100 years ago: 1925

“STEEP FALLS — John Randolph Watson, 88, pioneer in the gold fields of the west and of the Klondike region, globe trotter, friend of the late Theodore Roosevelt and noted as a man who for 47 years was unable to close his eyes because of terrible burns sustained in his youth, died here today.

“A series of operations by surgeons of the Hahnemann hospital in Philadelphia in 1902 and 1903 resulted in the restoration of Watson’s eye lids, and also in the grafting of pieces of skin on other portions of his head which had been disfigured.

“Four years ago, when 84 years old, yearning to see once more the Klondike, he started for that section alone, and remained a few weeks. For a time he conducted a small store at Last Chance Claim, which is now Helena, Montana, giving up that business when gold was found beneath the building where he traded.

“He was in London when Theodore Roosevelt returned from his African trip and formed a friendship with the former President, and was later his guest at Oyster Bay.”

50 years ago: 1975

“A State Police cruiser operated by Cpl. Anthony W. Brann of Canton collided with a vehicle driven by Henry Faunce of North Turner Thursday while in pursuit of a juvenile speeder on Route 4 at Livermore.

“Faunce reported that he just happened to be pulling out of Butter Hill Road onto Route 4 as Cpl. Brann went by at about 80 mph. The cruiser and the Faunce vehicle sideswiped at the intersection and the officer didn’t stop, rather, he continued with the chase, returning to the scene of the accident about ten minutes later after Brann had apprehended the speeder.

“In the meantime, Deputy Henry Bernier of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department arrived at the scene and he reported to headquarters that an accident had taken place, and that the trooper had not stopped. Faunce was reported uninjured, but shaken by the accident.”

25 years ago: 2000

“TURNER — Employees who sued the DeCoster Egg Farms to collect years of unpaid overtime wages have settled with the company for more than $850,000, their lawyer said Monday.

“In one case, a worker will receive more than $40,000, Auburn lawyer Curtis Webber said.

“He wasn’t sure how the money will affect the 72 employees’ standard of living. No one told him how they plan to use it.

“But Webber noted that before state law was changed in 1997 to require DeCoster to pay overtime, many of the employees were working 50 to 60 hours a week. Some, at times, were putting in more than 100 hours.”

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