History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 2

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 2

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A record covering the period from 1816 to 1866, shows that the ear- liest opening to navigation of the Penobscot at Bangor, for the period, was on March 21, and that during the whole time registered it opened in January and February but once-namely, in 1831, on January 9th. . The river remains frozen over for 125 days yearly on the average.

The following excellent and detailed account of the Penobscot waters is derived from the introduction to Williamson's History of Maine, than which we find nothing better in print for the purpose of full description. It was written about 1830:

The Penobscot river is the longest of any one in the State; and in its tide-waters it is as large as the Sagadahock after the junction of the Kennebec and the Androscoggin. Its whole length, as it runs from its heads to Fort Point is supposed to be about two hundred miles. It has no reservoirs, such as the great lake that yields supply to the Kennebec; it is formed by a great number of streams, which issue from ponds, swamps and springs, above and below the forty-sixth parallel of lati- tude, and spread the whole width of the State, its western sources being more than ten hundred miles, in a straight course, from its eastern heads; and so much do they all, like branches of one family, converge and aim at a general union, as to form a confluence and constitute the main river, ninety-five miles from its mouth, and with about one-half a degree only below the parallel above mentioned.

The western branch of the Penobscot is supposed to be the largest. It rises in the highlands north of the Kennebec, east of the Chaudiere, and south of the St. John; and what is noticeable, the head-streams of the four rivers are quite near each other in several places. Its sources have been explored by the surveyors under the treaty of Ghent; and it is found that the road from the forks of the Kennebec to "Mile Tree " crosses three primary branches of the Penobscot, two of which, one four and the other six miles below the heights, are large mill-streams where they cross the road.

From the northwest branch of the Penobscot, rising between twenty and thirty miles northeasterly of "Mile Tree," the carrying-place into the main St. John is only two miles; and some streams of the two rivers are much nearer each other. This great western branch, after collect- ing its waters from the north and south, runs eastwardly, not far from the northern margin of Moosehead Lake, and empties into Chesuncook Lake, sixty miles from some of its sources. The outlet river of this lake, which is fifteen miles in length, runs southwardly and eastwardly forty-five miles, till it embraces the great eastern branch, and forms what is called the junction, the waters in each being nearly equal.

The two main streams of this eastern branch rise about fifty or sixty miles, from their heads to its union with the great western branch or the Neketow. Twenty miles above this junction, in the west branch, are the Grand Falls, where the waters descend over a ledge of smooth rocks, 50 feet, through a channel 45 feet wide, into a basin of unknown depth. In late years the eastern branch has been explored above the junction; and of the other considerable is known to its several sources, though neither of them has yet settlements on its banks. South of the junction, two miles, the Penobscot receives from the northeast a brook called Salmon stream.

Sixteen miles below the junction is the mouth of the Mattawamkeag river, which rises on the eastern side of the State, and flows many miles southeasterly towards Schoodic Lakes; then forms a bow and runs southwest twelve miles, and receives the Sebascohegan, through which travellers and Indians ascend within three miles of the Schoodic Lakes. The Mattawamkeag is as large as the Piscataquis, and larger than two of the Kenduskeag; rapid, very rocky in several places, and frequent falls and intervening still-waters. Its mouth is about 30 miles below that of the Sebascohegan; and the mail, first established in 1825, passes up these two rivers through the Schoodic Lakes to Houlton.

From the mouth of the Mattawamkeag, the Penobscot descends in a

cool and inviting current, navigable for the largest rafts, receiving on its west side the Medunkaunk, a small mill-stream, and the Madamiscon- das [Mattamiscontis], a large one; and on the east side, the Metanaw- cook, two-thirds as large as the Passadumkeag, and 16 miles above it.

But the most important and considerable tributary of the Penobscot is the Piscataquis, which comes from the west, and, after running 100 miles from its sources, empties itself 35 miles above the mouth of the Kenduskeag and 35 miles below the junction. Three large streams constitute the Piscataquis, viz: Pleasant river from the northwest, which rises on the east side of Moosehead lake; Sebec river from the west, which has some of its sources in the same neighborhood, and Sebec pond in its course; and Piscataquis proper, which comes more from the southwest; the latter two embrace the first, and three miles further down they receive the third, 12 miles from the mouth of the Piscata- quis. Sebec and Pleasant rivers are about equally large, and a few others of their size carefully compare with them in beauty and commo- diousness. They afford many excellent mill-sites, and in freshets will float large rafts. The three branches have low banks, interspersed with rich and extensive intervales. The flowing of the Piscataquis, which is 30 rods wide, is very quick and its waters uncommonly transparent and pure. At its mouth it descends a fall of 12 or 15 feet in the space of 10 rods; and over a part of the fall the water pours in a thick and limpid sheet. In mixing with the Penobscot it adds to it nearly a third part of its waters.

Five miles below the Piscataquis, on the east side, is the Passadum- keag, which rises near Schoodic waters and empties itself into the Pe- nobscot. It is boatable about twenty miles, excepting seven carrying- places of inconsiderable length. On this river are extensive natural meadows, where great quantities of hay are cut every year.

The Penobscot, after flowing south five miles, receives on the east side Olemon stream, which is little else than a large brook, and likewise em- braces an island of excellent land, called Olemon Island, containing three hundred acres; also Sugar Island, of like size, a little below, and several smaller ones in a short distance. Sunkhaze stream is rather larger than Olemon stream, and empties into the Penobscot eleven miles below, on the same side. Not less than two hundred tons of hay are taken annually from its meadows. Both these streams together, probably, do not contribute more water to the main river than the Pas- sadumkeag does itself.

One mile below Sunkhaze, and fourteen from the mouth of Kendus- keag, the Penobscot is parted in a very remarkable manner, so that about half the water next the eastern shore descends in direct course southerly, and the other half turns a short corner and runs northwest more than two miles, and then turning again almost as short, runs southerly seven miles before the two branches form a junction. This western branch is called Stillwater, and the first island it embraces after the divorce is Osson island, of twelve hundred acres. It then has intercourse with the east branch by a southwesterly reach, three miles in length, which separates that island from Marsh island, containing five thousand acres; and from this reach a passage bounds the southeast end of Osson island, and separates it from Oldtown island, of three hundred acres, where the Indian village is. Besides these three the Stillwater river also embraces another one, called Orono, of one hun- dred and fifty acres. At the upper and lower end of Stillwater river are falls suitable for mill-sites; and on the east branch-that is, the main river-there are similar falls, viz., at the foot of Oldtown island and at Great Works, a mile or more below; in each of which the descent may be twenty or thirty feet.

All four of these islands are excellent land; and, except Marsh island, which is the southernmost one, they are claimed by the Tarratine tribe of Indians. They also own the other islands mentioned, which are of a like fertile soil.

From the reunion of the Penobscot with the Stillwater at the foot of Marsh island, the river flows southwestwardly three miles to the head of the tide, at "the Bend," so called, where its usual ebb and flow are two feet. Small vessels may ascend in freshets and spring tides, within a mile of it, but ship navigation is not good and safe much above Ken- duskeag point, four miles below the Bend.

The Kenduskeag stream rises near some of the Sebasticook sources, and after running in its southeasterly serpentine course fifty miles, and turning the wheels of various mills and machinery, it discharges its waters into the Penobscot, amid Bangor village, sixty miles from White Head, twenty-three miles from Fort Point, and seventy from the junc- tion. It is generally eight rods wide; its mouth, which is thirty-five rods in breadth, and sixty rods higher up at the bridge is thirty rods, forms a branch of the harbor; but here the ground, except in the chan- nel, is often bare at low water. Opposite to the mouth of the Kendus-

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

keag, the water in the channel of the Penobscot is seventeen feet when the tide is out, and the width of the main river below is eighty rods.

The Penobscot thence descends in a deep and steady current, passing the mouths of Segeunkedunk on the east side, and Sowadabscook on the west shore; both being mill-streams much less than Kenduskeag, one three and the other five miles below it ; thence one league to Bald Hill cove, on the same side; another to Buck's Ledge, covered at high water; and half a mile more to Oak Point, where the water is sixty rods wide and deep. Between the latter and Dram Point, which are a league asunder, is Marsh Bay, which is more than a mile wide, ornamented by the village of Frankfort on the western shore. Here the water is very salt, and the river is seldom frozen as low as Buck's Ledge. Indeed, during some winters it continues open as high as the mouth of Sowa- dabscook.

It is about five miles from 'Dram Point to the head of Orphan island, which contains 5,000 acres or more, and divides the waters of the river into two branches. The western and main one passes through the Nar- rows opposite the northwest curve of the island, and by Oldham's Ledge, which is half a league below, and a league above Fort Point, at the mouth of the river. The branch which washes the other side of the island is called Easton river, safely navigable for small vessels ;- the island itself, taxed in Bucksport, is good land, and is owned by the de- scendants of an orphan lady who inherited a part of the Waldo Patent.

The general breadth of the Penobscot is from 80 to 100 rods, and it is remarkable that, owing to absorption and evaporation, it should be so uniformly wide from Piscataquis to Orphan island; though its depths are various, being above the tide-waters from 6 to 12 feet, not easily fordable by a man and horse below the junction. The usual tides at and below Bangor are fifteeu [eleven] feet, and at low water its depth in the channel is from three to six fathoms, and in some places twenty. The banks of the river are generally high; some projections are rocky and rugged, and others afford a picturesque appearance. An enchanting ex- panse of the river spreads itself before Bucksport village, and another before Frankfort, and a beautiful country on either side, extending to the head of the tide, fills the passenger's eye from the river with captivating views of nature and culture. As we ascend the river we find the banks less elevated; and above the tide-waters we pass many extensive intervales before we reach the Piscataquis. The only fearful ledges below the head of navigation are Buck's and Oldham's, before mentioned; and Fort Point Ledge, half a mile from the Point, and Steele's Ledge, a league, southeast, covered at high water.

At and above Bangor, and below it as far as the water is fresh, the river is generally closed by ice from the middle of December to the fore part of April. However, the ice in 1800 did not descend till the eigh- teenth of April; and on the first of January, 1805, the river, after being closed three weeks, was clear for two days; and it may be mentioned as a rare instance that, on the twenty-sixth of March, 1811, the river was clear of ice and frozen no more during the spring. Moreover, in February, 1807, the ice, which was very thick and strong, being broken up by an uncommon freshet on the seventeenth of the month, was driven down in great cakes, and one hundred rods below Bangor village formed an immovable impediment to the current. By reason of this check, the waters rose ten to twelve feet higher than was before known, filled the lower apartments of several buildings, and destroyed and in- jured a great quantity of goods, forcing the inhabitants of one dwelling- house to make their escape from the chamber windows. Three days elapsed before the ice fully gave way and the flood subsided.

At the foot of Orphan island the Penobscot expands, so that the dis- tance across from Fort Point to the eastern shore is two miles or more; and this is the head of the bay. The most noted place on the eastern shore is Major-biguyduce Point, fifteen miles below Orphan island, a place repeatedly mentioned in history. That point is the southerly projection of the peninsula, which constitutes the greatest part of the town of Castine. On the north it has Back Cove; north of west it has Penobscot bay, two leagues over, with Belfast bay another league on the west, adorned by the village of Belfast. On the southwest it has the upper end of Long island [Islesborough], two miles distant, and at the eastward it has Northern bay. It has always been considered by Europeans, as well as by the Americans and natives, to be a very eligible situation. Castine village is on the southerly side of the peninsula; and westward of it one hundred rods, at some dis- tance from the shore, are the appearance of the old fortifications. Here the Plymouth colony had a trading house as early as A. D. 1626; here D'Aulnay located himself in 1640; and here Baron de Castine after- wards had his residence many years. The United States garrison is still farther to the west and on higher land, intended to protect the town and command the upper section of Penobscot bay.

LUMBERING ON THE RIVER.

A vivid sketch of scenes on the Penobscot, as the lumbermen approach their destination at Bangor, is given in the entertaining volume on Forest Life and Forest Trees, by Mr. John S. Springer, himself a native of the Pine-tree State. In his chapter on River-driving the writer says:

Between the mouth of the Piscataquis and Oldtown, 20 or 25 miles, are numerous beautiful islands, some of them large, and generally cov- ered with a heavy growth of hard wood, among which the elm abounds. When the logs arrive at this point, many of the encampments are fixed upon these islands. As the sun sinks behind the western hills, the lengthened shadows of the beautiful island forests shoot across the mirrored river, casting a deep shade, which soon disappears amid the denser curtain of an advanced evening, with which they blend. The roar of rushing waters is over, and the current glides smoothly on. No sound is heard but the echo of the merry boatman's laugh, and of voices here and there on the river, with now and then the shred of a song and the creaking and plashing of oars. While thus passing down, as the boats turn a sudden bend in the river, a dozen lights gleam from the islands, throwing their lengthened scintillations over the water. Now the question goes round, "Which is our light?" "There's one on the east side!" "Yes, and there's another on Sugar island!" "And there's one on Hemlock!" says a third. "Why the d-1 hadn't they gone to Bangor and done with it?" "Wangun No. I, ahoy!" shouts the helmsman, a little exasperated with fatigue and hunger. Now, while all the other cooks remain silent, No. I cook responds in turn. Another calls out the name of their particular log-mark: "Blaze Belt, ahoy! Where in thunder are you?" "Blaze Belt, this way, this way!" comes echoing from Hemlock island, and away the Blaze Belt batteau rows with its merry-making crew. Thus each crew, in turn, is finally con- ducted to its respective camp-fire.

The prospect of a release from the arduous labors on the drive at this point of progress raises the thermometers of feeling, which im- parts a right merry interest to everything. Like sailors "homeward bound," after a three- or nine-month's cruise, and within one day's sail of port, relaxation and pastimes only are thought and talked of.

The mine of song and story is opened, and the rarest specimens of match-songs and stretched stories are coined and made current by the members of the different crews. "The smartest team," "chopper, "barker," "the largest tree," the biggest log, the greatest day's shirk, bear or moose story, the merits of crews, teamsters, brooks, creeks, and swamps, falls and rapids, streams and rivers, all, all come up as themes of converse, song, and story. There is less hurrying in the morning now than in the former part of the driving. Let the water rise or fall, it is all the same thing at this point, for the driver has reached the ample channel of the river, where neither falls nor rapids occur. A day, and the work is consummated-'tis done. Crews are disbanded; they disperse, some to their homes and farms, some to idleness and recrea- tion, some to hire in the mills, to saw the logs thus run others to take rafts of boards to the head of tide-navigation, where hundreds of vessels are in waiting to distribute the precious results of the lumbermen's toil to the thousand parts of the Atlantic and Pacific coast; where the sound of saw, planes, and hammers of a million house-wrights, cabinet- makers, coopers, and joiners make the air vocal with the music of cheerful labor, giving bread to the millions, wealth to thousands, and comfort and convenience to all.

THE SOIL OF PENOBSCOT.

In Mr. Whipple's Geographical View of the District of Maine, published in 1816, occur the following remarks, which need not be greatly changed for our day :

That part of the district of Maine which is nearest to the sea-coast, and extending its whole length and about ten miles back, is generally inclined to clay, and in many places rocky. This is reported as the most ordinary part of Maine; but many parts of it, where well cultivated, produce most abundantly. That part of this section which extends from Penobscot to Piscataqua is by far the most populous, and probably the best cultivated division. The next section, which is east of the Penobscot and north of the sea-coast, comprising the million acres called the Lottery Lands, with the land to the northward, has not so good a reputation as many other divisions. There are some parts of it, however, that are cultivated, which yield hay, beef, pork, butter, and

HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE

cheese, as abundantly as any part of New England. But the soil of this section has probably been underrated. On a new road, which is located by the Commonwealth from Penobscot river toward the St. John, and extending through this section, the land is reputed to be generally of the first quality. The next section, which is comprised be- tween the Penobscot and Kennebec, and extending northerly to the height of land, has a higher reputation than any other division of Maine. It is about fifty miles in breadth by one hundred miles in length, and contains all the variety of soil which is found in Maine. The rich- est part of this land is between the upper part of the two rivers.

The soil of the ranges of townships, north of the Waldo Patent, which are comprehended in this section, has generally been estimated as the best in the district of Maine. The State's land, which is nearest to the Penobscot, is rather flat and low, except a ridge which extends nearly parallel with the river, over which a road has been opened at the State's expense. It is expected that, when this tract is cleared, the high land will prove the best for tillage, and the low land for grass. In the townships marked No. I on Carleton's map, and which adjoin the State's land, the country is generally higher, and a small part of it is inclined to be rocky, but not too much so, as it produces corn and wheat in abundance. From this section westerly the land is rather low, extending to the townships marked No. 2, where the land rises and continues about the same for many miles westerly, in swales and gradual swells, and is generally free from ledges, and contains probably less waste land than any other part of New England. The low land, in some instances, is found to be wet; but the upland is generally a warm loam, inclined to sand or gravel, and not only very congenial to grass, but equally so to tillage. Near the Piscataquis and its branches are ex- tensive intervals, which are particularly productive. The Waldo Patent, although an excellent tract of land, probably will not average so good as the nine ranges.

ARABLE AND WASTE LAND.

In Moses Greenleaf's Statistical View of the District of Maine, published at Boston the same year, an esti- mate is given of the quantity and proportions of arable and waste land in the incorporated towns and plantations of the several counties of Maine, in which Penobscot is set down as having four hundred and fifty-five thousand four hundred and ninety-three acres of arable pasture and woodland, to but twenty thousand five hundred and fifty-nine of waste land, six thousand two hundred and ninety-eight covered with water, and four thousand six hundred and ninety used for roads. The proportion of improvable land was nine hundred and twenty-nine acres in the one thousand, of waste land forty-eight, of water covered fourteen, and occupied by roads nine. The author says that in this county instances had oc- curred of crops of wheat exceeding forty bushels to the acre being harvested on land no better than is usually cultivated, and, "in one or two instances, near sixty bushels of wheat have been produced on an acre." Of potatoes seven hundred bushels, and of turnips thirteen hundred bushels to the acre, had been gathered.

AGRICULTURAL ADAPTATION OF WILD LANDS.

The following statements occur in the reports of State Geologist Hitchcock, made in 1861-2.

The Penobscot, passing in its general direction from a northerly to a southern point, through an extent of two and a half degrees of lati- tude, and in that course also rising to quite an elevation from the sea, must exhibit, in various sections of its course, a considerable range of climatic difference, and, consequently of agricultural capability. The first question usually asked by a farmer, when wishing to ascertain the agricultural character of any northern location, is-" Can you raise Indian corn there?" This crop seems, by common consent, to be the criterion by which to judge of the climate and its agricultural value.

We find that the line which bounds the northern limit of Indian corn maturing in Maine, is a very irregular one, as, indeed, might be expected, coinciding, as it does, with the isothermal line, and not with the line of latitude. We find that the elevated or mountain district-

which, as we have in a former part of our report mentioned, formed a part of a triangular belt, having its base on the western border of the State, south and north of Umbagog, and stretching easterly to its apex in Mars-hill -- is not a sure corn-maturing region. Corn can be raised with certainty within a few miles south of Umbagog. It is raised with less certainty on the lake shores, and again with more cer- tainty on the northern side, as the slope sinks down toward the shores of the St. Lawrence. The Penobscot extends into this belt, and hence, while in its lower sections corn is a safe and profitable crop, in its upper section we find it a precarious one; while further east, on the same line of latitude, it is again found more certain.

At the Trout Brook Farm we found two parcels of corn growing- one of them (27th August) nipped by frost, while the other, on a more elevated piece of land, was not touched. At Monroe's farm, on the Alleguash, we found, as we have before stated, a small patch which had not been frosted, but were told by Mr. Monroe that he had not been able to mature it. Still further north, Mr. Bolton, who, as we stated, has a fine farm at the confluence of the Alleguash and St. John, informed us that he had some years raised as good corn as ever he had raised in Augusta (his native place), although it was not a sure crop. Some have attributed this trouble to difference of soil, but it is more attributable to mountain and lake influences on the temperature, as well as to the fact that, owing to the immense extent of the forest, the earth, for a great breadth of territory, is kept cool and moist. The sun cannot penetrate among the leaves and branches of the trees to warm the soil to any great extent. Hence it is fair to infer that the climate, in this respect, will be materially changed should the country become cleared. The experience of "old settlers," we believe, will corroborate . this, and, therefore, although there will probably always be a tract of country where corn will be uncertain and unprofitable of culture, we may predict that this anti-corn locality will be much reduced in extent by the clearing up of the land, and opening it to the sun and the warm southern breezes.

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 2

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