YESTERDAY …

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(As reported in the Bangor Daily News)

10 years ago – Jan. 31, 1998

Ice buildup on city streets has forced the rerouting of one bus run, the superintendent of The Bus said.

The bus that normally goes through Capehart began going around the perimeter of the area off Ohio Street. It was the first time The Bus has had to cut off part of a route in this manner in the last 18 years.

Traveling the Capehart streets was difficult on both passengers and drivers, and was causing damage to wheelchair lifts.

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ORONO – The snowflakes danced in the wind around Alfond Arena at the University of Maine. On the roof, workers spent their second day chipping, scraping and shoveling off ice and snow. It was a familiar winter ritual for the building most people associate with hockey and basketball.

Inside, however, a very different kind of ritual was taking place. The Bangor area’s Muslim community gathered to celebrate Id al-Fitr, a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, Islam’s most holy time of the year.

25 years ago – Jan. 31, 1983

HAMPDEN – A fire in Hampden destroyed a barn, but family and friends of the barn owners managed to get the horses clear of the structure before its flames engulfed it.

“The barn was fully involved and threatening the house upon our arrival,” said Fire Chief Robert Bailey, adding that there was an adjoining building to the barn which housed a number of horses.

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BANGOR – Each night in Bangor, from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m., 12 police officers move through the city within six defined beat areas. Their duties may entail a visit to a downtown bar where patrons occasionally become a little high-spirited for the proprietor, or a check of the corner store for a possible burglary.

Before the officers get out of the car, two people are well-aware of their movements. Inside the fluorescent-lit communications room at 35 Court St., the night dispatcher and the shift commander wait and watch.

One recent night, Lt. Michael Hosmer was shift commander and Ron Finch manned the switchboard.

50 years ago – Jan. 31, 1958

BANGOR – When 9-year-old George Stackhouse of Eastport recovers from polio enough to return home, he will have a dog waiting to welcome him.

George, who has been a patient at the Eastern Maine General Hospital since he was stricken, talked quite a lot about “Teddy,” a collie dog which he had and loved as every little boy does his pet. It seems that Teddy was poisoned and George felt pretty sad about it.

Mrs. Phyllis Sharpe, who has been George’s nurse, had a dog named Kelley, a little Boston terrier, and she gave it to George. He is delighted.

George is out of the respirator now and will be moved to Hyde Memorial Hospital in Bath for accelerated physical therapy to bring him back to health and to restore the use of his arms and legs.

His parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Russell Stackhouse, came up from Eastport and will go in the ambulance with George to Bath. On the way home they will pick up Kelley and take him to Eastport.

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HAMPDEN – Mrs. William Smith, Summer Street, chairwoman of the Hampden Mother’s March for Polio, has announced a total of $400 collected to date.

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HAMPDEN – Eight candidates have been named to compete for the title of Sno Queen of 1958 to reign over the annual Sno Ball, sponsored by the Hampden Academy senior class.

Candidates named by their classmates on the basis of personality, popularity and scholastic activities as well as attractiveness are Nancy Bartlett, Betty McCausland, Margaret Briggs, Ann Guerin, Charlene Toothaker, Judy Philips, Belle Lambert and Marcia Fogg.

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BUCKSPORT – M. Hubert d’Auvigny of Grenoble, France, is a visitor at the St. Regis Paper Company mill.

A representative of the Papeteries de France, he will spend about six weeks here studying the method of machine coating magazine paper by a machine used at the Bucksport mill. A machine with a coater similar to the one in use here is being installed at one of the mills in Grenoble, France, of which M. d’Auvigny is an engineer.

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BUCKSPORT – The Bucksport Village Extension group held an all-day meeting at the fire station with 14 present. The meeting centered around “Make Your Broiler Work” with Mrs. Carolyn Wescott, food leader, and Mrs. Frances Hall, assistant leader, in charge. All participated in preparing the dinner.

Because the home demonstration agent has moved away, a change of plans for the February meeting has been made. It is expected that this meeting will be devoted to “Liquid Embroidery.”

100 years ago – Jan. 31, 1908

WEST WINTERPORT – The friends of F.C. Atwood were shocked to learn of his recent accident, during which he sprained his wrist very badly and broke his knee-pan, which will confine him to the house for many weeks. Mr. Atwood is our local druggist and has charge of the telephone exchange here, and is very popular.

The farmers are nearly despaired of harvesting their ice or getting their lumber and cordwood to market, owing to the absence of snow. A few inches of snow fell Tuesday night, but not enough to make good sleighing.

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WINTERPORT – We are pleased to learn that F.C. Atwood is recovering from the results of his accident. He was out collecting the monthly telephone rents, having hired a stable team, and was accompanied by Capt. Thomas Morgan.

When near Ellingwood’s Corner the wagon broke, throwing the occupants out. Mr. Atwood received a deep gash on his knee and several other bruises. The frightened horse ran nearly to the village, dragging the remaining part of the wagon. Mr. Atwood was immediately cared for and medical aid procured as soon as possible. The wound at the knee is the most dangerous, although the sprained wrist is very painful.

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BUCKSPORT – Ice cutting has commenced on the Alamoosook for the summer cottages. If this cold snap holds, the ice on Silver Lake will be of sufficient thickness in a few days to house [the ice], when the work of cutting the supply for the town will commence.

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BREWER – The Brewer Free Library Association has been considering plans for opening a public free library within the year. Meantime, that the work may go on, the book committee invites the public to assist by donating to the library suitable and interesting books. Books wanted are reference and older standard and classic works of English literature.

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ORONO – Contractor Wallbridge of Concord, N.H., who has taken the contract to repair the bridge over the Stillwater River, has begun work and has a crew of a dozen men doing the preliminary work. The work is done under the supervision of the railroad commissioners of the state and according to plans for the strengthening of the bridge made by J.W. Storrs, consulting engineer of Concord, N.H.

The lumber for the work has not arrived yet and the work on the bridge will be slow until that comes. Divers who made the examination of the bridge piers pronounced them in good shape and perfectly safe. The work the contractor has to do will be only on the wooden structure, which will be completely strengthened and made safe for the car traffic.

It is understood that the repairs call for an expenditure of $5,000. There is a good deal of work to be done and it will be some time before the cars are allowed to cross the bridge again.

Compiled by Ardeana Hamlin