The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-18
SOUTH
BRITAIN
BRIEFS
BY BILL dARRI0Us

II VunlbnlHR 1HBtituti0ni WIN the
growing interest In saddle stock, he
has more 10 do than he has had In
years. South Britain was favored
with o coll from Tip Hall the other
day, Tip came over from his smithy
IN York State 10 look over the POM
peraug country and get O line on O
possible location for O new shop
here. Tip was once the best horse
sheer In New England, but no had
itchy feet and q trace OF gysy blood
80 no took distance one day and
didn't stop until no found 0 good
pitch In York State. Tip now ham.
if1ers out antique iron hardware for
tho tourist trade, and for the new
corners who cannot tell the difference
between on old rot OF irons and
those bought IL cataiog houses.
Blacksmith Hail delivers real anti
CUES, NJ o price, and no can Whack
together q set OF door hardware that
would make experienced antiquafians
come back for more.
Tip Hall was but one Of sever.
al South Britain citizens who took
Horace dreeley's advice and "went
west" Our prosperous local far
mer used 10 boast that II cost him
$4,000 70 wash his feet In the
Pacific Ocean. Somebody sold
him o sailed silvermine before he
came home.
South Britain ciizenry once
paid through tho nose for On OPP
portunity 10 invest In q cosopera-
tive cattle ranch In the for west,
Stock IN q g0ld.making machine
once enjoyed q ready r1arkt In this
valley, and the worthless stock
certificates still held locally would,
II they could be cashed, provide
funds for the fnuchsneeded con-
soiidated school. II townsfolk would
agree 10 O worthwhile investment.
Money comes easier nowadays, but
US harder 10 pry II loose.
Corn II the backbone and the
bedrock Of Connecticut agricuI.
tuFe. South Britain corn seldom
grows ~ that grown In Iowa, but
II has more juice. bigger ears, and
more tonnage per acre. Oliver
Mitchell grew pretty fair corn In
the old days, but Farmer Downs
beat him out. One evening In late
August, Farmer Downs came 70
the store and saidi 1--WE got mo
ahead on Oliver this year! ] just
come through my corn patch and
you can hear that corn asgr0ws
Ing! It's swapping and cracking
like firecrackers on July FOURTH
Next morning, Farmer Downs dis.
covered Just how fast his corn was
growing scarcel Oliver Mitchell's
pigs had been loose oil night, and
they had spent most OF tho even
Ing eating DownS's corn. The snap.
ping and cracking Downs had heard
was the hogs working up an appe.
lite In q field OF tall, stocky Yellow
Dent.
Competition II good for Q com.
munIty; We could Use more Of H.
Fred Travis n competing In the
good roads movement. Fred re.
Gently repaired several miles OF
road and n reported 70 have
sent o bin for his labor 70 the
seiectmen, and N reported 10 have
received nothing more substantial
than community approval for his
efforts. Perhaps Fred should have
waited for the 1910 elections be-
fore he put In his bill.
Dave Marshall, Of Pootatuck, Ia
reported TO be campaigning for the
revival OF the old River Burrs
baseball nine. Veteran Dave Is o bit
heavy around the middle but Babe
Ruth never let tonnage interfere
with home runs, and we look 10
Dave TO uphold the honor Of the
team.
Charley Spencer, proprietor Of
the mysterious cat and goat ranch
lust up the road from Pine Tree,
was q recent visitor ut TransyI-
vania. Charley Is reported to have
developed some prize stock and
we may hear more Of him at the
shows soon.
Henry Mccarthy heard that store
keepers in Hamburg stock only the
long, thirty-inch axe handles, but
he still believes the short handles
are best for local trade.