Turner's Public Spirit, September 8, 1923
A look back in time to century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The August number of House and Garden contains a portrait of Albert D. Taylor formerly a resident of this town, and a graduate of the academy. Mr. Taylor is now a prominent landscape gardener living in Cleveland, Ohio, and is the author of an authoritative work called “The complete garden.” Those who remember Mr. Taylor will be glad to know that the book and the House and Garden magazine also may be found at the public library.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Brown, of Oakland [a village in the town of Burrillville], R.I., and Mrs. Edward Brown, of Chepachet [a village in the town of Glocester], R.I., were weekend guests in town.
The meeting of the Grange, which was to have been held on Thursday evening of this week, was postponed, owing to the local Grange neighboring with Chelmsford Grange on that evening. A special meeting will be held on next Thursday evening, at which time all applications for membership must be in. For application blanks or any further information call on the secretary, Mrs. Frank C. Wright.
Mrs. W. H. Brown and daughter, Miss Marion, of Hartford, Conn., and Mrs. H. C. Hayes and Walter Hayes, of Dracut, were holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gumb.
Mrs. F. C. Clement and twin sons, Harry and Francis, of Augusta, Me., are guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gumb. They were among the passengers who were taken from the Steamer City of Rockland last Sunday night when she struck on the rocks off the coast of Maine.
Miss Eloise Wilson, of Lowell, was a weekend guest of Miss Mabel Prescott.
Rev. James L. Scott, of Tilton, N.H. filled the pulpit at both morning and evening services at the Congregational church last Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Alister MacDougal and children are in town, the guests of the former’s parents.
Mrs. John Felch has returned home from the Lowell General hospital after her recent operation.
George F. White and family have returned home from Peak’s Island, Me.
News has been received in town of the death of Miss Sarah Hamlin, a native of Westford. She will be remembered by many of the older residents, her family having occupied the house now owned by Robert Prescott [2 Hildreth St.]. For a number of years she had conducted a very successful [girls’] boarding school in San Francisco, Cal. Although advanced in years her death was rather sudden. She is survived by a sister, Miss Kate Hamlin, and two nieces.
“The S.S. City of Rockland was a large [side] paddle-driven steamship built in 1900 that carried passengers and freight from Boston to various ports in Maine for the Eastern Steamship Lines. … The ship was known not only for its beauty, but for its tendency to get into accidents. During its 23 years of service, it collided with multiple ships, ran aground twice, partially sank while moored in East Boston, and was finally (mercifully) scrapped, burned and sunk off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts. … On the night of September 2, 1923, the City of Rockland was en route from Bath to Bangor with 350 passengers onboard. It had made it past the trickiest part of the river, no thanks due in part to the lighthouse network. But in a thick fog, the ship struck a reef and ran aground near Popham at the mouth of the Kennebec River. … Passengers were ferried by the Coast Guard to nearby Dix Island where a huge bonfire was started and they were fed food that had been brought to the ship. … The ship was very badly damaged, with huge rips in the bottom of the boat. Witnesses didn’t think the ship could be saved.” See https://meandermaine.com/tale/the-misadventures-of-the-s-s-city-of-rockland/.
Mrs. J. Henry Fletcher [nee Nellie E. Woodbridge], widow of J. Henry Fletcher, of Belmont, passed away at her home in Belmont last week. She is survived by a son and two daughters, one of the latter being Mrs. John C. Abbot, of this town. She had a summer home at Westford depot.
It was with deep regret that many learned of the removal from town of Charles Prescott, who had shown such an interest in both the schools and library of the town. He served very efficiently for a number of years on the school board and as trustee of the library gave much of his time to the best interests of that institution.
The Legion carnival will be held at Forge Village on next week Friday and Saturday and promises to bring out a big crowd.
School Notes. The academy, William Roudenbush, principal, has an enrollment of thirty-six boys and forty-two girls, which is unusually large. There are thirty-two in the freshman class.
The new teacher of English and history is Miss Laura Gotberg, of South Manchester, Conn.
Some concern is felt for the safety of Miss Dorothy Latham of last year’s faculty, who is en route to the Philippines, and whose steamer, the President Madison, was due at Yokahoma, Japan, the day before the earthquake.
There are two new teachers at the William E. Frost school, the principal, Mr. Rowe, of Boothbay, Me., and the teacher of grades five and six, Miss Blanche Lawrence, of Amherst, N.S. This school also has a large enrollment.
About Town. Just a few closing thoughts about Luther Burbank and I will have my teachers in Harvard teach me something that they agree on. Whether he was born in Harvard or Lancaster does not concern me. I got into the tangle by quoting from back memory as I read in someone’s newspaper within five years that “He was born in Harvard and spent his boyhood days there, and there are those living there now who recall him.” Now to compromise the teaching of my teachers and avoid any “staying after school to get my lessons over again” let’s call it that he was born in Lancaster, near the town line between Harvard and Lancaster. In my allusion recently to his selling his experimental farm in California let it be plainly understood that he was not obliged to sell on account of financial reasons, and which I neglected to quote. This is confirmed by the article last week addressed to the editor and signed “L.” It gave valuable information about the Burbanks and I read it several times so as to get back memory reliable when I enter the ring with my Harvard teachers.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks and others not so old as the old bucket labored Labor day at Abbot’s cottage at Forge pond.
The kindergarten’s trainers having returned from York Beach and he has commenced again with his special lessons in mental shadow boxing preparatory to facing Teacher No. 3 of Harvard, he of the preacher, singer, carpenter, painter, plasterer and excess gray matter brain, or in the words of Teacher No. 1, “I am willing to match him against anyone for he has never been sent to the mat yet for the count of nine in any debate or questionnaire ring contest.” I am well warned; I will come the flank movement on him as I did my other Harvard teachers—fill them up on ice cream and cold water from China, which helps to soften the mat a little and prolong the count. I do not expect to come to tongue blows until after his trainer and my teacher return from the Rocky Mountains.
Before everybody is rung in to reduce the acreage of wheat enough to force the price up to the advantage of the farmer and disadvantage of the laborer, better consult a farmer in the Stony Brook valley. He threatens forty aces of winter wheat, and if this does not work as expected then he exchanges his farm for a cotton mill in Florida.
Waltham Girl Safe, Says Telegram to Parents
Waltham, Sept. 5—The parents of Miss Dorothy Latham of 41 Banks st. received a telegram today relieving their anxiety about their daughter, who was on the steamship President Madison, which arrived at Yokohama the day before the earthquake.
The telegram, which was sent from the offices of the Oriental Steamship Company at Seattle, said that the entire ship’s company is safe.
Miss Latham left Boston Aug. 11 on her way to the Philippines to join the Episcopal Mission there. She graduated from Waltham High School in 1917 and from Boston University in 1921.
At 11:58 a.m. on Sept. 1, 1923, a 60- by 60-mile segment of the Philippine plate beneath Sagami Bay thrust itself against the Eurasian continental plate causing a massive 7.9 to 8.2 magnitude earthquake that devastated Tokyo and Yokohama. The Great Kanto Earthquake was followed by a 40-foot-high tsunami that swept away thousands of people. The tsunami was followed by multiple fires that roared through the wooden houses of both cities. About 140,000 people were killed. See “The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923” in Smithsonian Magazine, May, 2011, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1923_Great_Kant%C5%8D_earthquake.
The Boston Globe, Boston, Mass., Thursday, September 6, 1923, p. 12.
Bernard J. Flynn, Pigeon hill, Stony Brook road, lost a valuable horse last week.
Daniel H. Sheehan is planning to begin haying very soon, or just as soon as he finishes sowing winter wheat.
Almon E. Downing is cutting off his large chestnut woodlot on the west side of Tadmuck brook on the old Walker homestead farm.
Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher and W. R. Taylor attended the horseracing last week Friday at Readville, and on last Saturday the Lowell Driving club races and agricultural fair at Golden Cove, Chelmsford.
Teacher No. 1 from Harvard said in his last and at the last in his arguments against national prohibition, “I haven’t fired my biggest guns yet.” Same here, I haven’t even got into the firecracker explosions yet. For two reasons I have concluded to declare a truce—first, I am too busy just now to touch off a firecracker, and second, my teacher, who really started hostilities by asserting that the government is encouraging crime by trying to enforce national prohibition, is far away in the region of the Rockies and so I do not care to fire at less than an echo worth. But I am keeping up my shadow boxing just as though it was the real teacher I was trying to box into a count out.
Last week, the date I do not recall, during a thunder shower near Bangor, Me., hail fell six inches deep. Unless the weather is more careful down that way there will not be “two months when the sleighing is rather poor.”
Mr. and Mrs. Carlos D. Cushing, who have been visiting at the home of their daughter, Mrs. W. R. Taylor, have returned to their bungalow in Framingham.
See here, you $20-on-a-thousand taxpayer in Harvard and other towns who think that they are burdened to the break-down point, Dracut assessors have just declared a taxrate of $43.10, a raise of over $14 over last year. Hurrah, Dracut, you have the first place in the state and there is no scramble to get it away from you.
First Parish church (Unitarian) Sunday service at four p.m. Preachers, Rev. Frank B. Crandall, the minister. Subject, “Starting right.” The minister hopes that the people of the parish will make a special effort to give a vigorous start to the services of the fall season.
Deaths. Word has been received in town of the death of Mrs. J. Henry Fletcher, widow of the late J. Henry Fletcher, owner of Fletcher Cold Spring farm at the junction of Cold Spring and Depot roads. Mrs. Fletcher, for many years, spent her summers in town. She leaves three children, Mrs. John C. Abbot and J. Arthur Fletcher, of this town, and a daughter in Boston, whose name I do not recall.
Mrs. Cecelia (Anderson) Conklin, aged twenty-five years, died in Rome, N.Y., last week Tuesday. With her husband and three children she went to Rome last January to take charge of the Hinckley colony of the State school, where her husband is employed. Besides her husband and three children she leaves her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew G. Anderson, Lowell road, Brookside; three sisters, Mrs. Ernest W. Bridgford [sic], of Plainfield, N.H., Mrs. Dora Johnson, of West Chelmsford, and Mrs. Bertha Williams, of Brookside, and five brothers, Oliver, Baston [sic, Gustave], Carl, Roland and Harold Anderson, all of Brookside. Mrs. Conklin was a favorite with the young people of Brookside as well as with those many years her senior. Active, cheerful and possessed with a helpful disposition and has a self-control of amusement that knew and obeyed the point of a temperate shut-off. She was one of Brookside’s choice ones.
The funeral services were held on last week Friday afternoon at the Methodist church in West Chelmsford. Rev. E. E. Jackman conducted the services and sang “Face to face” and “Nearer, my God to Thee.” There were numerous floral tributes. The bearers were Walter Edwards, Adolph Lobstedt, Arthur Nystrom and Oscar Reis. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery.
While the W. R. Taylors and F. A. Snows were camping at York Beach they met Mrs. Gertrude (Hamlin) Lord, of Brunswick, Me., formerly of this town, who said that she had just received a telegram informing her that her aunt, Miss Sarah Hamlin, had passed away. No particulars were given. Miss Hamlin will be remembered by a host of friends in town, her native place, as one of four children of Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus Hamlin and educated in our public schools. The History of Westford academy says, “Sarah Dix Hamlin, student at Westford academy, [matriculated] 1856, University of Michigan, B.A. and M.A., 1873. Spent fifteen months in establishing schools in India, for child widows; lecturer and teacher.” She was [founder and] principal of the Hamlin school in San Francisco, Cal., where she died in her eighty-third year. She had been a resident of California for many years.
Her school in California was one of the most widely known and influential in California, and was a most decided success, both financially and educational [sic], and had as well a high social standing.
She was a great-granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eleazer Hamlin, who came to Westford from Harvard. They had fifteen children, Asia, Africa, America, Europe, Betty, Alice, Lydia, Molly, Cyrus (twin), Hannibal (twin), Sally, Isaac, Asia 2d, Green and George. Cyrus was the father of ex-Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, who was a cousin of Cyrus Hamlin, deceased, of Westford and second cousin to Sarah Dix Hamlin, the subject of this obituary and historical sketch.
With others, I recall her youthful days as a model of rare thoughtfulness and character. Service was the prominent characteristic of her life. She leaves a sister, Miss Katherine Hamlin, of San Francisco, and many other close relatives.
Mrs. Maria B. (Horan) Desjardens died at her home on Pigeon hill Stony Brook road, Monday, after many years of illness. She was born in this town, being one of five children of Thomas and Catherine (O’Brien) Horan. She was a scholar at the old Stony Brook school in those early years when there was something doing then all the time. Her death removes another of the older scholars of that rugged school of whom only a few remain. She was an apt scholar and most companionable playmate. She leaves a sister, Mrs. Jasper Desjardens; seven [six] nephews, Mathias F. Thomas, Jr.; Francis A. Connor, superintendent of the public buildings, Lowell; Rev. William A. Connor, of St. Paul’s church, Dorchester, and Thomas, John and Harold Horan, of Charlestown; also four [five] nieces, Mrs. James S. McNabb; Mrs. James McMeniman, of Lowell; Mrs. Thomas j. Flynn, of Tewksbury, and Miss Margaret Horan, of Charlestown.
Unenforced Laws. Word is now being passed down the line from official Boston that an effort is about to be pushed front-ways to enforce the headlight law on automobiles. That’s one on me, for from what I have read and heard and guessed at, which was nearer the truth than my reading and hearing, I had supposed that national prohibition was the only law that was not enforced, and that was boastfully and openly defied. Just think, we have tabulated one other law that relates to “safety first” that there has not even been a pretense to enforce. That’s going one better than national prohibition, for even its violators admit that there is a pretense to enforce it, and this pretense pinches so that they want it repealed. Are there any other laws that are not enforced? Yes, someone stole all of Amos Polley’s wild grapes Labor day night on the Morning Glory farm. If we keep on tabulating it will look as if national prohibition was the only law that was being enforced. I am telling the truth and tabulating facts, for you can sow wild oats and steal wild grapes anywhere in our beloved America and everybody expects it in defiance of a “Thou shalt not” law, but if one person in 100,000,000 gets drunk, up goes the chorus shout, “Why, why, why, how can anyone get drunk under national prohibition?”
A Monster Fish. Through the generous, thoughtful thinking of Emory J. Whitney I received a copy of the Kissimmee (Florida) Valley Gazette. From it I wish to quote the capture of one of the largest fish known as the rhynodnon, only six of which have ever been captured. Three harpoons and sixty shots were sent into its body without any visible effect. After the three harpoons and sixty shots had been fired into its body it was lanced a few times with knives on long poles, but still it appeared to live. Getting one of the harpoons under one of its fins near its head, attached to the three separate boats, made it possible to tow this sea monster to Long Key, a distance of nine miles, in seven hours.
- L. Mowbray, vice president of the New York Aquarium, and an official of the American Museum of Natural History, was at Miami looking for this type of sea monster. Mr. Mowbray went to Long Key at once and classified this big fish as the rhynodnon type and according to scientific information there are records of only six captures of such fish and in no instance has the skeleton been preserved. Mr. Mowbray estimated the weight at 40,000 pounds, and a tape line laid on the fish from head to tail showed him to be 40 feet and 11 inches in length, and spread of tail 12 feet, and spread of mouth 6 feet. While the fish was lashed to the dock one of the motion picture companies exposed some films, showing Mr. Nolan, who first sighted the fish, and Mr. Mowbray standing on the monster. Suddenly the fish turned up, throwing the two men into the water with his vigorous splashing, in spite of his lashings. Mr. Nolan came up beside the monster’s head, within a few feet of his six-foot mouth, which was sucking in a dozen barrels of water at a suck and discharging it through the gills. For a brief time the intrepid fisherman thought he might be elected to pull another Jonah stunt, but by working harder than he ever did to sell a trainload of Cadillacs he managed to escape appearing in the role of ancient Jonah.
- This fish was almost certainly a whale shark (Rhincodon typus) the largest ever confirmed being 61.7 feet in length. They are not dangerous to humans. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark
Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted baseball club closed the local season here on last Saturday when they defeated the Fall River club two games in the Massachusetts Twilight League and therefore won second place in the league standing. The Abbots have furnished some fine baseball here this season and it has been greatly appreciated by the fans here and in all the surrounding towns. It is hoped the firm will be well represented by a good fast club next season.
The Abbot Worsted soccer club opened the season on last Saturday when they defeated the General Electric team of Lynn 5 goals to 0, at Bunting park, Lowell. The Abbots are now in the Industrial League and look forward to a very successful season.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Beebe announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Charlotte York, to John B. Carmichael, both of this town.
All the public schools opened here on Wednesday, September 5, for the regular fall term.
Miss Gertrude Provost is now teaching in the Cameron school at Forge Village.
Mrs. P. H. Harrington and son Edward are now spending a few days at Hillsborough, N.H.
Miss Irene Reeves, who will soon take up a course of nursing at the Newburyport hospital was tendered a farewell reception here on Friday evening, August 31, at the Abbot hall. The affair was largely attended. A pleasing entertainment was given, followed by progressive whist and dancing. Refreshments were served during the evening. A pleasing incident in connection with [the] affair the presentation of a gold wrist watch to Miss Reeves. The speech was made by Harry Carbo. Mrs. Claire Carbo had general charge of the affair.
New Advertisements
James P. Emerson, Auctioneer, Chelmsford, Mass.
Personal Property by Auction at the
- W. Flavell Farm, Millstone Road, Westford, Mass.
Wednesday, September 12 at One O’clock P.M.
Having Leased my Farm and being about to go to Florida, I will sell the following described Property:
7000 feet of Pine Box Boards, 1000 feet of 2-inch Pine Plank, 37 2×6 Pine 20 feet long, 25 6×6 Oak, 8 4×6 Pine and Oak, 8 4×4 Oak, 25 5-inch Oak Floor Stringers; Bay Horse 10 years old, 1300 lbs.; No. 1 American Saw Mill complete, G. H. Co. 8-16 Tractor, Tractor Tandem Disc Harrow, Oliver 2-14 inch Bottom Tractor Plow, 2-horse Wood Wagon, Pair of Front Wheels with Pole, Low Down Milk Wagon, Corn Planter, Pung. 500 New Standard Size Apple Boxes, three Sets of Double Harness, Horse Collars, parts of Harness, some Farming Tools, Chains, etc., Horse Rake, Grindstone, three Long Belts, Stove, lot of Household Furniture. Dishes, Cooking Utensils, etc.; also, some old-fashioned Dishes, a litter of Collie Pups and 10 Drinking Bowls for Cattle.
Terms Cash.
Per order of H. W. Flavell.
Townsend
West. Miss Persis Ormsby, who attended Westford academy last year, enters Boston university on September 19.
Ayer
District Court. Charles Kardell, of Westford, charged with carrying a revolver in that town without a permit, had his case continued to September 7, as his attorney, John M. Maloney, was engaged in the superior court and could not be present. Atty. John D. Carney appeared for the government.