Not-so-good old days

Picking up a copy of the Norway Advertiser 80 years ago always allowed readers to somewhat escape the depressing economy, the endless political outrages and the troublesome events abroad. Instead, they could focus on that endless source of fascination for all humans — the misfortunes of their neighbors. From the Norway Advertiser, January 6, 1933:

Municipal Court Matters

Too Free Use of Liquor and Operating Without Licenses Figured During the Week

On complaint of Sheriff W. O. Frothingham, Austin Brigham, Sam Gallinari and Donald E. O'Brien, all of Bridgton were before Judge Harry M. Shaw, Tuesday. All pleaded guilty to the charge of intoxication. Brigham and Gallinari paid costs and fine of $15.90 each. O'Brien paid $16.90. The hearing had been continued from December 22.

Wilfred Turgeon of Bethel pleaded guilty to intoxication and was fined $5. and costs of court. Thirty days were allowed for securing the money. Deputy Sheriff Chester A. Cummings of Bethel was complainant.

S. O. Niskannen of Paris, who pleaded guilty to intoxication, was sentenced to pay a fine of $5. and costs or thirty days in jail. One week was allowed for payment. Sheriff W. O. Frothingham made the arrest.

Trying to operate motor cars without securing a new license caused an influx of offenders. Wednesday morning State highway officer Eugene Stevens appeared against John A. Twaddle of Bethel; Herbert E. Berrymont, Woodstock; Frank B. Bartlett, Bethel; and Edward Koskella of Paris. Highway Officer Stanley Haskell was complainant against Thomas Verrill, Frank Curtis and Emil Heikkinen, all of Paris; Jesse Akers of Greenwood; Chester D. Hardy, Rumford, and Benjamin Wilson, Woodstock. Each was charged with operating a car without a driver's license. All pleaded guilty and each was sentenced to pay his costs of court. All paid and were discharged.

Frank S. Hutchinson of Carthage, Franklin County, was before Judge Harry M. Shaw, of the Norway Municipal Court, Tuesday morning, charged with trapping a beaver on Barker Brook in Bethel in closed season, on complaint of Warden James L. Walker. Plead guilty and fined $50 and costs of $2.95. Case was confined for sentence on payment of costs and he was placed on probation for one year.

Chimney Fires on Rampage

Starts the New Year Off With a Bang

Four still alarms for chimney troubles have been answered by the fire department since the entrance of the new year.

A chimney fire, starting from a spark in the fireplace made a hot time at the residence of Fred H. Cummings about 6 o'clock Sunday evening. On January 2, Herbert Wood discovered his rooms filled with smoke, but couldn't locate the fire. Members of the department found the chimney flue was plugged, causing all smoke to back-draft into the house.

Two calls Tuesday evening kept the firemen on the jump. A hot chimney about 7 p.m. at Herman Brown's, formerly the Kelley place, on Whitman Street, was handled by chemical extinguishers.

At 8:40 p.m., a spectacular chimney fire at Beals Tavern caused some uneasiness until extinguishers were carried through the coupula and across the roof to the danger zone. No damage was reported at any call.

The chemical truck was called to the Clark block on Pleasant street, Thursday forenoon, where flames were reported to be steaming from a chimney in the part occupied by Jack Birmingham. The fire was put out before the department reached the house.

And so life teetered on for the Oxford Hillians of 1933.

As is our custom, we try to exactly reproduce the grammar, spelling, punctuation and style of the original. Commas might appear where least expected and remain absent where we’d expect them if the item was written nowadays. On the other hand, consistency was not considered of utmost importance, so variations of a spelling might appear within one story. In addition, some words were abbreviated differently than today. Where brief explanations of terms are considered necessary, they are presented in brackets [] within the quote. Otherwise, explanations appear at the beginning or at the conclusion, without quotes. Parenthesis () used in a quoted passage appeared in the original.