100 years ago, 1916
Fire discovered shortly before one o’clock Monday morning gutted the freight shed of the Grand Trunk railroad on Oxford street, Lewiston, The blaze, which is believed to have caught from an overheated stove in the office, spread rapidly throughout the building and caused damage estimated at $2,000. Flames were discovered coming from the roof near the chimney on the Ox-ford street end, said officer Dunn, who rang in an alarm from box 43, Lincoln and Chestnut streets. By the time the department arrived the blaze had broken through in several places and the entire interior of the old building was apparently in flames. The location of the building made it possible to direct lines of hose from three of the four sides, and the blaze was literally drowned.

50 years ago, 1966
Auburn police said Monday night it appears that the new city ordinance requiring use of snow tires or tire chains has had the desired effect. Police said they received no complaints of motorists with cars not properly equipped holding up the flow of traffic during the difficult traveling resulting from the snow of Saturday night and Sunday morning. Authorities were not called on over the Christmas holidays to enforce provisions of the ordinance which provides that a motorist whose car is not equipped with either snow tires or tire chains and who becomes stuck and ties up traffic, may he ordered into court.

25 years ago, 1991
State administrators say they will give the Legislature a plan in January to close Pineland Center in New Gloucester, Maine’s largest institution for people with mental retardation. Despite concerns raised by some who work with the retarded and some families of Pineland’s 255 clients, the head of the state agency that runs the facility reiterated to parents in a letter this month that the proposed closing is part of a nationwide movement to help the retarded by shutting such institutions and caring for clients in their communities. Clients will be cared for at the community level under a “supported living approach.”

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