USA > Maine > Kennebec County > Waterville > The centennial history of Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine, including the oration, the historical address and the poem presented at the celebration of the centennial anniversary of the incorporation of the town, June 23d, 1902 > Part 38
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On Common street where once stood a few cheap wooden buildings, now stands the Masonic Temple, built of brick and trimmed with granite. It is three stories and modern in all par- ticulars. Adjoining it is the W. T. Haines block, of the same general style and quality as the former. The ground floor of this building is occupied by the Post-office.
Silver street can boast of one good brick building, that of Frank Redington, on the old Wheeler property where once Sum- ner A. Wheeler dispensed spruce and lemon beer and sold shot guns. There are several stores on that street, but all of wood, with this exception.
Temple street has grown much as a business section, having many stores both east and west of Main street, and bids fair to increase its number within the near future.
43I
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
It is not possible to enumerate all the changes that have taken place in the business and residential sections of the city; but to the older people it may be of interest to state briefly some of the most notable ones. On what we term "The Plains," the growth has been notable. It was but a few years ago, when only a few houses, widely scattered, were located in that section, and they were of a poor quality and simply constructed, only one or two rooms in some of them. Then there was the one main thorough- fare, named Water street, and only a few lanes making off from this street, north of Grove street. It seemed like going into another town to go "down on the Plains." But now what a contrast ! There are good large substantial homes, clean, neat, roomy and comfortable ; fine business blocks, and nearly all kinds of business represented ; streets running in all directions ; real estate at a premium, and thrift and order found on every hand. It is a small city within itself. The electric cars run the length of Water street every half hour and are well patronized.
Most of us can remember the circus ground on what was called Nudd field and where the school boys played four-old-cat and later baseball. There were no houses there then, but now nearly, if not quite every lot is built upon, making it one of the prettiest and most desirable locations in the city ; and further over in the Burleigh field a number of beautiful houses have been built.
Ticonic street, once called "Paddy Lane," is one of the busiest in the city. There are several stores located here and many good homes. Above the railroad crossing on College street many fine residences have been built and new streets have been opened on either side. One of the best schoolhouses in the city-the Myrtle Street schoolhouse- has recently been erected here. It is a building of eight rooms and is crowded with scholars. And so one may go on taking section by section, describing changes, which are in the line of improvements everywhere.
The present demand is for good, substantial, medium-rate rents. There seems to be a scarcity of them, although new houses are being built in all quarters. There may be danger of overdoing in this direction, but it would seem not for some time yet. Real estate is of more value than several years ago, but there seems to be no lack of purchasers.
432
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
THE NEW CITY HALL.
During the last year the city has erected a handsome city build- ing, on the site of the old town hall, just off Common street. This building contains rooms for all the city officials; a station house for those who are so unfortunate as to need the restraining hand of the law; a superior court room and a municipal court room, with all the adjuncts necessary for the comfort and con- venience of the court officials. A safe and commodious vault occupies the middle section of the first two floors for the keeping safely of all monies and records belonging to the city; and the upper floor is devoted to a large and beautiful auditorium with balcony and stage. Some of our citizens facetiously, and yet rightly, describe this portion of the building as the "Opera House." It is well adapted to the uses of the city in its municipal capacity, and can be used for convention purposes as well. It is also the intention to let this hali for entertainments-thus deriv- ing an income for the city and at the same time furnishing the people with a fine public hall. This building will cost, when completed, about $70,000. Our citizens are all pleased with this structure and proud of its possession.
The College, schools, churches, and other of our public and private edifices, are written up in this volume by others, and I only speak of them as contributing to our wealth and adding to our population.
VALUATION AND TAXATION.
Our assessed valuation for 1902 is $5,219,163; the rate of taxation is 231/2 mills; giving a total of $122,650.33. Add to this 2,618 polls, at $3 each, and we have $130,504.33 as the total amount raised by the city. Of this valuation, $4,191,325 was on real estate and $892,007 on personal estate. It may be thought by some that this rate is rather high, but by a comparison with the rates in other cities of the State, it will readily be seen that our burdens are not very heavy. The assessors' report for 1901 shows that we added $100,000 to our valuation, and we add $135,831 this year. The increase in the number of polls is 132.
433
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
FIRE DEPARTMENT AND INSURANCE.
We take great and increasing pride in our Fire Department. It was, to a large extent, brought to its present state of efficiency by Chief Engineer A. H. Plaisted, under whose training a thor- ough system was established. He was succeeded by Chief George F. Davies, the present incumbent, who is the right man to follow in Mr. Plaisted's footsteps. He is fully alive to keeping up the department to its present high standard, and the men under him all readily acknowledge his fitness for the position. Our alarm system is one of the best and gives very good satis- faction. It has been suggested that when it can be readily done, an alarm be placed in a more central location-perhaps on the new city hall, and that it be a whistle, in preference to a bell, as being more readily distinguishable.
In connection with this matter, it may be well to note the item of insurance. Our local insurance men are much pleased with the efficiency of our fire department and it has quite an influence in keeping down the insurance rates.
The amount of business done by the insurance companies of Waterville is large; it is estimated to be $75,000 in premiums. Our veteran insurance companies are the L. T. Boothby & Son Company and the C. K. Mathews Company. In mentioning these names I have no wish to slight any other company or indi- vidual, but the history of these two companies is contemporary with the growth of the city, and it is not out of place to speak of them.
THE BOARD OF TRADE
Waterville has a flourishing Board of Trade, with a member- ship of 150. It is alive to all subjects that may be of benefit to our city. It has done much to further the interests of Water- ville. It was organized in 1889, with Mayor Nathaniel Meader as its first president, and during his term of office, which covered two years, many meetings were held and topics of much interest, pertinent to the welfare of our city, were debated and acted upon. It brought about a sentiment for concerted action and succeeded in arousing the people to a realization of the fact that we must take hold and push for ourselves in order to get desired results.
28
434
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Our energetic and forceful citizens communicated their own enthusiasm to others of our slower moulded yet equally interested property owners. The next president was Hon. M. C. Foster, who brought to the Board a mind well stored with business ideas and an energy which was always exerted to Waterville's benefit. Under his administration the Board flourished and grew into large proportions. Frank Redington followed Mr. Foster in the president's office and served for five years. During his con- trol several important matters were acted upon. Colby college wanted to raise a large sum of money to build several new struc- tures, and by the desire of President Nathaniel Butler the coop- eration of the Board was secured and a mass meeting held in city hall under the auspices of the Board. The meeting was addressed by several citizens and the final result was the sub- scription of over $10,000 by Waterville citizens to aid Colby in her efforts, and materially helped in building the new Chemical Laboratory. The Waterville Free Library has received much help from the Board of Trade. The Waterville & Wiscasset Railroad came in for a share of the Board's attention and a large sum was subscribed to assist in its construction. The Summer School was induced to hold its sessions here through the agency of the Board of Trade. The new City Building is the direct out- come of the action of the Board of Trade. The Board took up this matter with a vim and energy that knew no defeat. It appointed committees to wait on Mayor Webb and the city council ; it held mass meetings and discussed the question on all occasions ; and to-day we have the City Building, for which we may thank the Waterville Board of Trade.
Dr. J. F. Hill is the present president, and under his leadership the Board is growing youthful and powerful. It started the centennial celebration by securing a large list of names of the most influential citizens on a request to the Board to call the proper authorities into action. Combined and concentrated action of such a nature as an organization of this kind can bring about, will always be of advantage to any town or city.
UFF
CANDY TIFY
FF
ETS
ARNOLD BLOCK. REDINGTON BLOCK.
FLOOD AND PULSIFER BLOCK. CLUKEY BLOCK.
435
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
POPULATION.
I find by reference to the Maine Register that the population in 1870-four years previous to the establishment of the Lock- wood Cotton Mill-was 4,852, and this included West Waterville. It has increased a little year by year until now, on our one hun- dredth anniversary, we have a population of ten thousand souls, -all busy, all happy and contented. We are growing to be somewhat cosmopolitan and our citizens vie with each other in advancing Waterville's interests at home and abroad. While our population within the city limits is 10,000, we have a flourishing and wide-awake community of surrounding towns to draw from. Within a radius of fifteen miles-the most of whose floating business comes to Waterville-are the towns of Fairfield, Burn- ham, Clinton, Benton, Winslow, Albion, China, Vassalboro, Sid- ney, Beigrade, Oakland, Smithfield and Rome, with a population of nearly 20,000, which gives to our mercantile interests a total population of nearly 30,000 with which to do business. Not only does the natural flow of this business tend toward us, but with our large and well-stocked stores we call the larger part of central Maine to our doors to participate in the advantages we offer them.
Many of our residences are handsome structures, beautiful in architectural design, convenient as to location, comfortably arranged and sumptuously furnished. Finely kept lawns sur- round nearly all of our residential places, and all are attracted by the beauty of our homes.
We have a splendid system of sewerage, which was put in some years ago at a cost of over $100,000, and which has given perfect satisfaction ; and Main street is paved nearly the whole length of the business section.
WATERVILLE AS A SUMMER RESORT.
Have our people considered to a sufficient extent what advant- ages accrue to Waterville as a centre from which to journey in any direction to fishing and pleasure resorts,-looking at the subject from a financial aspect? Many more people than we are aware of are attracted to our city for this purpose. Our splendid and beautiful drives are famous throughout New England. The
436
HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
fishing in East, North, Great, Ellis, Long and Snow ponds is as good as in any chain of lakes or ponds in the State. The cottages and hotels at these places are increasing in number and excellence of entertainment each year, and Waterville is the natural trading- place for the tourist who sojourns at these enchanting resting places. If one wishes to be entertained by nature, get a touch of the soft side of life and dream away the idle hours for a week or a month, growing poetic and aesthetic, he can do no better than repair to these outlying hills, lakes and dales which surround Waterville.
WATERVILLE AS A MARKET.
Waterville as a market for the products of the farm is one of the best in central Maine,; and this fact is fast becoming known and acknowledged by the farmers for many miles around. Our traffic with the tillers of the soil is growing more extended year by year and the mutual advantages enjoyed by the urban and the suburban dwellers tend to good results.
There is not now the excuse that once obtained for abandoned farms, as any man with energy, thrift and ordinary intelligence can readily make a reasonable success of farming in localities adjacent to a city like Waterville. There are, as the report of our milk inspector shows, sixty-five persons selling milk in Waterville, and the milk is of the highest quality. Compare this with the time when Cyrus Howard was the only man having a milk route in our town, some thirty years ago.
The means of ingress and egress for the farmer are greatly enhanced by the electric and steam roads running into and having stations in the smaller places, and the expense in fares is very light. Do not overlook the fact that our farms and farmers are of the most pronounced value to Waterville.
WHAT OF THE FUTURE?
What of the future? A boom? a reaction? Oh, no! neither. We have grown as steadily, as sturdily, as systematically and as naturally as the child changes into youth and merges into man- hood. We feel our strength, but it is the strength of confidence and not of frenzy or a fevered imagination. "Our past is secure." The present is always with us, and the future we
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
bequeath to posterity. We have no Whittier, no Longfellow, or other shade of world-wide fame to grace the history of our past, but we can hark back a hundred years and more with a pride in the loyalty, the strength, the enterprise and ability of our fore- fathers, and a satisfied feeling of having inherited a growth and prosperity which has placed us within the ranks of successful enterprise.
The present is our time for making history, money, and a future. The impetus we have inherited necessarily aids and forces us onward, like a rushing current flowing swiftly by, and we must not drop behind in the strenuous contest. As we grow in numbers, rivalry becomes more acute, competition more vio- lent; and a determined and steady purpose is the only course that will lead to the top of the ladder of success. As a com- munity, we are highly favored in our geographical location ; as a railroad center, we are extremely fortunate. The branches of the diverging lines of the great Maine Central road concentrat- ing within our borders, and the additional advantages accruing from another railroad soon to be completed across our southern section, give us a future outlook of vast importance. And so we gather all the elements of our trade, educational, social and local conditions : mass them into a kaleidoscopic scene, and from them predict a happy, successful and prosperous future, with an ever increasing population. Let those who are native-born to Waterville, but who now live in far-distant lands, dream of such a future for their beautiful one-time home, and awake to find it a reality.
Tabulated statement of mercantile business, based on the vol- ume of business for 1901 as attributed to individual firms and companies doing business within the city limits.
Groceries, meats and provisions.
Per year. $450,000 00
Dry goods and other lines carried by dry goods houses and classed as dry goods. 400,000 00
Clothing, hats, caps, etc. (sold by clothing houses ), 200,000 00 Hardware, stoves, tinware and plumbing 200,000 00
Armour Beef Company.
200,000 00
House furnishings, including furniture, carpets,
crockery and goods sold by furniture houses ...
125,000 00
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Grain, feed, etc., including what flour is sold by grain and feed stores $100,000 00
Coal, wood, lime and cement. 90,000 00
Boots and shoes. 75,000 00
Fruit and confectionery
75,000 00 75,000 00
Insurance
Bakeries
75,000 00
Drugs and articles carried by drug stores.
70,000 00
Books, periodicals, stationery, wall paper, etc. ... Electrical supplies and miscellaneous articles,
60,000 00
including all other lines of mercantile enterprise, Tobacco and cigars.
50,000 00
Harnesses and leather goods
50,000 00
Millinery
40,000 00
Standard Oil Co
35,000 00
Jewelry and all goods carried by jewelers
10,000 00
Florists
8,000 00
Musical instruments, etc.
5,000 00
Bicycles
5,000 00
Total,
$2,448,000 00
Tabulated statement of hands employed and money paid out by the manufactories and labor-employing industries of Water- ville, including the Hollingsworth & Whitney Company of Winslowv.
Average No. of
Pay Roll
hands employed. Per month.
Per year.
Lockwood Company
J300
$34,000 00
$415,000 00
Hollingsworth & Whitney Co.
675
30,000 00
360,000 00
Maine Central R. R. Co. on the roads, about the yard, etc.
16,000 00
192,000 00
Maine Central R. R. Co., at the shops
250
14,000 00
168,000 00
Riverview Worsted Mill.
175
90,000 00
Hathaway Shirt Factory
150
5,000 00
60,000 00
Sawyer Publishing Co
100
4,000 00
48,000 00
Proctor & Bowie Co
33
25,000 00
H. Purinton & Co.
50
24,000 00
50,000 00
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
Waterville & Fairfield Rail-
way and Light Co
.
38
$1,666 00
$20,000 00
Waterville Iron Works
(Webber & Philbrick)
34
1,400 00
16,800 00
Noyes Stove Co.
20
1,000 00
12,000 00
Whittemore Furniture Co.
20
800 00
9,600 00
The Mail Publishing Co
14
5,800 00
W. M. Ladd Co
12
5,668 00
Jaynes Creamery Co. .
IO
400 00
4,800 00
Messalonskee Electric Co.
7
375 00
4,500 00
Total,
$1,461,168 00
These figures represent the pay rolls of established and con- tinuous industries ; the greater part of this amount finding its way into the channels of Waterville business.
Estimated pay rolls of other and miscellaneous classes.
Clerks in stores, 500 at an average of $18,000 00 $216,000 00
Carpenters, 50
21,750 00
Masons and Tenders, 25
15,000 00
Painters, 25
10,000 00
Total amount distributed in Waterville by pay
rolls per year
$1,723,918 00
To this should be added the amount paid out by the college and institute treasurers the amount paid to the school teachers and other city officials by the city treasurer, and the amounts paid to agents and representatives of outside corporations in order to get an estimate of the money put into circulation through the system of wage earnings in Waterville. This is what keeps the city alive.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE PULPIT OF WATERVILLE.
By REV. GEORGE DANA BOARDMAN PEPPER, D. D., LL. D.
Joshua Cushman (Rev. and Hon.) the first and only "town minister" of Winslow and Waterville was born in Halifax, Mass., about 1758 or 9. Son of Abner and Mary (Tillson ) Cushman. (Vid. Cushman Genealogy, p. 184.) Apil 1, 1777, he enlisted under Caleb King and served in the 9th Massachusetts Regiment He was at Fort Stanwix at the surrender of Burgoyne and endured the winter at Valley Forge. He was honorably dis- charged on the completion of his three years' term of enlistment. He then fitted for college and was graduated at Harvard in the class of 1788, the class of John Quincy Adams. He was ordained June 10, 1795 (see historical chapter, p. 52 and note) as religious teacher of Winslow. He remained minister of the town until 1814, the arrangement terminating by mutual consent and on conditions agreed upon in the settlement nearly twenty years before. His sermons, a large number of which are preserved by his grandson, Mr. Cushman of Winslow, show him to have been a clear, careful and reverent thinker of a spirit both devout and liberal. In 1810 he was the Representative of Kennebec Co. in the Massachusetts Senate. In 1811 and 12 he was the Repre- sentative of Winslow in the Massachusetts Legislature. In 1819 he was elected a member of Congress from the Kennebec Dis- trict and served three full terms until 1825. His broad views as a statesman and his power as an orator gave him large influ- ence in Congress. In 1828 Mr. Cushman was elected to the Maine Senate and in 1834 was elected as the Representative of Winslow in the Maine House. He called the House to order at
3
DEOB
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES CATHOLIC CHURCHI.
-
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
its organization, but his strength was spent, and he died at Augusta, January 27, 1834, at the age of seventy-five years. A singularly varied life which used its large powers faithfully for country and for God. Mr. Cushman's wife was Lucy Jones, who had been brought up by her uncle, Dr. Cotton Tufts of Weymouth, Mass. They had but one child, Charles, at whose home in Winslow Mrs. Cushman died, January 13, 1847, aged seventy-nine.
The descendents of Mr. Cushman possess many books manu- scripts and relics of the old minister and his family. These were freely put at the disposal of the editors of this volume. Mr. Cushman was much in demand as orator on Fourth of July and other public occasions and his published orations show that his popularity was well deserved. The title of one of these publi- cations is "An Oration pronounced at Waterville, 4 July, 1814, in Commemoration of the Independence of the United States of America." It is not generally known that Richard Thomas, who prepared for himself the curious "rumpuncheon" epitaph, was a friend of Mr. Cushman, and before his death gave to him his own library, a collection of English and early American books of considerable value and interest. These are in the possession of Mr. Cushman. E. C. W.
Rev. Thomas Adams, D. D., son of Benjamin and Eunice Adams, was born in North Brookfield, Mass., February 7, 1792, and died in Winslow, Me., February 4, 1881, three days before the completion of his eighty-ninth year. He prepared for college in the Leicester Academy, and in 1814 was graduated from Dart- mouth College. After taking a course in theology under his pastor, Rev. Thomas Snell of North Brookfield, he was ordained and installed as pastor of the Congregational church in Vassal- boro, Me., August 26, 1818. He retained this pastorate until 1834, having charge, also, of the churches in Winslow and Clin- ton-now Benton Falls. During the year following he was agent of the Maine Temperance Society and resided in Hallowell. From that time until May 31, 1838 he was the minister of the Waterville Congregational church, though not formally installed as pastor until September 27, 1836. After leaving Waterville, he for three years edited the Maine Temperance Gazette, pub- lished first in Augusta and afterward in Portland. He was agent
ยท
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HISTORY OF WATERVILLE.
for the American Tract Society, 1843-'46. He preached the next ten years in Ohio, the first in Hampden, the other nine in Thomp- son. After four years' service as agent of the Congregational Board of Publication he returned to Maine, served the Pittston Congregational church as pastor one year (1863-'64), removed then to Vassalboro and served as pastor four years, when he retired from the pastorate, but continued to reside in Vassalboro until 1871. spent the next nine months in Waterville and then removed to Winslow where he resided until his death. He was three times married and survived his third wife (Catherine L. daughter of Caleb Lyman of North Brookfield) eleven years. He had three sons, of whom one survived him (Edward F., of San Francisco) and one daughter, Sarah B., who at the Kenne- bec Conference in Waterville in 1894, read an extremely interest- ing paper entitled "Reminiscences of the Churches and Pastors of Kennebec County" which was published in pamphlet form. The well merited degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth College, his alma mater. He was held in profound esteem wherever he was known and throughout all this region his name is honored and his memory cherished. His daughter says (Reminiscences p. 15) : "He was buried on his eighty-ninth birthday and rests in the little cemetery on the hill, where he always wished to be placed, with those who had gone before. No more fitting memorial could have been raised for him than the little chapel which has been placed in Vassalboro by the gifts of so many of his friends, and none that would have been so acceptable to him."
Rev. Wilbur Fiske Berry, son of Nicholas and Hope S. (Clarke) Berry of Camden, Me., was born in Camden, November 24, 1851. After leaving the public schools he studied in Maine Wesleyan Seminary, and in Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn. He has been pastor of Methodist churches in South Standish, Woodfords, Saco, Lewiston, Farmington, Waterville, (all in Maine), covering the years 1878-'99.
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