Springfield weekly Republican. [volume], August 07, 1913, Page 16, Image 16

About Springfield weekly Republican. [volume] (Springfield, Mass.) 1851-1946

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16
L 0( IA L INTELLIGEN CE.
SPRINGFIELD AND VICINITY.
The 12th annual reunion of the descend
ents of Samuel Fogg will lie held Septem
ber 3 at Hampton Beach. N. H., in the
New Pentucket hotel, of which L. M. &
G. B. Fogg are the proprietors. At the
conclusion of the exercises a visit will be
paid to the old Fogg home on Bride hill,
Hampton. Frank Prescott Fogg of Dor
chester is president of the society and Mrs
A. J. Fogg of Boston is the secretary.
Announcement was made Saturday that
Henry L. Bowles of this city will run
for governor's councilor on the progres
sive ticket. The progressives have prom
ised to have a candidate in the field for
every position on the local ticket and sev
eral candidates have already announced
themselves. Mr Bowles is widely known
as the originator of the dairy lunch busi
ness and has a long string of these es
tablishments throughout the northern tier
of states.
The collapse of a staging at the rear of
Worthington street at Poli's new theater
last week Wednesday morning caused in
juries to three men who were standing
nearby and narrowly missed another.
Those who were injured are Timothy H.
Devine of 48 Rutledge avenue. John F.
O'Connor of 188 Main street and Cecil
Van Hensen of 285 Dickinson street, while
the man who had the narrow escape was
Timothy Carney of 78 Liberty street.
Devine.
The bath-houses at Loon pond still con
tinue to be very popular, the hot weather
of this week making them the ideal place
to spend leisure time. During the day chil
dren and women go there in large num
bers, and in the evening many men. as
well as entire families, go to the pond.
The heavy attendance of Sunday was
nearly equaled every day last week. The
hours are very wisely arranged so that
the bath-houses are of use to people who
hare to work days.
Building operations in this city for the
month of July were scarce and small with
the result that the building commisisoner's
record of the work begun fell low, both in
number of operations and in their estimat
ed cost The total of the costs was but
$274,236. scarcely more than one-third_ of
the figure for July. 1912, which was $673.-
425. Of the figures for last month, $225.-
995 were expended for new buildings and
$49,141 for additions and alterations to
buildings already standing. There were
106 permits issued last month, as against
149 in the same month of the previous
year.
Mrs Caroline Clark of 38 Byers street was
pleasantly surprised at her home Thurs
day by her sisters and nieces, the occa
sion being her 90th birthday. Mrs Clark
was born in Southampton in 1823, and is
a daughter of Richard Avery and Anna
Pettis Avery. Mr and Mrs Clark came
to this city in 1845. Mrs Clark has been
a member of Trinity Methodist church for
65 years. Her husband died 19 years
ago. two years after they had celebrated
their golden wedding anniversary. Among
the guests present Thursday were Mrs
Angeline Lyman of Southampton and Mrs
Jane Pomeroy of Easthampton, both sis
ters of Mrs Clark and both over 80 years
old.
Twenty-two men, the entire force em
ployed by the Springfield waste company
in its plant at 109 Mill street, struck at
closing time Thursday after Vice-Presi
dent George E. Howard had refused their
demand for a flat increase in pay of 25
cents per day apiece. The men made their
demands about two weeks ago and began
threatening to strike, but a committee
from the central labor union called at the
mill and tried to straighten the difficulty.
When the committee made its visit to the
mill on Tuesday, July 22. it was unable
to bring about any satisfactory arrange
ment. The employes held a meeting on
the evening of Friday. July 25, and voted
unanimously in favor of a strike if the.
demands were not met in a week's time.
One of the largest real estate deals that
has been recorded in Hartford for some
rime was figured in by two local men. Hen
ry L. Bowles, part owner with William
Bailey, Jr., and F. C. Brinkerhoff, who
made the sale. The transfer is of the
large business block at 98 to 110 Asylum
street and the buyer is John Porter. The
property first came into the hands of
Messrs Bowles and Bailey seven years
ago when it was bought from the
estate of Capt J. C. Pratt The
building is four stories in hight and
has a frontage of about 100 feet on Asy
lum street. The projierty at present is
assessed at about $134,500, but owing to
the peculiar method for valuing business
property which prevails in Hartford the
purchase price was about $250,000.
The progressive city committee mer last
week and appointed a committee of five
to join the delegations from other places
in Hampden county in the formation of
the Hampden county progressive club. The
dub will not be exactly new, but rather a
rejuvenation of the one which flourished
during the last campaign. Those appoint
ed were Frank J. Sullivan. J. Frank
Drake H. M. Wichman. Irving K. Wolff
and Hiram A. Barnes. No new candidates
were announced last evening, but a pre
vious statement to the effect that there
will be a progressive candidate for each
elective office was reiterated. John J.
Mitchell, candidate for the Legislature to
succeed himself, has taken out progressive
papers in addition to those of the demo
"cratic party, and has the indorsement of
the progressive committee.
The park management began last week
the work of making a playground in the
part of the Court square extension lying
between Water street and the New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroad tracks.
A high wire fence has already been placed
around the grounds with a view to keep
ing the children off the railroad tracks and
out of the street and the place will be
fitted out with the usual playground ap
paratus and put into commission as a regu
lar member of the city's already large
squadron of playgrounds for children. The
piece of land on which the new play
ground is being fixed up has for some time
been practically a playground anyway, and
infested by swarms of children from the
Water-street neighborhood. The site is
especially good because so near to a con
gested population center.
Plans for a large horticultural society
to cover the whole of Hampden county
were drawn Tuesday afternoon at a
meeting of the executive committee of
the Hampden county improvement league,
for it was felt that such an organization
embracing the whole county could be of
much value to the horticultural interests
of the section. As yet the scheme is sim
ply in project and the details have not
been worked out, but the board was so
greatly in favor of the step that there
is but little doubt but that it will mate
rialize in the near future. Present at
the meeting yesterday were Prof W. D.
Hurd, director of the extension service
at the Amherst agricultural college, Prof
E. L. Morgan, who is in charge of the
community work there. H. A. Moses,
\ president of the league, T W. Leete,
chairman, Addison Smith of West Spring
lield, 0. J. Grant, agricultural adviser.
A. R. Jenks, horticultural adviser, and
J. H. Scbeuerle. general secretary.
The local tax rate for this year is $15.80
on SIOOO, according to an announcement
inade soon after 5 o'clock Thursday after
noon by the board of assessors. The rate
is much lower than bad lieen generally an
ticipated, and those who had been bold
enough to predict bad forecast a tax rate
of from $16.20 to $16.80 on SIOOO. The
fact that the assessors are able to set so
low a rate as $15.80 is due to another im
mense increase in the valuation. The val
uation of real estate, personal property and
the resident bank stock in this city is $20,-
110,134 greater than that of a year ago.
Last year when the total valuation was
jumped from $128,053,034 in 1911 to $149,-
530,350 it was generally thought that not
for long would there come another increase
so great.
A successful break was made at the
home of Fire Commissioner E. A. Mc-
Clintock at 139 Westminster street soon
after 2 o'clock Sunday morning, and a
considerable quantity of silverware was
reported stolen. Mr McClintock was
aroused about 2.15 o’clock by a suspicious
noise in his dining-room. He immediately
started to investigate, hut found that the
burglar had made good his escape. He
notified the police department, and Inspec
tor Jolin St Ledger was detailed on the
case. An investigation of the house re
vealed a loss of considerable silverware.
This was all taken from the dining-room,
and included one-half dozen plated forks,
eight plated teaspoons, four tablespoons,
four knives, two soup spoons, one silver
mounted steak knife, one silver spoon
marked “M,” a solid silver mesh bag con
taining a small black pocketbook with
considerable money, and a number of
other small articles.
A freight smash-up at the foot of How
ard street at 6.45 o'clock Saturday even
ing entirely blocked both the north-bound
and south-bound tracks of the New York.
New Haven and Hartford railroad and
completely tied up traffic until after 11.
Two loaded freight cars and a caboose
were completely smashed, but fortunately
no one was injured. It was a rear-end col
lision. A long freight train which had
pulled in from the south a short time be
fore was standing in the yard and an
other freight train with the engine on the
opposite end was maneuvering around m
the lower yard. As the clock drew near
to 7.01. the time at which train No 822
cemes in from New York, both trains
started for sidings, the one backing south
ward and the other backing to the north-
Just north of the Howard-street crossing
the rear ends of the two crashed to
gether. demolishing the, rear freight car
on the train backing north and the caboose
and last freight car‘on the train which
was backing southward.
The site between Franklin and Green
wood streets was definitely chosen for the
Dew ward 2 school by the city property
committee at its meeting Thursday night.
Two of the parcels of land in the site,
those of T. J. & J. J- Collins and George
M. Burnham, will be bought, for $6500
each and the remainder will be con
demned. The owners of properties winch
will be condemned are M. Killian, the
Thomas Burke estate, T. J. and M. Leary,
S. A. Gordon. F. and A. Rumsdorf. A.
Fraczka. B. and L. Baver, Rabbi Samuel
Rappaport and J. Sedersky. The proper
ty takes in from Nos 58 to 94. inclusive,
on Franklin street, and from 49 to 73, in
clusive. on Greenwood street. The
committee voted also to grant free
use of the City hall to the Massachusetts
state Sunday-school association on the
evenings of October 15. 16 and 17. It is
expected that about 3000 people will come
to the citv on that occasion. The inter
national kindergarten union also was
granted free use of the auditorium for
Thursday and Friday, April 23 and .‘.'4,
1914.
Building operations during the coming
fall and winter promise to be very light,
according to the reports of builders and
real estate dealers all over the city. The
figures at the building department for the
past week show that there has been a
remarkable decrease over those of last
year. There were no building permits
taken out at the office of the building com
missioner Monday and, in fact, there
have been none since the first day of the
month. From the same period last year
there has been a decrease of 21 per cent
in the building operations. The total de
crease in operations all over the country
has been 13 per cent, but to show that
this city is far from being the dullest in
this line, statisticians may point to New
York city with a decrease of 56. per cent,
or to Hartford, Ct., with a decrease of S 3
per cent, which comes near to being the
record. Boston is one 'of the very few
cities which shows an increase, the per
centage from the corresponding time in
1912 having leaped up 47.
John S. Backman of Philadelphia, who
is European buyer and also at the head
of several departments in the large Snel
lenburger company department store in
that- city, has bought the business of the
Linen store, formerly conducted by the
late Frank K. Confield, who was killed in
th® railroad wreck near Stamford. Ct.,
some weeks ago. The business will be
conducted under the corporate name of the
Frank K. Confield company, and Mr Back
man will be president of the corporation.
The directors will be Mr Backman. Jas
per A. Campbell of New York and Hen
ry Lasker of this city. Mr Campbell is a
recent graduate of Yale university and the
son of one of the largest importers of that
city. Mr Lasker will also be retained as
legal adviser and clerk of the corporation.
The business will be capitalized at SSO
- and will be conducted along practically
the same lines as under the late Mr Cqn
field. The sale was made after negotia
tions between Mr Lasker. Mr Backman,
Howard L. Kinsman, administrator of the
Confield estate, and several out-of-town
business men who have been associated
with Mr Backman. The new corporation
has secured a lease on the property from
the owner and have bought the goods and
good will of the old concern.
A wedding of much local interest was
that which took place Friday in Rowe
when Miss Geneva K. Schaefer of Lo
gansport. Ind., formerly connected with
the mathematics department at the Elms,
became the bride of Hugh G. Deane. The
ceremony took place at 2 o’clock in the
afternoon on the lawn of the attractive
summer place of the groom’s sister and
her husband, Mr and Mrs Willard P.
Leshure, Rev Dr Philip S. Moxom officiat
ing. The bride was attended by Miss
Bertha Wendler of Islip, 1,. 1., also a
teacher at the Elms, and the best man
was Charles Miller of Pittsburg. Pa. A
large party of friends went up from this
city to attend the wedding, among whom
were Miss Georgianna Allen and Miss
Elizabeth Allen of Grenada terrace, who
motored up with their host and hostess, Mr
and Mrs Leshure, early in the week for
the nuptials. Their brother, Joseph C.
Allen, with a party of 15 other guests from
this city went up Friday morning. The
bride is the oldest daughter of Mrs Kath
erine Schaefer of Logansport, Ind., and a
number of friends from her home and from
Pittsburg, Pa., attended the ceremony. Mr
and Mrs Deane will make their future
home in the St James on State street,
where they will be at home after Novem
ber 1.
HAMPDEN COUNTY.
HOLYOKE.
One of the prettiest of the summer wed
dings took place Tuesday evenng at the
home of Mr and Mrs Henry G. Sears of
Northampton street, when their eldest
daughter, Miss Marion Emma Sears, was
married to Dr Edward P. Bagg, son of
Mr and Mrs E. P. Bagg. The ceremony
took place at 6 o’clock aud Rev Dr E. A.
Reed was the officiating clergyman, the
single-ring service being used. The house
bad been elaborately decorated for the oc
casion, Miss Nolan having charge, the liv
ing-room, where the ceremony took place,
was massed with gladioli in all colors, and
in the alcove palms were used, forming an
altar-like effect. The fireplace in the
room was banked with Easter lilies. In
the dining-room “My Maryland” roses
were used with pleasing effect, and in the
library yellow antirrhinum and blue del
phiniums were used. The wedding marches
were played by John Clark and during
the ceremony and for the reception which
followed music was furnished by the Phil
harmonic orchestra of Springfield.
Edwin M. Roberts was formally re
moved as teacher of manual training by
Superintendent T. F. McSherry Tuesday
morning, the superintendent ecting under
rule 31 of the board, which gives the -u
---perintendent power to at any time remove
a teacher if m his judgment it is for the
best interests of the school. While Mr
Roberts bad not formally resigned yet in
his communication to the superintendent
he had stated that he should be glad to
continue as supervisor of manual training,
but not otherwise, which as no chnugg
had been made in the status of ;he depart-
THE SPRINGFIELD WEEKLY REPUBLICAN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1913.
1 ment was practically a statement that ho
' did not intend to accept the uosirwn as
. teacher offered him
! The Holyoke street railway had ah cars
I busy Sunday, the riding being heavy on
I roost of the lines nnJ especially on the
Mountain park thoroughfare. Everything
>' progressed well until about 2.30, when a
I Springfield car burned ont and a Cbiccpee
I Falls car was called upon to give the dis
i abled car a boost up the Dwigut-street
I hill. The draw bar pulled out, and also
I put the fender of the Chicopee Falls car
' out of commission and tied up the traffic
at a busy corner for about half in hour.
I As it was just about the time when the
< heavy travel was in full swing, the cars
I piled up and down the hill until there
I were cars in each direction about as far
as the eye could see- The schedules were
‘ knocked out for the larger part of the
■ afternoon
I George Clark of Bowers street has taken
' out nomination papers for representative
I from the 9th district. Mr Clark ran last
- rear carrying ward 1. but losing heavily
I 'in wards 2 and 4. the final result being:
Greaney, 423; Burns, 389, and Clark, 158.
■ It would seem probable that Mr Clark will
run stronger in the district than he did
' last year, although that he can defeat
i Representative Greaney for the nomination
i seems hardly probable, as Greaney has
! considerable strength in ward 1 and wil.
have a large majority without much doubt
।in ward 4, his home ward. Neither Mr
Clark nor Mr Greaney showed any
strength last year in ward 2. and the out
i come of the contest there is problematical,
the supporters of both men claiming that
thev can carry the ward with ease.
The first day of the series of conferences
arranged between the street railway com
pany and the local trollymen’s union re
sulted in a settlement of the difficulties.
The employes agreed to live up to the full
terms of their contract with the company
and the company agreed to make condi
tions as satisfactory as possible and a
rearrangement of the runs is now under
way for this purpose. This purpose on
the part of the union and the company
to get together and amicably settle their
differences has been highly commended, f< r
it obviates delay and makes for a far bet
ter feeling between the two parties than
would be possible in any other manner of
settlement. It is needless to say that it
is appreciated by the public.
CHICOPEE.
Edward H. Elder of 67 Washington
street, the Falls, definitely announced last
week his intention of rumiiug foi the dem
ocratic nomination for commissioner of
Hampden county, and expects to have his
papers in circulation as soon as possible,
as less than three weeks remain before they
must be filled out and returned. For
some time Mr Elder has been under iho
pressure of his friends, including men in
Springfield, to enter the campaign, but he
has delayed decision till he had had a
chance to go over the situation and see
bow the land lay. His name was first pub
licly mentioned the early part of the week,
and the response to his candidacy was so
encouraging that he decided to run.
The postal savings bank, which has been
under trial in Chicopee for just over two
years, has more than justified itself, and
has shown a constantly increasing busi
ness. At the Center post-office the total
deposits to date since the bank was first
opened, June 1, 1911, have gone slightly
over $17,000. while the withdrawals have
been about SSOOO. leaving a balance of de
posits now on hand of about $12,000. Near
ly 150 accounts have been opened in all,
of which about half have been closed. It
is interesting to note that the great ma
jority of the patrons of the bank are for
eigners, who prefer to intrust their money
to the government at 2 per cent than to
put it at a private bank at a better rate.
It was a wide-eyed, hilarious aggrega
tion of youngsters of all sizes, ages and
nationalities who made their way from
all parts o.f Chicopee to Mountain park last
week Wednesday, and fully 1200 of the
city’s hope gave vent to all tlie noise and
excitement that in them lay. Mayor Rivers’s
picnic turned oHt to be a howling success
in more ways than one. and as the dozen
cars sped on their way to the park, one
might have thought that a wild-west cir
cus had suddenly been turned loose.
WEST SPRINGFIELD.
Nicholas Fitzgerald, 53 years old, frac
tured his spine shortly before 6 o’clock
Friday morning at the Southworth pa
per company's plant, when the elevator
on which he was riding dropped from the
second floor to the basement, hurling him
against an upright. Mr Fitzgerald is em
ployed in the beater-room of the mill and
was oh the night shift, working from 11
o’clock at night to 7 in the morning. He
boarded the freight elevator on the sec
ond floor, choosing it in preference to the
stairs, and had barely stepped on it when
it gave way without warning and plunged
to the basement. Louis Petithory, who
works in the room with Mr Fitzgerald,
heard the crash and. looking down, saw
Mr Fitzgerald trying to rise at the bot
tom of the well. His condition is serious.
Freight traffic through the Boston and
Albany yards has been so heavy recent
ly that it has taxed the capacity of the
yards to the limit and it, is not impos
sible that the near future will see the
yards too crowded to carry all the busi
ness that is likely (o come. When the
yards were remodeled and enlarged, it
was thought that all possible future needs
had been foreseen, but last week there
were two different occasions when all
the available tracks were full. Conse
quently some of the cars had to be shunt
ed off to the siding with the loss of con
siderable time and some inconvenience.
During some of the days of last week as
many as 1400 cars passed through the
yards daily.
There is every indication of an increased
tax rate this year, although the announce
ment of the rate decided upon will not be
made until early next week. It is thought
the present rate of $16.50 on SIOOO will
advance to at least sl7, and possibly to
$17.50. All that can be said definitely in
the matter is that the new rate will be
somewhere between the $15.80 rate adopt
ed in Springfield and that of $18.50 which
has recently been established in Westfield.
The assessors say, however, that there is
not much danger of the lower figure’s be
ing beaten or equaled.
PALMER.
Arthur J. Graves and Wilfred H. Deyo
of Brattleboro, Vt., who were arrested at
Belchertown last week Tuesday on suspic
ion that they were the highwaymen who
held- up the Monson trolly car Monday
night, appeared in the district court Wed
nesday, having been brought to Palmer by
Officer Crimmips. Graves was charged
with vagrancy and Deyo with carrying a
revolver without having a license. Their
story, as given to the court, was that they
went to New London Saturday night and
I Sunday night their cash having been re
। duced to $2 they decided to go home. They
| had made their way thus far by walking
i and riding on freight trains. There being
I no evidence that Graves had committed
any act of vagrancy within the jurisdic
tion of this court, he was discharged. A
search of Deyo revealed the presence on
his person of a revolver, cartridges, a
lock pick and skeleton key. He also had
a knife sheath, containing no knife. He
pleaded guilty of carrying a revolver with
out a permit. The court, gave him the
• choice of the payment of the minimum
fine of SSO or the minimum sentence. Not
caring to make the choice he was given 30
days in the house of correction.
The increase in the number of cases of
typhoid would seem to demand that more
stringent measures be taken to ascertain
the cause of the disease than have yet
been employed. A number of new cases
have been sent to the hospital within the
last 48 hours and others are among the
suspects. While there are indications that
the trouble may be caused by milk, the
links in the chain of circumstantial evi
dence are not complete, at least in fasten
ing it upon any single individual. A
thorough investigation has been made in
several instances, but othing of a dam-
aging character was found. There is. of
course, abundant opportunity for the water
supply to become infected, eveu when it is
not used as a swimmine pool, and this
feature of the case will be thoroughly in
vestigated. If the local board of health
have no jurisdiction in the case, other au
thority will be invoked. Effort has been
made to keep the extent of the disease
quiet lest the public be alarmed, but with
a score or more of suspected cases it is
felt that the time for concealment is past
and the time for action has arrived. Peo
ple are demanding that every measure for
safety be taken by the -oard of health.
WESTFIELD.
The board of assessors announced last
week that the tax rate for 1913 will be
$18.50 on SIOOO. an increase of $1.50 over
last year. This is the highest rate since
1902, when the rate was $18.60. The rea
son for the higher rate is the increased
size of the annual budget, which is ap
proximately $400,000 this year, as against
$330,000 last year, and is due also to the
increased state tax. The appropriation
committee intended that the rate this
year should be $lB and appropriations
were made on this basis. When the state
tax was announced, however, it was found
that Westfield’s share would be about
S6OOO more than the amount of the tax
last year and this additional amount is re
sponsible for the excess over the rate
planned by the appropriation committee.
The figures of the assessors are not ready
for publication, but there will likely be a
substantial increase in the valuation of
the town.
The selectmen have heard from the state
highway commission regarding the delay
ou improvements on the state highway
on Main street, with assurances that
everything possible will be done to hasten
the work. The letter of the commission
ers is as follows:—
Your correspondence of July 29, in
which you protest against the delay in the
progress of work on state highway in
Westfield, has been received and the com
missioners direct me to inform you that
they will do everything possible to hasten
the work. I wish to say that one reason
for the delay is the fact that a carload of
oil that had been shipped for the work
was found to be unsatisfactory and had to
be returned, and new oil ordered. which,
of course, consumed considerable time.
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY,
NORTHAMPTON.
One of the largest real estate deals in
residential property made in Northampton
for several yean was completed Friday
when the property of Miss Caroline L.
Clark at the corner of Harrison and Elm
streets was transferred to Dr and Mrs
Benjamin F. Janes, Jr., at a price under
stood to be about SIO,OOO. The property,
which is located on one of the best cornw
lots on Elm street, consists of a modern
eight-room house, standing on a tract of
land with a 77-foot frontage on Elm street
and a depth on Harrison street of 115
feet. The place has been occupied by
Miss Clark for a number of years. Dr
and Mrs Janes have bought for a resi
dence, and will occupy it in the near fu
ture. The deal was made through the
Mariz real estate agency. Through the
same agency yesterday Charles S. Beals
of Leeds sold to William and Ida M.
Spencer his 10-room house and lot of one
acre in that section of the city.
Dr Nathan Wheeler Williams of New
York city, formerly of Northampton, and
son of C. E. Williams of that city, and
Miss Annie Maria Buffnm. daughter oi
Mrs Thomas B. Buffiim of Walpole, N. H.,
were married at noon Saturday at the home
of the bride by Rev H. G. Megathlin. pas
tor of the First Congregational church,
who used a single-ring service. Only im
mediate relatives and friends of the couple
were present and they were unattended.
Following the ceremony Dr and Mrs
Williams started on an automobile trip to
Chicago and after October 1 they will be
at home at 3800 Broadway, New York
city.
Political dopestere in the city have again
made good their reputation for sensing a
shre thing in predicting Mayor Wißiam H.
Feiker's candidacy for a third term. Yes
terday the mayor made formal announce
ment that he is out for the nomination nt
the November caucuses on the platform of
a business administration. The mayor
claims and his friends claim for him that
he has put the city’s affairs on a better
business basis than they were ever on be
fore, and republicans generally believe, as
well as representative elements in other
parties, that the good work can best go
forward in the same hands.
WARE.
It looks now as if the road from Ware
to West Brookfield would be built this
fall. The Massachusetts highway com
mission have asked for bids for the build
ing of 22,500 feet of road. A gang of
men has been completing the survey this
week, which was begun several months
ago. and it is expected that work will
commence as soon as the bids are opened
and accepted.
AMHERST.
Frank A. Hosmer has announced his
candidacy for councilor frgm the Bth dis
trict. to succeed August H. Goetting of
Springfield.
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
TURNERS FALLS.
The body of Joseph DeVaudreuil, Jr.,
who was drowned at "The Narrows” in
the Connecticut river last week Monday,
was found at about 6.30 Friday morning by
Joseph Hosmer, who was coming down the
river to work in his launch and discovered
it in the water, caught on a guy rope
stretched from the boom to the shore. He
was not quite sure that it was the body
at first, as he was on the other side of the
boom, but he went to an opening and up
the other side to where the body was. He
immediately notified the relatives of the
unfortunate man and the body was taken
to the shore and Medical Examiner G.
P. Twitchell of Greenfield was notified.
He ordered the body removed to McCar
thy’s undertaking rooms, where he later
viewed it.
The water commissioners of the Turners
Falls fire district have decided to keep
the rule in force prohibiting fishing and
boating at Lake Pleasant. A hearing on
this question was recently held in Grand
Army hall to get the sentiment of the users
of the water in this respect which was
well attended and many arguments for and
against the petition were presented. Fish
ing on the lake has been prohibited for
several years, during which time the lish
have multiplied to a considerable extent,
and the fishermen of the vicinity have
been casting longing eyes in that direction
for some time.
BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
PITTSFIELD.
Miss Mabel Williams, 19. of 58 Linden
street, Pittsfield, was drowned, and Mrs
Mary Turner of 44 Lincoln street, was
rescued, following the capsizing of a canoe
in which they were paddling on Pontoosuc
lake Saturday night about 9 o’clock. They
attempted to exchange places in the boat.
Lieut George W. Krapp of Dalton, and
Fred Peterson, also of Dalton, captain of
the Colgate football team, went to rescue
the women, but succeeded in saving unis'
Mrs Turner, as Miss Williams could not be
found. The two women hired a canoe at the
Young Men’s Christian associate boat-club,
and when out about 500 feet from the
Pittsfield boat-club where the water is 30
feet deep, they attempted to exchange
places. When their canoe tipped over
Mrs Turner clung to its side and called
for help. Lieut Krapp, who was gradu
ated from West Point in June, and is home
on a three-moijtbs’ furlough, and Mr Pet
erson, were dancing at. the Pittsfield b< at
club. Hearing the cries for help, Mr Peterson
jumped from the second-story veranda to
the ground, a distance of 20 feet, and
started to swim in the direction bf the
cries with his clothes on. Lieut Krapp
rushed to a launch, and, starting the en
gine, passed Mr Peterson and reached Mrs
Turner in time to pull her into the boat.
The launch was run about the spot for
several minutes, but Miss Williams could
noi be found.
Mrs George W. Bailey of Brooklyn, N.
Y.. who has been visiting her niece. Mrs
D. M. Collins of Wendell avenue, has
given the Berkshire atheneum a valuable
collection of books and genealogical ma
terial collected during years of patient
research by Mrs Bailey and her husband,
now dead. The collection has been placed
in the genealogical room at the atheneum.
Mrs Bailey was Miss Harriet Hyde,
daughter of the late Alexander Hyde of
Lee, and when she and her husband be
came interested in genealogical research
they did so with the idea of preparing an
accurate and comprehensive work on the
Hyde family. They not only achieved this
purpose, but incidentally came across much
valuable genealogical data bearing upon
hundreds of other families This was
carefully indexed alphabetically and these
cards were placed in a specially prepared
cabinet containing 20 drawers, each
drawer holding about 500 cards, which
not only refer to material in letter files
in the lower part of the cabinet, but also
give references to numerous published
genealogical works.
A robbery by masked bandits, as daring
as any that have baffled Pittsfield police
in years, was perpetrated Saturday night in
Pittsfield, and clews to the culprits are
vague. Two men with black handkerchief
masks over their faces entered the home
of John Zonderland at 143 Benedict road
at about 9 o’clock, and after tying Mrs
Zonderland to the table, ransacked her
home on the second floor of the house and
also ransacked the home of Joseph A. La
casse downstairs. They then made their
escape. One of the men struck Mrs
Zonderland on the head and breast with
a blackjack, knocking her to the floor.
The mask of one of the men fell from his
face, and Mrs Zonderland was of the
opinion that he was an Italian, as his skin
was dark and his black mustache appeared
waxed at the ends.
Spencer Bros of North Adams started
Monday morning upon a big contract for
Elder Joseph Holden of the West Pitts
field and Hancock Shakers. One of the
large community houses is to be torn
down and a smaller house will be built on
part of the site. The firm has just com
pleted a SIO.OQO contract for the church
family of Shakers of Lebanon, in which a
community house, 140 by 50 feet, was
razed, a three-story tannery building was
remodeled into a barn, and a concrete
silo was constructed. This firm tore down
the Burbank hotel for the railroad cem
pany upon the site of which the new
union depot is being built. Considerable
progress has been made on the depot
foundation, much of the cellar walls hav
ing been completed and nearly all of the
excavation finished.
Word from Boston last week stated
that Gov Foss had notified Boiler In
spector Frank C. Hinckley of his suspen
sion without pay for a period of two
months beginning August 1. In a let
ter addressed “Dear Mr Hinckley,” the
governor writes; “I have determined, after
careful consideration of your case, to sus
pend you for two months from the service
without pay. the suspension to commence
August 1 and restoration to begin October
1 You will be duly notified to what dis
trict you will then be assigned.” Hinck
ley. asked if he had anything to say re
garding the suspension, said he had a
great deal on his mind, but that he would
have absolutely nothing to say.
Pittsfield’s tax rate for this year is
$16.60, as announced by the board of as
sessors Saturday morning. It is 40 cents
less than the 1912 rate and the same as
the rate of 1911. The assessors’ report
shows that the valuation has been in
ci eased $3,703,570 over last year, the in
crease in persona! property being $802,-
465. and 'n real estate $2,901,105. There
are 604 more polls than last year. About
$750,000 of the personal property increase
is for stocks held in foreign corporations,
which had not been subjected to taxation
in Pittsfield before, and furthermore, are
held by persons who are well able to pay
the extra tax.
Officers of the City savings bank had
provided that demands for money Fri
day morning, resulting from the rumor
caused by the congregating of the Vermont
gang of laborers waiting for their money
from the Beaver construction company,
would be promptly met. and for more than
an hour after the bank opened depositors
appeared to withdraw their funds, but
when matters were explained to them, the
majority departed without doing so and
by noon all excitement had disappeared.
At the dlose of business the deposits and
withdrawals were about even.
Simultaneously with the announcement
that Mayor Moore proposed to have the
state board of gas and electric light com
missioners look into gas and electricity
prices in Pittsfield, came the announce
ment from the Pittsfield coal gas com
pany that beginning January 1 next the
city would have dollar gas. In Its
statement the gas company says_ that,
beginning on October 1, 1893, it has
reduced periodically the price of it's com
modity from $2.25 per thousand cubic feet.
Announcement is made of the purpose
of unknown givers to present to the work
ing girls’ club the business women’s club
and the school girls’ league a handsome
home, adequately equipped, and of tne fur
ther intention to maintain the institution
in the interests of the young women. For
some time past the clubs have used the
nicely appointed rooms in the Park build
ing on the southwest corner of South street
and Bank row.
Mayor Patrick J. Moore is to be a can
didate for renomination and re-election. He
made that announcement at his office in the
city hall Monday. He said that he felt
his administration had been a marked suo
cess and he offered his record for the con
sideration of the voters.
NORTH ADAMS.
The body of an unknown man, badly de
composed, was found Monday afternoon
about 3.30 a few feet from the street
car tracks opposite the Harrison residence
on Massachusetts avenue. The body was
in such an advanced state of decomposi
tion that identification was impossible
and there was nothing about it to indicate
who it was. The man was about five feet
and seven inches tall, had light hair, very
thin, and a thin sandy mustache. The
upper teeth were all gone in front. The
man wore a dark coat and dark striped
trousers. He also had on a black shirt
with white stripes and a new pair of
black shoes of coarse make. There was
nothing in the pockets and a partly-filled
pint whisky bottle lay near by. The place
where the body was found is beside a
busy thoroughfare and the Williamstown
and Bennington cars pass within a few
feet of it several times a day. The high
way is also within 30 feet and it is sur
prising that the body bad not been dis
covered before Monday. A farm hand by
the name of Joseph Pascucci, employed by
W. E. Demond, who lives on the Harrison
farm, came across the gruesome find
while mowing brush. Officer Whipple of
the North Adams police and Medical Ex
aminer Brown went to the scene and ex
amined the body, but there was nothing
upon which to base a conclusion as to
how the man came to his death.
GREAT BARRINGTSN.
During the summer there have been
many alterations made at “Brookside.” the
estate of William Hall Walker. The
Italian garden has been completed and it
is very attractive. The garden is closed
on Sunday to the public, but during the
week days people are allowed to go
through it, as at that time a man is in
charge. A new rustic bridge has been con
structed across the outlet from the lake
and a new walk is being laid to the gate
house as the old one was not as sub
stantial as it should be. The flower gar
dens about the place were never more at
tractive and they include many rare and
beautiful flowers. Quite a specialty is
being made in the growing of the sweet
peas and there are many varieties.
Rev W? 1’- < ’lanej. wno ■ en pas
tor of the South Egremont Congregation
al church for the past four years, is to
resign his pastorate about October 1. He
intends to go to Oakland, Cui., where his
son lives. He has not as yet accepted
another pastorate.
Congressman Allen T. Treadway will
present a bill to Congress asking for an
appropriation of $125,000 for a govern
ment building for Great Barrington.
HINSDALE.
—
The descendants of John Mack will
meet to form a Mack association at Hins
dale on Tuesday, August 19, and it is
hoped that no members of the line who re
ceive news of the meeting and can pos
sibly arrange to be present will fail to do
so. Notices are being sent out for
the gathering, and those receiving them
are being requested to send the names
of other descendants whom they may
know to the chairman of the committee
and also to notify such descendants them
selves of the meeting, so that none may
be missed. John Mack was born on
March 6, 1653. and emigrated from Scot
land to this country in 1669. The chair
man of the committee for the meeting
of his descendants is T. A. Frissell of
Hinsdale and other members are John
P. Mack of Dalton. E. H. Mack of Keuka
Park, N. Y., Mrs Eliza A. Stanton of
.Huntington and Philip M. Smith of Wash
ington, D. C.
STOCKBRIDGE.
Joseph G. Cannon of Danville. 111. for
mer speaker of the national House of
Representatives, and John Dwight of New
York arrived at Stockbridge Tuesday night
by automobile from New York and are
the guests of the Red Lion inn. They
will remain for a few days at Stockbridge
and will leave later in the week for Bos
ton.
WILLIAMSTOWN.
President Wilson has sent to the Sen
ate the name of Patrick J. Dempsey as
postmaster at Williamstown.
WORCESTER COUNTY.
ATHOL.
Postmaster Festus G. Amsden. for the
past 10 years in charge of the Athol of
fice, Monday afternoon announced that
he had resigned to take effect August 16
or as soon as his successor is appointed.
It is generally expected that this ap
pointment will come before the first of
September. Mr Amsden has been in very
poor health for some years, but for the
past several months has been confined to
his home and unable to be at the post
office. In fact, he has not been to the
new building since it was opened in
March. His health is such that there is
little chance of immediate improvement
and it will take a long while to get back
on his feet. Mr Amsden was first ap
pointed July 1, 1903, by President Roose
velt. Four years later he was reappointed
and about a year ago received another re
appointment by President Taft.
The assessors Saturday afternoon an
nounced that the tax rate in Athol will
be $23.40, an increase of $2.70 over last
year, when it was $20.70. The state tax
is $12,720, state highway tax $155,
county tax $5783 and the town appropria
tions were $149,316.96. a grand total of
$167,974.96. Last year the town appro
priations were $105,000, showing a great
increase this year. The $23.40 rate is the
greatest in years.
CONNECTICUT.
The body of an unknown man was found
alongside the railroad tracks about a quar
ter mile north of the Windsor Locks sta
tion Monday morning, and has not yet
been identified. His head was split open
in the back. He had apparently been struck
by a train during the night, but nothing
was known of the accident until the body
was found between the north and south
main tracks in the morning. He was
about. 40 years old, about five feet and
eight inches! high, and weighed in s he
neighborhood of 160 pounds. He was of a
szndy complexion with a short-trimmed
mustache and wore ordinary working
clothes that bore the label of a New
York dealer, as did also a leather belt rhat
he wore. There was nothing on his per
son that might assist in identifying iiim.
One fellow that called during the day to
look at the remains said that he looked
like a man that he thought lived at Thomp
sunville. but nothing more was heard about
that clew.
The brown bear which has been seen
about town for the past two months was
located last week Wednesday on the large
tobacco farm of E. N. Austin on South
street. Suffield, by his brother, Charles C.
Austin. The bear was walking about the
field and made no attempt to get away un
til he heard the approach of Mr Austin,
who started after him with a Winchester
rifle. The bear then took a rapid gait, but
Austin succeeded in getting in two shots
which took effect. The bear at the last
shot faltered and fell, but before the hunt
er could get up to it the animal was up
and away into the woods nearby. A trail
of blood was followed, but the bear made
good his escape.
Articles \>f incorporation have beet, tiled
with the secretary of state by the Biss
land leather company, a new -'ompany
that has been formed by John K. Bissland
and other citizens of Enfield. The com
pany is capitalized at $25,900, and its of
ficers are: President, Mark W. Bushnell;
secretary, treasurer and manager, John K.
Bissland; directors, Dr Thomas G. Al
corn. Frank E. Healey of Windsor Locks,
William H. Leete, J. K. Bissland and M.
W. Bushnell. The company will turn out
leather for automobile hoods and leather
for upholstering furniture and carriages
and for similar uses.
VERMONT.
The Fairbanks museum of natural
science at St Johnsbury was broken
into Monday night, and a case containing
■valuable jewels, including a large uncut
diamond and several rare stones, was
robbed of its contents. Beyond the fact
that a theft had been committed, the po
lice gave out no information as to the
matter, and the trustees of the museum de
clined to discuss it. The amount of the
loss is not stated, but it is believed the
value of the stones will run into thousands
of dollars. The robbery was discovered
yesterday, when the museum was opened
by caretakers.
JUDGE CHARLES E. BURKE DEAD.
Wan Appointed by Gov Gnlld in 11*07
—Had Been 11l Only a Short Time.
Judge Charles Eugene Burke. 59. justice
of the district court of central Berkshire,
died at his home on Pollock ave
nue, Pittsfield, Tuesday afternoon at
3.03 o'clock, following an illness with
leukaemin, dating from July 22, on
which day he was on the bench for the
last time. That night he was taken serious
ly ill and experienced a gradual decline
until death. An operation upon an ulcerated
tooth during his illness complicated mat
ters.
Judge Burke was born in Glastonbury.
Ct, January 5, 1854, the son of Andrew
J. and Clarissa (Hills) Burke. and when
a boy moved with the family to Barks
ville, a suburb of Pittsfield. The father
became boss carder In the Barker mills
and the son was also employed tjiere. He
was a great student and even when en
gaged in the stern effort to earn a liveli
hood found time during the noon hour and
at night to acquire a variety of useful
knowledge. Earl Grey Baldwin, later
principal of the high school, was his tutoV
for a time. At the age, of 30 Judge Burke
was graduated with honor from Williams
college. He studied law in the office ot
the late Thomas P Pingree and was ad
mitted to the Berkshire bar at Pittsfield
in November, 1886. He was a member of
the law firm of Pingree. Dawes & Burke,
which was formed ou November 1, 1890.
Henry L Dawes, the only surviving mem
ber of the firm, who is the son of the
late United States senator, is now abroad
with Mrs Dawes.
Judge Burke served as referee in bank
ruptcy, beginning his duties in 1898, soon
after the present bankruptcy law went
into effect, aud was the author of at
least one law book. E. K. McPeck of Adams
succeeded him as referee when he was ap
pointed judge of the district court to suc
ceed the late Judge Joseph Tucker. His
commission, signed by Gov Cortis Guild,
bears date of December 4, 1907. The first
judge of the court as now constituted was
Gen Henry S. Briggs, appointed in 1869.
He was followed by another old soldier,
Judge Joseph Tucker, who served 34 years.
-■ w I
" , <
. .
JUDGE CHARLES E. BURKE.
Judge Burke had membership in the
Methodist Episcopal church, and the Park
and Monday Evening clubs. He was on
the directorates of the Third national bank
and of the Pittsfield co-operative bank.
He was married on August 27. 1891, to
Miss M. Ellen Wollison, who with one
son, Allen W. Burke, survives hjm. There
is also a brother, Clinton Burke, an in
structor in the normal school at Albany,
N. Y., and a sister, Mrs Charles T. Barker
of Pittsfield.
DEATH OF LEWIS J. BALL.
One of Springrßeld’ii Well-Known Gro
cers.
Lewis J. Ball, one of the best-known
grocers in this city, died at 5.30 o'clock
Thursday morning at the Forest park
sanitarium following an illness of three
weeks. Mr Ball had been suffering from
a nervous breakdown for some time, and
had been going to the sanitarium once a
week for electric treatment. Three weeks
ago he was operated upon for a swelling
of the parotid glands, and death was due
to septic poisoning, resulting from ab
scesses which formed in the glands.
Mr Ball was born in Agawam, August
18. 1858, the son of Meshach and Ann
C. (Judson) Ball. Mr Ball’s father
owned a large farm in that place, and
Mr Ball spent the first 18. years of his
life there. On coming to this city he en
tered the employ of J. S. Marsh & Son,
- ’ll
r, • *
y i- • A"
f ■
‘r' ,
LEWIS J. BALL.
grocers, then located on Main street. In
1892, together with Edward H. Hamblin,
he went into business for himself at the
corner of Main and Worthington streets,
where the Worthy hotel now stands. Whm
that block was damaged by fire the firm
moved to the monitor block opposite,
where the business was conducted until
Mr Hamblin withdrew and Mr Ball sold
out his interest.
Mr Ball next located in the Young
Men’s Christian association building, in
the store at Dwight and State streets now
occupied by Taylor’s music store. He was
alone there for about five years, when he
went into partnership with Arthur Spauld
ing at the same place. In 1903 the firm
moved to 140 State street, and about a
year afterward Mr Spaulding withdrew.
Following an assignment in 1907 the busi
ness was bought out by the assignees and
conducted as a corporation and Mr Ball
placed in charge. In November, 1912, the
corporation assigned to A. B. Sturtevant
and Edward Broadhurst, and the business
was conducted with Mr Ball as manager
of the store and treasurer of the corpora
tion. Early last month the business was
removed to 186 State street and the stock
and fixtures of the other store disposed of.
Mr Ball was taken sick before the re
moval, and the business was conducted by
the assignees.
Mr Ball was a member of the State
street Baptist church, having been a dea
con there for many years. At the time of
his death be was a senior deacon. Mr
Ball was not connected with any clubs
or fraternal organizations, giving all his
time to his family and his business. In
politics he was a republican, although Jie
was never a candidate for any public of
fice. Mr Bull was married, September
21, 1885, to Miss Gertrude Adams of
West Derby, Vt. He leaves besides his
widow, a son, Haymond A., bis mother,
Mrs Meshach Ball, and two sisters, Mary
J. and Bessie A. Ball, al! of this city.
An anonymous contribution of S2OOO was
lately received at the National aerial
league at Paris in ’order to enable Engineer
Moreau to proceed with his aeroplane meth
od, in which he secures a remarkable sta
bility. The value of his invention is now
beginning to be recognized, but although lie
was able to proceed with his work by the
aid of a private subscription, he was
obliged to stop when this became exhaust
ed. However, says the. Scientific Amer
ican. the Freiteh army is likely tn take rhe
matter up soon, as it is claimed that the
Moreau aeroplane realizes a complete au
tomatic stability. In a recent Hight made
by Lieut Sulnier, tire aeroplane was able
to fly for 35 minutes in rather rough weath
er without having th<- pilot operate any
of the steering parts. As M Moreau said
he would do, he made the entire flight
with folded arms, which appears to be a
remarkable feat.