Over 5,000 people journeyed to the Auburn Athletic Park last night and witnessed the fine display of fireworks arranged for the Perryville Fourth of July celebration. The rain Wednesday afternoon made it impossible to get the set pieces in place so the exhibition was necessarily postponed.

But it was a fine display and enjoyed by nearly as much as if it had been possible to have given them the previous night. For a solid hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 o’clock sky rockets whizzed, big wheels spun and beautiful surprises were in store for the people.

50 Years Ago, 1956

Just about all types of drugs imaginable, from free aspirins to antibiotic capsules at eight dollars a piece, are dispensed daily from the Central Maine General Hospital’s pharmacy.

But Pharmacist Wesley Wentworth says the high-priced drugs, such as the $8 capsules are used quite sparingly.

The pharmacy filled about 600 prescriptions a week, an average of 90 a day on weekdays and 40 a day on Sundays. A total of around $2,500 worth of drugs is issued monthly from the drug room which contains about 1,400 different items.

25 Years Ago, 1981

Music. Slide shows. A spattering of fireworks.

Though hundreds of Twin City area residents showed up only to see the fireworks display and walked away disgruntled, the many who arrived early Saturday night for the Great American Music Fest on the green of the Auburn Esplanade were treated to an “event.”

As the show began at 7 p.m., a crowd of approximately 2,000 people had gathered. By the time it drew to a close with a very brief fireworks display and a medley of patriotic songs at 10:30 p.m., some 8,000 to 10,000 people were estimated by Auburn police to have gathered in the area of the Esplanade.

The advertised fireworks ended up being the mere handful that $1,500 could buy; and by the time they were set off 35 minutes past schedule, many people had left, disappointed, for home.