100 years ago, 1916
The largest of the herd of elephants belonging to the Barnum and Bailey Circus ran into rather serious trouble Monday night. After the big shows had been given in the evening, it prepared to move on to another city. The elephants, numbering 18, were led to the train by the side of Vale street, Lewiston. At a point of this street, near Nichols street, the road bed was very soft and all the huge animals got safely over this place but Pilot, the king of the herd. When he stepped onto the soft sector about 5 tons of elephant dropped out of sight. It was only after much hard labor on the part of 100 men that he was released from the mud.

50 years ago, 1966
Young Kenneth Soucy, 5, of the Old Greene Road, Lewiston had an unusual experience this morning. He went shopping with his grandmother in Lewiston, and somehow became separated from her during the course of the morning. A helpful passerby, Ray Ames of 103 Davis Street, Auburn, noticed the youngster wandering about, and took him to the Lewiston Police Department. His grandmother found him there, and soon he was on his way home — even getting a ride in a police car.

25 years ago, 1991
Sabbathday Lake at New Gloucester is in good shape today but needs to be protected for the future, members of the Sahbathday Lake Association agreed Wednesday at their annual meeting. Study results for 1990 show the lake’s water is above average in quality, members were told. But low oxygen levels in late summer could pose problems in future years. New Gloucester voters have again supported the lake studies and agreed to spend $1,000 annually to continue monitoring the lake through an extensive testing program.

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