100 years ago

“LEWISTON — Still exhausted with pain and from injuries about the face and bruises on the body, Leger Vallee, the sole survivor of the death crash of automobile and train at the Fair Grounds crossing in Lewiston, Sunday afternoon, in a brief statement to a Journal reporter Tuesday insisted, as he had to Captain Picard and to Officer Cloutier, Sunday, that his brother, Eugene Vallee, was driving the car at the time of the accident.

“Whether the driver thought he could beat the train to the crossing or failed to see it behind the line of automobiles parked on either side of the crossing, Leger did not know. It all happened too quickly, he stated with a shudder….

“He said that the party (of five) was on the way to Winthrop. They arrived at the Fair Grounds and then all he remembers is a black object looming up at his side. He jumped to his feet and then the crash came. He could not remember whether the car came to a halt or was moving straight on when the train struck. He said those in the rear seat had no warning, the side curtains were down, masking their view. There were no curtains in front.”

50 years ago

“Motorists with studded tires on their cars can relax. A new law banning studded snow tires during the warm months does NOT go into effect next week.

“Local and State Police today acknowledged that the new law was not passed as emergency legislation and therefore will not take effect until 90 days after the current legislature adjourns.

“The law, signed a few weeks ago by Maine Gov. James B. Longley, bans studded tires on Maine streets and highways from May 1 to Oct. 1.”

25 years ago

Editorial: “Today is the 30th anniversary of Earth Day. We can’t save the planet in one day, but we can make ourselves more aware of what we’re doing to our environment.

“There is vast scientific evidence that we are using natural resources at a pace that is endangering long-term survival of plants and animals.

“So today, pause to think about the planet. Plant a tree. Pick up trash. Turn off unused lights. Take a walk. Install a water-saver faucet in the shower and another at the kitchen sink. Think about ways humans can avoid the fate of the now-extinct arctic sea cow.”

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