The Borough Zoning Commission will meet Tuesday, November 14, to vote on acceptance of a proposed amendment which would enable the commission to designate specific properties as historic preservation zones. The commission, chaired by Vice Chairman Millard Goodsell on Wednesday, November 1, voted four-to-one to postpone decision for two weeks in order to investigate more fully the proposed amendment originally brought before them in a public hearing on October 17, with discussion continued to Wednesday, November 1.

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A contract to construct a 1.4-mile section of Route 25 in Trumbull, including the Merritt Parkway interchange, has been awarded to Savin Brothers Inc of Newington by the state Department of Transportation. The contract was awarded Wednesday by DOT after US District Judge Ellen Bree Burns ruled against a coalition of four public interest and environmental groups which sought to block the road’s expansion. It came 45 days after bids went out.

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A tenth church will be added to the Newtown countryside by 1980 as the Planning & Zoning Commission has approved a special exception permit for a chapel planned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Danbury branch, for property off Saw Mill Road.

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When school opened this year, two conditions at the high school affected the students. One of them was the new stringent attendance policy which went into effect. The other was the overcrowded conditions at the facility. These have prompted the writing of a letter to The Bee, and, with it came a sheaf of petitions, signed by over 500 students, asking that there be some modification to the attendance policy and also that something be done to relieve study hall conditions during two periods of the school day.

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The value of the 61,000-square-foot former Fabric Fire Hose factory on Glen Road would increase approximately tenfold if an amendment to the regulations is adopted which would permit the building to be used for multiple offices, the Planning & Zoning Commission was told at a November 2 public hearing. Attorney Henry Elstein of Bridgeport, representing two possible buyers of the building and 21 acres, said if the regulation change is adopted, the uses planned for Fabric Fire Hose “would not be a particularly high tax user, but would be a high taxpayer.” Now valued at approximately $400,000, the property would increase in value to $4 million, Mr Elstein indicated. Owned by Uniroyal, the building was last used for fire hose manufacturing at the end of last year. The four-story structure is more than 125 years old and is now used as a warehouse by the Uniroyal subsidiary, USCO.

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Erosion and sedimentation problems at the Eagle Hill alcoholism treatment center, now under construction on Albert’s Hill Road, were addressed by representatives who appeared before the Conservation Commission Wednesday night. William Johnson, Eagle Hill Corporation chief executive, and landscape architect Erwin Potter told the commission that there were “no massive problems with erosion,” and that work on the road would begin next spring.

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Dr Thomas F. Draper, Newtown’s health officer, said this week that it is not true that a micro-organism, which can cause prolonged diarrhea, has been found in Taunton Pond, water source for the 625 customers of Newtown Water Company. The health officer was reacting to a story which appeared November 3 in an area daily, that Giardia lambia, a human pathogen, had been discovered. The report was “inaccurate” that a pathogenic organism had been found, he said.

NOVEMBER 13, 1953

At the meeting of the Town Development Committee, held Monday evening at the Edmond Town Hall with chairmen of the district advisory committees on zoning, it was decided to hold a special town meeting on Friday, November 27, at 8 o’clock, to consider Special Act 552. Under the terms of this act, if approved by the town, it will be possible for each of the various school districts of the town to zone itself according to regulations to be established by the residents of the district. Legal notice, calling the special town meeting on November 27, appears elsewhere in this issue.

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At its next meeting on Monday evening, November 16, at 8 o’clock in the Congregational Church House, the Newtown Mothers Club will hear Marni Wood, Dodgingtown, discuss home freezers. Mrs Wood will tell members and their guests how to prepare food, what to prepare and how to make the best use of the modern home freezer. An expert on the subject, Mrs Wood operates the business known as “Menus by Marni,” which provides a wide variety of home-cooked meals, all fast frozen and ready for the customer’s order.

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The Drivers Corps of the Newtown Ambulance Association enjoyed its annual dinner at the Hillandale, Newtown-Danbury Road, last Thursday, November 5. Combined with the annual election of officers, the brief business meeting reelected David Cassidy, chief driver, Edward Casey, assistant chief driver, and Robert Reiner, treasurer.

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Town Recreation Director Harold S. DeGroat met Wednesday evening with a number of local businessmen to plan an informal series of recreational evenings in which all adult Newtown males are invited to join. Whether to take off poundage or limber up after a day in the office, all will be welcome on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 5 and 7 pm in the Newtown High School gym, Queen Street.

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The junior class of Newtown High School will hold a Harvest Hop on Wednesday, November 25, at 8 pm in the cafeteria of the school. Music will be furnished on records for both round and square dancing. The list of committee members is as follows: food, Ellen Weigand, Beverly Sartain, Martha Kearns, Ellen Slusalek and Walter Seman; tickets, Nancy Rasmussen, Gail Wilmore, Angela Molinaro and Judy Meyers; records, Johanna Hansen.

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Armistice Day exercises were conducted at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Main Street and Schoolhouse Hill, Wednesday morning by Raymond L. Pease Post 163, American Legion and Auxiliary. Participating were Charles Howard Peck Sr and Jr Post 308, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary. Charles Lockwood, commander of the American Legion post, conducted the brief ceremony.

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The Newtown Athletic Club men and the Newtown High School squad will open their basketball seasons on Friday, November 27, in the high school gymnasium in a benefit game. Both teams will have a number of veterans in their lineups and an exciting game is expected. The AC squad will bring back several of its steady players from last year including Hugh Quinn, Jr, Harold Berglund, River Shannon, Matty Mihalek, Mike Kearns, Glenn Schrag and Ernie Weins. Newcomers to the AC are Emmy Farrell, Alvin Shreders, Ronnie Watkins, Jack Watkins and Bob McMahon.

NOVEMBER 9, 1928

The issue of The Bee of last June carried the pleasant news of the splendid and generous gift of Miss Mary E. Hawley of a town hall to contain town offices and offices for the town clerk and judge of probate, a hall for town meetings, quarters for the Newtown Post Office, and a large auditorium. The gift was formally accepted at a special town meeting, and the committee named at that time has been busy for months in plans for the new Edmond Town Hall, named in honor of Miss Hawley’s distinguished great-grandfather, Judge Edmond, who was a state and national figure of his day.

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The past week seven cases of diphtheria were reported in this state, two of which being in Newtown.

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Mrs Mary McNamara has purchased the property of the late Margaret Lynch from Michael J. McCarthy of Danbury. This place consists of a house, outbuildings, and about five acres of land and is situated on the Newtown-Sandy Hook road.

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In spite of the bad weather, a large number of the officers and directors attended the regular monthly meeting of the Riverside-on-Lake Zoar Association, Inc held at the club house, Sunday morning, the fourth.

 

NOVEMBER 13, 1903

Deputy Sheriff C.B. Johnson is a court officer in the Civil Court of Common Pleas in Bridgeport.

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The house at Sandy Hook, owned by the Newtown Savings Bank, and occupied by S. Bluman, is receiving a new dress of paint at the hands of F.E. Burwell and men.

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The auction at the Toole homestead in Taunton on Saturday beginning at 1 pm will be largely attended. A horse, one pair three-year-old stags, carriage, sleighs, household furniture and the homestead comprising 80 acres of land are to be offered for sale.

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Casey and Hurley of Bridgeport have taken the contract for the foundation of the new house to be erected by the Misses Scudder and Arthur J. Smith. They began work on Tuesday. Herman H. Peck moved the material and tools from the depot Monday.

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While out hunting Monday, with Justice Cavanaugh, Building Inspector Daniel Rowland of Bridgeport shot a monster partridge at a distance of about 175 feet. Mr Cavanaugh spoke of it as a remarkably clever shot.

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Among the other improvements at the Newtown Station creamery is a driven well, which has already been sunk about 35 feet.

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Eleven members of Pootatuck Grange passed Friday evening with Mr and Mrs Edgar F. Northrop in Hanover.