The Westford Wardsman, September, 1913
Saturday, September 6, 1913
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Bennett and son Medina, of Lowell, have been enjoying the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. George Walker at their pleasant home for a week. Mr. Bennett’s mother, Mrs. Ellen Bennett, and Mrs. Bennett’s mother, Mrs. E. J. Medina, are also with them.
Teachers returning to duty this last week are Miss Edna Ferguson to Beverly, Miss Jennie Ferguson to Springfield, Miss Ruth Tuttle, the first of the week, to Winthrop, Miss Stella Hartford to Carlisle and Archie Hartford to Lewiston, Me.
Leon F. Hildreth resumes his studies at the Lowell High school next week.
There has been a pleasant reunion of sisters at Dr. Well’s this week. Mrs. Wells has entertained her three sisters and including herself making a group of four. The guests were Mrs. Frank D. Bailey of West Newbury, Miss Hannah Morrill of Amesbury and Miss Irma Morrill Wadsworth of Biddeford, Me.
Miss Grace Lumbert gave a very pleasant birthday party Tuesday afternoon for her little nephew, Kenneth Lumbert, who with his sister and two brothers have been spending several weeks in Westford. It was the little fellow’s fourth birthday anniversary. There was a fine birthday cake with candles as well as other good things. The rest of the group of little people were Roger Hildreth, Warren Baker, Alice and Dorothy Heywood and Elizabeth Carver.
Chester Burnham does not return to his studies at Amherst Agricultural college until later in the year when he will take up the year’s studies at the time corresponding to that last year when he was interrupted with a long siege of scarlet fever.
The correct name of the little daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. John S. Greig last week is Helen Prescott Greig. Inadvertently last week we gave the mother’s name which was only partly right for the name of the little daughter.
A little daughter [Catherine Elizabeth] was born [August 31] to Mr. and Mrs. O’Neil, living next the postoffice, this last week.
Mrs. L. B. Riddell of Jamestown, R.I., has been spending a few days this week with Mr. and Mrs. John P. Wright.
Schools opened Tuesday morning with the staff of teachers already outlined in these columns. The enrolment of pupils at the Frost school is 130 with a prospect of several more by next week. At the academy Mr. Roudenbush reports 59 with 30 boys and 29 girls, 23 in the freshman class. The beginning of this term marks a new epoch in the method of transportation of scholars. Arthur E. Wilson carries the scholars from the south and west parts of the town with his new auto truck most successfully. The north end group of children still arrive by horse power.
Mrs. Wm. A. Roudenbush is visiting friends in Marion this week.
Mrs. Lillian Lumbert and Miss Grace Lumbert are moving into part of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Heywood’s house. While George E. Gould was at work at this house making changes ready for their occupancy he had a bad fall striking on his head cutting a gash and receiving a pretty thorough shaking up.
Mrs. A. E. Roudenbush of Greenfield is visiting her son, Principal Roudenbush.
It was pleasant to have Mrs. Charles D. Colburn out at church Sunday and assisting with the music after many weeks detention at home on account of the serious illness of her little daughter Elinor.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Wilson welcomed a baby daughter into their home the first of the week [Marjorie Elizabeth Wilson, born August 31].
Wesley Wells, who has been spending the summer with his brother, Dr. O. V. Wells, enters Harvard college September 22.
Mrs. W. B. Hyde and son Robert, of Bakersville, are visiting at Dr. Wells.
The academy teachers, Miss Hickey and Miss Smith, are boarding at Mrs. Walker’s, although Miss Smith continues to have a room at Mrs. J. H. Fletcher’s the same as last year.
The holiday Monday was a very quiet day in town, although there were guests in numerous households. The R.F.D. men were off duty that day. Interest focused for a large number of people on the ball game between the Westford A.A. and the Townsend A.A. team at Townsend in the afternoon. William E. Wright took up thirty passengers in his auto truck very successfully and at least seven other automobiles full of passengers went over the road from here. The Westford boys brought home the laurels with a score of 7 to 4.
Next week Sunday evening John A. Taylor will give readings from Ralph Connors’ “The sky pilot,” at the evening service. Norman B. Sherburne and Miss Anna Parish humorously illustrated the difference. Westford grange exemplified supper with Mrs. F. W. Banister, Mrs. S. B. Wright and Mrs. Ella Langley as chief of supplies.
Fifty-three members of Westford grange visited Acton grange on Tuesday evening. The weather, including the moon, contributed much towards the entertainment of the evening. What was not contributed in this way was contributed in some other way by Westford grange—piano solo by Miss Ruth Smith, also another by the same author; song, Miss Lillian Sutherland, repeated because it was good; farce, “Interviewing a granger,” Taylor and son. Acton grange contributed liberally of supper and various other symptoms of “Glad to see you,” Boxborough grange, which was to have been on the map for entertainment, was unable to be present and perform the stunt expected and planned. Concord, Littleton, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Boxborough, Dracut and Ayer were all represented.
The next meeting of the grange will be held on next Thursday evening. Entertainment in charge of Ceres and Pomona.
Graniteville. The Jersey baseball club of Lawrence visited here on last Saturday afternoon and defeated the Graniteville club by the score of 6 to 3. Merrill and Duhamel, the battery who performed so creditably for the Diamond Springs in their recent game, was the battery for the Jerseys, while Bridgeford and Hurley did the battery work for Graniteville. J. B. Riney held the indicator and umpired a good game.
At a meeting of Court Graniteville, F. of A., held in its rooms recently, it was decided to hold a smoke talk after the next regular meeting, which will be held on September 18. A competent committee has charge of this affair and the members are promised a good time, the entertainment being one of the principal features.
Miss Rose Dunn, of Dracut, has been a recent visitor here.
At a special meeting of members of the M.E. church held on last Sunday, and well attended, definite policies for church work during the coming months were considered. There is a growing interest in the work of this parish. On Sunday morning at 10:45 the pastor, A. Earl Kernahan, will deliver an address on “The relation of christianity to rural progress.” At seven in the evening he will preach a sermon upon the subject “The passion for souls.” At eight o’clock he will address the members of the Epworth League. All the services are open to the public.
Miss Flora Hughes, of Boston, is visiting with relatives here.
A theatre party of ladies from here attended the Monday night performance in Keith’s theatre in Lowell and report a very enjoyable time.
Broadway street, near the vicinity of the mill bridge, is again torn up and both teams and automobiles will be forced to go around by the way of River and Bridge streets until the repair work is finished. The part of the roadway now being repaired is on the mill side, between the bridge and the street railway tracks. This work is now being done by the Abbot Worsted Company.
Many people from this village attended the Clinton fair this week. The fair was of local interest owing to the fact that J. Austin Healy had his trotter, “Dolly C,” entered in the races and Joe Wall and others from here had attractions on the midway.
Miss Alice May Gilson, who graduated from the Westford academy in June, is attending the Lowell Commercial college.
Healy’s Hustlers and Gordon’s Growlers will play the first of a series of three baseball games for the village championship, commencing on Saturday afternoon, September 13. The game will be called at three o’clock.
Commendable Action. For some time past many irresponsible persons have been using the premises surrounding the baseball field as a public dumping ground, where all sorts of rubbish have been thrown. This action was resented by all, and one well-known Graniteville man, who is a member of the Westford Board of Trade, took this matter up with the Westford selectmen and also the board of health. The town officials gave this matter their immediate attention and as soon as the opportunity afforded, the town men with their teams were put on the job and the entire lot of rubbish was carted away.
The Westford board of selectmen and the members of the board of health are to be commended for the quick and decisive manner in which they handled this bothersome question, and a vote of thanks is certainly due them for their broad-minded spirit. Graniteville people appreciate their quick response for civic betterment.
In passing, a word of praise is also due this public-spirited citizen here who brought this matter before the proper authorities.
Forge Village. Miss Nellie Foster of North Woburn, Miss Juanita Graham of Cambridge, and George Graham of St. Stephen’s college, were guests of Mr. and Mrs. L. T. Coucher on Labor day.
Miss Eva F. Pyne had her tonsils removed at her home on Friday afternoon of last week, Dr. O. V. Wells performing the operation.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gurney and family, who have been spending the last two weeks in their cottage on Forge pond, returned home last Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Collins spent the weekend as guests of friends in Haverhill.
Miss May Lord is home for a few days from her duties at South Framingham hospital.
James Wilson, who has been ill for the past two weeks, is still in critical condition. The family have the sincere sympathy of the village in their time of trouble. Mrs. Collins, who has suffered a severe illness for several months, is not as yet entirely recovered.
Judging by some of the mushrooms which have been recently gathered, the season must be at its height. Mrs. Chester Blodgett, of Groton Ridges, has had some fine specimens this year. It is still a case, however, of knowing just where to look for them in order to be the lucky gatherer.
The members of St. Catherine’s choir were entertained by the organist, Miss Mary F. Hanley, at the Hanley cottage on Forge pond last Sunday. Immediately after church services the members were taken in boats to the camp, where dinner was already prepared. The afternoon was spent in singing and a musical review was enjoyed. At five o’clock an excellent supper was served and later ice cream, cake and confectionery were enjoyed. The company left in the early evening for the home of Miss Hanley’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hanley, where singing was enjoyed until a late hour.
A word might be said regarding the fruit thieves which abound in this village. It is beginning to be a case where no one’s private grounds are safe from the destroying ravages of these half-grown-up pests. Where is the village constable? In broad daylight, as well as after dark, fruit gardens are destroyed and limbs of trees broken down by stones and sticks. Even the grape vines are now suffering. A person’s property is not safe now-a-days unless it is just a grassy lawn. It would be very much appreciated if the town of Westford would see to it that a constable’s eye be on duty in order that the property of land-owners may be protected.
Miss Eliza Daly, who has been spending the past few weeks at the home of her nephew, William Daly, of Somerville, has returned home.
Victor Martin, while engaged at work in the plant of Daniel Gage Ice Co., severely injured his feet on Tuesday afternoon. Dr. O. V. Wells was called and at present it is not known whether or not it will become necessary to amputate several toes. Young Martin is at the home of his brother, Tony Martin.
Little George Blodgett, who has been very ill at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Blodgett, of the Ridges, is now on the road to recovery.
Saturday, September 20, 1913
Center. Hen thieves are reported to be getting in their work. Timothy Sullivan, living on the Boston road, lost all his flock of sixty one night last week. His buildings being situated at the edge of the village, the thieves did not arouse anybody, the only clue being some wheel tracks, showing that they came by team. Other thefts are reported about town of fruit and garden truck. Frank E. Miller had a working harness stolen from his barn recently.
Mrs. J. Henry Colburn has been suffering with another serious attack of acute indigestion this week.
Mr. and Mrs. Oscar R. Spalding are enjoying a vacation at Portland, Me., and surrounding places of interest.
Emory J. Whitney has been putting a new slate roofing onto the ell of his home this last week.
Last week frost was reported around town in the low lands. Sunday morning the first destructive frost of the season came on Westford hill, being pretty generally destructive to tomatoes, squash, melons and much of the corn. This is just about a month ahead of the first hard frost of last season.
Quite a large number of Westford people were in attendance at the Middlesex North fair at Chelmsford under the auspices of the grange last week Thursday and Friday. The pupils of the William E. Frost school had a creditable display of their basketry work which won a prize of three dollars. In this collection Walter Fletcher took first prize for a flower basket, Arthur Whitney a first prize for a rustic basket and Oscar Sears first prize for a covered work basket. Theodore Pollock won a prize on potatoes and Helen McCoy, of the academy, one for embroidered collar and cuff set.
The weekly prayer meetings have been resumed at the Congregational church on Wednesday evenings, taking for special study the epistle to the Philippians.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fisher are to occupy the old Abbot homestead. Town water is being put in and other improvements are being made and the house will be ready for their occupancy in about a month.
The progressive party has a fine large flag suspended across the highway opposite E. J. Whitney’s residence and later it is expected campaign eloquence will take place beneath it.
John A. Taylor gave his home church people a real treat at the service last Sunday evening with his reading of “The sky pilot,” by Ralph Connor. Ralph Connor, as he is known as an author but who in real life is Rev. W. C. Gordon, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and whom Mr. Taylor has met most agreeably in his work in North Dakota. Mr. Taylor took this book of more than three hundred pages of the story and telling intervening passages in his own words. It was a very skillful delineation of the various characters, bringing out the pathos and humor of this rugged story of the northwest cattle country and making plain the lesson of service and sacrifice that the book teaches.
W. E. Carver had some prize winning apples from “The Old Homestead” trees at the North Middlesex fair last week.
Invitations are out for the marriage of Miss Alice Carnzu Abbot, of Westford, to Dr. George Oliver Clark, of Boston, for Saturday, October 4.
Miss Lillian Sutherland and Margaret Sullivan, of the Lowell Normal school, have been doing practical work at the Bartlett school, Lowell, this week, both in upper and lower grade work.
Miss Beatrice Sutherland was with the home people Sunday.
Wedding. Thomas E. Pedevolotis, of Lowell, and Miss Mary E. Socorelis, of Westford, were married on Sunday at the home of the bride’s mother on Leland road at ten o’clock in the morning. The Greek wedding ceremony was performed by the priest of the Greek Orthodox church of Lowell. Miss Helen Socorelis, sister of the bride, acted as bridesmaid, and Philip Alascarcos, of Lowell, was the best man. The bride’s dress was of white silk with veil and a large bridal bouquet was carried. The bridesmaid was also dressed in white. The groom’s gift to the bride was a beautiful watch and chain.
After the ceremony and felicitations a wedding dinner was served to about seventy-five guests, mostly fellow countrymen from Lowell’s Greek colony. The tables were spread out-of-doors in the bright September sunshine. Typical Greek wedding cake had its place of honor among the good things.
The bride and her family came to this country about thirteen years ago from Lagardia, near Athens, and the groom has lived in America about the same number of years, coming from St. John’s, Greece.
The happy couple were the recipients of many pretty gifts. The bride’s going away costume was a blue suit with hat to match, with white plume. After a wedding trip they will make their home at 11 Abbot street, Lowell.
Death. Mrs. W. M. [Willey Merton] Wright passed away on Wednesday afternoon at her home on Main street. She had suffered with a long illness which she bore with great fortitude. Having been confined to the house but a comparatively short time, few realized the struggle with illness that had been hers.
Addie Sophia Hosmer was born in Acton fifty-six years ago, the daughter of Cyrus and Matilda (Brown) Hosmer. She came of sterling revolutionary descent, one of her ancestors [Joseph Barker] being at Concord bridge with Capt. Isaac Davis on that memorable April 19, 1775.
Her education was received in the schools of Acton and Lowell, and in young womanhood she was married to W. M. Wright, of this town, and their married life of thirty-five years has been spent here. For many years their home was the historic old Hildreth homestead on Hildreth street, but about three years ago they moved to their cozy new home in the village which Mrs. Wright has enjoyed so much.
She leaves to mourn her loss her husband, W. M. Wright, one son, Irving Porter Wright, of Sebago Lake, Me., and four grandchildren, one daughter, Mrs. Walter J. [Flora May] Merritt; also, her father, Mr. Cyrus Hosmer, of Wakefield.
Mrs. Wright was a member of the Union Congregational church, the Tadmuck club, Westford grange and the W.C.T.U., in all of which she will be greatly missed.
The funeral services will be held this Saturday afternoon at two o’clock.
About Town. Batters are up for enlarging the press bagging mill at West Chelmsford owned by Donald Cameron, of Westford. The contract for putting up the batters and what follows has been awarded to P. Henry Harrington, of Graniteville, which is sufficient evidence that the building will look like the contract and the specifications.
John Adams Taylor left the vacation days at the Old Oaken Bucket farm for rural life at Grand Forks, N.D. The exchange was made on Wednesday via Hoosac tunnel, Buffalo, Rochester, Utica and Chicago, and thence on to the land of wheat and automobile farmers.
Ho, all ye old-fashioned farmers to the Groton fair on Thursday, September 25. This old town is beautiful for situation in its outlook upon mountain and valley, and its successful farmers. They’re a wide-awake lot and only one in the bunch who is always taking a Knapp, but he wakes up when the first premiums on apples are passed around. Some of the old-fashioned lads in the Stony Brook valley are planning to go and exhibit some of their windfall huckleberries that the drought caused to fall ere they reached the fall.
Amos Polley and Frank C. Drew are busy sowing winter wheat and that in some places leads to the automobile.
At a meeting of the board of registrars last week Friday evening, after registering A. P. Warren, he being the only crowd who appeared, the following dates were arranged for future meetings: Brookside, Friday evening, October 17, at Moore’s mill; Graniteville, Monday evening, October 20, at Healy’s hall; Forge Village, Wednesday evening, October 22, at Abbot’s hall; Westford Center, Saturday, October 25, afternoon and evening from noon until ten o’clock at night at the town hall.
Corn, beans and potatoes that were planted July 14 met with a sad and fatal collision with the weather that was on the track headed for cold storage. Oh well no, it was somebody else. Guess again. He plants potatoes as early as St. Patrick’s day. was struck down in a bayonet charge by a Sepoy. Young Wilson when he saw his colonel fall rushed to his side and carried the injured officer on his back to the firing line. As he was assisting his superior officer, Mr. Wilson was struck by a Sepoy. In warding off the blow he received a severe cut in his hand, the marks of which he carried to his grave. For this act of bravery he was awarded the Victoria Cross, Lord Clyde, were a wonder and delight to her. We did not learn where her home had been in the interval. It may be an interesting bit of local history for those who do not remember so far back, that the Benjamin Wright home was one of the two small houses that stood on the site of what is now Miss Ella Hildreth’s mansion house [10 Hildreth St.]. One of these small houses stood end ways and the other length ways to the road. One was torn down and the other sold at auction in the early fifties. The one being sold was moved to Graniteville by Cyrus Hamlin and was for many years a part of the house of the late John Daly.
Funeral. The funeral services of Mrs. Addie S. Wright were held at her late home last Saturday afternoon at two o’clock. There was a large gathering of relatives, neighbors and friends. Rev. David Wallace was the officiating clergyman, who spoke with sympathetic insight of the transition which we call death as a going home to “The Father’s house,” this latter being a beautiful poem embodying the thought, and closing his remarks with Tennyson’s immortal “Crossing the bar.” Mrs. Charles D. Colburn and Mrs. Charles H. Wright sang two beautiful selections, “Face to face” and “No sorrow there.” The bearers were Charles H. Wright, Sydney B. Wright, Frank C. Wright, all cousins in the family, and Arthur E. Day. Burial was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery.
The floral offerings were of great beauty and were as follows:
Pillow, “Wife,” from husband; wreath, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Merritt; sprays, Irving P. Wright and family; Sebago, Me.; Samuel Hosmer, Nantucket; Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Hosmer and Cyrus Hamlin [Hosmer], Wakefield; pillow, Littleton grange; spray, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Wright and family; spray white pinks, Westford W.C.T.U.; spray of pinks, Mr. and Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher; bouquet of chrysanthemums, Mrs. Frances Prescott; sprays, Mr. and Mrs. Frank C. Wright, Miss Ida Leighton and Miss Eleanor Fletcher; wreath, Westford grange; spray, Mrs. J. D. Isles, Miss Hilda Isles and Mrs. Moran; wreath, Miss Ella F. Hildreth; spray, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Wright; sprays, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Whitney, Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Wheeler and Mrs. M. J. Wheeler, Mr. and Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mr. and Mrs. William R. Carver, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett and George E. Gould; wreath, Union Congregational church.
Fair. The annual agricultural fair under the auspices of the Congregational church took place last week Friday afternoon and evening. This is the twenty-fourth annual event of this kind and this year the committee had much to hinder a successful result, owing to the long drought during the summer, a hard rainstorm at the time and much sickness among their families, but the usual good spirit among the workers and a generous patronage made the affair nearly its usual success.
There was much excellent quality fruit, vegetables and flowers displayed and the apron, fancy food, candy and fish pond table were all prettily decorated. An appetizing supper was served from 5:30 to 7:30 and at eight o’clock Mrs. Myra Pond Hemenway, piano soloist, of Needham, and Mrs. Belle Harrington Hall, reader, of Lowell, gave a finely balanced program. Mrs. Hemenway is an accomplished pianist and Mrs. Hall can always win an audience. She gave “The Muscanoot orphan,” Kelland; “Just boy,” by Paul West; “Nonsense poems,” Wallace Irwin; “Able seaman” and “The first lesson,” by Blythe; also, “The band that played when the ship went down.” Mrs. Hemenway’s selections were Second rhapsody, Listz; “Believe me those endearing ones” and “Garry Owen,” Pape; “Old Black Joe,” Gimmel.
The following committees had charge:
Fancy table—Mrs. L. W. Wheeler, Mrs. E. G. Langley, Mrs. O. V. Wells, Mrs. A. P. Warren, Mrs. William Roudenbush, Mrs. Charles Hildreth, Mrs. G. W., Goode, Mrs. E. F. Humiston, Miss Eva Pyne, Miss Edith Wright, Miss Frances Bannister, Miss C. S. Atwood, Mrs. H. G. Osgood, Mrs. A. E. Day and Mrs. W. J. Merritt.
Apron table—Miss Sarah W. Loker, Mrs. C. W. Hildreth, Mrs. A. H. Burnham, Mrs. Fifield, Mrs. Ralph Bridgeford, Mrs. J. W. Day, Mrs. William Symmes, Mrs. George Kimball, Mrs. James Pyne, Mrs. E. J. Whitney, Mrs. H. A. Ferguson, Mrs. Winthrop Wheeler, Mrs. J. W. Bright and Mrs. Nathan Prescott.
Candy table—Miss Mary Bunce, Miss Martha Grant, Miss Mattie Crocker and Miss Florence Wilson.
Food table—Mrs. A. W. Hartford, Mrs. John Wright and Miss Grace Lumbert.
Fish pond—Mrs. Ida Gould, Mrs. Henry Colburn and Miss Mattie Symmes.
Supper and ice cream committee—Mrs. S. L. Taylor, Mrs. J. E. Knight, Mrs. Phonsie Isles, Mrs. Frank Bannister, Mrs. C. H. Wright, Mrs. S. B. Wright, Mrs. John McMaster, Mrs. Henry Kabele, Mrs. A. Polley, Mrs. Frank Shea and Mrs. John Perkins.
Entertainment committee—Mrs. David Wallace, Mrs. May Atwood and Mrs. John Wright.
Display committee—Miss May Day, Miss Martha Symmes.
Committee on arrangements—Rev. David Wallace, Miss L. B. Atwood and L. W. Wheeler.
Decorator—Miss May Atwood.
Auctioneer—L. W. Wheeler.
The net result of the fair was about $140.
Grange. At the last meeting of the grange it was voted to accept the invitation of Chelmsford grange for neighbors’ night, October 2, and as always has been since Chelmsford grange was organized, these two granges meet the same dates, it was voted to postpone the first meeting of October one week, until October 9.
At the last meeting a complete report of the drinking fountain was given. All bills have been paid and the amount of the gift to the town is $367. Our sister town of Acton has recently installed a drinking fountain under the auspices of the grange, of which they are justly proud, but as a matter of fact the grange contributed but seventeen dollars, the remainder of the cost being met by solicitation, a careful canvass of the townspeople being made. It may be a matter of interest to give a bit of the history of the old mill stone that makes such a fine foundation for our Westford fountain.
It was formerly one of the two mill stones for many years at Heywood & Burbeck’s grist mill, now a thing of the past, at Westford depot. The stones had become worn and some twenty years ago, when the Armenian colony lived on the road to Graniteville, they procured the stones for some grinding enterprise of their own. Some trouble ensued for the settlement of the stones and they were taken away and had rested by the roadside for years, when John C. Abbot bought them of their original owner. He transferred one of them to his summer home on the North Shore for some use in building and the other remained where it was.
In looking about for a foundation stone for the new fountain this shapely old mill stone seemed very desirable and when its last owner, Mr. Abbot, was approached he very quickly and courteously gave it to the town for the purpose that it is now serving.
About Town. Charles W. Whitney, on the Lowell road, has bought all the baled hay in the barn of the Harvard Brewery Co., Lowell, which was struck by lightning a few weeks since. Water, smoke and lightning were about equal in making the hay too dry and too wet. It has been hauled to Westford and spread in the field nearly opposite the John H. Cecatur place.
At the dedication of the new Masonic temple in Worcester on Friday, September 12, the corner stone was laid by Herbert E. Fletcher, r.w.d.d.g.m., of Westford.
Mrs. Clara Walker Littlefield, of Fitchburg, a former part of Stony Brook school history, and her daughter, Mrs. Edgar Wallace, of Wellesley, were recent visiting company at the open fireplace hospitality of the Walker Inn.
Ralph Fletcher is at M.I.T., Boston, and Hazel Fletcher is at Dana hall, Wellesley. Both will do much to brighten up school life.
It was a generous gathering that met in the vestry of the village church in West Chelmsford last week Thursday evening when Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher gave his stereopticon views of his recent trip to the Panama canal and other close by tropical lands.
Miss Clara Wright, of Cleveland, Ohio, is visiting the old ancestral home, the old Levi T. Fletcher farm homestead on the Lowell road, near Brookside. Miss Wright has modernized this old spacious farmhouse with electric lighting, telephone, faucet water, lawns, walks and shrubs. This is now her summer home and the once large farm of several hundred acres, extending as far west as the Stony Brook schoolhouse and north to Nabnassett pond, is now reduced to a few summer acres.
The Woman’s Alliance of the Unitarian church were the recent guests of the Shirley Alliance and added audience to the occasion by the following persons: Mrs. Alma Richardson, Mrs. Helen K. Frost, Mrs. Lizzie Hamlin, Mrs. H. M. Seavey, Miss Mabel Drew, Miss Alice Howard, Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett and Miss Mary Moran.
Among the unmentioned who were prize winners at the recent fair of Middlesex North at Chelmsford was John Feeney, jr., of Westford, for a bushel of Gravensteins, as large and as handsome as one would wish to see.
After four years of separation, Thomas Williams, of California, is visiting his brother, William P. Williams, at Quality farm on the Carlisle road, Parkerville.
The bushes on the Lowell road beyond the summer residence of Miss Clara Wright are in a bad state of preservation. Please Mr. Selectmen won’t you give them something to stop their growing—a swing or two of mowing.
Westford grange, having accepted an invitation to visit Chelmsford grange on next week Thursday evening and furnish the entertainment of the evening, the regular meeting of Westford grange on next Thursday evening will be omitted. You will also find us at Carlisle in early November exhibiting the same goods at the same price.
Primaries. The primaries on Tuesday evening were guarded by the appointment by the selectmen of Frank A. Healy, T. Arthur Wilson, John M. Fletcher, Walter J. Merritt. The voting results run about like this: Governor—Gardner 27, Benton 75, Walsh 10. County commissioner—Patch 37, Barlow32, Bowers 9, Barnes 2, Jennings 1, Wilson 2. Auto trucks brought Forge Village, Graniteville and Brookside to the town hall, where an effort of six hours was taken out of eternity’s time table to cast 102 votes. “Oh there is nothing like the primaries, the dear primaries, so close to the people to keep the people at home.” Repeat it gentlemen as soon as you can get on horseback, you who are soon to be elected with authority to repeal and save a needless financial expense to the people, and also save candidates the disagreeable task of seconding their own nominations.
Edward M. Abbot and S. L. Taylor were on the ticket as delegates to the state convention. Does anyone know whether they got any votes or not? Well, it don’t make much difference if they didn’t get any votes, they are going just the same.
Death. Phineas G. Collins, a long-time resident of the town, died at his home on the Carlisle road, Parkerville, Monday at the age of seventy-six years. He is survived by a wife, one son, Albert Collins, of New York, and one daughter, Mrs. Charles M. Griffin, of Westford, and several grandchildren. He was a former resident of Ayer, but about thirty years ago he moved to Westford onto the present farm, where he has since resided. He was a veteran of the civil war and loyal to the principles of Memorial day exercises. Only a few brief years ago, his youngest son, Lieut. Frederick Collins, died in the Philippine Islands and buried with military honors in Fairview cemetery. Mr. Collins was a pronounced anti-saloon man and voted it and lived it.
Forge Village. The mill bell sounded an alarm for fire on last week Friday evening about five o’clock, which brought the fire department, as well as the mill fire department, to the home of Oliver Byron. Fred Sweatt and his men, who were returning from work, were soon on the ground with the mill hose and the hose company arrived shortly afterwards. Notwithstanding the extinguishers inside the building and two streams playing on the roof, much damage was done by smoke and water. The house is a one and a half story building built a short while ago and is owned by the occupants, Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Byron. The loss is covered by insurance.
Harry White, who has spent the past two weeks in Bridgeport, Conn., returned home Wednesday.
Mrs. Fennimore Morton and her niece, Miss Elsie Northrup, visited Mrs. Morton’s sister, Mrs. John Morton of Lowell last Saturday.
Mrs. Frank Wiggin and daughter Ethel of Pawtucket, R. I., were recent visitors at the home of her sister, Mrs. Samuel Blodgett of Groton road.
Two horses, driven by Anthony Healy, and attached to a coal wagon, ran away on Pond street on last week Thursday afternoon. They speeded down Pond street, dragging the driver soce [sic] feet. Bert Comey and Fred Sweatt finally caught the animals and succeeded in quieting them. J. A. Healy of Graniteville is the owner of the outfit.
Mrs. Catherine O’Hara and son James returned last week from a three months’ visit with relatives and friends in Keighley, England.
Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell of Wamesit was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Burnett Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sunday school reopened at St. Andrew’s mission last Sunday with a large attendance.
Graniteville. Workmen are now laying the foundations preparatory to the erection of an addition to the office building of the Abbot Worsted Company on Main street. P. Henry Harrington, of this village, has the contract.
Rev. Mr. Kernahan has enrolled in Boston university. He will go to Boston five days each week. Big preparation is being made for a banquet and open conference at the M.E. church on September 30. The Ladies’ Aid society is going to serve a splendid banquet and the church is going to present a strong array of special workers for a good program.
The work of laying the cement sidewalks on Broadway street under the direction of E. H. Longley, contractor, of Ayer, has been somewhat retarded owing to the rainy weather, but under fair conditions it is expected that this work will be completed this week. F. L. Furbush is also having new cement sidewalks put in about his residence on Broadway street.
Many of the voters from here attended the primary election at Westford on Tuesday, the majority going up in the early evening.
On Thursday night a large delegation from here attended the special town meeting in the town hall at Westford Center, great interest being shown in Article 3 of the warrant, which reads: “To see if the town will vote to borrow a sum of money not exceeding $2000 for the purpose of acquiring land in Graniteville and the erection of a building thereon for the use of the fire department.”
W. O. Haniker has recently returned from a very enjoyable visit spend with friends in Barton, Vt.
The repair work on Broadway street, near the mill bridge, is rapidly nearing completion and it is hoped that this work will be finished by this week if possible. This part of the street has been torn up for several weeks, but when the work is finished we will certainly have one good street and it is needless to say that the public will appreciate it.
Interesting Meeting. The members of Court Graniteville, F. of A., held a very largely attended and interesting meeting in their rooms on Thursday night with C. E. Dudevoir, chief ranger, in the chair. Business of importance was transacted and several applications for membership received. After the meeting a very enjoyable smoker was held and after refreshments had been served cigars were lighted and a fine entertainment given. The hit of the evening was the French songs as sung by Anthony Martin. A program of songs, recitations and readings filled a most enjoyable evening, and closed with remarks by the chief range, C. E. Dudevoir. All of the numbers were liberally applauded and called for encores that were cheerfully given. The whole affair proved to be very enjoyable and much credit is due the committee in charge. The committee in charge of the Foresters’ annual dance announced that this event will be held in Forge Village on Friday evening, October 17.