100 years ago: 1918

Twenty-eight new cases of influenza were reported in Auburn yesterday as against thirty-two new cases on the day previous. The number of active cases in that city is 104. In Lewiston the situation is unknown. One doctor reported that there were over 300 cases of influenza, and grippe colds in the city at the present time. He said there might be more or less. He felt it was a great mistake for Lewiston authorities to apparently ignore conditions. He commended the systematic way in which Auburn officials are handling the matter in that city.

50 years ago: 1968

The United States accused North Vietnam Thursday of massing three to four divisions near Saigon and warned any Communist assault on the capital will jeopardize negotiations to end the war in Vietnam. North Vietnam responded that all Vietnamese have a right to defend themselves against U.S. “aggression”— and said the Americans had raised the possibility of resuming air attacks on North Vietnam. A North Vietnamese communique said the deputy chief of the U.S. delegation, Ambassador Cyrus R. Vance, told North Vietnam’s Ha Van Lau that if Saigon is hit, “it would be impossible to carry on serious talks and to continue the halt in the bombing of North Vietnam.”

25 years ago: 1993

The Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine will meet Sunday at 2 p.m. at Heritage Hall in West Paris. A visit to Finland’s Santa Land in Rovaniemi will be the program feature and refreshments will include many seasonal Finnish delicacies.

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