July 15, 1983

As the deadline for voting on the Borough of Newtown Historic District draws near, The Bee conducted an informal survey which showed that property owners are divided about evenly in their opinion about an historic district being established on Main Street. Our sampling showed that more homeowners were in favor of the historic district than businessmen. Several business people we called had no objection to sharing their negative feelings; homeowners in general preferred to express their opinions by the secret ballot process which will determine whether or not the proposal is approved.

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By a six-to-five vote, the Legislative Council, Tuesday night, approved changing the job of tax collector from an elective to an appointive position. Because the tax collector handles so much money, the council agreed that the post should be filled by a competent, trained person.

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Approximately 35 citizens nixed the possibility of playing fields at the town-owned Orchard Hill property, preferring the town either leave it as is or develop the area as a nature center. Parks and Rec has stated that the commission wants to develop more ball fields to relieve overcrowding and scheduling problems on existing fields.

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Principals and library media specialists from the Newtown Schools have been attending school this week. They’re totally immersed in computers — the hows, whys, and wherefores of the computer world: a whole new vocabulary: all in preparation for adding computers and computer instruction in the Newtown School System.

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A trailer at Midway Trailer Park was completely destroyed in a fire on Friday, July 8. Hawleyville Chief Frank Johnson said that the report of the fire came from a cable TV company employee who observed an air conditioner blown from the window in what appeared to be an explosion. Nearly 45 firemen from Hawleyville, Dodgingtown, Hook and Ladder Aerial and Sandy Hook cooperated in extinguishing the blaze which was under control in about an hour.

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A famous singing group, the Del-Vikings, will perform at the Summer Festival’s Block Party on Saturday, August 6. This popular group had two million-selling records in the states, “Whispering Bells,” and “Come Go With Me.” They will sing all the hits that have come to be associated with the name Del-Vikings, and they will perform current hit songs, as well.

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Roaming dogs are causing concern for farmer Albert Hrivnak on Huntingtown Road. Mr Hrivnak recently heard one of his calves crying early one morning and knew there was trouble. A pack of roaming dogs had chased the calf in one pasture of the 160-acre farm and the animal crashed through a wall and into a stream. The calf eventually died. His worry now is that these dogs will come back and do more damage to the newborns.

July 18, 1958

Preliminary grading is already completed and trenches are dug for footings for a 9,000 square foot addition to the S. Curtis and Son, Inc plant in Sandy Hook. Gravel that is being excavated from the hill to the south of the factory is being used in the construction of Route 6.

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75 persons gathered in the Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall Tuesday evening for a meeting of the newly formed Taxpayers Association despite the fact that the meeting had been called off earlier in the day by the temporary chairman. Lacking most of the original organizers of the association, the gathering held a meeting anyway, electing George W. Houghton, Jr as temporary chairman, and preceding to discuss what could be done to further the organizing of the association.

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The fireman’s carnival came to a close Saturday in a downpour of rain that turned the carnival grounds into a muddy bog in which more than one car got stuck and had to be hauled out. Bad weather cut down attendance during the affair, but Frank Varga, chairman, says in spite of the rain, the carnival was successful, thanks to the support of townspeople and area residents who patronized the week-long event.

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The first of Newtown’s vacation dances “The Mid-Summer Fling,” will be held in Philo Curtis Barn on Saturday evening, August 2, from 8:30 until 12:30 o’ clock. Music will be furnished by the very popular Sammy Mell and his band. The fling is being sponsored for Newtown’s young people and their guests who are either sophomores in high school or older.

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An accident which could have been much more serious occurred early Tuesday afternoon on Mt Pleasant when a truck owned by the Frouge Construction Company of Bridgeport and loaded with 20 tons of concrete beams burned out its clutch near the top of the hill. Nicholas Quattone, the driver of the truck, said his brakes had failed, too. Five fence posts were knocked down and the cab ended in the ditch with the trailer part of the truck partially blocking the highway.

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A Newtown man has recently become the envy of collectors of rare, antique ceramics and his house in Hattertown District may well become a Mecca for lovers of this form of art. Sydney Blumberg has acquired 11 early 15th century Hispano-Moresque albarelos, which is Spanish for drug jars, from the William Randolph Hearst collection of Spanish lustreware.

 

July 14, 1933

At a recent meeting of Pootatuck Grange W.B. Bentley, Treasurer, suggested the marking of graves of all veterans and secured a list of all buried in the town of Newtown. It was disclosed that the state will furnish appropriately engraved stones and set them up with no expense to the relatives of the veterans. Application blanks must be filled out and sent to the Adjutant General. The Grange feels sure of cooperation in this matter, and will appreciate all information as to names, burial places, etc.

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Mt Pleasant Flower Gardens Aster Plants, Celery Plants, Cut flowers D.C. PECK, Newtown, Conn. The World’s Choicest Everblooming Hybrid Tea Roses. Strong, large 2 and 3-year-old plants. Guaranteed to bloom within a few weeks from planting and continue until frost. 7 for $1.19 — 14 for $2.19 — 21 for $3. Make Your Own Selection From The List Of The World’s Best.

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MAD DOG RUNS WILD A large police dog was killed by Dog Warden John Carlson at Berkshire, Tuesday night, at 10:30, after he had bitten 10 dogs at Sandy Hook and Berkshire. The head was taken by the warden to the State Laboratory at Hartford, Wednesday morning, where after examination, it was pronounced a positive case of rabies. Warden Carlson has had all the dogs known to have been bitten kept tied up. It is expected that an inspector from the State Domestic Animals Department will be in Newtown today to decide what will be done.

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The Lee Construction Co. of Boston, will build the new bridge over the Housatonic at Sandy Hook. The new bridge, the largest of its kind to be built in the state, will probably be completed in November. It will be built just to the north of the present outdated structure, be 300 feet long, support a 30-foot roadway, and will cost about $140,000. There will be no supporting pilings. A gray steel superstructure, 60 feet in the air at the maximum width of its eclipse, will carry the bridge’s weight.

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The members of the Pine Tree patrol of the Newtown Boy Scouts were a happy band as they started out for the Century of Progress Exposition at Chicago, Sunday afternoon. Chief Sorenson of the Bridgeport Council of Boy Scouts, came to Newtown, Sunday afternoon and inspected the equipments of the group, and reported that they were well equipped. The Scouts were encamped last night at the Boy Scouts camp at Bear Mountain Park, their first scheduled stop on their journey to the exposition, and each night they will camp at various state parks and Scout camps, spending five days in making the trip to Chicago.

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W.R. Tomlinson, manager of the Sandy Hook Tavern, has just completed alterations on the interior of his places. Large movable screens have been built and Mr Tomlinson is now in a position to cater to bridge and luncheon parties.

 

July 17, 1908

Father Fox has had the old wooden gateway at the entrance of St Rose’s cemetery removed. Contractor McDermott is erecting stone piers and a neat iron gate will be placed there.

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Lightning struck a bar post near Thomas O. Murphy’s home at Botsford in one of our late showers, shattering the post, and then ran along on a wire for several rods. It then took a jump through a stone wall into a pile of railroad ties, splitting several of them and throwing them about in a confused manner.

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An audience of 100 or more enjoyed the organ recital at Trinity church, Wednesday evening, the program being of a high order. Miss Agnes E. Platt, soloist at the Methodist church, Morristown, N.J., was heard with pleasure in three solos, “I heard the voice of Jesus say,” “Rejoice greatly O daughter of Zion,” and “Be of Good Comfort.” Cecil Wright and Prof C.S. Platt gave the organ selections. The prayers were read by Rev J.H. George, rector of Trinity.

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At the special town meeting last week Thursday, E.L. Johnson was chosen chairman. It was unanimously voted that the selectmen be instructed to expend not to exceed $1,400 in repairs at the high school building. The selectmen have let the contracts for the improvements at the High school building as follows: Steam heating, E.J. Hall; mason work, W.H. Shepard; carpenter work, George A. Northrop. All the work is to be completed by September 1.

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The editor, in company with Robert H. Beers, passed an interesting hour on Wednesday afternoon at “Overlook,” the beautiful new residence of W.T. Cole on the hill west of Newtown Street. The views from the piazzas of Mr Coles’ new house are beautiful, beyond description. The late Mr Ronads, who traveled all over the world, declared the view from these hills could not be duplicated in Europe or America. The new house is 52 x 73 feet. The first story is ruble field cobble construction. The sides of the house from the second story up are to be covered with flat French tile. The roof is to be constructed of Spanish tile. All the troughs and gutters are to be of copper. On the north side of the house is to be a porte-cochere. On the west side will be an observation tower.