Caribou From Our Files (week of June 5, 2017)

7 years ago

115 Years Ago – Jun. 3,  1902

Sunshine The mercury registered 83 degrees in the shade Sunday.

Accident Fred Forbes came near meeting with a serious accident Saturday morning while engaged about a stationary engine used in the loading of railroad ties.  In some manner his glove caught on a setscrew on a shaft around the engine; the gloves were quickly torn off, and Mr. Forbes’ hand was slightly torn requiring stitches.

100 Years Ago – Jun. 4, 1917

Scholars The registration of scholars of school age in Caribou this year is 2,201, an increase of 72 over a year.

Grading the grounds — John McElwain is grading the grounds around his beautiful residence on the Presque Isle road.  His country house has to be the prettiest anywhere in Maine.

75 Years Ago – Jun. 3, 1942

Exercises — One of the finest Memorial Day exercises presented in Caribou for a number of years was held here Friday, May 30.  The parade was led by Police chief Lawrence Elliott, Dr. R.W. Boone and Patricia Gregory each mounted on spirited saddle horses.  Much praise was heard of the entire general appearance of the parade and exercises, particular mention being made of the State Guard and the band.

New plant — F.J. Blackstone & Sons opened their new modern pasteurizing plant on Water Street.  This plant, which has been located at their farm on the Washburn Road, was moved to the village due to the gas and tire situation and to afford a more centralized distributed point of their dairy product.

50 Years Ago – Jun. 7, 1967

Loss — Flames shot 100 feet in the  sky, spraying sparks and cinders over a wide area in a spectacular early Tuesday morning fire which leveled the Ray Dow potato house on the former Jerrard Gould farm, Limestone St.  Fire Chief Donald Woods estimated a loss of $21,000.

Minnie has a Mickey Minnie the Moose, a popular moose that has hung out across the city of Caribou over the past year, may have found herself a mate.  Mickey, another 500 to 600 pound bull moose, has been spotted on Prospect and Reservoir Street into the big field behind houses in the Garden Circle area.  Now everybody knows that’s right handy to where Minnie lives, and there was a theory that Mickey might have been Minnie’s companion during the winter months.  Mickey and Minnie Moose would be such an ideal couple, they thought.

25 Years Ago – Jun. 3, 1992

Agree to merge Hospital officials in Caribou and Presque Isle yesterday jointly announced the proposed merger of the Aroostook Medical Center and Cary Medical Center.  The plan includes an “agreement in principle” that the two medical centers located approximately 15 miles apart, will merge.  It is anticipated that the merger will occur within the next three years.  The two medical board of directors noted anticipated benefits of such cooperation, including cost savings realized from a coordinated healthcare delivery, increased depth of needed medical specialities, development of necessary medical services currently available in the County, among other things.  The uncertainty of the Loring Air Force Base was another fact behind this merger.

Editor’s Note:  This column was formerly called “Looking Back”.