Caribou area From our Files – Week of January 31, 2024

3 months ago

120 Years Ago – Feb. 4, 1904

Doing lots of business this winter — Laffaty & Thompson have been doing quite a business in the manufacture of sleighs this winter, they have made to date over seventy.

In town for business — Eldon Grant of Limestone was doing business in town last Monday. Mr. Grant is one of Limestone’s hustling blacksmiths and has built up a large and increasing trade. His work is uniformly satisfactory.

115 Years Ago – Feb. 4, 1909

Sold the farm — H. A. Chase of Limestone, was in Caribou Tuesday. Mr. Chase has sold his fine farm (the writings were made last Saturday) to Clarence Grass of the same town. This is one of the best potato farms in Limestone — that town of good potato farms, and Mr. Grass, who paid a long price, may feel assured but few better farms can be found, as near the village.

Finished cutting ice — Fenderson and Soucia finished cutting ice last Friday, making the largest harvest since they have been in business. In addition to their own ice, they cut about 200 tons which were hauled home by farmers. The ice is as near perfect as one could wish, clear and white, free from all snow. It is 28 inches in thickness.

100 Years Ago – Jan. 31, 1924

The press is up and running again — The Review’s big press, which was knocked out last week, was put into order again by Geo. McBride and his helpers, Walter Holder and Burr Blanchard of the Fe. E. Peterson shop. Chas. C. Grant of Oakfield , the International Harvester Company’s machinery expert, also has our thanks for valuable advice. When we want a new press we will get those fellows to build it for us. We are indeed glad that the Review press was incapacitated for only one week. We were not so fortunate in 1922-23, when our cylinder was hors de combat for five fateful, tortuous, nerve-racking, expense-making weeks, not to mention the inconvenience, annoyance, bother and trouble.

Receives appointment — Jarvis Kelley, a deputy sheriff under Sheriff Grant, has received his appointment to the same office by Sheriff Lawlis.

75 Years Ago – Feb. 3, 1949

Large crowd attends CHS Senior Play — A capacity audience filled the Caribou high school auditorium last Thursday evening when the annual senior play was presented. ‘Night of January 16th’ under the direction of Miss Margaret-Jane Gorham was acclaimed an outstanding success.

Jack Roth installed the President of High St. Parent-Teachers Assn. — The High street Parent-Teacher met Monday evening at the high school auditorium. Installation of officers was followed by a program presented by Supt. Hayden Anderson.  Officers installed were: Jack Roth, president; Mrs. Fred Harmon, vice president; Mrs. R. A. Page, secretary; Chester Henderson, treasurer. 

25 Years Ago – Feb. 3, 1999

Processed potato’s success in Caribou — A local company is opening a new market for processed potatoes nationwide from Caribou. ‘Fresh From the Start’ potato products were developed by Andy Ayer of Maine Packers and Andy Pollak of Hapco Inc. of New York. The partially  cooked, precut specialty potatoes have been selling in 30 major chain stores on the East Coast and the Midwest including  Stop & Shop, BiLo, A&P, Safeway, Food Lion and American Stores since October 1997.Snowmobile shop opens up in Caribou — Snowmobilers now have another place to shop for their snowmobile needs. Reggie Thibodeau of Caribou has opened T. W. Willard Inc., next to Maine Metal Crafters on the Sweden Road in Caribou. T.W. Willard Inc. is a business specializing in truetrack runners for Polaris and Arctic Cat sleds. Two years ago, Thibodeau developed truetrack runners. They attach to the skis of snowmobiles, giving them more traction on the snow and ice.