1934 tax revenues rise, 3-year old takes poison, revived by doctor; Millerton’s aquifer studied

The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.

July 26, 1934

‘Tax Revenues Total $29,747.03’; The July distribution of personal income tax revenues to the cities, towns and villages of Dutchess County totals $29,747.03, асcording to a report issued last week by County Treasurer Paul J. Miller. This distribution compares with a distribution of $18,747.92 received in July, 1933.

‘County Receives Liquor Revenues’; County Treasurer Paul J. Miller has received $34,416.52 in beverage tax and alcoholic control license fee revenues from the state comptroller for distribution among the two cities and twenty towns of Dutchess County. The distribution is made on the basis of population.

‘Copake Falls Child Drains Poison Bottle; Three - Year - Old Girl Revived By Physician’; Beatrice Burdick, three-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Burdick, of Copake Falls, was revived by Dr. R. L. Bowerhan, of Copake, Friday afternoon after she had lapsed into unconsciousness as the result of having swallowed a few drops of poison from a bottle she had found in a rubbish barrel. The child was discovered by her mother immediately after she had drained the bottle which had contained a poison used in exterminating chicken lice.

Mrs. Burdick summoned Dr. Bowerhan at once, and while waiting for the physician, forced the child to drink a quantity of mustard water as an emetic. Dr. Bowerhan arrived within a few minutes. He stated that the girl would have died had be heen [sic] ten minutes later.

‘About Millerton; Returns From Fair’; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Fischer have returned from the Century of Progress Exposition where they were the guests of the Ford Motor Co. Dealers of the Edgewater district were taken to Chicago on a special train and after spending three days at the Fair, returned to New York. Mr. Fischer also visited the Thor factory while in Chicago.

‘Smoke Causes Damage In Fire At Loope Home’; Considerable damage was done by smoke when a kerosene water heater started a fire in the cellar of the Warren L. Loope residence on Simmons Street at about ten o’clock yesterday morning. The blaze was extinguished with chemicals by the Millerton Fire Department within a few minutes after its arrival upon the scene. The heat of the fire was so intense that it melted the solder with which the seams of the oil tank were sealed.

July 24, 1975

‘Millerton Centennial Celebration Takes Off’; The Village of Millerton is ready to celebrate the centennial of its incorporation.

The first of 3 big weekend festivals takes off on Friday, July 25, when a carnival opens at 7 p.m. at Eddie Collins Field, just north of Millerton on Route 22.

On Saturday a flea market will be held at the same location at 10 a.m. Reserved space costs $5 and set-up starts at 7 a.m. The carnival will continue all day Saturday.

The big day is Sunday, July 27, when the streets will be filled with the grandest parade ever seen in Millerton. Starting at 2 p.m. on Rudd Pond Road, the marchers will make their way through the village to Eddie Collins Field. The parade will feature 27 fire companies, Cyprus Shrine unit, 16 bands, clowns, horses, oxen, state and national dignitaries and floats. The carnival and musical entertainment will follow the parade at Eddie Collins Field.

July 27, 2000

‘Aquifer Study Termed ‘Unique’’; NORTH EAST— The water in Millerton doesn’t come from the Hudson, nor from a reservoir. Where does it come from, then?

The ground, of course.

If the village continues to grow in population and industry, it’s going to need more of it, said Russell Urban-Mead from the Chazen Companies Monday evening. So the area might as well have a plan for managing it.

That’s the reasoning behind the Harlem Valley Watershed Investigation, which Chazen produced in conjunction with five other municipalities in the Oblong Valley. The effort dates back to 1997, when engineers sat down with town officials to “brainstorm” about water policy.

The study, which looks at the watershed shared by the towns of Amenia, North East, Dover and Pawling, as well as the villages of Millerton and Pawling, was completed in January of 1999 and is funded by the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council and the Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority (DCWWA). Mr. Urban-Mead called the effort “unique” in New York state.

“It’s rare to have six municipalities working on the same project,” he said.

The towns all lie along what’s termed the Harlem Valley’s Valley Bottom Aquifer System, which provides the majority of the municipalities’ water.

“The purpose of the study is to assemble all the available groundwater information describing water resources in the Harlem Valley” and “come up with a water use plan to protect quality and quantity into the future” said Mr. Urban-Mead at the meeting.

Several general recommendations emerge from the study. The first is adoption of Aquifer Overlay Districts in the valley bottom, which is the most vulnerable to contamination, and which provides the majority of water.

Moderate-risk land uses (such as light industry or fuel stations) should be located in “buffered areas,” where community water systems exist, and where contaminant releases could be mediated before a community’s well can be degraded.

Also recommended is limiting water consumption to “levels equaling half the drought flow of [valley-bottom] streams in each community.” If followed by all municipalities, the report notes, a “consistent protection plan” will result.

Mr. Urban-Mead presented a geologic summary of the aquifer from Wingdale to Wassaic, which he said is similar to the situation in North East. A diagram depicted a valley composed of highly permeable soils surrounded on the east and west by hillsides composed of less permeable material, with water concentrated in the valley. Wells within more permeable areas tend to yield 50 percent more water.

According to hydrogeologic studies, Millerton enjoys sufficient water flow even in dry times. The Webatuck Creek, which becomes the Tenmile River in Wassaic, runs the length of the aquifer and can yield approximately 100 gallons per minute, with the village drawing water at about half that

‘Tractors Will Pull Aug 5 in Millerton’; MILLERTON - The annual antique tractor pull sponsored by the Millerton Fire Department will be held Saturday, Aug. 5, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at dusk. It will be at Eddie Collins Field.

Hayrides for the children are planned and there will be a petting zoo plus food and fun for the family.

Vendors are needed for the day; call Diane Cawley. Rain date for the event is Aug. 6.