125 Years Ago

The Northfield News

November 12, 1884 3 cents a copy/ $1.50 a year

Geo. H Richmond, editor

The following letter shows how a wife may find her husband after an absence of twenty years by applying for a pension. Mrs. Catherine Mead of Westminster, Vt., applied for a pension in September 1882, as a widow of Lucius H. Mead late of Co. M. 8th Regiment New York Cav. Vol. She represented that her husband had not been heard from since the War of 1861, and was supposed to be dead. The attorney for Mrs. Mead received the following letter which enables her to find the long lost husband that she married in Rockingham, Vt., in 1861: "Department of the Interior, Pension Office, Washington, D.C., June 27, 1884. Sir. - In claim of Catherine Mead as widow of Lucius H. Mead, Company M. 8th N.Y., Cav. you are informed that Lucius H. Mead of said Company filed a declaration July 15th 1882 claiming pension on account of a rupture received in the service. He is probably yet living. His post office address is, Boyne Falls, Michigan. Any evidence claimant my file tending to show the death of the holder will be considered. Very Respectfully, W. W. Dudley, Commissioner."

100 Years Ago

The Northfield News

November 16, 1909

3 cents a copy/$1.25 year

Fred N. Whitney, editor As a result of the strike of the local Union in Northfield the past week, the Barre Granite Manufacturers' association has declared a lockout and every shed in Barre, Montpelier, Williamstown, Waterbury, Berlin, and East Barre was closed this morning, leaving about 4,000 men unemployed. The cutters in the Northfield sheds went out Friday on a strike. The cause of the lockout is the alleged breaking of the agreement between the Association and the Union because of the strike by the Northfield Union. The cause of the trouble originated with the Northfield Union in its objection to using a hand tool operated by compressed air and nicknamed the "bumper." When a foreman at Cross Brothers shed found that a man was not using a "bumper" on his work Thursday morning, he called attention to it and the cutter refused to use it, whereupon he was discharged. Two or three other men were laid off in the course of the forenoon and it developed that the local union had voted not to use the tool. This, the Cross Brothers stated, was the first intimation they had that the tool was objectionable. The laying off of the men refusing to use the tool resulted in the cutters going out of the sheds in a body Friday...The Northfield Union held a meeting yesterday afternoon...the men did not go back to work this morning and the result is the general lockout... James Powers, president of the Northfield Union...said..."while we were probably a little hasty in going out, without consulting national headquarters, we, of course, assumed that we were in the right and...I believe I speak for the majority, we still believe so, but if the executive of the national body as represented by James Duncan, the secretary-treasurer of Quincy, Mass., to whom we have made an unvarnished statement covering the whole situation, should decide otherwise, we shall undoubtedly return to work in a body." ...The situation is certainly a grave one in Central Vermont from a business standpoint and it is to be hoped that the whole matter may be satisfactorily adjusted at an early day.

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Northfield's growing industries are confronted by the need of more electrical day power. Moody & Almon, who have the contract for lighting Northfield, are now furnishing nearly 400 horsepower for industrial enterprises in fact nearly all they can supply, notwithstanding the fact that they have been cutting out power at Montpelier to meet the Northfield demand until now they are supplying only about 50 horsepower in that city. Moody & Almon , however are preparing to develop another power plant above their present one in Middlesex, of which they own the water privilege and necessary land for flowage They estimate the cost at something like $55,000 to complete the new plant and have not the ready money to handle the project. On Tuesday evening last week, a number of enterprising business men of Northfield met Messrs. Moody & Almon and discussed informally a plan submitted by them whereby the village may be assured of all the power that can be developed by the old and new plant...They wish the business interests of Northfield to back them to the extent of the cost of the new development and when completed they propose to bond and thus secure the money to repay the outlay.

75 Years Ago NEWS AND ADVERTISER

November 15, 1934 5 cents a copy, $2 a year

John E. Mazuzan, editor

A spectacular minstrel show with many sensational specialties will be presented by the men

the local C. C. C. Camp, assisted by the Norwich University band, tonight at 8, at the Norwich University Armory, under the auspices of the local Red Cross. The program, which will constitute the C. C. C. contribution to the annual Red Cross drive, is under the direction of Mr. F. Durand, director of dramatic activities for the 198th Company, and Professor R.H. Whitcomb of Norwich University.

chorus of forty, supplemented by novelty singers, clog dancers, Lariat Bill, The Harmonica Imps, and other specialties, will provide two hours of unusual entertainment. A startling additional feature will be the Human Pincushion, who will actually pass needles and hatpins through his body, bend iron bars over his arms, and allow his stomach to be pounded with a sledge hammer.

50 Years Ago NEWS AND ADVERTISER

November 12, 1959

5 cents a copy, $2 a year

John E. Mazuzan, editor

A 1956 sedan owned by Henry Chartier, 35, of Wolcott and a 1935 dump truck, owned and operated by Verne H. Whitney, 73, of Northfield, were in a head on collision on a curve on Rabbit Hollow Road in Little Northfield Saturday afternoon. Passengers in the sedan were Mrs. Daniel Bacon and five children, between 3 and 9 years of age, of Northfield, and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Fuller and two children, 6 and 8 years old, also of Northfield. Mrs. Bacon and son, Curtis, 8 were treated at Mayo Hospital for minor injuries.

25 Years Ago

NORTHFIELD NEWS

November 15, 1984 25 cents a copy, $2 a year

Erik Nelson, editor

The Monteverdi Trio, artists in residence at Vermont College of Norwich University, will perform on November 18 for the third Brunch with Bach of the season. The performance, music of piano, violin and cello, takes place at the College Hall Chapel on the Vermont College campus in Montpelier.