Closing Millerton bottling; Lime Rock art war; fireman tossed from pumper; saving farmland

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

August 29, 1934

‘Borden Official Blames Control Board For Closing Of Millerton Bottling Operation; Sheffield Co-operates, Plants Stay Open’; Laying the blame in the lap of the State Milk Control Board, Francis R. Elliott, assistant to the president of Borden’s Farm Products Company, Inc., said in a telephone conversation with The News Saturday that the bottling operation at the local Borden plant was being discontinued Sept. 4 because of “regulations which were not being enforced by the Milk Board.”

Despite offers of the Chamber of Commerce and village officials of certain inducements along the line of reduced water rates, and possible tax reductions, the Borden Company has steadfastly refused to co-operate in the matter, and in the high-handed manner that it has thus far pursued, plans to go through with its threat to cease bottling here Tuesday, throwing twenty-one men out of work.

Senator Frederic H. Bontecou and a group of Dover Plains dairymen went to Albany last week, prior to the announcement of the Sheffield Company that the Dover Plains and Coleman’s Station plants would remain open, where they conferred with Kenneth F. Fee of the Milk Control Board.

‘Local Grange To Stage Play Today At Fair’; The Millerton Grange will stage its play, “Sauce for the Gosling,” at 3 o’clock standard time this afternoon in the Little Country Theatre contest at the Dutchess County Fair. The cast of the production, which was given a pre-showing here at a recent meeting of the organization, includes Clarence Card, James Diegnan, Mrs. Ralph Brusie, Mrs. Seth Merwin, Mrs. Catherine McGhee and James Piper. The presentation is under the direction of Mrs. M. Irene P. Duxbury of the service and hospitality committee.

The Pine Plains Grange presented “How The Story Grew” yesterday afternoon. y.

‘One Hundred Thousand Dollar Slander Action Is Revealed In Art War’; A $100,000 libel suit which Winslow Wilson, Texas, portrait painter, has disclosed he is filing today in New York through his attorney, Edward Apstein, against G. Glenn Newell, Dover Plains artist and unsuccessful opponent of Senator Frederic H. Bontecou in the special election held in the 28th senatorial district July 5, will fan the flames to new heights, it is anticipated, in the Lime Rock art war which has been waxing hot for the past few weeks. Mr. Wilson seeks redress in the action, it is understood, for remarks alleged to have been made by Mr. Newell in the presence of the former’s prospective clients which Mr. Wilson charges would make it impossible for him to gain a livelihood from his work in Lime Rock.

‘Fireman Hurt When Thrown From Pumper’;WASSAIC, August 29 - Walter Dahoney was injured Thursday while participating in the firemen’s pumper contest at the South Amenia Fair when in getting off the Wassaic pumper he was thrown to the ground, sustaining a broken bone in his foot and cuts and bruises on his arms and body. X-rays were taken at the Sharon Hospital and a cast put on his ankle.

August 31, 2000

‘NE Planners Eye Open Space Again With DLC’;MILLERTON — Preservation of farms and open space will be the main topic at the North East planning board’s workshop meeting Tuesday evening Sept. 5.

The Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC) will present the final draft of its “Agricultural Preservation Study” at 7:30 p.m. in Town Hall. The text of the document is largely unchanged from the draft presented last March at a meeting at the North East Community Center, but the final draft includes enhanced graphics and additional photographs, said DLC Executive Director Rebecca Thornton.

The study, funded by a grant from the Hudson Valley Greenway Communities Council, is designed to “assist the town of North East with developing strategies for preserving farmland and active farming in the town,” according to the March 7 draft version. Input from town residents, particularly farmers, was sought and incorporated into the study.

According to the DC report, the conventional “land gobbling” housing development plan, aimed at profits, is “destructive to scenic character, and maximizes the loss of farmland, open space, and other natural resources.”

‘Girl Scouts Will Present Downey With Award’; Girl Scouts of Dutchess County will present the first Seat of Honor Awards Thursday, Sept. 28, to Shirley A. Adams, executive director of Poughkeepsie’s Catharine Street Community Center; Margaretta Downey, a resident of Millerton and executive editor of the Poughkeepsie Journal; and Clara Lou Gould, mayor of the city of Beacon.