100 years ago, 1914
Lewiston’s municipal court room was bereft of even standing room Friday night at public demonstration of a pulmotor recently established at the Central Fire station, Ash street. Dr. William H. Hawkins showed how the machine worked. An animate body could not be used as a subject, but it was explained that the machine applied to a dead body would actually produce respiration. The number of deaths averted by the use of this artificial inducer of respiration has been remarkable. It is explained that the machine is used to a great advantage in cases of drowning, asphyxiation, overcome by smoke, and in cases of poisoning where respiration is low, and the like. To obtain the use of the instrument all that is necessary is to go to the nearest telephone and call “Pulmotor Emergency” and the girl will connect the person with the fire station and the pulmotor will be dispatched immediately on the motor truck and the chief or some one capable of operating will be sent along.

50 years ago, 1964
The five story building on Minot Avenue, Auburn, occupied for many years by the Wood & Smith Shoe Co., will soon be occupied by a new shoe industry, according to Lewiston Realtor Charles Levin. He said the new corporation as Unique Shoe Co. Inc. He said the company will consist of two owners, both well known in the shoe field. Approximately 100 persons will be employed when production starts with indications of upward of 250 persons being employed at capacity later.

25 years ago, 1989
Boise Cascade Corp. of Rumford on Monday unveiled a plan to install one of the world’s largest paper machines at its mill in this Androscoggin River town, a $450 million project that will continue the mill’s two-decade trend toward a smaller work force. The new machine, with an annual capacity of 318,000 tons, will be the centerpiece of a $770 million modernization program designed to turn one of the nation’s oldest pulp and paper mills into one of the largest and most productive manufacturers of coated papers for catalogs and magazines, the company said. The company said it expects to begin installing the machine and constructing related facilities in 1991.