Samuel L. Clements, (Mark Twain), brought to a close with laughter a day of argumentative strife over the terms of the copyright bill, now the subject of hearings before the Senate and House Committees on Patents in Washington, D.C.

A telegram was received by the Lewiston Wrestling and Athletic Association that Perrilli and Simard, the two giant wrestlers who are to meet on the mat in Lewiston City Hall. They will be met by members of the association who will look after their entertainment while in this city.

50 Years Ago, 1956

Auburn police and fire officials are investigating the fire which destroyed the huge West Auburn icehouse of the Lake Auburn Ice. Co. with a loss estimated by the owner, Wesley B. Urquhart, Auburn, at $50,000. Urquhart said not only was the large building with a capacity of 100,000 blocks of ice destroyed but the company lost all of its ice harvesting and handling tools.

A snowstorm kept friends from calling on John W. Cummings in Cumberland on his 104th birthday but the man who beat statisticians by collecting his own life insurance at the age of 96 had a good day just the same.

25 Years Ago, 1981

When it comes to long-distance service, Ma Bell is brooding over a few rebellious children. Four small, independent companies are finding they can turn a profit by undercutting the Bell System’s long-distance rates. And the idea is catching on with consumers.

In the wake of a court ruling upholding Maine’s ban on drug paraphernalia, at least one “head shop” owner began packing away the store’s now illegal merchandise while the state prepared to enforce the law. Although the law went into effect in September, it had not been enforced pending the outcome of the court challenge brought by a trade association representing some head-shop owners. Head shops are stores that specialize in roach clips, cocaine kits, water pipes and similar devices.