* * *

Traffic lights will be installed at the flagpole if the Board of Selectmen, the Legislative Council, and the state approve the Police Commission’s recommendation for a solution to the traffic problem at the Church Hill Road and Route 25 intersection. At their regular meeting on October 4, the Police Commission unanimously approved Commissioner George Wilson’s motion to install four, eight-foot traffic lights on pedestals and to move the Newtown Congregational Church so that West Street can be reconstructed to run directly across from Church Hill Road.

* * *

Lieutenants Michael Fekete and Michael DeJoseph  arrested Highway Superintendent James Murphy on October 5 at 9:35 am, on a charge of receiving bribes and kickbacks. Lieutenant Fekete would not confirm an allegation that Mr Murphy was arrested in the act of taking a bribe at the Village Square Shopping Center. “The man is going to trial,” said Chief Marchese. “Everything will come out then.”

* * *

Splashed molten aluminum at the Batchelder Company on Swamp Road provided some anxious moments on Wednesday, October 5. According to Director of Operations Fred Hartman, the molten metal splashed on the floor near the fuel line causing a fire, which he indicated was extinguished in 15 minutes. Botsford Chief Steve Belair said that the fire was under control in 15 minutes, but firemen were on the scene for about two hours. To make matters more complicated, water couldn’t be used because water plus molten aluminum causes an explosion.

* * *

The Water Pollution Control Authority has decided to ask the Department of Environmental Protection and an engineering firm to evaluate Mendik Corporation’s offer to build a sewage treatment plant by the end of 1985. Mendik, a New York-based realty firm, plans to develop a $56 million, 600,000 square foot corporate park in Hawleyville.

* * *

Thanks to a friend, the library’s collection of large print books has been increased and arrived just in time for National Employ the Handicapped Week, October 2–8. Money was donated to the Cyrenius H. Booth Library by Bette Zellers of Livingston, N.J., in honor of Mary and Art Scherer who recently celebrated a wedding anniversary. Mr and Mrs Sherer  are longtime friends of the library. The money was used to buy the badly needed large print books which have been on display at the library during the week set aside to pay tribute to the handicapped.

 

October 10, 1958

The Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission is preparing to file the master plan of development for the town of Newtown and the documentary data concerning the plan with the town clerk on October 17 and to call a public hearing for presentation of the plan to the townspeople on October 24. If this plan is adopted as a long-range guide for the development of the town, it is expected that such action will form the basis for a public hearing to amend the zoning regulations and maps in the immediate future.

* * *

The town’s largest vote in a referendum turned out Saturday as 2,673 voters and taxpayers went to the polls and elected to retain zoning in Newtown by a majority of only two votes. The 2,673 voters was only one short of the 2,674 who turned out at the October 1957 town election.

* * *

The Town Players are pleased to announce that new seats have been installed in the Little Theatre on Orchard Hill Road, South Center District, in time for the fall production of the “Happiest Millionaire,” which will open on Wednesday, October 29. The seats are bench-type, covered with thick, foam rubber. They are designed and built by Chris Sidenius, a member of Town Players.

* * *

James M. Osborne, Jr reported at the annual meeting for the Board of Education, reviewing the progress of the junior high school proposals and the referenda. He reported that the board had voted to end the vocational agricultural course, but that this fall eight Newtown students had elected the course and that its future will be reconsidered. The report also spoke of changes and limitations in the art, music, and physical education programs. The board is making efforts to bolster the college preparatory program anticipating the tightening of college entrance requirements.

* * *

Members of the Newtown Board of Education paid tribute to Nelson G. Curtis, retiring chairman of the board, at a dinner given in his honor at the Hawley Manor Inn last Friday evening, October 3. A copy of the resolution of thanks, placed in the permanent records of the Board, was presented to Mr Curtis.

 

* * *

A meeting will be held on Thursday evening, October 16, at 7:30 o’clock in the Cyrenius H. Booth Library, for the purpose of organizing an astronomical society in western Connecticut. The organization will have use of an eight-inch reflector telescope which has been placed in an observatory on the top of Mt Pleasant. The telescope is the largest instrument of its kind in the area and is fully equipped with equatorial mounting and an electric automatic tracker.

 

October 6, 1933

Deeds were passed in the office of the Town Clerk on Saturday conveying a tract of land from Samuel Dyught of Shelton to Marry R. Geiger of Bronxville, N.Y. This property is situated on Shepard’s Hill in Head of Meadow district and contains 20 acres, a barn and pond. Mr and Mrs Geiger plan to build a house on the property and make it their permanent home.

* * *

Plans are going forward for the card party given by the members of Trinity Guild, on Tuesday, October 10, at 2:30, at the rectory. As stated in last week’s Bee, the rectory interior decorations have been completed, and the women are very anxious to have all their friends see how fine it looks, and incidentally enjoy an afternoon at cards. Play will be 50 cents per person and refreshments will be served with a prize for each table.

* * *

A team of four men composed of painters, under the management of George G. Canfield, defeated a team gathered by Doc Corrigan’s Pullers at the bowling alley on Wednesday night. The total pin fall for the teams was as follows: Painters, 1190; Doc’s team, 1160.

* * *

The Danbury Fair played in fine luck, this week, and the first three days were ideal, perfect Fall weather, just the kind that President G. Mortimer Rundle and his associates are looking for. And it’s a good fair, this year, with the finest cattle shoe they have ever had, a wonderful exhibit of vegetables and fruits in the big tent and the usual attractive dog and poultry shows.

* * *

In the largest vote ever cast at a town election, 1388, Newtown went republican, Monday, by an average majority of 175 votes. The democrats were victorious in two offices, town clerk and town treasurer. The republican selectmen had a smashing majority. Stanley J. Blackman won by 170 over T.F. Brew and Arthur J. Page by 172 over Earl M. Troy.

* * *

The mock trial at St Rose’s Casino, Tuesday night, drew an audience of nearly 200 people. The victim was A.P. Smith, who was sued for $100,000 in a heart baum case. Earle W. Smith, the brilliant young Bridgeport Attorney, prosecuted, while the editor was defended by “Attorney” Edward S. Pitzschler. Attorney Smith kept the audience in roars of laughter by his witticisms. The jury declared the case a mistrial. The treasury of the Grange will net nearly $40 by the trial.

 

October 9, 1908

Attention is called to the 53rd annual statement of the Newtown Savings bank on another page of The Bee. Compared with a year ago it shows an increase in the bank’s assets of nearly $6,000, a slight decrease in deposits of $3,316.70 and a net gain in new accounts of 27. The bank’s assets are now well over the million dollar mark.

* * *

Saturday afternoon, Dr Frank J. Gale, the popular physician and a member of the High school committee, of Newtown Street, came near being the victim of a fatal accident. Accompanied by his brother-in-law, George McLeod, he was returning from Mile Hill. As he approached the railroad crossing near L.C. Nicholson’s, Dr Gale glanced up the track, while Mr McLeod looked down. The latter was horrified to see the engine almost upon them. With a cry of warning to the doctor, the latter applied the whip to the horse, which sprang forward. The engine hit one of the rear wheels of the carriage, splintering it to atoms, but the men were uninjured.

* * *

One of the best and most practical temperance talks the writer has heard in many a day was that given by Frank H. Bailey of Danbury at the Congregational church, Sunday night. The speaker, Mr Bailey, is a RFD mail carrier, a man blessed with a large fund on common sense, and one who deals with facts close at home. If his address could have been delivered in every school district in Newtown before election, we believe Monday’s vote would have registered against the saloon.

* * *

A Card of Thanks: To my dear friend, who so kindly picked my quinces, Friday evening, October 2, and so carefully laid them away under grape vines for fear they would be stolen, call and I will pay you for your trouble.  When you were at work I did not have my money with me, and I could not pay you. As ever your friend, Sarah E. Allen.

* * *

An auto party had quite an accident in Hopewell, early last Monday morning. When at the fork of the road above F.W. Platt’s, in some way they lost control of their machine and it went over the bank, turning up side down. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt. After working for quite a long time, they managed to get the machine right side up and it was not so badly damaged but they were able to proceed on their journey.