Something of a sensation occurred during the religious services held in the jail, county building, Sunday morning. The service was being conducted by Mrs. Samuel Darling, and had just begun, when a dense smoke began to issue from one of the cells. Someone screamed “fire,” and for a few minutes there were lively scenes in the jail. An investigation was made by the jail officers, and it was found that Arthur Lafayette, of Lewiston and Arthur Gagne of Franklin county, two of the prisoners, had placed some paper in the ventilation flues and applied a match with the results above described.

50 Years Ago, 1955

High radioactivity readings made this noon at the University of Maine caused a flurry of excitement in the Bangor area until Civil Defense officials in Augusta declared that there was no danger to humans or animals. They said that they had received warning from Washington to expect higher than usual readings due to the radio active cloud that was over the eastern seaboard. The readings were made on a portable geiger counter at the University. No counting machines were in use to record the exact amount of radiation but trained observers said that it was as much as five to seven times higher than normal. This, however, they say is far below any danger point.

25 Years Ago, 1980

This week’s best selling records: 1, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Queen; 2, “Longer,” Dan Fogelberg; 3, “Yes I’m Ready,” Teri DeSario; 4, “Cruisin’,” Smokey Robinson; 5, “Working My Way Back to You,” Spinners; 6, “Another Brick in the Wall,” Pink Floyd; 7, “Desire,” Andy Gibb; 8, “Rock With You,” Michael Jackson; 9, “Him,” Rupert Holmes; 10, “How Do I Make You,” Linda Ronstadt.

For sale: almost 400 slot machines. By an unofficial vote of 66,164 to 39,663, a tiny turnout of Maine referendum voters Tuesday upheld the Legislatures 1979 prohibition on slot-machine gambling.

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