115 Years Ago – Aug. 11, 1903
They call him The Streak — A naked man concealed himself behind the “Clean Groceries” signboard of H.N. Goodhue’s in Fort Fairfield during Monday and Tuesday and jumped out and scared and shocked women who were walking or riding by. He did not jump out at any men. On Tuesday evening, a posse composed of something like half of the town of all sexes, ages, and conditions went out after the bad man. They found him, dressed this time, and chased him up the railroad track. When too hard pressed, he jumped into the river, set his face toward the north side, and “pulled for the shore.” He has been in the vicinity of Four Falls, New Brunswick and was thought to have escaped from the insane asylum. The different stories told about this man would fill 300 volumes the size of an unabridged dictionary, according to the Fort Fairfield Review.
100 Years Ago – Aug. 14, 1918
Cigar factory — Joseph McGrath has re-established his cigar factory in the Cary block over Smith and Lufkin’s store. One by one, the victims of the fire are finding new quarters.
MIA — A telegram received this Thursday forenoon states that Joseph Bouchard of Caribou is “missing in action.”
75 Years Ago – Aug. 11, 1943
Purchase — The Katahdin Creamery of Patten has completed arrangements for the purchase of the milk plant of F.J. Blackstone and sons and will begin operations at the local plant on Monday as the Caribou Branch of the creamery. The local plant will continue to dispense milk and cream, and will likewise recieve cream for processing as sweet cream for ice cream and butter. Fred Blackstone and his sons have been distributing milk in Caribou for 24 years. A pasteurizing plant was installed by them two years ago.
Practice closed — Dr. R. A. Proctor, who has recently received a commission as First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, will close his office on Saturday, Aug. 14. He expects to report for active service at Philadelphia, Penn., in the near future. Proctor has stated that he intends to resume his practice in Caribou at the close of the war.
50 Years Ago – Aug. 14, 1968
Penalty — The Caribou Police Department has issued a statement indicating that it intends to fully enforce the two-hour parking limit for the remainder of the temporary period of free parking in Caribou. The ordinance fixing a fine of $2 for over-parking adopted on July 2 by the City Council remains in effect until Sept. 1. It’s a green parking ticket for anyone in violation and it’s “to court” for anyone failing to pay the $2 assessment, say police. “It’s going to hurt,” they added.
Passes away — An illness of several days has claimed the life of Atwood C. Page, a lifelong resident of Caribou. He was 63. An employee of Birds Eye Division, General Foods, Corp., as a supervisor for over 16 years until his retirement a year ago, Page died at a local hospital Monday. He was born here Dec. 27, 1904, the son of Charles W. and Addied Reynolds. Mr. Page was a member of Gray Memorial Methodist Church, the Kiwanis Club and a former member of the Grange.
25 Years Ago – Aug. 11, 1993
Last year — Damon Elementary School at Loring Air Force Base will open its doors for the last time at the beginning of the school year Aug. 17 in Limestone. Opened in 1953 as the Limestone Air Force Base School, the building in 1954 was dedicated as the Damon Elementary School for Albert H. Damon, for his “46 years of unselfish service to the Limestone School System” according to a plaque at the school. At one time, Loring students attended grades K-8 at two school complexes, the other being Harrison Elementary School, which had 31 classrooms, a cafeteria, auditorium, library, offices and storerooms.
Resolution — In an effort to save the weather station in Caribou, the city council Monday night charged its airport committee to put together a resolution opposing the site’s closure. The National Weather Service placed the Caribou station on a closure list for 1996. Future weather reports will be sent from a regional site in Gray. In June, U.S. Sen. William Cohen, R-Maine, wrote to U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown protesting the weather service’s decision. The station employs six full-time workers and the weather service pays the city $12,000 annually on the building.
