Sixty-eight horses as far as can be found were burned last night in a fire which totally destroyed the stables of Edward N. Hutchins, Canal Street. Mr. Hutchins estimates his personal loss at $25,000 and the loss to others must reach at least $15,000, for some of the best horses, work and gentlemen’s drivers, in the two cities perished. The cause of the fire is unknown. The fire was the worst which has visited this city for a long time and never before in this section has been known such as a loss in horses.

50 years ago, 1957

• Miss Caroline Emerson of the National Handwriting Foundation will meet April 8 with Auburn teachers to conduct a handwriting demonstration. One aspect to be discussed in great detail will be the transition from manuscript to cursive.

• WATERLOO, Quebec – Another mill of the big Bates Mfg. Co. chain was ordered closed here today, the second in two days and the third in recent weeks, and the firm’s president termed the remaining three “rocky.” Closed was the new mill opened here earlier this year to produce the famed Bates spreads. The company said yesterday it will close the big York Div. mill at Saco, Maine.

25 years ago, 1982

• AUGUSTA – From as far away as California and Saudi Arabia, applications have been pouring in for a chance to participate in Maine’s second moose hunt in nearly half a century. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife has already tallied 45,000 cards from hunters willing to gamble $5 or $10 for a chance to stalk the biggest game animal in North America. the deadline for applications was Thursday, and officials expect the final figure to be “well over 50,000” when all the cards are counted.

• PRESQUE ISLE – An earthquake centered in New Brunswick sent tremors across northern Maine Wednesday, but there were no reports of significant damage. The Weston Observatory in Massachusetts said the quake occurred at 4:02 p.m. and measured 4.5 on the Richtor scale.