CMP Advertisement Photo: Sanford Tribune, Thursday, July 8, 1926
By Lawrence Furbish
The Fourth of July was celebrated very quietly here in 1926. There were no formal programs and everyone who could went out of town for the weekend. Some went to the beach or the lake, visited friends, traveled to other cities, or went “upta” camp. Young people who remained in town bought fireworks and noise makers, reminding the town’s citizens of the significance of the date. It was an extended holiday with Saturday being a half day, the Fourth falling on Sunday but being celebrated on Monday. Postmaster Harry Ferguson reported that 42 letter boxes on residence entrances were blown open with fireworks.
Not all Sanford Fourth of July celebrations were so quiet. Moses Moulton brought a printed program to the Tribune office for July 5, 1880, 46 years prior. Events began at 6:30 with a “Parade of Horribles” (a 19th century New England tradition to mock self-important military processions). The parade marshals were C. O. Emery and E. M. Goodall. It was followed by a horse race, a three-legged race, 50- and 100-yard dashes, and a sack race. At 9:30 a baseball game between teams from Sanford and Rochester took place, followed by a tug-of-war contest, a greased pole and a pig event. The day concluded with a band concert.
It was a busy day at Sanford Municipal Court, with appearances before Judge George Goodwin. Four young men were arraigned for gambling with dice. They were arrested by police officer Leland Ford and deputies Briggs and Austin, who surprised them in an alley on the East Side. Three were fined $20 plus cost, and the fourth was found not guilty and discharged. Two other men were found guilty of spreading tacks and nails in the Ridgeway Park section of town. Judge Goodwin required them to pay the town for damage to the tires of town trucks. The cost was $20.
Goodall Park hosted its third open-air boxing show of the season. In the main bout, Jerry Vitally was supposed to fight Kid Cabana, but Vitally was a no-show and was replaced by Terry McGovern. Their bout was described as “six rather listless rounds.” Further down the card, the “Canadian Kid” of Springvale fought the “Buffalo Kid” of Sanford. According to the Tribune sportswriter, the two boxers “staged a farce.” Apparently, it was not a great night for fisticuffs in Sanford.
Springvale National Bank published its Annual Report in this edition of the Tribune. As of June 30, 1926, the bank reported assets of $2,187,728.99.
The Paris women’s store was holding its July clearance sale. Sport dresses were reduced from $25 to $16.50, and silk dresses from $35 to $25, while kid gloves went for a $1 apiece.
At the Cloverdale Co. store, smoked sardines were on sale for 10 cents a can, Rex brand coffee for 51 cents a pound, and Naphtha soap was priced at six cakes for 25 cents.
You could also enjoy a “Regular Dinner” for 35 cents at the Presto Lunch.
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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