The first frost of the season, which proved to be a killing one, was experienced last night. Although general throughout the inland districts of New England, it was particularly severe in Maine. Late vegetables, including squash, pumpkins and corn, were ruined. Rough estimates by leading canned goods packers indicate the damage to Maine crops will amount to several hundred thousand dollars. The frost was one of the worst that has occurred so early in the fall in this State for years.v

50 Years Ago, 1954

A few more rainy days between now and the end of the month could make this the wettest September in the Twin Cities since 1875. Some rain has fallen on 13 our of 22 days so far this month with Hurricane Edna’s 4.75-inch downpour helping to push the month’s total up to a ground-soaking 8.37 inches of water. The rainfall this month is already more than double the rainfall of any September since 1947 and only one and a half inches of rain needs to fall to put the monthly total above the all-time record of 9.77 inches deposited in the Twin Cities in September 1933.

25 Years Ago, 1979

Wilton – Barbara Blum, deputy administrator of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, will speak at the dedication here Friday, Sept. 28, of the nation’s first solar-powered waste treatment plant. Blum will head a delegation of EPA and other government officials invited to the 11 a.m. dedication ceremonies. Because of its emphasis on solar power as its primary energy source, the Wilton plant is drawing national attention. The $2.5 million plant is small by comparison with many conventional plants built in Maine in recent years. It has a capacity of 450,000 gallons of wastewater a day, sufficient to meet Wilton’s needs until at least 1995. It will be open for public inspection both before and after the dedication ceremonies.