Mrs. Mark Merrow of Auburn thinks that if people don’t believe that chickens pay they better talk with her. From thirty hens in the month of December she got two hundred and twenty seven eggs and in the month of January three hundred and forty eight. Almost forty-eight dozen, and with prices ranging from forty-five to fifty cents a dozen, this seems to mean a good margin of profit. Mrs Merrow attributes her success to a liberal ration of chopped beets together with cooked meat, oyster shells and charcoal in addition to the usual corn and oats.

50 years ago, 1959

In preparation for the observance of Crime Prevention Week Feb. 8-14, Auburn police Chief Alton E. Savage spoke yesterday at the weekly meeting of the Lewiston Exchange Club at the DeWitt Hotel. Stating that the police force should be looked upon as a friend of the public rather than a stern disciplinarian, Chief Savage illustrated the point by the force’s work in the Police Athletic League and other organizations.

25 years ago, 1984

For almost three weeks there was no word from solo sailor Bill Dunlop, now crossing the Pacific on his around-the-world voyage. But word was received in his hometown of Mechanic Falls Thursday that Dunlop is northeast of the Galapagos Islands on the leg of his trip which will take him to French Polynesia.

His wife, Pamela, received word late Thursday afternoon that Dunlop and his tiny craft Wind’s Will were spotted by the tanker Stolt Boel, approximately 450 miles northeast of the main island of the Galapagos group.

The master of the tanker said in his telex transmission that Dunlop’s message home was, “Going OK, but slow.” It was the first word Mrs. Dunlop had received from her husband since he sailed out of Panama at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 14.