100 years ago, 1913

Kenneth Coombs, aged 14, of Dennison street, Auburn, had a narrow escape from serious electrical shock Wednesday night when the trolley wire, which caused the fire at the house of L. C. Bateman, broke.

Young Coombs was crossing the street at the time the wire parted. One end fell to the earth, striking within a couple of feet of him and almost touching his person as it fell. Persons familiar with electrical currents say that while he would not, in all probability, have been electrocuted, had the wire touched him, because it carried but 500 volts, he would have been severely burned.

50 years ago, 1963

Fire drills at schools in Auburn during October revealed that all of the city’s schools can be evacuated in less than three minutes. The monthly report of Fire Chief J. Coleman Miller indicated that evacuation times in fire drills range from 55 seconds at Chamberlain School to two minutes and 45 seconds at Webster Junior High School.

Drills conducted last month show that Edward Little High School, with a student population of 1261, was evacuated in one minute and 50 seconds, while Auburn Central School was evacuated in two minutes.

25 years ago, 1988

Auburn city councilors this afternoon will attempt to resolve a turf battle between the Auburn Suburban Little League and city officials over control of a new baseball complex. The league wants year-around authority over 20 of 31 acres at the proposed complex site off Garfield Road. Norris Ingersoll, city parks and recreation director, said the Auburn Parks and Recreation Advisory Board hasn’t decided if the league should have any control over any part of the facility.

League and city officials have been trying to iron out their differences for several months. Under the plan, the league would have had “administrative control” over 20 acres of the complex.

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