100 years ago, 1912
Few, if any, cities the size of Auburn have so few poor, a fact that is to its credit for the pauper bills of a place are a barometer of its prosperity. Besides being the healthiest city in New England, Auburn is one of the most prosperous. When the city council made up the annual appropriations a year ago, $2,500 was voted for the poor department. Its annual report said a balance of $1,200 was left on hand.

50 years ago, 1962
The possibility that the county of Androscoggin has gone an entire year under a state insurance plan without paying a single cent came crashing to light at a meeting of the Androscoggin County Commission this afternoon. The fact that the county has apparently not paid its share of the insurance, while each covered employee has, came while a representative of the Union Mutual Insurance Co. was explaining the state plan.

25 years ago, 1987
New Gloucester residents don’t want a prison in the neighborhood. They voiced their opposition, Wednesday night, to a plan to move residents of Pineland Center, a state-owned facility for the mentally retarded, to five new regional centers around the state and convert the center to a minimum-security prison.