120 Years Ago – Feb. 18, 1904
Important business deal made — The Aroostook Lumber Co., has made quite an important business deal in the purchase of the Stevens mill plant in Fort Fairfield and its stock of lumber. The property consists of the mill, a number of houses, a store and stables. The mill is equipped with first class modern machinery, a part of the outfit being 12 shingle machines, and is one of the best in the county. The lumber consists of about two and a half million of spruce and cedar now in the stream where it was hung up with other drives last spring.
Weather of the past week — The following is the record of the weather during the past week as registered by the thermometer at the pumping station at six o’clock each morning. Friday, 9° above zero; Saturday, 4° above zero; SUnday, 26° below zero; MOnday, 6° above zero; Tuesday, 20° above zero; Wednesday, 4° above zero; Thursday (today) zero.
115 Years Ago – Feb. 18, 1909
Sold the farm — It is understood that J. K. Blackstone, who recently sold his farm on the edge of Washburn to E. G. Greenlaw, and moved into the village, has purchased the residence of Arthur A. Beacom on Page Avenue.
New singer to take over — H. Lee Craig, who has been engaged as singer at Dreamland Theater for some time, closes his engagement Saturday night of this week. He will sing at the Presque Isle moving picture show next week. Chas. Chaplin, a fine tenor singer, has been engaged to take the place made vacant by Mr. Craig’s leaving.
100 Years Ago – Feb. 14, 1924
A move made for school — Mrs. Robert Wark has taken rooms in the Newman Cochran house on Summer Street for the winter months with her children so they may be near school.
Stipends made — The following shows the stipends received by the Aroostook County fairs for the year 1923: Aroostook County Fair, Caribou, $320.04; Houlton, Agricultural Fair, $868.31; Northern Maine Fair Association, Presque Isle, $2,250.16.
75 Years Ago – Feb. 17,1949
Local publisher scheduled to sail with Atlantic Fleet — Charley Helfenstein, publisher of this newspaper, was scheduled to sail from the Navy yard at Norfolk, VA., this Thursday morning on the U. S. S. Taconic, flagship of one of two Atlantic fleets that will engage in maneuvers in Caribbean waters the next several weeks. The local man is one of eight publishers of weekly newspapers of the nation going with the Navy on this occasion. Helfenstein and another past president of the National Editorial Association, William H. Conrad of Medford, Wisc., were to be joined by six publishers who are presidents of their home state press associations, including Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. The publishers will have five weeks of experience with the modern Navy.
Prize winners — Prize winners of the 13 mile marathon and 4 mile ski races held at the New Sweden Winter Carnival were: Fred Holmquist, Harvard Holmquist, Lendell Johnson, Stanley Holmquist. Fred placed first in both events; Harvard came in third in both races; Lendell ran second in the marathon; Stanley capped second prize in the four mile race.
25 Years Ago – Feb. 17, 1999
Caribou company makes what others in the state don’t — BMW Manufacturing Co. in Caribou is the only company in Maine who takes flat pieces of polished stainless steel and transforms them into display tables, meat cutting tables, cabinets and other display units used in local supermarkets.The company started doing business in 1991. Three men who were working together in Caribou were out of jobs when Gould and Smith Co. shut down its operations. Bill Busse, Doug Morrell and John Weeks bought the company’s equipment at an auction and started out in a 3500 square foot building in Caribou. In five years, the new company moved three times. Outgrowing their accommodations, the company now resides on Aldrich Street in an 8500 square foot workshop they built two years ago.
Lions Club to take over Spud Speedway management — Spud Speedway on Thompson Road has new management. The Caribou Lions Club leased the facility and plans to start the season with the Lion’s Snowfest Saturday at the Speedway. The event features a radar run, snow cross and long jump. The Lions Club decided to lease the facility to try to help the community. ‘We wanted to do something on a weekly basis in the community. It is an asset to the community although it has been struggling for the past five years.’ said Lions Club President John Lancaster. Larry Doody, Lancaster Lions Club member, plans to provide services that local people want. One of the main ones being race-car rentals.
