Turning Back the Pages

125 years ago — 1900

There is talk among the business men of Canaan about organizing a national bank.

Improvements to the Wells Hill race track are being made and the coming summer promises tp develop some good racing.

The Connecticut Western News says there are several persons in the villages of Salisbury, Canaan, Falls Village and Cornwall who are distant relatives of John Brown the abolitionist, whose centennial will be celebrated at Torrington May 9th.

W.B. Perry’s family horse “Dick” has been very sick this week but owing to heroic treatment is now much better. Mr. Perry has owned the horse for the past nineteen years and regards him as almost one of the family, and he has always been a good faithful servant.

Lime Rock has organized a base ball team. W.W. Norton will be manager and Charles Meyer captain.

W.E. Cornell has engaged an experienced steam fitter from Springfield to do the work of equipping the new additon of the Scoville Memorial Library.

James Wright of Hotchkissville will move to this village in the near future. Some years ago Mr. Wright resided in Lakeville, and now he returns to take his old position as forger in the Knife factory. He commences his duties next Monday, and will move his family here later.

100 years ago — 1925

Last Saturday morning was Lakeville’s turn to suffer a disastrous fire loss, when the Interlaken Inn was almost completely ruined. Around nine o’clock in the morning the proprietor, Mr. John S. Percy, who was working in the rear of the Inn noticed a spark from the fireplace chimney fell on the shingle roof which at once ignited. A call was put in for the hose company which was answered at once by the chemical truck. It seemed for a short time that the firemen had mastered the blaze, but the tank was soon exhausted and the fire again forged ahead. Calls were made for the Sharon, Millerton and Canaan companies, but of course it took some time for them to reach the spot and in the meantime the blaze had spread throughout practically all the upper story, which by this time had become a seething inferno. A call for help was sent to Hotchkiss School and the 300 students rushed to the Inn in a body. They at once began a systematic removal of the furniture and furnishings of the building and they certainly did wonderful work, in fact so effective was their work that practically all the contents of the building were removed to a point of safety and with very little breakage or destruction. Much sympathy is felt for Mr. and Mrs. Percy as they had expended thousands of dollars in reparing and improving the Inn in preparation for the coming season, and already the Inn was well “booked” up for the season.

Ralph Hunter of Lime Rock caught a live little fox, and it is getting real tame.

FOUND — A chair on Friday morning. Inquire at Journal Office.

The question of oiling the side streets and places not oiled by the state is being agitated. Such places as the roadway around the depot up past the Knife Shop and on the various side streets it becomes very dusty during the summer, and some effort should be made to oil them both for comfort and the appearance of the village.

50 years ago — 1975

State Police radio dispatching will return to Troop B in Canaan as one of the first moves by new State Police Commissioner Edward P. Leonard, who officially took over the office today. Last year, Canaan’s police dispatching was centralized at Troop L in Litchfield, which created an immediate furor from area residents and town, ambulance and fire officials. The return of police dispatching may take place as early as next week, according to the public information officer.

The new program to utilize community residents as enrichment “resources” at Salisbury Central School, is off to a lively start, with journalism as one of the first topics. Miss Peppe’s fifth grade class was conducted on a tour of The Lakeville Journal last week by Publisher Robert Estabrook. This week, on Friday, syndicated columnist Robert Yoakum of Lakeville will discuss “How We Get Our News” with the students. Loretta Driscoll of Lakeville, one of the organizers of the resource program, will work with the children on using newspapers in the classroom. Each child will have a copy of The Journal, which will be utilized in connection with different classroom topics.

A flag and a certificate were presented in ceremonies Tuesday afternoon at Salisbury Central School. George Cyr of the State Bicentennial Commission made the presentation to First Selectman Charlotte Reid while the Rev. Gerard Pollock and a marine color guard stood by. The ceremony was somewhat hampered by the late arrival of Mr. Cyr and the marines, and the lack of ropes on the school flag pole.

Torie Sommers, professional cosmetician and former executive in the cosmetics industry, has joined the staff of Sharon Pharmacy. Edward Heacox, owner of the pharmacy, announced this week that Miss Sommers will provide consulting services for women on a regular basis in the establishment’s renovated and expanded cosmetics section.

The A&P Liquor Store at the shopping center in Sharon is in the process of a changeover in ownership from the Atlantic and Pacific food store chain to Raymond and Roberta Donovan of Sharon. Along with the ownership the Donovans will be changing the name of the liquor store to “The Spirit Shoppe.” John O’Brien of Canaan will continue to manage the store and he is the liquor store permittee.

Braving the cold and wind, the Housatonic Valley Cairn Terrier Association held its first “Fun Frolic” on Sunday at “Wolfpit,” the home of Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Coleman on the Ellsworth Road in Sharon. There were 95 cairns entered, ranging in age from two months old to veterans more than 10 years old. The judge was Helen Hunt of Washington, Conn., a cairn authority who has bred or owned more than 30 champions. A ring set up on the Colemans’ lawn was in constant use for three hours as the dogs were put through their paces under the watchful and experienced eye of Miss Hunt.

Doris Longaven of Amesville will officially take over as librarian at the D.M. Hunt Library today. Mrs. Longaven replaces Karen Shaffer in that position. Mrs. Longaven grew up in the area as Doris Petersen. During most of her own family-rearing years she lived in Florida where she gained her library experience. She returned to Northwest Connecticut five years ago, and will resume her interest in library work as she takes over at D.M. Hunt.

25 years ago — 2000

A mile-long handicapped accessible trail will be completed in early May, in Falls Village, south of the hydroelectric plant on the Housatonic River. Half of the trail overlaps the Appalachian Trail. The accessible hike will begin near the Northeast Utilities hydroelectric plant and continue south toward the high school, for about half a mile along the river, and then loop back along the former race track.

LAKEVILLE — An idea from local volunteer firefighter Darin Reid is on its way to becoming state law. Mr. Reid suggested to state Rep. Andrew Roraback (R-64) of Goshen that fines be doubled for motorists who speed or drive unreasonably fast when within sight of a roadside emergency where police, fire, ambulance and other rescue vehicles are displaying their flashing lights. Mr. Roraback took the idea to Hartford, where it was incorporated into an amendment that won the approval of the House of Representatives by a vote of 144-3.

The “Fish Lady” is back! Beginning Saturday you can purchase Joan’s (the fish lady) vacuum sealed, preweighed fish at Paley’s Market in Sharon. Fresh fish will be delivered to Paley’s Thursday afternoons or Friday mornings. The “Fish Lady” has not yet decided if the fish truck will return to Millerton this spring.

The maintenance building at the former Geer Memorial Hospital was demolished this week to make room for Geer Village, a $2.8 million, 24-apartment senior-housing facility, and Geer Woods, a $14.2 million complex to include senior housing, community facilities and a swimming pool and fitness center.