Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago — October 1924

The movement for town forests is gaining headway rapidly in Massachusetts. Twenty-three cities and towns in our neighboring state have already established such forests and eighty more towns have appointed committees to investigate the subject. In this work as in so many other lines, Connecticut is behind Massachusetts. However, one small town forest has been established in Newtown and several of our cities have lands surrounding their reservoirs which are virtually town forest.

William Hickey has entered the employ of L.L. Borden, taking the position left vacant by Gurdon Pickert, who has entered Yale University for the coming year.

The beautiful home of Judge and Mrs. Donald Ticknor Warner in Salisbury stands today a total wreck, the result of a disastrous fire which literally reduced the house to a blackened ruin last Sunday night. The fire apparently started in the rear annex and was first noticed by Theodore Garnes who was going by in an auto about ten o’clock in the evening. He at once gave the alarm and a few seconds later the fire was also discovered by others and they also sent in alarms by telephone. Philip Warner was the only one at home at the time, and had fallen asleep while reading. He was awakened by the smoke and found himself unable to reach any of the stairways. He finally got out the window over the porch and let himself down to the ground via one of the posts. It was an exceedingly narrow escape. A considerable amount of furniture on the lower floor was carried out in time to save it, and the family silver which was greatly prized and impossible to replace, was also saved although some of it had melted from the heat. Hundreds of books in the extensive library are totally ruined as well as many other heirlooms. Hundreds of people had assembled, some from a considerable distance. No one has any idea as how the fire started as there had been no fires in the house owing to the mild weather, and when the caretaker visited the place at about five o’clock in the afternoon there was no sign of fire or smell of smoke.

A car driven by Mrs. I.S. Kelsey of Taconic was in collision with a horse and buggy belonging to George Ashman in front of Champagne’s drug store on Monday evening. Mrs. Ashman was thrown out and somewhat bruised. The horse freed itself from the wagon and ran as far as the Willard place, where it stopped of its own accord. The horse was somewhat injured.

Hilen Eggleston of Lime Rock was in Sharon Hospital this week, where he had his tonsils removed.

Mrs. Knight has sold to J. Cox Howell a piece of land at the southerly end of the old Institution grounds about 135 feet wide, from the road to the lake. Mr. Howell intends to build a house there next year, using pressed steel lumber throughout instead of wood. The house is to be occupied by Mrs. Egbert, Mrs. Howell’s mother.

The daylight saving nuisance ended last Sunday and now we can all figure what time it is without stopping to think it over.

Clifford Cullen is now harvesting his tobacco and reports a very good crop, which escaped both drought and frost.

One of the hardest rain storms of the year struck town on Tuesday and some interference with the electric light wires resulted, owing to fallen branches of trees. It acted very much like a misplaced equinoctial storm.

Landlord W.B. Lawrence is installing a new vacuum heating system at the Gateway, which he plans to keep open the coming winter.

The Club radio will be in operation during the World Series. Everyone is welcome to come in and enjoy the ball games.

50 years ago — October 1974

Gustavus Pope of Salisbury has given 170 acres of mountain land including the crown of Barack Matiff to the land trust of the Salisbury Association, Association President A. Mitchell Finlay announced this week. Association trustees Monday night voted to accept the gift with gratitude, subject to confirmation that it fully meets the land trust criteria. The tract in question is heavily wooded and runs from the town park and grove atop Barack Matiff on the north to slopes overlooking the Salisbury - Lime Rock Road and Salmon Kill Valley on the south. It borders the old House of Herbs as well as the Salisbury ski jump area, and the Appalachian Trail runs through a considerable part of it. The origin of the name “Barack Matiff” to describe the mountain that rises sharply on the south side of U.S. Route 44 east of Salisbury Village on which the property is situated, is a matter of some controversy. Probably the most commonly accepted version is that it is a corruption of the Dutch “bergh” for peak or mountain, and that means big or massive mountain.

Where in the world is Babes Hill Road? Salisbury Selectmen threw firms seeking to bid on town tree contracts into something of a loop by using this designation on a description. No one could find it. It develops that Babes Hill Road is the old name for Toms Mountain Road, which runs north and south briefly between Twin Lakes Road and Cooper Hill Road near the Connecticut- Massachusetts state line. Mr. Kiefer said it is designated this way on Geological Survey maps.

25 years ago — October 1999

Over 1,000 invitations have been sent out for a birthday party in honor of Louise Reinhardt Francis, who will turn 100 Oct. 21. Anyone in the area who would like to celebrate with Mrs. Francis is welcome. The party will be in the Cobble Party Room at Noble Horizons from 2 to 4 p.m.

Wagner McNeil Insurance agency in Lakeville celebrated its 125th anniversary with an open house for the community Saturday morning. The firm has grown, now boasting four offices in Sharon, Torrington and New Milford, as well as Lakeville.

Within the next week or two the scaffolding that has embraced Beckley Furnace for the past year will come down and the newly preserved historic structure will stand prouder than ever. One of three blast furnaces built along the Blackberry River on Lower Road in East Canaan, the Beckley Furnace operated from 1847 to 1942, when the closed site was purchased by the state Department of Environmental Protection. It is the best preserved of the furnaces in the area.