Samuel Mottram, a brother of Officer Mottram, was badly injured on Mechanics Row in Auburn.
It seems that the horse on one of Uncle Sam’s mail teams was frightened while passing under the overhead railroad bridge on Turner Street, by the explosion of a bunch of fire crackers. The horse, had it not been for the cool head of the driver, would have run away. He became practically unmanageable, and the driver reined him up at the junction of Court and Turner streets.
The horse then ran down Mechanics Row. Mr. Mottram tried to get out of the way, but in doing so, miscalculated the time he had and was run over, the wheels of the team passing over his limbs. No bones were broken, however, and it is thought he will be as well as ever within a few days.
50 Years Ago, 1953
Richard Nadeau, 13, of Auburn lost his right hand and two other Auburn boys suffered lesser injuries when a fireworks dud exploded in Nadeau’s hand at Pettengill Park. The other injured boys are Arthur Vosmus, 13, and Arthur Lachance, 13. They attended a fireworks display at the park and ran onto the field at its conclusion to pick up duds.
Nadeau still is at the Central Maine General Hospital. Lachance and Vosmus were discharged by Sunday night. Young Nadeau is a Sun-Journal newsboy, carrying the Journal route in the Main Street, Auburn, section.
25 Years Ago, 1978
Additional facilities are in use this season at Range Ponds State Park in Poland as the area starts its second summer season. Park Manager Leland Griffin said that 70 picnic tables, twice the number here last year, have been located throughout the park and in the near future 40 barbecue grills will be located in the park for the convenience of visitors to the facility.
Group picnic areas are also being prepared at this time and will soon be ready for use. Work also is underway on completing a children’s playground. Equipment for the playground has arrived and it won’t be long before this too will be in use.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful sites is the new softball field now ready for use by persons visiting the park. Soft, shaded paths lead from the auxiliary parking lot through the woods to the ball field. The field was prepared with alternating strips of contrasting shades of green grass which shimmer in the sunlight.
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