Turning Back the Pages

125 years ago — March 1900

SHARON — Miss Edna St. John left this week for Chapinville, where she will fulfill the duties of stenographer in Joseph J. Morehouse’s office in that place.

Mr. Edward Middlebrook of Sharon had the misfortune to lose a horse on Thursday last. The animal took fright near Mr. Robert Harris’ and kicking himself loose from the wagon ran until he came to the foot-bridge in front of the blacksmith shop, and thus becoming tangled up, broke a leg. This of course necessitated the shooting of the animal.

Mr. Chas. Beeman met with an accident on Tuesday. Jumping from a scaffold he struck a rusty wire spike which passed nearly through his foot, causing a very serious, if not dangerous wound.

A.F. Roberts is advertising a special in tea and coffee this week.

John O’Hara, who resides in the north part of the town was arrested by Deputy Sheriff Martin Monday for illegally selling cider. He appeared before Justice Hicks at Salisbury on Monday and was fined $10 and costs amounting to about $200.

The measles seem to prevail pretty generally throughout this and neighboring towns.

During the high water last week the gas main was bent and sprung where it passes through Burton brook, creating a leakage of the gas. The pipe was soon repaired by Messrs. Miller and Hoyt. It has been raised in the form of an arch over the brook and is fastened to the stone work of the bridge.

Last Thursday “Lon” Rowe had a narrow escape from drowning. He was fishing through the ice on Long Pond; he fell through; lost his fish ice tools and fishing tackle. John Thorpe was near by and rescued him. “Lon” now appreciates the sentiment of the old nursery rhyme “Ding Dong Bell, Pussy’s in the Well,” while John can answer to the character “Big Tom Stout.”

100 years ago — March 1925

Arthur Benson, 28 years old, of Lime Rock, died at the Sharon Hospital at about 5:30 o’clock Thursday night of last week as a result of injuries suffered when the blade of a buzz saw, on which he and his brother-in-law, Joseph Spoth, were cutting logs in the woods on their farm, was broken off, and imbedded itself in his leg, laying it open from the thigh to the knee. Benson was taken to the hospital immediately, but loss of blood and shock were fatal. He leaves a wife, Eda Spoth Benson. His father-in-law, Dr. Joseph Spoth, is serving a five-year sentence in the state prison at Wethersfield for manslaughter.

The life of a country squire in the town of Salisbury is just one animal after another according to Representative J. Mortimer Bell of Salisbury who succeeded in giving the legislative judiciary committee the impression that when one had routed out the red squirrels nesting in the beds, it was time to hurry outside and chase cows out of the garden. Mr. Bell is a member of the committee and did not appear before it, but did considerable to enliven a hearing on the humane society bills by his questions and comments.

Blue birds and robins are here; the boys are spinning tops and playing marbles, the sap is running and by these signs we know that spring is just around the corner.

Joseph Stanton has resigned his position at Leverty’s Pharmacy and the vacancy is now filled by his brother Thomas, and the vacancy at Benjamin’s store left by Thomas is now filled by his brother James.

More rents are needed in Lakeville, but there are at present no indications of new building construction. Several new houses could be used and it is regrettable that present high costs act as an obstacle to new construction.

If you observe a restless spirit shown by the average housewife you don’t need to be unduly alarmed — just remember it’s housecleaning time and the good wife will promptly recover after the house has been properly gone over, and don’t kick if you do have to take your meals off the shelf for a time.

50 years ago — March 1975

Housatonic Valley Regional High School teachers were reported in a “state of shock” late Wednesday afternoon after learning of an order to eliminate teaching positions for the 1975-76 school year. “We found out at 3:20 today,” Faculty Association President Robert Gutzman told The Lakeville Journal shortly after that hour. Principal Edward M. Kirby gave teachers the bad news at a hastily called faculty meeting. Kirby told his staff that the HVRHS Board of Education, in executive session Tuesday night, directed that 4.4 teaching positions be eliminated. It also directed further study of pupil-teacher ratios in Vocational Agriculture. The board’s vote was unanimous. No permanent staff members have yet been notified they will lose their jobs. The HVRHS staff now numbers about 48 full-time members.

Bargains and lower prices may have arrived, but there’s no such thing as 99-cent-a-quart scotch. Patrons by the scores learned to their regret this last week when they thronged the Millerton Super in response to a misprint in an advertisement in The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News. It was all a mistake as the price as listed was “less than $8.99.” The Journal and News apologize for the inconvenience to patrons and to Millerton Super, while noting by way of consolation that the episode demonstrated how many people read the ads.

25 years ago — March 2000

Sharon Hospital employees will learn next week if their jobs are among those slated for elimination. According to Ken Roberts, director of community relations at the hospital, another round of layoffs is scheduled to help in the cost-saving operations that are needed to keep the facility financially viable.

FALLS VILLAGE — A pile of debris in an abandoned railroad car off Sand Road was ignited Monday afternoon, creating a blaze that burned an acre of nearby swamp land. The incident has been reported to state police and to Fire Marshal Stanley MacMillan. No property was damaged by the fire and there were no injuries.

CANAAN — A spark from a sap house chimney was blamed for igniting a wood pile on Tobey Hill Road early Monday morning. The fire was discovered by property owners Winter and Judy Mead, whose home is across the road from the sap shed. They had been busy boiling sap until about 11 p.m. the night before. Firefighters and ambulance crews were dispatched to the scene about 3:45 a.m. Mrs. Mead estimated 12 cords of wood were destroyed but said the business remains in good shape for the season. “We have plenty of wood left and plenty more that we can cut. We’ll be fine. We were very lucky that the sap shed did not catch on fire,” she said. The Meads typically produce 600 gallons of maple syrup per season, she said.