Thayer-Diggery hat advertisement Photo: Sanford Tribune
By Lawrence Furbish
New parking rules went into effect as the Board of Selectmen instructed police to enforce the requirement to park parallel to the sidewalk on the west side of School Street, the north side of Kimball Street, and both sides of Main Street between Washington and Winter streets. They also reminded motorists of rules adopted at the 1921 town meeting for (1) vehicles to keep to the right, (2) vehicles passing to keep to the left, (3) no stopping on crosswalks or street intersections, (4) no parking in zones so marked, and (5) the required use of signals when turning or stopping. Vehicles included equestrians, horses when hitched to vehicles, horses being led, motor vehicles, and everything on wheels except street cars and baby carriages.
One of the “most charming events of the summer season” was a luncheon followed by bridge in Ogunquit in honor of Miss Lila Goodall. The guest of honor was accompanied by her father, the Honorable Louis B. Goodall, recently returned from a nine-month around-the-world tour. According to the Tribune, he had the most interesting experiences to relate. Luncheon was served to 34 guests at the Ontio hotel after which the party adjourned to the Leavitt cottage on Cherry Lane for an afternoon of bridge.
Construction of the new St. Ignatius Parish Church on Wentworth Street was progressing rapidly as the steel work had begun and the bricklayers were busy. On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 12, the ceremony of the blessing of the cornerstone was scheduled to take place with Bishop John Gregory Murray of Portland and Rev. Raul Burbeau officiating. The Sanford Mills band and the local Catholic Societies were to participate.
Two boxing stories graced the front page. In one, Oliver “Battling” Therrien, a well-known local prize fighter, was arrested for driving an automobile while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and assaulting Deputy Sheriff Harry Austin. He pleaded guilty to both charges and was fined and sentenced to 60 days in jail. He was arrested when Austin, two other officers, and a patrolman had some difficulty inducing him to submit. When finally in a jail cell, he offered to fight any of the officers in exchange for his freedom. None of them accepted his offer.
The second story involved a main bout at the Springvale Town Hall arena. Duke Menard of Biddeford fought Pete Lucci of Clinton, MA. The two boxers “fought hard and swapped punches toe-to-toe through 10 whirlwind rounds.” It was anybody’s fight until the end, but Manard was the more clever boxer, giving him an edge over his opponent. The many fans present were more than satisfied with the bout.
A brief item about Sanford 25 years before (Aug. 31, 1901) noted that Moses Wentworth & Son had purchased a covered wagon for their undertaking business.
The Sanford Trust Company was promoting new accounts with a quotation from a Scots comedian – “There is as much pleasure in reading a good bank book as a novel.”
The banner on the Tribune read, “People who think are scarce, but people who think they think equal our census.”
One could buy three packs of Wrigley’s peppermint chewing gum for 5 cents.
Chicken dinners were being served “by appointment” at the Shaker Village in Alfred for $1.50 a plate.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 Saturday, 10 am-2 pm and Friday 10 am-4 pm
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