Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Wendy Taylor, Kent Memorial Library.
May 1
A forest fire…destroyed about seventy-five acres of woodland at West Suffield Mountain…Volunteers with teams and tractors with plow attachments fought the blaze. The loss of timber was about $2,500.
May 8
Fire Warden James N. Root says that the fire reported on the West Suffield mountain last week was one that he gave a permit for and that only grass and brush land was burned over. The men and tractors that were on hand were for the purpose of keeping the fire under control. It did make a lot of smoke and gave a number of people that impression that there was something burning.
The selectmen have posted notices forbidding the riding of bicycles upon the sidewalks in the center of the town.
An epidemic of measles has broken out at the Boston University and Richard Graham of this place is one of the victims.
A balloon dance will be given in Academy hall.
May 15
James C. Kent, a well -known resident of Hill street, celebrated his 80th birthday, Tuesday. Mr. Kent…was one of eleven children and is the oldest living member of his family… The occasion of his birthday had been anticipated for some time by Mr. Kent and he celebrated by walking from his home to the city hall in Springfield, a distance of ten miles and returning, making the hike a good twenty miles.
May 22
The annual meeting of the Stony Brook Camp Association was held …The association comprises several men and their families of this locality who have developed find camping grounds on the banks of Stony Brook in Boston Neck where they have already built four cottages and a cook house, and plans made for more building by the members, along with the tenting arrangements that several of them have there each summer. A large dam has been built across the brook at that spot which makes a good bathing and boating pool that is amongst the pleasure of the out-door life enjoyed there by the members each summer.
It is reported that the fruit crop promises to be a good one. There is also promise of a good hay crop.
George Martinez & Son have been remodeling the lower part of the frame house attached to the north part of their store and have converted it into more store space…The new room is not yet ready for occupancy, but will be utilized soon.
John F Merrill, sexton at Woodlawn cemetery, has reported that damage to the amount of several hundred dollars has been done in that place… Several headstones have been knocked over and other damage done.
May 29
The program for the ninety-first anniversary of the Suffield school has been completed.
The village Committee is making preparations for the new pumping engine voted by the village…The doorways at the hose house are being enlarged so that the trucks can be pulled out without delay.
Arrangements are being made to move the Hotel Smith building from Depot street [Mountain road] to a place directly back of the Kent Library [now the Kent Legree Library], on property belonging to the Suffield School [now the Suffield Academy], where it will be used as dormitory rooms.
The ladies of the Third Baptist church will give a baked ham dinner…on Saturday (Memorial Day) from 12 to 6 p. m.
An epidemic of measles has broken out among the school children of the town.
Mrs. E Clara Loomis has opened her home here for the summer.