FORCE For Newtown, a group formed this year to study and advocate “methods of more efficient, responsive and economical delivery of services to the citizens of Newtown in the areas of recreation culture and education,” formally filed with the Secretary of State Wednesday as a political issue committee to oppose the Newtown Concerned Taxpayers’ proposed tax limit ordinance.

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There may be something that doesn’t love a wall, but there’s something in farmers that doesn’t love their fences being cut. Arthur Bennett, who owns over 100 acres on Hundred Acres Road which he leases to a farmer for cutting hay, told The Bee this week that horseback riders were cutting his fence in order to pass through his fields.

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Residents from the area surrounding the Newtown Sand & Gravel mining site on Toddy Hill Road will again bring their woes due to large amounts of sand being blown off the site to the Planning & Zoning Commission when it meets Monday, October 20, at 8 pm in the Congregational Church House.

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Residential participation will be an important part of a series of October workshops sponsored by the Newtown Citizen Advisory Committee designed to discuss alternative solutions to failing septic systems and pollution problems in Newtown. October’s workshops are the second in the series with April’s sessions focusing on pollution of Newtown’s brooks, streams and ponds and potential pollution of groundwater.

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Spirits were high and the water was low on Troop 70’s father-son tubing trip. Men and boys had planned to float three miles down the Shepaug River and then camp at Steep Rock Scout Reservation in Washington Depot. Instead, the campers had to float and frolic in the only thirty yards of remaining deep water. Even there, tubes collided with protruding rocks and flipped Scouts into the river.

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Carol Stottle was a $50,000 winner in the Connecticut State Lottery’s Money Tree game October 9. Mrs Stottle received a check for $40,000. 10 (her winnings after taxes).

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October 21, 1955

Flood Ravages Town; Army Sends Engineers Streams Crest At Record High Sunday After Three Days Of Rain. That federal assistance for the repair of Newtown public property would be forthcoming was assured First Selectman Edward J. Coleman this week by officials of the US Army Engineers following a survey of damage done in the town by the flood of last weekend.

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Damage done to Newtown roads by the flood of last Saturday and Sunday, October 15 and 16, will require months of work to restore them to their original condition, it became apparent this week. Improved blacktop and dirt roads alike were destroyed, while many bridges were destroyed or so damaged as to require expensive repairs before being serviceable.

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The flooding of at least 12 homes in Newtown, with the loss of many possessions and considerable house damage was one of the large items of losses in Newtown. It is still impossible to estimate the number cellars which were flooded, requiring the serving or replacement of oil burners and other equipment.

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Last Saturday night was much like any other night in Sandy Hook except that it was wetter. At 7 o’clock, traffic on Route 6 at the bottom of the hill through the center of town was normal. The Pootatuck River, customarily a mild stream hurdling gentle rapids as it descends into the Glen, had risen above the boulders. By 11 o’clock, watchers at the bridge, including town constables, State Police, auxiliary police and volunteers, became anxious. Never before in the memory of those watching had the Pootatuck spilled over the highway. This time it looked as though the improbable might happen.

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When it became apparent last weekend that this was no ordinary rain but a flood such as Newtown had not seen before, volunteers put in an appearance at the various fire houses, the town hall, the town garage to see what could be done. The surprising thing, according to Edward J. Coleman, Newtown’s newly-elected first selectman, was the number of individuals who called by phone and appeared in person to offer their services, their homes, their cars, anything at all required of them to alleviate the suffering of less fortunate persons.

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Rural mail carrier John Heider of the Sandy Hook Post Office found his delivery route doubled by the damage to roads and bridges. Among his many detours made to deliver mail, the longest took him to the north end of Botsford Hill Road by way of Newtown and Route 25.

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Milton Chernoff and the United Fire Company were hosts to about 40 motorists at the Botsford Fie House when they were stranded in Botsford early Sunday morning by the flooding at Dead Man’s Curve. Coffee was served to all.

October 17, 1930

Tickets are selling like hot cakes for the Grange play at the Edmond Town hall, Friday night, October 17, at 8 o’clock, where you will witness the presentation of “Peggy of Primrose Farm,” that amusing three act comedy, which will be presented by Pootatuck Grange players, under the direction of Mrs H.N. Tiemann, Sr. Ted Howe’s Variety Collegians Orchestra will play for the dancing that will follow the play.

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Complaints having been made that the Danbury Taxi Co. was not making the scheduled trip to Sandy Hook, the transportation committee of the Chamber of Commerce had a meeting with Edward J. Gildea, the genial manger. Mr Gildea agreed to have the busses make the three trips to Sandy Hook as scheduled.

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D. N. Popovich of Taunton district, one of Newtown’s most successful farmers, showed some of the tallest cornstalks ever exhibited at Danbury Fair, winning first prize. The tallest stalk shown was 14 feet, four inches.

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Donald M. Joseph, the real estate man, who has been at 19 Main street, Danbury has moved to 70 West Street. He has a much more desirable place to do business in and will be pleased to meet his friends at his new place.

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Work is now going forward in a vigorous manner on the new Fairfield State hospital on Mile Hill. A vast amount of excavating has been done. The foundations or footings are partly completed for the Nurses’ home, the laundry, the carpenter shop, the power house and the dining hall.

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Martin McGrath, genial mechanic at the Liberty garage, and Theodore Kachele left on Monday for Canada on a hunting trip. Visions of a venison dinner are now in the minds of his associates at the Liberty garage.

October 20, 1905

Agnes Laporte, a girl in the employ of Rev Otis W. Barker, was struck in the head by a stone half as large as the hand, Tuesday night, thrown by some boys at a party of children who were enjoying themselves in a tent on Mr Barker’s grounds. The Laporte girl fell to the ground in an unconscious condition. It was a wonder the girl was not killed. The act was a dastardly one.

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L.S. Patterson is putting up a fence of cement posts andiron pipe about the cemetery at Botsford for the Botsford cemetery association. The association has recently added more land to their cemetery and it is all to be enclosed.

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Willson M. Reynolds, Newtown’s new postmaster, was born in Greenwich in 1846. For 35 years he has been a resident of Fairfield county, residing in Newtown for the last 13 years. As a director of the fair he has been one of the hardest workers, and brings thoroughness to everything he undertakes.

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George Crane of Dodgingtown lost a valuable cow, last week. It got choked with an apple.

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Road Master Paxton of the Berkshire division was in town, Monday, superintending the improvements about the New York and New Haven railroad station. A bit two-foot tile has been put down to carry the water from the grounds west of the station to the big underground drain which extends under the station platform and there connect with another drain running on to the Nichols property.