November 2, 2001

EDITORIAL INK DROPS — THE CAMPAIGN FOR A REVISED CHARTER: The most vigorous campaigning in the run-up to this year’s election in Newtown has had nothing to do with candidates. A group of supporters of proposed charter changes, led by members of the now-disbanded Charter Revision Commission, are distributing flyers, taking out ads, and generally talking to anyone who will listen urging Newtown voters to vote yes on all five charter questions on the ballot this year. … The inadvertent omission of an effective date on their proposals, however, would force the implementation of these significant changes in the way Newtown governs itself to take place just 30 days after the election, not in 2003 as the Charter Revision Commission had originally intended. … We have concluded, therefore, that it is best to vote no on the proposed charter changes so that a more deliberate schedule of consideration and implementation can be followed.

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HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER of Andrew Cerosky.

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Having finally gauged the scope of pollution problems at the contaminated Batchelder industrial site in Botsford, the town now plans to begin marketing the Swamp Road “brownfield” property for its eventual industrial reuse and subsequent placement on the town’s property tax rolls. First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said October 31 the town’s study of contamination problems at the 31-acre former aluminum smelting plant provides it with a range of cost estimates for the site’s clean-up, based on the property’s various potential reuses.

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The Newtown High School boys’ soccer team is now the number-one ranked team in the state, according to the most recent Hartford Courant poll. The poll was released early Thursday morning, just before press time. The Nighthawks — now 17-0 — moved up from last week’s #2 spot after defeating Brookfield in the final regular season game last Thursday, Jonathan Law in the SWC quarterfinals on Saturday, and Joel Barlow in Tuesday’s semifinal.

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The Nagy Brothers Construction Company of Monroe last week began the sloppy task of removing about 5,000 cubic yards of sediment from Hawley Pond. The town is paying Nagy Brothers about $60,000 to do the job. The area to be dredged measures about 52,500 square feet, or about 1.2 acres. The richly organic muck from the pond will have to dry for several weeks before it can be removed from the site for use by the public works department in the manufacture of synthetic topsoil, according to Public Works Director Fred Hurley.

November 5, 1976

With two exceptions, it was a Republican day in Newtown on Tuesday, November 2, as some 88 per cent of the registered voters in the town turned out. President Gerald R. Ford and running mate Robert Dole won Newtown as local voters favored the GOP team 5,062 to the 2,946 votes given to Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale. The town joined the state as a whole in going for Ford, though of course Mr Carter, the former Georgia Governor, was elected 39th President of the United States Tuesday. U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker’s massive victory state-wide over Democratic challenger Gloria Schaffer was reflected locally as Newtowners favored the Greenwich Republican by 5,243 votes to 2,653.

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Just a month later than originally expected, Newtown’s new highway superintendent-town engineer took up his dual role for the town Monday, November 1. Clemens A. Meyer, 33, finally made it to Newtown this week, settling the sale of his former home in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Monday, he took a trip to the Newtown garage, meeting most of the men in the highway department. Roads Inspector Joseph Proterra was to give him a tour of roads in the 60 square mile town Tuesday.

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The Newtown Junior Women’s Club conservation committee has been selected to receive a third place organizational award in Keep America Beautiful, Inc’s 1976 awards program. The official presentation will take place during KAB’s award banquet, December 1 in The Biltmore Hotel, New York City. … Linda Batt of Pilgrim Lane, Newtown, chaired the conservation committee for 1974-1976. She and her helpers of last year: Linda Horn, Nancy Kelly, Carol Maurath, and Yvonne Goodridge had as their award-winning project Woodsey The Owl.

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If the Department of Commerce had available an updated list of industrial sites in Newtown, it could forward enquiries from companies interested in locating in the state to Newtown, said Victor Allan, community development specialist, when he met with the Ad Hoc Economic Advisory Committee on October 21. Committee chairman Gilbert Collins, recognizing the basic charge of the committee as determining community opinion regarding more or less industry in town, said that such a survey of available sites and other pertinent data would be made before public opinion was solicited.

November 2, 1951

For the tenth year there is a community observance of American Art Week being staged at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library in the form of an exhibition which includes the works of many local residents. Newtown has the good fortune to be the home of a large number of talented persons, painters, writers, actors, educators, scientists. This is the time of year the painters take over by co-operating with the library staff in presenting this annual and completely local show.

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W. John Murphy of Glen Road returned on Monday from a week’s stay at the New York Hospital for Special Surgery, where he was under the care of Dr R.L. Maier. He is much improved and expects to spend several weeks at his home recuperating.

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In keeping with the addition of another rural mail route of the Newtown Post Office, which begins operation this Thursday, November 1, Postmaster Albert H. Nichols has announced that William J. Mannix will serve as temporary carrier for Rural Route 2. Hub Beers, who until now has been the sole rural carrier, will for the time being handle Rural Route 1.

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St. Rose rectory was the scene of a pretty wedding on October 20 at 11 a.m. when Miss Barbara Ust, daughter of Mr and Mrs John Stefanko, Sr., Sandy Hook, became the bride of Donald Wheeler, son of Mr and Mrs William Wheeler of Hamden. The Rev Walter R. Conroy, pastor, performed the ceremony in the presence of immediate family and friends. … Following the ceremony there was a reception at the home of the bride’s parents. Later the couple left for a wedding trip to Niagara Falls and Canada.

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Mr and Mrs Nicholas Moseley of the Zoar District left last Sunday for their annual winter stay in Florida. Their address is Box 1083, R.F.D. 2, Pompano Beach, Fla.

November 5, 1926

Robert Larner, who resided in North’s block in Bethel, died at the Waterbury hospital on Sunday, following an operation. Mr Larner was 25 years old, the son of the late Patrick and Anna Larner of Sandy Hook. He was a hatter by trade, employed at the factory of the Columbia Hat Co. of Danbury. He was a member of Virgilius Council, K. of C., of Sandy Hook. … The funeral was largely attended on Wednesday morning, from St Rose’s church, Rev Father Kennedy officiating. The interment was in St Rose’s cemetery. Mr Larner was a young man of quiet personality and highly thought of.

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The annual meeting of the Corporators of the Newtown Savings Bank was held on Friday, October 29, at the bank. The 28th annual report of the Treasurer, Arthur T. Nettleton, showed the bank had had a prosperous year. Deposits had increased $141,980.65, and $25,000 had been added to surplus account.

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Mrs Sarah Beers Mitchell, with her mother, Mrs George B. Beers, gave a very delightful Hallowe’en party, last Saturday night. The house was all trimmed with Hallowe’en souvenirs and the “Witch of Endor” stood ready to greet you as you entered the door. Bridge was the principal topic discussed and Mr and Mrs George Stuart, Mrs Richard Smith and Walter Glover were prize winners.

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PICTURES AT BLACKMAN’S — Saturday night — One Show — 8 O’clock — “THE FAMILY UPSTAIRS.” A fast moving comedy which rings with truth as it unfolds a tale of the average American household. The picture which is a Fox production, presents in a vivid manner types of people with whom almost everyone is familiar. There is a girl, a cashier in a market, played by Virginia Valli, who has reached the age of 21 and who is without a “steady” or even a “once-in-a-while.” And when a great love does come into her life, it is almost wrecked by her mother.

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Last week Mrs Allen K. Beardsley’s popular brother, Leslie Lewis, was married to a Southbury girl in Southbury.

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Dea and Mrs Robert D. Smith are passing 10 days with their son, Benjamin D. Smith, at Irvington, N.J.

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Mr and Mrs George Wahl, Mr and Mrs Wesley Tyler and Russell Wahl of Wallingford stopped and visited Mr and Mrs R.D. Fairchild, Sunday, on the way home from a trip over the Bear Mountain Bridge.

November 8, 1901

LOCAL AFFAIRS — LAKE GEORGE PERSONALS: Miss M. Donavan is now at home. It is expected she will stay home for the winter. | There has been no work on the silica quarry this week. | F.B. Drew has been around looking at some of the crops of tobacco in this vicinity. | Marshall Marsh had the misfortune to have one of his fingers smashed. | Mrs Thomas Donavon is on the sick list. | M.F. Brennan has bought a new wheel.

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On the 15th of October it seems that one, Wilbur Ferry of Bethel, came to Frank Conger’s at Botsford, where he met the latter’s brother, Edward, and exchanged horses with him. Conger gave Ferry $10 and his horse for Ferry’s stepper. On the 19th, Dr R.S. Todd, who was called in by Humane Agents Johnson and Coger, ordered the horse shot as it had that dangerous malady, glanders. Mr Conger was about to proceed against Mr Ferry when the latter settled with him, paying him a substantial sum, whereupon Mr Ferry took steps to collect out of the man he got the horse from, Thomas Delaney, of the Putnam club house, Redding. Attorney W.J. Beecher appeared for Mr Conger.

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List of unclaimed letters at the Newtown post office, November 1, 1901: C. Cunningham, Mrs David F. Foote, John Holley, M.J. Ludden, Mrs Hannah McGrath, George Osbury, Mrs Charles H. Sheppard, E. Taber, Fanny Toomey.—[George F. Duncombe, postmaster.

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John W. Lane, a prosperous Kent farmer, was in town, last week, and made a call on Charles G. Peck.

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Born, Tuesday, October 29, to Mr and Mrs Lucien Pierron, a 10½-pound daughter.

Do you have photographs of people or places in town from a bygone era? The Way We Were is the perfect landing spot so that your photographs can be enjoyed by readers of The Newtown Bee. Images can be e-mailed as attachments to shannon@thebee.com, subject line: Way We Were photo. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people and details as possible, the location, and the approximate date. If you live locally and would like to loan a photo/photos, please give us a call (203-426-3141) to schedule an appointment.