• A Wells Park milk co-op, the future Creamland, is founded
• Downtown core resident John Milne, of stadium fame, tackles teacher salaries
• Key prep work on Barelas bridge completed
• Old Town's baseball team inflicts 'severe drubbing'

Milk co-op that became Creamland begins operation
Following a year and a half of construction, a group of local dairies opened a new milk distribution facility on north Second Street July 1.

Roy Fitz, an “expert dairy construction man” who built the facility, said that “the plant has no superior in the United States” when it comes to “modern equipment and sanitary precautions” that produce milk “cleaned of every trace of foreign matter.”

“Human hands do not touch the milk at any time from the receipt at the plant to the final bottling and delivery to the consumer,” he said.

The cooperative changed its name to Creamland Dairies in 1937 and still operates on the site today.

Superintendent’s holiday plans include fight over taxes
John Milne, the superintendent of schools who lived at 8th and Park, spent his Fourth of July weekend fighting with a taxpayer advocacy group over teacher salaries. It started when the Journal published an article from the New Mexico Taxpayers Association alleging that salaries in the state were among the highest in the nation - one reason, they said, that there was no shortage of teachers. 

Milne, whose name lives on today in a stadium near Roosevelt Park, said he read the article “with considerable amazement.” Of all the states in the union, “only 35 pay more than New Mexico,” he said, concluding that the head of the taxpayer association “ought to correct his statement.”

Support pillars for the Barelas bridge are completed
Key prep work on the new concrete Barelas Bridge spanning the Rio Grande continued, following several instances in recent decades of flooding that had damaged or destroyed previous attempts.

“Ten of the big cement pillars to be used as supports … are now finished and being water seasoned,” the Journal noted, referring to what was apparently a fortification process meant to strengthen the concrete.

“There will be 20 of the pillars for the entire bridge. The heavy cement pilings are being made in moulds and reinforced with steel. After completion, they will be seasoned 30 days before being set into the river. The water seasoning is accomplished by keeping them packed with wet sand.”

C. May, a department store located on Central roughly where the Asian Noodle Bar stands today, took out an ad heralding the coming of “the Great and Glorious Fourth!”

“Every loyal member of Uncle Sam's large family is supposed to celebrate - either by keeping quiet or by making noise! In either way, you want your faithful feet to be cool and comfortable and to look well,” the ad proclaimed.

“Don't you need something cool in the way of Oxfords, Pumps, Slippers, Sandals, Outing Shoes, or Comfort Shoes of some sort? We can furnish you anything in these lines and at a very reasonable price.”

Men’s footwear started at $3, with women’s shoes coming in slightly cheaper at $2.75.

Need party supplies? Go to where Bourbon and Boots is now.
United, a department store located on Central and 4th, did its best to position itself as a one-stop shop for Fourth of July party gear. Prices ranged from 1 cent to $1.00.

“Get your supplies and be ready,” an ad proclaimed, promoting napkins, paper plates, spoons, drinking cups, sparklers, flags, bunting, and generally “everything to make your picnic a success.”

An Old Town baseball team inflicts 'severe drubbing'
Following what was apparently a bitter previous defeat, "the Old Town Stars had their revenge yesterday with the Albquerque Centrals by giving their opponents a severe drubbing to the tune of 25 to 10."

In a game where "the Stars pounded the ball all over the lot at will," players identified only as Ortiz Jr. and Gilliam "each secured a three-sacker once and the former also pounded out a home run. He was called out, however, for failing to touch the second sack."

Police blotter: Partying hearty on the Fourth
Police arrested several people during Fourth of July celebrations on offenses that included vagrancy, drunkenness, and disturbing the peace.

One man was arrested on Second Street for “making an unreasonable amount of disturbance” and was taken to the city jail.

Police also jailed “three vagrants, with possessions ranging from 13 cents and a knife to 28 cents and a bunch of keys.”

But things were quiet in other ways: “Not a single arrest was made for the shooting of fireworks, as there was no shooting.”