USA > Maine > Franklin County > Farmington > The history of Farmington, Franklin County, Maine, 1776-1885 > Part 19
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Francis G. Butler, 1874 to 1875. I. Warren Merrill, I875.
TRUSTEES.
Joseph W. Fairbanks,
elected 1868.
Simeon H. Lowell,
1868
Died 1876
Stillman Tarbox,
.6
1868 Retired 1870
Reuben Cutler,
.. ISGS Died 1882
Frederick Clark Perkins
249
ATTEMPTED BANK ROBBERY.
Daniel Howes,
elected 1868
Retired 1870
Joseph Gould,
1868
Retired 1870
Daniel V. B. Ormsby,
1868
Robert Goodenow,
66
1868
Died 1874
Charles J. Talbot,
66
1871
Retired 1873
Frederic C. Perkins,
1874
Francis G. Butler,
6.
1877
Joseph C. Holman,
66
1878
Samuel C. Belcher,
1878
George W. Wheeler,
1883
On the evening of the 8th of June, 1869, three gentle- manly looking strangers were noticed leaving the cars upon their arrival at West Farmington, and walking toward the Center Village. Each carried in his hand a valise of large dimensions, and apparently of considerable weight. At about eleven o'clock that night, as the watchman, Mr. Joseph Bangs, was passing the county building, in which the Sandy River National Bank was then situated, he heard an unusual noise in the banking-room. Mr. Bangs gave the alarm, and immediately the burglars, who were then at work, fled down the back stairway of the building, out into Broadway and toward the river.
An examination of the premises showed a scene of great confusion. The door of the banking-room had been torn from its hinges, in effecting an entrance. Wires were laid from the room to the back door, evidently for the purpose of communication with an outside party. A kit of burglar's tools, of the most ingenious construction, were scattered about the room, as well as rags, which were used to deaden the sound of the blows upon the cold-chisels. A dark- lantern, a bottle of brandy, and heavy window draperies, completed the outfit. The safe, which was not in a vault, had been moved forward into the room, and operations had been begun on the back side. A hole some four inches square was cut through the outer casing of the safe. The burglar-proof safe, constructed of alternate plates of steel and iron, and of immense strength, had not been reached,
250
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
and might have resisted the efforts of the cracksmen, had they not been discovered.
The following morning the burglars were tracked on the interval to the ravine back of the building then used for the post-office, on Main St., where they came into the street, and there the trail was lost. A hand-car, which was left by the railroad employes at West Farmington, was found the fol- lowing day pitched over an embankment in the town of Livermore. It was thus evident that the burglars effected their escape with its assistance. No clue has ever been found to their identity, and it is generally supposed that they. were "professionals."
The bank was removed the following year, to the second story of the brick store owned by A. W. F. Belcher, on the opposite corner of Broadway, in which a brick vault was built, upon a pier built up from the cellar. A new safe, of superior workmanship, was put in position, and the bank con- tinued to do business in that building until the fire of Sept. 23, 1875.
The year 1869 was remarkable for its deep snows, heavy storms, and great freshets. The snow fell to an unusual depth, and remained upon the ground until late in the spring. On Feb. 3d, 4th, and 5th, occurred severe storms, impeding travel, burying fences, and almost hiding houses from view. In September, a gale swept over all of eastern New England. In Boston the damage was considerable, and throughout the State of Maine trees werc blown down, fruit destroyed, buildings unroofed, and serious loss entailed. The storm in Farmington assumed the form of a heavy thunder-shower, accompanied by high winds. The injury within the limits of the town, however, was less than on several other occasions. But a few weeks later, on the 4th of October, occurred the fourth, and in some respects the most disastrous of the se- ries of great freshets, which have periodically visited the valley of the Sandy River. It began raining early in the morning of the 3d, and rained without cessation, and in tor- rents, until the next afternoon at six o'clock.
During the succeeding night, the river rose so rapidly as
251
GREAT FRESHET.
to alarm those dwelling upon the low lands. The water swept in a torrent over the whole extent of the intervals, and soon reached and passed over the county road south of the Abbott hill. Those living in the houses immediately south of Little Blue, found themselves cut off from communication on all sides, and the water still rising. As it was feared that ยท those houses were in danger of being swept away, a boat was secured for the purpose of removing the terrified inhabitants. Into the first house, occupied by an aged lady by the name of Case, the boat was rowed through the front door, and the inmates taken in from the front stairs. The residents of the two houses below were also removed.
In the progress of this freshet, every bridge on the river was rendered impassable. The west portions of both the Fairbanks and Center bridges were carried away, as well as the Chesterville part of the bridge at Farmington Falls. The damage done to the bridges over the smaller streams was also very great, and the cost to the town of repairing its bridges, was not less than $10,000. At the time of the flood the J. Winslow Jones Corn Packing Company was in opera- tion, in new buildings erected just south of the Center bridge. The building, with its heavy burden of machinery, packed corn and cans, was lifted bodily and carried on to the interval below. At Farmington Falls, the spool factory owned by B. F. Morrill was also carried away. The injury to the interval lands was incalculable. Gravel and stones were washed up on the richest of the lands, in many places to the depth of several inches, and even feet. The banks of the river were severely washed, and in places the course of the river was changed.
The bridges upon the line of the Androscoggin R. R., were nearly all rendered impassable, and no through trains were run between Farmington and Lewiston for two weeks. The loss of the Center bridge was a serious interruption to business. October 9th, the selectmen put a ferry in opera- tion just below the site of the bridge, and it served as the only means of communication between the two villages until the river froze sufficiently to admit of passing on the ice. The
252
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
winter set in early, and the work upon the bridge was much impeded by storms and inclement weather. When nearly completed, a severe ice-freshet occurred, which swept away the temporary shore pier, letting the span fall into the river. Jan. 2, 1870, a heavy rain fell, and the following morning the river broke up, and huge masses of ice were floated down the stream. The damage done by this freshet was , slight, compared to that inflicted by a second ice-freshet, occurring on February 19th of the same year. A heavy rain began to fall the previous day, which increased to a torrent during the night. The snow, already soaked by previous rains, refused to absorb the descending flood. Early in the morning the river broke over its banks, and soon the inter- vals were covered by a rushing flood filled with floating ice. The railroad bridge over the Temple stream lost three piers, and two other bridges between West Farmington and Wil- ton, were also rendered impassable. The Norcross bridge, on the river road, was struck by the wreck of the railroad bridge, and badly damaged, as were several other smaller bridges. The Center bridge, which was opened for travel the latter part of January, withstood the shock of this freshet, the fourth within the season.
The growth of the town, from 1860 to 1870, was marked by improvements, rather than by the increase of population. The war robbed the town of the lives of no less than fifty men in the prime of life, as well as the fruits of the industry of four times that number, for more than a third of a decade. The actual gain in inhabitants was but 145, the census of 1870 returning the population as 3251. The valuation was estimated at $1,448,735, a gain of $500,000. This increase, both in population and estates, was confined almost entirely to the two villages. The depot village, or West Farmington, by virtue of its having been for ten years the railroad termi- nus, came forward as no mean business rival of the Center Village. Dissatisfaction had always been rife among those citizens of the Center Village through whose influence and money the railroad was obtained, that the road was not ex- tended to the east side of the river when it was built. It
FLETCHER MILL. 253
was felt that unless some action was taken, it might become impossible in time to effect its extension, and West Farm- ington would become the center of trade for the town. The efforts made by the citizens, and their success, has been fully detailed in the chapter on Railroads. The growth of the Center Village, however, had been by no means inconsider- able. Several new streets were located during the period under discussion, and many buildings were erected. Perkins St. was located in 1865, and Church St., Court St., and High St., from Perham St. to Anson St., were located in 1866, and the larger part of the houses on these streets were built be- fore 1870. Middle St., from High St. to the present Quebec St., was accepted in 1867, and extended to the Perham road in 1873. The portion of North St. between Perham St. and Court St., was located in 1869, and extended to Mrs. S. S. Belcher's land in 1876. In 1879, it was further extended to Anson St. Lincoln St., from High St. to the land of Samuel Belcher, was located in 1869, and Front St. in 1870. Court St. was extended twelve rods easterly of North St., in 1879, and School St., which had been passable for several years, was accepted the same year.
Upon the events in the history of the town, which lie be- tween 1870 and the date of writing, it will be necessary to touch but lightly. Not only is the period within the mem- ory of most persons now living, but its record is the record of a quiet and peaceful chapter in the life of a quiet com- munity. It fittingly opens with the completion of the An- droscoggin branch of the Maine Central R. R. to the Center Village, which has already been alluded to. The first cars passed over the track September 15th, and were welcomed with every manifestation of joy. The impetus given to trade was at once perceptible, and the erection of both public and private buildings went rapidly forward. The railroad com- pany built fine and commodious freight and passenger depots on Front St., and Amos Fletcher erected, in 1871, near the depots, a steam-mill for converting gypsum into a fertilizer, and for grinding grists as well. This mill was unfortunately burned, in August, 1872, before it was fairly at work. The
33
254
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
Unitarian society began the erection of a church, at the cor- ner of High and Court Sts., in 1870, which was finished and dedicated in 1873. The school-house for the accommo- dation of the May School, was opened for occupancy the spring of 1870, and the building for the accommodation of the school for girls at the "Willows," was finished in 1871, and dedicated in December of that year. In 1871, Messrs. Phinney, Perkins, Stoyell, and Tuck, crected the fine brick stores on Broadway known as the Arcade block. These stores, together with those built after the fires of 1874 and 1875, make the business portion of the village at Farmington the neatest and most substantial of any village in the State. The tannery, on Perham St., now owned by Riggs Bros., was built in the summer of 1872, by Mr. J. P. Thwing, who had formerly conducted the same business in New Sharon.
On Jan. 15, 1870, the neighboring town of New Sharon was the scene of a painful tragedy, which elicited the horror and sympathy of the whole community. In the afternoon of that day, deputy sheriff Brown went to the house of John S. Tolman, a wealthy and respectable farmer, for the purpose of collecting an execution against Ezekiel Tolman, a brother, who lived in the family. Ezekiel refused, either to pay the debt or to go to prison, and was aided by his brother in resisting the officer. A warrant was thereupon issued against John S. Tolman, and constable John Fletcher was charged with the duty of arresting him. Upon going to the house, it was found that the whole Tolman family were in a state of great excitement, and determined to resist to the last. Brown and Fletcher called upon aids, and a general melee ensued, in the semi-darkness of a winter's twilight. In the course of the struggle, Fletcher shot at John S. Tol- man, as he claimed, in self-defense, after being violently as- sailed by him. The shot took effect in the groin, and soon resulted in death.
The grand jury found an indictment for murder against Fletcher, during the March term of court following, and the case was called for trial March 15th, before Judge Rufus l'.
255
FIRE OF 1874.
Tapley. Philip H. Stubbs, county attorney, assisted by Hon. Nathan Webb, appeared for the State, and Hon. William l'. Frye of Lewiston, and Hon. Samuel Belcher, conducted the defense. The trial lasted six days, and the jury, after an hour's deliberation, returned a verdict of not guilty. While much sympathy was felt for the family of Mr. Tolman, this verdict was generally approved by the community, to whom Mr. Fletcher was known as a quiet and respectable citizen.
Early in the morning of Dec. 16, 1874, fire was dis- covered in the brick store on the upper part of Main St. owned by William Tarbox, and occupied by him as a harness-shop. In the second story of the same building were the dental rooms of Dr. William Randall. Very un- fortunately it was a season of a severe winter drouth, and the reservoirs contained but little water and were soon ex- hausted. The building was soon seen to be doomed, and in spite of the best efforts of the fire department, the fire spread in both directions. The store next south of Mr. Tar- box was owned by Isaac M. Cutler, of Malden, Mass., and occupied by A. J. Gerry as a hardware store. Between this store and that occupied by S. O. Tarbox on the south, was a wall, supposed to be fire-proof, and the energies of the citizens and the department were turned to stay the con- flagration at that point. Snow was very abundant, and this was effectively applied. North of William Tarbox's store, was a valuable brick store owned by the estate of Joel Phinney, and occupied as a furniture warcroom by Thomas H. Adams. The walls of the store were left standing, but the roof and second story, as well as inside wood-work, were destroyed.
Mr. Gerry and Mr. Adams saved most of their stock, in a damaged condition. Mr. Tarbox and Dr. Randall lost all their stock, as well as their tools and instruments. Mr. Adams purchased the Phinney lot, and repaired and remod- eled the store. Mr. Abbott Belcher purchased Mr. Cutler's lot, and erected a fine brick store with granite trimmings. Mr. Tarbox also rebuilt, and the three stores thus erected,
4
256
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
added in a marked degree to the appearance of the business portion of the village.
A conflagration yet more disastrous, took place the fol- lowing year. On the evening of Sept. 23, 1875, at about half-past ten, the alarm of fire was given, and it was soon discovered that the store owned by Dolbier and Pillsbury, and occupied as a drug store by I. C. Richards, was the cen- ter of the alarm. The building was of wood, as were also those situated on both sides of it, and when discovered the flames were making rapid work in the destruction of these stores. The buildings on the southeast corner of Main St. and Broad- way were, at the time of the fire, owned and occupied as fol- lows: A brick store stood on the corner, owned by A. W. F. Belcher, the lower floor of which was occupied by the boot and shoe store of Fairbanks and Belcher, and the second story by the banking-room of the Sandy River National Bank and the law-office of Samuel Belcher and S. Clifford Belcher. Con- necting this building with the drug-store of I. C. Richards was a low one-storied building, formerly the office of the Western Union Telegraph Company, but at the time of the fire, tem- porarily used by William Tarbox, as a harness-shop. South of the drug-store was a two-storied wooden building, owned by Mrs. Sarah S. Belcher, and occupied by Wm. F. Belcher, for the manufacture and sale of clothing, which also con- tained the office of the Eastern Express Company. A low wooden building stood still further to the south, also owned by Mrs. Belcher, and unoccupied at the time of the fire. On Broadway, east of the corner brick store, was a two- storied wooden building also owned by Mr. A. W. F. Belcher, and occupied on the first floor by J. H. Waugh, as a grocery store, and on the second floor by Edward Skillings, as a boot and shoe shop. Still further to the east was a small one- storied wooden building owned by Hiram Russ, and occupied as a gentlemen's furnishing store and barber-shop, by Wm. Thomas. Next was the wooden store owned and occupied by Elbridge Gerry. The inflammable character of these buildings soon made it evident that only the most rigorous efforts on the part of the fire department and citizens could
257
FIRE OF 1875.
save that part of the village from almost total destruction. Fortunately the night was calm, and the hour such that nearly all the citizens were able to lend assistance. It was resolved to make a stand at the brick store on the north, and at the house of Capt. True on the south. Attempts werc therefore made to tear away the low wooden buildings which divided these buildings from the fire, while the merchandise was removed as rapidly as possible from the doomed stores. It was soon seen that the brick store was fated, as well as the store above on Broadway. Mr. Russ' store was torn down, and the fire was stayed at that point. The total loss in buildings burned, was estimated at $10,000, all of which were insured save that of Dolbier and Pillsbury. Most of the merchandise, as well as the law libraries of the Messrs. Belcher, was saved, but in a damaged condition. The safe in which the funds of the bank were secured, was fire-proof, and stood upon a brick pier built from the cellar. Its posi- tion, therefore, was not changed, and its contents were un- injured.
The following year the burnt district on Main St. was re- built with fine brick structures upon designs by competent architects. Mrs. S. S. Belcher erected two stores upon her lot. Dolbier and Pillsbury, and A. W. F. Belcher, each erected two stores upon their respective lots. In 1877, T. F. Davis put up a fine brick store upon the lot of Hiram Russ, being the store now occupied by A. J. Gerry and others. At the same time, Dr. L. B. Pillsbury built the wooden block on Broadway, in which Drummond Hall is situated.
During the last ten years, few events of great importance have taken place in the history of the town. The construc- tion of a narrow-gauge railroad to Phillips, undertaken in 1879, and which has been noticed in the chapter upon Rail- roads, is, perhaps, the most noteworthy event of the decade. The effect of this road upon the business interests of the town, has been slight, but has proved of great advantage to the northern part of the county.
258
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
The growth of the town has been as considerable as in any period of its history. The census of 1880, showed 3353 inhabitants, and a valuation of $1,601,271. Many fine build- ings have been erected. The Methodist church was built in 1877; the High School building was built the same year ; Music Hall block in 1883; and the Perkins brick block on Broadway, in 1884. The dwelling-houses which have been built are nearly all of fine architecture, and so placed as to enhance the beauty of the village.
82
18
JAMES H. WAUGH.
H.H.RICE. DRY & FANCY GOODS
MUSIC HALL BLOCK.
CHAPTER XIV.
MECHANICAL INDUSTRIES.
Primitive Manufactures. - First Saw-Mill. - Mill built by Francis Tufts, at the Falls. - Mill built by Russ. - Other Mills at the Falls. - Mills on the Wilson Stream. - Fairbanks' Mills. - Russell's Mills. - Allen's Full- ing-Mill. - Stinchfield's Fulling-Mill. - Other Fulling-Mills. - Carding- Machines. - Ebenezer Sweet's Tannery. - Tanneries of Butler, Town- send, Adams, Were, and others. - Thwing's Tannery. - Shoemakers. - Hatters. - Norcross' Pottery. - Cabinet - Makers. - Carriage - Manufac- tories. - Clover - Mill. - Starch - Factory. - Machine - Shops. - Atwood's Pulp-Mill. - Printing and Publishing. - Fishing Rods. - Greenwood's Ear-Protectors. - First Corn-Factory built. - Other Canning Establish- ments. - Box Factory. - Huse's Factory.
THE pioneer settlers of Farmington paid little attention to mechanical industry. They were generally poor, and their energies were necessarily consumed in conquering the wilder- ness with fire and steel; in clearing off the trees which clothed the soil, and in rendering it capable of producing the sustenance needful for themselves and their families. Saw- mills and grist-mills were a necessity, and were early erected upon the Temple Stream, the river at the Falls village, and the Fairbanks stream: yet, notwithstanding the valuable water-power upon the river and its three affluents, it has never been utilized for the manufacture of wool or cotton by machinery. Fulling-mills and carding-machines were, how- ever, established at an early day.
260
HISTORY OF FARMINGTON.
SAW AND GRIST-MILLS.
As stated in other portions of the work, the first saw and grist-mills were erected by Colburn and Pullen, upon the Temple Stream, where similar mills have generally been maintained for the last hundred years. At one time, upon this stream, the carding of wool was carried on by Abner Davis, and perhaps others, and at present Amos Hobbs and Son are extensively engaged in making rakes, and during the autumn in threshing grain. In 1883, two thousand dozen of hand-rakes and eight hundred drag-rakes were sold by this firm, which found a ready market in Portland, Calais, Bangor, and St. John. Joseph Gould is also operating planes and circular saws upon the same dam. About 250,000 feet of long lumber are sawed yearly in his mill. At the Falls village, Francis Tufts erected saw and grist-mills, in 1788; and two years later he sold one-half to Ebenezer Jones, and soon after, the remaining half to Jonathan Knowlton. In 1803, Jones and Knowlton sold these mills to Jonathan Russ, who rebuilt them in 1804, and continued to operate them until Jan. 29, 1813, when they were burned, but were re- built the same year by John and Henry Russ, who operated them until they were swept away in the freshet of 1820. Again rebuilt by the same parties, they were maintained under different owners for nearly half a century. The grist- mill was then destroyed by fire, and the saw-mill carried away by water. In the year 1802, Ebenezer Jones built grist and saw-mills at the foot of the canal. The former was carried away by the freshet of 1814, and the latter by the freshet of 1820. These mills were supplied with water by a canal from the dam at the head of the falls. No mills have since been built upon this site.
The first saw and grist-mills on the Farmington side of the Wilson stream at North Chesterville were erected in 1792, by Samuel Sewall, who operated them about four years and then sold to Rufus Davis, who subsequently disposed of them to Edward Lock. These mills were not permanently constructed, and went rapidly to decay during the ownership of Mr. Lock. The grist-mill was not replaced ; but several
261
MECHANICAL INDUSTRIES.
years later John Morrison and others rebuilt the saw-mill, which, with some temporary suspensions, has been main- tained to the present time.
The saw-mill on this stream is now owned by Morrison and Sewall, who have introduced labor-saving machinery, which they are operating successfully. The first mills on the Fairbanks stream, were built in 1794, and owned by Jason D. Cony and Robert Jones, who also owned the privi- lege. They passed into the hands of Hartson Cony, in 1797-98, who commenced digging the canal upon which the present mills at Fairbanks stand. A saw-mill frame, which he built on this canal, was swept away by a freshet, in the summer of 1799. Mr. Cony sold to John Patterson, who had just completed the saw and grist-mills when they were de- stroyed by fire, in the winter of 1801. The privilege, and that portion of the mills left from the fire, were purchased by Col. Joseph Fairbanks. He completed the canal com- menced by Mr. Cony, and built a grist-mill, in 1807, and a saw-mill soon after, on the site where Fairbanks' Mills now stand. These mills have been in operation under different owners, since the time of their erection, and have always been liberally patronized. The present owner of the grist- mill is Enoch Staples, who brings into use all the modern improvements. George W. Ranger owns the saw-mill, and has introduced machinery for sawing shingles and manufact- uring short lumber.
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