Caribou area From Our Files (week of November 22, 2017)

6 years ago

115 Years Ago – Nov. 18,  1902

Meanest man The meanest man on record lives right here.   

He has a partridge which was mounted several years ago and which the moths and flies have somewhat soiled.  Last Sunday morning, he carried it to the edge of the woods and placed it on a branch of a fur tree, tying it securely to the limb.  He then came and informed a young man who would like to become a member of the family that a fine partridge was quietly sitting down there in a tree, apparently waiting for someone to come and shoot him.  The young man seized the rifle and started for the woods after being formed where to find the bird and cautioned to shoot it through the heal.  The mean man then went to the barn and watched the proceedings from a window.  The young man got to within 20 years of the game, and commenced to shoot.  After firing 11 times, he stood the rifle against the fence and sneaked away across the fields.  A certain young lady had a bad fit of the sulks.

100 Years Ago – Sept. 10, 1917

Warm and pleasant Sunday was rather a remarkable day for the time of year, warm, pleasant and no wind.  Several automobile parties took advantage of the fine weather and enjoyed picnic dinners out of doors.

Salt panic — According to our sister publication, the Houlton Pioneer Times, lots of Houlton people are stocking up on salt for fear the supply will become exhausted pretty soon and they might not have a pinch to go with some of the war news.

75 Years Ago – Nov. 18, 1942

War damage discussed — Thirty-five insurance men representing nearly all agencies of Aroostook County gathered Tuesday night at the Vaughan House to discuss the writing, to receive instruction and to outline how to furnish service to the public on the War Damage Insurance sponsored by the government.  Meetings of a similar nature were held simultaneously all over the country, ten meetings being held in Maine.

Thanksgiving Dance — Final preparations are now being made for the 21st annual Firemen’s Dance to be held Thursday night at the Caribou High School gymnasium.  Committee members are Music: Ed Doak; advertising, Earl Ward; floor, Perley Allyn and Lawrence Elliott; decorations and favors, Earl Ward and Ora Howe; refreshments, Emery Ireland and Ellery DeMerchant; check room, Harley Lockhart, Dave Abbott and Ore Howe, Jr.

50 Years Ago – Sept. 10, 1967

New Pavilion? — Caribou has entered a bid with the Department of Economic Development to have the State of Maine Pavilion at Expo 67 relocated here in observance of the birth of Maine’s newest city.  Governor Kenneth M. Curtis will be the keynote speaker at Caribou’s “Birth of a City” public dinner on Jan. 1.  These announces were made simultaneously today as the city celebration planning committee moved closer to a 10-day program that is expected to be a memorable one for Caribou and the county.

Fizzled A major student walk-out at Caribou High School set by some for last Tuesday failed to materialize due to the restrictions on mini skirts and the length of haircuts for men students.  It was reported that about 20 male students had walked out of the high school sometime during the day last Tuesday, but after they were told by a school official that they would be expelled if they persisted.

25 Years Ago – Nov. 18, 1992

Grim reality Around 80 people sat in the Limestone High School cafeteria at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday to hear Limestone Superintendent James Morse and School Committee Chairman Gary O’Neal preside over the announcement of 118 contracts to be terminated pending the closure of the Loring Air Force Base.  The meeting lasted more than seven hours with Morse reading names of those contracts who were scheduled to be terminated one by one. The layoffs will take place between 1993 and 1994.