USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Bernardston > History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin County, Massachusetts, Volume II, 1900-1960, with genealogies > Part 4
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Money was scarce in 1930, and the voters waited. Several local men were actively interested in the early district and by 1933 Fred A. Donaldson joined the officers of the district in the struggle for an adequate water system. Government aid was available at the time, under the acts of the early Roosevelt administration, and it was discovered that the town could receive a 30% grant from the government if it decided to build a water system then. Sensing that this was a favorable time to build, as the Government money would not always be available, Mr. Donaldson circulated a letter to the voters of the district, pointing out to them the need for and advantages of a water system. But the opposition had questions. Where would the water be stored? Two proposed plans were set up, one calling for a reservoir on Mill Brook, one calling for a storage tank. If the town decided on a storage tank, where would it be built? Mr. Donaldson offered to donate land on Fox Hill for that purpose. Was he legally entitled to do this? Papers were pro- duced, proving the title to the land had been cleared. How much would the tax rate increase? Donaldson produced figures to prove that, should the District decide to build a water system, the low- ering of fire insurance rates would more than offset the increase in the tax rate, thus actually saving money for the voters. Could the District afford to build both its own storage tank and pumping
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
system? It was decided to buy the water from Greenfield thus saving the cost of building and maintaining a separate pumping system.
A warrant was posted late in November, engineers from Boston were contacted to come and speak to the members of the group, and on December 22, 1933, it came to a vote. In a heated meeting, lasting from 8:00 to 11:15 p.m., the proposed plan was defeated. Donaldson and the committee went back to work.
In 1935 a new development arose. The money available from Federal sources increased to 45% of the total cost. Another war- rant was posted and again the proposed plan was called to a vote, and on October 21, the Bernardston Fire and Water District, by a vote of 161 to 49 agreed to begin work on a water system, and Harold Streeter, Warren Root and Grenville Moat were chosen as a committee to negotiate with the water commissioners of Green- field to make a fixed price for water. Tension eased and in De- cember 1935, contracts were let to Sam Failla of Greenfield for construction of a concrete reservoir and another to Warner Brothers and Goodwin, Inc., of Sunderland for installation of the cast iron mains. However, there were more obstacles. The Town of Greenfield agreed to furnish Bernardston with water but the price was prohibitive. The District was left with a "dry" system, a reservoir and water lines, but no source of water.
More time was lost when the voters of the District defeated a request for $13,000.00 to finance "the construction of a pumping station and all its appurtenances." On July 2, 1936, the money was finally voted and work on the water system continued under the direction of the Water Commissioners. Tests were made and an adequate source of water, which passed all requirements and was of excellent quality, was found on the Garbose and Kumin prop- erty near the Greenfield line, site of the present wells. The land was purchased for $1500.00, the contract for a dug well thirty feet deep, twelve feet in diameter and the station was signed with Warner Brothers and Goodwin, Inc., and work began on the pumping system which would pump the water to the 500,000 gal- lon tank on Fox Hill, the same tank which is in use today on the property donated by Commissioner Donaldson. The Turbine Equipment Company of New England contracted with the Dis- trict to furnish and install the pumping equipment consisting of two pumps of one hundred gallons per minute capacity with measuring devices and automatic controls.
It is interesting to note that the final agreement as to the
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
amount of water needed, the location of the reservoir and water source and cost of construction was very close to the estimate drawn up by the original 1915 committee. It speaks well for their foresight. The Water Commissioners, Herman Wiemers, Chair- man, Fred Donaldson and John Chapin, deserve a great deal of credit for their efforts and perseverance which finally brought to Bernardston its excellent water system.
The District has been continually enlarging since its 1930 begin- ning. By 1940 it became evident that the water mains should be extended. The necessary funds were voted and additional mains were laid on West Mountain Road, Cross Street to River Street, south on River Street to Hoe Shop Road, Northfield Road to Casey Brook, Parmenter Road to Harwood Drive, Bald Mountain Road to Clarence Pratt's and up Huckle Hill Road to the Frank Oakes residence. This completed the District as it was originally laid out. Periodically since then, short additions have been made to benefit new construction and to tie in lines.
In 1950 the District was legally enlarged to include the Bald Mountain Road section as far as Burke Flat Road to Fall River, providing the impetus for the considerable building which has gone on in this area since then.
During 1954 about nine thousand feet of ten-inch main were laid by B. L. Frye, Inc., of Orange along Route 5 north to the Forbes property. This was a boundary extension done under the Enabling Act of 1952. Facts and figures were made available to the voters as to its effect on the taxpayer, but opposition was practically nil. The voters had apparently been thoroughly con- vinced by the early arguments for water.
Due to these increases in the length of the system, it became apparent during the dry summers of 1954 and 1956 that the present system was not sufficient. Tests were made in the vicinity of the original well to see if another source could be found. The first one was disappointing. At a depth of seventy-two feet a ledge was struck, and the well produced only ten gallons per minute. Another test was made, closer to the old well. This time the re- sults were satisfactory. It produced, on a test, four hundred gallons per minute from a source independent of the old well. An article was brought before the voters and approved, and the well house, built by Cooke and Jones, Inc., of Greenfield, contractors, and the gravel packed well, approximately sixty-eight feet deep, con- structed by Edwin H. Hartley of Turners Falls, were finished in
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
1959. The new pump has a two hundred gallon per minute capacity.
At the time when the Bald Mountain Road extension was in- stalled, provision was made at the Burke Flat intersection for a six- inch main to tee from the original ten-inch main on Route 5 across Burke Flat and Fall River to complete a circuit by joining the Bald Mountain extension there. This extension was voted in 1958, but before work could begin, complications arose. The Massachusetts Department of Public Works was constructing new Route 91 across the same area, and on their advice the project was delayed until their work was under way. In due time, after the new highway was laid out, the contract was let to the G. Ferrante Corporation of Greenfield and the tie-in between Bald Mountain Road and Route 5 was completed in 1960.
From the original installation to date, the whole system has been constructed in such a way that the maintenance cost has been very reasonable. For the year 1960, records show that a total of 57,918,330 gallons of water were supplied by the three pumps to satisfy the needs of the users.
After serving its voters with water and fire protection service for twenty-five years, the Bernardston Fire and Water District continues to demonstrate its worth, in fact, demonstrates it so well that today there is little opposition and in some instances almost no interest in the business of the District. Many people have given freely of their time and ability in serving the Fire and Water Dis- trict. 1960 Water Commissioners were: Richard C. Phelps, Delvy M. Field and Clifford B. Grover; Clerk and Treasurer, Lynn A. Wyatt. It is worthy of mention that Lynn Wyatt has served as treasurer since 1935 and as clerk of the District since 1936.
Since its modest beginning, when it served thirty-three users, the District now serves three hundred twenty. The credit, how- ever, belongs to the early members through whose foresight we enjoy all the benefits of an adequate supply of water for house- hold use and fire protection.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
P RIOR to the year 1954, there was no formally organized police department. Constables were elected at the annual town meet- ing and special police officers and acting chiefs were appointed by the selectmen. Perhaps the chief with the longest term of service was the late Harold $, Streeter. Mr. Streeter served the town for
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
approximately twenty-five years without salary. His only reim- bursement was for traveling expenses and telephone charges.
Following Mr. Streeter's service, the late C. Raymond Deane was appointed acting chief. Mr. Deane died performing the duties of his office while directing traffic at a fire at Leon Wood's on Hoe Shop Road in 1953. Mr. Deane's son, Russell, was appointed to the position of acting chief in 1954. During his term of office the constables attended training sessions given Greenfield reserve officers. They also worked with the selectmen and the State De- partment of Public Works to set up and adopt some motor vehicle laws for the town and to have several stop signs approved.
Monthly meetings with officers from neighboring towns have been attended by the constables and chief, to study law-enforce- ment. Speakers on related subjects have proved beneficial to those attending.
In 1958, a red light was placed on the belfry of the town hall to summon the officers in an emergency. Also, a red and blue flashing light was purchased for the chief's car. A mouth-to-mask resuscitator was purchased in 1960 to be carried in the chief's car at all times and in 1961, a two-way radio was added to the equip- ment.
As the town has grown and progressed, the need of a police de- partment has become evident. The purchasing of equipment gradually through the years and the advance in knowledge of law- enforcement has greatly increased the efficiency of the force.
TELEPHONE SYSTEM
T HE first telephone communication in Bernardston before the turn of the century was between the homes of Erwin M. Streeter and Arthur H. Nelson on Bald Mountain Road. The in- strument consisted of a wooden frame (called a drum head) cov- ered with sheep skin and connected in the center by a fine copper wire. Calls were made from one house to the other by rapping on the drum head with a spoon. Later a school bell with tongue and handle removed was attached to the drum head improving the quality of the sound.
In February, 1901, the first local exchange was installed in the home of Dr. and Mrs. Charles E. Holton on Center Street (the Snow residence). The equipment included a magneto type board operated by members of the Holton family and served six sub- scribers. The Holtons soon moved this exchange to Church Street (later the Arthur Nelson residence) and employed Mrs. Raymond
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
Atherton (Blanch Chapin) as a day operator with Harry Har- graves as the night operator. At this time, the day operator labored from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week with Sunday afternoon off, for the sum of $3.00 per week.
Brothers, Cola and Arthur Nelson, took over the system in 1903, when it was known as the Bernardston and Gill Company. Mrs. Arthur Nelson (Nellie May) served as operator and book- keeper and traveled by horse and buggy delivering and collecting bills in Leyden, Gill and throughout the town. Other "Hello Girls" employed by the Nelsons were Mrs. Raymond Atherton, Mrs. Ernest Wood (Susan Dunklee), Nellie Longwell and Mrs. Clyde Gove (Doris Shedd). The wages were increased by this time to $5.00 per week. When assistance was needed for a fire, two long and two short rings were sent over every line and the men re- sponded to the call.
This system was sold to the New England Telephone and Tele- graph Company about 1914, when the office was moved to the Ed- ward Felter residence on Church Street and a new type switch- board was installed. The exchange was operated by the Felters, the Hugh Adamses and later by the Herbert Grahams.
Mrs. Tryphena Hopkinson was in charge of the exchange from 1932 to 1940, when the dial system was installed. At this time a small brick building, which was enlarged in 1959, was built be- tween the Post Office and Cushman Hall on Church Street. On May Ist, Bernardston cut over from magneto to community dial. The first call was passed by Melvin A. Denison, Chairman of the Selectmen. The cut was made in a smooth and efficient manner and the town was very much pleased with the new service.
Bernardston was included in the Greenfield exchange October 1, 1954, thereby eliminating toll charges between the two towns and marking another step forward in the history of the town.
BERNARDSTON POST OFFICE
T HERE have been many changes in the postal service in Bernard- ston during the past sixty years. In 1900, the office had a fourth class rating and all mail was brought into the town by rail- road. The mail in 1961 is carried to town by truck or automobile. The office business has increased steadily because of the rise in population and the gradual increase in the use of the mails for personal and business use, and the office now has a third class rating.
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
The first post office was located in the southeast room of the old Ryther house, now owned by Fred A. Donaldson. Dr. Ryther was postmaster at this location from 1813 to 1839. Lt. Gov. Henry W. Cushman moved the office to Cushman Tavern when he succeeded Dr. Ryther as postmaster. The post office made many moves in subsequent years, first to a site where Harris' Store is now located and then to a small building near Goodale Academy. The office moved to a new building on the corner of Church and Center Streets (near the present Cities Service Station) about 1866, and remained there for some years until its removal to the Old Brick Store (site of the present Bernardston Auto Exchange). Again it was moved to Depot Street to the home owned now by Alfred Deane but at that time it housed a general store in the north end with the office located on the south. On November 15, 1930, the office was moved for the final time to its present location on Church Street. It is hoped that at some future time, a final move can be made into a Federal building near the center of town which would adequately provide for the increased business of the office and the town.
Bernardston has the distinction of having one of the first rural routes in the country, and it may be tied with Greenfield for hav- ing the first rural route in New England. Rural service was estab- lished here six months after the rural mail service bill passed Congress and the first delivery was made on November 2, 1896. Early rural carriers were: Ralph Park, Miles Carpenter, Frank Fairman, Alfred Flagg, Leon Nelson and the present carrier, Fred G. Huber. Many changes have taken place since this route was first established. Originally, part of Greenfield and Guilford were serviced from this office but, with the addition of the Leyden route of Colrain and West Leyden, Greenfield and part of the Guilford route was dropped. In November, 1961, the Huckle Hill section was added, making a total of 50.42 miles covered by this office. East Bernardston is served by a carrier from Turners Falls.
It is interesting to note that Mr. Nelson's first pay was $72.00 per month back in 1906, and he had to furnish his own con- veyance. At first he made the trip with horses and during the winter months often resorted to snowshoes in order to make his deliveries. Mr. Nelson retired March 31, 1941, after thirty-four and one-half years of continuous service. Also, worthy of note is the fact that two men, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Huber, have faith- fully covered the route in all kinds of weather since 1906.
Postmasters since 1900 have been: Fred Bardwell, Irwin Hale,
T
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
Mrs. Mae Atherton, Harold E. Cairns and Hazel M. Cairns. Mrs. Cairns has been postmaster since September, 1931, the longest term of service of any postmaster in the town to date.
ACETYLENE GAS COMPANY
T HE Bernardston Acetylene Light Company was formed in 1905 with a capital stock of $2500. A plant was built on the west side of Depot Street about opposite the Baptist Church. The main pipe was laid from the Congregational Church to the hotel corner, thence as far south as L. Dwight Slate's, then north from the post office on the corner of Church and Center Streets as far as W. E. Cushman's (now William S. Prescott's) on Center Street. The Library, Town Hall, Baptist and Congregational Churches and a few private residences were soon piped for gas. This utility did not last many years as electricity soon took its place.
ELECTRICITY
T HE Greenfield Electric Light and Power Company petitioned for pole locations in the streets of Bernardston as early as April, 1910. In 1911 the company entered into street lighting con- tracts with Bernardston and Northfield. Besides furnishing street lights to the two communities, it delivered commercial light and power. This work was finished in 1911, and an article in the town report of that year asks for $600 for the purpose of lighting the streets. More lights have been added from time to time. Street lights, better lighting for homes, and the use of electrical appli- ances greatly improved living conditions. The present generation can hardly appreciate or understand what a wonderful boon the coming of electricity was to the town.
BERNARDSTON RAIL ERA PASSES
R EMOVAL of the old railroad station in July, 1949, marked the end of an era of railroading begun here in 1846, when the Connecticut River Line, taken over fifty years later by the Boston and Maine Railroad, was constructed through the town.
A half-century ago the railroad business was active here. Several well-patronized trains and a number of freights stopped every day. When the trolleys were running from Greenfield to Springfield, the railroad competed by selling tickets for this thirty-six-mile stretch for fifty cents.
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
For many years, trains were used by workers and students going to Greenfield or points beyond, and even if they were sometimes delayed, there was always a warm place to wait and someone to talk with by the old flat-topped stove. Commutation tickets were cheap for those who travelled every day, and for those who used the trains frequently, there were ten- or twenty-dollar mileage books, at two cents a mile or less.
The station agents of those days were busy men who held re- sponsible positions and worked long hours. Sometimes an extra man was needed for the night shift. The agent also had the extra job of being telegrapher, as there was a Western Union office in the station. One agent, Obed Dickinson, worked for the Connecti- cut River Railroad for forty years, possibly all that time in Ber- nardston. Other agents employed for long periods were Sam Bachelder, Richard Price, and Harry Foley.
East and west of the station, long woodsheds stood near the track where fuel was kept for the wood-burning engines of early days. One Bernardston citizen recalled in 1949, that seventy years ago eleven hundred cords of wood were cut by a gang of French wood choppers and brought down from a distant woodlot on Huckle Hill. Wood was probably not used much after the 1870's. The western shed burned one Sunday night about 1900; the other had disappeared much earlier. At the eastern end there stood a freight house, later moved away to be used as a barn, and a large circular brick tank where engines could take on water. The water was piped from Fox Brook back of the Col. Ferry buildings (now Warren Taylor's). The overflow from this tank supplied a horse watering trough across the road from the station. When water was low in the tank there was nothing for the horses. Both tank and trough have been gone for many years.
After the burning of the last woodshed, a lawn and flower beds appeared west of the station, and a prosperous Boston and Maine Railroad offered prizes for the best looking grounds along the road. Richard Price won the prize for Bernardston twice.
In 1938, after the September hurricane, the local station came briefly to life and was open day and night while trains were re- routed and tracks repaired. After that, it went to sleep again while an average of one and one-tenth passengers used the two trains each day.
The picturesque stone railroad bridge of four arches crossing Fall River is just east of the site of the old station.
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
ROADS AND BRIDGES
T HE coming of automobiles in the early 1900's created a road problem, as, during the summer months, the dirt roads be- came extremely dry. Every auto raised a continuous cloud of dust. The main roads were well oiled by 1915, when over 8000 gallons of oil were used. Calcium chloride later took the place of oil. There were no hard-surfaced roads in town until 1929, when Ralph Deane was appointed superintendent. He applied the first tar, which was on Center Street.
The few new town roads which have been built during the last sixty years are: School Road, leading from South Street to the Elementary School; Harwood Drive; the relocation of the southern section of Bald Mountain Road; and "Cedar Lane," the road to the new town dump. Routes 5 and 10, and Route 5, state roads, were paved in the early 1920's, and a new short section was built, extending from Fox Hill Road to the James Perry place, eliminat- ing a bad curve on the road past Fred Donaldson's. This old road is now called Burrows Turnpike. The South Street grade crossing was finally replaced by an overpass in 1939, although the select- men had petitioned the Railroad Commissioners for it, thirty-four years before.
Keets Brook Road has been widened, raised and paved to the Leyden line, and the Huckle Hill Road paved to the Vernon line. Only a few dirt roads remain. A previously discontinued road leading from Bald Mountain Road to the William Field, Sr., place has been made passable. The Pioneer Valley Association advertises Keets Brook Road and Couch Brook Road, the latter a dirt road, for those who enjoy hiking along woodland ways.
The old iron bridges have all been replaced by concrete ones: two in North Bernardston in 1920; Fall River bridge on Route 10, replacing the so-called "Iron Bridge," in 1923; West Mountain Road bridge in 1929, and the highway overpass, "Dry Bridge," on Northfield Road in 1931. Others were: Hoe Shop Road bridge over Fall River in 1957; Burke Flat and Route 10 bridges, also over Fall River, in 1959, at the time of the construction of High- way 91. This Route 10 bridge replaced the 1923 concrete structure mentioned above.
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY NINETY-ONE
NYONE who lived in Bernardston before 1959 will remember the millpond just north of Frank Deane's house on the North- field Road. At this point the boys and girls used to fish in spring
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HISTORY OF BERNARDSTON, 1900-1960
and summer, and skate in winter; sometimes grown-ups were out there too. There was frequently a rowboat on the water. This pond was a Fall River setback from the dam a quarter mile down- stream. The area presented a fine scene from anywhere near: the beauty of the pond itself, cows grazing in adjacent pastures, glimpses of houses on Bald Mountain Road and in the village, the surrounding meadows and trees, the hills in the background, and all these reflected on the millpond's surface. These views were beautiful indeed, and added greatly to the attractiveness of Ber- nardston.
Now PROGRESS has come to this area. The pond is gone, filled many feet deep with earth. Gone are the fishermen, the cows, the boat; gone the reflections. All gone. In their places are the straight north-south lines of the new Highway 91 and the curves of the interchange with the Northfield Road. The distant hills remain; the bulldozers haven't leveled them-yet.
In the same manner various other landmarks and beauty spots were gobbled up by the voracious 91. These include a goodly part of the planted pine grove that was Dr. Shores' satisfaction and pride; the Cronyn-Lunt pond in the woods; the old Ashley house that was an early Baptist meeting-house. Also the concrete bridge across Fall River at the start of the Northfield Road; this structure appeared to be in prime condition, but was removed nevertheless, and a new bridge with wider roadway was built a few feet up- stream. A local wag reported that the engineers found the old bridge riddled by termites.
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