Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Wendy Taylor, Kent Memorial Library
May 5
A 12-years-old son of Frank Riddal of South street died at the Hartford hospital…of blood poisoning The boy got a sliver in his finger late Saturday, and Sunday his hand was badly swollen and a physician was summoned. The infection did not respond to the treatment and the boy was taken to the hospital Monday and the finger was amputated, but the poison had so permeated his system that the boy died Monday night, after his parents had left the hospital.
The thirty-sixth annual May Breakfast of the Mapleton Hall Association was held in Mapleton hall Wednesday. It is estimated that nearly 700 were fed during the day. The usual bill of fare was served and the home cooking was never better.
In the main hall there were four large tables on each side of the room, while in the adjoining room there were three larger tables capable of seating anywhere from eight to twelve persons at each table.
May 12
Another attempt was made late Sunday night to break into the Norton place on South main street. A pane of glass was removed from the south door, but the burglars were heard by Miss Elizabeth Patterson, who lives in the north side of the house, who raised a window and called for the police. Her cries were heard by a neighbor, who called up the fire department and the department notified Officer Woodruff. When the officer arrived at the scene the burglars had left without gaining entrance to the house.
A dance under the auspices of the Suffield Athletic Association will be given in Academy hall, West Suffield, next Wednesday evening.
May 19
Dr. Harold M. Brown, aged 33 years, died at the Hartford hospital Wednesday evening of meningitis, caused by sinus infection. Dr. Brown had an attack of grip a few weeks ago and one of the passages to the nostrils became infected. Tuesday morning he suffered severe pains in the head and went to the hospital for treatment, but the infection had reached the brain, causing meningitis.
The Suffield House property was sold at auction Monday morning by Joseph Barr, as committee of the superior court. The property was purchased by S. R. Spencer for the Suffield School. The hotel and adjacent building [both now gone] brought $11,500, and the farm property, consisting of thirty acres of land and a thirteen acre tobacco shed, brought $3,800.
The property is just across the street from the school and the hotel will be used as quarters for the teachers and help of the school, which will give about twenty more rooms for students in the dormitories.
With the closing of the Suffield House the town will be left without a hotel, as hotel Smith has not entertained guests for about two years. [Both closed after Prohibition.]
May 26
It is reported that the state is planning to build a new road in this place, from Fuller’s corner to Dunn’s corner. [Paving from the end of Main Street to Thompsonville Road] This will be a continuation of the cement road on Main street and will connect with the concrete rod from Dunn’s corner to Thompsonville, giving a good road to Springfield by crossing the Thompsonville bridge.
Tobacco plants have come along pretty well in spite of the cold spring and many of the farmers are getting ready to transplant. Considerable wet weather has set the farmers back in the preparation of the land. It is estimated that the acreage in this town will be cut about 20 percent this year