100 years ago: 1925

“Evangelist Carrigan of Lewiston, trusty at the county jail, Auburn, was absent without leave at dinnertime yesterday, and in the opinion of the sheriff was to all intents and purposes and escaped prisoner at the evening roll call last night. Sheriff Murray as soon as he learned of Carrigan’s departure made a hasty trip to Portland where he went through the Boston train, the only train the man could have connected with to Boston up to that hour.”

50 years ago: 1975

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Those were the words used by Lt. Normand Guerette of the Auburn Police Department today to describe a mob-type scene this morning at the Kmart Shopping Center where a special sale attracted a gigantic crowd. However, Guerette, who was hired by the Kmart to help control the shoppers, noted that although the scene was a “madhouse,” most persons were quite orderly as they searched for the bargain items. Outside the store in the parking lot and for about a half-mile in the surrounding area, near chaotic traffic conditions prevailed. More than one fender was bumped or scraped. Attracting the huge number of shoppers was a special $5 sale at Kmart, apparently involving only 12 items.”

25 years ago: 2000

“The Auburn Planning Board gave its approval Tuesday to the $10.5 million construction of a new St. Dominic Regional High School. The 5-0 vote was the largest remaining hurdle for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland to pass in its construction, said the diocese’s finance officer, David Twomey. However, the school must raise at least $2 million more to be entirely funded, he said. Donations so far have reached more than $8 million, he said. The total cost of the school could climb as high as $12 million. But donations, including the school’s planned site, have been generous and show no signs of stopping, Twomey said.”

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