Celestial Seasonings – August 2019

By Heather Durham | July 31, 2019

Fiftieth Anniversary of Apollo 11 – Just Past

For the first time in human history, man landed on the moon on Sunday, July 20, 1969. Michael Collins remained in moon orbit with the command module, while two others descended to the surface in the lunar module. Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin served as the lunar module pilot of Apollo 11.

Apollo 11 launched from the Kennedy Space Center at 9:32 am on July 16, 1969.

It took 2 years to locate the appropriate location for landing. Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the lunar surface, followed 19 minutes later by Aldrin.

These men located and brought back to Earth, 47.5 pounds of lunar material. The astronauts returned on July 24, 1969, after spending 8 days in space.

There were and are many celebrations for this 50th anniversary. This past January, the U.S. Mint released a 50th anniversary coin.

August 1 – New Moon

The new moon begins a two-week waxing (or increasing) phase that culminates in the full moon. Once visible, this would be a superb time to view other celestial events because the waxing crescent is visible in the evening sky.

August 8 – Venus at Perihelion

During which Venus is at its closest approach to the sun, a distance is 107,477,000 km. (66,783,111 miles).

August 9 – Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation

Mercury reaches elongation at 18.3 degrees from the sun. It might be viewed at dawn depending upon the weather conditions at that time.

August 12, 13 – Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid Meteor showers come from a debris stream that surrounds the 133-year orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet. Beginning in 1865, a young filament from the stream gives a mini peak display before the maximum shower occurred. At peak, meteor rates may reach 60 or more per hour.

These particles slam into Earth’s atmosphere so fast that it doesn’t take a large particle to put on quite a fantastic show. Actually the meteors are no bigger than a grain of sand or a pea. The show is produced by the kinetic energy that changes to heat caused by friction in the upper atmosphere,

Although these may not be that prolific this August due to the full moon, there should be 10-15 meteors per hour … a substantially lesser amount that in other years like 2016.

This month’s shower should be at its strongest right after the comet passes along the portion of its orbit that meets the Earth’s orbit as well as after it passes near the sun.

August 14 – Venus at Superior Solar Conjunction

While not visible with the Sun in the sky, Venus may be seen passing through the evening sky.

August 15 – Full Moon

August 30 – New Moon

Having two new moons in the same calendar month happens only once in every two to three years. (New moons are not lit, so there is nothing lunar to see).


Next in sequence: Celestial Seasonings – September 2019


References:

Lewin, Sarah. (2019, January 8). Perseid Meteor Shower 2019: When, Where & How to See It. Retrieved from www.space.com/32868-perseid-meteor-shower-guide.html

Powell, Martin J. (2019). Mercury. Retrieved from www.nakedeyeplanets.com

Sky & Telescope. (2019). Meteor Showers. Retrieved from www.skyandtelescope.com

Wikipedia. (2019, July 30). Apollo 11. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_11

Wikipedia. (2019, July 27). Moon. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon

Wikipedia. (2019, March 11). Perseids. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseids

 

Railing About Rail

By Ian Aikens | July 31, 2019

The last public hearing I attended in the legislative session in Concord that ended on June 30, 2019 was anything but encouraging. It was regarding SB241, which would authorize funding for the “project development phase” of the capital rail project and extend commuter rail from Boston to either Nashua, Manchester, or Concord (or all 3 cities). For hours I listened to one proponent after another urge the committee members to approve the bill, and I ended up being the sole member of the public to speak in opposition to the bill.

One proponent called it a “no brainer” since 80% of the funding would come from the federal government. Just how a government that is $22,000,000,000,000 (and counting) in the hole has “free” money to dispense was never clarified to the committee members. One committee member asked one of the proponents if inserting the project into the 2019-2028 Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan (a big black hole) meant that the remaining 20% needed would already be funded. In other words, the money’s already there, so why not spend it? Indeed, placing a costly project in a big black hole with little visibility for the taxpaying public would be great for special interest groups, and that’s how government boondoggles are born. Many of the speakers touted how rail would create jobs and revitalize towns, cut down on traffic congestion, increase business at Manchester Airport, improve the environment, bring tourists to New Hampshire, and keep the young from leaving the state. The only benefit I didn’t hear mentioned was that it would spur the return of the Messiah.

Now let’s take a quick look at the history of rail in this country. It served a practical purpose as the country was developing and spreading across the continent transitioning from horse and buggy and water transportation, but once automobiles and air travel become affordable to the masses, rail transport became outmoded and impractical. Passenger rail was always used more by the elite, and ridership peaked around 1920 and never recovered. Despite the rosy claims of its proponents, virtually every rail project in the country features overestimates of ridership, underestimates of the building costs involved, constant and ongoing taxpayer subsidies, deferred maintenance with incredible backlogs—and a band of highly paid consultants served well by the perpetuation of the myths of rail. Outside of a very densely populated city like New York, and possibly Chicago and San Francisco, rail transit in this day and age is not economically feasible. Planes are faster and less expensive for long distances, and cars and buses are more convenient and less expensive for short distances. A few examples of the dismal record of rail projects from around the country: 1) Nashville’s Music City Star, which began operating in 2006, was requiring a taxpayer subsidy of $28 per ride by 2016; 2) Orlando, Florida’s SunRail, a 32-mile commuter rail line, opened in 2014 to such low ridership that by 2016 the government agency running the line admitted that the fare revenues weren’t enough to even cover the costs of operating and maintaining the ticket machines used to sell tickets to riders; 3) Salt Lake City opened up a commute line north to Ogden in 2008 and another line south to Provo in 2012. Through 2015, the Utah Transit Authority had already spent $2 billion on capital improvements and maintenance of rail lines that carried only 8,330 roundtrips per weekday. That’s a cost of $1,000 per resident, and the actual fares collected covered only 18% of the total transit costs. At losses of $35 million per year, it would actually have been cheaper for the taxpayers to buy every daily roundtrip rider a new Toyota Prius every two years.

Rail doesn’t fare much better when you look elsewhere in the world. France’s first high-speed rail train, which ran from Paris to Lyon, did earn enough operating profits to repay its construction costs by 1992, but later lines built all lost money, and by 2013 the country’s rail program had accumulated debts of over $50 billion. While most people are aware of Japan’s “bullet train,” did you know that the Tokyo-Osaka rail corridor is the only line that has ever been profitable in Japan? The reason for this rare rail success story is because the corridor is extremely high density (about 50 million people) and automobile ownership is low. As the government built new rail lines in lower-density corridors where car ownership was higher, those rail lines were all big money losers for the taxpayers.

Closer to home, the Downeaster provides good historical data to see how rail has worked out locally. The Downeaster, which has been running ten trains daily between Boston and Maine since 2001, makes stops in Exeter, Durham, and Dover. The first thing rail proponents always tout is that rail creates jobs and spurs economic development. A study looking at job growth paired similar cities, as far as access to infrastructure, to see how they fared since the Downeaster started running. Epping was paired with Exeter and Dover with Rochester. After 12 years, the results showed that Exeter had lost 300 jobs, Durham’s total number of jobs was virtually unchanged, and Dover had added just over 1,000 new jobs. The study’s conclusion that having a rail stop in Exeter did nothing to stop the job loss there pointed more to general economic conditions in the area and the nature of local economies (more manufacturing-oriented or service-oriented). The study found that Dover’s impressive job growth had more to do with being a large service center than trains having a stop there because Epping and Concord also saw greater job growth over the same period, and neither city had passenger rail service. The study concurred with what the director of Harvard’s Rappaport Institute had to say in the summary of a study of the MBTA commuter rail system: “The history of commuter rail in Massachusetts suggests that while commuter rail can be helpful, it generally has not revitalized communities or reduced sprawl.”

So, if government is going to be involved in the transportation business, wouldn’t it make more sense to put those tax dollars to better use? And, if the goal is to get more folks to their destinations faster and cheaper, buses are a much better bang for our bucks. The express buses that run along the I-93 corridor move 550,000 people per year for $750,000. Compare that to the Downeaster, which, mind you, is considered a “successful” rail project, and moves 530,000 riders per year for a government subsidy of $8.4 million. Furthermore, with bus lines, changes in employment and development patterns can be adapted to much quicker and economically by adding or subtracting bus lines as needed (or not). The same flexibility will never be there with rail transit.

Looking to the future, rail makes even less sense with the imminent arrival of driverless cars. The new technology will allow elderly and disabled folks to get around so much easier. While this might add to congested highways, the new technology will be able to handle the additional traffic safer and more efficiently due to the reduction of human error. Furthermore, cars are getting cleaner and more environmentally-friendly every year, so we should applaud technology that makes life easier for more folks. Clearly driverless technology will mean even less people will choose to use rail transit.

One would think with the well-publicized rail disaster in California that was supposed to link San Francisco and Los Angeles in two hours that has wasted billions of taxpayer dollars and will never be finished, that should have quelled any enthusiasm for such a project in New Hampshire. But no, I heard at least one rail advocate at the SB241 hearing mention a possible future high-speed rail line between Montreal and Boston as a goal to strive for. With estimated subsidies of $10 per rider to maintain rail service from Boston to Manchester and $60 per rider from Boston to Concord—a price tag of $5.5 million per year—why would anyone think a Montreal to Boston project would turn out any better than the California debacle? I caution readers to consider the words of Willie Brown, the former Speaker of the California State Assembly and former Mayor of San Francisco (a politician I never cared for, but one who occasionally would cut loose with an unusually frank statement of political reality): “News that the Transbay Terminal is something like $300 million over budget should not come as a shock to anyone. We always knew the initial estimate was way under the real cost. Just like we never had a real cost for the Central Subway or the Bay Bridge or any other massive construction project. So get off it. In the world of civic projects, the first budget is really just a down payment. If people knew the real cost from the start, nothing would ever be approved. The idea is to get going. Start digging a hole and make it so big, there’s no alternative to coming up with the money to fill it in.”

Finally, to end on a positive note, even though SB241 became law on June 6 without the governor’s signature and millions of “free” taxpayer dollars will be spent to study the feasibility of the capital rail project, at least all three of Milton’s state legislators (Abigail Rooney, Peter Hayward, and Jeb Bradley) voted NAY on the upcoming boondoggle. A small glimmer of hope for fiscal sanity!

References:

LegiScan. (2019). NH Legislation | 2019 | Regular Session. Retrieved from legiscan.com/NH/rollcall/SB241/id/805575

O’Toole, Randal. (2018, October). Romance of the Rails: Why the Passenger Trains We Love Are Not the Transportation We Need. Retrieved from www.cato.org/events/romance-rails-why-passenger-trains-we-love-are-not-transportation-we-need

Eliott-Trafficante, Josh. (2015, May). Does Commuter Rail Create Jobs? Retrieved from jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Does-Commuter-Rail-Create-Jobs

San Francisco Chronicle column, July 28, 2013

Milton and the Immigrants – 1910

By Muriel Bristol | July 28, 2019

In perusing the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census schedules for Milton, as I am wont to do, I came across a rather unusual enumeration from a leather-board factory in South Milton.

The census enumerator, Bard B. Plummer, visited the site on April 23, 1910. He passed from the household of “Henery” B. Hayes, a farmer (home farm), aged fifty-six years (b. NH), to that of the mill superintendent. (Recorded on Page 3 of 32 Milton pages).

William A. Dickson, a leather-board mill superintendent, aged thirty-five years (b. MA), headed a Milton [“Milton-Town”] household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of sixteen years), Hattie Dickson, aged thirty-four years (b. MA); his children, Marion I. Dickson, aged fourteen years (b. MA), Hazel M. Dickson, aged five years (b. NH), and Carolyn P. Dickson, aged two years (b. NH); and his in-laws William V. Newell, aged sixty-six years (b. MA), and Lucy H. Newell, aged sixty-six years (b. MA). The Newells had been married forty-six years, during which time she had been the mother of five children, of whom four were still living.

So far so good. Mr. Plummer passed next to a sort of worker’s hotel, dormitory, or barracks. Some forty leather-board mill laborers “boarded” there. They were all recorded as Alien immigrants, i.e., they were not yet Naturalized citizens. None of them spoke English. He gave their non-Yankee names a serious mangling.

[Ed. note: Recording the citizenship status of alien immigrants in the census was neither new nor unusual].

Plummer enumerated first the head of household, Thomas Peatri, aged thirty-four years (b. Greece). He had been longest in the U.S., having arrived in 1900. Under the CITIZENSHIP column, he was classed still as an Alien, i.e., not yet Naturalized. One supposes he had acquired in ten years some English and knew our little ways, and that was why he was taken to be “Head.” The others were all “Boarders.”

Next came nine other Greeks, also Aliens who had arrived between 1906 and 1909. Their names were mangled as Alec Porpas, aged twenty years (b. Greece), Uperslatey Kenaser, aged thirty years (b. Greece), John Punplato, aged thirty-eight years (b. Greece), Alcano Yunjar, aged nineteen years (b. Greece), George Stocklin, aged thirty-seven years (b. Greece), Spenta Chacton, aged eighteen years (b. Greece), John Delussule, aged forty years (b. Greece), Apostola Dumas, aged twenty-four years (b. Greece), and James Prapleton, aged twenty-six years (b. Greece).

Plummer hit a brick wall when he recorded the next twenty-six leather-board mill workers. Where he should have continued with the “NAME of each person whose place of abode on April 15, 1910, was in this family,” he instead wrote down their distinguishing numbers, #1 through #26, as issued them by the mill, and the explanation:

Impossible to get any thing from them more [-illegible-] for their names or any thing else.

They were all recorded as Aliens, who had immigrated between 1908 and 1910. A different and presumably later hand, perhaps that of Plummer’s census supervisor, noted that

These Greeks could not be enumerated better as they are only known as numbers in the factory and are going and coming every few days.

Finally Plummer enumerated four Italian workers who had names, although he recorded mangled versions of them: Antonio Dumnrio, aged twenty-five years (b. Italy), Giuseppe Palmapo, aged twenty-one years (b. Italy), Sauda Oamfans, aged eight years (b. Italy), and Aemelio De Bartolemo, aged twenty-two years (b. Italy). They too were all recorded as Aliens, who had immigrated between 1906 and 1908.

Previously, we have seen these Greek mill laborers – or some others using their numbers – when they aided the victim of Milton’s Murderous Lover – 1907. (The newspapers gave different versions of her French Canadian name in nearly every article).

We should note in closing that one of New Hampshire’s early settlers was “John Ammisoone the Greek,” who was at Great Island [now New Castle], NH, as early as 1659. God only knows his true name. His many descendants go by the name Amazeen.


My mother Thetis tells me that there are two ways in which I may meet my end. If I stay here and fight, I will not return alive but my name will live forever: whereas if I go home my name will die, but it will be long ere death shall take me. – Homer, the Illiad


References:

Noyes, Sybil, Libby, Charles T., and Davis, Walter G. (1991). Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company

Milton in the News – 1909

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 25, 2019

In this rather full year, we encounter an offer of Porter ice fresh from the pond, a Federal income tax proposed, a poverty ball, a fire at the Salmon River Paper mill, Ralph Farnham freshly remembered, a shoe magnate’s will proved, a power-boat injury, the Milton Shoe company resuming work, lady sales agents wanted, a realtor’s advertisement, a Boston Ice company conflagration, shoe stitchers wanted, a Women’s Relief Corps inspection, a backstabbing on a state highway road-gang, penstock boilermakers wanted, and a beer arrest (with that name confusion again).

This was also the year of Milton and the Eastern Route – 1909.


Milton ice merchant John O. Porter offered a discount price for ice taken directly from the pond.

ICE. BEST QUALITY, now loading from water; price right; large or small contracts. JOHN O. PORTER, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, February 22, 1909).

This option would save him the storage costs, which his client would then take upon himself, thus allowing Porter to sell his ice with the “price right.”


At the national level, Democrat U.S. Senators decided in this year to put forward a constitutional amendment that would authorize Federal income taxation.

DEMOCRATS’ TARIFF VIEWS. Want the Income Tax and Reduction on the Necessaries of Life. Washington, April 15. – For more than four hours the Democratic members of the senate conferred in an effort to agree upon a policy toward tariff legislation. At the end of that time it was announced that they had decided to support an income tax amendment and would present a solid front against any Republican opposition to an income tax for raising revenue. The conference also went on record favoring a general reduction on tariff schedules, particularly those relating to the necessaries of life (Portsmouth Herald, April 15, 1909).

Ironically,  their announcement came on April 15. It was proposed originally to “touch” only a handful of millionaires. We all know how that has “progressed” over time.


A Poverty Ball was a low-cost social event to which attendees were expected to wear their old clothes. Such costume balls were common from the 1890s through the 1930s. (“Terpsichorean” means dancing).

Odd Items from Everywhere. At a poverty ball given by the Terpsichorean club of Milton, N.H., the dancers were obliged to copy the order on plain baggage tags from a poster on the wall. All the refreshments the tired couples got during the intermission was cold water and ice cream. The ice cream was served on paper plates, and there was but one plate to a couple (Boston Globe, June 5, 1909).

The most ragged couple at a poverty ball might win a prize. People dressed too well might be fined. In this case, other frills have been omitted too. There were no dance cards: attendees are using baggage tags. (Might it have been held at the train station?) Refreshments were minimal and served on paper plates.

THE COUNTRY DANCE. The dance held at country homes, or the small summer or winter resort begins at an earlier hour than the dance in the city, and is more informal. In summer men often wear flannels and girls simple little evening dresses. The whole affair, including supper, is laid along simple lines, although, of course, in the matter of invitations, as well as the principles of etiquette, a dance in one place is the same as a dance in another. Special features, and, consequently, greater fun, are more possible at the country dance than at the formal city affair. The barn dance, the masquerade, a “Poverty Ball” where even the family dog questions ragged but picturesque costumes, the Mother Goose party, Calico Ball – all these are possible to the country hostess and may be entirely impromptu. Refreshments should be correspondingly simple (Lutes, 1923).


William S. Lowe was born in Missouri, circa 1855. He married in St. Luke’s Church in Denison, TX, August 6, 1878, Margaret E. “Maggie” Hughes. They lived in Texas, as late as 1880, Missouri, circa 1882-83, Ohio, circa 1884-85, and Lima, Missouri, in 1900.

William S. Lowe was president of the Salmon River Paper Company, in Milton, NH, from about 1905. He took up a paper mill described (in 1909) as having been established “about thirty years” before. (The Milton Manufacturing Co. appeared as a paper manufacturer in the Milton business directories of 1887, 1889, 1892, 1894; the Strafford Paper Co. so appeared in 1898; C.D. Brown & Co. in 1901; and the United Box Board and Paper Co. in 1904 (where our sequence currently ends)).

SALMON RIVER PAPER CO. (W.S. Lowe, Pres. and Treas.; M.H. Lowe, Vice Pres.; C.L. Lowe, Sec.) S.P., at mill. Two 800-lb., two 1200-lb., and one 2800-lb. Beating and three Jordan engines; one Four Cylinder and forty-seven Dryers. Water and Steam. Widest trimmed sheet, 75 inches. 48,000 lbs., 24 hours. High Grade Patent Whites and Colors, Single and Double Lined Manilas for Lithographic Work and Clay Coating; also Paraffined, Waxed and Waterproof Boards (Vance, 1908).

Note that the Salmon River Paper Company’s Vice President was Lowe’s wife, Maggie Hughes Lowe, and its Secretary was his middle daughter, Clara Louise Hughes.

W.S. Lowe was one of many manufacturers that lobbied a Congressional committee for a removal or reduction of wood tariffs in November 1908.

MILTON, N.H., November 16, 1908.

COMMITTEE on WOOD PULP IMPORTERS, New York.

GENTLEMEN: Regarding the tariff on mechanical and chemical wood pulp, this company is very much opposed to any increase of the duty; it would work an unnecessary hardship on consumers. We are paying now $42 for unbleached sulphite, the highest price I can remember. The duty on mechanical pulp should be taken off entirely. The price of this commodity is not regulated by duty but entirely by the water supply, and the ability of the grinders to operate. A drought creates high prices; plenty of water power, low prices. It is a low-priced product normally and the high freight rates from Canada and elsewhere makes a sufficiently high natural duty to always give domestic pulp an advantage of from $2 to $4 per ton. Yours truly, W.S. LOWE, Treasurer (U.S. House, 1908).

Fire destroyed the Salmon River Paper company on the night of Friday, June 10, 1910.

PAPER MILLS BURN. Salmon River Plant Loss Will Be $100,000. Fire at Milton, N.H., Due to Boiler Room Chimney. ROCHESTER, N.H., June 10 – One hundred employes were thrown out of employment and a property loss of $100,000 was caused by the destruction by fire of the Salmon River paper mills in the town of Milton, eight miles from this place, tonight. The blaze is supposed to have started about the chimney in the boiler room of the factory, which was a two-story wooden building. A heavy rain had wet the roofs of adjoining buildings and saved them from catching. W.S. Lowe of Portsmouth was the proprietor of the plant. The business was the manufacture of paper novelties. Mr. Lowe had partial insurance on the property (Boston Globe, June 11, 1909).

Fire Destroys Paper Mills. Milton, N.H., June 11. – One hundred hands were thrown out of employment and a property loss of $100,000 was caused by the destruction by fire of the Salmon River paper mills The blaze is supposed to have started in the boiler room {Portsmouth Herald, June 11, 1909).

MIGHT BUILD IN PORTSMOUTH. If the Water Power Supply Was Right for His Needs. W.S. Lowe, proprietor of the Salmon River Paper company’s plant at Milton, stated to a Herald reporter this morning that [it] is doubtful if he rebuilt his plant there. Said he: “I wish Portsmouth had water power near at hand. I should like to build my mill here as I would have a good labor market which is a question at Milton.” The fire started in the oil and waste house. The plant which was burned at Milton on Thursday night, was built about thirty years ago, and had been several times repaired. The equipment, however, was up to date, the paper machine having been installed six years ago at a cost of over $40,000. There were six beater engines and jordans in the mill. The power was mostly water, but there were two engines, one about 200-horse power, the other of half the size. The large one ran the paper machine, the small one helped in times of low water. About forty men were employed in two shifts, fifteen on the night shift, the others by day, with a pay roll of 500 to $800 per week (Portsmouth Herald, June 12, 1909).

W.S. Lowe did not rebuild. He returned instead to Missouri before year’s end. William S. Lowe, a paper manufacturer, aged fifty-five years (b. MO), headed a Kansas City, MO, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirty-two years), Margaret Lowe, aged fifty-one years (b. Canada (Eng.)), his children, Clara Louisa Lowe, aged twenty-eight years (b. MO), and Edna Lowe, aged twenty-six years (b. OH). Margaret Lowe was the mother of three children, of whom three were still living. They resided in a rented house at 2615 Forest Street.

MEANS A NEW MILL. Clash is Averted Between Two Big Companies. Great Falls and Spauldings Settle Water Privileges. MILTON. N.H., Aug. 9. – The threatened legal clash between the Great Falls manufacturing company of Somersworth and the J. Spaulding & Sons Co. of North Rochester, over the water privilege at the old flume, just below where the mill of the Salmon river paper company was burned last May [June], has been averted by the leasing of the water privilege by the Spauldings from their upper mill to the site of the burned mill. As a result the Great Falls company this morning called off its crew that was set at work last month to build a dam for a proposed electric power station. On this site the Spauldings will erect a leather board mill that will employ 500 hands. They are also negotiating for the water privileges held by the United boxboard and paper company under a lease from the Great Falls manufacturing company that runs until 1923. These rights include the site of the burned paper mill. As the paper company has no further use for the privilege it is understood that it will shortly sublet it to the Spaulding company. This will mean another mill for Milton. The Great Falls company owns the entire water privileges of the river from its mills at Somersworth to the Milton ponds (Boston Globe, August 10, 1909).


A Milton revolutionary soldier, Ralph Farnum – who had been the last living veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill – was freshly remembered in a queries column of the Boston Globe, as he had been in articles printed during his final Boston visit in 1860, in which he had an audience with the King of England.

Last Survivor of Bunker Hill. To the Editor of the People’s Column – In answer to your request in the Globe of June 22, the last survivor of the battle of Bunker Hill was Ralph Varnum. A number of people of Milton, N.H., saw him take the team at that time, and one of them was named Samuel T.W. Duntlly. Ralph Varnum is buried in Acton, Me., and Eli Wentworth post 80 [89], G.A.R. places a flag on his grave every year. Milton, N.H. George I. Jordan (Boston Globe, June 29, 1909).

Farnum “took the team” in the sense that he served in the revolutionaries’ baggage train.


Then shall our names, Familiar in [their] mouths as household words, … Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d. – Shakespeare, Henry V, Act IV, Scene III


Publication of probate information, even that of ordinary decedents, was a commonplace in newspapers of the past. In this case, the legatee in question was N.B. Thayer, founder of the N.B. Thayer & Co. shoe firm, which had a factory at Milton.

Noah Blanchard Thayer was born in Weymouth, MA, January 6, 1830 son of Nicholas and Thais (Shaw) Thayer. He married Lucy M. Newcomb. She was born in Randolph, MA, August 2, 1833, daughter of Samuel and Lucy L. (Blanchard) Newcomb. She died in 1895.

N.B. Thayer & Co. shoe manufacturers appeared in the Milton business directories of 1892, 1894, 1898, and 1904 (where our sequence currently ends).

Noah B. Thayer was one of six men who stood as sureties for the Weymouth tax collector’s $30,000 bond in March 1893. That tax collector paid off his mortgage, put all his property in his wife’s name, and skipped town with the remaining tax money. A “Bad Check Was Left Behind as Souvenir” (Boston Globe, December 5, 1894).

Noah B. Thayer, a shoe mfr., aged seventy years (b. MA), headed a Weymouth, MA, household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his daughter, Carrie McBride, a widow, aged thirty years (b. MA), his grandchildren, Edwin T. McBride, at school, aged six years (b. MA), and Margarie McBride, aged four years (b. MA), and his servant, Julia Keefe, a servant, aged twenty-four years (b. MA).

N.B. Thayer & Co., Inc., had “big” shoe factories at East Rochester and Milton, N.H., which were said to be “among the busiest in the country” in 1908 (Boot & Shoe Recorder, 1908). He died in Weymouth, MA, June 29, 1909.

WILL OF NOAH B. THAYER. Weymouth Man Leaves Bequests of $3000 for Son and Daughter. DEDHAM. July 10 – The will of the late Noah B. Thayer of Weymouth has been filed with the Norfolk registry of probate. The will was drawn April 27, 1906, and an accompanying codicil was drawn Sept 6, 1906. By the will $3000 is left to one son, Frank H. Thayer. To one daughter, Carrie M. McBride, is left $3000, and all the household goods and furniture. The remainder of the property is left to the children, Frank H. and Elmer F. Thayer and Carrie M. McBrlde. Frank H. Thayer is suggested for executor (Boston Globe, July 10, 1909).


Power-boats would have been a relatively recent development on the Three Ponds. It would seem that the injury was received inside the boat.

Boy Hurt in Power Boat. MILTON, N.H., Aug. 9 – While going from Northeast pond to Milton station early this morning Chester Batchelder, aged 12, of Lynn, caught his leg under the propeller shaft of the power boat and had the flesh badly torn and the bones broken. He was taken to the Lynn hospital (Boston Globe, August 10, 1909).

Ralph C. Bachelor, a shoe shop foreman, aged forty-two years (b. MA), headed a Lynn, MA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his (second) wife (of eleven years), Bertha J. Bachelor, aged thirty-nine years (b. MA), and his children, Chester F. Bachelor, aged sixteen years (b. MA), and Everett B. Bachelor, aged fourteen years (b. MA). They resided at 20 Rand Street, which home they owned free-and-clear.


The Milton Shoe Co. appeared in Milton business directories of 1901, but not in that of 1904 (where our sequence currently ends). Here they are resuming production after a long hiatus.

HAD LONG BEEN IDLE. Factory of the Milton, N.H., Shoe Company Resumes Operations. MILTON, N.H., Aug. 13 – The large factory of the Milton shoe company, which has long been idle, has resumed operations. About 400 persons are employed (Boston Globe, August 13, 1909).

MALE HELP WANTED. WANTED – Two first-class vampers; steady work and extra good pay. Apply to MILTON SHOE CO., Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, September 13, 1909).

Charles C. Keene may have been superintendent at the factory at this time. (He resigned from that position in August 1912 (Boot & Shoe Recorder, 1912)). The Milton Shoe Company, of Milton, N.H., manufacturers of children’s shoes, reportedly went into receivership in 1915.


The Warranty Shoe Manufacturing Company, at Milton Mills, sought lady shoe sales agents. These advertisements appeared in newspapers published in Norwich, CT, Boston, MA, and Barre, Burlington, Montpelier, and Rutland, VT.

WANTED. LADY AGENTS wanted. Hustlers earn $15 to $18 per week. Write us. Warranty Shoe Mfg. Co., Milton Mills, N.H. (Burlington Free Press, August 18, 1909).


A Milton realtor sought to sell property of all sorts, including even livestock, anywhere in New Hampshire. Apparently, it was to be done by mail.

THE REAL ESTATE MARKET. If you have a Store, Farm, Timber Lot or Live Stock anywhere in N.H., for sale, address Box 75, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, October 3, 1909).


Sparks from a passing B&M railroad locomotive caused a serious fire at the Boston Ice Company during the evening of Saturday, October 9.

Here we learn that the Boston Ice Company had also tenements for its employees, as did other firms in town. The ice company’s ice houses, stables, and tenements were situated at modern Utah Way.

NEW ENGLAND BRIEFS. The plant of the Boston ice company at Milton, N.H., with 13 houses, a stable and four loaded railroad cars was destroyed by fire last night. Treas. F.J. Bartlett in Boston last night estimated the loss to be about $75,000. Employes in nearby tenements had hard work to save their homes (Boston Globe, October 10, 1909).

One hopes that the horses (if any there were) got out of the stable. Rebuilding began soon after the fire.


The Andrews-Wasgatt Company, of Everret, MA, shoe manufacturers, who had advertised in the prior year for vampers, were seeking stitchers.

FEMALE HELP WANTED. STITCHERS on all parts of misses’ shoes. ANDREWS, WASGATT CO, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, October 28, 1909).


Mrs. Emily E. “Emma” (Miller) Looney, acting in her capacity as Department President of the [Women’s] Relief Corps, was to inspect the State Relief Corps. The Women’s Relief Corps was the women’s auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R) Civil War veterans’ organization. (Her husband, the Hon. Charles H. Looney, had died in Milton Mills, April 23, 1902).

Personals. Department President Mrs. Emma E. Looney of Milton, N.H., will inspect the State Relief Corps on Friday afternoon, at G.A.R. hall (Portsmouth Herald, October 29, 1909).

Emma E. Looney, a widow, aged fifty-six years (b. NH), headed a Milton [“Milton 3-Ponds”] household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. He household included her children, Walter Looney, a clerk at Central House, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), Robert M. Looney, a grammar school teacher [principal of the Milton Grammar school in 1905], aged thirty years (b. NH), Harry N. Looney, a shoe factory cutter, aged twenty-seven years, and John H. Looney, aged twenty-four years (b. NH). She owned their house free-and-clear, without any mortgage. [They resided at 54 South Main street in 1905].


A state road-gang laborer on the new Eastern route state highway perpetrated a serious assault upon another laborer.

STABBED IN THE BACK. Man Known Only as Philip, from Boston, Victim of Row at Milton, N.H. – Police Seek Joseph Crapna. MILTON, N.H., Nov 23. As the result of a row among laborers employed on the new state highway, a man who is known only by his first name, Philip, is suffering from a stab in the back, inflicted, it is alleged, by Joseph Crapna, aged 30, who escaped after the encounter, and who is being sought by Chief of Police James Rines. The affray occurred late Sunday night at lodgings in the Hart building. It is said that liquor flowed freely, and that the principals became excited over some old trouble. Philip had only recently joined the men, coming here from Boston. During the altercation Crapna suddenly pulled a stiletto, it is said, and stabbed Philip in the upper portion of the back, making an ugly gash near the shoulder blade. Crapna quickly disappeared. The victim bled profusely, but it is reported he will recover (Boston Globe, November 23, 1909).

There do not seem to have been any follow-up articles, so it might be that Joseph Crapna was never apprehended.


Penstock work would be work upon the sluice gate or water intake structures of a dam, of which Milton had several.

MALE HELP WANTED. TWO BOILERMAKERS wanted at once for penstock work at Milton, N.H. L. DOUGHTON, Milton, N.H. (Boston Globe, December 16, 1909).

Mr. L. Doughton has proven somewhat difficult to pin down. He may have been a mill superintendent or possibly an out-of-town dam contractor of some sort.


As we have seen, several factories in Milton had their own tenements, or residences, on their grounds for worker housing. A number of Italian and Greek immigrant workers were so domiciled in South Milton. (We encountered them previously helping the victim of Milton’s Murderous Lover in 1907).

On this occasion, we encounter an Italian immigrant factory worker running afoul of New Hampshire’s restrictive liquor licensing. We may recall that their factory housing was situated two miles out from Three-Ponds village. He had some bottles of beer, which he either vended or gave away to some of the other workers with whom he resided. For that he was arrested for “keeping liquor for sale,” which violated several aspects of the liquor law.

(If one were working a ten to twelve-hour workday, six days a week, and marooned in a workers’ tenement in the woods of South Milton, one might consider it a beneficial service, rather than otherwise, to have access to a bottle of beer after a hard day’s work).

Beer Seized at Milton, N.H. ROCHESTER, N.H., Dec. 23. Deputy Sheriff Frank I. Smith and Deputy Sheriff Elmer Clark of Dover and Deputy Sheriff William Hartford and policeman Harrison Rhines of Milton raided the boarding house of Demarta Odberton at Milton Tuesday night and seized a quantity of beer. Yesterday, before Judge Lawrence V. McGill, he was charged with keeping malt liquor for sale and was held in $200 bonds for the superior court (Boston Globe, [Thursday,] December 23, 1909).

Apart from the absurdities attendant to the liquor laws, we may again experience the hilarity arising from the various officials’ utter inability to comprehend the accused’s Italian name. The accused’s name was definitely not Demarta Odberton, nor anything like that.

We shall encounter the unfortunate Mr. Odberton, under yet other names, as he passes through the various court proceedings of the following year.


Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1908; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1910


References:

Chilton Company. (1908). Boot & Shoe Recorder. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=CPAxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA58

Chilton Company. (1912). Boot & Shoe Recorder. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=vto-AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA21

Find a Grave. (2008, October 5). Noah Blanchard Thayer. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/30324570

Lutes, Della T. (1923). The Gracious Hostess: A Book of Etiquette. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=W6YvAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA212

U.S. House of Representatives. (1908). Pulp and Paper Investigation Hearings, April 25, 1908. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=Q91CAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA3193

Vance Publishing Corp. (1908). Lockwood’s Directory of the Paper and Stationary Trade. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=6A8AAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA94

Wikipedia. (2019, January 24). Henry B. Quinby. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_B._Quinby

Wikipedia. (2019, July 12). Penstock. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penstock

 

Milton and the Eastern Route – 1909

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 21, 2019

In 1909, New Hampshire’s governor and his council chose the routes through which proposed (and legislatively-authorized) western, middle, and eastern state highways would run.

The news articles quoted here identify forthrightly the motivations of those making the choices. Their objects were more political than strictly economic or geographic ones: providing road access for less-developed low-population northern areas of the state, at the expense of taxpayers in the remainder of the state.

That the final selections addressed primarily political purposes, rather than purely engineering ones, was evidenced by the large attendance of the “prominent men” of the affected areas, and the “considerable pressure” that they brought to bear. The opinions of accomplished engineers were not mentioned as being relevant at all.

The prominent men of the northern logging industry and the Boston & Maine railroad would have had their “say” also. (The Conway branch of the B&M railroad aligned more closely with the route ultimately chosen). A cynic might suppose that it was their say that was dispositive.

The various possible Eastern route alternatives, which must have concerned Milton most nearly, ran largely over existing roads, at least so far as the mountain “notches.” As such, the choices were mostly a question of State officials “claiming” or “designating” particular existing roads as being henceforth “their” own state highway.

The routes passed over at this time would become state highways eventually. The chosen Eastern route took on the name “White Mountain Highway” at the Rochester-Milton town line.


In late July 1909, the governor and his council had not yet decided whether or not the Eastern route would run from Rochester through Milton, Wakefield, Ossipee, Tamworth, and Albany to Conway, as it does now. It might have run instead from Rochester through Farmington, New Durham, to Alton (as NH Route 11 runs now), then to Wolfeboro, Tamworth, Albany, and Madison to Conway.

GOVERNOR AND COUNSEL LISTEN TO ARGUMENTS FOR ROAD LOCATION. Governor Henry B. Quinby and the members of his council were in Concord Wednesday and gave up most of their time to a hearing of all parties interested in lay-out of the boulevard on the east side of the state authorized by the highway bill passed the last session of the legislature. There are to be three of these trunk lines, the east side, the central and the west side, and to date the route of the former seems to be the most seriously in dispute. From the coast the location of the road to Rochester is agreed upon. On leaving Rochester, however, the question is how shall it reach the mountains, the objective point of all the highways. There are two routes suggested, one through Milton Mills, Wakefield and Ossipee, and the other through Farmington, New Durham, Alton and Wolfboro, and then via Tamworth and Albany to Conway, or via Ossipee and Chocorua to Conway; or through Ossipee and Madison to Conway. The great interest in the proposition was shown by the large attendance of prominent men representing the towns through which it is desired the road should pass, which compelled the use of the supreme court room in the state library building. The hearing opened at 11:00 o’clock with the governor and the advisers occupying the bench and working under the notice that ten minutes would be given to the claims of each town interested. It took until nearly two o’clock before the final word had been said and an adjournment taken (Portsmouth Herald, July 22, 1909).

By mid-September 1909, the governor and his council made up their minds to continue the Eastern route from Rochester through Milton, rather than through Farmington. Milton was not specifically mentioned in the article, although it is what lies between the mentioned locations of Rochester and Wakefield.

ROUTES FOR THE STATE HIGHWAYS. The Big Undertaking of the State of New Hampshire. CONCORD, Sept. 18. – The governor and council at their meeting on Friday took up the location of the West Side road and, after considerable discussion, established the route, thereby completing the designation of the three trunk lines, as provided by act of the last legislature, and for the construction of which $1,000,000 was appropriated.

The road, as determined by them begins at the state line between Northfield, Mass., and Hinsdale, N.H., passes through Hinsdale, Winchester and West Swanzey to Keene; thence through Gilsum, Lempster and Goshen to Newport; thence through Croyden and Grantham to Hanover; thence following the Connecticut river, passes through the villages of Lyme and Orford, Piermont, Haverhill to Woodsville; thence through Bath and Lisbon villages lo Littleton; thence from Littleton over the hill by the Glessner estate to Bethlehem street; from Bethlehem street to the Twin Mountain House; thence from the Twin Mountain House to Whitefield, continuing through Lancaster, Northumberland, Groveton, Stratford and Columbia to the northerly terminus of the line at Colebrook.

There has been much pressure brought to bear upon the governor and council for other routes as well as for the route selected by them, and particularly from the vicinity of Rindge and Fitzwilliam, as well from Claremont and Newport. The route from Keene to Newport is through many small towns and over a country that has no means of transportation except over the highway. Besides furnishing better transportation facilities for the towns, this road it is believed, will open for development the territory that has previously been little known. There are no forbidding grades on the route, and there is plenty of material along the entire route for construction.

The middle road, previously selected, will enter the state at Nashua and have its northern terminal in a junction with the west side road at Twin Mountain, its route taking it through Manchester, Concord, Franklin, Laconia, Plymouth, Woodstock and other towns.

The East side road, also previously selected, will follow the ocean boulevard to Portsmouth, thence via Dover, the edge of Somersworth, Rochester, Wakefield, Conway, Pinkham Notch, Berlin, Errol and Dixville Notch, to Colebrook, which will be the terminal of both the Eastern and the Western roads.

The Crawford Notch road between Glen and Twin Mountain will afford a route through the heart of the mountains from the East road to the junction of the middle and West roads (Portsmouth Herald, September 9, 1909).

All of this was mirrored at the Town level. Historically, most New England roads have been privately built, for their owners’ purposes, and then, at some point, “accepted” by their respective Towns as being Town roads.


If we didn’t have state coercion, the argument runs, there would be no roads. There’d be a Sears store over there, and your house over here, and everyone involved would be standing there scratching their heads. – Thomas Woods


See also Milton, Straight Thru (North), in 1918, Milton and the Spaulding Turnpike, and Trip to Wildcat Shortened


References:

Wikipedia. (2019, January 24). Henry B. Quinby. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_B._Quinby

Wikipedia. (2019, July 14). Logrolling. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logrolling

Wikipedia. (2019, June 25). New Hampshire Route 16. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire_Route_16

 

Milton in the News – 1908

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 18, 2019

In this year, we encounter another Massachusetts ice shortage, a farm worker wanted, a Nute High school field trip, Rev. Dickey’s correspondence, and vampers wanted at Milton Mills.

This was also the year of the Hennessey kidnapping.


Massachusetts’ own ice harvest was again marginal, with Milton’s ice harvest again cited as one of its alternate sources.

ICE FAMINE THREATENING. Massachusetts So Far Has Very Little. Cutting in Progress to North With Fair Thickness. Cape and Rhode Island Districts Worst Off. Three weeks will probably settle the fate of the ice crop in New England for 1908. Ice dealers to the north of Boston are fairly confident of securing an ordinary supply, but to the south conditions are far from satisfactory. Last year at this time the ice houses were full and the companies were putting ln extra supplies. A considerable quantity of this surplus is still on hand and an attempt will be made to carry It over, notably about 250,000 tons on the Penobscot belonging to the American Ice company. There is also considerable last year’s ice in other parts of New England, but the small dealers are nearly cleaned out and are becoming anxious about the crop. The average thickness of the ice north of the Massachusetts line and 20 miles inland is about 10 inches. In some sections it runs to 12 or 13 Inches, and a little has been harvested. In the Berkshire hills and the Green mountains there is of course no danger of a famine, and dealers in other parts of Vermont see no cause for alarm, although lake Champlain is not yet closed in. Cutting has begun at Agawam, Mass., near Springfield with nine inches; at Milton, N.H., with 12 Inches; at Montpelier, Vt., with 12 inches; and at Holden, near Worcester, with 11 inches. It Is along the coast from Portsmouth, N.H., south that the famine threatens, especially at Plymouth, along cape Cod, and in Rhode Island. The average thickness of the ice on the ponds about Middleboro is not more than a few inches and some of the larger ponds are not frozen except along the edges. There is no ice at all on cape Cod. Dealers in those sections say that if the ponds and lakes do not show 8 or 10 inches by Feb 10 the local crop will again be a failure and that New Hampshire and Maine will have to furnish the supply for the summer. In former years the ice companies along the Penobscot harvested two or three million tons and the work gave employment to thousands of men. The capacity of the houses of the American ice company on the Kennebec at the present time is less than 500,000 tons, as many of the plants have been burned or gone into decay. The same is partly true of those on the Penobscot (Boston Globe, January 20, 1908).


MALE HELP WANTED. MAN wanted to do general work on farm. Address E.L.S., Milton, N.H; Box 229 (Boston Globe, February 20, 1908).


Here we find Nute High School Principal Clarence E. Kelley and Mrs. Mary B. (Plummer) Wallingford escorting fourteen students on a week’s trip to Washington, DC.

FOR WASHINGTON TRIP. Seventy-One Tourists Leave Boston Tonight for National Capital. Fifteen students and an instructor from the Milton, N.H., high school, 71 tourists from various parts of this state, 9 from Rhode Island, 7 from other parts of New Hampshire than Milton, and 2 from New York will start this evening on an excursion to Washington organized by George E. Marsters of 298 Washington st. The party will be conducted by Frank W. Lund. and the stayawav sightseeing will continue for one week. Here are the names of the fortunate ones: Miss Eliza L. Baker, Miss Josie M. [Calkins] Clakins, Miss Inez M. Colbath, Miss Elva M. Gowan, Miss S.B. Hutchins, Miss Rosamond E. Piper, Miss Marlon Tuttle, Miss Frances G. Wadleigh, Mr. Paul G. Baker, Mr. L.S. Drew, Mr. C.F. Hayes, Mr. C.P. Moulton, Mr. C.E. Piper, Mr. Dana C. Tuttle, Mr. Clarence E. Kelley, Mrs. Mary B. Wallingford, Milton, N.H. high school; Mr. and Mrs. C.W. Jenness, Farmington. N.H.; Mr. Horace J. Batchelder. Haverhill; Mr. Frank J. Batchelder, Haverhill; Mrs. E.B. Parsons, Springfield; Miss Josephine F. Ellis, Winthrop Beach; Miss Florence J. Weddleton, Chelsea; Mrs. S.J. Hatch, Boston; Mrs. L.A. Coombs, Shelburne: Mrs. W.H. Wright, Roxbury; Miss Maude R. Wright, Roxbury: Mrs. G.H. Hayes, Winthrop; Miss A.H. Hayes, Winthrop: Miss E. McWane. Newtonville; Mrs. Robert B. Edes, Newton; Miss Grace Montgomery, Newton; Mrs. J.H. Jones, Dorchester; Mrs. A.W. Hole, Dorchester; Mrs. Walter White, Malden; Mr. Wm. Murphy, Roxbury; Mr. Wm. D. Murphy. Roxbury; Mr. Thomas J. Murphy, Roxbury; Mr. and Mrs. H.N. Tucker, Boston; Mrs. F.B. Pratt, Boston; Mrs. G.O. North, Boston; Mrs. Geo. Lane, Winthrop; Mr. E.W. Marshall, Portsmouth, N.H.; Mrs. E.W. Marshall, Portsmouth, N.H.; Mrs. Geo. E. Miller, Suncook, N.H; Master J.G. Seaver, Woburn; Mrs. C.B. Holmes, Boston; Mrs. J.H. Robinson, Boston; Mr. Henry McCarty, Boston; Mrs. Henry McCarty, Boston; Mrs. M.B. Green, Boston: Miss Rebecca Bent, Somerville; Miss Emma B. Willcomb, Maynard; Mrs. L. Anderson, Boston; Mrs. A.B. Shepard, Andover; Miss Georgia Shepard, Andover; Miss Floretta Vining, Hull; Mrs. Edward Clark, Hull; Mrs. George Bates, Boston; Mrs. Adelia Page, Dorchester; Mrs. J.L. Gibbs, Waltham; Miss Grace T. Richards, Dorchester; Mrs. R.E. Page, Arlington; Miss Cora Watts, East Boston; Mrs. A.M. Gove. Dorchester; Mrs. Charles T. Crane. Braintree; Mrs. Belle Austrup, Worcester; Mrs. George Beane, Worcester; Miss Flora M. Scott, Worcester: Mrs. J.L. Scott, Worcester; Mr. and Mrs. George F. Morgan, Cambridge; Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Colbath. Alton, N.H.; Miss Mary Hallissey, Dorchester; Miss Alice R. Capen, Boston; Mrs. J.W. Ryan, Dorchester; Miss R.B. Ryan, Dorchester; Miss G.L. Ryan, Dorchester; Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Harriman, Haverhill; Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Dexter, Lowell; Mrs. A.F. Dearborn, South Acton; Mr. L. Coffin, Newton; Mr. I.A. McManus, Newton; Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Bates, Leominster; Mrs. C. Hemenway, Worcester; Mrs. Rufus Dixon, Worcester; Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Kirschner, New York; Mr. L.S. Whalen, Dorchester; Miss Susie Manchester, Newport, R.I.; Miss Lillie Manchester, Newport, R.I.: Miss Louise Goffe, Newport, R.I.: Miss Kate Stratford, Newport, R.I., Mr. Walter Sherman. Newport, R.I.; Mr. Harry Alger, Newport, R.I.; Mr. J. Paul Cozzens, Newport, R.I.; Mr. William Weaver, Newport, R.I.; Mr. Robert Shepley, Newport, R.I.; Messrs. Leland and Lawton, Boston; Mr. A.E. Clary, Boston; Miss Catherine Paulint (Boston Globe, April 17, 1908).

George E. Marsters ran a Boston tourist agency. His advertisements mentioned his representing foreign and American steamship lines, railways, hotels and resorts. He was willing to arrange tours under escort, private cars, foreign money, exchange, drafts, and letters of credit. He would have arranged for the escort, Frank W. Lund, who was himself a ticket, tourist, or travel agent, resident in Nashua, NH, as early as 1902.

Mrs. Wallingford was likely along as chaperone. She was the widow of Samuel W. Wallingford, who had died in 1899. She appeared as a farmer, aged fifty-five years (b. NH), in the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. Her household included her sister, Frances W. Twombly, aged forty-nine years (b. NH), and her brother-in-law, John Twombly, a retired physician, aged fifty-one years (b. NH). Neither sister had any children.

Jessie Calkins, aged thirteen years (b. ME); Elva Gowan, aged nine years (b. NH); Rosamond E. Piper, aged eleven years (b. NH), and her brother Charles E. Piper, aged ten years (b. NH); Charles T. Hayes, aged nine years (b. NH), were all Milton students, although not yet attending the high school, at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. They would have been aged between seventeen and twenty-one years at the time of the Washington trip.

Not all of Nute High school’s students necessarily lived in Milton. Nute High school also admitted “tuition students” from elsewhere. Iniz M. Colbath, aged ten years (b. NH); Lyle S. Drew, aged nine years (b. NH); Blanche S. Hutchins, aged ten years (b. NH); Dana C. Tuttle, aged eleven years (b. NH), and his sister, Marion Tuttle, aged nine years (b. NH), and Fanny G. Wadleigh, aged nine years (b. MA), all resided in Wakefield, NH, in 1900.  They would have been aged between seventeen and nineteen years at the time of the Washington trip.

Carroll P. Moulton, aged ten years (b. NH), resided in Ossipee, NH in 1900. Eliza L. Baker, aged twelve years (b. VT) and her brother, Paul G. Baker, aged ten years (b. VT), resided in Vergennes, VT, in 1900. They would have been aged between eighteen and twenty years at the time of the Washington trip.


Rev. Francis, former pastor of Ludlow, MA’s First Congregational church read out some letters from another former pastor, Rev. Myron P. Dickey of Milton.

GIVES LUDLOW $10,000. Old-Home Sunday Cheered by C.D. Rood. Many People Attend First Congregational Church. LUDLOW CENTER, Aug. 9. Just 275 persons attended “Old-home Sunday” at the First congregational church today and of those 21 men and 18 women were more than 60 years of age. An important matter was the receipt of a letter from Charles D. Rood stating that he had forwarded $10,000 for the benefit of Ludlow. The anthem “Invitation,” sung by a large chorus in the back gallery, began the service, and as they used to do, the congregation turned and faced them. Rev. Mr. Francis, pastor from 1895 to 1905, presided. He read letters from Rev. M.P. Dickey of Milton, N.H. a former pastor, and Mrs. Julius P. Bodfish of Washington, D.C. Rev. Mr. Rice of Agawam spoke. The congregation took their dinner under the trees (Boston Globe, August 10, 1908).


The Andrews-Wasgatt shoe company of Everett, MA, set up a branch factory in Milton Mills in this year. (They had experienced a strike at their Everett plant in 1907).

FEMALE HELP WANTED. VAMPERS on flat bed machines. ANDREWS-WASGATT CO, Milton Mills, N.H. (Boston Globe, December 27, 1908).

One of its partners, Herbert P. Wasgatt took his seat as alderman-at-large and chairman of the board of aldermen in Everett in January 1909 (Boston Globe, January 5, 1909).

The Andrews-Wasgatt company appears to have been active at Milton Mills through at least 1913 (Shoe & Leather, 1914; Boston Globe, January 7, 1924). Timson and Company, of West Epping, NH, purchased Andrews-Wasgatt’s Milton Mills factory in 1915 and moved their operation there.


Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1907; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1909


References:

Shoe and Leather Reporter Company. (1914). Shoe and Leather Reporter Annual. Retrieved from books.google.com/books?id=st0-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA284

 

Public BOS Session Scheduled (July 15, 2019)

By Muriel Bristol | July 14, 2019

The Milton Board of Selectmen (BOS) have posted their agenda for a Public BOS meeting to be held Monday, July 15, beginning at 6:00 PM.


The Public portion of the agenda has New Business, Old Business, Other Business, and some housekeeping items.

Under New Business are scheduled four agenda items or, rather, three Town officials, two of them with two or more sub-items: 1) Fee Schedule Adjustment (Bruce Woodruff); Townhouse Stewardship Committee (John Katwick), and Cemetery Capital Reserve Fund Request (John Katwick); and 4) Police Chief R. Krauss, a) Milton Mills Parking, b) Ordinance Workshop Request, and c) Town-Seized Tax-Deeded Properties.

1) Fee Schedule Adjustment (Bruce Woodruff). Mr. Woodruff is on the agenda to discuss reducing fees. Just kidding. In which direction would you suppose any Town fees would actually be “adjusted”? But will the BOS vote unanimously to do so?

2) Townhouse Stewardship Committee CIP Request (John Katwick). Mr. Katwick will request that something be put on the Capital Reduction Program™ conveyor belt. Perhaps he refers to the heating system discussed previously.

3) Cemetery Capital Reserve Fund Request (John Katwick). Moving funds around. This usually takes the form of spending money from somewhere and then replenishing that somewhere from the relevant fund.

4) Police Chief R. Krauss is himself an agenda item – again – with several more bones to pick.

  • Milton Mills Parking. One supposes that the Chief might like to reduce parking restrictions in Milton Mills. Just kidding. It seems more likely that he will be seeking more parking restrictions.
  • Ordinance Workshop Request. One supposes that the Chief hopes to reduce the number of Town ordinances. Again, just kidding. It seems more likely that he will be seeking more Town ordinances.
  • Town-Seized Tax-Deeded Properties. This agenda title seems a bit redundant. “Tax-Deeded” is the Town’s euphemism for a forcible tax seizure. So, we have here Town-Seized Town-Seized Properties. One imagines that one or more of the properties seized previously, and then described as being hazardous, and for which boundary fencing was discussed as essential some months ago, may have progressed to the point where the Chief thinks it should go beyond loose talk.

Under Old Business are scheduled two items: 5) Town Auction Property Status; and 6) 2020 Budget Status.

5) Town Auction Property Status. Time to sell the rest of it. And quick. Do you suppose the BOS can live on a Default budget? And there are the Chief’s safety concerns too.

6) 2020 Budget Status. Larger, the budget will be considerably larger. As will the tax burden. Be in no doubt. The BOS gave that “guidance” unanimously at their last meeting. (Selectman Rawson led the descent: “Yeah, I’m fine with that. It’s always been that way, since my tenure of being in town”).


Other Business That May Come Before the Board has no scheduled items.


Next, there will be the approval of prior minutes (from the BOS meeting of June 17, 2019, and the BOS Workshop meeting of July 1, 2019), the expenditure report, Public Comments “Pertaining to Topics Discussed,” Town Administrator comments, and BOS comments.


Mr. S.D. Plissken contributed to this article.


References:

Town of Milton. (2019, July 12). BOS Meeting Agenda, July 15, 2019. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/sites/miltonnh/files/agendas/07-15-2019_bosagenda.pdf

 

Milton and the Hennessey Kidnapping – 1908

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 14, 2019

A sensational Charlestown, MA, kidnapping case ended with the kidnapper’s capture in a Milton barbershop. The kidnapped woman steered the kidnapper to Milton, as she had relatives here and was familiar with it.

(The victim’s name was not Eva Tanford, as given in the initial report, nor was she aged seventeen years).

SAYS FORCED TO GO AWAY. Eva Tanford States G. Galella Made Threat. Declares He Compelled Her to Go to Milton, N.H., With Him. Man Arrested, But He Will Be Released. Milton, N.H., May 16. Weeping and wailing and trembling with fright, pretty 17-year-old Eva Tanford of Charlestown, MA, told a startling story last evening to Mrs. Fred M. Chamberlin, wife of the proprietor of hotel Chamberlin, where she and a man had registered shortly before.

Chamberlin, Fred M.
Fred M. Chamberlin, near the Milton train station (Photo: Dianne O’Neill)

Fred M. Chamberlin, a hotel keeper, aged forty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“Milton Village”) household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of fourteen years), Grace M. [(Dicey)] Chamberlin, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), his children, Guy Chamberlin, at school, aged twelve years (b. NH), and Pearl Chamberlin, at school aged six years (b. NH), his servant, Albert F. Downs, a hotel servant, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), and a boarder, D.L. Perkins, a paper mill operative, aged forty-six years (b. Unknown).

Mrs. Chamberlin had been attracted to the room assigned to the girl by the latter’s cries, and on her way upstairs she met the man coming down. As soon as he was out of hearing, the girl told Mrs. Chamberlin that her companion had forced her to come to Milton by threatening to shoot her, and after their arrival at the hotel had threatened to kill her then and there unless she consented to marry him at once. The man, it is said, is Granaro Calella, aged 27, an iron molder, who lived in Charlestown the last seven years and who became enamored of the Tanford girl about a year ago, at which time he sent back to Italy his wife and seven [several?] children.

The authorities (and the newspapers) seemed to have a great deal of trouble in comprehending Italian names. The accused kidnapper’s name was Genaro Colella. He was an Italian immigrant, aged twenty-seven years, who had emigrated from southern Italy to the United States, “about” seven years before, i.e., circa 1901. He was married already, with several children. He had sent his wife back to Italy “about a year previously, i.e., circa 1906-07.

McClung Catalog - Twisters
Police Twisters

Mrs. Chamberlin immediately had her husband notify the police of what had occurred. A half-hour later Calella was placed under arrest in the barber shop of Fred Hartford, on Main st., by policeman J. Harris Rines. Calella was plentifully supplied with weapons. There was taken from him at the police station a loaded 38-calibre revolver, a stiletto having a blade nearly a foot long, two rawhide blackjacks and a pair of police twisters, also a supply of cartridges.

Fred Hartford, a barber, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton (“3-Ponds Village”) household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of eighteen years), Hattie E. [(Downs)] Hartford, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH), his mother-in-law, Doris M. Downs, a widow, aged sixty-two years, and his brother-in-law, Fred Downs, a shoe factory leather worker, aged twenty-six years (b. NH). Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Theresa A. Gerould and Anna F. Berry, Nute High school teachers, and that of James D. Parkham, a news dealer, aged forty-three years (b. NH).

The charge on which he is held is assault with attempt to murder. As soon as the arrest was made the Charlestown authorities were notified.

Miss Tanford’s story, as told to a Globe reporter, is substantially as follows: Thursday night Miss Tanford attended a wake in Charlestown. On her way home, about 4 yesterday morning, when passing the foundry of Osgood & Withery, 3 Sherman st., Calella, who is employed by that concern, came out of the shop, and demanded that she accompany him at once to Boston. She refusing, he drew a revolver and threatened to shoot her unless she consented to so. Fearing he would carry out his threat she went with him. He had evidently planned the affair and waited for her return from the wake, as he was dressed in traveling clothes.

On their arrival in Boston, Miss Tanford says. Calella urged her to board a train with him for New York. This she refused to do, but he renewed his threats, and to safeguard herself as far as possible, she suggested that they come to Milton, where she has relatives. She thought that by getting him to come here, she might effect her escape.

In the course of her conversation. Miss Tanford said she was a niece of Lieut. John Dobbin of station 14, Brighton, Mass.

Actually, she was Lt. Dobbyn’s sister-in-law. (His wife was Mary E. (Counihan) Dobbyn, Milton’s lifesaving heroine of 1902).

The two arrived here on the 4:09 p.m. train and went to the hotel where they registered under their own names, but gave Farmington as their place of abode. Later they went out for a walk and Calella began urging the girl to marry him, she says. The girl was seen weeping by persons on the street and was overheard to say: ‘”What will mother say, now that you have brought me up here?”

So insistent was Calella that Miss Tanford go with him to a minister and be married, and so resolute was she in her refusal, that on their return to the hotel. Miss Tanford says, Calella confronted her with his drawn knife and said: “You marry me, or you will never leave this place alive.” Calella. after making the threat, went out to get shaved. It was at this time Mrs. Chamberlin was attracted by the girl’s crying.

Miss Tanford says that Calella had boarded at her home in Charlestown about a fortnight a year ago. and since that time has been urging her to marry him. and has written her many letters. She says he declared in the presence of her mother that he would steal her, unless the latter consented to their marriage.

At the lockup, in broken English, Calella admitted to the Globe reporter that he intended to marry the girl. Said he:

“I brought her to Milton and was going to marry her or kill her.”

He said he came to this country from southern Italy seven years ago and had a wife and seven children, whom he sent back to Italy about a year ago. He declared that the girl’s family was on good terms with him and that they had been teaching him English. He says the girl is 27, but she looks to be no older than she claims, 17.

Miss Tanford. after Calella’s arrest last night, went to the home of a distant relative, John O’Loughlin, a mile and a half above this village, where she passed the night. Her immediate relatives are expected here this afternoon.

John Loughlin, an ice company foreman, aged fifty-four years (b. Ireland), headed a Milton household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of twenty-nine years), Ellen Loughlin, aged fifty years (b. Ireland), his children, Margaret A. Loughlin, aged twenty-seven years (b. MA), Celia Loughlin, aged twenty-two years (b. MA), and Robert E. Loughlin, handling ice, aged nineteen years (b. MA), and his grand-nephew, John Waxson, handling ice, aged thirteen years (b. NY).  They lived in close proximity to the household of Thomas B. Hamilton, an ice dealer, aged thirty-five years (b. Canada (Eng.)).

It developed today after the Strafford county authorities had been notified of Calella’s arrest by the local police, that there was insufficient ground for a charge of attempted murder of Miss Eva Tanford, and that he would be released (Boston Globe, May 16, 1908).

At which point we learn that the kidnapped woman’s name was not Eva Tanford at all, but Josephine F. (Counihan) Hennessey. She was born in Charlestown, MA, circa 1876-77, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth (Hand) Counihan. (Mrs. Dobbyn, Milton’s lifesaving heroine of 1902, was her sister).

Josephine F. Counihan married in Boston, November 27, 1900, John F. Hennessey.

TO BRING CALELLA BACK. Patrolman Hoy Goes to Milton, N.H., to Get Alleged Kidnapper of Mrs. Josephine Hennessy. Mrs. Josephine Hennessy of 3 Dorrance st, Charlestown. who caused the arrest of Granara Calella. a night watchman at an iron foundry near the girl’s home, for threatening her life and forcing her to run away with him to Milton, N.H., for the purpose or marrying her, reached home at a late hour last night with her brother, and today is confined to her home. All effort on the part of newspaper men and friends to talk over the case with the girl has been unsuccessful, as she has been urged to rest herself so that she will be able to appear in court against Calella when he is brought to Charlestown and arraigned in the municipal court of that district. She has also been warned against speaking to newspaper men, and these instructions have been faithfully obeyed. Capt. Yeaton had a long talk with the young woman upon her arrival in Charlestown as a result of which an application for a warrant for Calella’s arrest was made to the clerk of the court and granted on a charge of kidnapping Mrs. Josephine Hennessy. Patrolman James Hoy of the Charlestown police station, with the warrant, was instructed to go to Milton. N.H. and he started on the first train this morning for that town to take Calella from the custody of Chief Rhines of that town. Officer Hoy will not arrive in Boston before tonight as the train service is limited from Milton, N H to Boston. His prisoner will be arraigned in court tomorrow morning (Boston Globe, May 18, 1908).

Mrs. Hennessy Still in Milton, N.H. Mrs. Josephine Hennessy, the 27-year-old daughter of Mrs. Everett [Edward] Counihan of 3 Dorrance st, Charlestown, is still under the care of a physician and friends in the home of James O’ Loughlin at Milton, N.H., being in a highly nervous and excitable condition since, as she alleges, her life was threatened In Charlestown by Granuro Calella, a 28-year-old Italian, unless she would go with him to New York and marry him. It is not definitely known by the relatives of the young woman In Charlestown when she will leave Milton for home (Boston Globe, May 18, 1908).

ON KIDNAPPING CHARGE Calella is Held in $10,000. at Charlestown in Hennessy Case. Woman in Court, Veiled, But Did Not Testily. G. Calella. who is accused of threatening Mrs. Josephine Hennessy. 27 years old, of 1 Temple st. Charlestown. last Friday morning, while armed with a 38-caliber revolver, policeman’s billy, two knives and a razor, was arraigned before Judge Bragg In the Charlestown municipal court this morning on a on-charge of kidnapping Mrs. Hennessy on the street. Patrolman James Hoy, who brought Calella back from Milton, N.H., where he had been arrested, appeared against Calella this morning and told the judge about the case. Patrolman Hoy exhibited the revolver, cartridges and some other equipment. Lieut. John Dobbyn of division 14, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Hennessy, also spoke to the judge. When the clerk of the court read the charge against Calella to him, the defendant nodded his head, but did not

Continued on the Seventh Page.

ON KIDNAPPING CHARGE. Continued From the First Page.

Colella, G..jpgspeak. The court held Calella in $10,000 bail for appearance before the superior criminal court. Calella didn’t have any one to put up that amount of bail for him and was committed to the county jail. Calella is 27 years old, and has been employed as night watchman at the foundry of Osgood & Witherly on Sherman st., Charlestown. He boarded at 3 Hildreth pl., Charlestown. The house where Mrs. Hennessy lives with her mother is next door to the foundry. Calella is said to have become infatuated with Mrs. Hennessy because her family had treated him courteously. It is said he misconstrued the young woman’s politeness and began making love to her. Last Thursday, according to patrolman Hoy, Calella wrote Mrs. Hennessy a letter, after having professed his love for her in vain, and in the letter said, according to the way it was read in court this morning: “My eyes blind for you. Me shoot you some time. If you don’t come in to see me some time will kill you Friday, girl. First me kill you; last I kill myself. Me catch you, me kill you if you do not love me, me kill you. Me crazy for.” As the police tell the story, Mrs. Hennessy went to a wake Thursday night. At 4 o’clock Friday morning, when she was on her way home, she asserts that Calella met her in the street near her house and threatened to kill her if she did not accompany him. He took her to a hotel near the North station and menaced her with the revolver, club, the razor and knives. Mrs. Hennessy is married. Calella has a wife and several children in Italy. He insisted on her going to New York with him to be married. Mrs. Hennessy asserts that she was so frightened that she dared make no outcry, but she partly promised to accede to Calella’s wishes if he would take her to Milton, N.H., where she has friends. Calella, she says, took her to Milton, and after taking her to a hotel again threatened her with death unless she married him. Then Calella went out to get shaved preparatory to the ceremony. After he had left the hotel, the landlady heard Mrs. Hennessy crying and the young woman told her of her troubles, with the result that Chief of Police Rhines was notified and he arrested Calella. The disarmament was safely accomplished. The mother of Mrs. Hennessy was notified. She went after her daughter and patrolman Hoy went after Calella with a warrant. Mrs. Hennessy was in court this morning, but wasn’t called upon to testify. She wore two veils, and kept them down so that the photographers couldn’t get a snap shot. At the conclusion of the proceedings in court Mrs. Hennessy was escorted out through a side door by Lieut. Dobbyn, who put her aboard a car for her home (Boston Globe, May 19, 1908).

BEFORE INSPECTORS. G. Calella is Measured, Photographed and Finger Printed at Police Headquarters. G. Calella, who was arrested by patrolman James J. Hoy of the Charlestown police station at Milton, N.H., yesterday on a charge of abducting Josephine Hennessey of Dorrance st., Charlestown, was brought back to this city early last evening. This morning, following roll call at the bureau of criminal investigation, he was paraded before the inspector and measured, photographed and fingerprinted. This morning at headquarters Calella said: “Josie is a very nice girl,” and he tried to spell her name when the reporters were taking notes. In reference to the abduction charge he would say nothing, making strange gestures when he was questioned by the police. When Hoy arrived at Milton, N.H., yesterday, where Calella was being held for the local police, he found that the prisoner had waived his extradition rights and was willing to return to Boston without going through the usual formalities. He passed last night at the Charlestown police station. This morning, following his appearance at Headquarters, he was taken back to Charlestown. The prisoner is short in stature. He is 28 years old. He is said to have threatened the Hennessy woman with a revolver the morning when it is alleged that he compelled her to accompany him to the Granite state (Boston Globe, May 19, 1908).

CALELLA NOT GUILTY. Judge Orders the Verdict on Kidnapping Charge Action Based on Testimony of Mrs. Hennessey, the Complainant. Gerara Calella of Charlestown, accused of kidnapping Mrs. Josephine Hennessey, wife of John Hennessey, May 14, was found not guilty by a jury in the superior criminal court yesterday by order of Judge Pierce. Calella is a night watchman in the foundry adjoining the house where Mrs. Hennessey lives. Mrs. Hennessey claimed that the defendant stopped her on her way home May 14 and compelled her to go with him. He had a revolver with which he intimidated her, she said. He later took her to a hotel in Boston, then to Lynn, and then to Rochester and to Milton. N.H. She was hysterical at times on the stand, and also rather dramatic in her manner. At the close of her evidence the court said that on her own testimony he felt it necessary to ask the jury to return a verdict of not guilty because if a verdict of guilty were returned he would set it aside (Boston Globe, June 11, 1908).

Judge Pierce’s directed verdict of Not Guilty – based upon the alleged victim’s testimony – must surely have been a surprise.

Elizabeth Counihan, a widow, living on her own income, aged sixty-eight years (b. MA), headed a Boston, MA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census, Her household included her daughter, Josephine Hennessey, aged thirty-four years (b. MA). They shared a two-family dwelling on Temple Street with the household of Phillip J. Timmons, a street railroad flagman, aged forty years (b. MA).

Several men named Genaro Colella resided in the Boston area, although mostly they came in later years. One whose characteristics best seem to match the newspaper accounts would later petition for US citizenship in Boston, MA, March 20, 1933. He had been born in Montemiletto, Avellino, Italy, in February 1879. He stated that he had arrived in Boston, MA, April 26, 1902, on board the steamship Vancouver. His wife, Tomassina [(Palma)] Colella, was born also in Montemiletto, in August 1878, and they married in Montemiletto in 1898. She arrived in 1905. They had three children: Clementina Colella (b. Italy, April 25, 1900), Antoinette Colella (b. Italy,  May 24, 1902), and Italia Colella (b. Boston, July 9, 1906 [July 10, 1905]).

Josephine F. (Counihan) Hennessey died in Somerville, MA, April 16, 1949 (Boston Globe, April 18, 1949).


References:

Wikipedia. (2019, February 8). Montemiletto. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montemiletto

 

Milton in the News – 1907

By Muriel Bristol (Transcriber) | July 11, 2019

In this year, we encounter a temporary worker, more Arctic weather, a Milton invalid, a dancing rabbit novelty, a Milton minister in Portsmouth, Mrs. Demeritt still seeking her au pair, and some hydraulic consulting.

This was also the year of Milton’s murderous lover.


Victor W. “Vic” Stewart was born in Hardwick, VT, February 16, 1874, son of William H.H. and Emma J. (Wakefield) Stewart. He married in Hardwick, November 25, 1896, Lulu L. Meader. She was born in Walden, VT, January 8, 1874, daughter of Stephen and Priscilla Meader.

Victor W. Stuart, a granite cutter, aged twenty-six years (b. VT), and his wife (of three years), Lulu L. Stuart, a dressmaker, aged twenty-six years (b. VT), lodged at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census in the Hardwick, VT, household of William Taylor, an attorney, aged thirty-six years (b. VT).

HARDWICK. Vic Stewart, who has been working in Milton, N.H., has returned home (St. Johnsbury Republican, January 8, 1907).

Mr. Stewart worked probably on one of Milton’s ice-harvesting crews, although he might conceivably have been employed temporarily in a shoe or leather-board factory. (He made it home to Hardwick just in time for his wife’s birthday).

Victor W. Stuart, a granite shed lumper, aged thirty-six years (b. VT), headed a Hardwick, VT, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his wife (of thirteen years, Lulu L. Stuart, aged thirty-six years (b. VT), and his niece, Priscilla E. McGinnis, aged three years (b. NH). Lulu was not a mother. They owned their home on North Main Street (with a mortgage).

Victor Wakefield Stewart, of Hardwick, VT, aged forty-four years, registered for the WW I military draft in St. Johnsbury, VT, September 12, 1918. He worked for George B. Shepman, of Hardwick, VT, as a teamster and sawmill hand. His nearest relative was his wife, Lulu M. Stewart, of Hardwick, VT. He was described as a tall man, with a medium build, blue eyes, and brown hair.

Lulu L. (Meader) Stewart died in Hardwick, VT, March 5, 1945. Victor W. Stewart died in Hardwick, VT, August 13, 1955.


Milton Mills experienced some Arctic weather, even colder than that of 1904.

DOWN TO 50 BELOW. That is the Report From West Ossipee, N.H. – Many Towns Report 40 Below. PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Jan 24 – Reports from points along the Conway division of the Boston & Maine railroad show that this morning was the coldest for years. At Conway Junction it was 40 below, Milton Mills 42, Union 40, Wolfboro 32, Tuftonboro 40, Pine River 46, Madison 42, West Ossipee 50, Conway Center 47, Jackson 36, Conway 40, Great Works 42. All existing records for low temperature in this city were broken when at 7 a.m. in several places about the West End, the thermometer registered 28 below zero and at the street railroad car barn it was 32 below. The extreme low temperature threw train schedules on the B&M RR away out of the regular time, the freight trains being several hours late, while passenger trains were considerably off. From north of here reports have been received that it was the coldest for half a century. Greenland was 20 below and Newcastle, on the harbor front was 10 below, the coldest for 50 years (Boston Globe, January 24, 1907).


A Milton invalid corresponded with others through the Each and All Society pages published in newspapers.

OBJECTS AND AIMS OF EACH AND ALL. PERHAPS some of you, seeing this page for the first time, wonder just what the Each and All Society really is; what there is about its aims and objects to create so widespread an interest among “young girls of all ages.” The society was founded in February, 1905, with Christine Terhune Herrick for its president and with an almost instant membership of girls from nearly every State in the Union and in Canada. Its object is to help girls help themselves by developing their talents into something the world wants; to solve difficult problems – the sort a girl wants a calm, unbiased, out-of-the family opinion upon and to promote the exchange of general help. Any girl may belong. There is no red tape about it. The sending of your name for membership gives you the range of every opportunity the society boasts. And Mrs. Herrick stands ready to welcome, to advise and to help.

From a Shut-In. I hasten to answer your call for letters from shut-ins. I have been confined to my bed for fifteen months with spinal trouble the result of an injury. I enjoy the Each and All page so much, and I have been meaning to send a message to my sister shut-ins for some time, as I cannot take up a great number of correspondents. It costs too much of the strength I am so carefully trying to win back, to say nothing of expense, so I have thought of sending a wee message of hope through you.

You ask what I most long for. Well, just now it is for a return to health so that I can take my proper place in the home. A family in which there are a number of growing boys and girls needs a mother that can be “up and doing,” especially when the income is so limited as ours. I covet strength, also, that I may work and earn money to help lift the heavy burden of debt left by my illness, and that of two of the children, who had a long run of typhoid last winter. I wish I had means to have a specialist come to see me.

Some day I shall need a wheel chair, I am sure; and I like pretty, dainty things. I love to read, and should be glad of some of the reading matter offered, and this is enough of my longings. If it is best for me to have any of them gratified, the way will be opened. I am sure. Now for what helps:

First and foremost, “God is our refuge and strength.” I don’t want to preach to the sisters, but there is a Heavenly Father and a Friend who never forgets even the least of His helpless, suffering children. Next, I count a strong determination to get better, D.V. [Deo Volente: God Willing]. By will power and work I have regained the use of my right hand. At Christmas time it was paralyzed – only a little power left in the thumb. My doctor told me the other day that I might feel proud of that hand, as it was only my own persistent efforts that had brought it back as supple as ever, only still a little weak. I worked, darning stockings, trying to scribble – I had enough strength left in my thumb to hold a pencil or needle against the contracted, helpless fingers. I opened out the hand and slept on it. As power began to come in, I played imaginary “five-finger” exercises on the bed quilt and wiggled my fingers in all possible shapes; so that now I can sew, knit, crochet, and write fairly well. Work is a blessing. I find and I do not feel quite such a burden as long as I can mend all the stockings, sew on buttons, do a little light sewing, etc. Just now I am knitting a sweater for one of the girls. I want to take up my writing again, but have not felt equal to a very great effort as yet. 

I love music so well and hear little. I used to play the piano, and wish I could get a guitar now. I think I could play it as I can a banjo. Once I had a great pleasure. A very fine violinist came and played for me all one evening. Another time a neighbor brought in his graphophone. There’s a hint for you girls – so many pianos lie silent in homes when elderly or sick people would love to have you play for them, an hour or two; or you could take your guitars, graphophones or other instruments. If you have a musicale, go out in the “highways and bring In the halt and maimed,” who are doubtless too proud to even hint how music will do to make them forget their miserable condition. A.L.P. (Milton, N.H.) (Los Angeles Times, February 3, 1907).

A Mrs. F.J.N., of Milton, N.H. was also an Each and All Society correspondent (Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1907; April 28, 1907).


A Milton Mills entrepreneur set themselves up as a mail-order distributor of novelties and toys. In this case, the novelty advertised appears to have been a wind-up dancing rabbit.

WANTED – AGENTS. AGENTS WANTED – Dancing rabbit, latest and cutest thing out; ever changeable; always amusing; price 25c. MILTON NOVELTY CO., Milton Mills, N.H. (Indianapolis News, February 9, 1907).

A nearly identical advertisement included the additional information that the dancing rabbit was made of rubber.

AGENTS WANTED. DANCING RABBIT. Made entirely of rubber; latest and cutest thing out; ever changeable, always amusing. 25¢. Illustrated catalogue free. McNeil & Co.. Kenosha, Wis. 171 (Des Moines Register, December 1, 1907).

Various department and other stores around the country included dancing rabbits among their Easter toys and novelty advertising.

Easter Novelties Shown in Basement in Great Numbers. Easter rabbits, 5¢ to $1.25; Dancing rabbits, 49¢ to $1.00, Jumping rabbits, each 25¢; Walking chickens, each 25¢; Fox chasing chickens, 25¢; Easter baskets, 5¢ to 75¢; Downy little ducks, 5¢ to $1.00; Color for eggs, 6 shades, 5¢ (Carlisle Evening Herald (Carlisle, PA), March 22, 1907).

It might be said that the dancing rabbit toy “had legs.” In 1946, the Habob Company of 41 West 19th Street, New York, NY, included them among its offerings: novelty pencil boxes, fire chief hats, bulk bubble pipes, plastic aeroplanes, nose catchers, dancing rabbits, pistol clappers, Old Maid card games, bead dolls, and tattoo transfers (Chain Store Publishing Company, 1946).


Rev. Charles D. Osborne of Milton, NH, was the guest preacher at Portsmouth’s Pearl Street Free Baptist Church on Sunday, June 2, 1907.

Pearl Street Free Baptist Church. Preaching at 10.30 by Rev. Charles D. Osborne of Milton, N.H. Subject, “A Great Secret.” Evening service at 7.30, conducted by Rev. Mr. Osborne. Subject, “The Prince of Healers and How to be Healed.” Everybody welcome (Portsmouth Herald, June 1, 1907).


Mrs. Demeritt sought still for her au pair, as she had in the previous year. This time, she wrote to the Each and All Society mentioned above.

A Chance for Some One. l would like to ask if all the women and girls of today have become “office help,” or if there is none between the ages of 30 and 60 who would be willing to “keep house” in a quiet place, with a good home and good wages and with her rights fully considered? Mr. M.A.D. (Milton, N. H.).

Here is an opportunity for some woman. I hope the right one may get it. She would, of course, be glad to exchange references (Los Angeles Times, June 23, 1907).


Ira W. Jones, Milton’s home-town hydraulic engineer was off consulting in Montpelier, VT.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. Hydraulic Expert Again Visits Kinney’s Mills. I.W. Jones, hydraulic engineer, of Milton, N.H., went back to his home last night after making another inspection of the water privileges owned by Messrs. Corry, Deavitt and Frost at Kinney’s mills. A contour map has been prepared showing the various sources of water supply and the lowest points in that neighborhood where it would be possible to erect power plants. Mr. Jones has reported to the syndicate his observations on the various dam sites, the possibilities of each and the probable cost of construction. It is reported that Mr. Jones is very favorably impressed .with the water privileges owned by the syndicate. The Montpelier men have not yet decided how large a plant they will put in. They can do two things, the first, build a plant that will supply their street railroad with possibly a small amount of juice for sale, or build a large plant with plenty of juice for sale. Such a development will involve the investment of a large amount’ of money (Montpelier Evening Argus, August 28, 1907).


Previous in sequence: Milton in the News – 1906; next in sequence: Milton in the News – 1908


References:

Find a Grave. (2012, July 8). Arthur J. Marcoux. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/93325461

Wikipedia. (2019, July 7). Christine Terhune Herrick. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Terhune_Herrick

 

Not the Fourth of July

By Ian Aikens | July 8, 2019

Isn’t it strange how even the name of the holiday being celebrated last week with parades, barbeques, flag-waving, and fireworks has morphed from “Independence Day” to the “Fourth of July”?  It almost seems like an intentional purpose to make people forget what the Declaration of Independence was all about and why it came into being.

Though the general population’s knowledge of civics and the most basics of American history is severely lacking these days — close to 40% of the American public cannot name even one of the freedoms listed in the First Amendment — at least most folks know there was a war when the 13 colonies broke away from England sometime in the late 1700’s, the Founding Fathers conjured up some historical documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and our country was formed.  Most folks will recall there was some type of uproar over taxes or some such grievance, but that’s about it.  Shamefully, despite the massive amounts of taxpayer money spent on education these days — in most states, close to 50% of taxes collected go to schools — much collective memory has been lost.  When I was in junior high school, studying the Constitution was one of the major hurdles of getting through the eighth grade.  When I ask young folks these days about it, they all say that it’s not even taught at all — at least not in government schools.

How convenient to forget the past.  In fact, the Declaration of Independence was a radical proclamation by rebel British subjects that the purpose of government is to protect and uphold individual rights.  After 250 years, we take that as a given, but at the time, that was truly a remarkable revelation.  Government was created to serve the people, not the other way around.  In fact, the rebel colonists were so distrustful of government from their experience with the British government that the Articles of Confederation created such a weak federal government that it didn’t even have the power to tax.  (In retrospect, perhaps a good thing?)  The Founding Fathers were on to something new and profound, and it’s no accident that Americans experienced an incredible growth in prosperity after the signing of the Declaration of Independence (which was approved by Congress on July 4, 1776 but wasn’t actually signed until August 2, 1776) to be followed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights in 1787 and 1789 respectively.  A lot of thought went into designing a government that would be limited in scope and concentration of authority to prevent the abuse of power.  They very purposely came up with a government based on the rule of law, rather than the rule of man.

Sadly, if the Founding Fathers were here today to see what the limited government they created has become, they would faint.  Endless wars and Congress completely abdicating its responsibility and allowing the president to commit US troops abroad without congressional approval goes completely against the intent of the Founding Fathers.  And this is nothing new:  the last time Congress authorized and declared war was World War II.  The Founding Fathers specifically did not want a standing army because they knew it would lead to military adventures overseas — which is has — and felt a navy would be sufficient for defensive purposes.  They would be appalled at American presidents with the power to assassinate “our enemies” with drones without due process of law.  The surveillance state and rampant abuses by the NSA, CIA, FBI, IRS, FDA, and TSA would be another whopper for the Founding Fathers to grasp.  The utter lack of economic freedom, where every branch of government has passed a myriad of laws governing every aspect of running any business these days, would also have the Founding Fathers aghast.  If you ever take a look at bills that push for more controls with licensing and fee extractions, they often literally say “for the privilege (my emphasis) of operating a business in …”  The signers of the Declaration of Independence knew from experience that government itself is the greatest threat to liberty and designed a system to prevent such tyranny.  The welfare state and calls for more government guaranteed jobs, housing, education, healthcare, and just about every other need would be completely incomprehensible to the Founding Fathers as they intended the “pursuit of happiness” to be critical for human beings to thrive, not the “guarantee of happiness.”

In my travels to Concord earlier this year to give testimony in committee public hearings, it was disheartening to listen to person after person from vested special interest groups urge our elected representatives for more control over our lives with more laws, regulations, and taxes.  Of course, as long as they received the largesse for their particular group, that’s all they really cared about.  The fact that they were basically begging for alms from the spoils of mandatory charity didn’t seem to bother anyone, which shows just how far our society has evolved away from the ideals created in the Declaration of Independence.  It has become a largely overlooked and definitely unappreciated gift from those who understood the true meaning of liberty.


See also Milton and the U.S. Constitution


References:

Harrison Elizabeth (History.com). (2012, July 4). 9 Things You May Not Know About the Declaration of Independence. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-declaration-of-independence

Washington Times. (2017, September 13). 37 Percent of Americans Can’t Name Any of the Rights Guaranteed by the First Amendment: Survey. Retrieved from https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/sep/13/37-percent-of-americans-cant-name-any-of-the-right/

Wikipedia. (2019, June 6). Declaration of War by the United States. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States

 

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