100 Years Ago July 1919
In and About The Haddams
Selected from the pages of The Middletown Press and lightly annotated by Sally Haase
Middletown, July 1, 1919: The prohibition wave which engulfed us this morning, found all the saloons of the city closed. U.S. District Attorney John Crosby, in Hartford, issued notification today that the saloon keepers who sell beer and light wine while waiting for the result of the test case being made of its legality will be subject to prosecution if the government wins its case. There are twenty-nine saloons in the city limits, and two saloons in the South Farms district doing business. Middlesex County has only six out of fifteen wet towns. The wet towns are: Middletown, Portland, East Haddam, Haddam, Killingworth and Old Saybrook.
Higganum, July 2, 1919: The girls working in the Core room at the Cutaway Harrow Company will give a dance at Brainerd’s hall Thursday.
Middletown, July 2, 1919: The new law governing motor vehicles is finally cleared up as to how to light automobiles in the evening while parked on Main street. The rule plainly shows that cars may be left on Main street without lighted lamps, the law stating among other things that this may be done when the vehicle is standing near enough to an electric light to be plainly visible from a distance. [Most vehicle lighting at that time were essentially carriage lights using acetylene and oil which had to be lit with a match.]
Middletown, July 2, 1919: Fourth of July in Middletown will be ushered in by extra policemen on the street and with a ban on firing anything that makes a noise prior to 4 o’clock in the morning. Bonfires are things of the past and the police are ordered to see to it that no matches are placed to piles of boxes or rubbish.
East Haddam, July 2, 1919: “Tige” has crossed the Great Divide, and pity it is, he will be missed about town. While his master, A.H. Eldridge, was driving the mowing machine on Monday, “Tige” was busy as usual chasing crows from the corn fields adjoining. Seeing one alight he started across the lots after him and in the tall grass he could not be seen until directly in front of the knives, too late to stop the team in time to save him. ”Tige” will terrorize the ground hogs no more [or break his 1918 record of 75 killed.]
Haddam Neck, July 2, 1919: A considerable number from here attended the graduation exercised in Higganum on Friday. Of the twelve graduates, six came from the local school. Chauncey Brooks presented an essay and Margaret Wilson rendered a piano solo, both of which were very well done.
Haddam, July 3, 1919: The “Married Men” and the Y.M.C.A. boys will have another ball game on Field Park tomorrow afternoon.
Will be at Town Clerk’s office to collect five district taxes July 9 and July 10. Interest occurs August 1sy. BELLE D.RUSSELL, Collector. –Adv.
Haddam, July 5, 1919: The married men were badly beaten by the boys, the score being 22 to 4.
The Latshaws had a fine display of fireworks from their hill last evening.
David and J.C. Russell left town this morning, for Marlborough, to enjoy three weeks’ outing at Camp Terramuggus with the Y.M.C.A. boys.
Haddam Neck, July 16, 1919: Verner Sandin left last week to take a summer course in Columbia university to make up for time lost in the service. He expects to complete his college course next year.
Middletown, July 21, 1919: Fifty-eight years ago, July 21, 1861, the first battle of Bull Run was fought and then lost after the Union army had practically mastered the situation. Among those battle scarred veterans of the Union army who fought so valiantly on that day and who still lives to remember the engagement, is Charles A. Pelton of this city, the well-known druggist. Mr. Pelton is now the only survivor of that war living in this city and today he recalled very clearly the events of 58 years ago. The Union army was under the command of General McDowell, the Confederates being under the command of General Beauregard. When the boys in blue had won the battle, General Jackson, with reinforcements, appeared and turned the tide against the Union army. While the battle was in progress General Bee, confederate, remarked. “Look at Jackson’s brigade, it stands there like a wall.” General Jackson was known thereafter as “Stonewall” Jackson. Of the battle General Sherman said: “It was one of the best planned and one of the worst fought.”
Hartford, July 24, 1919: The revision of the motor vehicle laws contains a section forbidding owners of automobiles to leave their engines running when the car is standing unoccupied. The new law reads: “ Any person who shall leave any motor vehicle, with its engine running, stationery on the highway and unoccupied by a person able to control the same, and without setting the hand brake in such manner as to prevent such vehicle from moving, shall be fined ….” [Why? Because they were environmentalist? No, most likely, it was because most automobile at that time were started by hand cranking the engines, a sometimes difficult task.]
Haddam, July 29, 1919: The Haddam Pig Club met yesterday and discussed with the County Club leader better ways and means of feeding, pasturing, shade and other matters pertaining to the proper up-bringing shoats, just-weaned piglets. Much interest is being shown by the boys in the matter of swine judging.
Higganum, July 31, 1919: The recent suffrage drive for $100,000 was responded to very liberally in the town of Haddam. The village of Higganum, including Candlewood Hill and Ponset raised $105.25; Haddam village, $36.50. Part of the money is to be used for classes in citizenship, which will be free and open to all. Every woman in the town is urged to take advantage of the classes in order to be prepared for some time when it will be her duty to vote.
Killingworth, July 31, 1919: William Bevis has bought the hay on the Edith Bristol place and is harvesting the crop.
Shingling was begun on the Emmanuel church and will be pushed as rapidly as possible. George Butter has charge of the work.
There is an unusual number of city people in this vicinity this summer.
100 years ago, much has changed and, then again, nothing has changed.
