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Claiming that all parties involved with the noise problem at the Charles Batchelder Company have been “more than patient,” the Planning and Zoning Commission told company representatives to simply go out and complete their soundproofing work. P&Z chairman Theodore Whippie told a company attorney and a sound engineer hired by the company that there has been enough talk about what to do.

* * *

For the better part of this century the Titanic has inspired considerable interest among historians and collectors. On Sunday, September 1, an important link in maritime history was forged when a French-American team of scientists discovered the steamship, missing since she sunk in the North Atlantic on her maiden voyage April 14, 1912. Just prior to the ocean liner’s discovery, on August 27, Charles Stone, a Connecticut antiques dealer, stopped in at our newspaper’s office with a rivet he believes to be from the Titanic. The engraving on its head reads RMS 1912 TITANIC. Mr Stone indicated that the individual who lent him the rivet obtained if from a working family.

* * *

The Newtown Mural Committee is selling a specially designed Christmas ornament which contains a picture of the Edmond Town Hall on one side and the Newtown rooster symbol on the other. The ornament was designed by mural artist David Merrill. The proceeds go to Mr Merrill for his work on the town hall mural, which should be completed this fall. The committee wished to reimburse the artist for his time and materials.

 

September 16, 1960

Alert to the possible serious threat of Hurricane Donna, Newtown faced the Monday storm fully prepared. School was canceled against the possibility the youngsters would face hazards in the return home. Fortunately, the town fared better in the heavy rains and winds than expected. Town road foreman Howard Beardsley reported 19 trees went down over the town roads, but that they fell at scattered intervals. Catch basins all managed to cope with the heavy runoff.

* * *

Hurricane Donna reached into the Congregational Church on Monday and upset the timing mechanism on the chimes, which pealed forth a generous supply of hymns at 5 o’clock Wednesday morning, disrupting the sleep of many nearby townspeople. The same brand of revival service brought everyone to attention again on Thursday morning. The elders assure there will be no more sunrise services until Easter.

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Handmade woolens, wovens, jewelry, toys, leather and wooden novelties, and household articles will be on sale next Thursday, September 22, in the Easter Seal Giftmobile, which will be parked in front of Mrs Stephen Budd’s home on Main Street, between 10 am and 6 pm. All profits from the sale go directly to the homebound persons who made the articles.

* * *

In the spring of this year, the Garden Club of Newtown was the recipient of a $200 award from the Sears Roebuck Foundation in a civic beautification contest. The award was given for the work the garden club had done at the Sandy Hook School, which included foundation planting and the planting of shade and pine trees. Now in connection with the award, the garden club is planning to continue the beautification of the Sandy Hook School grounds.

September 13, 1935

Mr and Mrs Rodney P. Shepard had rather an unusual experience on last Friday evening. During the night Mrs Shepard thought she heard someone about the house and had Mr Shepard investigate. Everything seemed to be in place. In the morning, Mrs Shepard noticed that one for the beds had been slept in and a coat thrown over the back of a chair. A new Chevrolet car was in the yard and a few minutes later a young traveling man calmly walked downstairs. Mr Shepard was somewhat taken aback but nothing in comparison to the surprise of the young man that he had not slept in the tourist house that he had been directed to, and that he had walked, without troubling himself to awaken the owners, into a private residence. We might add that the gentleman had been drinking something besides “Taunton Lake Water” before taking up his abode in Mr Shepard’s home.

* * *

A public hearing was held at the Edmond Town Hall on Tuesday evening by the Newtown Board of Finance for the purpose of approving the budget of the town for $107,786.94. Of this amount, $61,771.94 is requested by the Board of Selectmen for town purposes. $46,045 was requested by the Board of Education.

* * *

The Newtown Orchestral Society scored a popular success with the fall concert, last Thursday evening, in the Edmond Town Hall theatre. The large audience was most appreciative of the work of the musicians and their conductor and was generous in its applause.

* * *

A number of local young men enjoyed a fishing trip on the sound on Wednesday, the guests of Lew Fordham of Stratford. Forty-two blue fish were caught, with some averaging 6 to 8 pounds. Those who enjoyed the trip were Newton M. Curtis, Herbert Beers, Hobart Warner, Gould Curtis, Henry Carlson, James B. Nichols, John Northrop, and Adolph Carlson.

 

September 16, 1910

COUNTRY CLUB FAIR AT GREENFIELD Good Success Despite Absence of Horses: Under an ideal September sky the 10th annual agricultural fair, dog and poultry show opened, Tuesday morning, with a good attendance for opening day. The exhibits were nearly all in place on Tuesday, and in most of the departments, were as large, if not larger, than previous seasons. The grounds assumed a festive appearance, bunting and flags floating from the various buildings and tents.

* * *

There will be no game between the Newtown team and the Walnut Tree Hill team, owing to a difference of opinion regarding the make-up of the teams. Manager Leavy of the Hills refused to play unless he could use a Bridgeport players. It is a great disappointment to the Newtown players, as they were looking forward to some warm games.

* * *

Through the courtesy of that popular Newtown young man, John C. Beers, a party consisting of Hermon H. Peck, Eli B. Beers, Howard Booth and Allison P. Smith, enjoyed an auto ride to the Country Club Fair at Greenfield Hill, Tuesday. At about 3:30, the party returned via Bridgeport, where a brief stop was made, and the return trip along the Bridgeport turnpike, arriving in Newtown about 5:10. Mr Beers is an ideal chauffeur.

* * *

Sandy Hook was treated to an unpleasant sensation, Friday night, in the burning about the midnight hour of the barn on the Moses Parson place, owned by Birdsey Parsons and occupied by Dr W.H. Kiernan. Dr Kiernan and his brother had come in with the automobile, stored in the basement, and the fire broke out in the top of the barn. Neither the doctor nor his brother lit any matches, having used up all they had in smoking when in the car. Dr Kiernan was sitting in his office reading when he heard Miss Mary Warner call from outside. They hastened out to find the flames breaking out. Robert Kiernan pushed through the smoke, turned on the power of the auto and backed it out under its own power. General alarm of the fire was given by the ringing of the Methodist church bell.