William P. Ferguson Photo: Sanford Tribune, April 1, 1926
By Lawrence Furbish
Sanford was without a chief of police as Leland “Lee” Ford, informed the Board of Selectmen that he no longer wanted to continue in that post. He felt the responsibility was more than he wanted, especially as the chief received the same pay as the rest of the town’s police officers. Lee went on to become a Maine State Police officer for 21 years and mostly served out of the Wells barracks.
William Ferguson was elected cashier of the Springvale National Bank. He was described as one of the most popular young businessmen of the town. He graduated from Sanford High School in 1904 and later served in the Navy during World War I.
At the Portland Arena, Owen Mathews of Springvale defeated Young Hanlon of Portland in a bout described at length by a “fistic scribe” from that city. This boxing journalist described Mathews as a “handsome, colored boy who boxed better every time he appears.” He was said to be “in and out like a will-o’-the-wisp.”
The weather played an April Fools’ joke on the citizens of Sanford as about three inches of snow fell the previous evening and more flakes were falling that morning. With the winds out of the northeast, an additional snowfall of substantial proportions was in prospect. Apparently, blizzard conditions were reported in Canada and the Midwest.
The front page carried an announcement for all master and journeyman plumbers. Beginning on May 1, 1926, all journeyman plumbers had to be licensed under state law – Chapter 19, Section 109.
The Sanford Trust Company published an advertisement announcing, “Ladies Accounts Invited.” The ad went on to say, “In our bank we believe every woman should have a bank account” to give her knowledge of finances in case she ever has to manage things alone.
The United Shoe Company on Washington Street was offering a variety of shoes for Easter morning ranging in price from $2.75 to $4.95. Easter suits were available from Randal & Johnson on Central Square from $25 to $45.
Coal for your stove went for $17 a ton from Charles A. Trafton Co. on River Street.
Lawrence Furbish is president of the Sanford-Springvale Historical Society. The Historical Society Museum in Springvale has many resources regarding Sanford’s history. It is open Thursday and Saturday, 10 am-2 pm and Friday 10 am-4 pm.
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