* * *

A group of Newtown residents, concerned that the Morgan Pond in Hattertown District will be destroyed by private ownership, has launched a drive which has resulted in strong public support for the preservation of the pond. The movement has been gaining momentum since August 11 when the Board of Selectmen voted against considering town purchase of the 26-acre pond and its accompanying dam and six acres of land.

* * *

“If the town hall Board of Managers doesn’t show definite evidence of compliance with correcting the remaining fire code violations, the town hall will have to shut its doors as of September 27,” according to Fire Marshal George Lockwood. Corrections yet to be made in the 52-year-old building are the installation of a heat and smoke alarm system and fire doors in the corridors.

* * *

Not so long ago, balloonist Harvey Hubbell could turn off the flow of propane gas feeding his hot air balloon and sail gently to the ground, landing without a sound in back yards and farmer’s pastures. Not so with Ben Franklin, his new hot air blimp which is powered by a 30 hp Cayuna engine and propeller. Ben arrived last week after a trial run in Napoleon, Michigan, and made his Newtown debut above the Labor Day weekend.

* * *

In spite of the fact that Charles Batchelder Company Inc has constructed a building to enclose an aluminum crusher without having building or zoning permits, the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission will seek a way to bring the aluminum smelting firm into compliance with the town regulations. On Batchelder’s behalf, Atty Roderick J. MacKenzie said the failure to take out the permits was inadvertent.

* * *

The eastbound lane of Route 34 over the Stevenson Dam to Monroe has been closed to traffic for about three months. The closure has been instituted to allow the Coast to Coast Construction Company, under the permit from the Transportation Department, to resurface the face of the dam.

* * *

Parade planners couldn’t have asked for more. It was perfect weather, no matter how you sliced it — the kind that float builders pray for, bands hope for and convertible cars require. Obviously parade-goers also thought it was great, because a crowd of over 10,000 onlookers crammed the streets of Newtown for the annual Labor Day Parade.

September 13, 1957

Mrs Robert C. Macomber, manager of the school cafeterias, announced that the price for the five-ticket school lunch will increase from $1.50 to $1.65 effective Monday. The single lunch price of 35 cents will remain unchanged.

* * *

Following the public hearing held August 1 by the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission on the application of the Silliman Company of Bridgeport for a license to erect an asphalt mixing plant on land which the company owns at Botsford Station, the commission has denied the application.

* * *

Members of the staff of Cyrenius H. Booth Memorial Library have indicated that they are willing to overlook fines on books long overdue in order to retrieve any of the library’s books that may have strayed onto private bookshelves. Library books can be identified by the distinctive bookplate inside the front cover and a card pocket inside the back.

* * *

The Newtown Chamber of Commerce has had printed a folder descriptive of the town of Newtown. Its title, “Quaint New England Bids You Come!” is taken from a previous folder issued by Newtown’s Chamber of Commerce of a number of years ago. In the folder are pictures of typical homes, schools, public buildings, shopping centers, factories, and farms in town, together with text telling of the advantages of Newtown, both as a residential community and site for desirable industrial plants.

* * *

After an intensive two-hour search by volunteer firemen, the police and members of a road crew, little three-year-old Chuckie Shepard, son of Mr and Mrs Charles E. Shepard of Forrest Drive, Sandy Hook, was returned to his home safe and sound last Friday afternoon. Chuckie had apparently wandered off into the woods in back of his home in search of his little puppy when he became lost.

* * *

Early September marks the beginning of the local apple harvest. For a month or more apple-pickers will be easy garnering the fruit so that consumers can have apples all through the winter. The Connecticut apple crop this year is larger than last year’s and also a little above the 10-year average in quantity.

 

September 9, 1932

At a hearing before the Board of Selectmen on Saturday, September 3, the selectmen granted Antone Amaral his application for a certificate of approval for the sale of gasoline on his property on South Main street. Mr Amaral is planning to erect an attractive garage on this property.

* * *

The judging of the championship class at the annual Goshen horse show, last Monday, narrowed down finally to Come On, a jumper entered by Stephen E. Budd, of Newtown, which has previously won the hunter and touch and out classes. Come On was first in the hunter class. In the second jumping class, Mr Budd’s Sir Gilbert was first and Come On was second. The touch and out event found first and second going to Come On and Sir Gilbert respectively.

* * *

Selectman Blackman and the road workers put in four 30-inch steel culverts, last week, to take the place of old wooden bridges and sluiceways. Mr Blackman expects to install as many more, this week.

* * *

Albert Boyson has just added two more tuberculin tested cows to his fine herd of Guernseys and Jerseys which passed the test OK in July.

* * *

200TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION At Trinity Church The church will hold a reception on Monday afternoon, September 12, at 2:30 and throughout the afternoon in the Guild rooms. But on Sunday, September 18, at the 10:45 service the parish will celebrate Dr Beach’s preaching for the first time in Newtown as an Episcopal clergyman. That event occurred in early September 1732 at a spot near the Memorial stone in front of Rodney Shepard’s residence.

* * *

Miss Sarah Farrell of Sough Center district will open a private kindergarten at the Brick Building on Main street, Monday mornings, at 9 o’clock. This will be the first kindergarten school conducted in Newtown in more than 30 years, when Mrs M.C. Rodgers conducted a private school and kindergarten.

 

September 13, 1907

In a collision at Botsford, Friday night, the passenger train arriving at Newtown at 7:20 pm, George Chambers, fireman of the freight, was killed and several persons on the passenger train were slightly injured. The freight was a through train from New Haven to Poughkeepsie and the big mogul engine was just starting across the track with its string of thirty cars to take the siding for the passenger to pass, when the latter came along. The engines side-swiped, and the mogul was toppled over on its side across the New Haven tracks. The Newtown commuters reached Newtown by team, while a number walked. As J.W. Ray was driving to Botsford after the passengers, he had his horse turn a somersault, but no great damage was done.

* * *

Trinity church will celebrate its 175th anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 & 22. While services of the Church of England were held here with some regularity by the rectors of Stratford and Fairfield from 1722, the first service by a resident rector was held in September 1732.

* * *

At the meeting of the new Middle district, which was held at the Town hall last week Friday, Charles H. Northrop was chairman and Oscar Pitzschler clerk of the meeting. A resolution was passed naming the old North Center school for the higher grades and Middle school for the primary grades.

* * *

The Taunton case of Beckwith vs Alexander, which has been before Justice Briscoe and adjourned several times, was brought to trial on Monday before Justice Briscoe and a jury. The cause of the action was an attack by a Collie dog owned by Mrs Alexander on Harry Beckwith, while young Beckwith was leading a frightened horse past a bonfire on the highway in front of Mrs Alexander’s house. The jury awarded the plaintiff $50.

* * *

The special town meeting, Saturday afternoon, on the good roads appropriation called out about 100 voters. Attorney Charles H. Northrop introduced the resolution for an appropriation of $10,000 for improving the Newtown turnpike under the state aid law, beginning at the head of Newtown Street and running south.