August 20, 1993

RR CROSSING — WHAT YOU ASSUME MAY SAVE YOU: After a collision between a train and a car at the railroad crossing in Hawleyville Tuesday night, which critically injured a young woman, we are all inclined to look at the accident with the sharpest of hindsight. How could such a thing happen? Who was to blame? Should there have been traffic gates at the crossing? What can be done to ensure that it doesn’t happen again? Should there be a traffic gate at the crossing? What can be done to make sure it does not happen again? These questions are still being sorted out by officials responsible for the railroad and highway. Whatever they conclude will come too late for the people whose lives have already been affected. But the rest of us need not wait for official investigations and reports. Railroad crossings are dangerous places, especially when unprotected by gates, as is the case in Hawleyville; we should approach them assuming a train is coming. That assumption may prove wrong every time, yet it is an assumption that may one day save your life.

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Item No. 4 on the selectmen’s agenda Monday read: “Save the Loosestrife.” First Selectman Zita McMahon explained that she put this item on the agenda because a person called her office to express anger over the mowing of loosestrife at Ram Pasture. She said the complainer only agreed to hang up when she agreed to put the issue on the selectmen’s agenda, where the issue would receive public attention. The first selectman described loosestrife as “that gorgeous purplish weed…a very pleasing eyeful.” Public Works Director Frederick Hurley said that he also received a complaint about cutting the loosestrife. His call was from an artist who went to Ram Pasture to paint the loosestrife, only to witness its destruction. The first selectman said she would write a letter to the Newtown Cemetery Association, which owns Ram Pasture. She will ask that the association refrain from cutting the loosestrife until after Labor Day. Selectman Michael Snyder, however, was not amused. “I just don’t think this is something that needs to come before this board. It’s a waste of our time.” But Mr Snyder told Mrs McMahon she was “getting better.” He said that asking the board to consider the loosestrife was even “a little sillier,” than Mrs McMahon’s previously proposed policy on when the flag on Main Street should be lowered.

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In terms of sheer numbers for calls for help, August 15 probably was the busiest day in the history of Newtown Ambulance Corps, according to Jim Crouch, acting chief dispatcher at the Edmond Town Halls switchboard. There were 11 calls, 9 of which involved taking people to Danbury Hospital. The regional paramedic was also dispatched to most if these calls. Mr Crouch, also an ambulance volunteer, said the corps responded to an average of three calls a day. He said 11 calls is the most he has seen in the past six years. He said there was not a problem in getting enough people to respond to the calls. And during the day the corps only needed to use two of its three ambulances. Several calls were medical related, one person had a head injury received while water skiing, one call was a response to a person with suicidal tendencies, another call involved a person in Sandy Hook having a localized reaction to a bee sting, one response was to a Lake Zoar boating accident where one person’s thumb was amputated, another response for a full body reaction to a bee sting, a call for possible internal bleeding, and a response to a domestic dispute in the Hawleyville area.

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Playing for the Democrats, Shane Eigen hit a pitch during the Democrats-Republicans softball game at Treadwell Park on August 15. Shane’s father Richard Eigen is a Democratic candidate for the Board of Tax Review. Catching for the Republicans was Jim Smith, who is running for the Board of Selectmen. Democrats won 11-7.

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Bayou Midnight will play in the next outdoor summer concert on Friday, August 20, 7 pm at the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street in Newtown. Bayou Midnight, a five-piece Cajun band, takes pride in performing truly authentic music.

August 23, 1968

It is a source of much regret to many townspeople that Newtown has been the scene of a series of alleged moral offenses in recent weeks. Intensive investigation by state and local officials over a period of time has resulted in arrests which so far involve 33 individuals. Of that number, it is our understanding that 22 are juveniles (under 16 years of age). The charges include rape, adultery, risk of injury to minors, indecent assault, delivery of liquor to minors, and possession of narcotics. Comment on this sort of sordid behavior is not to our liking and quite foreign to this column. Yet we feel the matter is too serious to ignore. In our opinion, fault lies primarily with those more mature individuals who have been charged by the police with much of the responsibility for their own misconduct and that of the others. When the cases are heard in court it is our opinion that the entire book be thrown at them. As for others of younger years, a number of them have been in previous trouble. Some of them have been school drop outs; others have psychological problems frequently a byproduct of difficulties at home or lack of proper home training. But that does not solve the problem facing Newtown today. We are sure that a majority of townspeople are unaware of the Quonset hut area where the recent indecencies occurred. The huts have been there a long time and the occupants have done little or nothing to raise the moral tone of the community. Two of the huts have just been burned down by the Botsford firemen, and the others are destined for the torch. There are other spots in town that need similar treatment.

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Question for the day, where in Newtown are you apt to overhear the following snatches of conversation: “Which witch took my wire cutters … I never saw a wizard wearing a hat like that … I don’t care if you are a king and own a whole country, you’re standing on my paintbrush.” Answer: at the Little Theater on Orchard Hill Road on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, where about 40 of the town’s budding young thespians are at work on the Town Players Children’s theater production of “Pegora.”

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When you hear “Coming, Mother!” once more on Sunday night, August 25, it will be a familiar voice replying to the call. It will be on “Radio Pioneers” program from the Hollywood Bowl and House Jameson will once more be Sam Aldrich, Ezra Stone will again answer to “Henry, Henry Aldrich!” Clifford Goldsmith is writing the script as he did originally and this time it will be about not only the trouble-borrowing Henry of those earlier days, but a wild, almost hippie Henry as well.

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Carl M. Schutz is home from Danbury Hospital, minus an ulcer and section of stomach but sounding fine. He cannot speak highly enough of the hospital staff, particularly the intensive care units. He is deeply grateful to scores of people who remembered him with cards, notes, and calls and to the good neighbors who gave so much help to his wife.

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At 12:36 o ‘clock on Wednesday morning, August 21, a fire was reported in the farmhouse occupied by William J. Wakeleys on Hundred Acres Road. The Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company, along with the aerial truck from Newtown Hook & Ladder Company, Engine One and the Botsford tanker responded. The fire had worked its way from the ground floor up to the crawl space above the kitchen. The fire was quickly brought under control, according to Fire Marshal James Cavanaugh, but there was considerable water damage. Cause of the blaze is under investigation.

August 27, 1943

If husbands and mothers-in-law around town begin to exclaim, “O, isn’t this good!” it may well mean that someone has visited the AAUW sale of herbs now in progress at Knapp and Trull store ending Saturday, August 28. The skillfully blended herbs added to stews, soups, and salads can, it is said, quite transform prosaic food. The sale is for the benefit of the American Association of University Women Kit Bag project.

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The surprise test blackout in Newtown on Tuesday was pronounced successful by those in charge at the Report Center. The first signals were received shortly after 9 pm and the all-clear signal was sounded at 10 pm.

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Due to the large attendance expected at the annual Newtown Fish & Game Club meeting, the meeting place has been changed from the Firehouse to the Edmond Town Hall gymnasium. The meeting will be called to order on the evening of Saturday, September 4, at 7:30 pm. Election of officers, drawing of war bonds and stamps, distribution of club emblems and 1,200 feet of moving pictures will be the outstanding features of the evening’s entertainment. A map has been prepared by Edward Thomas which shows the many acres of splendid hunting territory now under club supervision. These areas are soon to be posted by the State Fish & Game Department. Hunting will be limited to members and those to whom daily permits are issued.

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We’ve heard of “good eggs” and “some pumpkins,” but it has taken Vincent Gaffney, Vo-ag teacher at the high school, to produce a “man, mountain tomato.” He weighed in such a specimen of his own growing on the scales of the First National Store recently and the arrow spun around to exactly 17 ounces. And Vin swears he did not weigh his thumb at the same time!

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Miss Lillian Canfield has returned to her duties at Fabric Fire Hose Company after enjoying two weeks of vacation, part of which was passed as guest of Mrs John S. Collingsworth in Boston, Mass.

August 23, 1918

It is close to a year since Everett J. Perry, the 14-year-old son of Mrs Alfred Young of 291 Elmstreet, Stamford, disappeared, and no trace of the boy has been found. His mother and other relatives have searched far and near, and have asked the cooperation of the police, but efforts have been fruitless. Everett was living with his aunts Sarah and Eunice Perry of Fairfield, when he disappeared. He left a note under his pillow in which he wrote that he was going away to make his fortune. Everett at one time lived in Taunton and attended Taunton district school. He is thought to be employed on some farm. His mother, sister and brother are most anxious to find him. Anyone who knows of his location should contact his mother in Stamford.

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The high cost of living is staring Newtown, Monroe, and Brookfield people sharply in the face. Our valued friends, the doctors, are once more raising their fees: Office calls $1 to $1.50, day visits, 9 am to 7 pm within one mile, $1.50 to $2. And may God have mercy on their souls, and ours too!

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The warden and burgesses request that property owners have the weeds, briars and bushes mowed along the fences in the Borough. The streets and roads would then be much improved in appearance and it is hoped the work will be promptly done.

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Paul Cavanaugh, the genial market man, is some sprinter. The other day when he was out delivering an order, a young rabbit ran under his car. The market man put on the brakes and soon began a foot race up the road. After running 100 yards the rabbit collided with a bank of earth and fell into Mr Cavanaugh’s hands. He then set after rabbit No. 2 and in a short time captured it. Mr Cavanaugh is in doubt as whether he will start a rabbit farm or a menagerie.

Please consider sharing your old photographs of people and places from Newtown or Sandy Hook with The Newtown Bee readers. Images can be e-mailed to kendra@thebee.com, or brought to the office at 5 Church Hill Road to be scanned. When submitting photographs, please identify as many people as possible, the location, and the approximate date.