Looking Backward

The north

10 years ago

Nov. 20, 1999:The Thousand Islands Central School District will host an open house Sunday in each of its three buildings. Parents and community members can see the results of an $11.5 million capital project.

25 years ago

Nov. 20, 1984:Shareholders of Champion International Corp. and St. Regis Corp., at special meetings today, voted their approval of the merger agreement under which St. Regis will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Champion.

50 years ago

Nov. 20, 1959:A $10,000 fire this morning destroyed a large hay storage barn and milk house on the Jeddie I. Pitre farm, Wagoner Road, Evans Mills. The T-shaped barn was burned to the ground. Lost were 15 tons of chopped hay, a Tudor car parked in the barn and $400 worth of farm tools.

75 years ago

Nov. 20, 1934:The New York Air Brake Co. is assured of substantial business for the next 10 years. This is a result of the action by the directors of the American Railway Association on the plan to re-equip all of the Class I railroads in the country with the new high-speed AB brake, designed jointly by the Westinghouse Air Brake Co. and the Watertown company, within 10 years.

100 years ago

Nov. 20 1909: The American Express Co.'s annual poultry special or "turkey train" is being operated over the St. Lawrence division today, carrying thousands of dressed fowls to Boston and Worcester, Mass., for the Thanksgiving trade.

125 years ago

Nov. 20, 1884:Knowlton Bros. has just placed in the mills on Mill Street an electric light plant. There are 75 lights that do away with the necessity of gas or lamps and illuminate the buildings at much less expense. The light used is the Sawyer-Munn Co.'s condensed light, which is rapidly taking its place at the head of all electric lighting systems.

The world

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Today is Friday, Nov. 20,the 324th day of 2009. There are 41 days left in the year.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 20, 1947, Britain's future queen, Princess Elizabeth, married Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey.

Thought for Today:"Make haste slowly." — Caesar Augustus, Roman emperor (63 B.C.-A.D. 14).