100 years ago, 1917
Borax Bill with his twenty-mule team and Tarantula Pete, straight from the Death Valley of California, spent Saturday in Lewiston and Auburn. They were greeted by crowds at every stopping place and thousands followed the parade through the streets. The mule team is a novelty and the story of its work makes the whole outfit of great interest. This is the same team that is used to carry the borax from the mines in Death Valley to the railroads, a distance of 102 miles. Water for the trip is carried in an immense tank which is accompanying the caravan on its coast-to-coast tour.

50 years ago, 1967
A record breaking crowd in excess of 1,200 persons attended the annual Androscoggin County Democratic field day Saturday at No Name Pond, and heard Gov. Kenneth M. Curtis and Second District Congressman William D. Hathaway discuss Democratic support in Washington for the Dickey-Lincoln School hydroelectric project. Although rain in the late afternoon brought the field day to an early end, the speaking program had been completed about a hour earlier, and the sports and amusement events were the only ones to suffer. About every youngster attending the field day went home with a prize of some kind.

25 years ago, 1992
The Lewiston City Council on Monday voted to reconsider an agreement with Bates Fabrics that called for the bedspread manufacturer to continue operating while making monthly payments on its back taxes. “The council in light of the significance of that million-square-foot building in the heart of our downtown has decided to examine all possible options to determine the best use of those buildings,” said Mayor James Howaniac. The council had authorized the city administrator to enter into an agreement with Bates at its Aug. 11 meeting. But the agreement was not signed, the mayor said. There are “other developments regarding the mill as well that I don’t feel at liberty to discuss at this time.”

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