USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westborough > The history of Westborough, Massachusetts. Part I. The early history. By Heman Packard De Forest. Part II. The later history. By Edward Craig Bates > Part 28
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" Another advantage [of a poor-farm], and not an inconsider- able one, is the law having made a poor-house a house of correc- tion for a certain description of persons, of which description we have too many. It is believed that if the town had a farm, and a few examples were made of certain characters, it would be a terror to evil-doers ; to such as say by their conduct, and sometimes in words, that when they cannot maintain themselves any longer Westborough must maintain them, and without work too. There have been repeated instances in this town of paupers [saying], ' The town pays for my board, and I will not work except I have the benefit of it myself.' This is an error which needs to be corrected."
The committee presented strong arguments in favor of a "pauper establishment." They cited several towns to
382
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
show the probable saving in expense. "The Town of Worcester," says the report, "saved one half the first year. Doct. Lincoln states that they now save three quarters, - that is, it costs but one quarter as much now as when they were boarded in families." These, with other arguments, had their proper effect. At the March meeting, in 1825, the paupers, twelve in number, were " struck off," as usual, to Levi Bowman, who promised to support them at the rate of ninety-seven cents per week. At a meeting held May 2, however, the following action was taken: -
"Voted, to purchase a farm for a Pauper establishment ; also, voted, to choose a committee of seven, by ballot, to purchase a farm for the more comfortably and economically supporting the Poor of said town. The votes were called for by the moderator, and the following were chosen, viz. : Lovett Peters, Esqr., Capt. Silas Wesson, Joshua Mellen, Deacon Jonathan Forbes, Benjamin Fay, Jr., Capt. Daniel Chamberlain, and Jesse Woods. Voted, and authorized this committee to borrow money as much as may be necessary to pay for the said pauper establishment on the credit of the town of Westborough, to be paid by instalments."
The farm of Capt. Daniel Chamberlain, on the Flanders road, was immediately purchased by the committee. Its area was one hundred and ninety-six acres. The price paid was $4,600. It remained the " town farm" until 1881, when the town voted to erect the present excel- lent house for its paupers on the Sandra farm, which had been purchased by the water commissioners in 1879. The old farm was sold for $6,750 to George P. Bingham, of Boston.
The following table, which is compiled from the re- ports of the overseers of the poor, shows some interest- ing changes in their department during the past thirty years : -
·
383
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Year ending
Number of Persons at Farm.
Appropriations for Support of Poor.
Appraised Value of Farm and Property.
March 1, 1860
13
$1,400
$7,276.64
Feb. 23,
1865.
16
1,400
9,136.01
Feb.
I, 1871
23
1,000
11,230.00
Feb.
I,, 1875.
12
900
12,262.00
Feb.
1, 1880
19
6,000
11,444.95
Feb.
I, 1885
17
4,500
10,057.90
Feb.
I, 1890
12
3,500
10,693.10
From this table it will be seen that although the town has nearly doubled in population during the past thirty years, the number of paupers at the town-farm remains about the same. Some of the appropriation, of course, is spent in assisting the poor at their homes; but the increase in the amount of the annual appropriation is chiefly due to the improved accommodations granted to the inmates of the town farm.
A fire department was formally organized in West- borough in the spring of 1842. About twelve years pre- viously, however, Capt. Charles Parkman, the leading tradesman of the town, had procured a small hand-engine, or "tub," and a fire company had been organized from the members of the old military company which had just disbanded. It was a private organization, and received no aid from the town. The machine was a small affair, with a few feet of leading hose, and the water which it threw was supplied by pails instead of by a suction-pipe. In 1832 the town, on being asked to build an engine-house for its protection, voted, as so frequently in later years, " to pass over the article." In November, 1834, an article, " to see if the town will take any measures to provide a fire-engine for the use of the town," shared the same fate ; but when the matter came up again in November, 1838,
384
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
the town not only chose a committee, consisting of Abijah Stone, Tristram Libbey, and Jonas Longley, to ascertain the cost of an engine and apparatus, but also voted to put at their disposal, provided an equal amount could be raised by private subscription, the sum of two hundred dollars. The committee accordingly circulated a paper, and secured the signatures and promises of sixty-six citi- zens. George Denny gave forty dollars, and the others from one dollar to twelve dollars each. At a town-meeting held March 11, 1839, Jonas Longley, in behalf of the com- mittee, submitted the following report: -
" Your committee ... report they have received a subscrip- tion of individuals amounting to $288, which accompanies this report. They also received $200 from town treasurer, as appro- priated by the town. They have purchased an Engine & ap- paratus, the whole cost of it being $486.18, including $5 for freight on Railroad, which was a gift to the fire department of Westborough."
The engine was a Thayer "tub," and did its duty for about ten years. Gardner Cloyes was the first foreman of the company which manned it. The old "tub" was given to the Woods, who owned the mill at Woodville.
In the winter of 1839 the Legislature passed an Act authorizing towns to establish fire departments with en- gineers. An effort was made to have Westborough take advantage of the privilege thus conferred, but the ma- jority were against it. On March 1, 1842, however, the Legislature passed an Act establishing a fire department in Westborough, which the voters at town-meeting, April 11, accepted. The selectmen appointed engineers, and Jonas Longley, who held the office for ten years, was chosen chief. A year after his election he made the following report to the selectmen : -
385
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
" The members of the department are nine engineers and thirty-five engine-men.
"The apparatus consists of one engine, 24 feet of suction-hose, 123 feet leading hose, one hose-carriage, 4 buckets, 2 axes, one signal lantern, one torch, 3 ladders, one large tub for reservoir for water, one sled for engine, 6 oil-cloth dresses for hosemen.
" The original cost of the above articles was $608.20. $294.00 paid by subscription. $314.20 paid by the town.
$608.20."
It was probably not a matter of much regret to the engine-men when their " tub " finally disgraced itself by refusing to work. This occurred in January, 1850. John W. Fairbanks, then a boy, had accidentally set fire to his father's shop, and when the engine was brought to the scene it was found to be out of order and useless. At the town-meeting in November preceding there had been an article in the warrant to see if the town would repair, sell, or exchange their engine. The subject had been referred, with full power to act, to the engineers of the fire de- partment, - George Denny, Corning Fairbanks, Gardner Cloyes, Benjamin F. Forbush, Anson Warren, Joseph H. Fairbanks, Payson H. Perrin, and Jonas A. Stone. They acted with moderation; but on June 5, 1850, they voted to sell the old machine for $356. A new one, with appa- ratus, was bought of Hunneman & Co. for $946. It was a hand-tub, known in after years as "Chauncy," and remained in use until six years ago.
In March, 1868, the burning of the Parkman Store again showed the town that its facilities for extinguishing fires were inadequate. On April 13 following, a committee was chosen to investigate the subject of purchasing a new engine. It consisted of Lyman Belknap, Josiah Jackson,
386
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
and Israel H. Bullard. At a later meeting, April 27, Wil- liam M. Child and Reuben Boynton were added to the committee. The town instructed them to buy a steamer, hose, and hook-and-ladder carriage, with apparatus; to prepare suitable houses for the new equipment; and to build such reservoirs as seemed to them expedient. The committee accordingly purchased from Hunneman & Co. a steamer, -which was named in honor of the Chief En- gineer, Josiah Jackson, and still forms part of the depart- ment, -and had a ladder-carriage, costing, with ladders, hooks, axes, and the rest, about $240, built by W. H. & F. Sibley. In regard to reservoirs, the committee re- ported that there were six already built in different parts of the town, and recommended the construction of six more, - all of them to be built of brick and cemented, with a capacity of two hundred hogsheads each. Their recommendations were adopted by the town.
The first annual report of the engineers of the fire de- partment was made in 1871. In their second report, dated Feb. 1, 1872, they made the following statement regarding the condition of the department : -
" The apparatus in active service at this date is as follows ; viz., one hand engine, one steamer, one hose-carriage, one hook-and- ladder truck, two hose-reels, one hundred and twenty-four (124) feet of ladders, and two thousand (2000) feet of hose, all in good condition. The department now organized consists of ninety-five (95) men, divided as follows : -
" Chauncy Engine Co. No. 1, 42 men ; Steamer Jackson No. 2, 20 men ; Hook and Ladder No. 1, 17 men ; Hose-Carriage, I man ; Fire Police, 10 men ; Engineers, 5 men : total, 95 men.
" In connection with the above is the Young America Bucket Company (an independent company), consisting of twenty mem- bers, with fifty feet of ladders and twenty-four buckets, with suit- able truck for carrying the same ; this company are always on the
387
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
alert, and at the first sound of the alarm are at their post, ready and willing to render all the assistance in their power."
The efficiency of the fire department was increased in 1879 by the introduction of Sandra water. The head, one hundred and thirty-eight feet, gives sufficient force to throw a dozen streams on the roof of any building about the Square. Hydrants, now numbering seventy-nine, were set in various parts of the town, and a hose company, with a new carriage named after Dr. William Curtis, was added to the fire department. In 1886 the town adopted an electric fire-alarm, with box at the corner of Main and South Streets, and strikers on the bells of the Baptist and Congregational Churches. The new truck of the Rescue Hook and Ladder Company was purchased, at a cost of $800, in 1887. In 1888, after many years of urging, the town voted to build an engine-house. An appropriation of $13,000 was made, and a committee was chosen, con- sisting of the engineers, - Henry L. Chase, George T. Fayerweather, James McDonald, Fred J. Taylor, and Hazon Leighton, - with Anson Warren, George O. Brig- ham, and William T. Forbes.' The Maynard place, at the corner of Milk and Grove Streets, was purchased as the site, and the new engine-house was ready for public in- spection in January, 1889. The Chronotype gave the fol- lowing detailed description of the new structure: -
" The building is of brick, with granite trimmings and slated hip- roof, and bears in granite figures '1888' upon its front. It is a handsome and imposing-looking building on its exterior, and the interior is also handsome, roomy, and convenient. The building is 45 × 50 feet, with four front doors nine feet wide, and eleven and one half feet high, through which to pass with the machines. There is a side door of smaller dimensions for daily use. The lower story has but one room, twelve feet high, and it is sheathed in ash to the
388
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
height of six feet, with walls above the sheathing in hard finish. This room will contain all the apparatus of the department, - a steam fire-engine, hook-and-ladder carriage, hose-carriages, etc. It has six large windows, 4 X 7 feet, and windows in all the doors. In the left-hand rear corner a long sink offers an opportunity for the ' boys ' to ' wash up,' and a rear door opens into the tower, where a well, four feet in diameter and as many feet deep, is for washing hose ; and above it the tower runs up to a height of fifty-five feet. Double stairs by the centre of the rear wall lead up to a landing and a turn to ascend several more steps to the second story, where in the centre is the upper hall, 10 X 25 feet, with doors leading into the engineer's room, 10 X 12 feet, a front room at the end of the hall, two corner front rooms, 173 X 18 feet, two rooms in their rear of the same size, and the rear rooms are a store room, 8 X 15 feet, and a bath-room, 8 X 15. The bath-room has a nice tub, set-bowl, etc., and a chest of drawers, and presents a very attractive appearance. The rooms in this story are ten feet high, finished in ash, and the walls partially sheathed, as in the room below. There are transoms over all the doors. The cellar and the wide side- walks are concreted, and show the remarkably good work for which the Westborough concreters have acquired an enviable reputation. Outside and inside doors lead to the cellar. All the rooms are well lighted. Picture mouldings now adorn the walls, but the fur- niture and pictures will not be in position until the first of next week. The building is heated by the Spence hot-water system, -- the lower room being piped, and the upper rooms having radiators. The supply of hot and cold water will be ample at all times for cleanliness and neatness to prevail at these headquarters for our ready and gallant firemen."
In 1889 members of the fire department organized the Firemen's Relief Association, having for its object " the relief, care, and assistance " of its sick and disabled members.
The principal fires since 1870, the number of alarms each year, the losses, etc., are shown in the following table. It is compiled from the reports of the engineers of the fire department: -
& Whitney
389
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Year.
No.of Alarms.
Total Loss.
Principal Fires. I
Loss.
1870
5
Small. 66
April 14, Union Block
$30,000
1873
8
42,000
May II, High Street School-house .. Feb. 8, Dwelling of J. Marrotte, Ch's. St. June 17, Central Block, Eagle Block, Protective Union Store ..
1,500
1874
6
4,000
May 3, " No. 4" School-house
1,500
1876
8
44,250
April 15, C. M. Holmes's Factory
40,000
Aug. 2, J. Prescott's Barn
3,000
April 24, Nourse Place.
1,600
April 29, G. B. Brigham's Farm-house . 1,200
2,000
1879
5
Small.
1880
2
1,000
May 21, Fisher's Mill
1,000
1881
8
4,250
April 17, C. D. Cobb & Co.'s Grain Store.
2,850
1882
7
1,450
March 22, C. Fairbanks's Box-factory ...
1,500
1884
4
400
1885
II
930
1886
9
42,525
April 5, Milk St. Boot-factory and Cath- olic Church
42,000
1887
6
10,100
Sept. 28, A. Robinson's House and Barn.
10,000
1888
9
1,900
1889
14
10, 500
Feb. 23, John Dolan's House and Barn .. June 10, L. R. Bates's Straw-shop.
4,225
The following is a list of the chief engineers of the fire department since 1870: -
Urial Montague 1870-73
William M. Blake
1873-75
George T. Fayerweather 1875-77
Bowers C. Hathaway
1877-79
Charles E. Smith .
1879-80
Israel H. Bullard . 1880-81
Bowers C. Hathaway
1881-82
Charles E. Smith
1882-83 ·
David B. Faulkner
1883-84
George T. Fayerweather
1884-86
George L. Smith
1886-87
Henry L. Chase
1887-
1871
9
1872
8
$40,000
5,000
40,000
1875
8
1,000
June 3, Reuben Boynton's Barn
2,500
1877
IO
2,800
1878
4
2,050
Jan. 24, J. Prescott's Barn
1883
9
3,300
3,900
1 This includes all fires where the loss was over $1,000.
390
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
The manual of the department at present is as follows :
Chief Engineer I
Assistant Engineers . 4
Chauncy Hose No. I 15
Jackson Steamer Co. No. 2 I6
William Curtis Hose Co. No. 2 20
Rescue Hook and Ladder Co. No. I 30
Union Hose Co. No. I
2
Number of men
88
Since 1881, the Rescue Hook and Ladder Company has taken part in several racing contests. From October 18, 1882, when it beat the "Excelsiors," of Leominster, to August 26, 1887, when it was beaten by the "J. N. Grouts," of Spencer, the Westborough company held the championship of the United States.
CHAPTER VI. 1860-1890.
NEWSPAPERS. - POST-OFFICE. - BANKS. - DISTRICT COURT. - LYMAN SCHOOL. - INSANE HOSPITAL.
T HE first attempts at founding a local paper in West- borough have been described by Mr. De Forest in a previous chapter.1 After the Westborough Transcript was discontinued, in 1863, the community struggled along without a paper for over three years. Late in 1866 a print- ing-office - the first one in town - was established by W. A. Hemenway; and in September following, Charles H. Pierce, at present a well-known engineer in Providence,, R. I., entered into partnership with him for the express purpose of publishing a local paper which should be printed, as well as edited, in Westborough. The firm, having procured a new outfit, on October 12, 1867, issued the first number of The Saturday Evening Chronotype and Weekly Review. It was a small, four-column quarto, with a heading so elaborate as to occupy nearly a third of the first page. There were four or five items of local news in the first issue, much general reading matter scattered in various departments, and a few small advertisements. The editorial announcement, as may be seen from the fol- lowing extract, contained an interesting glance at former journalistic efforts in Westborough :-
1 See p. 228.
392
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
"On the 13th day of October, 1849, C. C. P. Moody, a well- known Boston printer who had formerly resided in this town, commenced the publication of a weekly quarter-sheet, called the Westboro' Messenger. It was unpretentious in style, as in size ; its make-up consisting mainly, of course, of local items and cor- respondence, with the usual display of 'original poetry ' blossom buds. In fact, native talent improved its opportunity and secured thorough ventilation. But though nominally a Westboro' paper, the Messenger was edited and printed in the office of Mr. Moody, in Boston, and sent here for distribution. The local character of this enterprise was, therefore, in one sense, a pleasant fiction ; and necessarily so, since with only two fifths of our present popu- lation and wealth, and one fifteenth our present volume of manu- facturing business, no press could then be sustained here. After a brief trial, the enterprise proving less profitable to the publish- ers than entertaining to its patrons, it was abandoned.
"In the month of August, 1855, a hirsute stranger made his appearance among us and announced his intention of showing how the thing ought to be done. Accordingly, on the first of September following he issued the first number of his paper, now known to fame as the Westboro' Sheaf. Coarse paper, battered type, shallow prose, and wishy-washy poetry entered largely into its composition. Its local character was only one remove less imaginary than that of its predecessor ; for though its editorial manager had his headquarters in town, the composition and press- work were done in Boston, on contract, by another printer. The Sheaf languished through a miserable existence of less than a year, with little comfort to itself, and of no use to its friends, and then shared the fate of the unfortunate being in the clown's pathetic narrative, who lay down on his back, opened his mouth, and let the wind all out of him.
" In December, 1860, Geo. Mills Joy, an erratic genius, came to our neighboring town of Marlboro', and in connection with Edwin Rice, of that town, commenced the newspaper publishing business on a novel plan. By suitable changes of heading and dates, and local correspondence from the several towns in the vicinity of Marlboro', they made the same matter answer for a
393
NEWSPAPERS.
local paper in each of these towns. We in this town were served with the Westboro' Transcript ; and the editor of this paper under- took the 'local' work, and persevered (under difficulties, at times) for eighteen months, when other duties interfered and he retired. : The publication of the Westborough edition continued about a year longer ; but it never after had a regular local editor, and the interest formerly felt in the paper gradually decreased until its suspension."
The new paper established itself at once in popular favor, and became, as it has since remained, a prominent and useful institution of the town. With the exception of four weeks after its office was destroyed by fire at the burning of Union Block, April 14, 1872, its regular weekly publication has been uninterrupted. It has undergone, meanwhile, many changes and improvements. At pres- ent it is a nine-column folio, - frequently with a large supplement in addition. Its name has been altered to Westborough Chronotype. The paper remained under the editorial management of Mr. Pierce until November I, 1869, when he retired to accept the position of Assistant- Engineer on the Providence Water-Works. H. H. Stevens, who had previously bought the interest of Mr. Hemen- way, became sole publisher and editor, and so remained until his death, September 26, 1871. Dr. Edwin B. Harvey, while Mr. Stevens's estate was being settled, conducted the paper for about six months. Its office was destroyed by fire, April 14, 1872. On May 18 following, A. J. Pres- cott & Son, having bought the subscription list and good- will, began the publication of the paper in its present quarters. The senior partner of this firm was a woman. With her son, W. W. Prescott, she continued the busi- ness until May 1, 1874, when R. F. Holton and C. H. Thurston, the present proprietors, purchased the paper
394
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
and printing-office. Under their management the Chrono- type has improved and flourished.
About two years ago there seemed to be room in West- borough for a second paper, and William D. McPherson, of South Framingham, established The Westborough Trib- une. The first issue was dated November 29, 1888. The paper met at the outset with considerable encourage- ment, but from various causes - chiefly, perhaps, from the fact that it was printed out of town - interest in the enterprise declined. In the spring, Mr. McPherson gave up the personal oversight of the paper to Thomas Tresilian. The Union Publishing Company, however, - the owners of the Framingham Tribune, with which Mr. McPherson was connected, - remained the proprietors. In July, 1889, when the paper was on the verge of ruin, it was taken from their hands by some Westborough men who considered it advantageous to the community to have the paper live. They soon placed it on a more profitable basis, and made efforts to secure the proper persons to manage it. In January, 1890, Ira M. Beaman and Albert E. Hoyt, young men from northern New York, bought the subscription-list and good-will. They established an excellent printing-office, and began a series of great im- provements in the paper. It was immediately enlarged from a seven-column folio to a six-column quarto, and all its interests were promoted with skill and energy. It is now issued from the office in Davenport's Block every Friday morning.
The Westborough post-office was established March 6, 18II. Nathan Fisher was the first postmaster. The office, it is said, was in the house now occupied by Miss Hannah Peters, on South Street. The second postmaster, Captain
395
POST-OFFICE.
Silas Wesson, who was appointed December 16, 1820, moved the office to his tavern at the corner of the turnpike and the road now known as Lyman Street, and subse- quently to his new tavern near Willow Park. He remained postmaster until July 23, 1833, when his barkeeper, Daniel Baird, succeeded him. The name of the office had been officially changed to "North Westborough " in 1832, and a few months later to " Wessonville." This was on account of the establishment of another post-office in the centre of the town. Mr. Baird remained postmaster at Wesson- ville until March 25, 1836; Onslow Peters served from that time to May 27, 1836; and Captain Wesson, again be- coming postmaster, held the position from Mr. Peters's retirement until September 6, 1838. On that date - the building of the railroad through another part of the town having deprived the turnpike village of its importance - the post-office at Wessonville was discontinued.
The first postmaster of the office in the centre after its re-establishment was Charles Parkman, the propri- etor of the village store. His appointment was dated March 16, 1832. Charles P. Jones succeeded him Octo- ber 18, 1834, and remained postmaster until August 31, 1835. On that date Daniel Holbrook was appointed. Although he held the position but two months, it is likely that he moved the office - probably not a very difficult task - from the Parkman Store to his own store across the street. Charles B. Parkman, however, who was appointed October 30, 1835, doubtless had it back in its old quarters without delay. Milton M. Fisher, who was appointed April 23, 1838, and his successor, Wel- lington L. G. Hunt, who was appointed November 5, 1839, had the office in the present Cobb's Block, then known
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