100 years ago, 1918
Some figures which should have vast interest to people interested in these two cities, and proud of the old State of Maine, are contained in the report of the provost marshal general to the Secretary of War. This is a weighty volume, and has just been received by the local registration boards. It gives the gross quota of the first call for draft soldiers as 582. The enlistments previous to June 1st in Androscoggin county numbered 537. Since then there have been voluntary enlistments from the parts of Androscoggin county under the jurisdiction of local board No. 2 of about 100 men.

50 years ago, 1968
The town of Lisbon’s newest operating industry is presently in the process of a gradual program of expansion. Austin Mills Supt. Kenneth Doyle said Thursday that as new machinery is set up in the plant more workers will be brought in. The factory is currently working three shifts six days a week, with approximately 80 employees. The production staff should eventually reach 150, Doyle said. Austin Mills, owned and operated by Herbert Miller of Lewiston, manufactures acrylic fabrics to be used in women’s apparel.

25 years ago, 1993
Don Kniseley, vice president of Planning and Development for Androscoggin Home Health Services, said home care is the fastest growing field in the health-care industry. “There’s been an annual growth rate of about 15 percent to 20 percent over the past five to six years,” Kniseley said. And this growth “comes at a time when hospitals are declining,” he said. Kniseley said in recent years AHHS has grown at a rate of 15 to 25 annually. In fact, this summer the organization built a 30,000 square foot office building on a four acre lot in Lewiston. Kniseley said there are several reasons why home health services have grown so much in recent years. Medical innovation has something to do with the boom. “The technology is incredible,” he said. The machines used to treat home-care patients are small, portable and relatively inexpensive, Kniseley said.

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