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Advocate Archives
Shipwrecked Doctor, No. 1 Cop, Cat Traps
February 25, 1965
TRURO WAS LOOKING FOR A PHYSICIAN BACK IN 1841 –
PROSPECT BETTER NOW
“A Physician Wanted. The Town of Truro is 12 miles in length from North to South, containing a population of 2,000 settled quite scatteringly, and remote from each other, and depending in case of sickness, entirely upon one physician; for which reason, many of the sick are unavoidably neglected for a while and thereby do often suffer. To remedy these evils, it is not only thought advisable but considered highly necessary to have an additional physician settle in the Town. Therefore, many of the inhabitants take this method to invite one that is experienced to come and try. Truro, March 4, 1841.”
The above message appeared as a paid advertisement 124 years ago in a Cape newspaper, the Dennis-Yarmouth Register. It was inserted on three dates, as a group of concerned citizens attempted to relieve their critical situation. A Cape collector of local lore clipped the advertisements from venerable copies of the newspaper and presented them to John B. Stetson of Wellfleet, who turned them over to James Jackson of that town, an AIM director. The old clipping, a collector’s item, is now the property of AIM. [AIM was a precursor of Outer Cape Health Services].
Over the years, Truro has long been plagued by lack of a resident physician or physicians. Old Advocate files contain numerous items from the Town reporting the need of a physician or efforts made to attract one. Early in the Town’s history, Truro did indeed obtain a physician by an extraordinary stroke of fortune, but that turn of history was not repeated.
That event occurred on the wild November night in 1778 that the British Man-of-War, Somerset, foundered on Peaked Hill Bar and 480 British succeeded in getting ashore alive, to deliver themselves up as prisoners of war. In their number was a physician the Truro folk latched on to — and apparently made life so attractive for, that the British doctor, weary of war and rough seas, was happy to remain here.
Long-dead Truro folk would doubtless rejoice at the present successful effort of AIM to provide the local medical services of which the Town has long stood in need. Here are some current developments:
Attorneys for AIM and for the National Park Service are in the middle of actual details of the contract of sale, by which AIM will purchase nine acres of land from the Park Service, within boundaries of the Cape Cod National Seashore.
The site is on the Truro-Wellfleet line, slightly south of Snow’s Pond — as recommended by the State Department of Public Health.
Construction plans for the medical facility are going out shortly to contractors for bid.
Burnett V. Vickers of Wellfleet and Orleans, has been appointed local supervising architect for the project. Mr. Vickers was selected by architects of the Sears Roebuck Foundation, which drew the plans for the facility.
Groundbreaking plans will be announced later. Meanwhile AIM president Adrian Murphy and AIM directors express their satisfaction at this major milestone in a public effort that has set a pace for energy and accomplishment.
February 24, 1949
HAROLD BERRIO IS TRURO’S FIRST COP
Harold M. Berrio of North Truro, constable and special officer, has the distinction of being the Town of Truro’s first policeman, having been appointed to that post by the Selectmen following the Town Meeting on Monday that authorized the sum of $3,000 for salary and expenses.
Not only has Mr. Berrio had some experience in police work gained in directing traffic during busy periods of summer but he has also received training at the Barnstable County Police School. The Selectmen last night said that he will be on call at all times and will make systematic inspections of closed summer properties.
February 25, 1937
TRAPS SET FOR STRAY CATS
After repeated complaints had been made by Miss Martha Josephine Atkins regarding the homeless cats in Provincetown, and climaxed by a request for a $1,000 appropriation at the annual town meeting, which was defeated, Miss Atkins has finally succeeded in having the Animal Rescue League place box traps in town to capture stray cats.
Miss Atkins stated that she was satisfied with the manner in which cats are being strapped but has complained as to their treatment after capture.
The cats after being captured are taken to the Town Hall and kept there 24 hours to allow owners to claim pet cats that may have been caught in the traps.
Miss Atkins claims the imprisoned cats are not fed often enough and are confined in close quarters in steel boxes and no straw or even newspapers to lie on.
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Feb 23rd, 2006