USA > Maine > Penobscot County > Old Town > Sketches of the town of Old Town, Penobscot County, Maine from its earliest settlement, to 1879; with biographical sketches > Part 6
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RAILROADS.
build, weighing six or eight tons each. In time heavier rails were laid, and larger engines used. It was the second rail- road completed in the United States-the Boston & Lowell being the first. The road at first ended at Brown street, where a large depot was erected. In 1849, the name of the road was changed to "Bangor, Old Town and Milford Rail Road," with the right to cross the river to Milford; and it was extended to the wharf to connect with the up river steam- ers, and one span of the Milford bridge built. In 1854, the franchise passed into the hands of Gen. Samuel Veazie, who completed the bridge to Milford, looking to an extension of the road up the river. Veazie continued to operate the road until 1869, after which the E. & N. A. R'y Company bought the road to escape competition, took down the bridge, and took up the rails. Thus ended an enterprise which cost in the construction more than $500,000. The first train was run Thanksgiving day, Nov., 1836, and the last train June, 1870.
In 1836, Deodat Brastow, Joseph R. Folsom, Henry Dar- ling, and others, procured a charter, under the title of " Pe- nobscot River Rail Road Company," authorizing them to construct a road from Bucksport to Milford, with branches across the river at Bangor, Stillwater, Great Works, and Old Town villages-a very proper and feasible route-but the road was never built-not the first great measure issuing from man's fertile brain that failed of success.
In 1847, Daniel White, I. Washburn, Jr., Eben Webster, and others, were incorporated by the name of the " Bangor and Orono Railroad Company," and were authorized to build a road from some point in Bangor to the village of Stillwater, in Orono. The town of Orono, under the act of 1849, aided 12
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the road to the amount of $25,000; and individuals sub- scribed largely to the stock. The town in time received back the principal, but lost an equal amount paid in interest; the individual subscription was an entire loss. The limits of the road were extended in 1850, to Old Town, Bradley and Mil- ford, and the name changed to the " Penobscot Railroad Company. " The Company expended large sums in grading the road bed, and building bridges across the Stillwater river, and the main river at Old Town ; the latter was demolished by the ice, in the spring of 1856.
In 1850, E. L. Hamlin, A. G. Chandler, John A. Poor, and others were incorporated by the name of " European & North American Railway Company, " and authorized to con- struct a road from Bangor to the City of St. John. It was at first expected that the road would be built from Old Town to Calais, but it was in time thought best to locate it further up the river. In 1863, this Company bought the franchise of the Penobscot Railroad. The road was com- pleted to Old Town, and the first train run in August, 1868, and completed to Mattawamkeag in 1869. Extensive repair and construction shops were erected in Old Town near the depot, which were burned in 1876. The bridge across the main river was blown down in 1873, and in the darkness an engine and tender plunged into the river, having four men on board ; the engineer was killed, but wonderful to relate, the other three escaped with slight bruises.
In 1852, S. Veazie, A. M. Roberts, E. L. Hamlin, and others, were incorporated as the " Old Town and Lincoln Railroad Company," to extend from Old Town to Mattawamkeag; afterwards, the franchise passed into the hands of the E. N. A. Railway Company:
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RAILROADS.
In 1858, G. K. Jewett, S. F. Hersey, G. L. Boynton, E. S. Coe, and others, were incorporated by the name of " Aroos- took Railroad Company, " to extend a road from Old Town or Milford to some point in Aroostook county, and was authorized in 1860, to take an assignment of the B., O. & M. Rail Road, the Penobscot Railroad, or the Old Town and Lincoln Railroad. The route to Mattawamkeag was ulti- mately appropriated by the European & North American Railway Company.
In 1861, Ira Crocker, James Dunning, and others, were incorporated by the name of the " Bangor and Piscataquis Railroad Company, " and authorized to build a road from Bangor to Katahdin Iron Works, with a branch up the Piscataquis river. The road was completed to Dover, in 1869, since which time several sections have been added, and the cars now run to Blanchard, a point within thirteen miles of Moosehead Lake.
CHAPTER XV.
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MILITARY-MASONS-ODD. FELLOWS-TEMPERANCE.
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MILITARY.
Marsh Island, in 1824, was assigned as the limits of a militia company, and an election for company officers held at the dwelling-house of Abram Smith, in Orono, June 20, 1824. Richard H. Bartlett was elected Captain ; Andrew Griffin, Lieutenant; and Thomas G. Clark, Ensign. There were the usual trainings and musters, and in 1832, Andrew Griffin was chosen Captain, and the limits of the company changed so as to include only that part of Marsh Island north of the south line of lot No. 1. In 1834, Nathan Oakes was elected Captain ; his competitor for the position was Aaron Smith, who was the candidate of those persons who wished to cast ridicule and discredit upon the military system ; and it was the belief of many that he received the most votes-but the presiding officer declared Oakes elected. The people, how- ever, were not to be deprived of their rights, and having pro- cured an old Major's commission, signed by John Brooks, Governor of Massachusetts, the original name was erased, and that of Aaron Smith substituted, whereupon he was duly sworn and installed into office, and then training began. If the Major was not able to stand treat, some other did, and
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that Fourth of July, 1834, saw a large military display. Ira Wadleigh was standard bearer, and the line in double file, marching order, extended nearly from the Wadleigh House to the lower tavern, or nearly one hundred rods in length.
There was not much attention paid to military duty for several years, and Capt. Oakes was court-martialed and dis- charged for neglect. The company limits, in 1837, were ex- tended across Stillwater river to the west line of the town. Stover Rines was elected Captain, who, having the means to do so, succeeded in infusing some spirit, if not the true mili- tary one, into the people, and large trainings were had for several years-the company at one time appearing upon the muster-field more than one hundred strong, dressed in red shirt uniforms. In 1841, James H. Burgess, was chosen Cap- tain, and after his retirement, Isaac Staples was his successor, and he was the last official survivor of the Old Town militia. During Captain Staples' term of service, Major Aaron Smith appeared once more upon the stage of action ; on one of the training days, he came upon the ground mounted upon a horse, with a sash around his waist, and decked out with all the toggery that rougish genious could invent. He issued various orders, which, instead of being obeyed, served but to rouse the ire of the soldiery, and various attempts were made to arrest him for disturbance, which he, being mounted, man- aged to evade for some time. At length a team loaded with hay came along, and the Major thoughtlessly rode in between that and the company as it was marching along, when by an adroit movement, Captain Staples threw out a skirmish line from right and left flank, enclosing the Major against the load of hay, when he was taken prisoner, and ignominiously put under guard until the company was dismissed ; while in dur-
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ance vile, the Major expressed regret that he did not think to leave his horse, and escape by climbing over the load of hay.
In 1834, the Old Town Light Infantry was organized, with George W. Cummings as Captain, who, after serving six years, was promoted to Colonel. His successor as Captain, was Ephraim B. Pierce, who held the office until the military spirit died out, when the company disbanded.
Under the act of 1848, a rifle company was raised here, and furnished with good serviceable rifles by the State, and some of them were found to be very accurate. N. H. Saw- telle was the Captain elected at the organization. The company did duty several years. Winslow Staples was the next Captain, and since that time the company has not been heard of-nor the rifles either.
Under the act of 1869, designating ten companies of uni- formed militia to be selected, armed and uniformed by the State, a company, in 1871, was enrolled here, and upon being organized, Melville M. Folsom was chosen Captain. The company was made up of hardy material, selected from our lumbermen mostly, and upon the muster field ranked with the best companies in the line. Upon the promotion of Capt. Folsom to the rank of Major, Henry A. Pratt succeeded him as Captain, serving two years, when he resigned, and Oscar E. W. Hinckley was promoted to Captain ; in 1879 he re- signed, and Edgar A. B. Weeks was chosen Captain, and is now serving in that position.
In case of an emergency, this uniformed and trained militia must be the dependence of the proper authorities for preserv- ing the peace from mobs, insurrection or invasion ; and it is well that the State, in its paternal care, should keep this right arm of its safety in good temper and working order.
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MASONS AND ODD FELLOWS.
One thing is true, and remarkable as true, that in any emer- gency which has arisen in the state, where it became neces- sary to call upon the military for aid, it has never failed to sustain the officers of the law-a proud record for the much reviled military organizations of the state.
MASONS AND ODD FELLOWS.
In summing up the memories of Old Town, one would hardly be justified in omitting some notice of these charitable organizations. To those who have watched their progress, there is evidence that many a want has been supplied, many a pain soothed, many a despondent mind cheered, by the ministrations of these brotherhoods. It may be urged that such aid is but enforced charity, and so is the support of in- digent persons, obliged to be maintained at the public expense; yet while the latter bears the opprobrious name of pauper, the former is saved from that ignominy, as he receives only what is justly his due, and what he is under obligation to render to others who may be placed in like circumstances. If it be involuntary charity, it has this redeeming feature-it is rendered just where and at the precise time when needed, and imposes no dishonor or humiliation upon the recipient.
"Star in the East " Lodge of Masons, was organized in 1840, and has maintained a prosperous existence through the past years, and now numbers one hundred and fifty-eight members.
" Tarratine " Lodge of Odd Fellows was organized in 1845, and has always been one of the most prompt lodges in the jurisdiction-and now numbers eighty members in good standing.
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
TEMPERANCE.
This is a subject which is entitled to some notice in these sketches, and although this locality may to many be an un- promising field of harvest in that direction, yet Old Town has a temperance history that might do credit even to larger and more pretentious localities. The Indian, being the original occupant of the land, first claims our attention. It is a well known fact in history that the red man has a natural taste for, and quickly acquires an appetite for intoxicating bever- age, and when able to procure it will indulge its use, regard- less of time, place or consequences-and when under the in- fluence of the " fire water," displays all the evil propensities, passions and vengeance of his brutal uncultivated nature. Up to a period within some thirty years, a teetotaller was scarcely known amongst them, although there was occasion- ally an honorable exception. This appetite and its unbridled license, led to frequent accidents, contentions and bloodshed. Quite a list might be made up of those who have died from the effects of exposure, or have frozen to death while under its baleful influence. Some funny incidents have taken place as well, one of which is worth relating.
One stalwart, able bodied Indian, slightly past the middle age, had been indulging his appetite pretty freely during the day, and late in the evening started in his canoe from Old Town village, to paddle over to the island. The next seen of him was the following morning, lying in the bottom of his canoe, fast asleep, circling around in Shad Rips eddy, having safely navigated Old Town falls in that unconscious state. Imagination only, can depict the wonderful voyage. Guided by instinct, he paddles across the river, and safely anchors his bark upon the sandy beach at the foot of the island; too
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much intoxicated and helpless to attempt to reach his cabin, he stretches himself down in the bottom of the canoe and falls asleep, and while he dreams " of some safe retreat in depths of wood embraced, or some happier island in the wa- tery waste, "the rising of the water or the action of the wind loosens the bark from the shore, and it is caught up and car- ried by the current into the vortex of the roaring cataract ; onward it goes, with constantly increasing speed as it ap- proaches the fatal declivity ; one moment it trembles upon the brink, as if indued with instinct, and conscious of the watery ordeal through which it must pass ; it lingers but an instant, and with a fearful plunge is engulphed in the foam- ing boiling cauldron, to be forever obscured from human vision ! But no ! its buoyant nature and nicely adjusted bal- last of unconscious human existence causes it to rise upon the towering wave and shoot away upon the current to a haven of safety in the eddy below, where during the long and si- lent watches of the night, the starry sentinels obscured by thickening vapors, it goes in eddying circles round and round on miniature wavelets gently rocked till morn, when its on- ward progress is arrested by some friendly hand, and the poor inebriate, half unconscious still, is rescued from his peril- ous situation.
Occasional attempts have been made to effect individual reformation. Two instances may be mentioned, which were entirely successful. In one case the individual, when under the influence of liquor, developed a very ungovernable tem- per, which was dangerous and annoying. At one time being in Old Town village, and pretty drunk, he got into a high passion, and out of spite he dashed into the river and attempt- ed to swim over to the island, but before reaching the shore
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sunk from exhaustion ; some of his neighbors, seeing his situa- tion, went in a canoe to his rescue, and seeing him lying upon the bottom of the river, some of the more sensitive ones de- sired to make an immediate effort to rescue him, but one older and more prudent head suggested that they should wait until he was " done bubbling; " the others, perceiving the propriety of the suggestion, assented to it, and when they took him ashore it was necessary to bury him-and he never hankered for " fire water " afterwards.
Another method, adopted by one of the priests, was quite as effectual. It was known as the " sweating cure ; " the pro- cess was to dig a hole in the ground, and with boughs to build an arbor over it; then to heat a lot of rocks and put into the hole, seating the victim in the arbor, close up the en- trance and let him sweat for a longer or shorter time, accord- ing to the turpitude of the offence. One old chap, who had been punished quite a number of times without effecting a reformation, came again under the notice of the priest, who . determined to give him a dose that he would remember ; so heating a larger lot of rocks than usual, and making the arbor thicker and closer, let the victim remain so long that when taken out life was extinct, and the cure was certainly effect- ual. The idea of the reformer no doubt was, to impress upon the mind of the culprit the horrors of a purgatory hereafter, and thus effect a moral reformation which would deter him from the evil of his ways. From that time, this method of discipline seems to have been discontinued.
For some thirty years past, about half of the tribe have been and are strict temperance people. At the present time, one is obliged to admit that intemperance is on the increase, especially amongst the younger members of the tribe.
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TEMPERANCE.
The subject of temperance does not assume a much more attractive phase when we turn to the white inhabitants of the town. In the days of the first settlement of the town, and to as late a period as 1840, the congregation of people here, to find employment in the lumber business, brought together in large numbers men of rough habits, who to a great extent, were in the habit of using intoxicating liquor in just such quantities as the appetite demanded, and no one was thought the less of for drinking, even to excess ; in fact, one was likely to be ostracised unless he drank occasionally in order to de- monstrate his boon companionship.
From year to year, the town was in the habit of passing a vote to allow retailers to sell rum, brandy, and gin, to be drank in their shops. In 1832, the town, mainly through the efforts and influence of Jeremiah Perley, Esq., then a prac- ticing lawyer in the town, voted not to license any one to sell ardent spirits-and occasionally since that time the town. has passed a similar vote.
About the year 1840, a Washingtonian Society was formed here. John B. Smith was one of the leaders in the move- ment. The cause progressed with wonderful rapidity, and in 1842 a board of temperance men were elected Selectmen upon that issue ; and since that time, whenever the question of temperance has been the issue, the town has uniformly voted on that side ; and it remained for the year 1880 to witness the spectacle of the town refusing to elect men as Constables on the ground that they would enforce, so far as they could, the prohibitory liquor law. Various instrumentalities have been used by its advocates in aid of the temperance reformation, each in its turn doing something of good, but ultimately dy- ing out when excitement and novelty had worn off. First in order, was the attempt to enforce the prohibitory law en-
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acted during the administration of John Hubbard, but the methods taken to procure evidence and insure conviction retarded rather than advanced the temperance cause, and disgusted many of its warmest advocates.
The next effort was the organization of a division of the " Sons of Temperance," and in connection therewith a club of Rechabites ; these orders flourished five or six years, and died of enui. In time the "Good Templars" took the field, and have gone into decay, and have been revived twice, and are now living in a semi-conscious state. In 1869, a "Temple of Honor" was instituted here, flourishing a few years, and had nearly expired ; but in 1874 a revival took place, to be at the present time plunged in a deathlike stupor.
In 1874, a Reform Club was started up, and for a season, while the excitement lasted, was a very efficient power in winning the votaries of strong drink from the error of their ways. Alas ! that some of the most active and efficient work- ers in the Club should have gone back upon their bright and proud record, and have returned to the slime, filth, and deg- radation of the drunkard's career.
About the same time, some of the noble ladies of the vicin- ity, organized a "Union Temperance Crusade," led to the ef- fort by the example and success of the Ladies Temperance Crusade in some of the western states. This order was for a time very effective in its work, and much good was done ; but when its novelty had been dimmed, some left from jealousy, some from indifference, and others from the necessity of em- ploying their time in useful labor, until now the Crusade has been obliged to suspend its weekly meetings for want of the necessary support and encouragement.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
SAMUEL H. MERRILL.
Was a Congregationalist pastor, a man of distinguished ability, personally attractive, of the greatest suavity of man- ner and address, winning his way into the good graces and opinions of all classes of society-and especially careful not to mar one's feelings by noticing any personal defect or mis- fortune. In conversation with a friend, one day, apparently oblivious of the fact that he had but one hand, he asked him if he played the bass viol. He was of that kind of temper- ament which required a good deal of exercise, and he was fond of getting away into the forest and spending a week or so in hunting and fishing-and even this did not prevent him from pursuing his theological studies. What man with a true heart can be abroad in the boundless forest, and not worship the Creator ? It is Nature's vast cathedral. Once he related to the author a circumstance which gave an insight into his inner nature. He had been out on a hunting cruise in the vicinity of Lowell, and to get home had to travel alone, over a rough road, a distance of seven miles ; he had engaged to deliver a discourse at some future day, and as he trudged along the devious way, he was conning over in his mind the subject of his lecture, and he became so absorbed in his med- itations that he forgot all about the passage of time, and ar- rived at his destination all unconscious that he had been trav-
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elling at all. He once owned and occupied the house now owned by James Y. Richardson ; and his memory is still cher- ished by the neighbors, who were intimate with him.
He once visited the logging camp of Isaac Staples, situated on the Passadumkeag stream. The party rode in a double sleigh-the parson on the front seat with the driver. Staples had taken something warming along in a bottle with him, and occasionally he and his companion on the back seat would resort slily to its cheering solace, not intending to let the parson into the secret, knowing him to be a strict teetotaller -and they were greatly taken aback, after arriving at the camp, when the parson very innocently remarked that as they came along, he " heard something go guggle, guggle," and inquired if they knew what it was. Their surprise and cha- grin was something to behold. He was very fond of children. Fannie Norton, being of about the same age, was a constant companion of Susan and Marion-and the parson was ever ready to unbend himself and " become a boy again," and was as much interested as they were in a game of romp or hide and seek ; and in case of a marriage ceremony, the girls must be hunted up to witness the happy nuptials.
CHARLES BLANCHARD.
Was a Baptist minister, and was in some sort the builder of the Baptist society here, over which he faithfully served as pastor for ten years. He superintended the enlargement and change of the Lovejoy school house, into a meeting house, which served the society for many years, and until the erection of a more elegant church a few rods to the north of it, in 1854. Both the old and new church were consumed by fire on the day of Lincoln's funeral, in 1865. He was one of the most busy and industrious of men, always toiling at
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some kind of employment, as imbued with a vision of want or poverty against which he must provide. Meeting him one day returning from his Pushaw farm, where he had been working, covered with dust and soil from the land, we hailed him cheerfully, and made the inquiry if it was not about time for him to cease from manual labor-adding that he had enough of worldly goods to carry him through the few re- maining years allotted to man. His reply was, " I want to get a little more." As was his habit of toiling, so the bent of his mind was to look upon the toilsome, laborious, and burdensome side of life; and yet the old gentleman had a spice of mirth about him, and could tell a funny story with a good deal of zest. And so theologically, he thought more of, and put more stress upon, the toilsome wanderings of the children of Israel in the wilderness, and the unhappy banish- ment of St. John upon the Isle of Patmos, than he did upon the more pleasing and happy incidents of life in their com- plete fulfillment. One Sabbath Norton and his wife attended church, and listened to one of his occasional happy discourses, in which he sometimes rose above his ordinary depression. On the way home, Mrs. Norton remarked that she was never going to hear Mr. Blanchard preach again, and when asked the reason why, replied that in that discourse he had got the children of Israel into the promised land, and she was afraid if she went again, he might dissolve the charm and get them back into the wilderness.
WILLIAM McDONALD.
Was a Methodist preacher, and was stationed here a couple of years. He was a young man of considerable talent, and has since risen to some eminence in his profession. He used to hold forth in the old meeting house on Front street. At
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SKETCHES OF OLD TOWN.
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