100 years ago, 1909

Circulars have been issued by the Secret Service giving warning of the appearance of a new counterfeit silver certificate of the $5 denomination. The counterfeit is said to be a good photographic reproduction on two pieces of paper, between which a few pieces of red silk have been distributed. The treasury number is D67061242 and it is thought that this number will appear on all the counterfeits as the bill is a photographic reproduction.

50 years ago, 1959

Due to the shorter hours worked by election officials in Auburn on Monday’s State referendum balloting, the Auburn City Council last night established a pay of $12 for the workers.

The motion for the $12 pay for each worker was made by Councilman Gerard L. Rousseau of Ward Three and was seconded by Ward Five Councilman Eugene Keene.

25 years ago, 1984

Auburn’s firefighters call themselves a “brotherhood.”

Their closeness is illustrated by a work swap schedule they employ when a firefighter is out of work and his sick pay and vacation time have lapsed.

In ordinary circumstances most employees must then rely on what compensation pay they receive — usually a percentage of their normal take-home pay. But in the Auburn Fire Department, colleagues rally and work the disabled employee’s time to give him a full check.

The system isn’t a free ride, firefighters said. When the disabled person returns to work, he “owes” the others time. It may take a while, but that firefighter will work a lot of double duty, on his regular pay, until he pays his dues.