The wood and coal dealers in Lewiston and Auburn in keeping with orders issued, “closed shop” yesterday and all hands enjoyed a day’s outing. This applied to all members of the Wood and Coal Dealers Association in the state, and by general agreement at a previous meeting, it was voted to decide upon some day, when all of the dealers could close their business for a day, and have a general good time.

Yesterday was the day agreed upon and several weeks ago orders were issued to all of the dealers to prepare for a day’s outing to Casco Castle. This is a time of year when business is rather quiet and yesterday was especially warm so that the comfort of none was the less for the absence of the local wood and coal dealers.

50 Years Ago, 1954

Lewiston voters will have brand new booths in which to closet themselves Monday when they vote for their favorite candidates in the State primary elections. The booths, built by Charles Bellegarde of Lewiston, are being assembled at the old Park Street fire station building. Bellegarde built 78 of them at a cost in excess of $1,000. They will replace the old swinging door type of booths which has been in use 30 years or more.

These will be nearly like the 26 booths built in 1951. They have metal supports and curtains instead of wooden doors. The old booths are scheduled to be turned over to the Public Works department which is interested in salvaging the lumber.

25 Years Ago, 1979

Lewiston butcher Rene Albert has been selling portions of horse for human consumption for over six years. Last Wednesday his cellar freezer was full of horse meat hanging from hooks, but he was confident that in about a week’s time the freezer will be empty.

Albert estimates sales of 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of horse meat a week – equal to approximately 40 to 50 horses, depending on size – from his Butcher Boy Meat Shop at 81 Chestnut St.

His highly successful operation may be a sign of the times. Albert’s meat shop shifted the emphasis of its over-the-counter sales six years ago to accommodate the changing taste buds and strained pocketbooks of Lewiston-Auburn shoppers.

The horses – many of them wild mustangs – are caught out west, sold at auctions and then shipped east where they are slaughtered in Shelton, Conn. Albert then buys the meat from the Shelton distributor.