100 years ago, 1915
One of the Mackay Auto Line jitney busses was held up by Auto Detective Vaughn, in Lewiston, Wednesday. The rear number plate had dropped off. A special plate was fixed and the car went on its way. This was a six-wheeled machine and attracted attention. These cars were bound for the South and were leaving Rumford.

50 years ago, 1965
Area merchants today were reminded by Lewiston police to be extra careful during upcoming special events which draw large crowds to the downtown areas of the two communities — such as the scheduled parade for Santa Claus Saturday. Members of the Detective Bureau recalled that last year, on the day Santa pulled into town to the delight of thousands of area parents and their children, over $1,000 worth of merchandise was stolen from a downtown Lewiston store. An entire rack of men’s suits and sport coats was stolen by what was believed to be just one man and one woman. The cost of the 30 or so items of clothing was estimated at $1,000, with a retail value of $1,340.

25 years ago, 1990
They could see the end coming. The number of people who went to work everyday at the Etonic-Tretorn Inc. plant on Merrow Road, Auburn, had dwindled through the years. Traditional shoemaking jobs — cutting and stitching — were sent to Mexico and Korea this summer. It was a matter of time. But Etonic worker Vicky Couture of South Paris says she isn’t angry at plant manager or her other bosses at the Auburn factory after they announced Friday that the firm’s 180 jobs are being cancelled Jan. 31 and sent overseas. “They fought for us,” says Couture. She says she feels let down by state political leaders who should have seen the firm’s demise coming and angry at a nose-diving economy and officials who failed to protect American jobs from cheaper imports.

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