10 years ago

From the Journal Tribune: “A 3-year-old boy died yesterday morning shortly after being rescued from a fire in a third-floor apartment. According to the State Fire Marshall’s Office, Austin Blake was playing with matches when he started a blaze in his family’s third floor apartment at 16 Chadwick Place (Biddeford).”

50 years ago

From the Biddeford-Saco Journal: “Biddeford firemen were called to W. T. Grant department store, 313 Elm St., Saturday night at 9:15 for a rubbish fire in carton boxes. Fireman said the fire was started by the careless disposal of a cigarette in the boxes. A booster line was used and firemen returned to the Central Fire Station at 9:33.”

100 years ago

From the Biddeford Daily Journal: “Papers in a crosslibel brought by Mrs. Daisy Ayer of Saco for an absolute divorce from her husband, Ernest Ayer, who ran a jitney in the two cities last summer. He was served Tuesday and the case is returnable at the May term of the supreme court to be held at Alfred. The mother asks for the custody of their only child and alimony. Cruel and abusive treatment is alleged in the complaint.”

— Christopher Murphy and Krysteana Scribner