New Britain herald., 1917-02-21
PlainViue News GRANGE MINISTRIES HAVE NEW OVERTURE Furnish Program at Society's
 Anniversary Celebration
 WANTS NO C0NSERVATOR

First Batch of War Census Reports Dispatched-Frank Gaferty Thinks He Should Be Allowed to Handle His Own Affairs-Other Matters. Entertaining delegations from other l towns, the local Grange last evening l celebrated the twenty-seventh anni- versary of its institution following it's 1 regular bi-monthly meeting in Grange hail. The affair was one of the most l enjoyable gatherings held under l grange auspices in a long time and the | members in attendance and their 1 guests spent a most pleasant evening. After the business session the l Grange minstrel opened the festivities 1 of the evening with an overture, the | songs and jokes making a most fa- 1 vorable impression on the audience T.
 H. Lyman served as interlocutor and l o. w. Robertson and Frank White l held down the end men positions. The 1 talent also included Miss Rose Nor 1 row, Miss Bessie Loomis, Miss Lila l Daniels and Harold L. Newell. The I overture was greatly enjoyed and the
 soloists favored with encores in re-
 sponse to the applause which greeted l their respective numbers.
 Contributing to the program were
 Herbert L. Dow, who entertained with
 a monologue; Miss Helen Day. who gave a piano solo and Mrs s. B. Car | penter, whose recitation was one of
 the most interesting parts of the en-
 tertainment.
 The old members of the organization
 were made the guests of honor during
 the evening and special attention was
 paid to their entertainment.
 The anniversary celebration will be 1 recorded in the annals of the Plain- vile grange as one of its memorable
 sessions and the committee of ar engagements Is deserving of consider
 able praise for it's successful efforts.
 Make Census Report.
 First Selectman Johnson today for
 warded to the war census departm ent
 in Hartford the first batch of blanks
 secured in connection with the special
 military enrolment ordered by the 1 legislature. Tn the factories a canvass
 of the employees is being made and the
 first lot of reports turned over to the selectmen contained a number of
 names and the information desired l regarding their owners.
 Some of the citizens and other male
 inhabitants, whose names should be ] included in the list, will probably be | overlooked in the general census and | those not approached by the canvas l sers should show their interest in the ! move by securing a blank, and with l the questions answered, turning 1t over 1 to the town clerk or selectmen.
 Among the first to file a report was l Town Clerk R. c. Usher, whose name 1 and war biography was included in the l fn To If f0r 0rd
 he can't swim. run an automobile, a 1 power boat, electrical machine or en-
 zine and has no know edge of telegra-
 phy or wireless, the venerable keeper
 of records reports that he can ride | horse, If the animal Is steady" and
 while he has no pnysi-al disabilities
 he "can't run quite so fast or SO far as | he could at one time."
 l MT. Usher gives his name as Robert l Cleveland Usher and his address as 15 1 Pennington avenue, Plainville. He ad-
 mits having a little experience in
 manufacturing and farming. His age
 Is 75 years and 10 months. He is five feet ten and one-half inches high and
 weighs 150 pounds. He Is married and
 has but wife as dependent He Is
 native of Connecticut and served for
 nearly three years as & private and l sergeant major in the Civil war, being
 a member of the infantry on Sher- 1 mans march. l Other prominent citizens have come
 forward in giving their records for use in the compilation of Connecticut's l war strength and the selectman report
 little trouble has thus far been ex-
 perienced in getting the required in- l formation. 1 Seed Potatoes Scarce. Displaying good judgment in hold 1 ing part of last falls crop of potatoes. 1 instead of succumbing to the lure of 1 the diamond prices offered for the tu- bers, Scott swamp farmers will be able 1 to do their planting this spring with l out mortg aging their places to get the l wherewithal to purchase seed from the 1 spectators. 1 As has been their custom for long time the farmers pooled their inter- l ests early in the fall, ordering a carz l load of potatoes to be divided among l them for use in planting this spring. l First Selectman Johnson, who act | ed as their agent in filing the order, ! has now been advised that the seed | shippers have decided to get their 1 share of the lucre in circulation l through the efforts of MT. High-Cost- | of-Lving and the potatoes will not be ! delivered unless the farmers agree to 1 pay an extra dollar over the original 1 quotation for each bag in the car Rather than submit to what they term "ho1d-up", the farmers have l decided to cancel the order and they
 will use their own potatoes for seed. !