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Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
Greenfield items
Greenfield - Frank Lansing Grinnell, who met his death by a sad and singular accident at Bridgeport, CT, was a son of George B. Grinnell of New York, and a grandson of Hon. George Grinnell of this town. He had just graduated at Yale and was about entering into business. A most exemplary young man, and fond of outdoor exercise and amusements, including the game of baseball in which he was skilled.
At the time of the accident, he was at Bridgeport to take part in a match game. Previous, while endeavoring to catch a flying ball, he stepped backward, unawares, into the line of 2 young men who were passing a ball, before they perceived it. The ball was the hardest on the ground, and thrown by the most powerful pitcher of the club, and struck young Grinnell on the back of the head, just at the base of the skull.
He fell instantly, and was soon after taken to the house of Hon. W.D. Bishop, where he received every attention possible. His friends arrived as soon as telegraph and steam could bring them. He remained unconscious until Friday, when he seemed to recognize them, and hope revived among his friends; but he sunk away and died on Saturday eve.
He was much beloved by his classmates and others in college, and only 2 weeks ago spent several days with his grandparents, where he met many acquaintances who mourn his early death.
[Additional information can be found in the
1875-1876 Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University online].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
The Caledonians at Lake Pleasant
There was not the anticipated crowd at the Tournament of the Springfield Caledonian Society at Lake Pleasant on Wed. Special trains were run up from the South and from the east on the Fitchburg road, but many of the cars were nearly empty. The lake has had its attractions for the season, and people are now holding on to the spare coppers for the needs of approaching winter.
But few of the Caledonians were in full costume, yet the advertised programme was carried out, and the day’s sports were by no means a fizzle. The Fitchburg Band and Russell’s orchestra furnished the music, and the following were the successful winners in the principle athletic feats:
In the three-legged race, in which the competitors race in pairs with a leg of each tied to that of his comrade, Richard Harvey of Easthampton and Paul Fitzgerald of Shelburne Falls took the first prize of $6, and Hutchins and Wilson took the second of $3.
In the Hop, Skip and Jump contest, Thomas O’Donald of Northampton proved the best man, clearing 38 feet, and took the first prize of $5; and P. Sullivan of Ftichburg, who cleared 37 1/2 ft. took the 2nd prize of $2."Putting heavy stone" was a trial of strength of throwing a 16 lb. iron ball; John Purcell of Florence threw it 41 1/2 ft.and won the 1st prize of $6; Patrick Purcell of Florence, who threw it 31 ft. 4 inches, had the 2nd prize of $3.
Dancing the Highland Fling in costume was an interesting feature,George Bothwick of Boston taking the 1st prize of $6, and W.G.Smith of Boston the 2nd of $3. Tossing the caber ( a 12 ft. stick of lumber) was won by John Purcell who threw it 30 ft. 1 inch, receiving $5, and E.R. McCormick of Florence came next, and received $3.
In vaulting with a pole, Richard Harvey cleared a perpendicular jump of 8 ft. 7 inches and took the 1st prize of $5, and P. Purcell took the 2nd of $3. In the mile foot race, P. Sullivan of Fitchburg made the best time and took the 1st prize of $10, and E. Wilson was 2nd, and took the prize of $5.
There was a hurdle race, which was quite an exciting affair; R. Harvey took the 1st money, $6, and __ Hitchcock, the 2nd, $3. There were 4 contestants in the swimming match. The course was from the gent’s bath house to the landing. F.M.Sweeney of Worcester took the 1st prize of $15, and G.H. Crocker of Fitchburg the 2nd, of $10.
The single scull race was the great event of the day. There were 4 entries, and the course was the length of the lake and back. It was a close and exciting contest. John E. Brown of Worcester won the race and the 1st money, $40; Daniel McSweeney of Fitchburg came in 2nd, for $30; Jerry Callahan of Springfield came in 3rd and received $15.
Some boys caused no little sport in the tub race, where they were frequently capsized. The games were continued until the departure of the trains at night.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
News of the week
Still another aeronaut has had a narrow escape. He made an ascension at Augusta, Ky. recently, and the balloon fell into the river, he became entangled in the ropes, and was rescued by a passing boat just as he was sinking for the third time.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 20, 1875
News of the week
Weston succeeded Friday the 10th on his second attempt at the New Haven ball grounds, to walk 100 miles inside of 22 hours, and had half an hour, lacking only 15 seconds to spare.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Conway
Conway - A tramp attempted to enter the house of one of our citizens, through the window, 2 or 3 days since, while the parents of the girls left alone were absent attending a relative's funeral. Instead of the croquet mallet and ball our young ladies must learn the use of fire arms, for their own protection, in these perilous times where the law is found insufficient.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Orange
Orange - A match game of round ball was played between the Sewing Machine and the Foundry boys on the 4th, but with what result we are unable to learn.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - Charles Henry's numerous friends will be pleased to learn that he made the third best shot at the meeting of the National Rifle Club at Springfield on Wed...
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
Greenfield - D.L. Moody, the evangelist, was in town last Tues., and won the everlasting esteem of one of our grocers by purchasing 4 pounds of coffee. By the way, they tell the following little incident which occurred the other day when Mr. Moody and his wife went to Brattleboro shopping. Not being particularly interested in the purchases she was to make, he took a walk along the street, and when passing the store where his wife was engaged, one clerk called to another to come to the door and see the famous preacher.
The knight of the yardstick waiting upon Mrs. Moody said "There goes Moody, the revivalist, would you not like to see him? There are a plenty of better looking men than he is, ain't there?" The lady relished the joke, and of course had a good laugh over it with her husband.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home (Greenfield)
Greenfield - Register Thompson and Town Clerk Pond had rare sport fishing, down near Sherbrook, Nova Scotia, where they were guests of Newell Snow for some 3 weeks. What would some of the fishers in our local streams think of 75 pounds of trout as the result of half an hour’s piscatorial effort.
That is what THEY did down there. Mr. T. outlined one of the speckled treasures which he caught, and shows the profile to his credulous friends. The fish was about a foot and a half long, and weighed a good 3 pounds. They camped out nights, waded through swamps and bogs, fished, ate, and were happy, and came home browned and toughened, in prime condition, to resume the cares and troubles of every day life.
Greenfield - The tournament of the Springfield Caledonian Society will be the great attraction at Lake Pleasant this week. It comes off on Wed., and excursion trains are to be run over the various roads. $250 are to be distributed in prizes. There are to be foot races, hurdle races and other athletic sports, and a single scull race, in which Harrington, the Springfield champion, and Brown, the champion of Worcester will participate. It will be the first boat race on the Lake. The Scottish societies will be in costume, and the "Highland fling" will be one of the features of the occasion.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Great fire at South Deerfield
Great fire at South Deerfield - over $40,000 worth of property destroyed. One of the most destructive conflagrations that has ever visited Franklin County raged at South Deerfield Sat. night, sweeping out of existence the two village hotels, the finest private dwelling house in the place, a manufacturing establishment, a livery stable with several buildings, sheds and other property.
About 15 minutes before 12 o’clock, fire was discovered in the trimming room, in the second story of the ell part of John Ockington’s carriage shop, which was located on Depot Street, a little west of the Main street of the village. Before the alarm became general the flames with almost lightning rapidity spread to the main building, a large 2 story wooden structure, used for the various branches of the carriage business, and a repository for finished work.
Mr. Ockington’s books were rescued, and a portion of his stock, but a carryall, buggy, express wagon, sleigh, and a no. of carriages in different stages of construction, tools and lumber and stock of various kind were destroyed. ..The wind, which was blowing strongly from the north and north west, carried the flying cinders in the direction of Main Street.
Ten and a half ft. from the shop was the livery stable owned by W. Houston and occupied by Frank Warren. Hardly 15 minutes from the breaking out of the fire the stable had caught, and in a very short time was reduced to ashes...The next building reached by the devouring fire fiend was the Hayden Hotel, a large 2 story wooden building in the south west corner of Main Street and Depot Street, 75 ft. distant from the stable. It was owned by L. Hayden and occupied by his son Charles Hayden.
...Nearly all the furniture was removed from the building, but still considerable valuable property was destroyed. Miss Benn Hayden occupied a fancy goods store in the block, and her stock was nearly all saved.
100 ft. to the south on Main Street was Loren Hayden’s fine dwelling house, built but a short time ago, the most extensive residence in South Deerfield, and well furnished. Only a part of the furniture was saved, and the building and most of its contents were soon in ashes. In the rear, 27 ft. distance, was a large new barn which with its contents of hay and grain were destroyed....
While the conflagration was waging its war of destruction upon this corner of the street, another had broken out with equal fury on the opposite corner. The Bloody Brook House, belonging to C.P. Aldrich, was in a few moments a mass of flames. This long building, extending over 100 ft. on Main Street, with a new ell on Depot Street, its barns and numerous outbuildings melted before the flames like frost beneath the rays of the sun.
Efforts were made to clear out the contents but they were mostly unavailing, and the furniture, a piano, billiard table, provisions, bedding, etc. were lapped up by the greedy element. In the large grocery store of L.T. Harris, in the ell part of the building, but little was taken out. Scudder, a jeweler, saved most of his stock, but shot himself through the hand while handling one of his revolvers. J.T. Burnett occupied a room as a barber shop, but met no serious loss.
S.F. Fisher, who had a harness shop in the building, packed his goods and tools in trunks, and saved nearly all. P. Corkins, the shoemaker, another occupant, was alike fortunate. Several boarders in the hotel lost their clothing, but fortunately no one perished or was seriously injured.
Providentially there was a change in the wind, and the fire made no further progress in a northerly direction; though a horse belonging to Edward Jones of Greenfield, which is adjacent, was scorched and vigilant watching was required to prevent it from igniting. O.S. Arms’ house, on the east side of Main Street opposite Hayden’s, was several times on fire. All of the furniture was taken out, and by cutting through the roof and applying water as best they could when flames were discovered, he and his neighbors managed to save the building.
On the corner of Main Street opposite the Hayden hotel, is a large wooden building belonging to C.A. Pierce. This too was scorched. and the roof was frequently on fire, but it was saved without serious damage. Its occupants, M. Roch, druggist, Boyd & Houghton, dry goods, Mrs. B. Parsons Mansfield, milliner, O.S. Arms, post office and shoe store removed a portion or all of their goods, and had them more or less damaged. William B. Houston, who occupied a tenement on the 2nd floor, had his furniture taken out.
Deacon L.H. Fellow’s house, some 20 ft. from the post office, was also on fire and its contents taken out, but the fire was kept at bay by the use of small hand pumps, such as are used in gardens and in washing carriages. C. Mosher’s livery stable was saved in the same way. Numerous other houses and buildings were at different times on fire, but the assembled people were able to put them out.
South Deerfield is without a fire engine, reservoir, or any organized means for extinguishing fire. The people who assembled in obedience to the alarm could do little but assist in moving furniture and goods, and the fire in the destruction of the buildings mentioned had it all its own way. Within two hours from the breaking out of the flames in Ockington’s shop they had done their work, and nothing was left but tottering chimneys and smouldering embers.
About a quarter past 12 a dispatch was sent to Springfield for help and an hour or two after, two steamers and a hose cart arrived, making the run from Springfield in 40 minutes; but it was too late to be of service, and if the engines had come earlier there would have been little water that could have been made use of. The train soon returned.
The Deerfield Guards, under Captain B.F. Bridges, who had returned from msuter the afternoon previous, were early called to guard the property scattered about the streets. Some disturbance was created by boys who had confiscated liquors, but it was quelled without serious trouble. The fire was seen for miles, and burning brands were carried as far as Sunderland.
Mr. L. Hayden was so prostrated from the excitement incident to the fire that there were rumors yesterday that he was not likely to survive; but these rumors were probably exaggerated. John Ockington, one of the principle sufferers, is away at the seaside.
[Article goes on to discuss policies and amount of insurance, but this is all nicely listed in the NYTimes article].
Though there is some doubt about the origin of the fire, the prevailing belief is inclined to incendiarism. There had been no fire about the carriage shop after 3 o’clock the previous afternoon. The place in the building where it broke out was quite a distance from the forging shop. The calamity is a serious blow to the community.
[See the article "Losses by fire" in the Sept. 6, 1875 issue of the New York Times Online Archive].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Turners Falls
Turners Falls - Black bass are more than usually abundant in the Connecticut River this season, and several of the business men had a bass dinner at the Farren House Thurs., from a big bass caught by one of them.
The union camp fire and picnic of the Grand Army posts of Athol and Orange, near the town line, is announced for September 8. The Athol and Orange cornet bands will attend, and the former will appear in their new uniforms for the first time. Base ball [i.e. baseball] and a clam chowder will be among the features.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Lake Pleasant
The Springfield Caledonian Club propose to hold a picnic at Lake Pleasant Sept. 15. The sports of the day - games, dancing, etc. - will be a novelty in this section. A boat race is also on the programme.
[Caledonian Clubs are composed of those of Scottish descent, and all others interested in Scotland].
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News about town: Greenfield items
Sportsmen should be aware that the law prohibits the catching of trout between the 20th of August and the 20th of March, and anyone violating the statute is liable to a fine of $5 for every fish so taken. The killing of partridges is permitted from the 1st of Sept. to the 1st of Jan., and any violation at other times is punishable with a fine of $25.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
A facetious tramp
A facetious tramp stopped at Widow H's. in Brookfield a few days since, and asked for food. She replied she had none. Mr. Tramp then went across the road to a neighbor's, and asked if they were aware the woman living on the other side was starving. He then requested the loan of a fishing rod lying close by, which was granted to him. With it he went to a pond a short distance off, fished or several hours, catching a good string, returned to the Widow H. and made her a present of them.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
Jacksonville, Vt.
On Mon. Foster G. Crown shot a hawk of the "blue diver" species, with a double barrel shot gun loaded with shot, a distance by actual measurement of 16 1/2 rods. The bird measured 3 1/2 ft. from tip to tip of wings.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
The Stratton Brothers of this town, with a relative from Keene, N.H., spent several days fishing last week, above Stoddard, N.H. They camped out in genuine backwoods style, built their own boat, caught an abundance of fish, and notwithstanding the frequent rains, had a very pleasant time.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items
W.C. Bryant's young trotting mare, the illness of which we mentioned last week, died Thurs. night. On Mon. she appeared better, and hopes were entertained of her recovery. Dr. Cressy came to see the animal on Mon. and Tues. and his treatment was apparently having a good effect, but the disease afterwards took another turn, from which she could not rally. Mr. B. says that he was offered $1000 for her within 4 weeks.
Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
Hawley
Among the many fine views in Massachusetts is that from Parker's HIll, in this place. This hill is elevated above the surrounding hills, and commands a prospect in every direction, such as is hardly surpassed in the Commonwealth. All the important eminences in our State are in sight, and portions of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. And yet, there are those who have lived all their days, almost under the shadow of this summit, from which all this beauty and grandeur are to be seen, who have never taken the trouble to ascend it. Several years ago, a company of young people gathered there for a picnic, and as two of their number bore the name of Olive, it was voted that the hill be called the "Mount of Olives"; but the natives have never said "amen" to it, and it still goes by its original name.
[See Internet Archive's "Full history of the town of Hawley, Franklin County, Massachusetts, by William Giles Atkins, 1887].
- Sun, Feb 21, 2010
