100 years ago, 1917
Two years ago Thomas Maguire of Auburn was reported as enlisted with the allied armies of Europe. No word was received from him during all that period, and it was thought that he had been killed. But a few days ago his mother, Mrs. Edward Maguire of 45 Mechanics Row, Auburn, received a letter from him stating that he is still on the “war path.” He wrote that the worst of his injuries was being blinded for a time. “I was also hit in the left arm and the chest, but only flesh wounds. The one on the chest must have struck a button, as it did not enter, but raised a bruise. It was straight on the mark, so had it entered you would not be receiving this letter.”

50 years ago, 1967
The Wade and Dunton Carriage Co., of 68 Park St., Lewiston, is completing its move to a new building at 79 Lincoln St. A spokesman for the firm said the transfer of operations has been underway since the first of the week. The old building on Park Street is scheduled to be torn down in connection with Lewiston’s Urban Renewal program,

25 years ago, 1992
Although still in the discussion stages, Auburn will soon have a walk-in center offering various kinds of help under one roof to displaced workers — especially those who once held defense jobs. Many Bath Iron Works and Brunswick Naval Air Station workers live in this area, which could be hard hit if a large number of people lose their jobs in the wake of defense spending cutbacks by the federal government. Representatives from social-service agencies in Auburn, Lewiston and Lisbon, as well as several municipal officials, have been meeting for almost a year to discuss defense dependency and “workers in transition.”

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