USA > Maine > Oxford County > Buckfield > A history of Buckfield, Oxford County, Maine, from the earliest explorations to the close of the year 1900 > Part 34
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In August, 1856, Smith issued a circular to "All Persons Interested," in which he stated that in his five years' management of the road he had sunk upwards of $12,000 per annum in addition to loss of time and effort and impairment of his health, and gave notice that he should suspend running the road "from and after the ioth day of October next." and until the whole
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road to Canton Point was completed. And if the land damages claimed between "Corliss Mills and Canton Mills" were satisfied and $45,000 of the "donation notes" were made cash or payment within six months guaranteed, he would obligate himself to complete and run the road to Canton Mills Village within the year. This appeal met with no response, and Smith housed the rolling stock at Buckfield, closed the stations and retired from all management of the affairs of the road. Smith having become sole owner of the road by the foreclosure of his mortgage, its original name of "The Buckfield Branch" was dropped and a new corporation was formed in April, 1857, under the name of The Portland & Oxford Central Railroad Company, whose charter gave it the right to construct a road from Portland through Westbrook, Falmouth, Cumberland, Gray, New Glouces- ter, Poland and over the road bed of the old road to Canton Point. The destinies of the new road still remained in Smith's hands, and nothing was done towards putting in operation the old part of the route or building any portion of the new. In 1860 Smith submitted to the people plans for putting the road in operation and asked for a renewal of the pledges from the interested towns of $50,000, and the citizens of Buckfield wanted the road run so much that at a town meeting held in May of that year, a loan of $15.000 was voted, conditioned on the com- pletion of the road to Canton Point within the year, with safe- guards for its permanent operation. The conditions were never complied with, and the appropriation was not used.
The road remained unused until the spring of 1862, when it was put in operation by Mr. A. R. Morrill, who was probably the agent of Smith. It was sufficiently repaired for train service at a low rate of speed, first to Buckfield and later to East Sumner village, where there was stage connection with Canton. Some improvements continued to be made and the public soon began to have considerable confidence in its permanent operation, believing that Smith's influence in the management of its affairs had in some way been gotten rid of. F. W. Felton, Esq., became the company's president and a Mr. Adams its superintendent. and for a few years during the war period, the road did a pros- perous business and trains were run quite regularly. But after a time the administration of affairs changed, and the old con- trolling influences reappeared. Notice was given in 1864 that
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an amendment to its charter would be petitioned the Legislature for, to alter the location in some sections and discontinue it in others, as determined by consent of the stock and bond holders. The people believed that this project was a covert design to remove the rolling stock and rails under the inflation of war prices, and so much opposition was made to the propo- sition, that nothing was done about it. In 1867 Francis B. Smith, son of the owner of the road, became president of the company and its affairs were largely managed by officials from New York, with Mr. D. A. Vanvalkenburg as superintendent. Young Smith came to Buckfield to reside and later went to Canton. The free and easy management of affairs that followed soon produced its inevitable results. The earnings of the road were insufficient to meet running expenses, and its officials were constantly handicapped for lack of funds, and matters went from bad to worse. The old expedient of obtaining funds from the towns along the line of the road was tried, but did not suc- ceed. The management determined to force matters, and punish the people by depriving them of the benefits of the road, and the running of trains, and at a meeting of stockholders at Port- land in June of that year, the president was empowered to sell and remove the rolling stock and rails, and in September he with Van Valkenburg and a crew of men at Hartford Center began tearing up the track on the farm of Mr. Lucins Robinson, who resisted this action and through Hon. George D. Bisbee, then a practicing lawyer at Buckfield, brought trespass suits against them, and after a second attempt to tear up the rails had in like manner been defeated, no further effort was made to destroy the road. Mr. Bisbee's prompt action, though of doubtful legality, saved the road from irretrievable despoliation. The road having been fully completed to Hartford in December of that year, the towns were asked to loan their credit for $50,000 to extend it to Canton by January 1, 1870. Canton voted some $30,000. Hartford $6,500, but Buckfield at two town meetings refused to make any appropriation, though offered a lien on the rails as security in case of failure of the company's obliga- tions. Individuals, however, pledged considerable aid. The company went forward with the work of construction without the help of Buckfield, and by laying ties on frozen ground and ice a train was run into Canton at the specified time, but when
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the frosts of spring had disappeared, trains could not be run over this improvised track. Canton had issued its bonds to the elder Smith to the amount of $32,200, but the selectmen of Hartford claiming a failure of conditions, refused to sign the bonds and Smith brought suit to compel their issue, but was defeated. Canton subsequently brought an action against Smith for the recovery of the amount of the bonds issued, and recovered judgment for the whole sum and costs, and accepte i land in Westbrook in satisfaction of the judgment.
The whole history of the road under the name of the Port- land & Oxford Central R. R. Co. would fill a large volume of interesting details. With the exception of the first few years, it presents a record of mismanagement, incompetency, disregard of pledges and reckless indifference to private and public rights, almost without parallel in such enterprises. Under this system of management no undertaking could long survive, and the people along the line of the road finally became so tired of it that the Railroad Commissioners of the State were impelled to peti- tion the Supreme Court to issue an injunction against the run- ning of trains till further order of the court, and this was done in November, 1873. The officials removed the rolling stock and the road was dead, but its passing was without mourners, and the people of Buckfield drew a breath of relief.
Through the efforts of the business men of Buckfield and others, a charter was obtained from the Legislature in March, 1874. for a railroad from the city of Auburn to Mechanic Falls and thence over the road bed of the Portland & Oxford Central Railroad Company to Canton, and up the Androscoggin river valley to Rumford Falls. This was the skillful work of Hon. George D. Bisbee, and the charter was granted for the manifest abuses of the rights and duties of that company toward the public and its neglect to operate the road and keep it in repair. Some of the old stagers in legislative proceedings, doubted the right of the State to deprive another company of its property in that manner, and they declared that they had never seen or heard of such summary action. Mr. Bisbee insisted that by its flagrant abuses. continued through many years, the old company had forfeited all its rights in the road and the people along its route were entitled to relief by this drastic remedy. He was right, as subsequent events finally demonstrated, and the chief
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credit for this action of the Legislature should be given to him. It was some time, however, before the capital necessary to repair the road, bridges and stations and procure rolling stock, had been provided for. Finally, in 1877, former Governor Israel Washburn and other capitalists, having become financially interested in the road efforts were made to put it into operation. Canton donated its real estate in Westbrook which it obtained on its judgment against Smith. Buckfield voted $1,000 in aid of the enterprise, and its citizens $2,000 more. New rolling stock was ordered and early the next spring work commenced and was vigorously pushed along the whole line. A new station, also, was built that year at the village. On Saturday, the 13th of July, 1878, the first train under the new management was run over the road, carrying the company officials and visiting gentle- men. They received a joyful reception from the people at every station. The train was in charge of Mr. Ozen Spaulding, who was the first conductor on the old Buckfield Branch. On the following Monday, regular passenger and freight service was begun, which has since uninterruptedly continued. The new officials of the road were Israel Washburn, president, George D. Bisbee, clerk. Sullivan C. Andrews, treasurer, and S. F. Courser, superintendent.
For the first ten years, the earnings of the road about met running expenses, but with the extension to Rumford Falls where a place has sprung up great enough for a city, when its citizens shall desire it. and large manufacturing interests have been developed, and further extensions made from the latter village to Oquossoc in the lake region; from Canton to Chis- holm's Mills in Livermore; and from Mechanic Falls to Lewis- ton, the business of the road has largely expanded, and is now a source of profit to the management of the road. It is now under lease to the Maine Central Railroad Company, and through that connection, is a part of the Boston & Maine railroad system. Thus, from the present satisfactory outlook of affairs, the early sacrifices, and long continued burdens of the people of Buckfield, in the interests of a railroad were not wholly in vain. Their efforts and sacrifices were as bread cast upon the waters. which, after many years, has in part returned to bless the town and its people.
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CHAPTER XXXIL.
ANNALS CONTINUED.
1875.
O. F. Gardner was re-elected town clerk, but died a very few days afterward, and Cyrus C. Spaulding was elected to fill the vacancy .- For representative to the legislature : Nathan Morrill, Dem., had 199; Jason Farrar, Rep., 141; Merritt Farrar, Lib. Rep., 4. Jason Farrar carried the district and was elected .- The Buckfield Reform Club was organized May 2Ist with a large membership .- There was a big hail storm July 2Ist which did great damage to the fruit trees and crops. In some places, the hail stones were in sufficient quantity to be gathered the next day after the storm. Two bushels were taken from the stairs between the Hines and the Thomes stores.
1876.
At the annual town meeting, A. F. Mason was elected supt. school committee and S. Bridgham, collector of taxes, at a salary of $93 .- The selectmen were instructed to sell the poor farm, "if they can get a fair price." Also for them to use all legal means to collect the execution against Seth Sampson. And to sell the shoe factory to M. A. Hanson for $1500, $200 down and $300 a year with interest until paid .- The vote for governor this year was as follows : John C. Talbot, Dem., 157; Selden Connor, Rep., 121; Almon Gage, Green., 107 .- For Presidential electors: "Tilden Ticket," 121; "Hayes Ticket," II0; "Cooper Ticket," 93 .- The amount of capital employed in manufacturing industries in the village this year was $75,000; males em- ployed, 78; females, 17. The industries mentioned were: The brush fac- tory of Charles Withington & Sons, the boot and shoe factories of M. A. Hanson, C. M. Dacey, and Record & Foster, shovel handle factory of Andrews & Waldron. E. G. Cole manufactured boxes, Jason Farrar, snow shovels, and G. A. Harlow, die blocks .- Nov. 23d, King Buck's buildings were burned with most of their contents .- Dec. Ist, the saw mill of Record & Lunt was totally consumed by fire with a large quantity of lumber. There was no insurance .- Hon. F. O. J. Smith died at his home in Deering, in October, in the 70th year of his age .- John D. Long was this year chosen Speaker of the Mass. House of Representatives, and was twice re-elected.
1877.
The sum of $2,200 was raised to pay town debt, the money to be used for that purpose and no other .- Merrit Farrar was selected to take charge of the town farm .- The vote for governor this year stood: H. C. Mun- son, Green., 175; Joseph H. Williams, Dem., 76; Selden Connor, Rep., 74. -At a town meeting held in December, to act on the proposition to raise money to aid in the construction of the Portland and Oxford Central
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R. R., a vote was passed to raise $10,000 and Geo. D. Bisbee, Thomas S. Bridgham and Alfred Cole were chosen a committee to make contracts with the managers of the road .- The buildings of Mrs. Hannah Monk at North Buckfield were burned Feb. II. One cow and nearly all the furni- ture were also burned. Loss, $1000. There was no insurance .- $3,500 was paid this year on the town debt. The interest bearing debt in 1874 was $32,731. Paid that year, $3,159. In 1875, $5,000. In 1876, $3,550. Funded debt, Feb. 15, 1877, $21,019 .- Geo. Robinson, son of Mr. William F. Robinson, died in February, from the kick of a horse .- Among the deaths this year were those of Joel Foster who passed away on the 14th of July at the age of 79, and Lemuel Cole Oct. 6th, aged 73 years 8 mos.
1878.
E. B. Austin was elected school committee; Ephraim Lowe, collector of taxes at a salary of $100 .- $2,000 was raised towards paying the town debt .- At the September election, the vote for representative to the legis- lature was : R. C. Thomes, Dem., 38; Henry D. Irish, Green., 203; Albion P. Bonney, Rep., 92; scattering, 2. Mr. Henry D. Irish had a majority in the district and was elected .- Buckfield raised $3,000 to put the railroad in operation again. Under the new management,-Israel Washburn, Jr., was president, S. C. Andrews, treasurer, and Geo. D. Bisbee, secretary- the road promised to be of benefit to the people. New railroad passenger station built this year .- Varanes DeCoster and 42 others signed a peti- tion to the legislature to move the county buildings to Norway and make it the shire town. William H. Atwood and 53 others signed a remon- strance against the same .- The Hanson shoe factory was burned during the night of Feb. 15. Loss about $10,000. Insured for $8,000 .- There was a great freshet in December. By the bursting of G. A. Harlow's flume, the stable of Mr. W. A. Burt with his horse, wagons, hay, etc., were car- ried over two dams. The horse was rescued a half mile below. Gilbert Barrett's sled factory was carried away. Most of the machinery was saved. The roads were badly gullied and the bridges much damaged. The railroad company run no regular trains for about two weeks. The water was higher than in the great freshet of 1869 .- The railroad was opened this year .- A. G. Atkinson fell dead from heart disease while working in his field in August.
1879.
At the annual town meeting, $2500 was raised toward paying the town debt and $4000 to be expended in labor on the highways .- Levi Gammon died at East Buckfield, Nov. 26, aged 92. His father was David Gamnion, who moved into the town from Gorham, Maine, when Levi was three years old. Levi lived over 80 years on the farm where he died. For more than 60 years prior to his death, he had been a member of the Bap- tist church .- In April, Artemas F. Gregg, a member of the Sophomore class in Bowdoin College, was found one morning dead in his bed from the effects of chloroform, taken to relieve pain .- Hon. John D. Long was this year elected Lieut. Governor of Mass.
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1880.
$3,000 was raised towards extinguishing the town debt .- For repre- sentative to the legislature, James H. DeCoster, Rep., had 147; Thomas S. Bridgham, Dem., 245. Bridgham had a majority in the whole district and was elected .- On the amendment to the constitution to elect governor by plurality, the vote was: Yes, 94; no, 246 .- For presidential electors : "Hancock Ticket." 31: "Garfield Ticket," 126: "Greenback Ticket," 31; "Fusion Ticket," 251 .- The town lines were perambulated this year .- Lewis Mason died at East Buckfield, March 19, aged 71 years and 4 months. "His wife was one of the 93 grandchildren of Dea. Willian Berry, who had lived and died on the same farm."-The Buckfield House was thoroughly repaired in April and opened to the public in May with N. T. Shaw as landlord .- Oscar H. Hersey, Esq., was appointed census enumerator for Buckfield this year. The population of the town was 1379 .- A Methodist Society having been organized, funds were raised this year to erect a church. A lot was purchased near where the Capt. Josiah Parris house once stood, on Loring's Hill .- Mrs. Julia A., wife of El- bridge D. Whitman, died Aug. 20, aged 61 .- Hon. John D. Long was elected Governor of Mass. He was twice re-elected.
1881.
E. B. Austin was elected supt. school committee; Carlton Gardner, col- lector of taxes .- $2500 was raised toward extinguishing the town debt .- There was a severe rain storm on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th days of May .- A corn factory was established in the village by J. Winslow Jones & Co. of Portland, and the farmers planted 300 acres with sweet corn and beans .- Mrs. Sarah, widow of Hon. Noah Prince, died Aug. 2 .- Ezekiel Record, son of David Record, one of the first 47 settlers, died on the 19th of May, in the 96th year of his age. He was the oldest person in town at the time of his death. "He could remember the time when there were no open roads, no ministers, doctors or lawyers in town, and when the principal business street was fenced to keep the cattle out of the muddy bog." --- William Morse, an aged citizen, committed suicide by hang- ing himself in his barn .- The Methodist church was completed this year and dedicated with appropriate exercises.
1882.
Alfred Cole was elected supt. school committee .- $2500 was raised towards paying the town debt .- The failure of J. Winslow Jones of Port- land involved several citizens of the town, who had assisted in establish- ing the corn canning industry.
1883.
Alfred Cole was elected town clerk. John F. DeCoster was chosen supt. school committee .- $1600 was raised towards paying the town debt. -O. H. Hersey was chosen to andit the road bills .- This year Nezinscot Lodge, I. O. O. F., was instituted with seven charter members .- "The
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year 1883 was a year of health for Buckfield. The list of those who died this year contains but 18 names, having an average of over 60 years. The youngest was a babe of three months, the oldest, a man of 86. One-third of the whole number were over 80, while one-half had passed their three- score years and ten."-Hon. Jolin D. Long was this year elected as a Member of Congress from Mass. He was twice re-elected.
1884.
Doings at the annual town meeting : $1,600 was raised towards extin- guishing the town debt .- Voted that the selectmen be overseers of the poor, fence viewers and tythingmen .- On constitutional amendment pro- hibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors; the vote was: yes, 173; no, 82 .- For presidential electors: "Dem. Ticket," 152; Rep. Ticket," 106; "Temp. Ticket," 29; "Peo. Ticket," 22 .- Mark Lowell, Esq., died in October, aged 91. Until a year prior to his death, he had been accustomed frequently to walk from his home to the village and back, a distance of six miles .- Mrs. Joseph DeCoster of Mechanic Falls, a former resident of Buckfield, was run over by a train on the Buckfield Branch railroad and instantly killed. Her remains were taken to Buckfield for burial .- The brush factory of C. Withington & Sons was burned on the night of July 18th. Loss, $5,000, insured for only $1,600. The firm pur- chased the Nahum Moore mill and soon resumed business .- The following graves of Civil War soldiers were decorated on Memorial Day: Village cemetery, A. F. Barrows, Cyrus Bryant, Austin C. Buck, James Canwell, Lorenzo Cushman, Kinsman Holmes, Henry C. Long, W. Wallace Marston, James Murdock, Eliphaz Ripley, Burton Shaw. East Buckfield cemetery : James B. Bryant, William B. DeCoster, Clinton Forbes, William Irish, Stephen O. Irish, Elmore Young. Hall cemetery: Augustus G. Buck Lowell cemetery: Charles Chase. Cemetery near J. M. Chiesley's : Claren- don Benson .- The Winslow Packing Co. this year put up 375,000 cans of sweet corn and succotash at the corn factory ; 200 hands were employed in the business; 300 acres of sweet corn had been planted by the farmers .- Stephen Childs died Dec. 27 at the age of 76, while visiting his son, John Lewis Childs, at Floral Park, Long Island, N. Y.
1885.
At annual town meeting : $1400 was raised toward the extinguishment of the town debt .- It was voted to abolish the school districts and adopt the town system .- 18 inches of snow fell on the night of Feb. 16th .--- -Eleazer Chase, an aged citizen of East Buckfield, died on the icth of February. In his younger days, he was addicted to the use of alcoholic drinks. He afterwards signed the pledge, which he kept sacredly until his death. Rev. Levi Hersey died Mar. 12 in the 82d year of his age. Remains interred in New Gloucester .- C. B. Atwood began trade again in Buckfield this year in the Morrill store. He had resided elsewhere for many years .- Mrs. Emily Crooker died March 22d, aged 80 .- Joan M. Berry died May 7th, at the age of 66 .- Mrs. G. Washington Bisbee died
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at the residence of her son, Hon. George D. Bisbee, May 25, aged 68 .- William Creasy, formerly postmaster at Buckfield, was injured so severely July 20 by a fall from a staging, at Minneapolis, Minn., that he died within half an hour after his fall. He was 66 years old. He left Buckfield about 1855 to settle in the West .- Four brothers, Elias, Asa, William L., and Thomas Taylor met at Asa's in November. They were sons of Jabez and Dorcas (Irish) Taylor. Their average age was 80 .- The Ira Ames shop was moved across the street and remodeled inside for a post office.
1886,
At annual town meeting : Voted to reconsider the vote of last year, whereby the town voted to abolish the school districts .- Voted to return to the district system and to instruct the agents to hire the teachers, pro- vide wood, etc .- The vote for representative to the legislature in Septem- ber was as follows: James S. Wright, 125; Dr. Chas. B. Bridgham, 53; Henry D. Irish, 3 .- The celebration at the village July 4th was marred by a serious accident. Isaac D. Fuller, who was in charge of the artillery, in firing the sunrise salute, had both arms so badly shattered that amputa- tion was necessary .- Jesse Shaw, Buckfield's oldest citizen, died Sept. 12, aged 96 years and 10 months .- Chas. Withington died Jan. 10, aged 71 .- Jeremiah Packard died in Hebron May 4th, "aged 63."-Mrs. Lydia, widow of Lemuel Cole, died Aug. 17, in her 83d year .- Rodney Chaffin, a native of Buckfield, died in Portland in May .- Abijah Buck, grandson of the pioneer of that name, died Oct. 30, at Mechanic Falls, at the age of 74. His remains were brought to Buckfield for burial .- The remains of James Spaulding, Esq., who died the same month at Earlville, Ill., aged 89, at the residence of his son-in-law, Jacob W. Browne, Esq., were taken to Buck- field for interment.
1887.
At the annual town meeting $150 was raised to establish a free high school at Buckfield .- George H. Bridgham was elected collector of taxes. -Voted that the selectmen be road commissioners .- R. B. Waite was chosen superintendent of the town farm .- There was a great freshet in April. The river rose five feet in as many hours .- Butter factory built this year .- Several prominent citizens died this year. Nathan Morrili, Esq., the wealthiest citizen of the town, died Jan. 29th, aged 84. Hon. Gilbert Barrett died the same day at the age of 69. H. H. Hutchinson, Jr., died June 2, aged 73; Silas Mitchell, Nov. 26, aged 69 .- Col. A. D. White, Dec. 13, in his 80th year. He was b. in Freedom July 17, 1808. He m. in 1837, Miss Lydia, dau. of Rev. Ephraim Harlow. For many years he was one of the foremost citizens of the town. - Mrs. Dominicus Record, Jr., a daughter of Larnard Swallow, died in Turner, in December, in her gist year. Her remains were brought to Buckfield for burial. Her husband had died in 1862. James Hussey, a soldier in the Civil War, died Oct. 13, aged 83. Clinton Ripley found dead in his stable in Dixfield Oct. 20 .- There were in all thirty deaths in town this year .- William
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Bicknell of Hartford, for many years the East Buckfield cor- respondent of the Oxford Democrat, died February 19, in the 83d year of his age .- Mrs. Lydia Childs, widow of Stephen Childs, died at Floral Park, N. Y., aged 77.
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