* * *

As alarms sounded there was a scurrying of activity throughout town. It was all part of a full alert for a fire at Buckingham Gardens on Toddy Hill Road on Wednesday, September 30. However, luckily, there was no disaster. Instead it was a drill for everyone involved to practice what to do in case such a disaster should occur.

* * *

When the gates to the Great Danbury State Fair open on Saturday, October 3, at 9:30 am, thousands of patrons will stream through the turnstiles for a final visit. The 112th Danbury Fair, which will run through Monday, Columbus Day, October 12, will be the last. The spacious grounds are destined to become one of the largest shopping centers in the East.

* * *

The thunder of musketry in a reenactment of a Revolutionary War era battle at Newtown High School will be the highlight on Sunday, October 11, when Newtown is the site of a campover by troops commemorating the historic march of the Comte De Rochambeau’s troops from Rhode Island to Yorktown, Va., 200 years ago. The actual event resulted in the joining of the armies of General Rochambeau and General Washington, which led to the surrender of British forces in Yorktown on October 19, 1781.

* * *

Coliform counts rose in two-thirds of the spots tested along Lake Lillinonah this week, in some cases reaching close to the 1,000 per ml level, which is considered unsafe for humans if the water is swallowed. Town Sanitarian Polly Fitzpatrick said it would be hard to say whether it was a result of bacterial growth from the end of the summer that would work itself out as the cold weather sets in. She said a survey of the area around the cove might be able to pinpoint coliform concentration coming from one of the streams that feed into it.

* * *

It’s not unusual for hundreds of Newtown motorists to use Mile Hill Road, which runs through the center of Fairfield Hills Hospital, as an alternative to congested Church Hill Road to get across town. This week, the hospital’s security department announced it planned to change the stop sign setup near the green to facilitate traffic flow. Most of the congestion has occurred during morning and afternoon rush hours, when not only cars, but school buses, use the route.

* * *

It was a scheduled landing as far as police and town officials were concerned but residents in the neighborhood, especially the children, found the US Army helicopter’s visit an interesting diversion. The vehicle, manned by a team of servicemen from Fort Devon, Mass., was on a Medivac mission. The chopper landed in the Timothy Treadwell Memorial Park on Philo Curtis Road.

 

October 5, 1956

This Hallowe’en, Newtown youngsters will again, as last year, collect coins for the United Nations Children’s Fund, as they make their traditional “Trick or Treat” rounds, garbed as witches, spooks, goblins and other spine-chilling characters. Plans are under way for traditional Hallowe’en observances by the town, with parties and treats scheduled for the children and young people. Coach Harold F. DeGroat expects that this year all five volunteer fire companies will participate in neighborhood parties for the youngsters.

* * *

The Eisenhower Bandwagon will arrive in Newtown about 10:30 this Sunday morning, October 7. Robert M. Carruth, chairman of the arrangements while the bandwagon is in town, has said that the caravan is to arrive by way of Route 202 from Bethel, with a stop planned in front of the Edmond Town Hall for a coffee break. Due to the hour of arrival on Sunday morning, the PA systems will not be used in Newtown in deference to the churches holding services.

* * *

The annual business meeting of the Town of Newtown was held Monday evening in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall, with about 100 townspeople in attendance. Reports were given by most of the town officers, headed by First Selectman Edward J. Coleman. Mr Coleman spoke of the damage caused to roads and bridges by the floods of last fall, detailed the oiling and regular road program and mentioned the Board’s cooperation with the Newtown Planning Commission toward a town plan and with the Chamber of Commerce in its efforts to attract new industry.

* * *

W.N. de Sherbinin Products, Inc, Hawleyville, last week played host to a group of Austrian businessmen who are in this country making an extensive study of management methods and policies as they apply to small American business. The Council for International Progress in Management (USA), Inc, under the auspices of the International Cooperation Administration, selected the de Sherbinin plant, one of three to be visited in Connecticut, as an outstanding example in this field.

* * *

Reader’s of this week’s issue of The Bee will be pleased, we think, with the darker appearance of the print. Since last week, a specialist from the Goss Printing Press Company has been giving a thorough overhauling, installing new parts and making necessary adjustments, so the machine is now in proper condition to produce much improved press work.

* * *

New voters made Saturday, September 29, totaled 173, with 88 registering as Republicans, 17 as Democrats, and 71 stating no party affiliation. The next date at which new voters will be made is Saturday, October 13, from 9 am to 8 pm in the town clerk’s office, Edmond Town Hall. To qualify to be admitted to the elector’s oath, persons must be 21 years or over, residents of the state of Connecticut for one year, and of Newtown for six months, if they come from another part of the state.

 

October 2, 1931

Twenty-five years ago it is said there were as many as 150 trains, passenger and freight, passing through Hawleyville daily, while today there are about 30. This illustrates the competition the railroads have had to face with the advent of the paved highways throughout the country. Thirty years ago no one would have prophesied such a great change in railroad transportation. Old timers, if they were alive today, would be astonished at the change.

* * *

Miss Robina Johnston of Providence, R.I. has accepted the position of Public Health Nurse for Newtown. Miss Johnston is a graduate of the Woonsocket Hospital School of Nursing and has had considerable experience in private duty and office nursing and as a member of the Staff of the Woonsocket Public Health Nursing Association. She will be in the nurse’s office in the Edmond Town hall every morning from 8:30 to 9 o’clock and every afternoon except Saturdays from 4:30 to 5 o’clock.

The Barone-Clark Co, of New Haven, builders of the new state road across the Hawleyville flats, are making excellent progress with the work. They are now rolling down the road with the steam roller, a covering of gravel is being put on. The company has ordered 60 car loads of crushed stone, which will be put on over the gravel and rolled in. The company is doing a first class job.

* * *

Mrs Edith C. Parker of the Parker house returned on Friday from a few days passed at the Eastern States Exposition, where she won several prizes with her dogs at the dog show. “King Fish,” one of Mrs Parker’s black and white eight months old greyhounds, was awarded two blue ribbons and one money prize. “Santa Claus,” a nine months old greyhound, won first prize, special prize winner, best of winners, best of breed and fourth prize. “Mrs Smalley” a fawn brindle greyhound, winner of many prizes in previous shows, was awarded one first prize, winners, reserve winners, special prize and prize money.

* * *

J.W. Burr, the popular meat cutter at Warner’s market, has just returned from a trip to the Schaghticoke and Kent Mountain territory in Kent looking over the coming crop of turkeys. He reports good sized flocks and prime looking birds and Mr Burr is expecting to get his share of them for the Thanksgiving market.

* * *

It certainly does one’s heart good to see a fine group of young men and women giving of their time making notice boards for their forth-coming “Masquerade Dance” in the Town hall on the 30th of October. They have reserved a fine orchestra from Bridgeport (7 pieces) called “The Ramblers.” These are well known in the surrounding districts, and are noted for their talent.

 

October 5, 1906

The announcement is made by the N.Y., N.H. & H.R.R. Co. of an autumnal excursion to the Berkshire Hills points of Great Barrington, Stockbridge, Lee, Lenox and Pittsfield for Saturday, October 6. A special train with high class equipment will leave Newtown at 8:50 am, due in Pittsfield at 12:10 pm, allowing the excursionist about four hours in which to enjoy the pleasures of this interesting section of the country. Rate for round trip, $1.

* * *

J. Botsford Fairchild performed a feat the other day that probably not one man in Newtown would imitate without being killed. He was up on the top of a 22-foot ladder picking grapes when he lost his balance and fell over backward. He says he shot down the ladder at lightning rate, beating the “shoot the chutes” all to pieces. On getting up he found his neck was still in position. His pail had dropped bottom side up and not a grape had spilled out. He picked up the pail, went to the top of the ladder and finished the task before going to the house.

* * *

The 11th annual fair of the Newtown Agricultural fair opened Tuesday and with every prospect of being the largest and most successful exhibition ever held under these auspices. For a country fair, the Newtown exhibition is one that its promoters and the people of the town may well be proud of. There are not only generous entries in most of the departments, but the agricultural products shown are of excellent quality.

* * *

Monday’s town election brought out a vote of 566, against 559 one year ago. Taking the vote of the registrars the average democratic majority was 39. Samuel A. Blackman for first selectman made a notable run, receiving 346 votes. E.C. Page was defeated for third selectman by Hermon H. Peck by 16 votes.

* * *

Attention is called to the Fifty-first Annual Statement of the Newtown Savings Bank in another column of The Bee. Compared with a year ago it shows an increase in deposits for the year of $53,504.01 a gain in new accounts of 128. During the past year the bank has added $3000 to its surplus account, which stands now at $30,000.00 on the par value of its securities. This exhibit of growth and financial strength reflects high credit on the managers of the bank.