USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Holden > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 17
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Eddington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 17
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Orrington > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 17
USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Brewer > Brewer, Orrington, Holden, Eddington : history and families > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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Brewer Brick is known to have been shipped to Massachusetts, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, the West Indies, and Newfound- land. The rebuilt section of Boston is said to have been con- structed almost entirely of Brewer Brick. The building material in the Good Shepherd Convent in Van Buren and in Bangor City Hall had its origin here. The brick used in the Bangor Y. M. C. A. were hand pressed and made in the Frank Graten Yard. We found among some old notes the statement that Fort Sumter was constructed of Brewer Brick. This could be true since large num- bers of this commodity were shipped to that part of the coast. In 1902, the year the middle span of the Bangor-Brewer Bridge
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was washed out, a Brewer brick yard had the contract to furnish the brick for the Bangor Court House. At this time a temporary bridge was improvised so that travel between the two cities might not be cut off.
According to old records the last two vessel loads of brick shipped from here contained one hundred and two thousand brick. These were consigned on the high market but they arrived at their destination on the falling market and from the total shipment only about two hundred dollars was received.
Mr. Harrison Brooks and the Littlefield family have long been names that were connected with the Brooks Brick Company. While we were growing up, many of the boys who were our schoolmates found summer employment at the brick yard. However, the brick making machinery is now silent, the brick cart stands empty and disconsolate, and the sky no longer glows with the flames from the burning kilns.
PAPER MAKING
Paper was made in this country in Philadelphia as early as 1690; and it is said that General Waldo held a contract to build a paper mill for lease in 1731 in Falmouth on the Presumpscot River. In 1879, twelve companies were making paper in Maine and by 1900 the state ranked third in order of size in the industry.
The manufacture of pulp on a large scale probably did not begin before 1888. The Eastern Manufacturing Company's original pulp mill was built in 1889 and in the years which followed was greatly enlarged and modernized. The grinding or mechanical process of making wood pulp was first used in Maine by this company in Brewer.
The Eastern Corporation was originally a lumber company. The mill was purchased from F. W. Ayer sometime during the 1880's and extensive renovation was accomplished to make it New England's largest saw mill. The Eastern continued to operate saw mills until 1916. It was not until 1895 that the company decided to enter the paper manufacturing field.
A new building was constructed adjacent to the pulp mill with one paper making machine and in 1896 the actual manufacture of paper began in this city.
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In March, 1900, a number of teams were employed hauling great loads of logs from Dyer Cove to the Eastern Manufacturing Company where they were to be used as wood pulp. This was unusual as prior to this time the South Brewer mill got all the lumber it needed from the waste wood at the Ayer's and Sargent's Saw Mills. By 1900 this supply proved to be inadequate.
In 1901 a second paper making machine was added and in- creased business demanded a third machine in 1902. The fine papers of the present are produced entirely of wood pulp. East- ern's Atlantic Bond has become famous and is a credit to Brewer and to the paper making industry of Maine.
We know of no other paper mill in this vicinity but we did see the words "paper mill" on an early map of Orrington.
The Eastern Corporation built a colony of small houses in the vicinity of Harris Street to accommodate their workers. This section was called "Happy Town." In the early 1900's fire took some of the ice houses on the river and "Happy Town" was laid in ashes.
The Eastern has now became a branch of the Standard Pack- aging Company. The Brewer Development Commission's recent report states that this company which has been a major Brewer employer for all the years since 1889, owes much of its high standing in the industry to the skill and loyalty of the Brewer workers. In the late 1930's it was stated that about one-half of the total industry of the two cities was represented by this com- pany. Statistics from the Commission show that more than 400 of its employees have been with the company for at least ten years; many more for lengths of service varying from twenty-five to forty years; and that some few are still performing valuable service after more than fifty years.
SMITH'S PLANING MILL
Called for many years the Washington Hall Mill, this was one of the early saw mills on the river. It was built in 1850, on the eastern bank of the Penobscot River, opposite the mouth of the Kenduskeag Stream. Builders were Washington and Alpheus Hall (brothers ) and Nathaniel Bunker. This was a fine location for the mill as the port of Bangor was well equipped with vessels for the transportation of the finished products; and rafts of logs
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from the vast regions of the Maine timberlands floated down the river to the mill.
In 1858, the mill was destroyed by fire, one 35 horse power engine being salvaged. Rebuilding began at once. At this time it was necessary to add new machinery and many improvements were made.
When James H. Smith returned from serving in the Civil War, he bought a partnership with Mr. Hall and the name was changed to W. Hall & Co. Later, in 1870, James F. Woodbury bought out Mr. Hall's interest and the name was again changed to Smith & Woodbury.
A 150 horse power engine, made in Bangor by Hinckley & Egery, was installed in the mill in 1873, and the same year a part of the mill was leased to John H. James, who conducted a brush wood factory there. By 1800, telephones had been introduced in Bangor by the Bell Co., and one of the first of these was installed in the mill.
Disaster again struck the mill in the form of fire in 1882, when the combined efforts of the fire department, mill hands, and help from Bangor, all proved to be of no avail. Nothing daunted the company again rebuilt and this time the business was incorporated under the name of the Smith's Planing Mill. In 1891, after the death of Mr. James, George W. Patten leased that part of the mill and continued in the manufacture of brush woods.
In 1902, the flood which carried away the middle span of the bridge, as well as much valuable material all along the river, brought with it ice which crashed against the wharves of the mill and carried away a good deal of its stock.
Fire, which started in a water front ice house in 1906, spread rapidly and burned many thousands of dollars worth of mill stock and threatened to destroy the buildings. These were saved. Two years later Otto Nelson of Bangor bought the majority of the stock in the old company and began an enlargement of the plant.
This little company had grown and expanded with the growth and expansion of Maine shipping; but still survived when the shipping declined. During the years of its existence it had wit- nessed the Penobscot when the only method of crossing was by ferry row boats. In the course of its lifetime it saw a city grow
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around it, and saw railroads take over the control of transporta- tion. Through fire and flood, for a long time, it was a leading business enterprise in our city.
We can remember a story told about a stranger to our town. "Smith's Mill" was pointed out to him as one of our industries. "Well, I'm glad to know where that is," he said, "You know I've always wondered where all the Smiths came from!"
MILLING AND OTHER INDUSTRIES
The first saw mills and grist mills were located at the lower village. Before this the farmers had to take their corn to Hampden to be ground. This grist mill was built early in the history of the town for by 1788 members of the Wrentham settlement (later East Brewer and now Holden) were taking their Indian corn, and rye to Orrington to be ground. The men loaded the grain on their backs and walked with it to the river where they went by boat to South Orrington. Later sled roads were built. Some idea of the road surfaces might be gained by the fact that of the two men who made the journey one of them was the teamster and the other went along with a handspike which he used to pry up the sled which often caught on the roots and stumps on the road.
John Brewer's saw mill was one of the first along the river and lumbering was important to the times.
A man by the name of Johnson ran an up and down saw mill on the Phelp's Brook (probably Felt's Brook) on what is now Eastern Avenue. This mill could turn out two or three thousand feet of lumber a day. It was powered by a water wheel. Samuel Holyoke, when a boy, accompained his father to this mill.
Most of the lumber was driven down the river. Ox teams hauled the long lumber used for spars. This was cut in the vicinity of Brewer. The ox teams averaged from one to three pair of oxen, many of which were shod. They required two shoes for each hoof.
Manufacture of long and short lumber was a very important local industry. When lumbering was at its peak there were seven- teen mills of various kinds in Brewer. Blacksmiths shops did a thriving business due to the shipbuilding industry and the demand for tools which it created; also the tools for lumbering.
In the early 1800's there was a saw mill near the present site of the Hathorne Block.
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It is said that the French settlers came to this section following the beginning of lumbering.
Hemlock bark was hauled by Henry and Joseph Farrington and delivered to Captain Arey at his brickstore at the ferry. He shipped it to Boston.
A statement, relative to the early history of the town mentioned that many mills were built, perhaps more than in any town in the county at that time. Even before 1800, the first grist mill was built by George Brooks on the Brooks Homestead. This was wind propelled. Saw mills were also built on Mill Creek Stream, a few miles above its mouth.
In 1820, families were constantly arriving from the west with the evident intention of settling in this county. "The current of emigration had turned toward Penobscot." At this time there were in town a clergyman, a physician, and a lawyer. There were also three traders, one tan-yard, two saw-mills, two grist mills, a clothier's establishment, including machines for carding wool; and a nail factory, erected in 1816, but not yet in operation. We find mention of a nail factory located at the mouth of the Segeun- kedunk Stream.
In East Brewer, Captain Russell Hart owned and operated a lumber mill on the lower Dedham Road. Later near the same location there was a tannery and the shingle mill of Russell Napoleon Bonapart Hart, the son of Captain Russell Hart. Marcus Sweet was in the ice business. A steam mill for the manufacture of lumber was located on the stream below the Center. Benjamin F. Farrington was at one time president of this company. A mill called a "Teter Mill" which was said to have been owned at one time by a Bradford Farrington, sawed out box shooks used in making orange boxes. In connection with the mill there was a boarding house where the workmen made their headquarters. The fare served here was considered far from sufficient to satisfy the appetites of the hearty mill workers, so they called the place "pinch gut". Pinch Gut Stream is supposed to have taken its name from this incident.
Some of the saw, planing, and moulding mills were extensive and the machinery which they used was good. One of these was located on the original mill site used by Colonel John Brewer in Brewer Village.
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Peaveys, handy implements used by the river drivers for hand- ling logs, were first made in Brewer by the Peavey Manufacturing Company, formerly on Parker Street. Joseph Peavey, who lived in upper Stillwater in 1858, conceived the idea for a peavey when he was watching some drivers at work with the old cant-dog. His son owned a blacksmith shop nearby and it was in this shop that Mr. Peavey worked out his idea for a new tool. The device, called the Peavey Cant-Dog combined the handspike and the loose-jaw cant-dog, together weighing a total of thirty pounds; into a single and much lighter tool. One noted lumberman in Maine said that with the right type of boat and six men with peaveys he could accomplish more than with twenty men who were equipped with the old type of tools.
At one time J. H. James employed eighteen men and manu- factured millions of blocks for various different kinds of brushes. These were sold all over the United States and in Europe.
In the year 1879, Mr. B. Frank Penney came to Brewer from Dedham, Maine. He rented a portion of the old Dirigo Mill, situated on Main Street, for the purpose of operating a machine which he, himself, had but recently invented. This was called the Penney Shingle Machine, and was also referred to as the Dirigo Machine. The advantage of this over other types of shingle machines was that it would take a wider board, thus making a wider shingle. It also had a special feed, which could be set for large or small bolts. Mr. Penney had an offer of $1,000 for his machine; but he felt it would mean more to his family to have royalties coming in, so he made a verbal contract with a Bangor firm who offered to finance the securing of a patent and promised twenty-five dollars on every machine sold. No papers were ever found after his death to make this promise legal, so the heirs never received any money from the invention. Hundreds of these machines were sold in this part of Maine, one of them being in operation in Clifton, in a mill belonging to Moses Chick, as late as 1898. The last one, located in Clifton, was owned by Mr. Earl Campbell, and sold by him later to a Mr. Nason of Princeton about 1935.
In the Maine register for 1856, which we feel would probably be representative of the mid-century, the following industries and businesses are listed with the number of people employed in each at that time: apothecary, 1; blacksmiths, 9; boots & shoe manufacturing, 1; brickmakers, 15; cabinet makers, 1; carpenters,
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10; clergymen, 3; clothing, 1; coal, wood, & bark, 2; cordage, 1; doors, blinds & sashes, 1; flour & grain, 1; grocers, 8; physicians, 3; planing mills, 1; provisions, etc., 2; riggers, 1; saw mills, 3; (but Sargent & Sterns were listed as running four mills ); shingle mills, 2; ship builders, 8; stove dealers & tinsmiths, 1; tanners & curriers, 1; twine and line, 1; wool dealers, 1. This register also stated that George Brooks of Orrington ran a pottery.
Probably no tale has ever done more to make the lumber driving days on the Penobscot River well known to a great many people as The Penobscot Man, written by our own Fanny Hardy Eckstorm.
Referring to the industrial life of the community in 1882 we find that there were five saw mills, one using steam power, cutting about 4,000,000 feet of lumber annually; two grist mills at Brewer Village; shingle and clapboard mills, two planing and moulding mills, three or more shipyards, two makers of brick machines, two mast and spar makers, one boat builder, thirteen or more brickyards, three carriage makers, a churn and spinning wheel factory, one machine shop, one tannery, three shoe manufacturers, two stove and furnace makers, and three ice companies and a marine railway.
As progress was accomplished in the matter of labor and industry, certain social problems arose as is shown by this item appearing in the report for 1846: "Resolved that the selectmen are hereby instructed to carry out the law to the fullest extent for the suppression of the sale of intoxicating liquors within the limits of the town." Then there was the reference of 1870: "To see what action the town will take for the suppression of drinking houses and tippling shops in said town."
We find brief mention of other occupations which might be mentioned here. About 1870 or 80 there was a charcoal kiln operating on the Wiswell Road. This was on the west side near the Holden line and was a conical structure.
Proof that the business picture was rather dismal about 1838 is offered in a letter received by one C. Perkins from his friend in Augusta. Mr. Percival, the friend, evidently wished to locate in Brewer if he could find employment. Mr. Perkins was very pessimistic about the opportunities here at the time. He was doing some painting but had no constant work. He was of the opinion that perhaps farming was the best work to be engaged
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in. He said, "The farmers are getting wealthy while the mechan- ics are getting poor." The laborers at the time in Bangor, ac- cording to his letter, were getting four shillings, six pence, per day and would be glad if they could get steady work at that rate.
The first Bank in Brewer was an Agricultural Bank and was located in a brick building on the right side of Wilson Street near the river. Little is known about it, save that its cashier was said to have been Cornelius Bedlow. This Bank failed during the "Money Panic" of 1837. The Brewer Savings Bank, always a sound institution in the town, was organized on the first of May in 1869. The first President was William P. Burr, and the treasurer was E. P. Farrington. We believe that its first location must have been on Center St. The John T. Carter building on North Main Street was in the process of completion in 1909. As soon as it was completely finished it was to house the Brewer Savings Bank, as well as the Post Office, Allen G. Ray, Dr. R. S. Higgins, dentist; the Library, and several clubs.
A chain factory stood on the south side of the Meeting House Hill, but was destroyed in the flood of 1846. It has been said that there was a foundry at the corner of Century Street and South Main Street. In later years the Drinkwater foundry was on Maple Street, but this has been out of business for a num- ber of years. In 1893, the Standard Wood Company operate l a kindling wood mill. About this same time Getchell Brothers operated a wood yard on Maple Street. The old tannery in Ward Four was purchased in 1903 by the Britton Leather Company. For a number of years it has been occupied by the Shoddy Mill. The Connor Wood Company, which was established in 1868, added coal and purchased more land in the early 1900's. This company and the land were sold to Robinson & Kenney in 1961. The buildings were torn down and the familiar sight of these buildings is no more. At present a new and modern building is in the process of construction by Robinson & Kenney. While we were discussing the passing of the old landmark with Mr. Connor, at the time the demolition was taking place, he told us that Mr. Arthur Smith invented a broom holder, which he patented on September 6, 1904. There was one of these articles in the old Connor's office building.
The Thompson Printing Company came into existence when Mr. Loren Thompson first went into business in 1908 in the
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building on Wilson Street formerly occupied by Grant's Meat Market. The company was located on the lower end of Wilson Street on the right hand side. It later moved to its present location on South Main Street. The building which it now occu- pies has been enlarged and modernized since it was first occupied. Mr. Thompson has now retired, but his son, Thurston Thompson is still connected with the business.
Included among the industries of Brewer at one time was a toy torpedo factory, the only one left in New England at the time. The factory was located on the left hand side of North Main Street in North Brewer. Here the "baby" torpedoes, which were used by the children in their July Fourth celebrating, were made. The factory began operations in 1892. It must have shut down again in a few years, for in a news item for January 11, 1900, it stated that the torpedo factory which had been shut down for some time had started up again and would from that time on turn out its supplies for the Fourth of July.
In 1900 Mr. Walter W. W. Hunter completed a model of a patent window lock which he felt would complicate the entry of any enterprising burglar. Mr. Hunter was the proprietor of a grocery store located across Main Street from Oak Hill Cemetery.
A number of livery stables were operating in Brewer for years. They continued to serve until the advent of the auto- mobile drove them out of business. In 1900 it was announced that W. J. Smith, the South Brewer livery man was planning to put on a "bus" from South Brewer to Brewer. This bus made a trip each hour. Indicative also of this type of transportation was the notice that workmen were employed in putting in some hitching posts in front of the A. S. Kenney Building in Penob- scot Square.
A few of the other business concerns which we found men- tioned included Bisbee B. Merrill, Druggist and Apothecary, 1886; Farrington Brothers, Drygoods, Groceries, and Hardware, Center Street, 1863; John Dougherty, Brick Yard, 1861; Frank Durgin, Harness Mfg., and dealer in Horse Clothing, 1873; and A. H. King, Ice, ship stores, groceries, meats, provisions, and feed, corner of Main and Wilson Streets, 1880. These and many others formed the business and industrial picture of Brewer in the past.
In 1916, Merrill and Thomas added a new industry, the spool mill. This is another business which belongs to the past. A
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modern planing mill was built and equipped by the Penobscot Lumber Company in 1918. Of the total goods produced in the two cities of Bangor and Brewer in the 1930's about 36% were consumed locally, 90% within the state; and only about 5% outside of New England. Seventy percent were sold directly to the consumer; 25% from factory to retailer; and only 5% to wholesalers or jobbers.
New commercial and industrial construction during 1960 pro- vided housing for the Emple Knitting Mills, a large and modern A. & P. Store, C.I.T. Offices, the Maine Forestry Building, Hem- ingway Inc., and the Border Express. The New England Tele- phone Company has a fine new building in the city. Other concerns which add to this impressive list of enterprising Brewer establishments are the Hall Clothing Outlet, the Lane Mill Supply Company, new construction for the A. J. Tucker Shoe Company, W. H. Shurtleff Salt Company, E. R. Dysart, Inc., Bancroft & Martin Rolling Mill, John J. Nissen Baking Company, Rudman Beverage Company. The list of new concerns is grow- ing rapidly and this list is becoming more impressive from day to day. Add to these the many stores and commercial establish- ments, plus the older concerns such as the Eastern Manufacturing Company, Mack's Baking Company, Thompson's Printing Com- pany, and others; and you have a city whose attractions and facilities predict a bright future of growth and prosperity.
CHAPTER XIII
CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF BREWER
The first organizations of importance in the town were con- nected with the churches; although a temperance group was organized December 5, 1828, at the Wiswell School. Organized groups of this type were rare at the time. The temperance group was probably not too long lived, as we find it stated that the first group, other than those connected with the churches, was the Pine Grove Grange #233 of the Patrons of Husbandry, November 15, 1877.
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In a sketch of Brewer, written in the late 1800's, are mentioned church societies and various fraternal organizations. Among the latter were: Odd Fellows, Ancient Order of United Workmen, United Fellowship, Independent Order of Good Templars, Iron Hall, and United Friends. Many other groups, with which Brewer people were connected, met in Bangor. We found the Union Veterons' Union spoken of a number of times. This con- sisted of Veterans of the Civil War. Nearly all of the groups which will be discussed in this chapter are in existence today. However we would start off with one or two that are memories of the past.
THE CURRENT EVENTS CLUB
Miss Sue Sargent entertained a group of young ladies at her home on the fourteenth of February 1895. At this time the sug- gestion was made that there was need for a study group which would "keep us in touch with events occurring, not only in our own country, but all over the world." The membership roll was as follows: Mary Yaer, Edith Billington, Louise A. Brastow, Maude W. Brewer, Ethel A. Hodges, Louise Kent, Eva R. Mutty, Mary E. Neal, Harriett C. Nickerson, Nellie G. Plamer, Mabel Reed, Ada Russell, Drue Russell, Frances Sargent, Susan A. Sargent, Mabel Staples, Carolyn Stone, Wilma M. Stubbs, Lois Wescott, Bessie B. Nickerson, Gertrude Palmer, Mary Wiswell, Bernice Mutty, Mary Edmonds, Nellie Mann, Maude York, Vesta Young, Helen McCew, Annie C. Hamlin, May Edwards, and Mabel Dole.
The club was duly organized and Mary Neal was elected president, with Maude Brewer as secretary. The purpose of the club was thus stated: "Members may either speak upon, read a paper, or in any other way treat a subject assigned to them, but they have not the privilege of declining to accept when assigned. If unable to be present they will be expected to send a paper, prepared by themselves on their subject, or if sick may furnish a substitute." These assignments were given for the first meeting: "The Maine Legislature", Susan Sargent; "English Affairs", Mabel Reed; "Chinese and Japanese War", Frances Sargent; "Armenian Persecutions", Maude Brewer; "U. S. Legis- lature", Eva Mutty; and "French Affairs", Callie Stone.
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