Hospital Ship as it came into Boston with some of his boys on board, following them up the next day at the Hospitals to which they had been taken. Having been with him when the 'Bay State' came in from her first trip, I shall never forget the terrible emaciation of the men or my first sight of our good Governor Wolcott who stood at the gang plank and was the first to personally welcome each one back. My father had previously been to Boston to ask the Governor to use his influence in having one or two of the boys sent home, as there was some contagious disease in their camp in Cuba and their families thought it unjust that they should be detained with those who already were ill with it." Later, in Springfield, he did all he could to comfort and help these sick soldiers and their families.
Mr. Brooks saw many changes in the city of Springfield. The population in 1875 was 31,043. It had more than doubled in 1907. The north end bridge was finished one year before his coming, the south end bridge the year after. The city's first telephone rang in 1879. The first Music Festival was held in 1889 and electric cars came in 1890. The Art Museum was built in 1895, the Central High School in 1898, and the Museum of Natural History in 1899. The Post Office, the Railroad station and Arch were finished in 1890. Perhaps the greatest change of all was brought about by the coming of the automobile, about 1895. It was in great part due to his well directed efforts that Christ Church became during his rectorship, one of the largest churches in New England. Mr. Brooks was rector of Christ Church when the Diocese of Western Massachusetts was formed in 1902. He believed in, and worked for this great change.
In spite of failing health, as the years went by, Mr. Brooks felt he could not yield to his friends' earnest requests that he take a much needed rest. He worked day by day far beyond his strength until very reluctantly he was compelled to stop. Trusting that an ocean voyage, rest among other scenes and the ministrations of skilled physicians might make him well again,
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