.
Members of the Legion Auxiliary are invited to participate in the parade to be held in Boston on September 12. Further information as to costume, etc., may be obtained from the president of the local organization.
Rev. Edward D. Disbrow, who has been on a trip to North Dakota, is expected home this week in time to resume the regular services at the Congregational church on Sunday.
All schools in town will open on Wednesday, September 9, and all children entering must be five years of age on or before September 15.
Miss Ruth McCoy has been the guest of relatives in Beverly.
Miss Eleanor Colburn has been spending a few days in Concord, N.H.
Great preparations are being made for the Grange fair to be held on September 18.
About Town. Weekend guests at the Decatur homestead were Mr. and Mrs. Furbush, of Cambridge, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brown, of Lowell, and Miss Phyllis Ransom, of Los Angeles, and their grandmother, Mrs. Ransom, who motored from Maine to be with her granddaughter.
Mrs. Charles Prudhomme is a guest of Mrs. Barnes, of Malden.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks and part portions of the W. R. Taylors and the F. A. Snows motored south on Thursday as far as Framingham.
Fred and George Tuaroush, the talented radio artists of Station WBBR, New York, are spending their vacation at the home of Paul Lumburg and gave a recital at Abbot’s hall, Brookside, Tuesday evening, to a full and appreciative house. Besides the radio entertainment Fred Tuaroash, tenor soloist, was heard in several numbers, accompanied at the piano by his brother George, to the encoring delight of the audience. A talk on the radio was given by George Tuaroush.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar N. Naylor and his mother, Mrs. Amanda Naylor, and Walter Wilkins, of West Chelmsford, are spending their vacations at York Beach.
The Morning Glory farm [i.e., Amos Polley] is stripping his sweet corn after non-paying trips to Boston market and is selling it to the hens for fifty cents per dozen. This is an improvement over six dozen for fifteen cents, minus expenses.
The fish and game entertainment at the town hall on last week Friday evening was beyond expectations. It was a full house and enthusiasm at full tide. Hurrah for the cause of Wild Life, with the emphasis on the birds, with many thanks to the two Joes—Joe Wall for his enthusiastic lead-off, and Joe Hibbard for keeping it at high tide, with soul-stepping music which we are told “hath charms to soothe the savage breast.”
Cancer and other malignant tumors caused 5074 deaths in Massachusetts in 1924, or 126 to every 100,000, and compared with 120 in 1923. Something has gone wrong in our living apparatus which needs experimental investigation. How would it do to eat more farm apple sass and cut down on pigpen diet and then sweat this poison out of the system in more out-of-door exercise in the Lord’s universal sunshine hospital?
Mrs. Abbie C. Snow and her cousin, Mrs. Sarah Dudley, of Milton, are spending their vacation at Marblehead.
The Amoskeag Manufacturing Co., Manchester, N.H., has bought the Parkhill Manufacturing Co., of Fitchburg, and there is a possibility in the rumors that they may buy the Hamilton mills of Lowell. It is up to the coming stockholders’ meeting to say whether they will furnish several hundred thousand more dollars to reorganize it or sell out. We believe sell out will win out.
Last week Friday morning came with two degrees of frost. Forge Village slumped below the two degrees and registered frost on the tomato vines barely noticeable.
Yes, it is true and sad to relate, that while most towns are dropping the raise in tax rates, Westford is raising the rate, it being $2.20 per thousand more than last year, and the village is over $200,000 wealthier than last year. Has it come to this, that the higher the valuation the higher the rate also? The reverse of this is supposed to be the tax fixing rate.
Matthew F. Downs observed the 100th anniversary of his birthday last Saturday at his home at the old brick tavern on the Groton-Dunstable road [266 Groton Rd.], adjoining Long-Sought-for pond. He was born in Vassalboro, Me., served on the police force of Augusta several years ago and lived and served several years as a watchman at the Merrimack and Lawrence Manufacturing Company’s mills; came to Westford, where he has been living fifty-one continuous years. About a year ago he went to the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, owned by Henry Ford, it being the annual outing of the Farm Bureau. He met Mr. Ford, who said in the presence of your correspondent, “You are the oldest person that I ever shook hands with.” Mr. Downs, while entitled to the Boston Post’s gold-headed cane as the oldest person in town, has refused it on the grounds that it might tend to shorten his years and he desires to attain what people call a ripe old age. His daughter, Mrs. Florence Hutchins, with whom he makes his home, arranged an “open house” to which all of his friends in town and elsewhere were invited and the “open house” proved a full house, such were the voluntary friendships which accepted the invitations.
Was much interested in reading in last week’s issue an article entitled “A Trip to the Catskills,” by L. W. W. Especially were we interested in “While pitching our tent one night after a cloudy day we saw the sun setting in the east. As the sun did not show up at all the next morning in the rain, we were spared seeing it rise in the west.” We had a similar experience in our first trip to the mountains in Greenfield, N.H., more than forty years ago. As we stood on the summit of Crotched Mountain we actually saw the sun rise in the west and set in the east, and we have always maintained the correctness of this view, which is now confirmed by a similar experience of L. W. W. No, no nonsense, and I had not been looking at anything stronger than mountain spring water, and that would not cause me to look crooked.
On last Saturday the Old Oaken Bucket farm got returns of fifteen cents per box for mentally selected hand-picked sweet corn. After paying fifteen cents per box for transportation (which is not high) and selling the box with the corn for ten cents, which cost twenty cents, and three cents commission for selling, we are going to turn the balance of the liabilities over to the tax collector for collection towards taxes. We did not charge anything for our time in storing this corn or getting it ready for market. If we had we couldn’t have collected anything because the money was all exhausted in selling the corn, and there would be nothing to recover if I sued myself.
We are informed by authority that a planer and matching machine is to be installed in the former storehouse of J. Willard Fletcher at Westford depot, for planing and matching boards for bushel boxes and other purposes. We give notice that we cannot afford to buy a great many farm produce boxes at twenty cents and sell them filled for ten cents. Can’t you shade it 19½ cents so we can pay our taxes?
The two young blacksmiths from Dracut who opened shop at Westford depot have moved their intentions to North Chelmsford.
See field day program for Labor day under Littleton news.
Conservation of Trees. There was an item in last week’s issue which appeared as general news which relates to the cutting of Christmas trees and is so vital to forestry that as a champion of the cause of forestry I am going to quote it in the hope that no reader will miss it: “To save the 10,000,000 trees that is estimated to be cut each year for Christmas purposes, because the cutting represents a drain on the natural resources of the country, steps have been taken in various states to check the damage. If trees were taken only where they stand too close together no real loss to the forests would result, and instead the cutting might be beneficial, say experts. Colorado has adopted a measure requiring all dealers in Christmas trees to pay a $50 license. The plan of growing young trees in nursery especially for the Christmas tree market is thought to be the best way to meet the evil.”
The cutting of 10,000,000 trees is not for just the fleeting pleasure show of Christmas is certainly a savage butchery on our fast diminishing lumber forests when lumber is fast approaching a price more prohibitive than constitutional prohibition, when a twenty-five-cent clothes line could answer all Christmas purposes. This must not be construed as an attack on the spirit of Christmas. Far from me any thought of lowering the high ideals of the Christmas spirit, but I am opposed to annihilating all of the forests in the United States for Christmas purposes, when a twenty-five-cent substitute will answer all the essentials of the Christmas spirit, and besides all of this the commercial spirit is in the saddle eleventeen times in the butchery of our forests for Christmas purposes to where the Christmas spirit is represented half of one teen. There is something besides the Christmas spirit that sends whole train loads of Christmas trees to market. Like all good things the Christmas spirit is liable to be drawn down to the dollar realm in this dollar age. Let us apply the emergency brakes to our forests and save them from the wreckage of the commercial spirit that is in the market under the name of Christmas spirit.
Westford’s Tax Rate. The assessors announce a tax rate of $32.20, an increase of $2.20 over last year, and beyond the estimate of the finance committee because of two items—first, the state and county taxes exceed last year by $2670.22, and second, because the town voted $7400 for a fire truck beyond the recommendation of the finance committee.
This year’s valuation is $4,232,234, an increase of $225,120.24. Personal property was assessed the amount of $1,231,069; land was assessed to the amount of $742,805, and buildings $2,284,360, making a total for real estate of $3,001,165; 944 polls were taxed $2 each, and all but five of these have been collected; 745 dwellings were counted, 9762 fowls, 249 horses, 475 cows, 119 other neat cattle, 6 sheep and 18 swine comprise the live stock.
Much more time was spent in field work by the assessors this year than usual, and some unexpected things were found. For instance, one farm which is partly in another town, did not look right. About forty acres too little was being taxed anywhere. Several similar instances have come to light in recent years.
A town line bound post on the Chelmsford line was found to have been pulled out of the ground and replaced wrong end up. As it was a granite post someone took some effort for this fun, which is in fact a serious offense. On the shore of Forge pond is a section of land which has been claimed for years by the Littleton assessors. One of the Westford assessors talked about it to his associates. After conferences between the selectmen of both towns on Saturday afternoon the Littleton selectmen brought on a surveyor who more than confirmed the contention of said Westford assessor. The Westford assessors thereupon estimated that over an acre of land and five cottages could be assessed for $2250. This was too late to be included in the above-mentioned figures, but will add to this year’s revenue.
- W. Wheeler, Chairman of Assessors.
Obituary. Fletcher Morton Abbott, a native of Lowell, and a member of the family of prominence for a long period in Wellesley, died last Saturday morning at the family home, “The Hundreds,” Wellesley Hills. He was born in Lowell in 1843, the son of Judge Josiah Gardner and Caroline Livermore Abbott. He was a student at Westford academy in 1854, when Luther S. Shepard was preceptor and Miss Margaret Foley was preceptress. After studying at St. Paul’s school in Concord, N.H. he enlisted at the outbreak of the civil war with the first company formed to go to the front for a period, the 2nd Massachusetts Volunteers. As I recall it now from memory he was captain of this first company, and we heard much of Capt. Fletcher M. Abbott because in this company Hon. William Taylor McAlpine and his brother, Thomas H. McAlpine, who served through the war, were cousins of your correspondent [Samuel L. Taylor].
At the close of the war the Capt. Fletcher Abbott Company had many annual reunions in Lowell. If correctly informed the reunions are all in the “beyond,” as all of the company have passed away. Among the battles that Capt. Abbott took part in were the second Bull Run, Cedar Mountain and Antietam. Towards the end of the war he was on the staff of General Dwight. After the fall of Port Hudson Capt. Abbott was invalided home, going later to Denver, Colo., with Gen. Fitzhugh Porter. Returning east he studied in the Harvard medical school, receiving his degree in 1876, but never practiced. Since then he has made his home at Wellesley Hills, where he became known as a scholar, particularly a connoisseur of wrought iron work.
The deceased is survived by two brothers, Samuel B. Abbott, of Rome, Italy, and W. Walker Abbott, of the Hills; also, a sister, Mrs. William P. Fay, of Wellesley Hills.
Funeral services were held at noon on Tuesday at Emmanuel church, Boston.
Graniteville. Many from this vicinity attended the band concert given in Groton on last Saturday evening when the Abbot Worsted Company band and the Groton Cornet band consolidated, there being more than fifty musicians in the band.
Arthur Healy, Oliver Reeves and Richard Wall are on an automobile trip through Maine and New Hampshire.
Miss Cecilia Wall is spending a few days in Lowell as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Frank D. Riney.
Mrs. Eldon Turner is visiting with relatives in Maine and New Brunswick.
The Abbot Worsted baseball club will play their last game of the season in Nashua on Saturday afternoon.
Many of the townspeople called on Matthew Downs at his home in North Westford on last Saturday and extended congratulations on his 100th birthday anniversary. A stream of callers was in attendance at the home all during the day, many coming from Lowell and the surrounding towns.
All the Westford schools will open for the school year on Wednesday, September 9. All pupils entering school must be five years of age on or before September 1. This is a ruling of the school committee and will be rigidly enforced.
The Abbot Worsted baseball club will play no more local games during the present season.
The soccer season opened in Forge Village on last Saturday under favorable conditions. The weather was ideal and a large crowd turned out.
A pleasant house party was held at the home of Mrs. Eliza Raymond on last week Thursday evening in honor of the seventeenth birthday anniversary of her daughter, Miss Ida Raymond. The evening was passed pleasantly in playing many amusing games, and dancing was also indulged in, while an excellent musical program was given. A pleasing incident in connection with the affair was the presentation of a silk umbrella to Miss Raymond, who graciously responded. During the evening refreshments were served under the direction of Miss Bertha Reeves and Miss Cecelia Livesey. Guests were present from North Chelmsford, Lowell and Ayer.
Quite a number from this village attended the sportsmen’s ball given under the direction of the Lowell Fish and Game association in town hall at Westford Center on last week Friday evening. Joseph Wall, of Graniteville, president of the association, had general charge of the affair. A Lowell orchestra furnished excellent music for dancing. Refreshments were served during the evening.
Ayer
Shot in Raid at Westford. John M. Mulcahy of Worcester, federal prohibition agent, who was shot early Wednesday as he battered in the door of Camp Bedford, Flushing pond, Westford, during a raid, died Thursday afternoon at St. John’s hospital, Lowell. Contrary to the prior report, but one shot entered his body, but that one punctured his intestines in eight places. An operation was performed immediately on arrival at the hospital.
Joseph Mailhot of Lowell, alleged owner of the raided camp, which has been a thorn in the side of Camp Devens officials, was held in default of $50,000 bail by the Ayer district court on charges of shooting Mulcahy with intent to kill, with keeping and exposing liquor for sale, and with illegal sale of liquor. Several other persons arrested at the camp were held on charges of being drunk and disorderly.
Mulcahy, with Federal Agent Hall, Corp. Calahan and other officers of the state police and a Camp Devens provost guard arrived at the camp early Wednesday morning armed with a search warrant and warrants for Mailhot’s arrest. Refused admittance to the camp, Mulcahy started to break in the door when a hail of bullets poured through the thin wood. Hall and Calahan were on either side of him, but were untouched. After rushing the wounded man to the hospital the raid was completed. Police say that they obtained a confession from Mailhot that it was he who shot Mulcahy.
Mulcahy lived in Brookfield before removing to Worcester. He saw service overseas with B Battery, 319th F. A. [Field Artillery] and is 30 years old. He was assigned to duty in the vicinity of Camp Devens as a result of many reports of student soldiers being made deathly sick after buying bad liquor. He traced one source of the poison to the raided camp.
Real Estate Transfers. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity recently: …
Westford, Claude L. Allen to Charles H. Brown, land on Olive road; Emilian Minka to Gregoire Wolkowich, land on Main street; Nashua & Acton Railroad to John A. Healy; Ernest H. Robinson to James F. Scanlon, land on Town road; John Sullivan to George Babcock, land on Boston road; Gregoire Wolkowich to Emilian Minka, land on Main street.
District Court. The case of Alexander Skea, of Andover, who was charged with breaking and entering and larceny in Westford, and whose case had been continued to await the action of the Lowell court on other complaints, was before the court on Monday. As the Lowell court had found probable cause his case was again continued until September 26 to await the action of the grand jury.
On Wednesday morning ten prisoners were before the court as the result of a raid made at a camp at Flushing pond in Westford early the same morning by federal and state officers. When the authorities and deputies demanded admittance it is alleged that the proprietor of the camp, Joseph Mailhot, fired eight shots through the door, all of them hitting John Mulcahy, federal officer, in the vicinity of the stomach. Officer Mulcahy was taken to St. John’s hospital in Lowell, where he was reported to be in a very serious condition. Joseph Mailhot was before the court on Wednesday morning charged with assault with intent to commit murder, exposing and keeping liquor for sale, five specific sales of liquor and keeping a house of ill fame. He pleaded not guilty and his case was continued until Friday, bail being set at $50,000. Louise Savignac, of Lowell, one of the occupants of the camp, was charged with five sales of liquor. She pleaded not guilty and her case was continued until Friday, bail being set at $500. Alden Knor, Lester Knapp and John Hollis, all soldiers from Camp Devens, charged with being drunk in Westford, all pleaded guilty and their cases were placed on file. Bernadette Bergeron, of Lowell, another occupant of the camp, was charged with being idle and disorderly. She also pleaded not guilty and her case was continued until Friday, bail being set at $500. Elizabeth Mailhot, of Westford, pleaded not guilty to three complaints for adultery and her case also was continued until Friday. Edward Montague, John McNulty and Frank Moniz, all from Camp Devens, and all charged with adultery, pleaded not guilty and their cases were continued until Friday, they being placed in charge of the camp authorities until then. All of the prisoners whose cases were continued obtained bail except Joseph Mailhot. It is said that Mailhot admitted the shooting but said that he thought it was drunken soldiers who were at the door and he fired to frighten them away. The raid was made at his camp after the officers had seen the soldiers come from there and had obtained a statement from them that they had obtained liquor there.
125th Anniversary. The 125th anniversary of the Sandy pond school was observed last Saturday afternoon with an attendance that filled the schoolroom and overflowed to the grounds outside. Glendale, Cal., Ashby, North Cambridge, Westminster, Dorchester, West Somerville, West Groton, Forge Village, Rockport, Littleton, Groton, Malden, Shirley, Fitchburg, Roxbury, Boston, Westford, Bridgewater and Ayer were all represented on the visitors’ register. …
Samuel Taylor, the Westford sage, made pithy remarks to the pleasure of all. Charles Shattuck, of Groton, recited “Sleighing with Sophia Twig” and “The unknown soldier.” Mrs. Sawyer’s concluding number was “School days.” Lunch was served and a delightful hour of social intercourse enjoyed. Portraits of former teachers and scholars were viewed and an opportunity was given all to register.