History of Athol, Massachusetts, Part 46

Author: , William G., compiler
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: Athol, Mass
Number of Pages: 756

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At the former Pythian Block, 460 Main Street, was a First National Store. The writer personally saw a Red Cross motor boat run up the street to that store, enter the store through the front door, load on provisions, then back out and proceed on its way to relieve isolated families who were without food.

Subsequent investigations showed that the bottle neck in the river was at Wendell Depot setting the waters back nearly to the Starrett dam. At the westerly end of Main Street the waters flowed back to Union Street thus entirely submerging the houses and the Cass plant on Canal Street.

Bread and some mail were brought in by air to Orange Air- port but it was only through Petersham and Route 122 that it could be reached. South Main Street homes which were not flooded were entirely isolated until eventually reached by boat. Again as in 1936 the railroad was a great sufferer and no trains were run over the line passing our station for many days. Hundreds of acres of forests were laid low necessitating im-

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mediate lumber operations and bidding fair to produce lumber far beyond local needs.

The Federal Government sent its Disaster Loan Represent- atives here and through it much of the timber was cut into logs and dumped into ponds and lakes to prevent borer des- truction. Eventually these logs were bought by New England Box Company and trucked overland to Winchester, New Hampshire, where they were sawed into lumber. But in dealing with local owners a system of log measurements angrily called the "swindle stick" credited the owners with much less board feet than has always been the custom in local operations.

September 23rd Companies A, B, C and D, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, Mass. N. G., were assigned to military duty here, continuing until October 2. During the period we were under military surveillance which amounted to Martial Law as none of us was allowed to frequent the streets without a pass. But when the winds ceased and the floods receded our people heroically set about restoring the damage with commendable zeal.

One dwelling at 365 Exchange Street was swept down stream, as were two large hay barns on the north meadows, and with them many smaller structures making at Main Street bridge a lumber jam that cost much time and effort to remove.

Elsewhere in this work is mention of the new Masonic Block built by Lucien Lord in 1873-4. Adjoining the property on the west was the Mersylvia Twichell house lot which she oc- cupied until her death on November 8, 1872. This adjoining property Mr. Lord acquired from her executor, Franklin Barnard of Wilmington, Vermont on April 30, 1873 and remodelled the lower story into two stores naming it the Central Block. Eventually he closed the driveway west of the building and built thereon a store taken over under lease by W. W. Norton who removed here from Springfield to open a dry goods store.

In the Central Block in 1890, beginning at the west, were W. W. Norton's Dry Goods, Fred W. Lord's Drug Store, Fred U. Smith (shoes) with C. A. Houghton (cobbler) in the rear of his store and the Benjamin F. Barrus boarding house on the second floor. The Masonic Block was occupied by C. M. Briggs, plumber, in the basement; E. E. Cleveland, the Post Office, and C. A. Carruth on the ground floor; E. V. Wilson's

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IT HAPPENED ONE DAY

law office, H. M. Slate, billiard parlor; J. W. Donovan, barber; and the Selectmen's office on the second floor; and the Ma- sonic bodies on the third floor.

Fire broke out in the basement under the Post Office and Cleveland store on a Saturday night or early Sunday morning of December 21, 1890. Quickly spreading to the Central Block, it raged until both buildings were damaged beyond repair. In fighting the blaze an Athol fireman, Alexander MacLeod, was killed. The stocks and fixtures of all the occupants above mentioned were seriously damaged.

For immediate and temporary quarters Mr. Norton and Mr. Carruth built the building which is now the first floor of the northeast building of J. F. McElwain Company plant, and Fred W. Lord found temporary quarters with the C. F. Paige & Company. The Post Office was for a time in the front room of the "Aunt Sally Fish house" until the Postmaster, William W. Fish, built in the then vacant lot at 438 Main Street a tem- porary structure which is now a part of the rear building at 216 Exchange Street.

Through the years Athol had been proud of its banking insti- tutions and fully convinced of their solvency but there had poured into their coffers many more funds than could be used locally. Hence they sought bond investments for their surplus funds. After the crash of 1929 many securities deemed high grade in the lush days preceding the depression fell to but a fraction of their former value. The Savings and Co-operative Banks had no daily quotation of their assets published in the newspapers and thus not even the management of those insti- tutions knew accurately the value of their investments. With the bond investments it was different.

Daily the executives of our two national banks saw the market value of their assets shrink lower and lower. Twice the directors of each bank made donations out of their own funds to relieve the situation only to see the donations wiped out and the shrinkage go on. Bank examiners admitted frankly that our situation was little different from many others except that we had a larger percentage of listed securities.

Conferences were held with a view to consolidating the two institutions but neither was strong enough to assist materially in supporting the other. Then came the Fourth of March and the Bank Holiday proclaimed by the Roosevelt Administration. Every bank in the land was closed and only allowed to open

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HISTORY OF ATHOL

when it could show figures indicating solvency. The men in charge believed that an upswing in the stock market must come but they were confronted with present figures and not future hopes. Consequently neither bank felt it could sign the required certificate of solvency.

The time came in the process of liquidation of these banks when, had the securities been held until then, they would have paid every debt of the bank and par value of the stock.

Representatives of all our banks made a hasty trip to Washington for consultation with the Treasury Department and there were advised to follow the so-called Spokane Plan which in effect was to organize a new bank which would buy the sound assets of the older institutions. This involved raising $150,000 in new money which was soon accomplished and then came the weeks of delay by an overloaded Treasury De- partment. The ban of suspension was held over all State char- tered banks of Massachusetts until our problem with others could be solved. Although our money was in readiness Athol was one of the last to get organized.

As the weeks dragged on payments of deposits were allowed for emergencies only, even by the solvent Savings and Co- operative Banks, but a patient public waited during the four and half months which elapsed before a new Commercial Bank was in operation and the ban was lifted on the others.

During the months that followed several dividends were paid by the Receivers of the closed banks until finally some- thing over 90% was paid on each depositor obligation of the closed institutions. Several different men served as Receivers during the long process of liquidation but the real burden of liquidation fell upon C. Edward Rowe, Esq. who took over Millers River Bank's affairs and much later those of Athol Na- tional Bank.

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CHAPTER XXXV ATHOL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

G EORGE N. KENDALL, a descendant of Jonathan Kendall who was a pioneer on Chestnut Hill and a Revolutionary soldier, died in Athol on March 4, 1908, leaving no issue but a second wife, Mrs. Sarah Kendall. Mr. Kendall, at the time of his decease, owned the property at 86 Newton Street. As Mrs. Kendall had no one to occupy this house except her aged father, she conceived the idea of starting a small hospital and in this initial enterprise was most ably aided by her own family physician, Dr. David G. Coolidge.

After a period of individual operation she appealed to a group of citizens in Athol to assist in the management and support of the institution. A considerable number of interested men became associated with her and organized a voluntary as- sociation for this purpose. The President and most active member of this group was Honorable Thomas J. Worrell who gathered about him a considerable group of public spirited citizens. This was later merged into a Massachusetts corpora- tion, chartered on December 23, 1918.

There was considerable interest in the project and a large number of people became contributors to it. On September 19, 1922 a new code of by-laws of the association was adopted and a large number of local people became contributing mem- bers of the corporation. At that period, the officers of the association were: President, N. D. Cass; Treasurer, W. M. Hunt; Clerk, A. M. Buchanan; Directors, N. D. Cass, W. M. Hunt, R. L. Dexter, W. L. Edgar, M.D., D. G. Coolidge, M.D., J. F. Higgins, J. G. Sisson, J. F. Hayden, Fred H. Lee, T. J. Worrell, W. G. Lord, G. J. Bassow, M.D., and J. A. Smith, M.D.

However, notwithstanding the quite general public support, the income failed to meet expenses and at length Mrs. Kendall advised the group that she felt she must withdraw from further activities in the matter.

The hospital was closed, leaving a substantial amount of indebtedness. Much of this indebtedness was in the form of a note held by the Millers River Bank which was signed by several of the Directors. These signers bore the larger part of the payment of this note, but with numerous contributions

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HISTORY OF ATHOL

from other interests, ere long the indebtedness of the corpora- tion was adjusted.

Then in May, 1927, at the instigation of Dr. William L. Edgar, and a few other physicians and laymen, the various or- ganizations of the town were asked to send delegates to a meeting to take some hospital action. This group met at the Y.M.C.A., taking positive action towards the reorganization of the hospital corporation. An entirely new corps of officers was elected and there was much enthusiasm about starting imme- diately a campaign to raise funds for a hospital building.

The officers elected were: William G. Lord, President; Fred- erick H. Lee, Secretary; John F. Hayden, Treasurer; and with these the following Directors: George W. Andrews of Orange, Frank A. Ball, Robert Barrett, N. D. Cass, Richard T. Fisher of Petersham, Eben E. Gridley of Orange, Oscar Horton, Joseph E. Garbarino, Simon Mackay, James O'Laughlin, Frazier K. Paige, Spencer A. Reed, Arthur F. Tyler, E. Warren Tyler, Howard P. Warren, W. W. Woodward, and Charles E. Worrick.

As soon as this new organization was well under way, it was discovered that the charter of the former corporation had been annulled by act of the Legislature, but the new management asked to have the charter reviewed which was done by Chapter 90 of the year 1928.

During the year 1928 this new group arranged for final liquidation, to compromise the indebtedness of the old cor- poration, and proceeded to give the subject of a hospital build- ing a very thorough investigation. Architects were consulted, concerns experienced in soliciting funds were interviewed, managers of other hospitals came to talk to the directors, and they were well on the way toward making a definite start.

The late W. W. Woodward and this author interviewed Mrs. Mary Sawyer Bradley, asking that she donate the location now the hospital site to the corporation for a hospital. She declined to accede to our request but did give a price for which it could be bought.

Before plans were far advanced, a committee from Orange came before us and stated that the Orange members wished to withdraw from the activities whether they be to gather funds for a hospital in the dim future or to proceed shortly on an active campaign. Thus, after that interview, the Orange Di- rectors were no longer counted as members of the body.

In June, 1929 a meeting of the Directors was held at which there was strong sentiment in favor of proceeding with a

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campaign to raise funds, but certain members felt that it was advisable to defer for a time until the financial atmosphere seemed to be somewhat nearer normal and action was deferred. Then came the financial crash in November, 1929, and it was a matter of great rejoicing that we were not embarked on an extensive program during that most unpleasant experience.

Yet the corporation was kept alive, and when on May 15, 1943 Mr. Hayden, Treasurer, died, Town Treasurer Charles W. Faulkner was elected in his place. Some funds were be- queathed to the corporation and at various times it considered the resuming of activities toward raising a fund to build a hospital building, but each time it seemed to be the consensus of opinion that it was advisable for the Board to defer action for a time. This was the condition of affairs when in 1947 a group of younger men started a movement looking towards the organization of an independent corporation. Representatives of this group interviewed the directors but they were not con- vinced that it was advisable to start on an active campaign and they accordingly made preliminary efforts to organize a new corporation. In this new group were many active younger citizens but apparently they failed to draw quickly to them- selves the financial backing necessary to successful efforts.

With much determination this group then brought the matter before the town at the annual meeting of 1946, asking that a committee admittedly favorable to their plans be ap- pointed to consider the matter from a municipal angle. Many of this group had been openly antagonistic to Special Town Meetings but nevertheless their committee brought the matter before the voters on December 3, 1946 for final action. Their program was adopted by a clear majority but as a two-thirds vote was necessary to finance the project and as with 1364 voters casting their ballot on the matter, the number in favor was found to be some 31 votes less than the required two- thirds, the motion was declared lost.

The amount asked for under the recommendation of this committee was $350,000. (less than half what was subse- quently made available and this larger sum was hardly ade- quate).

Shortly after this town meeting, Mr. Arthur H. Starrett called together some twenty-five men representing the larger financial interests of Athol, for a noonday lunch at the Pequoig Hotel, asking these men to advise as to what should be done in this very controversial matter. At the meeting this writer, as President of the Athol Memorial Hospital Corporation, pre-

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sented the offer of the directors of that corporation to allow the older corporation to be the basis of any voluntary com- munity hospital project, with it of course turning over some $17,000. already accumulated for this purpose.

Events moved rapidly. It was only a few days before both groups, the older corporation and the newer enthusiasts, met on Sunday morning, December 29, 1946 at the Pequoig House and effected an agreement to join forces in a drive for funds for a privately managed institution. Another town meeting was held on December 30, 1946 at which time it was antici- pated that there would be a general agreement to take no further action looking toward a municipal hospital, but to the surprise of those who had agreed to the privately supported hospital proposition, an attempt was made both in the debate and in the ballot to secure the necessary vote to perfect the municipally owned project. However, the voters present de- feated this attempt by a very substantial margin, the vote being -yes 525, no 909.

Immediately following this, preparations were made to start an intensive drive for funds by private contribution, several making payments before the end of the calendar year, it being advantageous from a tax angle for them to do so.

The trustees of the existing hospital corporation arranged to have the by-laws revised to meet the wishes of the combined group as well as possible and speedily filled the membership on the Board of Directors to the number of thirty-one as pro- vided by the new by-laws. During this preparation for active work, Mr. Lord notified the group that he did not feel he could carry on the responsibilities of the corporation through the period of intensive activities and soon tendered his resig- nation. This was accepted and he was thereupon elected Hon- orary President.

Roy F. Cooke was elected President on February 6, 1947. On February 17th Dr. Henry Pollack, former Director of the Massachusetts Memorial Hospital, was hired as consultant to the Building Committee.

Two days later Henry Souders, a Representative of Aderton- Johnson Assoc. of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, arrived in town and started a survey in accordance with the vote of Board of Trustees. Pre-campaign survey indicated, after checking with fifty-five men and women of the town, that 88% of the group contacted favored a fifty to sixty bed hospital. They also felt that a sum of $500,000 to $600,000 could be raised.

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ATHOL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

James H. Ritchie and Son, arriving in town on March fourth, were shown five proposed sites for the hospital building. It was their opinion that the Sawyer lot was the best location available.

This "Sawyer Lot" is a tract of about twelve acres acquired in 1871 of Benjamin Estabrook by Addison M. Sawyer, a native of Templeton,who by a series of inventions had accumulated abundant means.

A. M. SAWYER MANSION, 1871-1949 NO. 2033 MAIN STREET

Upon this tract, with Frank C. Doane as his builder, he built a mansion house, a caretaker's cottage and a sizable stable.

Calamity seemed to have marked this citizen, for in about three years after he moved into his sumptuous home the wife of his youth was taken by death, she to be followed some ten years later by her younger son and the illness of the other son who survived his father less than ten weeks. His palatial home was also a disappointment for it was found impossible to heat it comfortably and it had to be abandoned in the winter months.

Mr. Sawyer died January 24, 1890, and his widow, a second wife whom he had married in 1877, and a most estimable lady,

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HISTORY OF ATHOL

soon married a Mr. Bradley and removed to Hudson, Massa- chusetts.

Charles H. Hayden and Mary, his wife, lived in the care- taker's house and cared for the property, eventually acquiring that part of the estate at a nominal figure. In her old age Mrs. Bradley was tenderly cared for by Mr. Sawyer's nephew, Burn- side E. Sawyer in Fitchburg.

She died at Worcester, December 18, 1936, aged 92, leav- ing the real estate the property of the Sawyer heirs. During the last years of Mrs. Bradley's life the Athol real estate had been allowed to deteriorate, the windows being boarded up by police order, and the whole finally being sold for accumulated taxes.

During that period the lot at the corner of Main and Me- chanic Streets was sold off and a gasoline station built there.

Following this, a grand-nephew of Mr. Sawyer secured the tax title and a release from the other heirs and in 1946 offered it through Selectman Thomas Kendrick as a site for a hospital to be known as Sawyer Memorial. An enthusiastic group of our younger citizens were strong for accepting it, but when the merger was effected with the existing Athol Memorial Hospital group the name of that corporation was agreed upon. Mr. Lester T. Sawyer placed a price of $23,000 on the property but eventually deeded it to the corporation, his only stipulation being that somewhere in the building a Sawyer memorial should be placed.

Hired on April seventh to start their fund raising campaign at once, Aderton-Johnson Assoc. arrived in town on Patriots' Day, April 19th, and located in the Poquaig Club Rooms for a strenuous financial campaign. On the same day the Board hired James H. Ritchie and Assoc. of Boston to make plans for a building not to exceed $400,000 for a forty bed hospital.

Mesdames Taft, Towne and Hamilton were asked to start a Ladies Auxiliary.

Members of the Executive Committee drove to Waban, Massachusetts on May 5th and after a discussion with Dr. Pol- lack, it was voted to increase the size of the building to a forty-eight bed hospital.

Early in December, 1947 the officers went to Boston where an application for a federal grant was filed with the Federal Security Administration and Division of Hospital Survey and Construction of Commonwealth of the State.

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ATHOL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

An offer of $712. was made for the Sawyer Mansion which was accepted. It was razed in January, 1948.

Although the officers were led to believe that we would re- ceive approval for the grant which meant that the Federal Gov- ernment would pay one-third of the entire cost of the building and equipment, we were amazed when word was received that the grant had been turned down completely by the State Board Committee. This demanded quick action. Consequently the following members: President Roy F. Cooke; Vice-Presidents Arthur H. Starrett and John W. Campbell; Chairman of the Building Committee, George F. Holland; Edward T. Fairchild and Dr. Donald B. Cheetham went down to the State House on one of the worst days of winter with one object in mind- to get the Federal Grant approval. Each member appealed to the fifteen-man State Board and at the end of two hours, the State Board voted unanimously to back these leaders of the hospital with a grant of one-third of the entire cost.

On March 14, 1949 Dr. D. B. Cheetham was appointed head of the Medical Advisory Committee.

Bids on the hospital building were opened on May 17th. William Belbin was the lowest of eleven bidders with a price

ATHOL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

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HISTORY OF ATHOL

of $623,630. This was $3630 or about 1/2% above the price estimated by the architect. Paul Nalon, Director of the Frank- lin County Hospital in Greenfield, was engaged as Consultant for Purchase of Hospital equipment.

Work was started on the hospital on May 31, 1949, and on the following September 11, before a crowd estimated to be 2500, the cornerstone of the building was placed. Dr. Frank Leahey of Boston was the principal speaker. Broadcast over Radio Station WHOB of Gardner, highlights of the program arranged by Chairman George M. Dodge and his committee included cornerstone placing, William G. Lord, Honorary Pres- ident; Vice Presidents Arthur H. Starrett and John W. Camp- bell; Chairman of the Building Committee, George F. Holland. The musical program was furnished by Union Twist Drill Glee Club and Athol Military Band. Revs. Costello, Fowler, and Rabbi Ucko gave spiritual emphasis to the occasion.

As Administrator of the hospital, Henry B. Kidder of Lima, Ohio was engaged on June 15, 1949, to start work as of August 1, he continued with us until July 1953 when he resigned to accept a similar position in Canton, Ohio. With little delay the Executive Committee engaged in Mr. Kidder's place Mr. John R. Lally of Ludlow, Massachusetts, who began his duties here August 1, 1953.

Sunday, September 10, 1950, the doors of the institution were thrown open and with members of the staff already re- cruited and of the Board of Trustees as reception committee and guides, the public both of Athol and of all nearby towns was escorted through the building and much details explained to them.

On Thursday, September 14, the first patient was admitted to the hospital and it continues to serve this area. In 1951 the management asked for additional funds for operating, naming a figure of $100,000 as desirable, and without undue effort that sum was oversubscribed by some $2000.

Athol people are constantly learning the true value of this institution to the community and are also learning something of the efforts and costs entailed in maintaining and operating it.

No intensive campaign has been made by the hospital's Endowment Committee but already as of July 25, 1953 there was $52,761.13 in Treasurer Faulkner's hands as a nucleus of permanent endowment fund and it is anticipated that as years come and go many more donations will come into that fund.

566

CHAPTER XXXVI PROFESSIONAL MEN

A HISTORY of Athol without the story of her professional men who have actually participated in the life of the town would be incomplete in its component parts. With the various churches the clergymen are mentioned. The others - doctors, lawyers, dentists, optometrists, veterinarians, coroners, and medical examiners are given below with a short sketch for each so far as the information could be obtained.

Doctors

Austin, Horace B .- Born in Townsend, Vermont, 1806. Married Sally W. Lewis at South Royalston on March 5, 1845. Died in Athol on August 15, 1856 - thrown from his buggy near 108 Templeton Road.

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History of Athol, Massachusetts, Part 46

Author: , William G., compiler Publication date: 1953 Publisher: Athol, Mass Number of Pages: 756

Author: , William G., compiler
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: Athol, Mass
Number of Pages: 756