USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sullivan > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 4
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sorrento > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 4
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In 1934, the Government sold it to Mr. Newbold Noyes of Washington, D. C.
Crabtree Ledge Lighthouse
from the book "Living Dreams" by Sumner Hazelwood and Charlotte Hazelwood, and printed here with their consent.
Silent, alone in the darkness, Without a light you stand, Abandoned and useless to sailors, A quarter mile from land.
As a boy I watched them build you To guide the way to the dock, The divers who anchored you firmly, Secure and snug to the rock.
Forty-three years you served us, Watching with faithful eye, You led us home in the darkness, Smiled as we passed you by.
Lifted your voice in warning, Beware of Crabtree Ledge, When fog lay thick on the water, Keeping your solemn pledge.
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For years the steamers depended On you to show them the way, As they passed and repassed in crossing The waters of Frenchman's Bay.
Now there are steamers no longer, Your place (to save expense),
Ursurped by a glamorous bell-buoy, Anchored at cable-length hence.
Though now you have lost your commission, And you're silent and dark at night, Old friend, you are not forgotten, In my heart you are still a light.
TRANSPORTATION
Boat and Railroad
From an article in "The Bangor Sunday Commercial," July 6, 1952. Boats were running along the coast of Maine in 1872. Boat schedules in The Mount Desert Herald in 1883, gives the time tables of the Boston & Maine Railroad into Portland and the boat schedule from Portland along the coast to Bar Harbor. The Steamer "Richmond" making the trips. "The Elector" was scheduled for around the "Frenchman's Bay trips. Bar Harbor, Sorrento, Hancock Point, Mt. Desert Ferry and Sullivan."
Items from Hancock, March 27, 1884, in the Mount Desert Herald:
"The Shore Line railroad is pushing its rails toward Sullivan Falls, with all possible speed. It will probably be completed in season to accommodate the tide of summer travel that will set from the westward during the month of July and August.
How delightful it must be to the denizens of the hot, crowded cities of the South and West, to cut loose from the galling cares and anxieties of business, to spend a few weeks on the cool sea shore, or in the shady glens of eastern Maine. Here are beautiful and expansive prospects from the mountain tops, crystal lakes and streams where the speckled beauties are
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forests, free from the heat, dust and noise of the town, its bell anxiously waiting for the fly. To be away in the sweet scented clanging and whistle tooting, must indeed be a luxury to those who are so situated that they can leave their business in trusty hands, for a short season of rest and recreation.
In excavating for the Shore Line railroad at Sullivan Falls, many Indian relics were dug up such as, flint arrow heads, spear heads, axes, chisels, gouges, etc. They were found in a strata of red earth, about three feet below the present surface. The im- mense shell heaps on the shore would seem to indicate that at some remote age in the past, this was a favorite camping ground, situated as it is-opposite the Falls at the head of safe canoe navigation. Some of the implements were made of crys- talized quartz as clear as glass."
A train schedule appeared in the June issue of "The Mount Desert Herald" running from Boston to Bangor and to Mt. Desert Ferry. And the hotels were advertising as such.
The Custom House was first established in Sullivan and moved to Mt. Desert Ferry in 1886. Discontinued in 1918. The Railroad Station at Mt. Desert Ferry was demolished in 1942. Passenger trains stopped in 1934. Freight trains still continue. And Waukeag Station still open.
THE SHORE LINE
From Mount Desert Herald, August 17, 1888
"A reporter called on Colonel Greene at Machias the other day to get some information on the new shore line. Col. Greene said: 'The Shore Line is now a sure thing. I mean to push the work as fast as I can, and have the road completed as soon as possible. Cherryfield gives $15,000; Harrington, $4,000; Colum- bia, $3,000; Columbia Falls, $3,000; Each Machias, $17,000; Machias, $30,000; and the other small towns along the surveyed line in proportion. Pembroke has not voted yet. Eastport is heavily in debt, and they cannot bond the town for much more, so I don't know as yet exactly how much they will aid alto- gether. Whatever they do give will be by subscription, and by direct tax'." Several private parties have already offered from $3,000 to $5,000 each.
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" 'You see, Eastport is going to receive great benefit from the road, for it will be the terminus, and they will probably furnish from $35,000 to $50,000 in all. You ask about Calais, and if it is true, and if it is true that Eastport shall be the terminus? The traffic contract I have with the Maine Central is from Bangor to Eastport, via Charlotte. Don't I intend to run the road to Calais? No, there is no necessity or object for the Shore Line to go to Calais. The distance from Charlotte to Calais is sixteen miles, and it would be nonsense to build that distance merely to benefit Calais, when there is no obligation or object on the part of the road to go there. If Calais wants to be connected with the Shore Line they must take hold and build that sixteen miles themselves'."
"'Why, the people of Calais have to go twenty-seven miles more than there is any need of in going from there to Boston by rail now! And furthermore, they have to pass through a for- eign country and contend with the customs regulations at St. Stephen and Vanceboro. I don't know anything about what Calais intends to do, for I am not interested. I have no plans or objections to go to Calais. I will build the road according to arrangements from Sullivan to Eastport, by the aid of the towns named, and by the sale of bonds which are now in the market; and if things continue to prosper you will have the pleasure of riding into Eastport on the steam cars before the summer of 1890'."
This did not go through and there was no Washington County railroad in 1890.
February 20, 1882, in the town books, the town of Sullivan agreed to raise money for a standard gauge railroad, running from Bangor to Calais, and the survey was made, but it did not materialize.
John Moore later succeeded in putting the Washington Coun- ty railroad through on a different survey and the line opened in 1898. A station was built at Tunk Lake and ran for quite a few years. But for lack of traffic in that section it did not pay for the upkeep of the building. It is still a flag station for pas- sengers and also takes the car loads of pulp that is shipped from that station.
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Notes on the Maine Central Steamers of Frenchman's Bay:
The little one deck steamer, Buttercup, Captained by Mr. True, was the first steamer in the bay. If the Captain wanted to go backward, he had to stop the engine and start it going the other way. Next came the Elector, which was built in Bangor. This had two decks and was also Captained by Mr. True. Both steamers burned wood for fuel. The overnight birth of the Elector was at Hancock Wharf near the Falls, and stops were made at Sullivan Harbor, Stone Island and Bar Harbor. Every other day, on the way back from Bar Harbor, it stopped at La- moine and Hancock Point. Mr. William Bennett of Bucksport was engineer of the Elector.
The Sappho was built at Bath in 1886 and was 275 gross tons, 140 feet long and 600 horse power. In 1917 she was sold to Blackstone Navigation Company of New York, and was remod- eled into a freighter. Later she was remodeled the third time, and in 1941 was still in operation.
The Sebenoa was the pioneer of the Frenchman's Bay Service. She was built in 1880 in Bath; a wooden ship of 89 gross ton, 91 feet long. She figured in directly with the Sappho in the serious accident on August 6, 1899, at Mt. Desert Ferry when a landing slip broke, causing a loss of twenty-five lives. In 1904 she left the Bay Service, being replaced by the steel steamer, Pemaquid, the twin ship of the Siers des Monts. The Pemaquid was remod- eled later into a tugboat at Bridgeport, Conn., and was active until 1925.
The Norumbega was built at Bath in 1902. She was 304 gross ton, 146 feet long and had twin screws. It was a little faster boat than the Sappho. She served the Bay for over twenty years without any serious accidents, although it was grounded several times. Later she was sold to the Nantasket Beach Line in 1934. While it was being repaired at Quincy, Mass., it burned beyond repair.
The Siers des Monts was built in Philadelphia in 1901. It was 469 gross tons and 155 feet long. She was in use only a short time in the Bay, and then was replaced by the Pemaquid, be- cause the latter was cheaper to operate. Later she was rebuilt as
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a tank barge and was still in use in the summer of 1941.
The Samoset, "The Ugly Duckling" of the Bay Fleet, was used for the most part in the winter season. She was built in Philadelphia in 1897, 146 gross tons, and was 103 feet long. It was high and wide, with a general lack of beauty. She left Maine waters in 1917 for service in the navy. Later she was made over into a passenger boat under diesel power and re- named, City of Printa Gorda, in Florida. She was operating out of New Orleans in 1939 under the name of Seminola.
The Moosehead was built in Bath in 1911 and had 2,350 horse power, 677 gross tons and 185 feet long. She was especial- ly built for the M. C. R. R. She was taken by the Navy in 1919, and later taken over by private lines and was known as the St. S. Porpoise, and finally as the Mayflower in New York on the Hudson. In World War II, as the Mayflower, she was taken over by the Navy as Col. William B. Corwin, and was lost off Boston Light on December 17, 1941.
The Rangeley was the last of the Bay steamers. She was built at Bath in 1913, nearly a twin to the Moosehead but not quite so fast. She did not remain long in the Bay, but went to New York for service on the Hudson where she was known as the Chauncey N. Depew. In 1941 she was leased to the Government.
In 1898, the steamer Sebenoa ran into and badly damaged the lighthouse. There are a number of stories concerning the accident. The one generally accepted is as follows: It was the custom to sight for the lighthouse when on the way over from Bar Harbor. The day before the accident, the helmsman, when nearing the lighthouse, asked the captain if it were not time to change the course. The Captain replied, "When I want you to change course, I will tell you ... ! " The next day the same helmsman was at the helm and he hung to the course, saying nothing. As a result, the boat ran plumb, smack into the light- house. The captain was deprived of his license, and suspended for a time as the result. After the crash, the captain ran the Sebenoa to the shore, and beached her near the wharf.
The steamer, Norumbega, also ran aground on Clark Ledge, between Seal Harbor and Southwest Harbor, but was floated without damage. Later, the Pemaquid, on the way from Mt.
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Desert Ferry to Bar Harbor, ran onto Bean Island and luckily grounded on the only forty foot sand beach there. This was in the day time and it was by an argument in the pilot house over politics which caused the steamer to head almost completely around and into the island. The Norumbega had another mis- hap, being caught in the ice flow one winter on the way to the Ferry from Bar Harbor. Passengers and freight had to be taken on the ice to the shore near the wharf. Later a U. S. Coast Guard Cutter was sent to cut a channel for the steamer. Still another boat to ground was the little old steamer, Elector, cap- tained by Mr. True of Hancock. It ran onto Bald Rock on its way over to Bar Harbor from Sullivan. Mrs. Isadore Wooster was the only passenger. At high tide the Elector was floated and pushed off.
In the early 1900's a pier was built on the shore of the Walter Esterbrook property, now owned by Mrs. John Spring, and the "Hector" made two trips a day back and forth to Bar Harbor. Sunday was excursion day, and the pier was crowded with ex- cursioners, sometimes families, who were off to spend the day in Bar Harbor. Even for nothing else than the sail, the trip was certainly worth while. It was also a great convenience to the community. A few farmers used the boat for marketing their truck farming, dairy products, etc. Their usual means was by sail boat, leaving at two or three A. M. and arriving in Bar Harbor in time for the days market, usually two or three times a week.
As we look out on these waters now, and the broad expanse of Frenchman's Bay that was so alive with sailing craft and steam- boats, somehow there's a nostalgic feeling that creeps over us as we reminisce; that perhaps "the good old days" weren't so bad after all.
SULLIVAN BRIDGE PETITION JANUARY 29, 1821
To John Urann, one of the constables of the town of Sullivan,
Greetings: You are hereby required in the name of the State of Maine, to notify such of the inhabitants of said town as are qualified to vote in town affairs, to meet at the store of George Himnan, Esqs. in said town on Monday, the fifth day of Feb-
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ruary next, at 2:00 in the afternoon to act on the following business:
(1) To choose a moderator to regulate said meeting.
(2) To consider and take the votes of the town on the sub- ject of a petition of John Sargent, and others, praying the Legislature of the state for leave to build a bridge over the Falls in said town, an order of notice having been served on the Clerk of said town, requiring the town to show cause, if any they have, why the prayers of the petition should not be granted.
Hiram Emery Joseph Bean Altest Hiram Emery
Selectmen of Sullivan Town Clerk
Agreeable to the above warrant at the time and place, trans- acted the following business, and made choice of George Him- man, Esq., moderator: Valid that the town is willing that John Sargent shall build a bridge as per his petition.
THE SARGENT BRIDGE
Paul Dudley Sargent, father of John Sargent, was a United States Army Colonel of pioneer times. A century ago he suc- ceeded in getting a bridge across the Taunton River between Sullivan and Hancock, where the new bridge is located. Sar- gent's Bridge, spanning the arm of the river where the ferry now runs, a distance of some 1,300 feet, was begun and built in the years 1821-1822. It was a great undertaking for a man of that period, as capital was scarce and uncertain.
Colonel Sargent, however, grappled the proposition and his success compares with any record of the present times. He se- cured the services of a Boston bridge builder, named Chillinden, and the bridge was built of hemlock logs, which were abundant in the vicinity, with piers about 100 feet apart. The old beds are now visible at low water.
Colonel Sargent built on his own personal credit, and when
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it was finished it was up to him to finance the payments. To meet these payments he started a lottery scheme, such schemes then being popular with the public, and the bridge was put up as the grand prize-the tickets finding a ready sale in several states.
Although the ownership changed materially, Colonel Sargent was retained as manager several years prior to its wreck in 1829. The tolls were: Foot, 6c; 1 horse team, 50c; a 2 horse team, 80c. Five or six years after the bridge was completed it began to set- tle gradually on account of worms eating the logs to a honey- comb at the tide line. The new owner decided to make general repairs, as it had settled below high water line, but in the cold winter of 1828-1829 the ice got ahead of them and wrecked the bridge badly.
There are records of a second bridge being built, or at least started, about 25 years later, but data concerning the second attempt is scarce and difficult to obtain.
There are also records of a second bridge being built about 25 years later, as a citizen of this town has a book of the treas- urer's account; and another citizen informs the writer that she had found a receipt given to her father, dated about 75 years ago; and there is a family Bible record in Hancock of the death of a man who was working on the bridge. Old files of the Ellsworth-American could probably disclose some authentic rec- ords at the time.
Sullivan and Hancock a century ago were one town, and the Hancock Post-office was called Sweetland. The first toll collector of the old bridge was Benjamin Baker, then Major Thomas Phillips of Castine, an ex-country sheriff. William Abbott of Hancock was next. The principle shipping was then lumber, from the mills of Franklin, and most of it was rafted below the bridge and the falls, about a six mile's journey, and loaded on the small vessels.
NEW SULLIVAN-HANCOCK BRIDGE
By Frederick A. Gerrish, West Sullivan
To be ready for summer traffic, a fine modern structure of steel, granite and concrete, replaces the century old ferry on the
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Atlantic Highway Route No. 1, Boston to Eastport-third attempt to span the Tannton River-built under difficulties- a description and interesting ancient history by F. R. Gerrish, Bangor News Special Reporter.
"West Sullivan, March 19, 1926 .- The Sullivan-Hancock Bridge will soon be open to traffic. This news will be hailed with delight by the citizens of the surrounding towns, as well as by thousands of tourists who annually travel in this part of the state of Maine. Its dedication will be a day long to be remembered. The citizens in this section of the state have long felt the need of such a structure, and the benefits from it will be unlimited."
The location of the bridge was determined by an act of the Legislature, and after preliminary surveys were made, and the contractor had assembled his machines and other construction apparatus, actual work began. James H. Kerr of Rumford, Maine was the contractor in charge, and associated with him were Supt. Hyer and other assistants. After a short stay here Supt. Hyer left to enter other work, and Supt. Strout was succeeded by Supt. Frank H. Bell, who is still on the job.
SEVEN GRANITE PIERS AND TWO ABUTMENTS
The super-structure rests upon five granite piers and two concrete abutements. Besides these five foundation piers and abutments there will be two fender piers, one already completed, which will serve as a protection to the round piers on which the draw span swings when vessels and other craft are passing through the bridge. These fender piers, especially the up-river one, will serve to protect the round pier from the huge ice cakes which come down the river every spring, although this is not their chief duty, as stated above.
The five foundation piers consist of one round and four rect- angular piers, the latter presenting a "V" shaped front to the tide's flowage, and serving as ice breakers as well as foundations.
James H. Kerr of Rumford, Maine, the contractor who put in these piers, has experienced many difficult tasks during their construction, but he has kept grimly going ahead until six of them are already completed, and the seventh and last, will be
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built just as soon as weather conditions permit the work to proceed.
This new bridge will be a decided addition to one of Maine's principal and most-travelled highways, Trail Number One, form- erly known as the Automobile Blue Line. This highway is the principal route to all Eastern towns in Maine and the Canadian provinces.
The Sullivan-Hancock new bridge was dedicated May 1, 1926. B. C. Baker collected tolls.
LOCAL MEN EMPLOYED
Many local men were employed in the building of the new bridge, besides scores of men from other parts of the State. From the start, John Stratton of Hancock has been in charge of a portion of the laborers and has made a very efficient leader. Zemro3 Hall, of West Sullivan, is another who has been a valu- able man, being able to adapt himself to all parts of the work.
There have been several divers employed during the construc- tion of the piers, but H. E. Perkins of Penobscot, Maine, proved the most valuable man for all-round work in this line. Mr. Perkins did not come here as a diver, but when another man was needed in that capacity he volunteered his services and learned the trade on this bridge job, so that before it was com- pleted, he was considered about the best one that was employed here in that dangerous and difficult work.
BRIDGE REPLACES FERRY
The new bridge replaces the old ferry which has plied between the towns of Sullivan and Hancock for many years. This ferry has been under the ownership of several different men during its existence.
From town records: At a meeting legally warned, and held for the purpose on Saturday, March 11, 1820, the following pre- amble and resolves were passed without a dissenting vote, Henry Sawyer having been chosen Moderator and Jabez Simpson, Town Clerk protem:
Whereas an order of notice has been issued by the Honorable
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Court of Sessions, within and for the County of Hancock, on the petition of Nathan Shaw and forty-five others, praying that a ferry may be established in this town near Capt. Thomas Gordon's, which order has been served on the town clerk re- quiring this town to show cause, if any, why the prayer of the said petition should not be granted.
Voted that Hiram Emery be agent to act for the town at the next session of the court.
Sullivan, March 11, 1920. Jabez Simpson, Town Clerk protem."
*
About as far as most living residents of Sullivan remember, the ferry here was run by John Gordon of West Sullivan. This was about the year 1860. Before this the ferry was operated below the Sullivan Falls, but facts concerning the property as far back as that are not easily obtained, and the writer will bring to your attention the names of the men who have managed the property since it has been conducted in its present location.
Ransom Abbott of Hancock succeeded John Gordon, as owner of the property in the late 70s, about the time the mining boom in Sullivan was at its height. Later, Charles Allen operated the ferry, using a steamboat called the Transit. J. H. Simpson was the next to manage the property. Next came Ernest Abbott, a son of Ransom Abbot, who ran it at three different times. About this time Curtis Moon and Gardiner D. Blake bought out the property and operated it together for about six months, when Mr. Blake sold out his share to Mr. Moon. This was in the 80's. J. K. Mitchell next became interested in the property, and with W. B. Blaisdell, conducted it with success. Later, Mr. Blaisdell went into other business and John Cameron became associated with Mr. Mitchell.
About 1906 Mr. Mitchell severed his connections at the ferry, and in the winter of 1906-07 he bought the tug-boat, Phillips Eaton, with which he used to do the towing for the companies here. (All sailing vessels going in and out over the Falls had to be towed). Mr. Mitchell sold the Phillips Eaton to the Prepscot Paper Co., of Bath, Maine, in the summer of 1917. J. K. Mit-
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chell sold his interest in the ferry to Curtis Moon and John Palmer. It was new work to Mr. Palmer, and after a short time he sold his share of the business to Bradbury Smith, then pro- prietor of Granite Hotel, in West Sullivan. Mr. Smith and Mr. Moon conducted the business for a few years, but eventually Mr. Moon sold his share to Mr. Smith, who became sole owner in 1913 and conducted the business thereafter.
The Ferry had its most prosperous years under the regime of Mr. Smith, who was known to everyone far and near as "Brad". His courtesy and thoughtfulness for others, had long made him one of the town's most beloved citizens.
In this brief sketch of the Waukeag-Sullivan Ferry it may be interesting to the readers if a few figures are presented, com- paring the amount of business transacted on certain days in the year of 1913, the first year that the property was taken over, with Mr. Bradbury Smith as sole owner, and the amount of business that was done on the same day of the year 1925.
First we will compare July 4, 1913 versus 1925. They were respectively, $13.25 and $213.95; Memorial Day, May 30, 1913- 1925, respectively, $4.75 and $85.78; on Sept. 14, 1913-1925, respectively, $17.35 and $131.10; Nov. 1, 1913-1925, $10.30 and $97.30. As far as is known the banner day on the Ferry was August 15, 1925, when $247.00 was the grand total, while the average day in 1913 was $16.65.
From these few figures it may easily be seen that the Ferry has steadily increased in importance, both to the owners and to the public, as well as in the last decade or more, until the slowly increase in traffic and general business made the building of the bridge more and more a necessity.
ELECTRIC LIGHTS
The coming of the bridge brought another convenience to Sullivan and surrounding towns in the form of Electric lights.
The W. L. Wheelden Co., of Bangor, formed a company called The Shore Line Electric Company, and during the past year has wired most of the houses in the towns in this vicinity, extending the line from the Ellsworth power plant to Hancock and Sullivan, and as far east as Prospect Harbor and Winter
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Harbor. There are two steel towers, one on each side of Falls Point, and it is by this means that the current is brought across the river.
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