Egidio's plans call for bigger, better parks - Southington Library and ...

Holcomb reminisces about our town...,
(continued from page
extent. A 'scratcher,' as such a
person was called, was contemptuously
referred to as being on the
fence and no one knew which side
he might fall. So religiously dnd the
average voter regard his duty in
those days, that by checking the
voter list, the result could be
known within the fraction of one
percent.
"Prior to "1888," said exgovernor
Holcomb, "the majority
vote in Southington was Democratic,
and since then Republican
until within a year or two,
changing because of unemployment
and depression, usually charged
against the party which happened
to be in power." During hns life,
Amen Bradley and his son, Frank, The pl-aqae -
the old lmrgmunds in Plantsville
He later was found dead.
The storm steamed furiousl)
for three days and part of a fourth
It was Thursday afternoon before
any train passed through Southing
ton. That week, The Southington
Phoenix was short of newsprint
It's usual weekly issue could not
get done. It thd get out on time, but
was one single printed sheet.
Every yoke of ox and every
man that could handle a shovel was
engaged. Breaking through was
very hard, because the snow compacted.
One farmer reported he
drove a pair of oxen over a 15-foot
drift. Drifts 15 and 20 feet high
were not impossible.
At George Smith's house in
Plantsville, they tunneled through a
drift in order Io reach the barn.
were leading Democrats. Promin- This bronze plaque was unveiled Roads running east and west were
, lieans were Henry unday,October-la at-Sauthington har-d-hiLwith drifts. It was Friday
Smith, George Smith, Enos Stow. Police Station. The facility was night before many men and yokes
A majority of Civil War veterans
were asssociated with the Republicans.
three Probate Judges-- Walter S.
Men'ell, Holcomb, and Thomas
Welch. Holcomb was probate
judge from 1874 to 1881 and 1883 to
t910.
Recalls Blizzard of '88
Probably the event which most
llople remember is the Great
izzard of March, 1888. He was
living in the Dr. Hart pla 'e. Snow
lay five feet deep. The drifts were
very bad and it took the town a
week to dig itself out from under
them. March 10, 1888 was a day very
warm and unseasonable. The peepers
were piping noisily from the
marshes andextra coats were cast
aside. To the weatherman, though,
the darkly, circled sun was an
ominous stgn. On Sunday, a large
snowfall blanketing the ground,
and the temperature barely sat at the
freezing point. The next day the
men went ot work at the factories
as usual. "During the monring in
Plantsville, Mr. Cummings put his
horse before the blade to drive the
known for 54 years as Holcomb
School.
minister who had been overnight a
shortdistance to the railroad stalion
in l la rtsvillc ,.,-,,, ,. ........
man's home was in New Haven,
and he felt he could make it there in
time, said the former governor.
"Mr. Cummings left him in the
waiting room and then turned his
horse home. It seemed as if the
storm would smother him. After
great difficulty, he reached his
driveway', but could not get the
sleigh into the barn. He stopped,
unharnessed the horse, left the
sleigh, and in a deperate effort, successfully
reached the stable wtth
the exhausted anmml. By the tnne
he reached the door, Cummings
was almost overcome by effort."
Holcomb continued, "The minister
waited in vain uhtd mid-afternoon
for a tram, and then laboriously
crossed the tracks to the
hotel, where he remained untd
Thursday afternoon, when he took
the first train which passed south
after the blizzard."
One poor fellow, a workman,
lost his way and found shelter in
the lightly constructed buildings at
The Great Blizzard
In the series of interviews he gave in 1931, former Governor Marcus
Holcomb recalled the Blizzard of March, 1888. The drifts were very bad
and it took the town a week to dig itself out from under them. In spots,
the drifts were 15 and 20 feet high. As you can see from this,famous
Emerson Hazard photo from right after the Blizzard, Holcomb s recollections
were accurate. Our thanks to Southington Historical Society
$or allo lng us to reproduce the photo.
Elks' Students ofMonth
(continued from page II)
the Varsity Swim Team, and the
Latin Club. Alonzo also participated
in the Briarwood Spotlight
A member of the National
Honor Society, Alonzo is head of
the group's Tutorial Program. As
such, she must oversee the
program and coordinate tutors with
students requiring assistance.
During her junior year at
Southington High School, Justine
received honorable mention in the
State Latin Exam and has been
A talented student, Slowik has
been a participant at the Center for
Greative Youth at Weslayan during
the Summer of 1985 and the Harvard
University Summer Program
in 1986. In addition, Chris is in the
Key Club, is co-editor-in-chief of
The Emblem, captain of the Southington
High Bowl Team, and is in
the National Honor Society. In
addition, he is a participant in Discover
III, the Gofted and Talentd
Program. He participated in the
Governor's Youth Action
Conference in 1985.
A Natiorml.Ment Scholar Semi-
selected for Who's Who Among finalist, winner of the DAR History
American High School Students. \ Award, Chris won the Christiphe
She is the daughter of Joseph\ Chronkite Memorial Schoku-sbip.
and Mary Alonzo of 23 Ridgewood • . r -- • --%
Road. .I. zt.vmemoersmp .
Chris Slowik, son of Diane
Slowik of 23 Pattonwood Drive,
earned recognition for his success
in the Connecticut Student .Playwrights'
Competition held last
play, Repression, which was performed
at Wesleyan University in
Middletown.
The Disabled American Veterans,
Edward Christensen Chapter
5t, has received its charter for a
DAV Auxiliary. The officers were
Commander of the group is
Viola Can', 621-2794.
of oxen finished diging through the
snow, the former governor
indicated.
Those who were ill suffered in
the extreme. Doctors straggled t9
-ach parietal,.... t: v l r KMIv
went as far as his horse could take:
him. Funerals could not be held.
One case was a hearse stalled id the
storm. The hearse and the body
was abandoned by the roadside
until the roads were cleared.
Farmers suffered great hardship
then. They had to tunnel through
the drifts to reach the stock. They
also had to shovel snow from their
attics and barns.
The Obsezver, Thursday; October 23, 1986
Gollnick Mendcn resident Katherine C. born June 6 at Bristol Hospital to
A son, Jeremy George, was
born September 25 at New Britain
General to Plantsville residents
Richard and Elaine (Slodzinsk0
Gollnick.
Maternal grandparents arcw
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Slodzinski,
Sr. of Southington.
Paternal grandparent zs Mr.
George Gollnick of Plantsville.
Jeremy joins abrother, Jonathan,
at home.
Veronneau
A daughter, Jcnna Lyn, was
born Scptcmbcr 20 at Ncw Britain
Gcncral Hospital to Pctcr J. and
Nanc (Rich) Vcronneau.
Xrate aal agE4_0dpdarents are Mr.
Welch is the maternal great-grandmother.
Bovi
A son, Robert Dennis, Jr., was
born May 30 at Bristol Hospital to
Southington resident Robert D. and
Kathleen (Howard) Bovi.
Plantsville residents Richard
and Elaine Howard are the maternal
grandparents.
Plantsville resident Helen Poulsen
is the baby's matemal greatgrandmother.
Robert joins a sister, Amie, age
four, at home.
Sirois
A daughter, Lisa, was bom
ar,d mrs. Stephen J. Rich of June 3 at Bristol Hospital to South-
South ington residents Danny and
p g andparents are ey(-Mushem) Skois.
and Mrs. Henry Veronneau of Howl||d, Maine residents
Meriden.
Jenna joins a rother, Zachary
age five and a half and a sister,
Abigail, age three, at' be'me.
Patty and Harold Mushero are the
maternal grandparents.
Howland, Maine residents Theresa
ana Julien 51rois are me pate,tnl
randparents.
Welch Flora Mushero, also of How-
A son, Patrick Arthur, was land, is the maternal great-grandborn
May 19 at Bristol Hospttal to mother.
Bristol residents Richard and Estcourt Station, Maine resi-
Janice (Sonstrom) Welch.
Plantsville's Mr. and Mrs.
Arthur W. Sonstrom are the maternal
grandparents.
Southington residents Mr. and
Mrs. RichardJ. Welch are the paternal
grandparents.
dent Marie Sirois is the paternal
great-grandmother.
Lisa joins a brother and a
sister, at home.
O'ConIior ----
A son, Tbomas Kevin III, was
is our bail
The Observer
Southington's Community Newspaper covers our local
beat weekly with more in-depth coverage than other media.
in.Depth:
Thomas K. and Leilani (Duval)
O'Connor, Jr. of Southington.
Bristol residents Bob and Cay
Duval are the maternal grandparents.
Thomas and Mary Ellen O'Connor
of Umonville are the paternal
grandparents. ,
Maternalgreat-grandparentsare
Taylor, Michigan's Anton and
Sophia Hicks.
Raymond Duval of Farmington
also is the baby's maternal greatgrandfather.
Nadeau
A daughter, Rebecca Leigh,
was born May 29 at Bristol Hospital
to Bristol residents Wayne and
Brenda (Hill) Nadeau.
Prospect residents Frank and
parents.
Southington resident Theresa
Nadeau is the paternal grandmother.
King
A son, John Edwin-d, was L, fn
May 23 at Bristol Hospital to
Marion residents Don and Nancy
(DellaBitta) King.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Della-
Bitta of Marion are the maternal
grandparents.
Middlebury's Mr. and Mrs.
Donald King are the patemal grandparents.
• local news • local ob!ts. • local observations
• local sports • local rehg on • local classifieds
• local features • Io,cal family living • local-local-local
Subscribe to So in n's Complete Wee CommunW Newspaper
ORDER NOW
Fd out the order fcrrn to the left and ,nsert into an envelope along w,th your check Paste the postage prod address panel
below, to the front of your envelope and rnad Soon you wdl recewe your f,st €o )yof South=ngton's own newspapaL The Observer
illlllnUial|U|lillmiimlUlllll -
| The Observer Soulhmgton
=
||
J Connecft ut
POBox648, South,ngton. CT06489 ' I
B .I I qESS REPLY MAIL
|.ame i ll',
Address •
'
• City __ State--ZiP----.n | The Observer
I $ oo $ 5o. Circulation Dept.
I [] 10 - YR. SUt CtIptI0n [] 6 6 MOS. su su,,,o, m P.O. Box 648
• OUT OF TOWN SUBSCRIPTIONS • Southzngton, CI. 06489
$ oo •
i [] YR. s ,,$,o. [] 9 - 6 MOS. su=c,,=,0, • '
g ammaapiamni