The messenger. [volume], May 01, 1943, Image 1

About The messenger. [volume] (Bloomfield, Conn.) 1943-1945

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
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VOL. I. Xo. 1 ~= BLOOMFIELD, CONNECTICUT ~_MAY 1948
REPORTED ASSAULTS
AROUSE CITIZENS
Town Meeting Asks For
Paid Police Protection
The reported assault of one
woman and unconfirmed rumors
of night attacks on others at
lonely spots of the Town aroused
residents attending the Town
Meeting April 26 to the point of
again demanding better police pro
tection.
Very few authenticated facts
regarding any of the reported at
tacks were disclosed and most of
the assault recitals are considered
pure rumor but the case of one
young woman accosted some weeks
previous while walking on Park
Avenue and said to have been
badly beaten about the head and
body before escaping her assail
ant was sufficient to bring about
prompt action. By unanimous vote
the meeting requested Representa
vtie Watkins to attempt the intro
duction of a bill in the current ses
sion of the State Legislature al
lowing the Town to create a Board
of Police Commissioners.
The bill in its general terms
provides for a commission of five
resident tax payers, holding no
other elective or political office, to
serve without compensation for
two year terms with power of ap
pointment, and removal of all of
ficers and members of the Depart
ment under such rules and regu
lations as it may adopt for the
purpose.
While a wide difference of opin
ion prevailed as to what may be
considered adequate police cover
age for the Town, proponents of
the bill indicated the minimum
costs would be as much as $6,000
a year, when they requested and
secured approval of a $1,500 ap
propriation to cover the probable
expense for the remainder of the
present fiscal year. Upon creation
of the proposed police commission,
following passage of the act by
the Legislature, local constables
will surrender considerable of
their present authority.
k _
SPOTTERS MOVE TO
WHIRLWIND HILL
The Bloomfield post of the Air
craft Warning Service has been
^ moved to Whirlwind Hill. In their
new location the local spotters
have an unobstructed view of the
Tunxis Road Valley to the north,
considered one of the most likely
approaches of any enemy aircraft.
They also command a clear view
" of all possible bomb objectives in
the greater Hartford district. The
* post has been redecorated and a
great deal of new equipment
added. Work is under way now for
landscaping the grounds.
LITTLE FARM PRODUCTS
TO WHIP FOOD SHORTAGE
More than 500 war gardens are
now being planted in the town and
leaders of the local garden com
mittee of the State Defense Coun
cil prophesy that at least another
200 will be under cultivation by
Decoration Day.
“Bloomfield will rank high in
any comparison of gardening space
per capita,” said Mrs. Holly W.
Stevenson, committee chairman.
“In any event,” she continued, ‘The
total production of these little
farms assures us our town’s peo
ple will be able to meet whatever
food shortage may confront them
and that is our objective.”
Mrs. Stevenson formed her com
mittee into dictrict leaders to
supervise areas conforming with
the air raid districts. Through
these district supervisors there has
been distributed the best instruc
tions available relating to prepar
ation, planting and cultivation of
home gardens. A popular feature
of this material has been a com
prehensive garden chart prepared
by William J. Summerville of
Mountain Hoad. Information on
the handling of seedlings, insect
and worm extermination, canning
and the general care of food will
follow.
OVER THE TOP IN
FOURTH DRIVE J)F YEAR
Bloomfield is reported to have
evceeded its $10,000 April quota
by $90,000, in the recent Second
War Loan Drive.
This is the fourth time within
the last twelve months that the
subscriptions for funds have
greatly exceeded allotment goals.
The Red Cross drive in March hit
a new high for the town when
$3,116 were raised. Allotments for
the Community Chest Drive in
November and the Army and Navy
Relief in July were likewise over
subscribed.
Jack D. Taylor, Kenmore Road,
is the town Chairman of the Vic
tory Fund Committee. L. Coates
Coit, 15 Pine Grove Road, is the
town Chairman of the War Sav
ings Staff.
SERVICE FLAG HONORS
HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI
The presentation of a service
flag- In honor of the 158 alumni
in the armed forces featured the
annual concert of the High School
and Central Grammar School held
Friday evening, April 30.
The flag was presented to the
school by Miss Eleanor Manion,
President of the Alumni Associa
tion, and was accepted by Ben
jamin Snyder, President of the
Student Council.
SERGEANT FRANK L. GROSSI
BLOOMFIELD BROTHERS
SHOW BRAVERY IN ACTION
Bombardier, Seargeant Frank L.
Grossi is credited with taking
part in another important air
battle, participating in a success
ful raid April 18 on harbor and
dock installations at Porta Torres,
Sardinia. The raid was made by
bombers of the northwestern
African strategic air force. Direct
hits were made on three large
enemy cargo vessels leaving all
three sinking and in flames. Fires
were also started in railroad yards
of the Sardinia coast town and
damaged two docks, according to
War Department reports.
Sergeant Grossi was mentioned
in another army dispatch on
March 8 when he took part in the
sinking of .one enemy merchant
vessel, leaving another sinking,
and setting fire to two more. He
is a son of Louis Grossi, 7 Chapel
Street. He received his dischage
from the Navy in February, 1942,
to enlist in the air force.
A brother, Albert, was dis
charged recently from the Navy
after being wounded in the battle
of Midway.
Albert was decorated for his
action during the Battle of Mid
way. Blown from the Yorktown,
on* which he had served through
several battles, including that of
the Coral Sea, he returned to the
shlip and helped resuce men still
aboard.
After treatment since last June,
he returned home recently, unable
W walk. He will return to a naval
hospital for further treatment.
Among the newly accepted
WAAC’S is Miss Christine Antiuk,
510 Duncaster Road. Miss Antiuk
was one of ten Connecicut ladies
sworn in during the last week of
April. She is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Antiuk.
ANOTHER SELECTIVE
GROUP ONTHE WAY
Over 300 From Bloomfield
Already Serving Country
Another group of home town
boys faced the medical exam
iners of the Selective Service last
week.
Fifteen were qualified during’
April bringing the total of Bloom
field enlistments at that time to
292 not including those enlisted
through other induction centers.
The total enlistments already run
well over 300.
In the group entering the ser
vices during April were: Anthony
I). Cicalese, George Zenzic, John
H. Clark, Glenn Holcomb went into
the Navy. Ernest G. Tavener, Jr.,
Herbert L. Schremmer, Harry
Christ, Raymond C. Bovier, Ed
ward E. Jason, Ernest F. Cordeira,
Thomas G. Pignone, Albert C.
Snyder, Jr., Frederick G. Wasil
ausky, Harold J. Watkins, Jr.,
and Anthony S. Russo joined vari
ous branches of the U.S. Army.
Like their predecessore, all are
fairly well scattered among the
various training camps.
A total of 58 Bloomfield men
have been inducted since the first
of the year. The May class will
likely boost this 1943 group to 75
or more.
By late summer, sixty per cent
of the men now draft deferred be
cause of work in essential Con
necticut industries will be in the
armed services according to John
S. Robinson, State Selective Ser
vice Director. Mr. Robinson’s pre
diction is based on the manning
table and replacement schedule
plan being used by most Connect
icut industries.
Inasmuch as the Hartford In
duction Offices closed for re
decoration, the May selectees from
Bloomfield are being sent to New
Haven for their medical examina
tion.
PROSPECT STREETERS
IRKED BY ROAD WORK
In a heated presentation of
their demands for a water-bound
mecadam surface, in place of the
gravel and oil roadway being built
for them, residents of Prospect
Street held the spotlight at the
Town Meeting April 26—wound up
with approval of an appropriation
of $1,500 to finish the job.
The meeting approved provision
for bi-ennial elections in the Town,
also adopted an ordinance regulat
ing the licensing of itinerant
vendors.
The birth control bill—a per
ennial—failed of passage when the
State Senate voted “no.”