One man, David Pingree, owns or controls 767,972 acres of wild lands in one Maine county alone – Aroostook. This represents a domain probably larger than most of the great European landowners control. Some of the European kingdoms are not much larger.

In Aroostook, there are 2,596,856 acres of wild lands, so “D. Pingree et al.” owns one-third of the wild lands in that great county. This Aroostook domain if gathered together would make a little plot of about 120 square miles.

50 years ago, 1957

• International Letter Writing Week will be celebrated in Lewiston Oct. 6-12, Acting Postmaster Ronaldo E. Cailler announced yesterday. Cailler said the Post Office Department has observed National Letter Writing Week every year since 1938, an annual event to emphasize the meaning and value of letter writing as a symbol of American freedom. This year, the observance is being conducted on an international basis.

• The astonishing weight of Russia’s moon could soon bring moons carrying TV eyes, X-ray cameras, even telescopes to scout the weather, sun, earth and stars. A Russian scientist says plans are already under way to equip moons with heavy X-ray and other equipment to discover secrets of the sun.

25 years ago, 1982

• As Central Maine Medical Center appears on the brink of reorganizing its corporate structure, officials at St. Mary’s General Hospital and Marcotte Nursing Home are also “very active” in their own study of a possible corporate reorganization, according to the facilities’ chief executive officer.

• Millions of Americans are staring at their TV sets with the advent of the new fall season, but the National Society to Prevent Blindness says eye strain should not be a problem. The society says television won’t fatigue the eyes as long as the set is in focus and positioned correctly, and there is sufficient light in the room.