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A mandatory referral asking the Planning and Zoning Commission to approve The Historic District Committee’s report recommending the establishment of a historic District in the Borough of Newtown was unanimously approved at the panel’s March 1 meeting. The committee, in its report, said that it hopes a historic district will preserve the antique rural atmosphere of the Borough of Newtown and promote the area’s educational, cultural, economic and general welfare.

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Botsford firemen were called to the scene for a tanker fire Tuesday, March 6, on Route 25, behind Holcomb Fuel. Botsford Fire Chief Steve Belair said the fire, which they feel was started by a shorted electrical wire, ignited the back compartment of the tanker truck causing considerable smoke. About 12 firemen from Botsford responded and quickly quenched the fire with water and fire extinguishers.

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Members of the Newtown United Methodist Church on Church Hill Road told Zoning Board of Appeals panelists present at a Wednesday, March 7, public hearing that they want to build a two-story, three bedroom salt box Colonial parsonage on church grounds. The present parsonage is relatively small and on Apple Blossom Lane, which is some distance away from the church. The proposed parsonage would be approximately 2,300 square feet.

 

March 13, 1959

A ‘possum came to call at The Bee last week. Sporting a snarl with gnashing teeth to match, friend ‘possum had only ugly grimaces until the first flashbulb popped, then he mellowed into a regular ham, posing in model calm and giving his Best Side.

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On the anniversary of the famous blizzard of 1888, the area suffered the worst snowstorm of the season. Thursday morning found roads with huge snowdrifts and an unofficial estimate of the fall to be about seven inches on the flat. However, high winds with gusts caused the snow to drift, making travel slow and hazardous. By mid-morning the snow turned to a sleet combination and iced roads over the snow, making the work for the town and state road crews rather ineffectual from time to time.

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Members of St Rose Church as well as former parishioners are looking forward to the week of August 24 to 29, when St Rose will celebrate its 100th anniversary. A centennial booklet containing the history of St Rose parish from August 1859 to the present time will be published. A number of special events are being planned. A feature of the centennial will be the giving away of a 1959 Cadillac car to the person holding the lucky ticket.

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The Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company was 48 years old last Sunday. Organized on March 11, 1911, the company has a long and illustrious history. The first chief was William Gower of Dodgingtown and the company consisted of 15 members. At present, there are 50 members in the company. The company also built its own firehouse at the present location on Route 202 in Dodgingtown.

March 9, 1934

Considerable interest has been created in Newtown in the suit brought by the Newtown Library Association against Warren B. Burrows, Attorney General, and others, in which the Association has asked that its funds be devoted for other charitable purposes than the maintenance of the Beach Memorial Library. The Association asked the Court to decree a sale of the present Library and that the funds realized therefrom used in supplying books and library equipment to the public schools of Newtown, the Sandy Hook Free Public Library, and the Cyrenius H. Booth Library.

* * *

Dr Waldo F. Desmond, who has been a patient at the New Haven hospital for the past two weeks, is now showing improvement. He is suffering from a severe attack of acute rheumatic fever. In an effort to hasten his recovery, he will be operated upon this week for the removal of his tonsils. The infection followed a sore throat which Dr Desmond caught from a patient.

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The film that thousands upon thousands of people throughout the country have asked Will Rogers to make, comes to the Edmond Town Hall theater on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It is “David Harum,” and has the famous star in what is the most fitting role of his entire career. Presenting the character of the shrewd horse-trader with a heart that alternates between cold steel and gold, Rogers is said never to have been better.

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The rising temperature of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, caused the great body of snow on the hills and valleys to melt rapidly, and as a result, Monday morning, every little rivulet was a brook and every brook a roaring river, pouring their waters into the greater Housatonic river. Birdsey Parsons of Sandy Hook was in a tree watching the ice break up, just above the Edwards place on the Housatonic river, on Monday. While he was up in the tree the ice started to move and he was obliged to stay in the tree for a few hours before he could safely descend to earth. “It beat any movie I ever saw,” he declared.

 

March 12, 1909

On Wednesday, Daniel G. Beers surveyed the site for the new building of the Newtown Savings bank and drove the stakes to guide the men in making the excavation. The work of excavating will probably begin Monday, Messrs H.H. Peck and J.B Nichols having this work in charge. Some thrilling experiences are reported from the Berkshire pond, where a force of men were engaged in harvesting ice, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Michael F. Kilbride was the first to get a wetting, the ice giving away with him. A shrill cry from the genial Michael brought aid. C.L. Page and his hired man also got in, the latter going down up to his neck.

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To Whom it may concern: I wish it understood that the set of furs my daughter, Arietta, is wearing did not belong to anyone. She is not wearing second-hand clothing, neither am I dealing in second-hand furs. If any further information is needed, please write the D.M. Read Co of Bridgeport, where I bought the furs and had ample means to pay for the same. —Mrs H.N. Lattin

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A middle age couple, claiming to be husband and wife, called at The Bee office, late on Monday, looking for farm work. They had walked from New Milford and said they were out of money. They stated they had been working for a farmer in Washington, but that their efforts were not appreciated. Tugging two heavy bags, they made a sorry sight.

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A.E. Brinton, the new plumber, has had a telephone installed in his place of business. E.J. Botsford has had a telephone placed in his house.