Turner's Public Spirit, October, 1905
October 14, 1905
Ayer
News Items. St. Andrew’s parish: Ayer, services at 10 and 11 a.m., Sunday school at 12 m.; Groton School chapel, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Shirley Centre and Forge Village, 3:15 p.m., followed by Sunday school at 4:15. Harvest home festival, Oct. 22.
Convention. The 23rd Middlesex republican representative convention was held in the town hall on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 7. This gathering was of unusual interest because there were two candidates for the nomination for representative, both of whom claimed that it was the turn of their respective towns for the nomination, which, with a united party vote, means a sure election. Shirley claimed that according to an understanding made between the representatives of the five towns in the district it was her turn this year, and accordingly there was a spirited contest to carry the caucus in that town, which resulted in the choice of Savillion W. Longley as its candidate. Acton made similar claims and D. H. Hall won out in the caucus in that town.
The convention was called to order by H. T. Clark, chairman of the district committee, at 1:40. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher of Westford was chosen temporary chairman, 2nd H. S. Turner of Ayer, temporary secretary. A committee on credentials, consisting of five, one from each town in the district, was appointed as follows: S. L. Taylor, Westford; H. E. Clough, Acton; E. D. Stone, Ayer; F. S. Kimball, Littleton; J. F. Brown, Shirley. The committee reported eighteen delegates present, the full number. Temporary organization made permanent. Delegate H. T. Clark of Acton nominated D. H. Hall of that town for representative, while Melvin Longley of Shirley performed a similar service for Savillion W. Longley. The ballot stood, Hall 13, Longley 5. On motion of Melvin Longley the nomination of Mr. Hall was made unanimous.
The following district committee was chosen: H. S. Turner, Ayer; H. T. Clerk, Acton; S. L. Taylor, Westford; D. G. Houghton, Littleton, and H. S. Hazen, Shirley. Candidate Hall was escorted to the hall by a committee, appointed by the chair for that purpose, and briefly thanked the delegates for the honor they had bestowed on him in nominating him to the office of representative, and if successful in the coming election would devote his energies in the interest of the 23rd district.
October 21, 1905
Ayer
Convention. The sixth Middlesex democratic senatorial convention was held in Lowell on Saturday afternoon, October 14. M. J. Coughlin, chairman of Ayer, called to order and was made temporary chairman, and Thomas H. Lawler of Lowell, temporary secretary. This organization was afterward made permanent. P. J. O’Brien, one of Lowell’s leading citizens and chairman of the Lowell democratic city committee, was unanimously chosen as a candidate for senator, and Edward Fisher, Esq., of Westford was unanimously chosen a member of the state central committee. The district committee which was chosen for the ensuing years was as follows:
- J. Coughlin, Ayer; Thomas H. Lawler, W. H. McCloskey, Lowell; Dr. J. E. McGrath, Hudson; J. H. Robinson, Reading; John O’Brien, Townsend; E. A. Phalen, Acton; A. J. Coughlin, Maynard; J. W. Cull, Concord; Peter J. Smith, Littleton; P. T. Flynn, Pepperell.
One of the prominent figures at the convention was Edward Fisher, Sr., of Westford, who has voted the democratic ticket for sixty-four years, he being eighty-five years of age. He is a regular attendant at these gatherings and is always heartily welcomed by the delegates. He is still hale and hearty and promises to cast a number of more votes for the party of which he has so long been a member.
The district committee was empowered to fill all vacancies, in accordance with law.
The 23rd Middlesex representative democratic convention was held immediately after the senatorial. P. B. Murphy of Ayer, chairman of the district committee, called delegates to order and was made temporary and afterward permanent chairman. James Kinsley of Acton was chosen secretary. Delegates James Smith of Littleton placed the name of Gardner W. Prouty of that town before the convention as a candidate for representative, and Mr. Prouty was chosen as the candidate.
The following district committee was chosen for the ensuing year:
- B. Murphy, Ayer; Frank Healey, Westford; J. H. Smith, Littleton; John Logue, Shirley; E. A. Phalen, Acton.
The chairman and secretary were instructed to fill all vacancies.
Littleton
Electric Road. Let no one who can go driving these fine days miss seeing a sight that will never come our way but once again, and that will be when work begins in the spring on the electric road that is to come nearer our way. We refer to the scene of activity in the roadbed construction of the electric road leading from Ayer to Chelmsford. The progress made each week is something to wonder at; also the keen oversight of the different bosses, each one of whom acknowledges there is also a power above himself; the patient, steady work of the under laborers, the impassive solemnity of the big team drivers who must keep just so many feet from each other and who admit they have only to “sit and ride” in order to earn their twenty-seven dollars a week.
The construction goes through a part of the soft, undulating territory so long undisturbed, that lies between Ayer and Forge Village. No one can expect that electric cars will be running over the road this fall; but in order to make good the terms of the franchise, gravel trains of some sort must pass over it by Dec. 31. Mr. Farnum, the promoter of the road, has good courage and makes no secret of the admission that when the weather makes work on this road unfavorable, attention will be given to the long distance route which is to pass through our town.
October 28, 1905
Ayer
News Items. The rails are laid on the new electric road from Flanagan’s pond to Westford, so that the stone for the culvert can be hauled from the quarries.