Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Wendy Taylor, Kent Memorial Library.
June 5
An attempt at burglary was frustrated… at the automobile accessory store of Broughton Bros., near the Thompsonville road. The store, formerly conducted by the Button Bros., whose home is almost across the street, has a burglar alarm connection with the Button home. When a window was being forced the alarm sounded and one of the Button brothers telephoned the Broughton brothers…A large stack of tires had been removed from the racks and piled near the front door, while the padlock on the back door had been broken. Some accessories and cigars were taken. A typewriter taken from the office was found… in a nearby parking lot.
During the thunderstorm…lightning struck the chimney on the house of Mrs. George Bell on Bridge street, and caused considerable damage. The chimney was knocked off and a large hole was torn in the roof… The rooms filled with a large quantity of soot.
The thunder storm Monday night did considerable damage to telephone and electric light wires in this town and gangs of linesmen from each company were fixing up trouble Tuesday and Wednesday. Electric light and telephone service was badly hampered by the storm, but are working all right again.
Graduation exercises this year for the grammar schools will not be held until June 24 when the schools will close for the summer months.
June 12
The 92nd anniversary and commencement of the Suffield School [now Suffield Academy, formerly the Connecticut Literary institute] started at the Second Baptist church Sunday night with a large audience present… There were forty-three members of the graduating class, one of the largest classes in the history of the school.
The committee appointed at the special village meeting recently to purchase a pumping engine for fire department use, came to a decision…voting to buy a Reo machine, which when all equipped would cost $6,000. The new machine weighs about 6,000 pounds and will be e quipped by the Combination Ladder Co. of Providence, R.I. The fire station at the center is being changed to house the new machine which is promised some time during the summer.
The Connecticut Company has started the work of removing the trolley poles and other equipment through the center of the town and it is reported that the tracks will also be taken up soon.
Farmers have begun transplanting tobacco plants from the seed beds, and about the usual acreage will be grown in this place.
June 19
A picturesque wedding took place …on the West Suffield mountain near the bungalow of S[amuel] R[eid] Spencer, when Mrs. Sadie G. Johnson, daughter of George H Goddard of Springfield, and Charles R. Brome, son of Mrs. Robert Brome [Martha] of this town were married at sunset…The ceremony was performed under an arch built of mountain laurel.
The Suffield Banner Fountain of True Reformers will serve its annual strawberry supper at the church this (Friday) evening. [The Grand Fountain of the United Order of True Reformers was an African American fraternal organization.]
June 26
The work of moving the old Smith Hotel from its location on Depot street [now called Mountain Road; where the Food Bag is located] to its location on the grounds of the Suffield School [now Suffield Academy] has been started, most of the blocking haven been placed under the building ready for the start. The building will be used for the junior department of the school, and will give much needed dormitory room.