Turning Back the Pages

100 years ago —
November 1924

It was regular Republican weather on Tuesday and the town polled a strong vote, strongly republican in every way. 967 ballots were cast, the straight vote being 694 republican, 252 democratic, 15 LaFollett, Socialist 2, Workers 2.

Some sort of a curb should be put upon speeding through the main street of this village. Now that the school children are in the street in numbers several times daily, it is a wonder that some of them have not been injured. There is altogether too much fast driving through the streets and some one is going to “get it” one of these days. There is something about getting back of a wheel that causes many a fairly reasonable individual to forget time and place and lose his or her good judgement. As far as we can see the question of speeding through our streets has thus far been left solely to the drivers of cars. There is not a sign of any kind to warn the passing tourist, but our own local drivers are just as careless as anyone else. It seems to us that in view of the dangerous corners and intersecting streets that some sort of a regulation should be enforced. We recommend that some of the state police appear here occasionally and thus exert a wholesome influence upon reckless drivers. If this does not serve the purpose then more drastic measures should be taken.

LIME ROCK — Philo Lyon and George Belcher have both had radios put in this week.

Mr. George E. Parsons has had a telephone installed in his home.

Miss Berge’s residence is being connected with Lakeville Water Co.’s mains.

FOR SALE — One 1921 Reo Speed Wagon in good condition. Price $250. One ton and a half 1923 Thomart truck, perfect condition, all new tires — a wonderful bargain. One Buick truck with dump body and tractor attachment — just the thing for hauling lumber, ties and wood. H. Roscoe Brinton, Salisbury. Phone 93.

ORE HILL — Daniel Maloney returned last Thursday from New York, where he had been for some time studying electrical engineering.

A pet dog belonging to C.H. Barnum was killed at the foot of Bostwick Hill last Sunday. The auto driver did not have the decency to even stop.

Raking up leaves and building bon fires are very fashionable these days.

50 years ago —
November 1974

The defense fund for Peter A. Reilly received a surprise bonus in the last two weeks when two film stars contributed close to $1,000 to the fund. Film stars Dustin Hoffman and Elizabeth Taylor gave a total of $950 to the defense fund. The money was received at the New York office of motion picture director Mike Nichols, another prominent person in films who has joined the Reilly cause. Other prominent celebrities include playwright Arthur Miller, actor Richard Widmark, and writers William Styron and Philip Roth. The celebrities are planning with the local Reilly committee to hold a “celebrity auction” early next year, where they plan to auction off items contributed by the celebrities.

Claudia G. Roraback, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Roraback of Salisbury, has been named a recipient of the 1974 Good Citizenship Award of the Daughters of the American Revolution by vote of the senior class and the faculty at the Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

A partnership formed by Geoffrey Smith of Lakeville, James T. Metz Jr. of Salisbury and William Schnurr of Sheffield, Mass. has purchased the Lakeville Transportation Company Inc., also known as Lovell’s Lakeville Livery, from Peter Lovell of Lakeville. The new owners, who took over on Nov. 1, will operate five taxis and limousines from headquarters in both Lakeville and Canaan.

Canaan selectmen are going ahead with a plan to lease 5.25 acres off East Main Street from the state Department of Transportation. The land, the former Lawrence Playground, will be leased for a five-year period, with a possibility to renew the lease at the end of that time.

A state highway crew has been active in Canaan this past week lowering the former rail crossing on Church Street. The move was undertaken at the suggestion of the town to improve highway visibility and to create a better path for the town’s new sidewalks along that street. The “hump” in the road is being lowered about 13 inches and will be graded for about 200 feet in both directions. The tracks which were formerly used by the trains of the Central New England Railroad had already been removed.

The Falls Village Fire Commissioners moved closer Tuesday night to the installation of the town’s first dry hydrant. The hydrant will supply better protection for those living above and along Route 7. The commissioners have found storage for the town’s Fox fire engine in a barn owned by Claire Schmidt on Route 7. The fire truck has been removed from the firehouse to make room for emergency equipment used more frequently.

A 27-year-old Sharon man has been arrested and charged with the arson of a Sharon building on Aug. 31. The organist and director of the church choir is accused of setting a fire in a house on Hospital Hill owned by Dr. Richard Westsmith. The case has already aroused and divided local opinion. His arrest has prompted some Sharon residents to rally to his side, and they have undertaken a campaign to raise funds for his legal and bail bond expenses.

25 years ago —
November 1999

Hearts are heavy in Norfolk as the community struggles to deal with the news that three well-known residents are presumed dead after their airplane plummeted into the Atlantic Ocean. Henrietta “Henny” (Mills) Mead and Arthur E. “Gene” and Barbara G. Billings were on EgyptAir Flight 990, bound for Cairo early Sunday morning. The retired couple and their friend were to join an Elderhostel educational tour of Egypt. With no distress messages issued from the flight crew, the plane made a rapid descent and disappeared from radar south of Nantucket Island. Investigators believe the plane may have broken apart in flight. By Monday night, rescuers had given up hope of finding survivors in the chilly waters.

Marguerite “G” Gulotta is back from Dublin, Ireland, victorious after having completed a 26.2 mile marathon as a walker, but more importantly, having raised an impressive amount of money for research for a cure for leukemia. As part of the Leukemia Society of America’s Team in Training, the Torrington resident who calls Canaan her hometown went to Dublin with 785 other team members from around the country. Each was required to raise at least $4,000 in pledges and donations. Ms. Gulotta has raised double that -- about $8,000 — and donations continue to come in from generous local residents and others who have heard of her remarkable efforts.

Items were taken from The Lakeville Journal archives at Salisbury’s Scoville Memorial Library, keeping the original wording intact as possible.