1911: Boy‘s ride on sled results in a chilling experience

13 years ago

115 Years Ago: Dec. 3, 1896

• M.A. Sjostedt, the tailor, has rented the rooms over F.L. Oak’s shoe store where he has opened a shop.

• Henry Gammon started Friday to visit the lumber camps north of Caribou. He carries with him a line of watches and jewelry.

• Ullrich Brothers manufactured 180 tons of starch the past season at their factory in New Sweden.

• Will Iott, 12 years old, at work for Dr. C.F. Thomas, was driving the doctor’s 4-year-old colt, attached to a wagon, which slewed and the animal ran away Wednesday afternoon. The boy was thrown out but not injured, and the wagon in a demoralized condition was left at the crossing of Main Street and Vaughan Avenue.

• Potatoes are at 45 cents per barrel today.

100 Years Ago: Dec. 8, 1911

• Miss Dora Larrabee, teacher of music in the Caribou schools, spent the Thanksgiving recess at her home in Houlton, accompanied by her friend, Miss Bertha Powers.

• Miss Grace Denton, who is attending Aroostook State Normal School, is spending her vacation with relatives in town.

• Raymond, the young son of Mr. and Mrs. August Swenson, came near to meeting an untimely end and in a peculiar manner, one day recently. The little fellow jumped onto a sled on which there were a score or more of empty barrels, and accidentally fell into one of the barrels. His cries for help were not heard by the driver, they being drowned in the general noise of the street, the trotting of the horses and the ringing of the heavy bells attached to the horses. The driver of the team jogged along homeward, little thinking of the young lad in the barrel. Arriving at his destination, the driver backed the sled into a shed and put it up for the night. By this time, young Swenson was so thoroughly chilled that he had ceased to call for help. The young man, after putting up his horses, went to the house, but thinking about a blanket he had left on the barrels, went out to get it and there, discovered the little fellow who was so nearly frozen that he could scarcely talk, much less tell his name and it was some time before it was discovered who he was.

75 Years Ago: Dec. 3, 1936

• This Thursday evening there is to be held at the Northeastland Hotel, Presque Isle, the Charter Night party for the two most recent Lions Clubs to be welcomed into the 41st District of Lions International —  the Lions Clubs of Caribou and Presque Isle. This is the first time in the history of Lionism in New England, so far as is known, that charters have been presented to two clubs on the same occasion.

• The skating season started the night before Thanksgiving at Murphy’s High Street rink and the attendance has been strong ever since until the storm last night.

• Laila Bell entertained a few of her friends at her home Thursday in honor of her 11th birthday. Refreshments were served. Laila was the recipient of some nice remembrances.

• Leroy Anderson and seven others have returned from a week in the woods in the Big Goddard Stream region. He reports that the deer at very scarce in that section and the party came back without any luck at all.

• Archie Scott stopped in front of the Republican office the other day with a deer and a bear reclining on the mudguards of his automobile. When questioned about them, he stated that there was another deer, which already had been taken care of — both the deer and the bear having been secured by him on an expedition to the Tobique in New Brunswick.

50 Years Ago: Dec. 7, 1961

• Each year at Christmas time, hundreds of children in the Caribou area receive toys they would not get if it were not for the efforts of the Caribou Fire Department. “Operation Toys,” as it is called by the boys in the department, has been one of their pet projects for over the lat 20 years and this year will be no different from the past. Each December the fire department becomes a regular “Santa’s Workshop” where 1,000s of broken and discarded toys are fixed, mended and repainted. Some of the feats of repair work by the men of the fire department are almost unbelievable. Sleds with bent or broken runners are straightened and welded. If the boards on the top are cracked, new ones are fashioned. Bicycles get a complete paint job along with a check of the brakes and replacing of new spokes.

• Area nurses met with Civil Defense workers at the school in New Sweden, and received instruction and literature on their duties in the community in case of war, disaster or other emergency. First aid kits will be secured by the nurses to be kept in their homes and in local schools. Nurses attending were Mrs. Millie Forbes, Mrs. Bernice Hedman, Mrs. Eloise Anderson, Mrs. Elaine Jepson, Mrs. Margaret Jalbert and Mrs. Evelyn Hedman. Other defense workers present held a discussion on defense strategy in the area.

• Five area youths enlisted in the regular Army. Dwight L. Stickles, 21, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank B. Stickles, of Caribou, enlisted for training in Nike Missile Universal Electronics Material Maintenance. Wayne G, Little. 19, the son of Mrs. Dorothy Theriault, Caribou, was a member of the Caribou National Guard unit and will be assigned to Europe following basic training. Joseph Rossignol, 17, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexis Rossignol of Stockholm also chose a European assignment. Roland Guerrette, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Guerrette, Caribou will train in the Army’s engineer field. Harry C. Hafford, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry W. Hafford, Caribou, is a veteran with four years’ prior service in the U.S. Air Force.