100 Years Ago in Suffield

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Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Wendy Taylor of Kent Memorial Library.

August 6

An automobile took another nick out of the Boston neck bridge, near the light that has been placed there to illuminate the danger spot for fear that some of the reckless drivers will break it off in some of their flying jumps. The plan of having a steel chute built on the curve has been abandoned as engineers claim that instead of sending the speeding cars straight it would throw them into the north side of the bridge. The north side of the bridge has so far escaped serious damage, except the east end has been moved on its foundations about two inches by the impact of northbound cars.

Eighteen members of Mrs. James O. Haskins’ class from the Zion’s Hill school held their fourth annual class reunion… It was voted to organize into a club to be known as “The Girls of 1880.”

A hearing was held before the probate court Tuesday morning on the appointment of a guardian for William Sherwood Allen, who has been at the home of George A. Peckham for the past eighteen months. Before going to Mr. Peckham’s home the boy was an inmate of the County Home at Warehouse Point, but as he has attained the age of 16 years, a guardian is necessary. Mr. Peckham was appointed as guardian of the boy.

Several sales of broadleaf tobacco have been reported during the past week at prices ranging from 45 to 55 cents in the bundle.

The annual picnic of the Sunday school of the Second Baptist church was held at Babb’s grove, Congamond.

August 13

An engineer from the Berlin construction company has been in town this week looking over the iron bridges and the company has been given the contract for strengthening the bridges where needed. The iron bridges are inadequate to the strain put on them by the heavily loaded trucks that are constantly crossing them. The old oil-mill bridge in Boston Neck, while not exactly unsafe, was found to need considerable repairing and will be re-planked with dressed plank to lessen the vibration. The town bridge near Bessett’s shop [Mountain Road over Muddy Brook] and the iron bridge at the lower end of Main street [Suffield Street over Stony Brook]will also be put in good condition.

The fact that one or two of the babies in the center of the town cried when the new fire siren was blown at eight o’clock each night has been given front page prominence in some of the city papers this week, and one paper, more enterprising than the rest, sent a reporter to this place looking for facts and pictures. Commencing to-night the whistle will be tried out at 12 noon and 6 at night.

A Polish republican club was organized at the Town hall.

Miss Sarah Loretta Heavey has had for her guest her little niece, Nellie Nora Doughney.

George Fowler, manager of the Hatheway & Steane tobacco plantation in the western part of the town reported Tuesday morning that someone had broken into the boarding house on the planation and taken a quantity of clothing, shoes, furnishings, fountain pen razors, traveling bag and money valued at $150.

August 20

The committee for the 250th anniversary celebration of Suffield in October are beginning to get busy and plans will soon be ready to be announced.

Mrs. Domenic Alfano was operated on for gall stones at the Chapin Memorial hospital in Springfield last Saturday.

August 27

A raid by federal agents was made this week on the Southwick road near Congamond lake in the western part of the town, at the home of Peo Maravarga, where they reported they discovered a still in full operation. The officers placed Maravarga under arrest, charged with violating the Volstead act. The officers say they also found five gallons of high proof spirits, thirty gallons of raisin mash and sixty gallons of corn mash. Complaints have been received from the vicinity of Congamond lake for some time that liquor was being sold and made there. The “still” was found on Massachusetts soil and the prisoner was taken to Springfield where he will be tried before United States Commissioner John L. Rice.

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