100 years ago, 1912
 Walter E. Frost of Auburn has invented a fire alarm system which, because of its simplicity, cheapness to install and to operate and the universality with which it can be used, promises to revolutionize all present systems. In the use of existing telephone wires without special installation, as is the case with other alarm systems, it saves great cost. The fire alarm system in Auburn and Lewiston cost about $8,000 and the ten miles of wire connecting the various boxes and the central station cost $600. When a telephone exchange operator receives a fire report by telephone, all she has to do is to step to the nearby machine, register the number of the district and push the button. On the first tap of the bell, the district number is registered in the engine house, greatly hastening the response time.

50 years ago, 1962
A fifteen-year-old Auburn girl pleaded innocent in a juvenile session of Auburn Municipal Court today to a charge of refusing to surrender the telephone for the purpose of reporting a fire. The girl denied she refused to enable a South Auburn resident to call the fire department to report a chimney fire. The case was continued to Thursday morning for further hearing.

25 years ago, 1987
A proposed law calling for a review of county budget processes is designed to evaluate the funding of county government, not the structure, says Rep. Gregory Nadeau, D-Lewiston, one of the bill’s sponsors. He maintains the bill is no reflection of success or failure of the county committee process.