100 years ago, 1912
The village of Sabattus has no system of lighting. At the mills electricity is used. The people are seeking some kind of a system to light their homes and business places. It is a topic of general discussion being suggested from the fact that a system of gas lighting is being installed at the co-operative store. This is the Blau-gas, a system of compressed gas that is made from petroleum and is shipped from the eastern plant at Portland in tanks. There is said to be power enough at the mills to run a plant large enough to light the village. Another man said to The Sun, “Why is not the small water power at Bryant’s Bridge on Sabattus River in this town utilized for some such a plant.”

50 years ago, 1962
The Maine Public Utilities Commission has frowned on at least one phase of the water rate system being utilized by the city of Lewiston. The talks at Augusta, which centered around the Bates College complaint against the city, found PUC members indicating that they felt that Lewiston, to be fair, should also charge other private institutions if it wants to charge Bates. The city installed several meters at the college earlier this year and, in effect, told the college to pay the higher bill or have their water shut off.

25 years ago, 1987
With a deadline just five weeks away, officials are racing against the clock to secure a building for the fledgling college of Lewiston and Auburn. “We are still keeping September 1988 as our opening date,” said University of Maine System Senior Associate Harlan Philippi. He and other university officials met with a building’s owner about a week ago in Lewiston and are planning a second meeting next week. He wouldn’t identify the building or its owner.