***

The Police Department, the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire company, and Dog Warden George Mattegatt on March 9 all were called to the old Fabric Fire Hose Company building, following a report that three dogs were trapped in the Pootatuck River. Two dogs were rescued from the river but a third one died.

***

Undaunted by gray skies and a lingering blanket of snow outside, the children of Mrs Woodie’s third grade class at Head O’Meadow School enjoyed a “beat the winter blues” picnic last week. Children spread out their beach towels and feasted on sandwiches made from fresh bread they had baked, homemade cookies, and watermelon. Several children wore shorts and Hawaiian-style shirts and a colorful beach umbrella livened up the festivities.

***

Despite experts being present to discuss civil litigation and narcotics, the only questions parents had for the panel members at the law enforcement forum were about the teenage drinking problem and keg beer parties held throughout the town. Parents were invited to attend a forum at the Newtown High School last week entitled “The Law and Your Teenagers — Your Rights and Responsibilities.” During the question and answer period, parents voiced concerns over the abundance of keg beer parties around town. The parents wanted to know what the police department is doing about it.

March 16, 1962

Telephone numbers starting with two letters will soon be obsolete in the Danbury area, as new telephone numbers consisting of seven digits take over. The phone company cautions telephone users to dial just the seven digits when dialing one of these new numbers. Exchange name letters will not be used with the seven-digit numbers.

***

Work started this Thursday in the Queen Street Shopping Center preparatory to the erection of a new Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company Supermarket. It is expected the new market will be open by July 1. The supermarket will be colonial in design, with a frontage of 100 feet and a main building 100 feet deep.

***

A relatively mild winter with the exception of February, led to the troubles of Monday when the rainstorm combined with melting snows to flood countless Newtown cellars. With very little frost in the ground and the heavy run-off of the quick thaw, pumps were at a premium. Householders who had never experienced difficulty encountered the problems.

***

Enthusiastic support from a number of townspeople followed The Bee’s editorial of March 2, suggesting the start of an historical society in Newtown. The editor is gratified at the response, an now that he has returned from a vacation trip, contemplates calling a meeting in the near future to explore the amount for really sustained interest in an historical society, its field of activity in preserving Newtown’s past, and its value to the town.

 

March 12, 1937

The snow flurry Tuesday morning caused some little trouble for motorists on the hills about town, until the State Highway trucks had sanded the roads. In front of The Bee office, there was a regular sliding party, with one for the highway trucks even making a turn or two. The driver of a small coupe proved the brainiest of the lot, when he jammed into reverse and did some plain and fancy backing down the hill to avoid a large van that was slipping down grade toward him, not knowing itself where it was headed or how it could stop.

***

At 8:30 pm, on Friday, March 19th, in the Alexandria room of the Edmond Town Hall, the Town Players will present two one-act plays — guest tickets 50 cents at the door, members free. Anyone who has not previously seen a Player production, better come to this show. You will be very welcome and you might decide it would be fun to joint the Town Players. Membership dues are $2 a year, which includes, incidentally, free admission to these bi-monthly club performances.

***

Pohtatuck Grange observed its 45th anniversary at the recreation rooms of Hawley Manor on Tuesday evening, when Miss Julia Stowe, lecturer, presented a program, the theme being “Fireside Thoughts.” The History of Pohtatuck Grange was given by John J. Northrop, the only charter member present.

***

The Board of Finance met in the Selectmen’s room of the Edmond Town Hall on Wednesday evening to consider the request of the Board of Education that steps be taken to procure a sum of not more than $100,000 to enlarge the present plant of the Hawley School. This request was rejected in favor of an alternate proposal made by the Board of Finance to construct and equip a separate building for use of the grades at a cost not to exceed $65,000.

 

March 15, 1912

Mr and Mrs Charles L. Jackson of Hawleyville are mourning the loss of their pet deer, which was taken sick and died last week. Mr Jackson found the little fellow about a year ago by the roadside, where it had been deserted by its mother and brought it home, and succeeded in bringing it up and taming the little fellow, and he would play about their yard with their large dog and never attempt to run away. They had become very much attached to the deer and miss it very much.

***

The Newtown Water Co. are to duplicate their pumping plant at Taunton Lake, the order for engine, pump, etc having been placed with William B. Glover, by L.C. Morris, treasurer of the Newtown Water Co. This will be good news to all patrons of the company, who will be more secure in case of fire. They will also build on an addition to the present building.

***

The damage to the roads in Newtown by the storm of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, must go into the thousands of dollars. The state road was badly washed at points on the south end, while from all over town come reports of bad washouts. Selectman Johnson was out all day looking after the worst places, while Selectmen Brew and Blackman were busy with men in their ends of the town attending to the bad washouts.

***

The Pootatuck river was a raging torrent, after the storm, Wednesday morning. Early risers at Sandy Hook who looked out of their windows at 5:30 am saw the water over the Mershon dam to the depth of five or six feet. The water was so high that it set back in the meadows and partly moved a chicken house belonging to Thomas Wicking.