100 years ago, 1913
About $5,000 damage was done to cotton and machinery at Avon Spinning mill, No. 2, in Lewiston, in a fire that broke out shortly before five o’clock Wednesday evening. No alarm was sounded and the fire was handled solely by employees of the mill. Louis Croteau, boss of the picker room, discovered the blaze, which started in the breaker-picker. Earlier in the day, 50 bales of cotton, averaging in value $75 each, were placed in the picker. These were damaged either by fire or water and the fire also worked down through the dust flue into the dust cellar. Work was suspended and 25 or 30 of the employees fought the fire. The management of the mill furnished a lunch to the employees, who watched for another outbreak of the fire until ten o’clock.

50 years ago, 1963
An official of the Bates Manufacturing Co. today stated that the entire board of directors of the textile firm, plus one new director, will be up for election at the firm’s annual meeting to be held in the general offices in Lewiston at 10 o’clock on Wednesday, April 17. H.L. Gosselin, assistant to the president of the firm, pointed out that the directors of the company recently voted to amend their bylaws to provide for annual election of the directors instead of the staggered three-year terms as has been the case in past years.

25 years ago, 1988
The “Living Cross” will be a feature at the Easter morning worship at the First Assembly of God Church at 70 Hogan Road in Lewiston. Designed and built by volunteers, the cross stands 18 feet tall and 16 feet wide and will hold a 40-voice choir.

Copy the Story Link