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Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Conway
Conway - An Irish wake held the past week at the funeral of one of their number here, was frought with some unpleasant occurrences from imbibing too freely. Rows, broken carriages, run away horses, etc., are disgraceful to say the least, from such causes at such times. Is this the Hibernian way of showing grief? Not with all of them we are sure, but all nations have their peculiarities.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
South Deerfield
South Deerfield - The report of the fire, as given by the Springfield Republican on Mon., was anything but satisfactory to the "Law Abiding Citizens", their item in Tuesday's paper to the contrary notwithstanding. The insinuation that Mr.Mulligan allowed a set of roughs to come up on the train, who created "so much disturbance", the citizens do not believe.
On the contrary, we are requested to say that they are very grateful to Superintendent Mulligan and the company which came with him, for the very prompt manner in which they responded to the call for aid, notwithstanding they did not get here to render much aid, they did manifest a disposition, for which they have the hearty thanks of all Law Abiding Citizens". [Very blurry section follows]
Then the insinuation that the Irish were more drunken and disorderly than any other class is a mistake, perhaps not purposely. On the other hand there were many Irish [?] as they always have on such occasions in this place. As for the liquor flowing freely we will say nothing, as judging from the report we presume the said reporter knew better about that than the "Law Abiding Citizens" [more blurriness - sorry]. Law Abiding Citizen.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The four o'clock train from Boston Sat. knocked an Irishman named William Shehan (one of the Bardwell's Ferry railroad laborers) from the track, on which he was sitting in a drunken condition this side of Lake Pleasant. The cow catcher hit him in the thigh and threw him about 30 feet. He was not dangerously injured, and was picked up and brought to Greenfield where he was attended by Dr. C.L. Fisk Jr.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Foreign
Assaults on ladies in railway carriages are becoming epidemic in Great Britain. Mr. Mooney, "a gentleman highly respected in Dublin", has been arrested for grossly assaulting a married lady in a railway carriage.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 9, 1875
Diminishing population
The returns of the enumerator report the population of many of our towns, especially of the hill towns, as diminishing. The population of Hawley is returned as 100 less than 10 years ago. The reason for this is not that the people die off more rapidly here than in other towns, for it would be difficult to find a more healthy place, as the large population of aged persons here shows. The decrease is to be accounted for in good part, by the many removals from the place. Many whole families have left us, and it is quite common for our young people to go elsewhere.
But there is another serious difficulty here as in other places, and that is the small number of births. In former times it was not uncommon to meet with families of 10 or a dozen children, and a baker's dozen at that. "They sent forth their little ones as a flock". But now, families of half a dozen children are rare. those of but 2 or 3 are more common. It is now, in many cases, one, "but a lion", as the lioness said to the fox.
And thus it is that we raise hardly enough for seed; and as we have no Irish families, as in the villages, to fill up the gap, there is a continual decrease. And at this rate, what are we coming to? Where shall we be half a century hence? Unless there shall be a better regard to Scripture injunctions (Gen. 1:28) these hill towns will become wholly depopulated, and the wild beasts will resume possession.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 2, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The thief who so adroitly "went through" the Mansion House on Sat., stealing a $47 suit of clothes belonging to Conductor Thorpe, and a pair of $10 shoes owned by A.N. Hull, has been arrested, and is likely to suffer the penalty of the law. He proves to be "Tim" Sullivan [also seen as Timothy Sullivan], who is notorious as an old offender. On the 18th of June he escaped from the lock-up in New Britain, Ct., where he had been placed, and Officer Kimball has for some weeks had a warrant for his arrest. After committing the robbery at the Mansion House, he hung around town Sun. and a part of the day Mon., but the officers wee not lucky enough to get hold of him.
Harry Breed, an engineer on the Vt. & Mass. division of the Fitchburg Road, recognized a fellow on his way to Fitchburg in Thorpe's good clothes, and notified the latter at once. Thorpe sent down a sample of the goods, and the Fitchburg police had Sullivan in less than 2 hours after receiving their information. Officer Bryant brought him up on Wed., and in the eve. he was tried by Justice Brainard and bound over to the Superior Court in the sum of $300. The stolen clothing was so damaged in its 2 or 3 day service on the rascal, that the owner did not care to claim and take possession of the property.
It seems that about a week previous to the robbery, Sullivan was seen skulking about the upper rooms of the Mansion House, and being asked by some of the girls what he was doing there, beat a hasty exit out of the east end of the building, going down to the ground on a tree. He is a slippery fellow, and our officers will have to be on the alert, or he will yet get out of their clutches.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Work on the road at Bardwell’s Ferry
Between Shelburne Falls and Bardwell’s Ferry, the place covered by the Farren contract, lies the most difficult and important work on the entire line, which was sublet by Mr. Farren to a number of parties, D.B. Beaumont taking the earthwork for 3 miles east of Shelburne Falls and Hogan Brothers the masonry over the same distance, while the greatest work of all, the strip of a mile and 3/4 long, including a high bridge over the Deerfield just west of Bardwell’s Ferry station, and a vast excavation of earth and rock near the same point, was taken, both masonry and earth-work, by Wards & Hogan, a couple of Irishmen, and a short piece of excavation still further east by Sherwood & Elliot.
This part of the work, owing to its unexpected magnitude, is very much behindhand, and can now hardly be completed before next spring, though Mr. Farren mentions December as the time when he hopes to see it done. For the first 3 miles east of Shelburne Falls the task of rebuilding the road is a comparatively easy one, merely widening the bed, building a few small culverts and perfecting the grade.
At the end of this distance a new bridge over the Bear River is to be built, requiring two piers and two abutments, making together 2000 yards of masonry. The foundations for the bridge are not yet even begun. East of Bear River the work is light until a point about half a mile from the station at Bardwell’s Ferry is reached, where the serious business begins in full earnest. First is a heavy bank wall of the most substantial character, 1000 ft. long, and requiring 10,000 lbs. of masonry, which is now building. This is on the south side of the track, from which a bank on the other side descends abruptly to the river, and this will have to be rip-rapped.
Beyond the bank wall comes a deep cut through a small mountain, the most stupendous task of all, which will very much reduce the curvature of the road, although at enormous expense. This excavation is to be some 700 ft. long and 36 wide, and will require the removal of 150,000 yards of earth and 50,000 yards of rock, according to the estimates. A huge steam shovel has already dug its way deep into the hill from above, the dirt being carried off by a train of dump cars which are dragged up the hill, on a grade of 6 ft. in the hundred.
The earth to be dug out on one side of the hill was some 65 ft. high, and the work of excavating is hardly more than half done. The bridge over the Deerfield River, upon which the track will run directly as it leaves the cut, is located 200 ft. below the old wooden structure, and will rest on 4 abutments and 2 piers, requiring 1000 yards of solid masonry. It will have 3 spans of 145 ft. each over the river, and 3 of 50 at the ends. The sub-contractors, Wards & Hogan, who have this great undertaking in charge, are doing their work with admirable care and thoroughness, and when completed it is likely to improve the most notable feature on the line aside from the tunnel itself.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Lake Pleasant
Lake Pleasant continues to be the attractive spot for picnics. Tues., 20 parties from Athol, Orange, Wendell and Erving will picnic there; the 22nd, the Hibernians of Holyoke; 28th, Sovereigns of Gardner; 24th, Methodists of Northampton.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
Bernardston
Week before last was one of picnics, emphatically so, at Sylvan Grove in this town. On Mon. the 5th, the Hibernians from Keene N.H. celebrated the nation’s birthday by a picnic, which was numerously attended, there being several car loads of men, women and children. They brought their favorite beer in great abundance, and their own police to preserve order and guard the festivities of the occasion from all interruption that might ensue from the "working" of the beer. The police were mostly of the Yankee blood, large and powerful looking men.
They brought along with them two fine bands of music, a brass band, and a string band, to stir the soul with harmony. National pride was quite apparent on this occasion, several of the leading ones wearing the green plume and other trappings of Irish nationality. Upon one large and beautiful banner, we saw the name of Emmett, a name dear to every Irish heart, and a name worthy to be revered by every patriot. Upon the whole this picnic appeared to be a very enjoyable affair, and well enjoyed by all concerned, giving no unfavorable impressions of the Irish character.
There were some very sprightly and amusing single jig dancing, both by males and females, which was almost "super" Yankee. [?] There was only one beer fight, and this was soon checked by the long, bony arms of a Yankee policeman. One of those combatants did not belong to the party from Keene. As soon as clear from the grasp of the policeman, he made tracks as fast as his ten toes could carry him, for fear of being handcuffed and tied to a tree, a summary, but very proper and effective way of treating the license loving public when inclined to pugilistic sentiments.
At a seasonable hour the party all left for their homes in sober good nature, all feeling they had had a good time, and honored the birth of their adopted country. The next picnic in order was that of the two Baptist Societies from Springfield, called the Sunday School Picnic, and was the largest gathering of the kind held at Sylvan Grove this season, there being 9 car loads of old and young, and was evidently a gathering of [?] first social rank of the place. They also had two bands of music, a brass band and a string band, and in addition they had a choir of male singers, whose vocal powers can hardly be beat if equaled.
We cannot recall the time when we have been so highly pleased with social music. And we were not a little surprised, but very "agreeably" so, to learn that the Baptist people can "trip it on the light fantastic toe", and call the same an innocent and sinless amusement, as well as other professing Christians. Truly old prejudices are giving way and common sense is gaining ground...
Thurs. July 8, a colored picnic from Springfield occupied Sylvan Grove, numbering 201 grown up persons of both sexes, and 31 children. They called themselves the Pilgrim Baptists, and during their stay here their conduct was very exemplary and seemed perfectly consistent with the Christian name and character. Their sense of Christian propriety forbade them to indulge in dancing exercises, which seems almost an instinct of the African race, consequently they had no music but vocal, some of which was exceedingly charming to the ear. They were scrupulously neat in appearance, well dressed, though not fantastically so, which is considered by many to be an African characteristic.
They were all shades, from a jet black to a light quadroon, many of them having the straight auburn hair and the Saxon blue eye. Many of them gave evidence of a good degree of general intelligence and learning, being able to converse with ease upon various topics, especially religious topics, to which they seemed much inclined. Their demeanor, through the day, was such as to claim the respect of every one present; and we were very willing to admit that they rightfully belonged to the great Christian brotherhood of man.
Several of the first class citizens of the place showed them marks of politeness and courtesy, by carrying them about town in their carriages. "A blessing on him who cheers the downtrodden".
Fri. July 9, the Unitarian Society from Northampton held a picnic at Sylvan Grove. This party numbered 150, a number highly respectable for the Society, which we understand is quite small. It was quite evident from appearances that this party was composed of people of both sexes from the first circles of refined society in points of politeness and moral culture. They were accompanied by a band of music of 6 pieces, called the Arlan Orchestra, T.S. Billings, leader, a gentleman highly distinguished for musical talents, as also were the others of the band. The music of this band probably cannot be beat by any band in Western Massachusetts. Mr. Billings is, no doubt, an amateur of music from birth.
Of course a dance followed the sweet strains of this music; indeed, they couldn’t help it, so bewitching is the power of music over the head and heels. Among the dancers first up on this occasion we saw an old gentleman, 83 years old; and had you seen nothing of him but the nimble and elastic step of his feet, you certainly would have said those feet were not more than 20 years old; a remarkable instance of green old age. This was no less a man than David Damon, a well known citizen in the first circles of Northampton society. [See the Google book "Early Northampton", 1914],
(Pardon us for calling names). Nothing happened in word or deed to mar the enjoyment of this pleasant occasion. There was no smell of ’license" stronger than good tea and coffee, with plenty of cool lemonade. Joy and social kindness shone in every countenance, showing the unspeakable advantages of refined society. Even the gentle bearing and graceful manners of the little children lent a charm to the occasion. Such a picnic we would gladly see repeated. Scribe.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 19, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Pat Slattery, who is employed at Manly McClure's brickyard, was hauled up by Officer Bryant last week, for blacking a fellow workman's eye, while under the inspiration of whiskey, and paid for the pleasure $5.50, at the request of Justice Brainard.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 12, 1875
Bernardston
The Irish picnicked here Mon. of last week. the Baptists of Springfield and Holyoke Wed.; the negroes of Conn. Valley Thurs., and the Unitarians from Northampton Fri.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 12, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The 4th, observed on the 5th, was rather tame hereabouts. Even the firecracker nuisance was inclined to be a fizzle. The boys did "raise Cain", however, the night before, and in some parts of the village their singing, yells and rowdyism made the night hideous. But few stores closed on Mon., and the only variation from the usual appearance of things was a larger number of loafers and a few more tipsy men in the streets. The Catholics held a picnic at Pierces grove, the Sunday School in Greenfield uniting with the school at Turners Falls. The procession, escorted by the Fenian Brotherhood, and displaying a variety of flags and beautiful banners, marched through the principal streets, music being furnished by the Emmett Band of Turners Falls.
The Irish indulged in quite a little fight at the house of John Shehan on Sun. Some dispute arose in regard to shooting a mark, and almost half drunk, they demanded of Mrs. Shehan more cider, which was of course peremptorily refused. Abusive language, terrible threats and hard blows were the order of the day, but at last by threatening to go for Sheriff Swan, the combatants cleared the premises and, according to Irish phraseology, nobody was hurted any, but if we should judge by the looks, somebody got a pretty severe pounding.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, June 14, 1875
Bernardston
The Connecticut River Railroad's Sylvan Grove http://www.franklinc...dston/everts/02.html at Bernardston is being fitted up with special attractions for picnic parties. New swings have been added and ample croquet grounds laid out in scientific order, and on Thurs. the Hibernians of Springfield will picnic there.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News of the week
Smallpox has broken out in Hinesburg, Vt.; an Irishman named Kelley has died of the disease, his family are all sick, and many persons have been exposed.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, May 3, 1875
News of the week
Weston is outdone in the feat of walking 100 miles in 24 hours. Daniel O'Leary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiday_race , the Chicago pedestrian, walked 116 miles in 23 hours 8 minutes at Philadelphia Sat., the best time for the distance on record. [And both were still at it 10 years later. Check out the New York Times article of Dec. 8, 1885].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, April 26, 1875
Economical new food
25 cents will buy a package of Sea Moss Farine, made from pure Irish moss , which will make 50 kinds of dishes, such as cakes, pies, puddings, etc., or 16 quarts of custards, jellies, creams, Charlotte Russes, blanc mange, etc. Sold by all druggists and grocers.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, April 19, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The most important event in Greenfield society of late, was the marriage on Wed. of Mary P. Wells, daughter of Mr. N.S. Wells of this town, to Fayette Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio. The ceremony took place at the Unitarian church in the presence of a large gathering of invited friends. The brief services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Moore in an impressive manner. The bride was richly attired in a beautiful Irish poplin.
/ A profusion of flowers decorated the church, and the occasion was as pleasant and interesting as such events are wont to be. The wedding presents, largely from friends and relatives abroad, were exceedingly valuable. The bride accompanies her husband at once to her Western home. She has been well known in literary circles under the nom de plume of "P. Thorn" [or P. Thorne] and leaves behind her in our village a host of interested friends. Mr. S. is a native of this county, being a son of Rev. Preserved Smith. He went West some years ago, and is a member of the firm of Lincoln & Smith, who are doing a very extensive law and insurance business in Cincinnati. [Mary P. Wells Smith became quite a famous author of children's books about Old Deerfield. See her recollections at Google Books: "History of Greenfield" by Francis McGee, p. 1168.].
- Sun, Feb 22, 2009
