History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 172

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 172

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There were now three Democratic papers in the city -- the Republican, the Commercial Advertiser, and the People's Press.

John H. Slack was in the city for the purpose of pro- curing funds for the establishment of a high school or college in Canada. After interviewing him the pastors of the leading churches say, " by his own confession he is acting without responsibility to any man or body of men in Canada or elsewhere, and that, on this account, they cannot conscientiously recommend him to the pat- ronage of the public." Dr. Pond and Mayor Kent con- curred. It is needless, perhaps, to say that Mr. John Hancock Slack did not make a successful raid upon the pockets of our citizens.

The distribution of the surplus revenue was at this time agitating the public mind in the State. The acts authorizing its distribution had been passed by Congress, and the question was how it should be divided.

Hon. Gorham Parks had opposed the passage of the act, which was called "the great measure of the season," and said that "he believed there was no one act of his political life which in after times he should reflect upon with more pleasure than his vote against this bill." As might have been expected in high political times, his op- ponents would not give him credit for worthy motives, yet they thought that the Democrats, in changing him for Mr. Davee, their new candidate, had "missed a figure" and "given up a talented man for one who could never fill his place in the House of Representatives."

On June 27th there was a "great sale of permits, mill privileges, lands, and lots at Stillwater " (Orono). Before the public sale the Stillwater Company disposed of per- mits to lumber at the average rate of $4.50 per thou- sand, amounting to $140,000; sales of factory sites and house lots, $60,000. Sales by auction by Head & Pills- bury : Permits, $127,000; factory sites, house lots, etc., $75,942; total $402,942.

The sales exceeded all anticipations. The condition of the money market had rendered a disposition of the property at any rate questionable.

Mount Hope Cemetery was consecrated on Thursday, July 21st. The day was said to be delightful (notwith- standing many ladies were "thoroughly drenched " in a shower), and the exercises were of great interest. In the notice of a delighted observer occurs the following sketch :

The many rustic seats erected beneath the stately oaks and spruce growth were completely filled. A rude platform was erected under the spreading branches of an oak, which was decorated with a variety of wild flowers. On this platform the services were performed, and I more than once observed the silent but eloquent tear steal from the eye

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as the ceremony proceeded. The singing, under the direction of Mr. Johnson, echoed among the trees, and seemed to lift the soul in rapture and bear it nearer its better home.

The address of Mr. Kent was eloquent and affecting. He spoke of the propriety of consecrating a spot to the memory of departed worth ; said that the soul-chilling appearance of our graveyards accorded not with the feelings of our nature; that a spot situated like this, with the beauties of nature scattered on every hand, was calculated to give a chastened and holy calm to the mind, and to lead the thoughts to study nature in her works, and to God as her great author. Every heart must have joined the speaker when he set aside that hill-the extended field, the leafy woods, the calm retreat, and the complaining brock, to the service and as the resting-place of the dead-forever.

The editor of the Whig said that the services "were both gratifying and pleasing, and throughout of a char- acter highly appropriate." " The address of the Mayor we have heard commented on in the most extravagant terms of admiration, and all fully coincide in the opin- ion that it was decidedly his happiest public effort."

The reading of select portions of the Scripture was by Rev. Frederick H. Hedge, of the Unitarian Society.

Consecration prayer by Rev. Swan L. Pomroy, of the First Parish (Congregational) Society.

Benediction by Rev. John Maltby, of the Hammond Strect (Congregational) Society.

The following hymns were sung :

[Tune-Bethesda]. I. Around thy forest shrine, Eternal God ! we bend; While to yon dome of thing Faith's breathing tones ascend. To spread # broad, From Nature's fanc, The choral strain, To Nature's God. 2. The whispering wind around, The glorious sky above ; The trees' sweet murmuring sound, All, all proclaim thy love. A thrilling voice Breathed on the car, Checks every fear- Bids man rejoice. 3. Where Nature's hues of bloom In summer beauty reign, Shall sadness, doubt, and gloom Breathe here their mournful strain ? Let songs of praise To God be given ; And high to Heaven Joy's chorus raise. 4. To faith, to hope, to love, This spot we consecrate, While, raised to Thee above; Our hearts thy blessing wait To Thee, we pray, Our Father, God ! Through Him who trod Death's.silent way. 5. Our souls shall never fear The path He blessed, to tread; But calmly enter here The chambers of the dead. Here shall we sleep, And fear no ill, While angels still Their vigils keep.

To Thee ! Great King of Kings ! When life's short dream is o'er, On hope's aspiring wings, Oh, may our spirits soar, And swell on high, That strain to thee, Whose melody Shall never die ! [Tune-Old Hundred. ]

I. Oh, righteous God, through Thy dear Son, Accept the service we have done; And make this place on which we stand A Mount of Hope-a holy land. 2. This pleasant grove -- this verdant lawn,- While suns shall set and mornings dawn, Make it the weary pilgrim's rest, Where angry strifes no more molest.

3. May all who here shall lay their head Low on this sacred, silent bed, The Christian path to glory run; Nor tire, nor faint, till glory's won. 4. And that dear dust which here shall slecp May blessed angels safely keep Till time shall cease, the morning come, And trump of God shall rend the tomb.

5. Then let it rise and upward move, In deathless forms of joy and love, Shouting: Oh, grave, thy reign is o'er; Remorseless Death triumphs no more!

6. And when the golden sun shall dic, And Time and Death shall be no more, Oh, may we find, beyond the sky, The Christian's holy, happy shorc.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrews and Miss Woodward, of Bos- ton, gave miscellaneous concerts, which were called "capital affairs."

There was published about this time an address de- livered by A. Sanborn, Esq., before the "Penobscot As- sociation of Teachers," at Corinth, in October, 1835, of which it was said, that it was "calculated to give a right turn to public sentiment, and to obviate the evils of. the present public school system," and that the "light which it sheds is too important to be 'hid under a bushel.'"

A canal to connect the Penobscot River with the head waters of Moosehead Lake was at this time recom- mended.

In July eight State Banks were doing business in Ban- gor-the Commercial, the Kenduskeag, Mercantile, Ban- gor, People's, Eastern, Penobscot, Lafayette.

Thomas H. Perry commenced a high school in Au- gust, in the building recently occupied by N. H. Wood.

The refusal to take receipts for personal property at- tached, which was adopted by some creditors, was com- plained of as a piece of oppression, and a grievance that should be put a stop to. It was replied that the oppres- sion was on the other side ; and it was only because the honest creditor was improperly delayed in realizing his dues from those able to pay that this course was resorted to.

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Ventriloquism and animal magnetism were at this time represented by Mr. Sutton, of England, and Mr. Poyen, of Paris, respectively.

Mr. O'Connell, the tattooed man, proposed to enlighten the citizens on the subject of tattooing "among the savages of the Carroline Islands," where he had been eleven years taking lessons.

The stringency in the money market had the effect to awaken an interest in the subject of banks and banking, and to start a discussion of the project of a State bank, with the view to relieve the pressure. A writer said that "in our country no State is so rich as to have idle capital which it would loan on favorable terms," therefore we must resort to the older and richer countries of Europe for loans. But no private individual or association of individuals could negotiate a loan, at a moderate interest, in England, Holland, or France; therefore the credit of the State should be employed. This had been done in Louisiana and Indiana, and "under its influence they were rapidly advancing in a career of prosperity."

Monsieur Schafer, from Paris, wished to teach the people French.

The Trustees of the Theological Seminary, through the Mechanic and Farmer, tendered their thanks to Hon. Benjamin Bussey, of Roxbury, for a bell, whereupon that paper said :

· We believe that that gentleman gave to the Congregational Society the first bell ever rung in this city, which bell was destroyed by fire and its place supplied by him. The Independent Congregational so- ciety are also indebted for their bell to the same munificent donor; as likewise the Baptist Society, (and we are quite sure he paid liberally to- wards the Methodist bell,) which with the one acknowledged above, make five bells, besides the sum paid towards the Methodist. It is right to ring the praises of such a man.

Mr. Bussey, however, gave but $100 towards the Bap- tist bell. A lady in Providence gave $28, and Hon. James P. Boyd, of Boston, added $300 and procured the bell.

The Commercial Advertiser and People's Press were respectively condemning and defending the conduct of the established banks in the city, for refusing to supply the President and Directors of the Globe Bank, recently incorporated, with the specie to commence operations. If they commenced by borrowing in that way, it would seem to be rather singular that they would not do as they were done by. But perhaps they had come to real- ize that another bank would have made too many; that one to a family was enough. It could not have been that they were afraid the specie would not be returned!

The Commercial Advertiser, established by Anson Herrick, was at this time edited by John W. Foote. The People's Press was edited by Thomas Bartlett, Jr.

While these editors were carrying on this bank war Hon. Elijah L. Hamlin published a petition to the Legis- lature representing that he, with Josiah Towle and seven others (naming them) subscribed a petition for the char- ter of the Globe Bank, to be located at Bangor; that, soon after the charter was obtained, he learned to his surprise and mortification, that a majority of the interest in the charter had been purchased from those eight per- sons by Samuel Smith, who was afterwards chosen Pres-

ident of the Bank; that he entertained no doubt that the sale was made in pursuance of a secret arrangement entered into between said parties before the charter was granted, and that the sale was a fraud, and that, having signed the petition in good faith, he had refused to take any stock in the bank, whereupon he prayed that the corporators might be put upon their oath and show cause why the charter should not be declared void.

At this time the following story was told to illustrate how some banks managed to evade the law in regard to interest: An application was made to one of the banks on the western side of the Kenduskeag for a discount, and was refused unless the applicant would take a draft on. a bank in - on the eastern side of the river, and after deducting the usual discount pay one per cent. for the draft. This was thought to be a high rate of exchange between the banks of so narrow a stream as the Kendus- keag.

It was said in behalf of the Globe Bank that it was its intention to change the process of banking in this city, and reduce bank profits; and those citizens were congrat- ulated who were in the habit of getting bank accommo- dations upon the prospect they had "of obtaining them without making their liabilities payable in Boston, and being compelled to pay percentage on checks to cancel them." 1

Mr. Hamlin's petition was replied to with peculiar se- verity by five of the corporators named by Mr. Hamlin, who said they were ready to meet his charges "with a full denial of their truth;" that Mr. Smith was not elected President of the Globe Bank in pursuance of any sale, and that they did not know of any "false colors " or pretenses under which the charter was obtained. They might have stopped there, but in their excitement they added much more.

Mr. Hamlin, in a longer article, reiterates his charges against some of the corporators,-some in another article he excuses, -- says that "he considers the Globe Bank to be one of the greatest humbugs of the day," etc. To this there was a very lengthy rejoinder, in which his statements were traversed and ridiculed, and with it the parties discontinued their advertisements.

The Democratic party at its county convention in Le- vant passed this resolution this year:

Resolved, That rotation in office, by selecting men at short intervals, direct from the body of the people, to places of profit and trust, "is a leading principle in the Democratic creed, and the only guarantee for the supremacy of the people."

Mr. George W. Carleton came into the city and es- sayed to instruct the people in the Real Art of Dancing.

The Rifle Company made its appearance in the streets and were complimented for their commendable appear- ance, as well as for the evidences of their skill in target practice.

Miss Turner pretty soon followed Mr. Carleton for the laudable purpose of teaching masters and misses, and young ladies and gentlemen, in the " accomplishment of dancing."

The subject of a railroad between Bangor and Port- land was agitated, and a public meeting was held at the

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City Hall August 25 for the purpose of obtaining an ex- pression of the citizens in regard to it. The attendance was of the most respectable citizens, and the expression was strongly in favor of building the road. A commit- tee, consisting of Thomas A. Hill, S. H. Blake, E. H. Allen, Edward Smith, Amos Patten, Thomas Drew, and Ebenezer French, was appointed to confer with Colonel Long, the engineer, in relation to a route from Bangor to Augusta.

A shore railroad between Bangor and Oldtown was lo- cated and work commenced this season, but owing to the opposition of land-owners, and exorbitant damages claimed by them, the project was abandoned.

Bangor was rapidly becoming metropolitan, with metropolitan singers, ventriloquists, tattooed men, animal magnetizers, male and female dancing teachers, when on the 29th of August, with its theatre, actors and all, it would seem actually to have become so.

Near the northerly terminus of the Franklin Bridge, the theatre stood. It was a wooden structure of no great magnitude or pretensions to beauty, but it had its stage and scenery, and pit, and parquet, and galleries, and for a while its audiences.

Alfred Herbert, Henry Eberle, and John B. Rice were the managers; and on the evening of the 29th of August they put upon the stage Shakspere's comedy, "She Stoops to Conquer."

At the opening this address, written by a gentleman of Bangor, was spoken by Mr. Rice:

Where late through forest wild the Indian roved,

Chasing the moose deer wheresoe'er they roved,

A city rose ! see, o'er its hundred hills The lofty spires, and thousand domiciles, The park-the common and the spacious square. Where lurked the red man in his savage lair,

And where Orono's tribe, with light canoe, Pursued the game and raised the wild halloo-

Lo ! sails unfurl to catch the coming breeze And waft our forest treasures o'er the seas. Old Time, thus far, has bid the world good night- Be ours the task to ease his future flight; To hold the mirror up to Nature's sons, To drive away wichiggins," blues, and duns; We hold our "bonds," but are by friendship bound To all who love the drama's cheerful sound; Now may this humble, unpretending dome Be Thalia's, Shakspere's, Caliope's home; A home for virtue, genius, talents, sense; Our patrons pleased, we have our recompense. Nor bank-bills, specie, have we much to boast, But while we live will give our standing toast: Now and hereafter be it understood No combinations but for public good. We greet old settlers, and we greet the young, Though last not least to have their merits sung; Bangoreans all, if we be not mistook,

"From Captain Noah down to Captain Cook-" While on "lots " the old their changes run, The young are well content with "lots of fun." While rolls the dark Penobscot to the bay And through all time the night's dispelled by day, So may the drama, fostered by its friends, Pursue its course tiil its glorious ends Are brought to light, and Shakspere's storied page Be taught to wond'ring millions from the stage! The stage! where Greece and Rome their heroes taught; While mimic heroes ranged the world of thought;

When great Napoleon read the Book of Fate, As Talma thundered lessons for the State. Where Ocean's time and Forest's rapid stream Mingle united in the morning beam. Behold the " Union Market " rise to view, Unlike the phoenix, who from ashes flew;

O'er rocky bed from bridge to bridge it grew. May East and West there meet on neutral ground, No more be rivals in the giddy round. Long may they meet in Shakspere's temple here,

At Thalia laugh, to Call'pe lend the ear. All that we ask is candor, justice, right, We'll do our best to put dull care to flight.

Judge Stetson, of the Municipal Court, had some business to occupy his attention. Thomas and Simeon Low, old native citizens and fishermen, had acquired a habit of their betters, and taken some drops too much with their associate, George Butler, and in their elevated condition manifested their superiority by divers blows and fisticuffs, and finally by throwing Butler overboard. All this occurred in the river, below High-Head; but all the parties survived, and were constrained to visit the court-room to get His Honor's opinion as to whether such conduct was in harmony with Democratic principles. On learning the facts, the judge decided that there had been too great an exercise of arbitrary power, and that Captain Thomas and his brother should each pay the State five dollars and costs for the indulgence of their aristocratic, or (to Americanize it) Federal, propensities. Captain Thomas paid like a man, but Simeon showed his contempt of the sentence by appealing.

A meeting of the citizens was held on Friday evening, September 3, to devise measures to relieve the distress in the community occasioned by the "present scarcity of money." It was affirmed that the pressure here was greater than in any other city or town, and was attributed to "the unfortunate difficulty now existing among the banks in this city." The chief speaker (George W. Cooley) said that nothing was necessary to enable the banks to extend accommodations to the amount of $200,000 or $300,000, but to bring to an end the war existing between them ; and upon his motion a commit- tee was appointed to confer with the directors and ascer- tain if something could not be done to reconcile existing differences, and to request them to break off their con- nection with the Suffolk Bank in Boston, and redeem at their own counters. The committee consisted of P. B. Mills, John A. French, Joseph Bryant, William H. John- son, John True, Thomas Jenness, B. C. Atwood, Nathaniel Hatch, George W. Brown, Walter Brown.

The meeting was criticised as being in the interest of the Globe Bank. This, however, was denied.

After a week devoted to the matter the committee re- ported at another meeting that they had requested a meeting of a committee from each bank for consultation, and met a committee from six banks, whom they found ready and willing to do all in their power to assist the mercantile community as soon as they could consistently with their own safety.

Mr. Mills thought the chief cause of the pressure was overlooked, which was the withdrawal of a million of dollars from the State on the closing up the affairs of the

* Indian term for writ.

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

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United States Banks. This money was gone, and its place had not been supplied.

Mr. J. P. Rogers followed with a philippic against the banking system. He believed it to be the cause of all the difficulties, and advised his hearers to fly from it as they would from the plague. It was his opinion that if it was not done away with, it would eventually bring ruin and desolation on the country. But he did not suggest any plan for improvement.

There was great anxiety as to what would be the result of the financial condition. And this, aggravated by a rumor that there was an association in the city that fur- nished a broker with funds to loan to business men for a large consideration, and that the broker put their paper into the hands of a lawyer holding a high public office, who, as soon as it was collectable, handed writs of at- tachment to the officers, with instruction to take no receipts for the property attached, thus driving the debtor to resort to the same broker for means of relief!

The political canvass this year was exciting, as usual in a Presidential year; but with Mr. Merchant in the edito- rial chair of the Whig and Courier there was not great personal bitterness. Robert P. Dunlap was the Demo- cratic, and Edward Kent the Whig candidate for Gov- ernor. Thomas Davee was the Democratic, and John S Tenney the Whig candidate for Representative to Con- gress. The vote of Bangor was for Dunlap, 449; Kent, 672; Davee, 312; Tenney, 674; scattering, 143.

Elisha H. Allen, Esq., was elected Representative to the Legislature.

Mr. Dunlap was elected Governor, and Mr. Davee Representative to Congress.

The celebrated picture of Adam and Eve, by D ubufe, was on exhibition at the Bangor House.

The subject of the removal of the bodies buried in the cemetery on Main street, below Dennet's Cove, was agi- tated and their removal deprecated.

Some alarm existed in September because of the prev- alence of dysentery, from which there had been several deaths. It was a time of unusual drouth, and the springs and streams were low, and it was thought that the disease was occasioned by the impurity of the water. Boiling it had been attended with salutary re- sults; therefore boiling the water before using it was recommended. Souchong tea was also recommended as a preventive. A remedy was also recommended which it was said never failed of effecting a cure. If the patient be a grown person, let him take half a tumbler of lime- water, ten drops laudanum, and fifteen drops essence of cinnamon-in quantity, a table-spoonful every hour.

John J. Jerome in September opened a merchants' and mechanics' reading-room. Such an institution in September, 1881, had not existed in Bangor for several years.

The large steamboat Independence, which had been for some time plying between Boston and Bangor under Captain S. H. Howes, sustaining an "unsatisfactory character," in the evening of the 28th September, while approaching the city at full speed, was obliged to deviate from her course to avoid a vessel that lay anchored di-

rectly across the channel, and in doing so ran upon a rock in the river, off a pier which stood not far from where the easterly end of the Maine Central Station now is. Her false bow was stove in and a large hole was made in her bottom, so that afterward the tide ebbed and flowed in her. There were a hundred passengers on board, who were landed safely. No buoy indicated the location of the rock, and its existence was not generally known.

The town of Plymouth, in Penobscot county, from which Bangor derived some business, was affected with the emigration fever. Forty-one persons left it for the State of Illinois. With one or two exceptions the emi- grants were family relations. Thirty-one bore the name of Harlow. Twelve of them were Baptists and consti- tuted a church, having a preacher and a deacon.

The Belfast stage-driver alleged that he put Waldo Bank bills amounting to $1,700 into his outside coat pocket, and while giving his undivided attention to the attractive performances in the Bangor Theatre (the "Forty Thieves " was performed about this time) was relieved of the money by some covetous individual who did not return it. He could account for its loss in no other way. He was arrested on suspicion of having con- cealed it. The pocket-book that contained the money was afterwards found upon Broadway, rifled of its con- tents. The driver was released from arrest as a criminal, but was arrested again in an action of trover for the money, as lost by his carelessness. One Frasier was ar- rested on suspicion of having robbed the driver, and taken before the Municipal Court; but the evidence was not sufficient to detain him.

At a meeting of the Penobscot Association of Teach- ers, in Corinth, on September 17, a "talented and appro- priate" address was delivered by F. H. Allen, Esq., of Bangor.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 172

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100