100 years ago, 1914
Deputy Chief Morrill of the Auburn police force has declared war upon the so-called “hot dog” venders who stand around the street corners selling their goods. They must keep walking. Complaints have come from the shoe manufacturers that these venders sell their goods under the shoe factory windows. The money is tied to strings and let down to the ground on the one hand, and then a pull and a hot dog is hauled up to the window. Deputy Morrill informed these venders that hereafter if he saw any of them hanging around any place in the city he would arrest them, as being a common nuisance.

50 years ago, 1964
Corn crop damage in the Lewiston-Auburn area continued to climb during the night. H. Donald Hatch of 514 Court St., Auburn, said today that yesterday afternoon’s drenching rain washed away the protective dust which was applied early Wednesday morning, and the Army Worms, notorious night eaters, struck again. Hatch lost 10 acres of corn to the pests Tuesday night. Eugene Scribner of the South River Road, Auburn, today reported that the worms did no major damage at his place last night, but said he is in the process of contacting other area farmers for the purpose of banding together and hiring an airplane to dust crops throughout the area. The cost of the plane would he $100 and there would be additional costs of operation.

25 years ago, 1989
The City of Auburn has abandoned its policy of making home visits to check up on welfare applicants because of a complaint from Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. that the practice is illegal. Earle Edgerly, director of the city’s general assistance program, says not being able to verify application information firsthand will result in more welfare fraud and higher costs to taxpayers. Edgerly said the city’s practice up until June has been to automatically make a home visit the first time anyone applied for the welfare funds. A primary reason was to verify that people were living where they said they were living, he said. “We’ve gone to vacant lots, we’ve gone to six to eight tar-paper shacks in the woods,” Edgerly said. “Women have borrowed children to get added food,” he said. “They ask for heating assistance and say they’re out of oil, but we find three-quarters of a tank of oil.”