* * *

Fifty firemen from all five of Newtown’s volunteer fire companies responded early Sunday morning to a house fire on Mt Nebo Road which totally destroyed the Michael Zeerip residence. Deputy Fire Marshal George Lockwood said it was a “suspicious” fire and the cause is under investigation. The house was destroyed within ten minutes after the fire started. No one was home at the time.

* * *

Five possible realignments of traffic at the Newtown Flagpole at the intersection of Routes 25 and 6 were presented to the public by the regional planning agency Tuesday, ranging in scope from changing the traffic flow around the flagpole to relocating Route 25 to avoid the pole. The Newtown Flagpole, which the State Department of Transportation advocated removing from the Route 25-6 intersection, is now mandated to stay in place by a state law passed by the General Assembly last year, sponsored by State Representative Mae Schmidle.

* * *

Formed in 1959 with the purpose of helping the Jaycees in their civic activities, The Newtown Jaycees’ Wives have evolved over the years, sponsoring their own projects on behalf of the community. The evolution continues, the organization has announced; this year under the leadership of President Sharon DiSette, the Wives have opened their membership to any woman in Newtown interested in serving her community. In fact, the members of the organization will not be “wives” any longer. The Jaycee Wives are in the process of changing their name to “The Newtown Jaycee Women.”

* * *

According to state standards, the traffic in front of Edmond Town Hall does not warrant a traffic light, civil engineer Ken Pudeler told burgesses at their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, July 26. Mr Pudeler said the state most likely would not issue a permit for a 24-hour traffic light because it would hinder the flow of traffic on Route 25.

* * *

A huge, 18-wheel tractor trailer truck operated by a man allegedly under the influence of drugs or alcohol crashed through a utility pole on Riverside Road Thursday, July 22, at 4:20 pm, just east of Sandy Hook Center. As a result, 2,000 homes and businesses in the area lost power for at least one hour. The Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company was on stand-by at the accident scene because of live wires knocked down by the truck, spilled diesel fuel, and PVC oil from the three transformers atop the truck.

* * *

Sidewalk Sale A Success — It brought the crowds out, and that’s what the Newtown Chamber of Commerce wanted to do. People shopped, especially on Friday. Gilbert Collins, executive secretary of the Chamber, said the shopkeepers he talked to said Friday was really excellent, with Saturday a little more quiet.

 

August 2, 1957

During the current drive of the Newtown Ambulance Association, the Board of Trustees would like the townspeople to know something of the service which is available to them when needed. Complete first aid equipment, including oxygen, is carried in the ambulance. Close communication is maintained with the town hall telephone switchboard through the two-way radio equipment which was installed in the ambulance during the past year. There are 55 volunteer drivers and helpers in the organization who give generously of their time throughout the year.

* * *

The Newtown Hook & Ladder Company took its fifth trophy of the season by winning first prize as the best appearing fire company in the Southbury Volunteer Firemen’s parade held last Thursday. Approximately 25 of Newtown’s “Drag-goons” pulled their 19th century rig and seemed to have rid themselves of the gremlins who plagued them with frozen wheels or steep hills in their previous parades.

* * *

The Little Theatre, Newtown’s own little playhouse on Orchard Hill Road, is active day and night, as actors and technicians alike work to put a finish on the Patrick Hamilton mystery thriller, “Angel Street,” which will open next Wednesday evening, August 7, at 8:30. Heading the cast of “Angel Street” is Marion Hibbard as Mrs Manningham, making her 11th appearance with the Town Players.

* * *

Elmer A. Crouch, a resident of Newtown for the past 20 years, has invented and patented a safety device known as “Elmer’s Ladder Leg,” a ladder leg equalizer that reduces accident hazards. There are over 300,000 ladder accidents a year. Many of these serious accidents can be avoided by the use of “Elmer’s Ladder Leg.”

* * *

Two fires Saturday kept Newtown firemen busy for more than 11 hours and caused an estimated $6,000 in damage, according to Fire Marshal Millard Goodsell. Firemen of the Sandy Hook Fire Company were called out early in the day to fight a blaze in a dead tree at the rear of the Knox-McLachlan Agency on Church Hill Road. The firefighters had hardly returned from the first fire when they were called on to join the United Fire Company of Botsford and the Newtown Hook and Ladder truck at a blaze north of Riverside Road. A cabin and its contents were destroyed.

* * *

The 1957 version is, “It never rains but it blows,” and the big wind last Monday didn’t do the big Elms at SAC park any good at all. One fell across the driveway and took the wires to the field lights with it. Dave Crouch and his chainsaw came on the run and while he was at it, cut down another big tree which looked a bit on the wobbly side.

 

July 29, 1932

Newtown’s troop of Boy Scouts took a three-day hike, this week, starting on Tuesday and returning on Thursday, under the direction of Scout Master Cullens and Harold F. Smith. The Scouts carried their own equipment and supplies in their specially built cart. Unfortunately, the weather man afforded rain which took some of the joy out of the trip.

* * *

Ernest J. Morgan and George Curtis Morgan of Newtown and Emory Smith of Hartwick, N.Y. attended Poultrymen’s Day at Storr’s College on Monday. They remained for the banquet of the poultrymen in the evening.

* * *

The five beautiful display windows placed in the Brick store add greatly to its appearance outside and in, and give Mr Warner and his force a fine opportunity for displaying their goods. The work was done by Burn & Crump of Bridgeport.

* * *

Tuesday was observed as post office day throughout the nation and in a good many of the larger towns, special exercises were held along patriotic lines. As Newtown had just celebrated the George Washington Bicentennial anniversary in a fitting manner, no special exercises were arranged here. Down to 1843, there was but one postoffice in town, which was as a matter of course, located in the village. The first appointment was dated October 1, 1800, Caleb Baldwin, postmaster, and the office became permanently established, January 1, 1801.

* * *

Arthur Bouchard, a carpenter employed by the H. Wales Lines Company at the Fairfield State hospital, fell through a staging on Monday, July 25, and tore the ligaments of his ankle. Dr E.L. Kingman attended him.

* * *

An unfortunate accident took place on the farm of Frank Kaiser in Taunton, one day, last week, when a pair of mules attached to a load of hay ran away. One of the mules broke a neck, while the wagon and harness were pretty well demolished.

August 2, 1907

The Newtown baseball team has been reorganized and the team will play its first game at the Fair grounds, this week, Saturday, at 3:30, when the strong aggregation of ball tossers from Bethel will be on hand to try and even up some old defeats that have been dealt out to them by the local team.

* * *

At the meeting of the selectmen, Saturday, settlement was made with Frank H. Mitchell for sheep and lambs recently killed by dogs. He was paid $124 which local sheep raisers regard as none too high, as the flock attacked was a remarkably fine one.

* * *

Even the chestnut trees are late in attending to their duty. Local observers noted they were in full bloom about July 19 and 20, while generally they can be counted on to be in the full of the blossom about July 4.

* * *

J.A. Schaf of Dodgingtown is having a new barn built on the hill near his new house. Phillip Schnabel of Dodgingtown has the contract for building the barn. Mr Schaf has the foundation for the barn completed.

* * *

Chester Northrop of Taunton had the misfortune, while out in the barn at work one day, last week, to slip and fall from a beam overhead to the barn floor, shaking him up considerably. Fortunately he was not otherwise injured.