100 years ago, 1915
Sheriff Davis cares to discuss liquor conditions in Lewiston and Androscoggin County with but one man. That one man is Rev. Wilbur Berry, superintendent or the Civic League of Maine. A reporter said to the sheriff, “What about that statement of Mr. Berry that a young girl was found tending bar here in Lewiston? Is it true?” There was a lot of emphasis in the sheriff’s reply. “No sir, there isn’t; there is no such case in this city,” he declared with great vigor. “Ever since you printed that story in the Journal the other night about the man from away being here and buying drinks at a place where a girl was the bar tender, I have had four men trying to find that place. They have been unable to do so; there to no such place. I’d be grateful to Mr. Berry if he’d tell me where that place is.”

50 years ago, 1965
George Shapiro, president of the Goodyear Rubber Co. of Middletown, Conn., and Boston, Mass., stated at a meeting with Auburn City Manager Woodbury E. Brackett that construction of a new plant about half the size of the nearby Pioneer Plastics Co. building, will begin immediately. Shapiro told the Journal that present plans call for the new facility to be completed by January of next year. “During 1966,“ he said, “we will have between 500 and 600 people working at the plant.

25 years ago, 1990
Androscoggin Habitat for Humanity broke ground at West Paris recently to begin building its second new home in this area. On land donated by Tom and Elizabeth Gallagher of Woodstock, Habitat will begin construction on the project as soon as more materials have been obtained. “We are having this groundbreaking today purely on faith,” said Art Whitman of Habitat. “We are still in need of building materials and skilled and non-skilled workers,” he said. “We have some materials in storage, but much more is needed to begin work on this home.”

The material in Looking Back is reproduced exactly as it originally appeared, although misspellings and errors made at that time may be edited.