The Newtown bee., 1889-07-05
NewtoWn as a Summer Resort.

bIitSC uslyS Ol SulbIlhVSSt et1OlA the inhabitants of the cities are begin ming to flock to the country, the question is often asked-Why have the NewtoWn hills been overlooked, while less favored
 places have become noted IS Summer re-
 sorts? Surely there are no towns i'll the entire Housatonic valley where the rec ord for health and coolness is better than
 that of Newtown. The range of hills
 immediately west of Newtown Street and about a mile from the Housatonic depot command aview of the surrounding coun- try for distance running from 10 to 20 miles in every direction. The hills and valleys, tha forests and meadow land be- heath, stretching acre upon acre are full of suggestiveness and charm to the ob- server. There is ample room upon these hills for thousand Summer cottages, with fresh air, cooling breezes and pure water in abundance, and yet they thus far have remained the pleasant domain of grazing cattle. To the east of the. Housatonic depot, through that part of the town known as Sandy Hook, there is another range of hills looking down upon the waters of the Iousatonic river, and affording more romantic and picturesque views than any other section in this part of the State. Itmust appear very strange indeed to those temporarily visiting this town, that people seeking a breathing spell for a few months in the country should pass by Newtown oblivieus of it's beauty, coolness and bracing air, to some other place less favored by Nature. In the past, some explanation for this could be made. Newtown depends for it's rail- road accommodations upon the Housa- | tonic road and, under the old manage ment, these accommodations were very meager indeed. In order to get to Bridgeport, New Haven or New York early enough in the day to do any busi- ness, one was obliged to get up at day break and catch the 10 train, as no oth- CT train left Newtown in the forenoon but the II g.. In the afternoon the only train running south was the I A.. At the other end, the trains leaving Bridgeport for Newtown were, in the forenoon, one leaving at 10 05 and, in the afternoon
 one leaving at D, and one at p, and this last was mixed train carrying both passengers and freight. These were all the railroad accommodations which the people of Newtown and those desiring te visit the town enjoyed up to the time Col Stevenson was appointed vice presl' dent and general manager. It is not t
 be wondered at that, under these circum
 stances, this town should be regarded as an out-of-the-way place and other town: less beautiful and healthy, but with bet
 ter railroad accommodations, should dis tance it ill the race of popularity ant
 growth. But this condition of railroat facilities does not exist to-day. Col Ste yenson was aware of the inefficiency O the Housatonic service, for he had enjoy
 ed Summers in Newtown before tn road passed into his hands, and he a once began to reorganize the road, ant
 to arrange the service as to accommodat the demands of the public and build ul
 the Housatonic valley. Under his man
 agement, five passenger trains were ru north from Bridgeport instead of three : all stopping at Newtown and five wer run south from Newtown. By the las time table, issued June 10, trains are ru north from Bridgeport Gal stopping a Newtown) at 0S and 10 O a m and a 4 50, 6 and 9 30 p m; and south froI 5 Newtown at 6 10, 9 02 and Il B a m an
 at 15, 6 12 and s g p Ill. In additio to this, passenger and mail train is I'll
 from Bridgeport to Pittsfield every SuI
 day, leaving the first named place : : 30 m. These trains continue throng ' the entire year and, if the people of Nev r town would now only do half as muc l for the town, as the Housatonic road hf
 under it's present management, it woul be but few years at the most before. < cottage would crown every hill and u
 town move onward in growth and pop,
 lation and not backward.