100 years ago, 1916
Mr. and Mrs. Eben J. Ham of Lewiston and Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Gardner of Auburn have returned from a successful fishing trip at Tee Pond. They went as far as Eustis by automobile and then three miles by buckboard thru the woods and the buckboard trip is said to have been full of excitement, tho the party reached its destination safe and sound.

50 years ago, 1966
Auburn police this morning checked out a report of shots being fired in the Turner Street area of the city but found nothing. The department received a call at 1:25 a.m. from a person who said the shots were near 524 Turner St., about that time. The caller reported he heard somebody “running” soon after the shots were fired. Two prowl cars were immediately dispatched, but police scoured the area and came up empty handed.

25 years ago, 1991
Railroad crews worked unsuccessfully Sunday night to clear three runaway rail cars that crossed the heavily traveled south-bound lane of Washington Street, Auburn, blocking traffic leaving the city. The runaway cars crossed the highway late Sunday afternoon where the old Grand Trunk Railroad tracks used to cross. Police Sgt. Toby Tiner said the railroad will bring in a crane and a bulldozer Monday morning in an attempt to remove the cars from the road. Tiner said the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad cars came from one of the businesses along the tracks, such as General Electric or Safe Handling Inc., but it was unclear just how the accident happened. Tiner said he “surmised” several scenarios, including “that the brakes on the train may have been released, possibly by kids.” Police noted that traffic will continue to be rerouted during rush hour this morning.

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