100 years ago, 1912
The old railroad bridge over Turner Street in Auburn has disappeared and a new one has taken its place. The grade has been raised three feet and the road bed between the two cities greatly improved. Mr. Henry Hanson tells the Journal that the old bridge had outlived its usefulness. He says that 20 years of incessant use by heavy trains destroys the life of an iron or steel bridge. The continued vibration crystallizes the iron particles so as to destroy their powers of resistance. The Turner Street bridge was of the truss pattern while the new one is a girder and very much stronger. It was rumored that the road between the two cities was to be double-tracked, but Mr. Hanson says this is not so. There is not room on the big, big bridge across the river for two tracks.
50 years ago, 1962
Something new for Lewiston, the first “rent-all” store in the area, will open for business at 219 Lisbon St., August 3, a week from today. The new Hertz Rent-All licensee store is franchised by the corporation of the same name, and will be operated here by Earl Isaacson, co-operator of Sharlaine Products Inc. of Auburn. The manager of the new service will be James Pollard of 37 Loring Ave., Auburn, who has been general manager of four theaters in the Auburn-Rumford area for the past 25 years. This store is the tenth licensed operation in the East.
25 years ago, 1987
Fuel is still not available at the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport, but emergency maintenance is, Manager John L. Carey said Monday. Aircraft fuel and regular maintenance at the facility were cut off last Monday when the fixed-base operator closed down and began moving out after a disagreement with the airport board of directors. Carey said emergency maintenance is being provided by Robert Walker, a former employee of Executive Aviation Inc., which operated at the facility for 21 years.
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