* * *

The introduction to Newtown of the so-called Enhanced 911 system for handling emergency telephone calls may be two to four years in the future. But the town’s emergency service officials will be busy for the rest of this year, preparing for the state-mandated system. All systems in the state will be in operation by December 31, 1989.

* * *

The Newtown Forest Association is pleased to announce the gift of 2.4 acres of wooded land from Eugene T. Makl of Upper Montclair, N.J. and Jean P. Makl of Ridgewood, N.J. The land fronts on Phyllis Lane, and adds to other acreage which the association owns in that part of town. The parcel is well wooded, with a wet area towards the rear.

* * *

The Town Clerk’s office has its first computer. At this time, the computer is being used only to record land transactions. But Town Clerk Betty Smith said it eventually might be used for recording dog licenses, vital statistics, and data relating to newly registered voters.

 

July 22, 1960

Members of the Pine Tree Patrol, Boy Scout Explorer Post 70, accompanied by the Rev Paul A. Cullens, Scoutmaster, left from the Newtown Congregational Church house last Sunday afternoon for their annual trip to the French River in Canada. This year, Rev Cullens has planned a trip into the Canadian woods which has never been taken before. Three Indian guides from the Indian reservation at the French River will accompany them on this particular part of the journey.

* * *

Interest in performing chamber music (for enjoyment only) is indicated to The Bee by Mrs Jane L. Reynolds of Woodbury, who is anxious to find other amateurs also interested in doing some ensemble playing. Ms Reynolds is a pianist and so hopes to hear from string or woodwind players.

* * *

Dickinson Memorial Park will take on an international atmosphere on Wednesday, July 27, at 5:30 pm, when the Newtown High School Foreign Student Committee will be host to 41 students from Turkey and Pakistan at a covered-dish picnic. The students will arrive in Newtown on Tuesday, July 26, and will be welcomed by their host families at the town hall.

* * *

The Newtown softball league is well along in its second round of play with the Mt Pleasant Hucksters and the Dodgingtown Indians still asserting their superiority. The managers voted to play three rounds for the season and then hold a September playoff with the top ranking four teams in the series.

July 19, 1935

Minkdale Farm has just shipped three of their prize Toggenburg does to Maine. A.F.A. Konig tells the Bee scribe that he has had unusually good success in sales, the buyers arriving on everything from a bicycle to an aeroplane from Hayden Field, N.J., landing in Danbury, and then by motor to Newtown. The latter party received some valuable ideas regarding the building of a goat farm taken from the large barns Mr Konig has on his place.

* * *

Sometime during Monday night the First National Store in Sandy Hook was broken into. Entrance was gained by cutting away a portion of the screened front door. As far as can be learned, all that was taken was a few packages of cigarettes.

* * *

An unusual spectacle was witnessed early Tuesday morning by the family of H.N. Tiemann, Sr, about 3:15 am, when following the eclipse of the moon, a heavy downpour of rain awoke them. The moon was shining brightly and the rain was falling in torrents. Mr Tiemann thought that perhaps a lunar rainbow might be visible and looking toward the east, one of rare color was outlined against the sky. The rainbow lasted for several minutes.

* * *

Federal and state forces have again started the summer drive against the Dutch elm disease, the enemy of the American elm. Since there is no known cure or control, complete eradication of the disease appears to be the only means of saving one of the most highly valued shade trees in this country. If a diseased tree is found and verified by laboratory tests, it will be removed before it becomes a breeding place.

 

July 22, 1910

A.W. Bassett, the genial Sandy Hook blacksmith, who raises high grade poultry on the side, picked out one of the fattest of his fat roosters, tied carefully in a bag, and placed it in the back of his wagon. He came up the road in a three mile a minute gait toward Newtown Street. This so distressed the rooster that it jumped out on the roadway, bag and all but Mr Bassett was unconscious of his great loss. E.J. Hall picked up the bag and chicken and placed it on Mr Bassett’s piazza. Michael Kilbride finally halted the rapid Mr Bassett and asked him where his chicken was. Amazed, he finally stopped, and securing the bag, went on his way rejoicing.

* * *

Michael Kilbride, who has been up to his neck in the hay harvesting for six weeks for various citizens about town, cut the large hay crop on the estate of Farmer A.P. Smith, Tuesday and Wednesday, with neatness and dispatch. For yield per acre, it is only exceeded by the great hay crop on the farm of E.S. Lovell, Mr Smith’s near neighbor.

* * *

S.P. Davis sold his place and blacksmith business in Hattertown, last week, to W. Westerman of New York City, who is moving there and taking possession, this week. Mr Davis is also moving, this week, to his new home at the Clark Blackman place in Taunton.

* * *

Leon A. Bourquenez of Botsford has just invented a new repair plug for bicycles and automobile tires and has had it patented and received his patent on Tuesday, June 28. It will completely and instantly stop the tires from leaking from any puncture they may receive without the use of cement and he guarantees it to be the best repair plug on the market. He will have them on the market in about two weeks.