The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-22
STORMY MEETING.
Opposing Factions
Line Up On the Site
Question.
A HOT TIME IN old GRAFTON.
Moderator Was Entangled
By a Procession of
Complications.
A HOT TIME IN old GRAFTON.

meeting held this evening. In the gall
lery so ladies assembled to see the fun
which met their expectations both in
quality and quantity. 1t proved to be
one of the hottest meetings on record
| for at times the citizens were none
less than a bowling mob and clearly
| deserved the name sometimes applied
to the town Of Fighting Grafton. Indi-
vidual traps" and universal wire pull
ing were the features of the meeting
and at times were it not for the over
ruling powers of the chairman, Lyman
NJ. Rice, the crowd could not have been
kept within bounds.
1t was decided to keep the building
| committee intact and the meeting adj
| journed until next Monday evening at
| 1.45 o'clock without taking definite ac-
! ton
The meeting was called to order at g
| o'clock sharp by Town Clerk Edwin A.
Howe. Lyman M. Rice was chosen
moderator. Here the fun commenced
under article Q: To see if the town
| will vote to erect its new high school
building on Worcester street and pur
chase land therefor, or act thereon, or
anything relative thereto.
| Rev. Ivan Famine Immediately arose
| and spoke on a point of order, claiming
| that according to article 4, passed at
the town meeting Of June 80, this arti-
| Gle ~ could not be considered until the
former article was rescinded. He wish
! ed all to have full discussion of the
| subject, but emphasized his expressed
| opinion of the illegality of the article
| before the house. After much discus
| sion it was voted to take up article 8.
| by unanimous consent.
| Article 3: To see if the town will
vote to discharge its committee APP
| pointed at a special town meeting held
| June 30, 1899, and known as the COM
| mittee to procure sites for the new
| high school building in the said town
of Grafton, or act anything in relation
thereto, as petitioned for by G. H. Rugg
| and eleven others.
Albert Bradish called for a list of the
signers of the petition and the town
clerk started to procure them. During
his absence a mixed chorus of "Mr.
| President ETC., arose from the floor of
the hail.
Perley Goddard was finally recog-
nized, and moved to pass over the ar
| ticle.
John Smith of North Grafton object
ed in harsh terms. He became. real ex-
| cited at intervals and finally leaped on
a chair to enforce his demand of "Mr
| President" He failed to be recognized
| and a perfect pandemonium reigned.
The chair became entangled in trying
| to straighten out the motion. The vot-
ers then proceeded to vote with yes
and mo" ballots printed in anticipation
i of the above motion.
Meanwhile groups of excited men dis
cussed with intensity the virtues pro
/ and con of the present site committee
. rto NT H.
hall, keeping the excited combatants
| within bounds. In several cases, in
| close proximity to the reporters table
men invited one another outside to set
4 tie the differences of opinion with their
fists, but no instance is recorded of
| such settlement.
William Donovan, Charles Young,
| Joseph Goddard and Elisha Holbrook
were appointed tellers. Owing to the
mixup in stating the vote, due to the
eruption among the citizens, many vot-
ers did not vote understandingly, but
their vote was recorded nevertheless.
1t was the hottest meeting held in the
town hall in years, according to sta
| tistics, and every man was buttonhoI-
ing every other to vote this or that
| way. The motion was to pass over the
| article, yes and no votes being record
ed. If the artlese was to be passed
over, the committee were to remain in
force and vice versa.
The result was expected by the ma
jority and was: Yes, IT'S; no, 1885, The
polls closed at 9.07 O'Clock The result
was received with every demonstration
Of JOY by the faction opposed to the
| North street site, but nevertheless thew
were somewhat backward in explain
ing their position in the matter, muchI
to the regret of the Carpenter site.
Mr.. Goddard moved to dissolve. Mr..
4 = Il - 4
ruled out of order. John johnson of
North Grafton made a motion to dis
charge the committee. Ivan Famine
| gave rouSing speech which was fire.
quently interrupted with applause I'M
part it was as follows: 1t is with ex-
IRENE sorrow and regret that find YOU
in this position tonight l beseech Won
tonight, my llow-citizens, not to dis
charge the committee. 1t would not be
honorable as fellow citizens of your
| town." This was small part of a fine
| speech, during which Mr.. Famine re-
viewed the characters Of the members
of the site committee.
Mr.. Smith then proceeded to cross
question John G. Mcclellan, chairman
of the site committee, much to the
pleasure Of the crowd but the former
i became too eloquent and was declared
out of order. He then thanked the
chair for ruling him out of order, and
ne was greeted with q chorus of Kisses
much to his discontinue.
Hon. George K. Nichols seconded the
expressed sentiments of Mr.. Famine.
adding an urgent request that the re-
| porters should not record such a. fool
hardy piece of business as coming from
the citizens of Grafton.
| 1T would be a rash piece of busi-
ness" said Mr. Nichols, land don't. in
the name of justice, discharge them. ri
you do, where will you secure your
representative men to serve on a com
mittee in the future? Remember theI
| consequences. The committee has full
filled its duties"
| DIR. f. S. Clapp and S. H Knowltonl
stated their reasons for signing the pc
| tition, which were all practically COW
cred by the circulars issued by thel
| school committee.
| Hon. John e. Mcclellan, chairman OIL
| the site committee, who had withheld
his feelings under all the slurs and tabs
of the more excited beings present AT
the meeting, then spoke In part he
said II dislike fellow-citizens, to get
up before you in the defence of our no.
sition as a committee on sites. Ali ri
have to say is we We're performing
specific duties at the meeting held June
30, and we have finished those duties. |
being Of our own accord discharged )
| motion to discharge the commit :
tee was lost by vote of 210 to 142.
| Messrs. McGarry. Holbrook and John
son discussed the advisability of locat-
ing the high school on North street, be-
| ing entirely off the question
Hon. John Il. Mcclellan then goya n
detailed account of the Committees
WandarinRs in lacking FIR a .tta 90.