USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sullivan > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 9
USA > Maine > Hancock County > Sorrento > Sullivan and Sorrento since 1760 > Part 9
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For the last few summers the "Toad Hole" has been most popular, and increasingly so. Swimming parties from the several surrounding towns have found their way there. When one visits the spot, it's a large body of water surrounded by hills of granite, and about 50 feet deep. The deserted Quarry of Crabtree and Havey, the last of the quarrying there, opened up a vein of water that would seem an inexhaustible supply. Also a short way farther on up the Quarry Road is Hooper and Havey's Quarry that has met with the same fate only smaller, but adds beauty to the scenery. Harvey Robertson's Quarry now pictures the epi- tome of the romantic industry that it used to be.
ROMANCES OF INDUSTRY THE QUARRIES OF SULLIVAN By Ralph F. Gerrish-1901
The stone industry furnishes romances quite as fascinating as other topics, especially for people in the working and business
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class. Every business has a romance to those who pursue it for more than mere lucre. Probably stone work got its start from the growth of American cities that devolved from the temporary wood area to material more lasting. Naturally, as wood played out, stone and brick were the nearest at hand. The first call for stone was probably from Government needs for forts, lights, houses, etc.
Sullivan was among the pioneers and has continued from the start. The old quarries leave records that the present genera- tion are fast losing knowledge of, and it is well to record some of the changes. In the early days everything was following the war on slavery and the nation was reconstructing. Everything was then speculative, and many a trail had to be blazed. About every success in stone work here has been accomplished by local men, men who got their training on the busy end of an ox goad. The Havey's were a large, local family reared on what is now known as No. 7 in the eastern part of the town. They have un- tangled the name from Havey in good shape and Havey stands for stone much the same as Sterling does for quality.
Of one family in ten, about half of them rose to proprietors, while the rest were foremen or expert workmen. Barney is easily the leader. He formed a partnership over forty-five years ago with a Hancock boy, named Alfred Crabtree, who quit store clerking for his daddy. They demonstrated true business talent and a good team. One was a Democrat and the other a Re- publican. Both dyed-in-the-wool, but politics were always second- ary to business. They have been independently rich for years but know the sweetness of pure struggles.
Many attempts at quarrying were made, and lots of war- money profits were sunk, before it was learned that stone had right grain and hard way similar to wood before real success was begun. There it was found that stone lay in deposits, with sec- tions of high grade and true working stone, while the next might be no better than knotty wood to do anything with. After clear- ing the ledges, the first big breaks were made by deep drilling and powder blasting with the old black cannon powder.
The holes were drilled then covered, two holes together in a line with the required break; then the core between broken
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out. This was a slow, tedious job. Later, a single round hole was patented, and two creases had to be made on the sides to start the explosion break. There were numerous fines collected for illegal use before the patents run out. Now that is all a memory only to the older ones. After the big breaks were made the smaller sizes of stone were made by flat drilling. Slots about two inches long, two inches deep and a third of an inch wide; flat, iron shins were inserted and soft iron wedges driven to crack the stone along the rift. In fact, wooden wedges were wet and the stone broken by the swelling. Sometimes, later, small round holes three inches deep were used, but now smaller holes, two inches, do as well, at less cost. Steel was poor in those days, too, and even charcoal was used to sharpen with. A sharpener was then considered a master mechanic, while anyone now with modern standardized steel sharpeners could do the same job. Hand hammers were all guess work, and broke across the eye easily. A local blacksmith, Henry Preble, made a success by sell- ing several thousand hammers on the guarantee of replacing all that broke. He was so successful that the business didn't break him.
Hauling was done by oxen on old home-made wooden axle carts; they said horses were too quick. Old yokes and rolled axles now testify to the old days. The roads were extra hazard- ous and privately owned. There are some abandoned roads built across long swamps at a big cost. Public roads now serve all quarries, modern carts, special for the work, are used. A team- ster's outfit is worth about $1,000.00.
Few men now working can recall the first operations, but Montgomery Havey and Leighton Carpenter have seen it all. Both have worked for Crabtree & Havey, and on the same quarry before and with them as buddys. Both are in the harness busi- ness today, and at top wages. They used to work for much less than $2.00 a day and from sun to dark. But those were "the good old days," just the same, and living was cheap and easy. It is harder now to pay rent on $4.00 a day and eight hours, than they to own a house and work twelve hours for $2.00. That is progression that Down East Yankees have never yet seen the logic of, but it is so. Big, three-masted schooners now carry the
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stone to cities, whereas Hill's 90-ton stickers did it in the old days. An old skipper then would look down on a modern cap- tain who is also a businessman. There used to be a good fleet of vessels owned here and a big tug to tow them to deep water. The tug is private property now and the local fleet is reduced to one.
In the last forty years the stone business was all right. Crab- tree & Havey and Alonzo Abbott are two of the banner ones now living. The former is still going contrary to repeated reports, and the latter retired, as the grand old man of Hancock reports, that what they are worth is a guess. But guess high! what a man is worth when he dies.
Walter Boardman Blaisdell was a conspicuous instance. He died in middle age and his heirs got a melon, worth about $35,- 000. Self-made, in about fifteen years, Robertson & Havey, both now dead, were others that can't be dodged. They left about $4,000 each to their heirs. Good, quick assets made in about fif- teen years. Ira Robertson and Augustus Havey made a great record in business. Both were day men with large families. They made good, got a start, then leaving both brothers employed, opened a quarry where men had trod the ledge for years. There was a fortune in the top sheet. They got it, too. After that it was easy but the firm dissolved. Ira bought out half for $2,000 and had a good surplus to operate on. His health went back on him and he soon died. His boy, a mere kid in short pants and part way through filling school, shouldered the business. He made a go of it and after a year he bought out the business of the other five heirs, and for a number of years has made good money in his own name. Pretty good for a boy but he was a second Ira. He has enlarged the store over double and the stock as well. He has developed his quarry into a gold mine. The way quarries run his only drawback is in not being a free lance. Had he gone the pace set by others he could have, alone, had Sullivan on the map along with Stonington, Hallowell and North Jay, but they say cooperation is the life of trade. It is. It has about got the life out of the stone industry in this town, sad to say, but you can't polish up history.
With both eyes and hands on home affairs others have got
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away with the market end of the business. That isn't saying for keeps. Rip Van Winkle came too, in time, but he got a new start on things-so with the stone business here. Already Ernest Gordon has tired of pass out, and broken into the realities of the game in doing a contract for J. Leo Pold Co. A live wire that, like Blanco's ghost, wouldn't down on the market end, he got next to the New York market and is one of the "Fellows".
Gordon Brothers are leasing stone of the old Benvenere prop- erty and running twenty men. Their prospects are good. Al- though in a highest cost lived, for Uncle Samuel now says to competitors, "Hands off the little fellows," for he knows that oaks have to start from acorns, mushrooms are too short to live, other concerns will take hold here as the old ones keep on slack- ing up and new futures will reform the town. It needs it, it de- serves it. The stone is here and the cities need it.
Business men who wish to do business instead of speculate will find Sullivan good to them and return them double dollars for single ones in ten to fifteen years. It has the record and can repcat.
All realize that big profits will not come from little work as it used to, but all own that a sure clean margin is easily figured for the men who "work on the job" as they used to, and em- ploy efficient help and equipment, knock the cooperative store plan in the head, stop costly overhead and duplication of excuse for expensive costs. Live and let live. What makes a town no good is harping on one string all the time, "that it is no good." Take a new tact to windward. Bury the axe and lead pencils, stop humping over half cents and losing whole dollars, get out that little Maine banner with "Dirigo" on it, nail it over the skull and cross bones, over the doors, and I hope to witness another chance of a second chapter of stone romance better than this, and born of the same Yankee truth.
BRICK YARDS
By interviews with several of the older citizens of Sorrento and Sullivan, they all agree on the different views presented, but no one can seem to remember the whole story. So by the method of putting two and two together and then perhaps another two,
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we probably have the brick yard equation solved. For instance, Nathaniel Noyes and his family lived in Sorrento on the property that is now the Golf Links. They were also reputed to have a brick yard. Others remember or have heard that there was a large brick yard in operation on the site where the Golf Links now are.
There had to be a large brick yard somewhere in these towns, for the houses built with the large brick ovens took plenty of brick. And there were quite a few houses being built in the early 1800's. By exploring, to make further conclusions, the golf links certainly do look like they were the result of brick yard excava- tions. A brook running through is further evidence that it would be a convenience place for such operations.
Nathaniel Noyes also owned Seward Island, and at the time of the mine boom operated the Golden Circle Mine on that property.
Information from Dr. Harry Patten of Augusta says, Mr. George Patten, his father, after returning from the Civil War, worked with his grandfather Blaisdell in Franklin, who had a brick yard. About 1880 his father came to Sullivan and bought the property of Mr. Welch, that is now owned by Pearl D. Rob- ertson. He found good clay and started a brick yard at the shore, with a running brook, and did a fairly extensive business. He built a wharf and at high tide two and three masted schoon- ers came sailing in the bay and followed the channel to their wharf.
Gipson Hanna leased the property of Herbert Johnson in the early 1900's at the creek, and built a wharf where vessels could easily dock at high tide. However, after three or four seasons the clay played out and Gipson transferred his business to the Patten yard. He was there only a few years when the Brick yard was closed.
No parties were ever enjoyed more than the Brick Yard Par- ties. It was always in October when the kilns were burned, and usually on the full moon. An immense stack of molded, raw, clay brick with ovens made on the floor of the brick yard about 10 or 12 feet apart, running entirely through to the other side. Several cords of wood were landed and fires started in each
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oven. Stokers constantly stoked these fires night and day for a week to get these brick evenly and well burned. These fires af- forded the chance for real fun. Every night there were a few to roast corn, apples, or whatever the season offered. But one night was always appointed for a grand jubilee. Beside roasting food and eating it, the brick yard floor was as smooth as a dance floor and it served that purpose. Square dances and games. The music was perhaps a harmonica or someone brought a fiddle, or maybe everyone sang, but everyone went home in the most exu- berant, happy mood, and looking forward to the next brick burn- ing.
BLACKSMITHS
The Blacksmiths in Sullivan were just as honorable as the proverbial blacksmith in Longfellow's poem. They were among our most cultured and prosperous citizens.
Cyrus Emery was a shipsmith and was probably much needed in Sullivan Harbor where there was a large shipyard. He was also a blacksmith. An interview with Fred Emery, his grandson, reveals that Johnson's Anodyne Linament was first made in a small house in Sullivan that sat directly across the road from The Hawkin's House. Cyrus Emery bought this house and moved it to the East corner of the Franklin Road, where he used it for his blacksmith shop.
Charles Henry Preble was a helper to Cyrus Emery and ap- prenticed in the blacksmith trade and later built his own shop across the road on the west corner of the Franklin Road. It was probably in the 1920's when Charles Henry Preble was drowned at the gate that dams the Old Mill Stream.
Cyrus Emery built the house that William and Patricia Pedder own now and his son William lived there all his life.
Eben Preble had a blacksmith shop in East Sullivan and prob- ably built it in the 1860's. His shop is now the shed attached to the Even Exchange. Eben Preble built the house that John and Geneva Farrin own now. In 1892 he traded houses with Eben Smith, a Civil War veteran, who married Mrs. Rachel French Dyer, and Eben went to live on the Long Pond Road and con- tinued with his blacksmith work.
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Mr. William Lord had a blacksmith shop on the site where the new High School building is now until about 1900.
Mr. Barton Joy came to West Sullivan with his wife Lena, and son Armand, then two years old, and established his shop near the Gordon Stream just east of Linwood Gray. It burned soon after, his friends rallied to his aid and helped him move an old shop from the quarry to the west corner of the track road in West Sullivan and there he carried on his blacksmith business long after horses lost their usefulness as a means of conveyance. He was there to do all sorts of iron work and was quite an ex- pert sharpening lawn mowers. He's been retired now for a few years but his shop still stands.
Roland Orcutt was another of our faithful blacksmiths, but only for a few years, because he turned his hand to other trades, carpentering, painting and mason work.
Thurlow Hammond was one of the last ones to enter the trade, turning, in only a few years to mechanic's work on auto- mobiles.
Edward Guptill had a shop for two or three years on the East Sullivan Corner.
With the decrease of horses and increase of automobiles, Gar- ages sprang up. Arnold Martin and Edward Martin built a Garage on the northwest corner at East Sullivan. They desolved partnership soon after and Arnold moved the garage to it's pres- ent location.
Black and Gordon did quite a business in West Sullivan. Van- dy Rice has the Garage now.
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HALLS AND STORES
Temperance Hall at East Sullivan was built by the Good Templers, a religious Society, in the 1870's. The money was raised by $5.00 stock interest. In the days of Mrs. Rebecca Orcutt, Mrs. Elizabeth Dunbar, the Ambrose Pettees, the William Hills and others, 'twas the Dramatics Clubs of the pass- ing generations that kept the hall up after the Good Templers disbanded. Some of the members belonging to the last Dra- matic Club were: Herbert and Nellie Martin, Edwin and Linda Doyle, Gipson and Grace Hanna, Frank and Estelle Robins, Edward and Jessie Bragdon. It was this club that renovated the hall in 1898, taking out anterooms on both sides of the entrance door and the platform at the head and building on the annex. The dramatic club had but few plays after this was done. John Dority Grange was organized in 1902 and rented the hall for their meetings for a few years, then appointed a committee con- sisting of: Herman Smith, Fred Orcutt and Herbert Johnson to buy in the shares from the older stockholders that were still living at that time. Nearly all very gladly and readily sold, only three stockholders refused to sell.
Blake Hall at North Sullivan stood across the road from the North Sullivan Post Office. Built, no one knows, except in the prosperous mining and quarry days. A barber shop on the first floor and maybe a store, but the hall was on the second floor all right for we have an account of a dance, that was taken from "The Mount Desert Herald" March 13, 1884, written by Helen M. Smith. Miss Smith was their regular correspondent. She lived in the house which is now Bay Head Inn, and was for some years Editor of The Bar Harbor Record.
Scintillations from Sullivan
Winter has sat on spring and completely squelched this modest maiden. Whether she will recover herself sufficiently to have her April showers bring forth May flowers is a question of doubt, which only time will settle. It is hard to realize that we are on the second quarter of March when we see the white drifts pile the window frames.
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The 4th of March ball at West Sullivan, under the auspices of the D. Lufkin Wear Post, G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Re- public) No. 89, was one of the grandest affairs in which Sulli- van has ever participated. Blake's Hall, the common altar 'round which the heretofore rated discordant elements of the town north, east, south and west meet to worship Terpsichore, was the scene of the festivities. It was artistically draped with the stars and stripes and presented a pleasing appearance as one ascended the stairs. Although it was a bitter cold night an immense num- ber were present. A committee was ready to take our wrappings and give us a check for them and thus avoided the confusion which otherwise would have been inevitable.
More than eighty couples formed on for the march and circle, led by Col. Bowles, accompanied by the fairest of the fair. Al- though it was not strictly a full dress party, sylph-like forms floated through the mazy dances, clad in conventional white muslin and blue ribbons, and lent a very pleasing variety to the scene. There were other very pretty costumes among the ladies, and the gentlemen of the Post all wore their badges of mem- bership. Dancing was kept up until the gray dawn was break- ing.
Refreshments were served below by the wives of the mem- bers of the Post at midnight, after which Col. Bowles gave a very interesting and thrilling recitation, preluded by some well chosen remarks of his own, and the Post sang "Marching Through Georgia", accompanied in the chorus by all the com- pany, then followed three hearty cheers, expressing approbation of the time in general, that would have shaken to the founda- tion a more substantial building than Blake's Hall. Mr. Eaton then told the "boys" to go on with their dancing and dance till broad daylight if they wished, for they should have music after the order was danced through.
Mr. W. B. Eaton is certainly just the man to take charge of such a time to insure its success; and we are all more than pleased that he and his estimable family will remain with us for another year.
What happened after 4:30 a.m. your correspondent is unable to chronicle, but at that time some twenty-five or thirty couples
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were dancing "Lady of the Lake" as though they never intended to stop, though they had long since danced through all the dances on the order.
Mr. N. H. Joy and son, ably assisted by Mr. Gaynor, cornet- ist, furnished excellent music, and the floor was smooth as wax could make it; perfect order prevailed in the forming of sets, no rushing or rudeness of any kind was observed, and your corres- pondent, in behalf of the company, extends thanks to Mr. Eaton.
(Other bits of news of interest.)
Mr. Aaron Simpson returned Thursday from a visit to Ver- mont and Massachusetts.
The railroad commission made a visit last week to Sullivan Falls.
The marriage of Mr. Edward R. Connors and Miss Nettie Rolfe took place Saturday evening, March 8th, at the residence of the bride's parents at West Sullivan.
A very snowy town meeting day, yet the usual number was present. Everything passed off quietly and democratically.
The Sorosis met Thursday with Mrs. W. H. Clapham; a very large number were present.
Read Whittier's "Snow Bound" if you want to know anything about this weather we are having.
At the skating rink Saturday evening racing was in order. An obstacle race between two boys, Harry Pray and Arthur Rolf, created considerable fun.
H. M. S.
MILTON HALL
Built about the same time as the mining stores and halls were, and primarily a skating rink as published in the heretofore item. But also it was the center of all the activities that were to be held at the Ferry square. Among them, circuses, 4th of July cele- brations, Fairs and Carnivals, with always exhibitions or dancing going on in Milton Hall. It survived until 1907-8 when the repairs were beyond funds to repair it and it was razed.
Sorosis Hall in Sullivan Harbor was built by the town but kept up by the Sorosis Society. The location was between Frenchmen's Bay Library, then owned by Charles Allen who was
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Top-VESSEL BEING TOWED BY TUG BOAT FROM SULLIVAN FALLS TO QUARRY WHARF Center-FALLS BEING DYNAMITED FOR BETTER NAVIGATING Bottom-SCOW FERRY BOAT RUNNING BETWEEN SULLIVAN AND WAUKEAG
an engineer (An old mill sets beside the house and was owned by them and kept in repair. It must have been a mill of some sort because the neighbors remember it with the machinery and wooden wheels) and the old stone store. If the Sorosis Hall was there now it would be setting right plumb in the middle of the new highway which was built on that stretch of road in 1947. It was well maintained by the society, and had the Sullivan grade school on the first floor and the Hall on the second floor. The first permanent high school was organized in that hall; it burned in the 1920's and the Sorosis Society built a new Hall in West Sullivan where it now stands. The Society gradually disinte- grated, and the hall with the surrounding land was given to the town. However, the younger generation revived the society and it was reclaimed in 1951.
STORES
The old stone store at Sullivan Harbor seems to be the oldest in town. The date of the building is unknown, but Robert Gor- don and Simpson Gordon built it and the stone was quarried by John Paul Gordon at West Sullivan. It was called the Old Salt Store, as salt brought from England was stored there to be used by the fishermen along the coast. A famous traditional character came over on one of the salt ships.
CLING CLANG By Chief Stanwood, October 1, 1947
(Editor's note: In recognition of the exact knowledge of "The Old Days," and the people who lived them possessed by the writer the following story by Chief Stanwood is published ver- batum).
Many now living remember "Old Cling Clang" who came to Sullivan many years ago. As a very small child I remember him with his two long poles going down "Stanwood's Hill" in Ellsworth. The picture is very vivid in my mind, even to this day. From the bygone sage that "Truth was stranger than fic- tion" also applies the word "Fact" is as strange. Rarely has this phrase been so justified as in the case of John Cling, one of the world's enigmas of past days whose exploits are officially revealed.
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Sullivan was the chief rendezvous of one of the queerest indivi- duals that Maine has ever held.
His name he claimed, was John Cling. He went up and down the Coast from Bar Harbor to Calais. Most of the people he met believed the name was not the right one. John Cling made his first appearance in this section after the arrival of a bark at Sullivan. This vessel was loaded with salt at Liverpool, England. It was only one of the hundreds of cargoes of salt brought across the Atlantic to Sullivan, from England. This salt was used in the curing of fresh fish at Sullivan and vicinity. This was also boated to other towns along the Hancock and Washington Coun- ty coast. Very often the members of the crews of the salt laden barks deserted at Sullivan and remained around the coast, going to work at fishing, lumbering, farming and coastwise sailing. No doubt even today many names along our coast could be traced to some of the deserters off of these ships.
Within a few hours after the arrival at the Sullivan dock or wharf of one of these barks, the mystery man came ashore. From the first he acted strangely and refused to be friendly with any- body. He stayed off the ship while the ship was in port. Al- though he was often seen around the waterfront People of Sul- livan, who figured he was taking French leave of the vessel, won- dered that he would hang around the town, let alone the harbor front, while the ship was in port. They decided he was either very daring or very queer which proved that they were right.
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