USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Walpole > A history of Walpole, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 10
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In February 1926 there was a 10-inch snow fall, cleared with a six horse roller, snowplow, tractor.
Thursday, November 3, 1927 water began to rise in the Connecticut at
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Bellows Falls at 5 P.M., by November 4 10:30 A.M. was 20 feet above the dam, 6 inches higher than the record of 1888. The prediction was that it would continue to rise for 6 hours and in preparation the railroad bridge was weighted with loaded coal cars. The coffer dam recently damaged by high water was carried away. Railroad service was entirely suspended. On Saturday the river came over the bank at North Walpole by what is now Aumand's store washing away a dwelling; on through the old River Street railroad underpass, taking with it everything north- east of the Arch Bridge as far as Vine Street where it struck a ledge. The two houses on the west side of Vine Street were carried away.
Following is the report from Walpole Village-"Friday the rising water caused tense anxiety. About 7 A.M. the river began to overflow its banks, by nine the meadows were flooded; Cold River Bridge and the railroad bridge were submerged. All day long people thronged the river bank near the village bridge, watching. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see the madly dashing flood batter and swirl about the piers of the bridge, sweep- ing along great masses of debris and wreckage from the north. The waters rose to the floor of the bridge, and the Westminster end was under. Everyone felt that the bridge would go down, and it was cheering news on Saturday morning to hear that the structure held and still spanned the river.
"No communication could be had with Bellows Falls until Sunday. A washout at Winchenden, Mass., delayed trains and mail until late on Friday when a train was sent up from Keene. Several small bridges were carried away, the road below the Huntington Farm was impassable owing to the brook (Blanchard) overflowing and rising over the fence of the small bridge. The River Road was also so flooded that Walpole was isolated for a time. Barns and outbuildings on the Ward place were washed from their foundations and floated in the fields. There were no lights Thursday night to Saturday night. There was some damage to crops, but reports from Bellows Falls and North Walpole, and other devastated districts, and the flood at Westminster, made Walpole feel that she had been fortunate in escaping so lightly. The river rose five feet higher than the record mark on the barn at Meadow Farm."
Herman Woodward's greens plant in Westminster, employing 50, was damaged by the flood, some being removed to Walpole by truck and boat. Hubbards' had 25000 eggs hatching in their electric incubators and had to transfer them to hot water heat.
There were 150 staying at the Red Mill Inn on Friday and Saturday, being reporters, photographers from Pathé, Paramount, MGM, and Na-
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tional Geographic, repairmen, and those who were marooned by the flood.
Sunday afternoon, July 28, 1929, a violent wind storm struck the south part of town. At the Burt place, occupied by Arthur Chickering, a large elm in the dooryard fell on the ell roof of the house and the end of the barn roof, crushing them; at the Ward place the southwest corner of the slate roof was damaged; on Aldrich Hill there was a tree across the road; a tree fell in the yard at the John Marshall place; many trees and silos were blown down.
During the winter of 1920 Unitarian Church services were held in the parish house. On the night of February 18th the church collapsed under the weight of snow, only the front wall and organ gallery left standing. The side walls fell outward and the roof fell toward the rear. There was no insurance. The 75-year-old clock, which had been striking only inter- mittently of late, was broken up. Mrs. Elizabeth Tobey gave a new one in memory of her mother, Mrs. Faxon. The organ, given in 1896 by George A. Stearns in memory of his father, was damaged but was restored January 1922. The new foundation was put in in October 1920 and re- construction progressed. The bell was heard again on Easter Sunday 1922 after a silence of two years. The dedication service for the new church was held in September 1922 at the same time as the installation of the Rev. Robert Holt as pastor of the church. Mrs. Sue D. B. Flint gave the pews in memory of her husband; and Mrs. George Hooper gave the pulpit, reading desk, chancel cushions and carpet in memory of her hus- band. The first hymn sung was by Rev. John Nelson Bellows, used in the dedication of the third church building June 14, 1843. The second hymn sung was by John Adams Bellows for this dedication.
The Swarthmore Chautauqua was being held in the town hall in 1920, a five-day stand, as for the past two years. In 1921 it was held in a tent on the lot between the Episcopal Church and the Holland House. In Sep- tember, because of insufficient funds, it was decided to engage the Rad- cliff Chautauqua for three days for 1922. The last mention of Chautau- qua was in June 1922.
September 10, 1919, women had received the right to vote. In Sep- tember 1920 there was a mass meeting at the town hall to welcome and instruct voters. Mrs. George P. Porter was the oldest woman (83) to vote in November; Daniel Smith the oldest man (93).
In October 1920 the women held a non-partisan meeting to discuss the League of Nations. In November Rev. Joseph C. Allen of Charlestown gave a series of talks on civil government at the library. During the
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summer of 1925 a forum was formed at the Congregational Church to discuss great social and national issues of the day. In the fall there was a reading club organized which continued for several years.
September 24, 1920, the first town fair in 40 years was held. People in wagons and automobiles began to gather for the parade by 9 A.M., the crowd estimated at several thousand. Hudson Bridge and William Smalley of the committee led the parade, with C. J. McIlvaine as chief marshal, accompanied by Bellows Falls Band. Uncle Sam followed lead- ing his little daughter as Young America. Then there came the school children (80-100); Walpole Post Loyal Legion four-horse carriage trimmed with flags and streamers, ladies and children riding, Captain Mousley and Lt. Sanford leading, with Legion men mounted, dressed in khaki; G.A.R. and Relief Corps in automobiles; Troop #1 Boy Scouts; Dr. and Mrs. Buffum in decorated auto; River Road Thimble Club's large float, four horses abreast; Gen. Tom Thumb coupe with Horace Davenport and Eveline McIlvaine; #10 Ladies' Club trimmed four-horse rig; George Ballam's farm display, yellow and green cart, children riding; Valley Fruit Farm's float, trimmed with asparagus, loaded with fruit; two darkies on a joy ride; four darkies in highly colored wagon representing just married and one year later; Metcalf and Houghton's display of groceries; Herbert H. Thompson's fruit farm display; N.P. Club's float trimmed with hemlock and mountain ash berries; C. E. Angier's tobacco farm and fruit display; Franklin sedan (Miss Daniels) noting suffrage victory; Walpole Minstrel band wagon; imitation of yacht in full sail; Telephone Exchange, girls in white wearing office instrument; Rexall Drug float; Maj. Chas. Bellows; State TB Clinic float; James Murray, junk dealer, well-trimmed float; Red Cross float (Mrs. Spaulding); Gates Garage, Bellows Falls; rubes, clowns, riders.
There was a dog show at the Wentworth with about 50 entries: hunters, collies, terriers, spaniels, Newfoundlands, shepherd dogs.
The poultry exhibit had ducks, turkeys, rabbits, Rocks, Wyandottes, Reds, Leghorns.
At the town hall there were the usual displays upstairs and down, with farm, craft, garden, antique, commercial, and style shows.
The Farm Bureau had white pine blister rust literature and demonstra- tions.
Mr. H. O. Woodward had a booth of Christmas greens; while the school had manual training, garden, and domestic science exhibits.
At the fair grounds near the depot there was a small display of cattle,
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horses, sheep, swine; and there was a tractor exhibit on Miss Mason's field.
Sports were held on the Common with a ball game in the afternoon. In the baseball throwing contest Codding was first, followed by Com- stock, R. Fletcher. Other contests with winners were:
75 Yard Dash for Boys under 15: Erwin Fletcher, Everett Houghton, Clayton Gray.
Running Broad Jump for Boys under 15: E. Fletcher, R. Fletcher, S. Williams.
Running Broad Jump for Boys over 15: Erwin Mathers, Arthur Bundy, Albert Fletcher (Best jump 17 ft. 9 in.).
220 Yard Dash: R. Fletcher, W. Ramsay, Codding.
50 Yard Dash for Girls under 15: Evelyn Christian, Rachel Long, Caro- line Marsh.
50 Yard Dash for Girls over 15: Amy Houghton, Alice Damaziak, Ruth Long.
Pie-eating Contest: 7 Entries-Benny Warn, Lawrence Leach, George McCloud.
100 Yard Dash for Boys over 15: John Turcott, Arthur Bundy, Frank Ramsay.
High Jump for Boys under 15: William Ramsay, R. Fletcher, Com- stock.
High Jump for Boys over 15: Morse, Chase, Wright.
During the early 1920s there were innumerable collections, lessening as time progressed: Annual Red Cross membership drive in the fall; April 1921 for famine sufferers in China #181.78; May 1921 clothing for Near East; May 1921 Children's Fund for European Relief $100.15; No- vember 1921 Keene Hospital $4,486 (151 had used the hospital since 1892, 3422 days service, many using the Lucke free bed); February 1928 quota $200 for preserving Franconia Notch, raised $250.
In May 1920 a fund was started for lighting the Christmas tree on the Common. It became the custom to sing carols around the lighted tree, with a community Christmas with gifts at the tree or the town hall, some- times a service at the Congregational Church. The lighting of the tree was begun in1914. In 1935 a new spruce was set at the north end of the Common. There was also a tree on the Common at Drewsville.
In 1921 a group of Walpole High School alumni (about 40) held a pre- liminary meeting looking toward formation of an alumni association. It was finally organized September 10 with Oliver Hubbard president,
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Helen Kendrick vice president, Mrs. Reginald Cahalane secretary, Ar- thur P. Davis treasurer, Miss Ola Hubbard, Mrs. H. P. Stowell and Law- rence Holland executive committee. It came to be the custom to hold a banquet and dance in December, in 1921 extended to alternate years.
Saturday night supper dances on alternate weeks with Tuesday after- noon teas were the order at the Country Club on the new Keene Road. In July 1926 a special town meeting was called to authorize the leasing of part of the George L. Hooper estate to the Country Club, construction undertaken in August. In 1927 Reginald Cahalane took over the man- agement.
In July 1921 there was a strike at the International Paper Company in Bellows Falls, the Champlain Realty Co. attempted to bring in strike breakers to get their logs out of the water. The strike breakers coming over the suspension bridge on a truck load of provisions were stopped and forced to turn back. The trucks were allowed to proceed without passengers. The Vermont State Guard was stationed in Bellows Falls, the Manchester police in North Walpole. At mass meetings at the Opera House and Russell Hall warnings were given against violence. In August, after things had quieted down but the strike had not been settled, 18,000 cords of the 20,000 cords of the pulp were floated down the river to Hinsdale by a crew of 50 men guarded by the Manchester police and the Vermont National Guard.
In August 1921 construction was started on the War Memorial at the north end of the Common, commemorating the men of Walpole, North Walpole and Drewsville who served in the World War, 117 names on the bronze tablet mounted on a foundation block of cobblestone. The D.A.R. had proposed the project and started the fund with money left over from the supper for returning soldiers. The town appropriated $500. The un- veiling and dedication took place in November. (In June 1939 the D.A.R. placed a cement bench near the memorial evergreen at the south end of the Common, in token of the D.A.R. Golden Jubilee.)
Following the exercises on the Common in 1921 there was a memorial service in the Congregational Church. In January two 75mm Krupp mountain cannon and cannon balls to form two pyramids on either side of the monument were delivered from the Watervliet Arsenal.
In March 1928 the D.A.R. placed the following markers: On North Main Street, "First Meeting House"; on Prospect Hill, "Second Meeting House"; on North Main Street, "First School House"; on Homestead Farm, "First Log House built by Benjamin Bellows"; on east side Main
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Street, "Old Printing Shop"; on north corner Main and Westminster Streets, "Crafts Tavern".
The Boy Scouts were active under the leadership of Rev. Megathlin, usually going to Sand Pond for a week of camping during the summer. On February 24, 1923, they held their first winter carnival on Dunshee's field with ski and snowshoe races, ski jumping. Winners in the 100-yard ski race were Herbert Peck, Norman Megathlin; 100 yard snowshoe race, Stephen Williams, Charles Booth; 220 yard ski race, Stephen Williams, James Dearborn; ski jumping, Norman Megathlin-29 ft., Bert Ramsay -26 ft .; 50 yard snowshoe race, Marion Teachout, Margaret Rodenbush. In 1924 the Girl Scouts (formed 1922) joined in sponsoring the carnival. Langdon Bellows was the leader.
The church at Christian Hollow was serving as a community center and the school there was still open on the south side of the road. There were the usual Christmas parties, spelling bees (C. W. Tenney, first; daughter Vernie, second), Sunday School picnics, and donation parties.
The Congregationalists seem to have been very busy. Suppers followed by entertainments were money raisers. There were the annual Roll Call Suppers, Children's Days, stereopticon lectures. In 1923 there was the first Every Member Canvass. Every Thursday was "Church Night", al- though sometimes omitted during August. The old horsesheds were torn down and replaced. In 1923 the church financed a trip for the minister to Niagara, Thousand Islands, Saguenay, Quebec, Montreal, Lake Cham- plain, Ausable Chasm, and Lake George. On his return they held a recep- tion at the church to hear his account of the trip. Around the middle '30's the Ladies Aid was holding garden suppers during the summer.
In December 1921 Leslie Hubbard was listening to concerts and lec- tures from Pittsburgh, Newark and Springfield, Mass., with wireless ap- paratus he installed at his home. He had started his outfit in 1919, long before wireless reached widespread popularity. He built a shack and in- stalled all the wiring and apparatus himself. His first receiving cabinet held one vacuum tube, called a one-step amplifier.
In March 1922 John O'Brien installed a new 700 meter radio at Brook- lands. In July 1924 everybody with a radio listened to the broadcast of the Democratic Convention at Madison Square Garden, and in June the Inn installed a 360 meter radio. In June 1927 radio fans were unable to get the Washington celebration for Lindbergh, but received a marvel- ously clear broadcast from New York of the royal welcome there. The following January they received the broadcast from the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.
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During this decade people were staying at the Holland House before they opened their own houses in the spring and after closing them in the fall. Miss Mary Holland had opened in 1907, greatly enlarging and im- proving the old dwelling (#63).
A new road marking system, numbering from the Atlantic to the Hudson, was started, compiled by the Automobile Club of the American Bureau of Tours and approved by the highway authorities of New England. Monadnock Road through Walpole was marked Route 12. In 1935 there was local objection when Route 10 from Northfield, Mass., through Keene and Newport was rebuilt since it diverted traffic from this area.
In August 1922 Mrs. Charles Bellows was local chairman of the N. Y. Herald Tribune Fresh Air Children. The following in town entertained children: Mrs. Angier, two; Mrs. Tom Kiniry, two; Mrs. Charles Morse, two; Mrs. Dan Kiniry, one; Mrs. Ernest Reed, two; Mrs. McNish, one; Mrs. Rowell, two; Mrs. Graves, two; Miss Edith Clark, two. In 1924 Dr. Mousley and Mrs. Harry Stowell were chairmen. There were Fresh Air children in Walpole as early as 1887 when there were 17 in that year. Fresh Air children are still being entertained in Walpole every summer.
In September 1922 Copley Amory established the upper end of the mill pond as a bird sanctuary. In November 1923 there was a bird sanctuary hearing with Mott L. Bartlett from Concord present. Since there was no heat in the town hall, the hearing was moved to Mr. Megathlin's study. Copley Amory stated his ideas, offered his farm and the George D. Hooper farms for the project. He hoped that adjacent land owners would make it possible to have 1,000 acres in the sanctuary. All expense of feeding and stocking would be taken care of by the game commission and Mr. Amory.
In July 1923 Mrs. Maud Plaisted came from Kingston, N. H., to take charge of the telephone office, assisted by her daughter Ruth and Doris Hoyt of Kingston. The telephone operators were Miss Marion Morse, Miss Dorothy Marsh, Mrs. Charles H. Slade, Miss Margaret Kiniry, and Miss Katherine Sweeney. In 1938 Mrs. Plaisted removed to Keene and was replaced by Ralph Libby who had been with the company for 30 years. Mrs. Alexander Podwin and Mrs. Charles Slade were then the regular operators.
During the summer of 1924 there were several large auctions. At the Lebourveau auction there were 75 cars parked, the biggest number ever seen in Walpole; later there were 110 cars at the Shaw auction (antiques).
In October the local Republican Club was reorganized, holding simul-
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taneous rallies at Walpole and North Walpole, with the same speakers. Mrs. Sue D. B. Flint, candidate for representative, spoke and led the singing.
At the election in November 1928 Martha Bandell, nearing 100, voted; as did Charles Hathaway who had voted for Lincoln and had voted in every presidential election since.
DECADE 1930-1940
In March 1930 Robert Bellows, Ellen Bellows Endicott, Miss Louisa Knapp and Frederick Knapp deeded to the Village District the Academy Ravine, to be held in trust as a memorial to Rev. Henry Whitney Bellows and Rev. Frederick Newman Knapp. "It is hoped that the old road from the head of the ravine to the Knapp cranberry meadow will be used as a part of the ravine trail. Some 60 years ago the Knapp cranberry meadow, located east of the old meeting house, was very productive and put pin money into many of the pockets of the young people of the town during picking season." This property was bought in 1859 by Mr. Bellows and Mr. Knapp with a view to preserving it in its natural beauty.
In March Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Slade were struck by a slow moving northbound engine at the crossing at the east end of Tucker Bridge, their car pushed along until it became wedged between the flagman's shanty and the engine. The car was demolished, but the occupants of the car were unharmed.
In January 1930 the Mousley Hospital's annual report showed 20 beds, and during the previous year 170 medical cases, 50 obstetric, 70 major and 189 minor surgical. During 1930 the hospital was closed due to Dr. Mousley's illness, reopened in November when Dr. George Prevost came as assistant. Dr. Prevost removed to Keene after 21/2 years.
In 1935 there was discussion of reopening the hospital at a cost of $5,000, first by the Men's Club, later at a public meeting. Finally in March 1938 the hospital was opened with Miss Bessie Ward in charge. The responsibility proved too much for her alone, so it was incorporated as a community project. An Aid Society was formed with 142 members under the direction of Mrs. Edward Brooks. Funds were raised by various projects-food sales, lawn parties by R. J. McKenven.
There was a public discussion of what should be done about continu- ing the hospital which had been incorporated as The Community Hos- pital of Walpole in June 1940. There was a great deal of activity on be- half of the hospital: membership drive (160); surplus vegetable donation; auction August 10, 1940; turkey dinner January 1941; $1000 from County
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funds 1941, 1942; purchase of the real estate February 1942. The hospital was closed 1943, and the corporation dissolved at a meeting August 17, 1945. That same year in October the American Legion bought the prop- erty, making four apartments in the old hospital building. In August 1959 the Mousley Hospital Aid Society closed its books and gave its re- maining funds to the school.
For some years the town voted appropriations to the Keene and Rock- ingham Hospitals.
During this decade the Drama Group seemed to be interested particu- larly in one-act plays. In July 1933 they featured the one-act play "Shuttin' O' The Door" by Rebecca Hooper Eastman. She took the part of Mrs. Perkins while Rev. R. L. M. Holt was Mr. Perkins. Walpole won the county and state one-act play contests that were held during this period.
Some of the Walpole people belonged to the Hampshire Player Folk, a county drama group organized 1932 which played around the county.
In 1934 there was skating on the Common with daily flooding to give a good surface and in January 1936 there was unusually good skating on the river with the ice six to eight inches thick. In the fall of 1937 a skating rink was prepared on the north side of Westminster Street west of St. John's Church, a nominal membership fee charged to cover ex- penses. After the Walpole Winter Sports Club became active, in addition to the skating rink, they laid out ski trails, built a tow and warming house on Graves' Hill, sponsored skiing lessons. In 1931 the High School sponsored a winter carnival on Ramsay Hill but it was not particularly successful.
In May 1930 the following were preparing for summer business: Red Mill Inn, Walpole Inn, Old Colony Inn (formerly the Elmwood), Stage Coach Inn (Bellows Homestead), Holland House (year round, run by Miss Mary Holland), Mrs. Emma F. Bartlett on Elm Street.
For several years C. B. Houghton had belonged to the 300-bushel Potato Club. He held an extension meeting at his place in September on how to obtain high yields and cut costs. In 1936 R. N. Johnson had 90 acres in potatoes, the largest acreage in the state, later even more.
In 1930 there was a straight Republican victory. Hot caucuses were held in February 1933 and, after a heated discussion, the Republicans agreed to nominate only Republicans. The young blood objected to boss rule. Republican rallies were held on the Common in Drewsville by Bridges in 1934 and 1936; by Murphy in 1936; by Cheney in 1938. Rallies were also held at North Walpole and in the town hall.
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In November 1930 the Woodward Plant in Westminster was employing 80 during the rush preparing Christmas greens. In April they worked on wreaths for Memorial Day. Having suffered heavy damage in the flood of March 1936, Mr. Woodward bought from Miss Fanny Mason the field on the south side of Depot Hill. Here he erected a new shop and green- house. The main building of cement blocks 60 ft. x 100 ft. fronted to- ward the street with office and salesroom in front, packing, shipping and cold storage rooms in the rear. The second floor was used for dry storage, the basement for greens. Extending from this building, and parallel with the road, was a greenhouse 30 ft. x 100 ft .; in spring to be used as a green- house, in the fall as a workroom by 100 or more employees working on Christmas greens. Mr. Woodward supplied a wreath to the White House each year. The new plant was opened to the public March 20, 1937, a souvenir rose presented to each lady.
In April 1933 the water came up over the road south of Cold River. George Hatch drove his truck into it before realizing the situation, waded out through water waist deep. April 12th there was a freak blizzard, every twig loaded with wet snow, beautiful but destructive. Throughout the night one heard the crack of the snow-laden limbs followed by the rumble of the snow as it cascaded to roofs or ground. Flashes like light- ning came with the rending of electric wires. In the morning-light streets and yards were littered with broken branches, knee-deep snow blockaded everything. It took several days to repair the power and telephone lines. Since the winter road equipment had been changed over to summer, transfers were made on the truck plow to clear the roads; and the road scraper was turned to a new use about the village. North Main Street was blocked by one large and several small trees. The heaviest fall seemed to be in the village with about 18 inches, but it was freakish with a heavy fall back on the hills. Of course, the snow soon melted, leaving the debris.
Again there was a heavy snowstorm on February 19, 1934, with 20-24 inches estimated but hard to judge accurately because it was so fluffy. Through traffic on Main Street was possible at times but trains both ways were hours late. The hill roads were thoroughly blocked. There was an- other heavy storm on the 26th with drifts 6-8 ft. deep that no equipment could break through so they had to be shovelled. The equipment worked ten days day and night with only one breakdown. Motor travel was dif- ficult, the roads being narrow-like trenches.
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