100 years ago, 1915
The report that the Cushman-Hollis Co., shoe manufacturers of Auburn, had received an order from the French government for 100,000 pairs of shoes for use by its army, was completely confirmed by E. Farrington Abbott, of the firm, Friday. “We have the order for 100,000 pairs of heavy duck, leather trimmed, Mackay soled shoes,” said Mr. Abbott, Friday. “It will take us about five weeks to got out this order and we will start making them as soon as possible.” Asked if this would require the taking in of additional employes he said, “We are well fixed for help.” “Do you expect that the French government will increase the order?” was another question asked and in reply he said, “That depends on us — whether or not they like the shoes we make for them.”

50 years ago, 1965
The boards of directors of the West Point Manufacturing Company and Pepperell Manufacturing Company, at meetings yesterday and today, agreed to recommend for shareholder approval at special meetings to be held on March 20, 1965, a plan of merger regarding the two companies. Under the plan, if approved, Pepperell shareholders would receive nine-tenths share of stock in the new company for each share of Pepperell stock held on the effective date of the merger, and each West Point share will continue to represent one share in the new company. The name promised for the new company is West Point-Pepperell, Inc.

25 years ago, 1990
Mid-Maine Waste Action Corp.’s trash-to-energy plant will be closed by Feb. 7 and demolished to make way for a replacement facility as the organization prepares to put into action its plan to solve the area’s trash crisis. In a meeting Monday, representatives of MMWAC’s 12-member towns voted to authorize Executive Director Neal Allen to shut the plant by Feb. 7 if the state Department of Environmental Protection grants emergency permits to send the waste elsewhere. Diverting trash from the former Auburn-owned incinerator will mean radically increased disposal fees for the organization’s towns.

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