November 30, 1990

Three Dodgingtown firemen were arrested on superior court warrants for conspiracy to commit arson, following an investigation by police and fire officials into the fire which claimed a 200-year-old barn on Birch Hill Road, October 7. All three men were members of the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company at the time of the fire and have since been relieved of their duties. The barn’s owner, Debra DeRoo, stated that to replace the damaged trees around the barn would cost in excess of $20,000. “The [1,600 square foot] barn itself, approximately 200 years old, would have to be reconstructed by a restoration firm, in excess of $50,000.” She estimated the damage well in excess of $50,000, and could possibly reach an excess of $100,000.

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In an effort to encourage more people to take advantage of the town’s recycling center, Judy Holmes, the town’s recycling coordinator, has scheduled open houses from 7 am to 2 pm, on December 4, 5, and 6. Doughnuts will be served at the recycling center, located near the town’s landfill. Although the town plans to keep its recycling center open, it also will be deciding on a program for the curbside collection of residents’ recyclables.

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For the third time since 1980, the Rocky Glen Mill property on Glen Road, an office building that formerly was the Fabric Fire Hose Company, is being offered for sale. The old mill building traces its history to the New York Belting & Packing Company, which was founded in 1846 and which was the largest India rubber factory in the country. This firm moved to Passaic, N.J., in 1900. The Fabric Fire Hose Company started operations in 1901, and made fire hoses until 1977. In 1980, a Greenwich-based firm called Newtown Mill Associates bought the property for multiple-tenant offices. The company also got the site included on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1985, Rocky Glen Associates purchased the site.

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On Monday night, November 26, the Newtown High School girls’ soccer program met at the Fireside Inn for its annual year end banquet. This year’s banquet honored the accomplishments of the varsity team — who played to a record of 12-6-1 while winning the WCC championship — and the Jayvee team who finished the year at 6-5-1.

December 3, 1965

Tuesday afternoon about 3 o’clock a call came in to the town hall switchboard reporting heavy black smoke rising from Shepard Hill. Engine one, with Joe Cavanaugh of Hook and Ladder, and Richard Liska, engineer, responded immediately, but found the big two-story storage barn already burned halfway down the ground floor level. Firemen were able to save a small house within 100 feet of the barn, which is used on summer weekends. Two sheds as well as the barn were total losses. No one was injured and no animals were involved. Oil drums stored in the barn exploded while firemen were working. They blew 50 feet in the air with mushroom-like clouds of smoke. Lack of water made it necessary to call for the Botsford tanker. This relayed water from hydrants on Sugar Street. About three weeks ago, two fires broke out simultaneously within half a mile of this barn fire.

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Fairfield Hills Hospital is making its annual appeal for Christmas gifts for the patients who have no family or friends and who must depend on the thoughtfulness and kindness of others to make the holidays happier for them. The list of suggested gifts includes sweaters, gloves, woolen hats and scarves; toilet articles, stockings, socks, billfolds, handbags, cigars, cigarettes, playing cards, and other games. In other words, any type that some patient can employ usefully or pleasurably. The only exceptions are sharp instruments and matches.

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At a special meeting of the Board of Education last Friday evening, Superintendent of Schools John Sommi indicated that it will be necessary to rent space for five or six elementary classes next year and spoke of double sessions at the high school in 1967 as a “very real possibility.” Mr Sommi pointed out that elementary school enrollment is expected to increase by almost 200 pupils next year and that at present only two classrooms are vacant. Both are located in the Hawley School basement.

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A 1966 dual-control car has been presented to Newtown High School by Amaral’s Service Station for use in the school’s driver education program. The new Plymouth V-8 was turned over to the school by Anthony Amaral, owner of the local Chrysler agency. The car is being used to provide behind-the-wheel training to students enrolled in the driver education course. The classroom phased is presented during the school day, and the behind-the-wheel training is given after school hours.

 

November 29, 1940

The snow, which started falling about 8 o’clock Tuesday evening, made about three inches before it stopped sometime early Wednesday morning. As a result, the state highway men were kept busy sanding and scraping the roads in town. Their untiring efforts, however, could not avert several accidents. Perhaps the most serious accident involved a large trailer truck operated by the Seaboard Freight Lines, Inc. It happened at Dead Man’s Curve on the Bridgeport-Newtown road. The truck, in trying to avoid a car, crashed through the fence and down a thirty-foot embankment, finishing its hasty descent on all six wheels. The driver, it is reported, received a knee injury but at this writing, nothing more serious.

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The committee of the Newtown Athletic Club, which is working for the construction of a skating rink to be located on the practice fairway at the Newtown Country Club, is meeting with much success in its drive for necessary funds. Having set the goal at two hundred dollars, for construction and maintenance, the committee has passed the halfway mark and is confident that it will realize the total amount in a short time.

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Members of the Fairfield Hunt Club, who have been active with hunts in town this Fall from the stables in Huntingtown district, have shown their appreciation to landowners who have given the Club permission to ride over their land with a gift of a Thanksgiving turkey at each home. Some thirty-five turkeys have been distributed in this way.

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A group of principals and teachers from schools in surrounding towns visited Hawley school on Tuesday to make an evaluation of the school, as part of the program of the State Board of Education. The visitors were served a luncheon at noon by members of the PTA, in the Alexandria Room of the Edmond Town Hall. Tea was served at the school at the close of the day’s work by the teachers and wives of the faculty members.

 

December 3, 1915

At the meeting of those interested in the Newtown Country club at the Newtown Inn on Tuesday night, it was decided to buy the Bacon property and lease land adjoining. President Cole and the vice-president, Dr C.H. Peck was there and the needed money was very cheerfully subscribed by them and the golf course is a thing to be looked forward to when the spring time comes again. The Newtown Golf Club Holding Co. are to own and lease the land to the Newtown Country club. Anyone who wishes to become a member of the holding Co. can do so and the shares are $25 each. The first 100 members of the club will be allowed to get in without the initiation fees, and that will be worth something, as the initiation fees will probably be about $40.

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There was a head-on collision, Monday, near the curve at James Farrell’s on the state road between the auto of C. Howard Bassett and the milk truck of Mr Stowe. The front wheels of Mr Bassett’s car were torn off, the truck was disabled and put out of business and several cans of milk were spilled.

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Dr Charles H. Peck received by express from Rochester, Minn., last Tuesday, a fine thoroughbred yearling Guernsey bull, Belle’s Sunrise on Zumbro, out of Imp-Belle of Brassiere’s IV by Imp-Florham Governor, the gift of Dr Charles H. Mayo, who motored from New York with Dr and Mrs Peck. It was the first time that the Mayos had ever visited this part of New England and they were delighted with the beauty of the country and the charm of our attractive village.

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James Trama has opened a garage in the Hatter headquarters on Henry Hunt’s property. He was formerly of Mamaroneck, where he was in the employ of Mr Cole in the garage business for three years and has had nearly eight years experience in the repair of cars of all branches. He will do expert work and guarantee all jobs he does.