Presque Isle area From our Files – Week of September 19, 2018

6 years ago

101 Years Ago – Sept. 13, 1917

Fair a success — Mr. Walker, the proprietor of the side shows at the Fair which included the diving girls and the monkey speedway, said the Northern Maine Fair was one of the very best on his circuit. In as much as his receipts were around $4,000 for the four days, it was quite natural that he should put the Presque Isle Fair at the top of the column.

Books needed — The American Library Association urged librarians all over our country to ask for donations of books and magazines to send to the training camps, and our own state librarian emphasized the need in a circular letter. Our local librarian urged our people here to respond and attend to packing and shipping all magazines and books given for this purpose and left at the Presque Isle library. Each one giving were asked to give with their donations a small sum of money to pay transportation to Boston.

75 Years Ago –  Sept. 23, 1943

Legion Silver Star — H. M. Friedman, Legion liaison officer of this area, said that the parents of Marine Lt. Astle Ryder and Pvt. Elmer Lewis had been awarded the American Legion Silver Star citation certificates. Both Lt. Ryder and Pvt. Lewis were wounded in action.

“Wings of God” — Floyd L. Bull, 24, son of Edward J. Bull of Presque Isle, won his Navy “Wings of Gold”  and was commissioned an Ensign in the Naval Reserve following completion of the prescribed flight training course at the Naval Air Training Center, Pensacola, FL, the Annapolis of the Air.”

50 Years Ago –  Sept. 11, 1968

Firm buys APG — Beaver Brook Farms and associated companies, which was merged with Dead River Company, Bangor, in July, 1967, completed purchase of Aroostook Potato Growers, Inc., headquartered in Washburn. J.C. (“Tex”) McCall, son-in-law of Umphrey, continued as general manager, reporting to Jack Roth, president of Beaver Brook Farms and a vice president and director of Dead River company.

Departed for exposition — Members of the Presque Isle Chapter FFA took their Educational Exhibit to the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Mass. The boys won the right to represent the State of Maine in the Educational Exhibits by taking first place at the Northern Maine Fair in Presque Isle and being adjudged the state winner by Professor Wallace Elliott of the University of Maine and state consultant for vocational agriculture. The educational exhibit was “Clean Water, America’s Heritage — America’s Responsibility.”

Jaycee officers for 1968 — The new board of officers for the Maine Junior Chamber of Commerce that was elected, were: Ralph Berry, U.S. Jayees director of Gorham: Birch Dunn, state president of Hamden; Larry Simpson, national vice-president of Sebago Lake; Cliff DeRoach, U.S. Jaycees director of Westbrook; Quentin Warren, U.S. Jaycees director of Caribou and National President Wendell Smith of Michigan.

25 Years Ago –  Sept. 22, 1993

Recognized — Donna DeLong, owner of Mainely Temps/Mainely Maids in Presque Isle, was recognized by the Maine Small Business Development Center as a Small Business Client of the Year. DeLong had owned the business, which offered professionals for businesses and manufacturers to two years. The Maine Small Business Development Center was partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Maine Small Business Commission, the University of Southern Maine School of Business, Economics and Management and other organizations.