USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Bristol > History of the town of Bristol, Grafton County, New Hampshire, Volume I > Part 52
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1893. Nov. 27, a perceptible earthquake shock occurred at 11.45 a. m. Loud rumbling sound and buildings were shaken. 1893. First agricultural fair held in Bristol Sept. 19-21. One was held each year after this till 1901.
1895. Previous to April 10, there had been no rain since July, 1894, and wells which never before failed were dry. The water in the lake was the lowest for forty years, the depth on the apron being only twenty-eight inches. Mills were short of water and mill owners were alarmed. On Monday, April 10, rain commenced to fall in the morning and continued all day ; at night it increased in violence and during two days three inches of rain fell; the streams were bank full and the water in the lake was raised three feet. But this was only a beginning. On Friday following the rain began again to fall in torrents, and continued through Saturday and Sunday, seeming to increase in violence as the hours wore away. This was accompanied by a strong wind. Monday morning the storm had ceased, but hour after hour the streams continued to rise and a freshet of no ordi- nary proportions was on. The Pemigewasset was a roaring tor- rent, flooding fields, overflowing roads, and doing an immense amount of damage. At the depot the water was within two feet of the top of the wall and washed the earth from the bed of the track, undermining it for several rods. One-third of the way between Bristol and Hill the track was under water, in many places the sleepers stood on end, the rails twisted badly, and the bed of the road gone. In the railroad bridge across Smith's river the water was seven feet deep above the rails. Shortly after seven o'clock Monday morning the Ashland toll bridge came down the Pemigewasset ; it struck with great force the bank wall at the depot, when its timbers snapped like stub- ble ; it turned over and continued its course down stream a mass of debris. In its course it struck the Pemigewasset bridge and moved it some inches. A large number of bridges in Bristol and vicinity were carried off and the damage to highways and bridges in town was estimated at $2,000. The same state of affairs existed all over the state. The running of trains was suspended for several days, there were no mails and but little telegraphic communication. Above Smith's river bridge the water left the channel and crossed the road south of the bridge ; the only thing that prevented great damage here was the fact that the water from the Pemigewasset had backed up so far that it met the water of this stream before it reached the highway. The falls on the Newfound and Smith's rivers were scenes of rare beauty. The water in the highway at the foot of the lake was two feet deep. In some places this freshet registered higher than that of 1869, while in others not so high. A large amount of lumber was lost on the Pemigewasset and thirty millions were said to have been lost on the Connecticut.
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HISTORY OF BRISTOL
1896. Jan. 6, thermometer twenty-four below zero. Mill wheels never before frozen were stopped by the cold. Schools were closed and most out-door work was suspended. On the first of March occurred a very disastrous flood. On Friday night, Feb. 28, rain commenced to fall and fell copiously with but little cessation till Sunday night -four and one-fourth inches in all. This carried off most of the snow and added to the floods from above, making a freshet of no small proportions. During Monday Newfound lake rose two inches an hour, and the water on the apron at the outlet of the lake reached a depth of ten feet seven inches. At Bristol the Pemigewasset did not reach the height of the freshet of 1895 by nearly a foot, but south of here the record exceeded that and the damage was far greater. At Manchester the damage by loss of bridges and otherwise, reached half a million, and 8,000 operatives were out of work for a week ; at Lowell 20,000 operatives were thrown out of work. On the Lake Shore railroad nineteen out of twenty- two bridges were carried away, and on the Northern, twelve between Franklin and West Lebanon. The storm was still more destructive in the east part of the state and extended over the entire northen part of New England. On the Bristol Branch railroad the chief damage was south of Hill where for several rods the road bed was washed away. Trains did not leave Bristol on Monday, but, Tuesday afternoon, managed to reach Franklin.
1896. Aug. 6 to 13, a very hot wave- ninety-eight in the shade. The week ending Nov. 22 was unusually cold for the season - fifteen degrees below zero.
1896. June 14, the buildings of Leland E. Heath were destroyed by fire.
1897. May. 26, a distinct shock of an earthquake was felt a little after ten o'clock a. n. Another shock was felt at 2.30 a. m., July I.
1897. The spring of this year was unusually wet. For forty-five days previous to June 14, with two or three excep- tions, rain fell every day. The rain of the night of June 9 was one of the severest known. In twelve hours three inches fell. Water in the lake rose one inch per hour and the next day reached a depth of 126 inches on the apron. A stone in the highway to mark the high water of 1843 was covered two or three inches. The Pemigewasset river rose six feet in six hours. Several land slides on the railroad; one between the depot and engine-house buried the track ten feet deep for 100 feet or more.
1897. July 6, there was a succession of severe thunder showers. Lightning struck in several places. Dr. J. C. Wheet was fatally injured by his horse taking fright at a bolt of light- ning striking near him. His horse suddenly turned, throwing him on some rocks, and dragging him some distance. High-
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ways badly washed, and the Pemigewasset rose to within three feet of the high-water mark of 1895. During a thunder shower July 23, lightning struck the wall on the roadside near Solon Dolloff's, more than a mile from Central square, chipped off pieces of rock weighing 100 pounds or more from boulders, then passed up a tree to a telephone wire, and on it to the village, where it burned out all the telephones and prostrated several persons on the streets. This bolt seemed to come from the bowels of the earth, since the sun was shining brightly at the time.
1898. Two weeks of storms previous to Feb. 3, the severest since the blizzard of 1888. Deep snows, roads obstructed, tem- perature from fifteen to twenty degrees below zero in Bristol village ; twenty-five degrees below zero at Crawford's corner in Alexandria.
1898. At 4 p. m., Nov. 26, a great snow storm commenced and continued just twenty-four hours. A northeast gale pre- vailed, and the snow as it fell was piled in a way that would have done credit to a February blizzard. Eight inches of snow was the estimate made at Bristol, as only the edge of the storm reached here. Eighteen inches fell at Concord, two feet at Manchester, and about this amount through the southern part of New England. Along the coast the loss of life was appalling. More than two hundred lives were lost and two hundred vessels destroyed, including the Portland, with every soul on board, supposed to number over 150.
1899. Monday morning, Feb. 13, snow commenced to fall, and continued all day, constantly increasing in severity. By night a heavy blizzard was raging and continued all night with unabated fury, piling the snow in immense drifts, effectively blockading travel on the highways. Such a night as Monday night is seldom seen even in this land of deep snows and high winds. The morning found the roads impassable. Every man who had a snow shovel was using it, and Central square pre- sented a novel scene. Merchants and clerks were for once all engaged in the same business. Hotel Bristol was completely surrounded by a drift six feet deep, which resembled a barri- cade. Road Agent Henry A. Welch was perched on the snow roller, handling the reins with six horses attached, and all day long it passed and repassed in an effort to make the streets pass- able. The noon train left Bristol an hour late Monday, and that was the last seen of it till Thursday evening. The amount of snow that fell in Bristol was variously estimated at from twelve to eighteen inches. The storm extended from the Atlantic to the Mississippi river, and was one of the most destructive known.
1899. Some of the severest electric storms ever experienced in Bristol, swept over the town on the afternoon and evening of July 4. Great damage was done to crops and trees, and the
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highways were so badly washed that they were impassable in many places. The first shower came from the southwest about 2 p. m., and brought but little rain and lightning ; but about fifteen minutes later a much heavier one came from the north- west and continued till after four o'clock. This shower returned after having almost passed, and the last visit was more severe than the first. About six o'clock another storm came from the north and this was more destructive than either of its predecessors. It lasted over an hour. Crops were laid low, trees were blown down, highways deeply gullied, and fields covered with mud and sand. The thunder and lightning were almost incessant, rain fell in torrents, and the wind blew almost a hurricane. Over four and one-fourth inches of rain fell during the afternoon. Every telephone in town was burned out, and the electric light plant injured so that the town was in darkness. The water in the lake rose one foot, and the river rose two feet. The bridge over the Danforth brook was washed away, and the huge rocks of one abutment carried several rods down stream. The road bed, for thirty feet, was carried away at this point. The damage to the highways of the town amounted to $2,000, while the damage to private property was as much more. The lightning struck in many places, including the spire of the Con- gregational church and several dwellings. Many persons and animals were prostrated, but no person was killed. Charles A. Gale had two cows killed.
OLD HOME WEEK
1899. Old Home week was first observed in New Hamp- shire in 1899 in compliance with the suggestion of Gov. Frank W. Rollins. The week selected for this purpose was that commen- cing on Monday, Aug. 28. Bristol observed Tuesday, Aug. 29. The day opened with a parade of the industries of the town which was the finest ever witnessed in Bristol. Capt. W. A. Beckford was marshal, and Harry J. Wilbur, assistant. Nearly every industry and business in town was represented by floats or trimmed carriages. Music was furnished by the Odell band, of Franklin. The parade moved from Central square through Pleasant, Lake, Union, North Main, South Main, Church, Second, Beech, Spring, Merrimack, and Summer streets. A very appropriate and attractive decoration was placed on the lawn at the residence of Frederick Bartlett, Esq. There were the old-fashioned fireplace with brass andirons, candlesticks, old-fashioned chairs, an ancient tin baker, and table chairs, and other antique articles. Above all was a flag on which were the words, "Old Home." The parade over, a few selections were given by the band, and then all wended their way to the grove of Silas S. Brown on the shore of Newfound lake. Here, a grand stand had been erected on which were settees. Tables
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were spread with a bountiful supply of food, and dinner was served to the band and a large number of visitors, while hot . coffee and ice water were furnished gratuitously to the one thousand or more people present. Immediately after refresh- ments, the exercises of the afternoon commenced, Hon. Ira A. Chase presiding. The program opened with selections from the band, followed with the rendition of " Old New Hampshire Home " with cornet solo by Master Ernest Giles, the people joining in the chorus under the direction of Fred H. Briggs. Prayer was offered by Rev. David Calley. Introductory remarks were made by the chairman, followed by William A. Berry, Esq., Bristol; Albert P. Worthen, Esq., Boston ; Rev. Albert W. Jefferson, Bristol; Prof. Fred L. Pattee, State College, Penn., and Rev. Charles O. Judkins, Montpelier, Vt. Charles W. Johnson, of Boston, read a poem on "Pasquaney " and another on "New Hampshire Old Home Day." Miss Jessie D. Alexander recited Marion Douglass's poem, "Old Home Week." Miss M. Alice Browne, of Boston, gave a vocal solo. Letters of regret were read from Hon. Levi P. Morton and Hon. Napoleon B, Bry- ant. During the day there was a boat race on the lake, and a ball game in North Main street park in the latter part of the afternoon, and a band concert in Central square at eight o'clock. A large number of former residents were present ; every one entered into the pleasures of the hour with zest, and the great success of the day was the remark of all.
1899. The annual reunion of the survivors of the 12th N. H., Vols., of the Civil War, was held in Bristol Sept. 27.
OLD HOME WEEK
1900. The second observance of Old Home week in Bristol occurred Wednesday, Aug. 15. There was a fine bicycle and trade parade in the morning in which all the merchants partici- pated led by the Hill cornet band. Capt. W. A. Beckford was marshal, and Dr. G. A. Veatter, aide. Elbridge S. Bickford commanded a division of sixty bicyclists. Places of business, the hotel, and many private residences were decorated. At the conclusion of the parade the weather was so threatning the proposed picnic and exercises on the shore of the lake were abandoned. Dinner was served at the town hall, and there public exercises were held in the afternoon. The president of the day, Capt. R. W. Musgrove, gave an historical opening address. This was followed by addresses by Hon. Ira A. Chase, Hon. Lewis W. Fling, and Wm. A. Berry, Esq., of Bristol, and Warren E. Locke, of Boston. Karl M. White, of Rochester, N. Y., recited "Deestrick Number 3" written by William C. White, and responded to an encore. Addresses followed by P. G. Carleton, Malden, Mass., Dea. Lorenzo M.
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Currier, Penacook; William I. Musgrove, Springfield, Mass .; John H. Musgrove, Pittsfield, Mass .; Austin H. Roby, Boston, and Prof. Fred Lewis Pattee, State College, Pa., who read an original poem. Miss Anna B. Musgrove gave a vocal solo. A ball game between old timers and up-to-dates took place later in the afternoon. The band gave an open air concert in Central square in the early evening, and a ball at Hotel Bristol closed the day.
1900. The summer of 1900 was unusually dry. Winter came without the usual fall rains, and water in the lake was the lowest on record, causing the mill owners much inconven- ience. Only thirty-three inches of snow fell during the winter, yet the cold weather was so uninterrupted there was good sleigh- ing from Dec. 10 till the first days of April, 1901. During that month came abundant rains.
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY MEMORIAL SERVICES
1901. September 6, President Mckinley was assassinated at Buffalo, N. Y., and died on the 14th, following. Sept. 19, all that was mortal of the late president was consigned to the tomb. In Bristol all business was suspended, and mills, shops, stores, and schools were closed. Flags and the national colors, trimmed in black, were thrown to the breeze and adorned many places of business and private residences. The mortar in Central square was decorated, and on an easel, placed on the mound, was a picture of the late president. Memorial services were held at the Methodist Episcopal church at two o'clock in the afternoon. Nelson Post, G. A. R., attended in a body and occupied seats in front. The church was elaborately decorated. The altar and choir railing were wound in black, and strewn with white asters. Flags, surmounted with black bows, were at either end of the altar rail, and white flags trimmed with black graced the organ and various other points of the church. In front of the pulpit was a life-size picture of President Mckinley, draped in flags with a bank of white asters in front, surmounted by a pure white dove, while far above was suspended another dove. The combined choirs of the Methodist, Congregational, and Free Baptist churches sang, under the leadership of Capt. Frank A. Gordon; Mrs. R. W. Musgrove, organist. Among the selections sung was the late president's favorite, "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Addresses were made by Rev. Lyman D. Bragg, Rev. John W. Savage, Rev. Taplin J. Winslade, Hon. Lewis W. Fling, Hon. Ira A. Chase, and Capt. Richard W. Musgrove, The last named presented the following resolutions which were adopted by a rising vote :
WHEREAS, This nation and the civilized world rests under the shadow
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of a great national calamity, in the death of William Mckinley, president of the United States, and are horror stricken at a dastardly crime com- mitted by an enemy of all governments, we, citizens of Bristol, in mass meeting assembled, hereby give expression to our condemnation of the crime and the doctrine that prompted it, and unite our tears and pro- found sorrow with those of all lovers of law and good government.
Resolved, That in this hour of national affliction we recall with great satisfaction and pride, a life devoted to the good of the Republic. We recall his services when a young man, a volunteer in the Union army, periling his life for the preservation of the Union; his fourteen years of honorable service in the Congress of the United States ; his four years of distinguished service as governor of Ohio; his brilliant record as presi- dent of the United States, during which he has had the highest interest and good of the republic constantly at heart; his spotless Christian char- acter both in public and private life, and the heroism and Christlike spirit with which he met the last sad drama of his life, all of which have endeared him to the American people to an unusual degree.
Resolved, That we hereby put ourselves on record in favor of the enactment of such laws as will tend to restrict the acts and teachings of anarchists. We are in favor of the largest liberty of the press and the platform, consistent with the highest welfare of society, but opposed to an unbridled license, the product of which is crime of the darkest dye.
PUBLIC PARK
1902. On the third of October, William G. Kelley, of Bris- tol, died, leaving a will which made the town of Bristol residu- ary legatee of his estate, and named Marshall W. White, Charles Boardman, and George H. Hammond as his executors. This will, after making a few specific bequests, and providing for an annuity of $150 to be paid to his sister, Mrs. Mary Jane Gordon, contained the following clause :
All the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate * *
* I give in trust to Marshall W. White, Charles Boardman, and George H. Hammond, all of Bristol, N. H., to be used and expended for the benefit of the town of Bristol, N. H., if said town sees fit to accept it upon the conditions herein provided, otherwise I give the same absolutely, to the New Hampshire Orphans' Home, located in Franklin, N. H. My wish is, to provide for a public park or common in said town of Bristol, and for this purpose said trust is established. If said town will, within three years of my decease, vote to accept my gift of said rest, residue and remainder, and within that time, appoint a committee of three legal voters thereof, and the three trustees of my estate, a joint committee to find, locate, and buy, a suitable piece of land contiguous to the village of Bristol, N. H., for a public park, and said town will authorize and in- struct said committee to buy the same, for said purpose, and will hereafter keep and maintain the same for said purpose, the fund committed as above to said trustees may be thus employed and used, any time within five years from my decease, and I do not limit or restrict the town in the matter of use to be made of the land, beyond the one general condition, that whatever land is purchased with said money, or any part thereof, shall forever be kept as a public park and, whether the whole trust fund so provided shall in the first instance be paid out for land for said purpose, or whether only one-half, or from one-half to the whole, and the remainder be used in improvements thereon, and for maintaining the lands and improvements as a park for the public, I will leave to the discretion of said joint committee.
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Messrs. White and Hammond declined to serve, and the court appointed Charles W. Fling, Esq., and Fred H. Ackerman in their stead. At the November election in 1902, the town voted to accept the legacy and appointed Dr. George H. Calley, Henry C. Whipple, and George B. Cavis as the committee on the part of the town to act with the executors as the joint committee.
Commencing with 1899, the town appropriated fifty dollars each year for the purpose of leasing of Gustavus Bartlett the field west of North Main street for a public park, to provide a playground for the children and a baseball ground for the young men. At the March election in 1902, Charles H. Dick- inson and Henry C. Whipple were made a committee to ascer- tain what this field could be purchased for. They reported at the November election in 1902, that Mr. Bartlett would dispose of it to the town for a park for $2,000, and as the price was reasonable and the land was "especially well located for a public park " they recommended its purchase by the town. As Mr. Bartlett had generously declined to accept better prices from other parties till the town could act, and as the prospec- tive funds from the Kelley estate could not be available in sea -. son to secure this land under the offer made, Messrs. Dickinson and Whipple, as a committee on the part of the town, were instructed to purchase the land for the town, and borrow the money with which to pay for it from the Kelley estate. This was done and the deed to the town was passed Dec. 16.
At the March election in 1903, the following report was pre- sented :
The committee of three legal voters elected at the November, 1902, town meeting, to act in connection with the trustees of the William G. Kelley estate, beg leave to report that, after carefully considering the several places that have been suggested by different people, as suitable for a public park, they are of the unanimous opinion and would recom- mend that the town vote to authorize this committee to purchase for said purpose the Bartlett field, so called, now owned by the town, also such other real estate as they may think advisable or needed for park purposes,
George H. Calley, Henry C. Whipple, George B. Cavis.
This report was accepted and adopted. It seems, therefore, that the Bartlett field will constitute a part of the park pur- chased with the avails of the proceeds of the William G. Kelley bequest. This field is located in the center of the village and contains about five acres. It has a frontage on North Main street of over 600 feet, commencing at a point directly oppo- site the Methodist Episcopal church. The amount available for park purposes, after all legacies and annuities have been paid, is expected to be about $15,000.
WILLIAM G. KELLEY
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ANNALS OF THE TOWN
1902. The weather during the entire year was unusual. Snow disappeared early in March, and the latter part of this month, the thermometer indicated ninety degrees in the shade. May 29, the thermometer again reached this point, but not dur- ing the summer months. During August the thermometer ranged in the vicinity of forty degrees above zero at sunrise and about seventy-five degrees during the middle of the day. Dur- ing the haying season there were clouds and rain nearly every day for four weeks and much of the hay crop was ruined. November was exceptionally warm and pleasant. Crops were plenteous except corn, which did not mature. The fruit crop was as large as ever known.
1902. March I, Rural free delivery route, No. I, was established from Bristol post-office, Edward A. Blake, carrier.
1902. July 19, there was a sharp shock of an earthquake.
APPENDIX A
TOWN OFFICERS
The lists are here given in full of the moderators, town clerks, selectmen, treasurers, and collectors of New Chester and Bridgewater previous to the incorporation of Bristol in 1819, and of Bristol since that date. The publication of all the officers of the town would swell the volume to unseemly proportions, and is not, therefore, attempted.
The figures at the left of the names give the year"when elected, those at the right the number of consecutive years serv- ing from that date.
MODERATORS AT ANNUAL MEETINGS
New Chester
I773 Col. John Goff
I I797
Theophilus Sanborn I
I774 Nason Cass
I
1798 Ephraim Webster
I775 Andrew Craige
I 1799 Theophilus Sanborn
I
1776 Abner Fellows
I
. 1800 Ephraim Webster
I
1777 Thomas Crawford
I
180I
Edward Blodgett
I
1778
Abner Fellows
3
1802
Ebenezer Kimball
6
1781
John Cleveland
I
1808
John Searle
I
1782 Nason Cass
I 1809
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