Caribou area From our Files (week of November 14, 2018)

5 years ago

115 Years Ago – Nov. 17,  1903

Basement fire Fire of an unknown origin started in the basement of the cabinet shop of Russell Ahern, on Water Street about 12:30 this noon, and before it could be checked, it had caused damage of roughly $2,500.

Letters Phillip Peterson of this town was one of the 23 men to recieve their football letters at Bridgton Academy this week.

100 Years Ago – Nov. 20, 1918

Repairs The Briggs Hardware Company are making alterations and repairs on the second floor of their store building, giving more room to the barber shop of Ralph Roberts.

Influenza — Several cases of influenza have been reported around town, including Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Briggs and her two children and Charles P. Hussey.

75 Years Ago – Nov. 17, 1943

Promoted — R.A. Page of Caribou, who is serving on the surgical staff of the 67th General Hospital, stationed in England, has recently been promoted to the rank of Captain.

United service — Four Caribou churches will hold their first United Thanksgiving Service in many years at the Gray Memorial Methodist Church on Thanksgiving night, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m.  Rev. Herman Grant, pastor of the Presque Isle Methodist Church, will preach the sermon.

50 Years Ago – Nov. 20, 1968

Resignation — A man known throughout Aroostook County as a radio and TV sportscaster and broadcaster of potato industry news has joined the marketing department of Beaver Brook Farms, Inc.  Wayne A. Knight of Presque Isle has resigned as sports editor for WAGM Radio and TV, where his voice and face have been familiar to County listeners and viewers since 1955, to join Beaver Brook Farms Inc., at a time when this potato growing, brokerage and sales organization is expanding rapidly, according to Jack Roth, president of Beaver Brook.

Helping hand The Caribou Police Department has issued an appeal for a helping hand with its 17th annual children’s Christmas party. Donations for the candy-popcorn-peanut fund may be left at the local station.  The department last year distributed candy-filled bags to about 1,400 children, say local police, who started their annual project of goodies for the kiddies back in 1950.

25 Years Ago – Nov. 17, 1993

New minimall More than two years after a bank foreclosed on a former car dealership at the corner of Bennett Drive and U.S. Route 1, the property has been sold to a local group of investors who plan to convert the site into a minmall.  Title to the building and 3.5-acre lot was transferred from Apex Inc., a subsidiary of Peoples Heritage Financial Group, in Portland. The building once housed Autoland of Caribou Inc. and Pelletier Toyota.

Candidate Collins Susan Collins, Republican candidate for governor, returned to her home community Wednesday to address the group that provided her with public audience many years ago.  Collins, who holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., drew upon her government experience to illustrated key points in her candidates. She is convinced that the next governor’s priority has to be creating quality jobs, praising the Small Business Administration (SBA) as “a good example of creative government”.