75 Years Ago – Oct. 2, 1947
Pilot has narrow escape in crash — Bertrand L. Foster, 32, of Houlton had a narrow escape from electrocution Sunday afternoon when the Cessna A-5 he was bringing in to land at the Airport here cracked up and became entangled with live wires near the farm of Elbert A. Dow on the Foxcroft Road.
The pilot, alone in the plane, suffered only slight facial cuts. Foster, who is a student flier with 22 hours to his credit, said his plane became enmeshed in the wires after it had struck a power pole in coming down. The lives of spectators, who rushed to the scene, were also endangered until the current was cut off.
Houlton celebrates return to grid with win — The Houlton Shiretowners celebrated their return to the gridiron, after a seven-year layoff, Saturday when they scored an impressive 50 to 0 win over a green Caribou eleven. The Houlton boys, clad in their flashy new black and white uniforms, were rated a six-point favorite when they took the field against Caribou at Robert M. Ruth field. Houlton had been practicing for over a month under Coaches Terry and Dobbins for this game white Caribou was reported to have had very little practice. It was typical football weather and the boys were waiting nervously for the starting burn.
50 Years Ago – Oct. 4, 1972
Downie, Jackins retire — Two Houlton men with 75 years of service between them were honored September 29 when both retired from the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. Leo E. Downie, traveling engineer and supervisor of air brakes for the road, began his railroad career in 1938. Guy L. Jackins, pulpwood loading inspector, entered BAR service as a clerk in the engineering department in 1930. Mr. Downie, a native of Presque Isle, attended St. Mary’s Academy and Houlton High School. He has been a piece worker, painter, laborer, fireman engineer and assistant traveling engineer for the railroad. Prior to his railroad service, he was employed by Houlton Truck Express, McGary’s Express, and the U.S. Civil Service.
Mr. Jackins is a native of Hodgdon and was educated in Hodgdon school and Houlton Business College. He has been a trackman, chainman, timekeeper, flangerman, carpenter helper, the inspector and timber agent for the railroad. Prior to his railroad service he was a farm laborer and a lathe sawyer. He also served in the Army between 1925 and 1928 at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.
VFW purchases new post home– The Col. Frank M. Hume Post, 2744, Veterans of Foreign Wars has purchased the Pine Grove Club on Drew’s Lake in Linneus and will use the structure as their new post home. VFW Commander William Marciniak said the 30 by 100 building and 63 acres of land were purchased by the Post from the Small Business Administration. The building, he said, will give the VFW its own home for the first time in some seven years, and will also serve as an opportunity for the VFW to sponsor such public events as dinners and dances.
25 Years Ago – Oct. 15, 1997
Health ed center now open – Following a year of planning and months of construction, Houlton Regional Hospital’s Center for Community Health location is now open for business. At the Center’s October 13 opening ceremony, hospital officials heralded the facility’s state-of-the-art equipment and all can provide the people of the Southern Aroostook county. Master of Ceremonies Walter Goodrich welcomed those who came out to witness the “unveiling” of the education center. Asking those in the back of the room if they could hear him, Goodrich joked that the audio equipment was supposed to be high-tech and with that, he said “we’ll soon see if that’s true.”
Derby course approved by officials – Plans to construct a permanent hill for soap box derby racers to speed down in Houlton were recently approved, and construction is set to begin within two weeks. The course will be located at the intersection of Community Park and the SAD #29 property adjacent to the soccer fields. A lease had to be created and approved by both the town of Houlton and the SAD #29 school board.
