Running full speed, each one a downgrade, two heavily laden express cars on the Lewiston-Bath line met head on late Thursday forenoon on the curve just north of Frost’s Park. Crashing into each other with terrific impact, the up bound car plowed half way thru the other and both toppled off the track a mass of kindling wood.

Two men, motorman and conductor of the up bound car are in the Central Maine General Hospital at Lewiston, suffering from injuries that may prove fatal. The motorman on the south bound car escaped with a few cuts and scratches, and the conductor saved his life by leaping.

50 years ago, 1958

Fire drills were carried out yesterday at nine Lewiston schools as part of Fire Prevention Week activities. Drills will be held at other schools today. Taking part in yesterday’s drills were Lewiston High School, Dingley, Farwell, Martel and Wallace schools, along with Holy Family, Holy Cross, St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s parochial schools.

Drills are scheduled to be conducted today at Coburn, Jordan, Frye and Pettingill schools in the public education system: St. Peter’s, St. Patrick’s parochial schools, St. Dominic’s High School, the Healey Asylum and the Marcotte Home for Aged People.

Students in all schools participating “did well” in yesterday’s drills, reported Deputy Fire Chief Reginald A. Doucette.

25 years ago, 1983

Many of the nation’s school children will be getting Maine blueberries for lunch while the industry reduces its surpluses, under a pilot program to introduce blueberries to the nation’s school-lunch program. The federal government will buy about 300,000 pounds of Maine blueberries as part of the project which was welcomed by the state’s blueberry industry.

Besides easing the surplus among eastern Maine growers and processors, the project will be an answer to pressure from parents who have wanted the addition of worthwhile and nutritious fruits in their children’s lunch programs. The project will also include a market survey in which students will be asked to rate a variety of blueberry products and register any complaints.

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