USA > Maine > Waldo County > Brooks > Sketches of Brooks history > Part 17
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Turner Center System, V. A. Barker, manager. It is located in the buildings formerly owned and occupied by H. P. Hood and Sons.
Percy H. Grant, grocer, Nation Wide Store is located in a building adjoining his residence and reconstructed from his stable in 1928.
Staples Garage owned and operated by Leroy I. Staples is located in the old buildings that were owned by his grandfather, Isaac S. Staples.
On the same street, Ira Bowden, Blacksmith and Wheelwright; George Johnson, shoe repairing; Henry Reynolds and Chester Mar- den, cabinet makers.
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SKETCHES OF BROOKS HISTORY
On the Jackson Brooks road: Crockett's Theatre now owned by Mrs. Fred Littlefield.
First National Store, groceries, Elbert R. Moulton, manager, for- merly occupied by William S. Jones as a furniture store.
On the -road leading from the square to the railroad station, Al- bert R. Pilley, druggist. In the second story of the Pilley building is located the central office of the Telephone Company.
The old grist mill is occupied by the Brooks Garage, Edward Godding, manager.
Across the street from Pilley's Drug Store is Crockett's clothing store, owned and managed by Mrs. Pearl Crockett.
Across the bridge going south: Hamilton E. Jenkins, groceries, grain. feed and flour. A Nation Wide store formerly owned and managed by Charles W. Ryder until 1928, formerly the store occupied by the Brooks farmers' union, which was moved across the road to the north side of the post office building.
The Rose house, Myra Brown Rose, manager.
S. L. Dodge, who came to Brooks from Winterport, Maine, in 1874, appears to be the first manufacturer of clothing. The factory was located on the site now occupied by the Kilgore building, now used as a barber shop and pool room. He lived in a one and one-half story house where Dr. Albert E. Kilgore's residence now stands. It was moved west to a location opposite Union Hall and near the Roberts Mill. For a time Mr. Dodge lived in the Isaac S. Staples house. He was engaged in the manufacture of vests at Winterport. prior to establishing the business at Brooks.
NEWSPAPERS AND NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS
NEWSPAPERS
The Yankee Blade, a family paper published on Saturdays by the Yankee Blade Publishing Company, from 1896-1899; Waldo County Advocate carrying local news published every other Saturday by the Advocate Publishing Company. This was in circulation for a brief period during the year 1906. The Sea Breeze, published by George E. Brackett. The Girls' Home Quarterly, 1907-1908.
NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS
As early as 1819, Phineas Ashman and Jacob Roberts were con- tributors to the news column of the periodicals at that time. Among others were Samuel Whitney, Albion P. K. Fogg, and later Allen Davis, and Marshall Davis. The Honorable Woodbury Davis, while a young man, received considerable favorable comment for his essays and opinions upon popular questions of the time. Loren Rose, An- drew D. Bean, Captain James S. Huxford, Isaac G. Reynolds and John Wilson Lang, from time to time reported the activities of Brooks.
JOHN WILSON LANG, who was one of the most active of the news- paper correspondents, assembled considerable data relative to the early families of Brooks. His records were in the greater part de- troyed by fire in 1872. He contributed many articles to the Maine Farmer, from 1874 to 1884. His articles had reference to the early families of Brooks and a survey of the Agricultural Activities of Waldo County. For a time he served as a member of the Board of Agricultural Commissioners for the County of Waldo. He was born in Brooks, Me., September 23, 1840, died June 24, 1896. The son of Jonathan and Letitia Wilson Lang.
He first married Janice Wilson and there were three children; George Edward Lang, living at Damariscotta; Janice Lang, deceased, who married Judson Spidel; also Mary Lang deceased.
His second wife was Myra Caroline Whittaker of Belfast, whom he married April 19, 1875. Their children were: Ivan E. Lang, who married Caroline Sparks, and Theo W. Lang, who married Clara Umberhind. Ivan is engaged in insurance business in Waterville and
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Bowdoinham, and Theo in the employ of the Maine Central Railroad Company.
Mr. Lang was by occupation a farmer, newspaper correspondent ; member of Patrons of Husbandry, Masons, and Golden Cross. He was a Republican. The Author has given credit to Mr. Lang for certain information which was obtained from his notes.
. MARCELLUS J. Dow, correspondent for the Republican Journal, Ban- gor Daily News, Kennebec Journal and various publications by tem- perance organizations in the years 1884 to 1915.
EDWIN C. HOLBROOK served as local correspondent at different times from 1900-1918. DR. ALFRED W. RICH was a contributor to the news columns from 1901-1904. GILBERT M. MORRILL, 1904-1908; ELMER G. ROBERTS, 1905-1914; LEVI R. STEVENS, 1909; MRS. GRACE D. BACHELDER (formerly Miss Grace Dow) 1912-1917; MISS DORIS ROBERTS, 1913- 1914; VESTA D. HIGGINS, 1915-1927; DONALD R. FORBES, 1918-1930.
FIRES OF BROOKS
Brooks has been visited by several disastrous fires. The first one of which we have record was in 1836. According to the notes of John Wilson Lang, Seth Brown built the house that used to stand where Dr. Rich's stand formerly was. (About 1870). And which the doc- tor removed to the west a few rods and sold to James W. Jones and' Benjamin Woodman. Brown had a store opposite this which was leased to one Potter who, it is supposed, robbed and burned the build- ing in 1836. Seth Brown was one of the Selectmen at that time and the town office was in the building burned, so the records were all destroyed, as nothing was saved from the fire.
THE SECOND FIRE
The second fire occurred in the Spring of 1872. A building occu- pied by Michael Chase 2nd, as a General Store located on a lot of land now occupied by the Drug Store of Albert R. Pilley, was de- stroyed by fire, and three small adjoining buildings. John Wilson Lang, newspaper correspondent occupied rooms in the second story and some of the Town records were in his custody at that time for the purpose of assembling information to be used in connection with his articles on "Early Citizens of Brooks". Valuable data collected by Mr. Lang and also the records were destroyed by fire at this time.
THE THIRD FIRE, 1908
The third fire destroyed the Huxford Building so-called situated on the corner where the Payson Block now stands, occupied at the time by John W. Hobbs, as a grocery store, also the Old Masonic Building, occupied by the Blinn F. Stantial Store, and the Goodwin Clothing Company and the building known as the Lane Post-Office Block, oc- cupied in part as a post-office and offices of Dr. Norman R. Cook on the second floor, and a building owned by Martha Miller and occupied in part by her in the manufacture of pants and vests and in part as a residence was burned at this time. This building occupied the lot of land which in 1910 was purchased by Blinn F. Stantial on which he erected a building occupied by him as a store and dwelling, and which was destroyed in the fire of August 23, 1917, and later purchased by William C. Austin on which he erected a building which was destroyed by fire on January 9, 1925.
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THE FOURTH FIRE, 1917.
The fourth fire on August 23, 1917. This destroyed the building erected to replace the Huxford store building later rebuilt by John W. Hobbs occupied for a time by Young and Cox grocery store and owned and occupied by Albert B. Payson at the time of the fire. The Lane Post Office building erected by Charles Edwin Lane in 1910 and occupied at the time of the fire by Wallace O. Estes post- master, John Mannucci, barber shop and offices and dwelling on the second and third floors; and the building owned by Blinn F. Stantial was destroyed by fire.
THE FIFTH FIRE, 1925.
The fifth fire occurred January 9, 1925. The Payson building which was destroyed by fire August 23, 1917 was rebuilt by Albert B. Payson. It was a fine structure and one of the finest business blocks ever erected in Brooks. Daniel B. Plummer purchased the lot of land occupied by the Lane block from Mrs. Kate A. Lane and erected a business block. William C. Austin purchased the Stantial lot of land and erected a business block after the fire of 1917. On January 9, 1925, the Payson building was occupied in part by Williams Bros. as a grocery store and in part by Everett E. " Brown as a post office. The local telephone exchange being on the second floor. The Plummer building was occupied by Mr. Plummer as a store on the first floor and the second floor by the Pearson Pants Factory. The Austin building was occupied by Charles W. Ryder; in ad- dition to destroying this fine set of buildings it destroyed the fire de- partment building of the Town of Brooks, also used by the selectmen as an office building. And in addition to destroying all these build- ings, across the road it destroyed the building of Otis W. Lane occu- pied by Harry H. Hutchinson as a hardware and plumbers shop, the building being situated near the drug store of Albert R. Pilley and the residence of Dr. Albert E. Kilgore considerable damages were done both the residence of Dr. Kilgore and the store of Mr. Pilley.
The fire occurred at 2 A. M. January 9, 1925. Mrs. Carrie V. John - son of Freedom, Maine, the telephone operator and her assistant Elva M. Ingraham, lived in an apartment in connection with the telephone exchange. Mrs. Johnson gave her life remaining at her post of duty until it was too late for her to escape, being a cripple, she was hand- icapped. Her assitant, Miss Ingraham narrowly escaped, having to leap from the upper window to the ground.
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Miss Ingraham, born at Knox, June 26, 1901, is the daughter of Chesley and Nettie Ingraham of Knox, was graduated from Freedom Academy, a member of the class of 1919. Soon after completing her school work she went to live with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson on their farm, where she became one of the family. After the death of Mr. Johnson, his wife being a cripple, the two women were unable to carry on the farm operations and when an opportunity presented it- self for Miss Ingraham to manage the telephone exchange in Brooks,
Elva M. Ingraham
she accepted the position and had associated with her, Mrs. Johnson. They alternating in operating, Miss Ingraham assisting in the house- work, bookkeeping and clerical work for the exchange. Their friend- ship was most pleasant. Miss Ingraham was first awakened by the smoke and at once rushed to the switchboard and gave the alarm, notifying the other tenants of the building, the town officials, chief of the Fire Department and nearby residents. She then went to arouse Mrs. Johnson, who was unable to walk without assistance. The lights had been extinguished by the fire and in the darkness and smoke she
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half carried Mrs. Johnson to the exit, only to find it blocked. She was unsuccessful in opening the door. She then returned to the rooms in an effort to reach another exit, but was unable to do so because of the smoke. Miss Ingraham three times made an effort to assist the crippled woman out but without success. Finally Miss Ingraham felt Mrs. Johnson becoming a dead weight and then realized that her friend had become unconscious. Rushing to the window in an at- tempt to get assistance Miss Ingraham heard those below calling for. her to jump. Realizing she could not save her invalid friend, she leaped from a second story window to safety. While Miss Ingraham would willingly have given her own life to save that of her friend had that been possible, while she did all she could do, she says that when she now looks back at that night and fire in which Mrs. John- son perished, she feels that she might have been able to save her friend had she done differently. Just what she could have done that she did not do appears more as a regret than anything left undone. After the fire at Brooks Miss Ingraham was given a position in the Belfast Office of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Com- pany. and in January, 1928 was awarded a Carnegie Bronze Medal for her heroism. Miss Ingraham is a member of the Grange and Rebecca Lodge; political preference a Republican.
In the fires prior to 1925, the property has always been restored, the buildings have been rebuilt; better and bigger buildings; but with the exceptions of the new Payson block, which is now occupied by Williams Brothers, the fire department building the other lots re- main vacant.
The School Building occupied by the High School situated on the right side of the road leading by the Hood's Creamery Building and near the present residence of Ernest Stimpson was destroyed by fire in February, 1914 about five o'clock in the morning. By the efforts of the students a Laboratory had been equipped in the attic of the school building and about 200 volumes added to the school library. They had earned about $300 by entertainments and added to the school equipment.
In 1917 the building occupied by Mrs. Affie Godding Crockett as a residence and at that time she and her daughter Edna operated the local telephone exchange and the room used for this purpose was a part of the residence. This building was destroyed by fire and a residence owned by Forrest K. Roberts. The Roberts house so-called situated near the old Roberts Mill site and later owned by Charles Edwin Lane and then by his son Charles A. Lane was burned.
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FINANCE AND BANKING
In 1922 the Waldo Trust Company of Belfast established a branch office at Brooks in the Dow Building formerly occupied by the late Marcellus J. Dow as a dry goods store and for a time by the local telephone exchange, the building being situated on the left side of the road leading from Brooks Corner to Monroe. Miss Christine Jones was the first manager, being succeeded in 1923 by Raymond L. Mer- ritt, who occupied the position until March 4, 1927, at which date the bank at Belfast was closed following the failure of the Boston Book Binding Company and Small, Maynard and Company following the failure of Norman H. White of Boston, a large stockholder and di- rector who was also interested in the several companies all having large loans in the Waldo Trust Company. The bank carried many checking and savings accounts for the citizens of Brooks. At the time of the closing of the bank the depositors feared that they had lost all. Prior to June 12, 1930 three dividends of 50, 20, and 15%, a total of 85% had been paid on the savings deposits, and 25% and 15% on all checking deposits, making a total of 40%. It is expected that additional dividends will be declared at a later date.
The directors of the Waldo Trust Company, from Brooks, were Dr. Albert E. Kilgore, Albert R. Pilley, and Raymond L. Merritt.
PUBLIC UTILITIES
Brooks Water Company installed February, 1898, by Blake, Milton and Dunton of Portland, contractors. It is a part of the Consolidated Water Company system of West Stewartstown, New Hampshire. Rev. J. N. Walker of Mount Desert, Maine, principal owner and manager. Former local managers: John H. Gordon, Elmer G. Roberts, Willard S. Jones. Present manager and superintendent, Everett E. Brown.
ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER CENTRAL MAINE POWER COMPANY
In 1916, the Central Maine Power Company was extending its lines through various towns of Waldo County. Brooks, being anx- ious to obtain the power, approached the oficials of the company and was informed that it would be necessary for the citizens of the town of Brooks to purchase $20,000 of the stock of the Central Maine Power Company to warrant the extension of its lines to Brooks. Especially active in this campaign were Dr. Albert E. Kilgore and the late Ezra A. Carpenter. The first week of the drive was dis- couraging, as only $7,000 had been placed. On the following day the drive closed at 9 P. M. and resulted in a total subscription of $23,500. Later, at a town meeting, the municipal officers were authorized to enter into a contract with the Central Maine Power Company for a certain number of street lights. The service at Brooks, since it was installed, has been under the supervision of A. C. Hopkins, superin- tendent of the Company's office at Belfast, Maine.
TELEPHONE
WALDO AND PENOBSCOT TELEPHONE CO.
The first telephone to be installed in the Town of Brooks was in the store of Thaddeus I. Huxford, situated on the lot now occupied by the Payson Block. The connections to Bangor were made through Monroe, over the lines of the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company. The citizens had to guarantee $300 for five years. The first year it was necessary to pay $180 in addition to the rental paid by the subscribers. After the first year the telephone rentals were sufficient to meet the guarantee. The first conversation over the tel- ephone lines from Brooks was by Marcellus J. Dow, then corres-
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pondent for the Bangor Daily News. This was in the year 1897. The Company was incorporated in 1902 as the Waldo and Penobscot Telephone Company, and was capitalized for $10,000, the majority of the stock is owned locally. The representative of the Local Tel- ephone Company renders repair service for the New England Tele- phone and Telegraph Company.
RAILROADS
The efforts of the citizens of the Town of Brooks to. obtain ser- vice of a railroad, and the final success is given in detail under the subject of railroads.
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AGRICULTURE
Minerals found in Brooks,-plumbago, pyrites.
Water power and manufactures, Brooks-eighty-four on Marsh River, two on Sawyer Stream, and two on Ellis stream. Average ' height of the falls, fifteen feet. Power is not all developed; mills usu- ally operate six to seven months in the year. Six saw-mills, one grist- mill, two shingle mills. Ellis stream is connected with a pond that might be flowed several feet. An artificial reservoir used to be main- tained and might now on the Sawyer stream by building a dam to flow a large bog. This would benefit all the privileges on Marsh River. Not many forest streams rise and fall suddenly except the Ellis (Passagassawaukeag). Saw-mills going to decay; considerable short lumber left, such as is fit for laths, shingles, staves, etc.
The town of Brooks, by the assessors' books, shows only 865 sheep for 1873.
In Brooks, Mr. Ashael Rich raised on one and three-fourths acres of land in 1872, fifty-three bushels of choice "Lost Nation" wheat. Mr. W. N. Crosby raised on two and three-fourths acres from four bushels sowing, seventy-five bushels.
BROOKS, SEPTEMBER 11, 1847
At a meeting of the major part of the persons named in an act incorporating the Waldo County agricultural Society approved by the Governor, August 2, 1847, Isaac Twombly was chosen Chairman and William G. Sibley, Secretary, voted, that all persons who have be- come members of the voluntary society formed at Belfast, August 3rd, be considered our associates under this act. Voted to accept the act of incorporation.
BROOKS FARMERS' CLUB
Was organized March 9, 1872; A. G. Rose, President; John Wilson Lang, Secretary. It has a library of about sixty volumes and has good material composing it. A cheese factory oranization is one of the out- growths of its usefulness. It meets Saturday evenings; the attendance has gradually increased since its organization. There are evident signs of improvement within the circle of its influence.
BROOKS CHEESE FACTORY
Brooks Cheese Factory, organized 1874; A. G. Rose, president; Ben .. jamin Knowles, vice-president; John Wilson Lang, secretary; M.
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Chase, treasurer; A. G. Rose, John Wilson Lang, George Moulton, Jas. Ellis, and J. D. Jones, directors. Capital stock $2000.
Member of Board of Agriculture from Brooks 1872, J. W. Lang.
SURVEY OF WALDO COUNTY, MAINE
FARM OF I. G. REYNOLDS, BROOKS
· The farm of this enterprising farmer lies in South Brooks and con- sists of two hundred acres of land mostly of upland gravel loam; although considerable moist land occurs in one field, which is fav- orable for production of grass. Considerable has been under-drained; the drains are opened three feet deep with spade and pick, then field stone filled in and covered; an open course is left at the bottom of the drain for the passage of water. Top-dressing has been considerably practised, and Mr. Reynolds believes it gives best results on the most porous soils he has; he also believes this practice best adapted to leachy soils. The stock of this farm consists of some fifteen head of cattle, two horses, and one hundred sheep. Usually from two to four cows are kept. The barn is one of the best in the county, forty by sixty feet, twenty feet posted; it has two main floors, one above the other, ample mows and tie-up, horse stalls, and all necessary conveniences; it was built some five years ago, is finished outside, shingled on walls, and has a ventilator on the roof. A barn separate from this, accom- modates the sheep.
Mr. Reynolds does not use the cellar beneath, having prejudice against barn cellars. The house is a story and half, with all out- buildings connecting it to the larger barn, giving ample accommoda- tions for hogs, hens, and storage for fuel and farm tools.
One remark of Mr. Reynolds deserves thought and attention, for it has weight not at first apparent: "The only farmers that are making money are those that are feeding the most provender; those who are making most, feed the most corn and other grain." He feeds yearly from three hundred to five hundred bushels of western corn, besides all he raises. His system is mixed husbandry, which he believes best adapted to the farmers of this county in general. If he were to make a specialty, it would be sheep. He cuts from fifty to seventy tons of hay per year; plants one and a half acres in corn, and has hitherto raised barley and oats principally. This year he has sown three acres in wheat. He has a small productive orchard near the buildings. Applies about forty ox-loads of barn dressing per acre to his lands, harrowing in new dressing and putting old in the hill.
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Mr. Reynolds sells some hay, but more than replaces it with corn used. He believes only good farming pays. His farm is very plea- santly situated at the intersection of four roads, is eight miles from Belfast, and five from tide water. Mr. Reynolds has been on this farm some fifteen years, and has greatly increased its productive ca- pacity and made money, while doing so. In this, and for this, we claim for him the well-deserved title of a model farmer.
By the examples and the accomplishments of these representative farmers, we may pattern and learn lessons of value. They show to us facts and possibilities that may be attained if we but use the same efforts. Though it be not precisely in the same branches, it will be in the same direction, and equally profitable to us, and to those about us.
FARM OF MR. JOHN M. DOW AND SON
This farm is situated on a high elevation of land, and consists of one hundred fifty acres, fifteen of which are in wood mostly second growth and valuable. The soil is a deep granite loam, in places a sandy loam, deep and strong, with hard subsoil. The farm is divided by the county road leading through West Brooks from East Thorn- dike to Belfast. The buildings consist of a story and a half farm- house with ell; a neat tasteful 'structure. There are two barns, one nearly new, forty by forty, finished outside and well fitted up inside. Another barn about the same size, with commodious yard, gives suffi- cient storage for the crops raised. An orchard just coming into full bearing, grafted with choice varieties, attests Mr. Dow's skill as an orchardist. Over one hundred bearing trees are in this orchard, and a thrifty nursery shows that additions are soon to be made from a reliable source. Mr. Dow prefers home grown trees.
The farm stock consists of two horses, two colts, three cows, one pair of oxen, six young cattle and twenty fine sheep; the stock are grades.
For hoed crops, Mr. Dow usually plants one half acre corn, four acres of potatoes with half an acre in garden and roots. He has always raised wheat, and has two acres this year; four acres oats and other grain. Cuts thirty tons of hay. The potatoes are gen- erally raised on rough pasture land turned over. Mr. Dow applies twenty to twenty-five loads of manure per acre, generally spreading on the furrow and harrowing in; always applies manure to land he is seeding down to grass. Much rough, hard land on this farm has been broken down and pulverized, made smooth and put into hand- some fields. The farm shows to disadvantage from the road by
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reason of outcropping ledge, and a steep side hill on the west. Con- siderable stone wall of substantial character has been built and some drains laid. Topdressing moist grass lands has been practiced to some extent. Mr. Dow does not use superphosphates, finding their cost too great. Ashes, lime and plaster are used to some extent on grain and hoed crops.
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