100 Years Ago: 1920

The roads around these cities are certainly in a fearful condition. The snow is by no means gone and slumps are at a light weight. In some places: they are positively dangerous. In the cities autos are running and the mud is flying. At times a lady has her Easter clothes splashed by a passing car. Truly, eternal vigilance is the price of clean clothes.

50 Years Ago: 1970

Employees of the three divisions of Bates Manufacuring Company Inc, in Lewiston and Augusta will receive a wage increse averaging ten cents per hour effective Monday. It was announced jointly today by Denis A. Blais, area director of the Textile Workers Union of America, AFL-ClO, and Hal Gosselin, assistant to the “president of the company. They said the new maximum wage will be $1.45 per hour. Blais and Gosselin  also said the employees will also receive the equivalent of one and one half cents per hour in fringe benefits. This includes a half day pay holiday on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and an increase in accident and sickness benefits.

25 Years Ago: 1995

A powerful northerly wind caused the remains of Lake Auburn’s ice cover to be broken into chunks and pieces Friday. By late in the afternoon, 90 percent of the lake was ice free. The remainder of the winter coat was being pushed onto the shores of East Auburn. So the date of April 14, 1995 will be logged into the data of “unofficial” Sun-Journal ice-out dates. Last year’s date was April 22. Much of North Auburn was still socked with ice Thursday night. But a brisk wind Friday morning cleared that area in a hurry, sending the skimpy remains across the lake into the East Auburn and Pumping Station areas. The honeycomb remains were being crushed by the waves.

The material used in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors may be corrected.