100 years ago, 1912
The farm building at Litchfield, known as the Martin Plummer place and owned by Col. George M. Kavanagh of this city, was burned to the ground by a fire which started at 8:30 o’clock last evening. It caught in the barn and is believed to have been set by tramps. The buildings included a story and a half house, ell, shed and barn. Twenty-five tons of hay were destroyed, The loss is estimated at about $5,000 and the insurance about $2,500. The buildings were unoccupied, but there was some furniture in the house of which the neighbors were able to save a little.

50 years ago, 1962
A bewildered duck was the object of an unusual mercy mission on frigid Taylor Brook in Auburn today. Auburn police first were called by Mrs. Vickie Salvano of Upper Court Street, owner of the duck, who asked for help in rescuing the creature. Sgt. George Deletetsky responded but was not equipped for this type of rescue. The duck could not get out of the water because ice had formed around it. New England Tel. & Tel. Co. crewman Roland Poulin happened along, however, and used a lengthy pole from his repair truck to break the ice around the duck, and the rescue was effected.

25 years ago, 1987
The Auburn City Council set out to toughen the rules governing street excavations, but the ordinance just accepted may make it easier than before to open city streets. The new regulations focus on situations where the need for excavation could not “reasonably have been foreseen.” Councilor Alvin E. Gilbert, who voted against the ordinance, told councilors, “I’m disappointed. I had hoped to tighten regulations. Instead we’re loosening them. What’s worse, we’re showing people how to do it. Someone would have to be pretty un-clever not to find a way to open a street under these regulations.”

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