100 years ago, 1915
“If it wasn’t for this war, business in Sabatis would be flatter than a pancake,” a local resident stated. “Here the mills are not only working full time but are working nights to get out war orders.” They are sending woolen khaki to Europe to make overcoats for the soldiers. Last season the three mills in town cooperated in filling an order for 100,000 of these overcoats for the French government. “I can recall times that were really hard when there would only be two or three looms running for weeks at a time,” continued the local resident. “Now the mills are busy enough so that several families during the past few months have moved into town. Sabatis is no place for calamity howlers.”

50 years ago, 1965
Lewiston Juvenile Officer Lt. Paul F. Martin today was conducting an investigation into an incident reported as malicious mischief. John Tardif of the Sabattus Road, Lewiston, informed police that “8-penny” nails were set in place on a gravel road, point up, which he travels quite frequently. The nails resulted in a total of ten flat tires yesterday, Tardif said. The Sabattus Road resident reported that one car received four flats, another automobile, three, and a truck, also three flat tires. Damage caused by the nails was estimated at $100.

25 years ago, 1990
In an ironic twist of fate, the Lewiston-Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority learned Friday that it will receive a design award from the Consulting Engineers of Maine (CEM), a division of the American Consulting Engineers Council, for the River Road lined-disposal area (LDA) that has had difficulty receiving approval from the Department of Environmental Protection, according to Normand Lamie, LAWPCA board chairman. “If we receive an award for that project after all we’ve gone through, I want a picture of the first dump truck going into it.” The LDA’s approval had been delayed for months because the DEP was concerned about small holes found in the liner and repairs were made.

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