February 8, 1985
Whether coming or going it is hard to tell in this 1912 postcard, but troops and supplies are steadily filing down Newtown’s Main Street during the War Maneuvers of 1912. Pitting a blue army against a red army, the eight-day August exercise increased Newtown’s population by 28,000, including soldiers and spectators. War Maneuvers were a buildup to World War I and seen as a public relations exercise, even as it gave soldiers a taste of field experience.
Hawley School and several local businesses in the center of town were evacuated Thursday morning after approximately 2,500 gallons of gasoline spilled from a tanker truck at Oberg's Village Texaco on Church Hill Road at 9:20 am. A trucker had hooked up to a tank at the gas station. The driver had set the brakes, but the truck slid back on the ice, causing a break in the line. It was impossible to close the safety tubes completely because they were stuck. The area immediately around the scene was barricaded by yellow tape. In all, 500 people including the Hawley students were evacuated.
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The Board of Selectmen unanimously decided not to include money for a full-time planner in next year's budget. This decision discounts recommendations made by a study committee in favor of hiring a planner. "We cannot at this time recommend or justify the on-going expense of a full-time planner," the selectmen said.
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Inch by inch the snow has been accumulating in town. By last weekend the golf course was ready for snow surfers, and the storm this week was perfect preparation for the Cyrenius Booth Library's Snow Man Making Day on Sunday, February 10.
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Since its creation in 1971, the Hattertown Historic District Commission has moved forward with all the speed of a glacier. Now, committee chairman James Connelly says he wants to make another attempt. He has requested a $200 budget from the town for fiscal 1985-86; he wants to post historic district signs and start calling commission meetings with some regularity.
February 12, 1960
The first meeting of the newly appointed Charter Commission for the town of Newtown was held last Friday evening for the purpose of organization and election of officers. Elected to office were George M. Stuart, chairman, Robert J. Clark, vice chairman, and Mrs Timothy Loughlin, secretary.
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Newtown's baseball team will take to the field in 1960 with brand new uniforms and funds enough to take part in both the Pomperaug Valley Baseball League and the Danbury City League, thanks to the rousing success or the recent campaign to seed sponsors for the club.
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The Teen Canteen will hold a St Valentine's dance this Saturday night, February 13. It will be from 7:30 to 11 pm. A Jack and Queen will be elected at the dance by the members. Admission will be 25 cents and there will be refreshments served by the canteen board.
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GRAND UNION SUPERMARKET: Smoked Hams, 39 cents/lb; Long Island Grade "A" Duckling 41 cents/lb; Faneuil Hall Sliced Bacon, 39 cents/lb; Florida Seedless Juicy GRAPEFRUIT, 5 lb bag, 35 cents; Vine Ripened TOMATOES, 20 cents/lb; Pascal Celery, 17 cents/stalk; Pillsbury Flour, 5 lb bag, 55 cents.
February 8, 1935
Word has been officially received by Warden Arthur J. Smith, Jr, that the Danbury and Bethel Gas and Electric Light Company will start work immediately on a new electric line to Newtown. This move on the part of the light company is a most commendable one, for it will provide two lines into Newtown and should avoid recurrence of the breaks in service.
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Ralph Perkins, teacher at the Hawley High School, has resigned his position because of his health. He returned to his home in North Waterford, Maine, where he will recuperate further from the injuries he received last fall in an auto accident at Waterbury. Miss Mary Naramore is taking his place at Hawley school.
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The Workers' Committee is very gratified about the number of subscribers for the coming concert of the Newtown Orchestral Society on February 28. The soloist for this concert will be the distinguished young American pianist Helen Calvert McGraw of Washington, D.C. Miss McGraw has played in London and Paris, as well as in many parts of the East and South.
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The partial eclipse of the sun on Sunday morning was only briefly visible, because of the cloudy weather, which did more than the eclipse to dim the sun's light. It occurred from about 10:30 am to 12:35 pm.
February 11, 1910
J. Botsford Fairchild, the popular Taunton farmer and salesman of agricultural tools, reports Monday morning as being the coldest at his farm in five or six years. At sunrise his thermometer registered 10 below zero. At one place on the turnpike, Monday, the thermometer registered at 12 degrees below zero.
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The George French place in Huntingtown, now owned and occupied by John Steckler, was burned to the ground with all its contents, last Sunday night. The house was discovered to be on fire by some of the neighbors about 1 o'clock. The fire had gained such headway nothing could be done. Mr Steckler and family were in New York for a few days, so there was no one near at the time to give the alarm.
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The Newtown Dramatic Club scored a notable success in the presentation of "The Village Schoolma'am" at the Town hall, Friday night. The hall was well filled and the Newtown Library will net a neat sum as the result.
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Last Monday morning Mr and Mrs Henry Rupf were awakened about 4 o'clock by a noise in their kitchen and hurried out to see what the trouble was when they found that the water pipes in the cellar had frozen up, causing the water-front in the stove to blow up, wrecking the stove. The water from the stove ran all over the kitchen and down into the post-office, but fortunately no serious damage was done.