100 years ago: 1925

“A big black bear was reported wandering about Levi Sawyer’s farm near Thorne’s Corner, Lewiston, Tuesday. The bear is said to have startled several small children who reported the incident to their parents. Several farmers attempted to hunt the bruin down, according to reports which reached the business section of Lewiston Wednesday. The results of their hunt could not be obtained. Not one of them answered repeated telephone calls.”

50 years ago: 1975

“A surprise candidate for Auburn’s municipal election announced today he will seek the Ward Two seat on the City Council being vacated by Jack O. Smith. He is Howard Feldman, 30, of 100 Gamage Ave., a former radio announcer, now employed at the Livermore Shoe Division of Bennett Importing Co. of Livermore Falls. In announcing his candidacy, Feldman said in a short prepared statement: ‘By having served the people of Auburn on many different levels, and by having sincere desire to meet my commitments of continued service, I have decided to seek the City Council seat from Ward Two.’”

25 years ago: 2000

“Voters will gather for the last time in the town of Madrid’s history Saturday. But when the gavel raps to signal the beginning of the end for the town, it won’t be the end of the community, residents have said. ‘We are still a town as far as a group of people goes, and we hope to stay that way,’ said Joan Carroll, president of the recently formed Madrid Historical Society. Crunched by creeping costs and a declining tax base, voters decided to disband the town and become part of the unorganized territory during a 76 to 38 ballot vote in November. Those in favor of disbanding gained the two-thirds majority required by law by a solitary vote after a two-year process that included a variety of public hearings, town meetings and an act of the state Legislature.”

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