USA > Maine > Knox County > Thomaston > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. II > Part 4
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockland > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. II > Part 4
USA > Maine > Knox County > South Thomaston > History of Thomaston, Rockland, and South Thomaston, Maine, from their first exploration, A. D. 1605; with family genealogies, Vol. II > Part 4
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57
A petition in favor of setting off the 7th ward, which con- tains all the rural portion and about two-thirds of the whole territory of the city, into a new town, and remonstrances against the same, were got up and presented to the Legisla- ture in Feb., 1856, but resulted in the petitioners having leave to withdraw. The outrage upon free speech in the per- son of Senator Sumner, called out in this city, May 31st, a large meeting of citizens in Beethoven Hall, without respect to sect or party, who unanimously passed strong resolutions of condemnation. This, with the recent events in Kansas,"
* Among the first to respond to the call to save this territory to freedom
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
.
fanned the flames of opposition to the party in power, and, ยท the new Republican party being formed, gave unusual spirit to the elections here as elsewhere. Beautiful flags, bearing the names of the opposing candidates, were suspended across Main street, from the Kimball block, and many mass meet- ings were held. This spirit, however, did not prevent a har- monious celebration of the Fourth of July. A long proces- sion of S. S. scholars, truckmen, military companies, fire companies of this city and Thomaston ; the beautiful ship Independence, manned and officered, drawn by four horses; the car of beauty containing 31 young ladies, representing the several States ; &c., marshalled by J. T. Berry, moved to the Lindsey grove, where prayer was offered by Mr. Fessen- den, and " America" by the children, the declaration by T. S. Osgood, ode on freedom by the Antiquarian choir, and an oration by I. S. Kalloch, then of Boston, with music by the brass band, were listened to; the whole closing with dinner provided by C. A. Harrington in a pavilion near, the ring- ing of bells, a salute of 31 guns, and fine display of fire- works. From 8000 to 10,000 people were estimated to be present on the grounds. On the 16th and 17th September, the Ist regiment of the 2d brigade and 4th division of the volunteer militia of the State, was mustered for camp duty in this city, under Col. Burns; consisting of nine well drilled companies, with three brass bands, including that attending the Portland Rifle guards, who were invited guests ; and, after drill the first day, was, on the 17th, reviewed by Maj. Gen. Cochran, and Adj. Gen. Atwood, - viewed by thousands of spectators.
A Teachers' Association or lyceum, comprising a large portion of the male and female instructers of the place, was organized in December for weekly discussions, essays, &c., on subjects connected with their yocation. Under its auspices, lectures were delivered Jan. 31, 1857, by Rev. N. Butler, on "the anglo-saxon race;" Feb. 20th, by Rev. J. O. Skinner, on "common schools;" and, March 13th, by Rev. F. Wal- lace, on "John Knox."
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1857. In the severe gales prevailing in January, much shipping was destroyed ; among others, the schooners John
was Dr. John W. Robinson of this city, who received a medical degree at Bowdoin in 1819, and came from Richmond here, where he practised med- icine and was surgeon of the State Prison. In Kansas his services were highly appreciated, and he was chosen its first Secretary of State. O1 the breaking out of the rebellion, he left his new and happy home. be came surgeon of the 2d Kansas Cavalry, and, after more than a year faithful service, died Dec. 10, 1863.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
B. and Sam'l Rankin of this city ; and among the sad losses of life, was that of James P. Haskell, lost overboard, togeth- er with the mate, from the barque Tidal Wave, Jan. 19th. On the 5th Jan. fire was discovered in the Crockett block, but soon extinguished ; the chief damage being to the millin- ery goods of Miss F. Kirkpatrick & Co.,-$314, with no insurance. The barn and shed connected with the house of Dr. J. E. Hunt, corner of Union and Grace streets, were to- tally consumed and the house considerably damaged by fire, on the night of March 12th, together with a fine horse own- ed by F. Case. On the 24th of March, John L. Craig, a lad of 15 years, and the only son of his parents, was accidentally shot by a gun which another boy was loading, and the iron ramrod driven through his right eye and passing out some four inches beyond the back part of the head. He died five days afterwards. On June 13th, by a premature explosion of powder in Munroe's quarry, south of the head of Pleasant street, John Murray, a native of Ireland, was so badly injur- ed as to lose one hand. This was followed, July 25th, by a more fatal occurrence in Ulmer's quarry. Reuben T. Jacobs, 27 years of age, had ignited the fuse of a charge, and, after waiting long and supposing it gone out, returned to relight it, when it exploded and so shattered one of his legs as to ren- der amputation necessary, from the effects of which he died the next morning. Sept. 12th, a wooden block of four tene- ments, belonging to Rufus Carll, on Warren street, was near- ly destroyed by fire. Insurance $2300. In the store of Bills & True, North Main street, their shoe stock was damaged by fire, Nov, 29th, about $400.
A daring attempt to break open and rob the Lime Rock Bank, at the corner of Main and Summer streets, was made on the night of May 19th, the miscreants entering through a back window and trying, by means of an iron bar, a sledge, and gunpowder, to wrench the locks from the iron door of the specie vault. But, after succeeding with the two lower locks, the upper one resisted their efforts; and, from some alarm or the' approach of daylight, they decamped, leaving their tools, and the old bags which they had hung at the win- dows. Much disorderly conduct, and several cases of assault, and even stabbing, perpetrated in the summer and autumn of this year, gave sufficient evidence of an inefficient police system and the non-execution of the liquor law, complained of at this time.
The 4th of July was celebrated not by a formal oration and dinner, but by the usual procession, with prayer by Rev.
3*
-
#
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
Wm. H. Littlefield, speeches from Revs. N. Butler, and J. O. Skinner, the declaration by Rev. S. C. Fessenden, inter- spersed with music from the Thomaston Cornet, Rockland, and Camden bands, in front of the Congregational Church ; and, in the afternoon, by the less elevating exercises of a trot- ting match and a foot-race on Jameson's Point ; the latter performed by a Penobscot Indian, 5 miles in 29 minutes 24 seconds. A pleasing union pic-nic celebration of the Con- gregational, 1st Baptist, and Universalist sabbath schools, was held in Lindsey Grove, September 10th. The Young Men's Forensic Union, for debating and literary improvement, organized the preceding December 18th, also provided a course of free lectures ; viz. : March 26, 1857, on " the true education " by T. K. Osgood ; April 16th, on " success in life " by Rev. A. Church ; and, besides private lectures . by their own members, aided by the sale of tickets, procured, November 10th, the reading of the poem "Yankee land," by J. G. Saxe; lecture on " the physiology of nations" by Elihu Burrett, November 17th ; " bibliography," by I. Saw- yer, December 17th; " cemeteries and epitaphs " by I. S. Kalloch, January 6, 1858; " compensated emancipation," by E. Burritt, March 12th ; and closing the season, March 18th and 19th, with an unusually gratifying exhibition of home talents in music, declamation, original poetry, and the dramatic art.
A loss befel the city, this autumn, in the death of Hon. Knott Crockett; who, from an orphan boy, gradually rose by his industry, honesty, gentle demeanor, liberality, and good judgment, to the first rank among his fellow citizens. Though only sixty-five years of age, he remembered the city when it consisted only of woodlands and fields of grass and grain. Here, at the age of 15, he began his humble labors by teach- ing, farming. and burning lime in the little old-fashioned kiln of less than 100 casks, hauling his rock and wood himself with a single horse, maintaining the family of his deceased father, and freeing the estate from its encumbrances. In 1817, at the age of 25, having acquired a little capital, he commenced trade in a store at the corner of Main and Lime Rock streets, where the Berry block now stands; in 1838 took into partnership Wm. Thomas, afterwards a prominent and influential citizen; and, after a course of uniform suc- cess, withdrew from mercantile business in 1841. He was, as before stated, the first president of the first bank establish- ed in the city, the first Mayor of the city, and among the first in almost every plan to promote its prosperity. In 1856, he
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
was chosen one of the Presidential electors, voting for J. C. Fremont. After disposing of his ample property in legacies to relatives and friends, he devised to Lime Rock Bank, over whose doings he had presided for 21 years, the sum of $5000 - partly in acknowledgment of the confidence re- posed in him, and partly to cover any possible loss the insti- tution might sustain from his natural leniency and accommo- dating disposition towards its debtors.
1858. The winter was unusually mild, with bare ground; and robins were heard, Jan. 28th, singing in the gardens of the city. But after the 11th February, snow, sleighing, and cold weather prevailed. On Feb. 20th, the dwelling on Pleasant street, owned and occupied by Wm. Haskell, was wholly consumed by fire from a cause not ascertained; loss about $2500. On the afternoon of June 5th, the building known as the old steam mill, situated between the South Point kilns and the Atlantic wharf, was destroyed by fire. It was owned by Sam'l Pillsbury, had been erected by Capt. Lemuel Andrews, 12 or 15 years before, and had never been a good investment. The house of Capt. Robt. Wheeler was much injured by fire on the afternoon of June 30th, and on the night of July 3d the bake-house of Ephraim Perkins was entirely consumed.
On the 30th of June, 1858, the schooner Laura Frances, Capt. H. W. Bullock of this city, while on her passage from Salem, was struck by a sudden squall. off Cape Elizabeth, thrown upon her beam ends and soon after, by a lurch of the sea, bottom up. The boat, which had broken from the davits and was floating loose full of water, was reached by the cap- tain and two of his men, Edward Cobb, Jr. and Albion K. P. Duncan, where they remained till the two last successively expired in the arms of the captain. The only other person on board, a Scotchman, whose name we have not learned, was drowned; and the captain was taken off at half past eight the next morning by a passing vessel. Nov. 17th, a two- story building at the Brook, occupied as a joiner's shop and store for sash and blinds, by Messrs. Hemenway and Jones, was totally consumed; loss $1700; insured $1000. A num- ber of new hydrants were this year put down by the city au- thorities. In removing the staging of the barque Orraville, Nov. 2d, R. Trowbridge, master builder, narrowly escaped death; being precipitated from it more than 26 feet.
A commodious block, at the corner of Main and Sea streets, was this year erected by Henry and Bernard Ulmer, the whole upper portion consisting of a fine hall, called the Ul-
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
mer Hall; also a block of stores, built on Lime Rock street, by O. H. Perry.
A series of temperance meetings in the autumn of this year, was commenced with a view of preparing the public mind for the prompt and vigorous execution of the liquor law, now permanently established by a vote of the people of the State. These were largely attended and addressed by most of the leading men of the city ; continuing with much spirit through the winter, and into 1859, when the Lime Rock Div. Sons of Temperance, which had suspended its meetings in 1856, was again revived, and has since continued its efforts in the good cause with renovated vigor.
The death of Oliver Fales, a quiet, honest and honored citizen, long regarded as one of the fathers of the business and society of the place, respected by all, beloved by-many, through a long life of eighty years, took place on the 10th of December. " To do good, to be and not to seem, was the re- ligion of his heart as of his daily life."*
A Roman Catholic Church which had been in process of building since autumn, was this year completed on Park street; being a handsome edifice, with tower and spire, and costing about $5000. It was named St. David's church, and dedicated Aug. Ist, by Rev. Andrew Barron, who was, the preceding summer, appointed to the office of priest, the first in the vicinity, and who was at this time doing a good work among the people of his charge. These still remain under his care. Not far from the same time also, a new diocese was formed and the Bishop of Portland appointed, - his jurisdiction extending to those of the Catholic faith in this vicinity, who were formerly under that of the Bishop of Bos- ton.
The city having at the preceding session of the Legislature been made a half shire town of Lincoln county, Phoenix Hall was prepared by the city government as a Court room; and was first occupied by the Supreme Judicial Court, which opened its session, Jan. 25, 1859.
The excellent Rockland Band had, this year, a stand erected in a vacant lot opposite the head of Sea street, and held a series of out-door concerts, weekly, on fine evenings through the summer. National Independence was celebrated July 5th in this city; the principal features being the fantas- tics from Ward 7; oration by Rev. I. S. Kalloch; reading of the Declaration by L. G. Howes, Esq., now established here
* Obituary notice in Rockland Gazette.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
as a lawyer; a procession of military, firemen, civic authori- ties, &c., to Lindsey grove; after which the two Fire com- panies with their invited guests dined, the one at the Com- mercial House, and the other in a tent near the Rockland Exchange at the North End. A silver trumpet was presented earlier in the day to the Dirigo Engine Company, in behalf of citizens, by T. K. Osgood; who was fittingly responded to by foreman E. Walker.
1859. In January, the MAINE SPECTATOR, a weekly literary paper for youth and the home circle, was commenced, and conducted in such a manner, through the taste and talent of its accomplished editor, Z. Pope Vose, that it gave promise of much usefulness to the community ; but it was discontinu- ed at the end of six months.
The Young Ladies' Aid Society, for the benefit of the des- titute, held an entertaining levee of tableaux and other en- tertainments, Feb. 21st, the receipts of which amounted to seventy-five dollars.
The first annual public meeting of the Rockland Bible So- ciety, which was formed by a union of all the protestant churches of the city, was held Feb. 27th, and, having pur- chased bibles and testaments to the amount of $200, meas- ures were taken to supply, by sale or gift, every family desti- tute of a bible. On the breaking out of the rebellion and the mustering of a regiment of volunteers in this place, this society presented, by the hands of Rev. Jos. Kalloch, a neat copy of the Testament and Psalms to each of the soldiers.
Among the various temperance associations of the city, the Rockland Band of Hope was organized, which, at its third meeting, June 11th, numbered 580 youths of both sexes. These, on the 4th of July, held a grand pic-nic celebration, when, after the usual ushering in of the morning and the public presentation of a silver trumpet to the Defiance En- gine company by Rev. Jos. Kalloch, the children, numbering about 700, after appropriate exercises in the Methodist church, marched in four divisions, with banners and appropriate mot- toes, escorted by the Juvenile Fire King Engine Company, through the principal streets to Lindsey grove, where tables 450 feet in length, enclosing a circular area, were bountifully spread and enjoyed by the happy company. The ladies of the Episcopal church, also, on the same day held a successful strawberry festival in the same grove.
A new brick block, with on iron front to the first story and a French roof, was this year erected by Samuel Pillsbury, at the corner of Main and School streets; containing three large
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
stores below, offices on the second story, a large hall on the third, and several rooms on the fourth. But from the com- mercial embarrassments of the country and the falling off of business here, the value of real and personal estate owned in the city had suffered a decline since 1857; when, by the assessors' cash valuation, it exceeded $3,000,000. The lime this year manufactured, amounted to about 815,000 casks.
By fires, May 26th and June 1st, the houses of David Kidd and William Flagg were nearly destroyed; both on North Main street; and, August 17th, the house owned and occupied by John Knights and widow Seavey, was nearly con- sumed, and the barn, with its contents, wholly so, -the flames also communicating to and damaging the house of J. S. Kenniston. On the 21st of July, James Toner and James Latta, employed in Thurston's iron foundry, at the North End, lost their lives by the upsetting of a sloop-rigged sail- boat, laden with 500 lbs. pig iron and two or three bags of sand, which, being struck with a squall, two miles from Cam- den harbor, immediately filled and went down. Sunday morning, December 18th, the vestry of the Congregational church was damaged by fire to the amount of $500 ; followed, two days later, by a more destructive and fatal occurrence. A fire, on the evening of the 20th, broke out in the Commer- cial House, on the second floor, which, after an ineffectual attempt to subdue, without alarming the inmates, spread so rapidly between ceiling and floors through the building, that though the engines speedily arrived and were well served, they failed to extinguish the flames till the main building was wholly destroyed, with most of its furni- ure and the wearing apparel and other effects of its boarders. By the great exertions of both the engine companies, together with the damp snow and rain that was falling at the time and covered the adjoining wooden build- ings, the flames were arrested without spreading further ; - the Beals Hall even, though connected with the hotel, being saved. This hotel was owned by Horace Beals of New York, and kept by S. G. Dennis, both of whom were losers; $5000 only being insured on the house, and $3800 on its contents. But the most mournful part of this catastrophe was the acci- dent which befel three brave and active young men of this place, members of Dirigo Engine Company. James F. Sears, Edward Love, and James B. Ulmer, had erected a ladder against the building and carried up their hose to the eaves to pour a stream of water on the burning roof. While the first held the pipe at the eaves and the others were below him on
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1634080 ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
the ladder almost in the midst of the flames, the heavy chim- ney was observed to totter, a shriek of alarm rose from the crowd, the victims looked up, and in a moment the whole up- per mass breaking off just below the roof, fell upon them, broke the ladder, and precipitated all to the ground. They were immediately extricated from the ruins in a crushed and mangled condition; Sears, in a state of unconsciousness, died in the course of an hour; and Love was so badly injured that his life was for a time despaired of, though he finally re- covered, and was able to be out in March, when $250 were voted him by the city council. Ulmer, whose external in- juries were greater than those of either, recovered sooner, went to sea, and, strange to say, met his death by a fall from aloft a year later. Much sympathy was felt for the sufferers, and the death of young Sears greatly lamented, particularly by the Fire companies, who, on the following Sabbath, Jan. 1, 1860, crowded the 1st Baptist church to listen to the funeral discourse pronounced by Rev. Jos. Kalloch, from the text, " for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."
Among other valued matters destroyed in this fire, was a highly prized relic of the Knox mansion, in the form of a large American eagle beautifully carved in wood, originally surmounting the General's arched gateway at the approach to the mansion through the lane, now Knox street, and which, after the transfer of the property and the changes incident to its passing into the hands of strangers, was brought to this city and placed above a dormer window on the roof of the Commercial House. So perish alike the gains of industry and the adornments of renown !
On the 1st August there was a slight shock of an earth- quake felt in this city about 9 o'clock, P. M. On the even- ing of August 14th a lunar rainbow was observed by many in the place ; and, on the Ist and 2d of September, the most brilliant exhibitions ever witnessed here of the aurora borea- lis, with varied colors and ever changing coruscations.
The project, in 1858, of forming a new county with Cam- den for its shire town, not having succeeded, a movement was this year made for the same purpose, but with this city for the seat of justice. This was deemed of so much import- ance to the public at large, and to this city in particular, that, in compliance with a unanimous recommendation of a citizens' meeting, called for the purpose, Dec. 12th, the city council appropriated $500 to further it. The measure was prosecut- ed with zeal ; was adopted by the Legislature ; and the new
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HISTORY OF THOMASTON,
County of Knox commenced its judicial corporate existence ; its several officers being appointed by the Governor, March 21, 1860, and its first court held here on the 8th of May. Thus this place, with the rest of old Thomaston, after peace- ably abiding in the county of Lincoln just 100 years, found itself embarked on a new bottom and sailing under the new and justly honored name of Knox.
,
1860. On the 10th February, a small house on Gay street, owned by T. Lane and occupied by Henry Corson, was destroyed by fire. A woman named Mary Curtis, em- ployed as a cook in the Thorndike Hotel, was found on Monday morning, February 20th, in the rear of Eli Sprague's blacksmith shop, at the foot of Winter street, frozen to death while in a state of intoxication. On the morning of June 1st, a double one-and-a-half story house on Masonic street, owned and occupied by S. M'Cann and a Mrs. Crawford, was con- sumed by fire, supposed to be set by an incendiary. Another fire on the same street and from the same cause, took place two days after, at nearly the same hour, 2 A. M. by which a two story house, with new porch and stable, belonging to Walter J. Wood, was totally consumed, with the furniture, besides joiner's tools worth nearly $500. Insurance on buildings, $1200. These, and other less successful attempts at arson, induced the mayor to offer $100 for the detection of any perpetrator of that crime in the city. On Sunday, September 9th, a fire broke out in the range of large sheds connected with the five patent kilns known as the Haskell privilege, destroying sheds, lime, wood, and casks, and inju- ring kilns to the amount of $10,000 or $12,000. The prin- cipal losers were Messrs. F. Cobb, Wm. McLoon, Wm. O. Fuller, and the firm of Spalding & Haskell, all uninsured. A similar fire took place at the North End, Jan. 26. 1862, in the lime sheds of Messrs. Bird, Fales, Crockett, and Dean, occasioned by contact of water with lime in a storm, by which $3000 worth of property was lost. Other losses by fire have taken place in the last two years, especially in 1862, when incendiarism prevailed to some extent ; and Rockland, on the whole, has usually been largely a sufferer from fire. From her Chief Engineer's reports, which are before me with ex- ception of those of 1859 and 1860, it appears that the losses from this cause, for the year ending March, 1856, were $24,463, insurance, $8,778 ; ditto, 1857, $3,389, insurance, $2,219; 1858, $5,700, insurance not given ; 1861, $12,075, insurance, $1,865; 1862, $5,230, insurance, $1,040; and 1863, $17,940, insurance $8,500.
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ROCKLAND AND SOUTH THOMASTON.
On Sept. 8th, as Amos Thompson and his wife, the wife of Dr. Zenas Colby, the wife of Chas. Hopkins, and Miss Mary Jameson, all of this city, were returning by water from a camp-meeting in Northport, the boat, when off Camden har- bor, was capsized; and three of the party, Mrs Colby, Mrs. Hopkins, and Miss Jameson, were drowned. Mrs. Thompson was much bruised and exhausted, but was rescued with her husband, and the body of Mrs. Colby recovered, by the crew of a schooner under way in the harbor. The bodies of Mrs. Hopkins and Miss Jameson were recovered, the former Oct. 1st, and the latter about a week after, washed ashore on one of the Muscle Ridge Islands.
In February a new periodical was started by Z. Pope Vose, editor and proprietor, denominated the YOUTH's TEMPER- ANCE VISITOR, a monthly quarto, devoted to the temperance culture of the young, everywhere. It was published in this city at the office of the Gazette, of which also Mr. Vose was now the editor, and proved a valuable auxiliary to the cause it advocated. In consequence of the disturbed state of the times, it was discontinued in July, 1861, but is again revived and flourishing. A new temperance association was organ- ized on the 3d Dec., 1860, under the name of the Rockland Temperance League, which embracing, as it did, a large pro- portion of the active, leading, and respectable citizens, bade fair to free the city from the intemperance which had again insinuated itself into the community by means of the ale and beer traffic. But from the supervening war and its excite- ments, these efforts were probably relaxed ; and it seemed to be a generally acknowledged fact that intemperance had again come in like a flood upon our people, insomuch that the City Marshal of Rockland was obliged to say in his re- port of March 1, 1863, that " there has never been a time . when rum held such complete sway as at present." This state of things, however, has been greatly modified in 1864 by a rigid and faithful execution of the law on the part of the grand jury and prosecuting officer of the county.
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