USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Portland > The history of Portland, from its first settlement: with notices of the neighbouring towns, and of the changes of government in Maine, Part II 1700-1833 > Part 20
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The application made by our representative in 1785, pursuant to his instructions to procure an appropriation for a light-house on Port- land head, was not immediately successful. But in a year or two after, the government of Massachusetts undertook the work, and had made some progress in it, when the national government went into operation under the constitution of '89. In Aug. 1790, Congress appropriated $1500 to finish the undertaking; this revived the linger- ing work ; it was completed within 5 months from that time, and lighted January 10, 1791. The stone work was 72 feet high, and the lanthorn 15 feet, making the whole S7 feet.3 The master build- ers were John Nichols and Jonathan Bryant, masons of this town.
As banking is german to the subject of commerce, a notice of the institutions established here for that object, may not be unappropriate
' The following persons were the first proprietors, Nath'l Deering, the heirs of James Milk, John Fox, James Deering, Stephen Deblois, Joseph Jewett, Stephen Harding, John Waite, Joshua Rogers, James Jewett, Ralph Cross, Daniel Tucker, John Bagley, John Thurlo, Eben'r Preble and John Kent.
2 In 1826, a Marine Railway was constructed on the east side of clay cove, by which vessels are taken up on an inclined plane to be repaired ; the under- taking has been successful and profitable.
3 This was considered afterwards too high, and about 20 years ago, 20 feet were taken off.
186
Banks. [P. II.
to this place. The first bank which was incorporated in Maine, was the Portland Bank in June 1799. Its capital was $100,000, with the privilege of being increased to $300,000 at the pleasure of the stockholders. The privilege was improved and the whole amount limited by the charter was taken up. Hugh McLellan was the first president, and John Abbott the first cashier. A dwelling-house which stood in Middle-street on the site of the present Bank of Portland was used by the company for several years, and was removed in 1806 to make room for the beautiful building now occupied by the Bank of Portland.1 This institution suffered severely in the com- mercial embarrassments of the town in 1808, and met with such losses that they suspended their business and finally closed it in 1815, four years before their charter expired, with a loss of 25 per cent. of their capital stock.
The Maine Bank incorporated in June 1802, was the second in this State ; by its charter its capital was allowed to be from $150,000 to $300,000 at the pleasure of the stockholders. The whole amount was taken up ; Samuel Freeman was appointed the first president, and David Hale the first cashier ; their office was kept in Jones' Row in Exchange-street. It was incorporated for only ten years, and at the end of that time it closed its concerns and was succeeded the same year by the Cumberland Bank, which was incorporated in 1812 with a capital of $300,000 and took the banking-house occupied by the Maine Bank. They subsequently reduced their capital to $200,000 and carried on a successful business to the close of their charter in 1831.
The Bank of Portland with a capital of $200,000 was incorporat- ed in 1819, and was the fourth bank established here ; the Casco Bank was incorporated in 1824, with a capital of $200,000 ; the Merchants' Bank with a capital of $150,000 in 1825 ; the Canal Bank the same year with a capital of $300,000 of which 25 percent. was to be invested in the Cumberland and Oxford Canal. The capital of this bank was increased $100,000 by charter in 1832. The Maine Bank was incorporated in 1831, with a capital of $100,000, and in 1832 the Exchange, and Manufacturers' and Traders' Banks
1 The house now stands in Chesnut-street, belonging to the estate of Elias Merrill, and occupied by his widow.
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187
C. 9.] Commercial embarrassments.
were incorporated with a capital each of $100,000.1 A branch of the Bank of the United States was established here in 1828, with facilities of doing business equal to a capital of $300,000. The whole bank capital in Portland at the close of 1832, employed by eight banks, was $1,550,000, and the amount of their loans $2,300, 000. Their average circulation, exclusive of the Branch Bank, was about $330,000, the average deposits with the same exception about $370,000, and the average amount of specie about $75,000.
The town having gone on with almost uninterrupted success in its commercial enterprises, until toward the close of 1807,2. when our inhabitants, in consequence of the suspension of our intercourse with Great Britain in 1806, followed by the embargo in 1807, whose advancement depended principally upon foreign commerce, were at once cast down from their enviable prosperity. A number of large ships owned here had been engaged in the freighting business, and the rest of our navigation which had been employed in the fisheries and the transportation of lumber abroad were now deprived of em- ployment and laid up to decay. What was spared in this domestic system of protection was doomed to perish in the conflict for domin- ion which was raging between the English and French. In the two years following 1807, the navigation of this port fell off 9,000 tons, . and the amount received for duties which in 1806, was $342,909, declined in 1808 to $41,369. In 1807, the same intelligent trav- eller, whose visit in 1797, we have noticed, thus speaks of our pros- perous condition : "No place in our route hitherto, could for its improvement be compared with Portland. We found the buildings . extended quite to the cove, doubled in their number, and still more increased in their appearance. Few towns in New England are equally beautiful and brilliant. Its wealth and business are probably quadrupled."3
" The capital of the Manufacturers' and Traders' Bank was increased in 1832 to $150,000.
2 Our commerce in common with that of the whole country suffered loss and vexation from French aggression toward the close of the last century. In 1802, the merchants in this town and vicinity transmitted a petition to Con- gress, in which they stated that the losses sustained by them from captures by the French amounted to $500,000.
3 Dwight's travels 2. 208. In 1807, the Observatory was erected 82 feet high ; the hill at its base is 141 feet above high water mark : a good telescope was placed in it. The brick academy and the meeting-house of the third par- ish were also erected this year.
183
Commercial embarrassments. [P. II.
The sudden check given to this unexampled prosperity, prostrated at once all the fair prospects of our people, and produced a reverse more gloomy by contrast. . The shipping which was valued before the embargo at a million and a half of dollars, and all the various classes of persons to whom it gave support, were thrown out of em- ployment. Eleven commercial houses stopped payment in the latter part of 1807, among which were the largest ship owners, and persons possessing the firmest credit of any in town. This was followed next year by a multitude of others, occasioned partly by the same causes which had produced the former and partly by the shock given to commercial credit by the preceding failures. Great distress pre- vailed throughout this community, most of the laboring classes were deprived of work, and the people generally were reduced to the ne- cessity of materially curtailing their expenses.1 So entirely paralized was commercial business, that the grass literally grew upon the wharves. The town did not wholly recover from this severe blow until after the peace of 1815.
1 In Jan. 1808, by the influence of some liberal spirited individuals, a soup charity was established, where the poor of the town were daily supplied with a good soup dinner.
4
189
Division of the town.
C. 10.]
CHAPTER 10.
Division of the town-Its size and population-Post-office and Mails -Stages-Newspapers-Adoption of the Constitution-Repre- sentatives to Congress-French Mania-Politics of the town in 1793-Republican Society.
HAVING anticipated many particulars which belong to the latter period of our history for the purpose of presenting a connected view of the growth and commercial character of the town, we must recur again for other interesting details to the period immediately subse- quent to the revolution. After the preliminaries of peace were en- tered into and fear of future invasion was removed, the subject of separating the Neck from the other part of Falmouth, and forming it into a distinct town, became a topic of discussion. A geographical division had always existed, and the people in the two parts, by the pursuit of different interests, and still more, by the secession from the ancient parish of most of the inhabitants who lived in the other sections of the town, had become gradually alienated from each other. All the meetings of the town had been held upon the Neck, and the people there had generally exercised a controling influence in municipal affairs ;' and a feeling of jealousy, no doubt existed, which aided by the inconvenience to the out inhabitants of attending town meetings at so great a distance from the centre, prepared the minds of the people for a change .? There was no difficulty there- fore in coming to the resolution to separate ; it only remained to adjust the terms of the dissolution. The first meeting for this pur- pose was held in May 1783, and votes were passed without opposi- tion, assenting to the measure and settling the terms and boundaries.3
1 From 1719, the first year in which the town was represented in the gen- eral court, until Portland was incorporated, but three representatives were chosen from any other part of the town than the Neck.
? The people on the Neck complained during the war that when the legis- lature abated for their benefit half the taxes on the town for 1775, the people of the other part of the town, being a majority, out voted them and took the benefit of the abatement to themselves.
3 May 26, 1783. " On motion, it was put whether the town would consent that the Neck should be set off as a separate town, provided they can agree what bridges the Neck shall support and maintain ; it passed in the affirma- tive. It was also put whether the town will consent that the Neck should be set off as a separate town provided they consent to maintain Saccarappa,
24
190
Division of the town and name. [P. II.
But the plan was no further prosecuted at that time ; the impover- ished condition of the people, and the desolate state of the Neck, diverted all thoughts from the subject, until toward the close of 1785, when a petition praying for the separation was prepared, signed by the most influential persons in this section of the town and presented to the general court at the January session 1786.1 An order of no- tice was issued to the town returnable at the May session ; at which time a bill was reported upon the basis of the vote of 1783, which became a law July 4, 1786.2
Some diversity of sentiment existed respecting a name for the new town ; Casco and Falmouth-port were rivals of the successful candidate, and the claims of each were strenuously urged. For the former. it was said that its agreeable sound and its ancient application - to the spot gave it a preference over every other ;3 while the name of Falmouth-port was strongly advocated on the ground that by adopting a name now familiarly known, there would be less room for misapprehension and mistake than by taking one entirely new, and one which was not known abroad ; the example of Newburyport was adduced in favor of this side of the question. The general impres- sion however was in favor of Portland, although not a voice in the public paper was lifted up in its support. One writer only, in clos- ing a communication in which the merit of the other two was discuss- ed, thus notices it ; " both these however, I expect, must give place to the more acceptable name of Portland."
Pride's and Back Cove bridges ; it passed in the affirmative ; and the follow- ing were laid before the town as the intended bounds, viz. to begin at the middle of the creek that runs into round marsh, thence northeast to Back Cove creek, thence down the middle of the creek to Back Cove, thence across said Cove to sandy point, thence round by Casco Bay and Fore river to the first bounds, together with all the islands that now belong to the first Parish." T. Rec.
1 For the petition and order see Appendix XIII.
2 The title of the act is, " An act for erecting that part of the town of Fal- mouth commonly called the Neck, into a town by the name of Portland." There were 180 acres of land north of Back Cove creek, belonging to the heirs of Moses Pearson, which were made part of the new town, although be- yond the boundary. This is the estate now partly owned by Dr. Cummings, formerly called the Restaurator.
3 It was said by those opposed to this name that its English definition was indelicate or offensive ; others denied this, saying that it meant something pleasant or agreeable. Capt. John Preble, a son of the General, who resided sometime at Penobscot, was familiar with the Indian dialect, and was a . public interpreter, said that Casco meant a Heron, and was applied by the na- tives to our bay from its having been the resort of numerous birds of that name.
191
Portland first organized.
C. 10.]
This appellation was recommended by its local application, its euphonous sound and its ancient connection with a part of our terri- tory. The earliest English name by which the island now called Bangs's, and the main land in Cape-Elizabeth opposite to it, were known, was Portland ; the island continued to bear the name during the remainder of the century of its discovery, and the head land on which the light-house now stands has ever been and is still called " Portland head." It had been intended by the people in Cape- Elizabeth to give this name to their town, but at the time that precinct was set off, the government who usually determined on the name, applied the title of the Cape to the whole territory.
The first meeting of the inhabitants of the new town was held at the old meeting-house, then the only one upon the Neck, on the 9th of August 1786, and was opened by prayer from the venerable Smith, then in the 85th year of his age, and the 59th of his minis- try. Enoch Freeman was chosen moderator, and John Frothing- ham clerk ; John Fox, Nathaniel Deering and Peleg Wadsworth selectmen and overseers of the poor, and James Lunt, Ebenczer Preble and Peter Warren, assessors.1 Thus was Portland organiz- ed and commenced its career as a distinct incorporation. In point of territory it was and still is, the smallest in the State, containing exclusive of the part covered by water, but about 2,200 acres ;? yet in the number of its vessels and its commercial activity, it sur- passed every town in the district. Its population at that time was about 2000, and now although it contains more than double the number of inhabitants of any other town in the State, Falmouth, Gor- ham and York were then before it.3
Previous to the revolution the mail came at the oftenest but once
' John Fox was second son of Jabez Fox, and born in Falmouth. In 1777, he married Sarah Fox, by whom he had eight children ; four sons and two daughters are now living ; he died in March 1795. He was selectman of the town several years, and was the first representative to the general court from Portland, to which place he was elected five years. He was also a member of the convention which adopted the Constitution of the United States. The loss of Mr. Fox, Stephen Hall and Mr. Deering, who all died the same year, and were active, intelligent and enterprising men, was a severe blow to our com- munity.
? The number of acres which were left to Falmouth were 14,918, and to Cape-Elizabeth 12,881. The length of Portland is 3 miles, and its average width 3-4 of a mile.
' In 1790, the population of Portland was 2,210, Falmouth 2,901, York 2,900, Gorham 2,244.
. 192
Post Ofice and Mail.
[P. II.
a week to this town from the west, but it was by no means regular. It was not until about 1760 that a weekly mail was established far- ther east than Portsmouth ; before that time it was not sent until a sufficient number of letters were collected to pay the expense.' The post office was kept by Thomas Child in King-street before the revolution, but when it was first established here we have not been able to ascertain.2
It was deemed of importance by the provincial Congress of Mas- sachusetts immediately on their withdrawing from royal authority, to open lines of communication through the colony. For this purpose they established in May 1775, a general post office in Cambridge and appointed post men to ride upon the principal routes in the prov- ince and as far east as Georgetown in this State. Joseph Barnard was the post rider between Portsmouth and Falmouth. There were but three post offices provided for Maine, one of which was at Ken- nebunk kept by Nathaniel Kimball, another in this town kept by Sam- uel Freeman, the third at Georgetown, of which John Wood was post master.3 The rates of postage fixed at this period, were for a distance not exceeding 60 miles 5 1-4 pence, from 60 to 100 miles 8 pence, from 100 to 200 miles 10 1-2 pence, from 200 to 300 miles 1s. 1d. The first post rider under this arrangement, arrived here Saturday, June 10th 1775 ; he continued to transport the mail
1 The first attempt to give regularity to this establishment in England, was by act of Parliament in 1660, before that time it was a private undertaking. The benefit of the system was not extended to North America until 1710, when a general post office was established in London for all the British do- minions under one Director called a Postmaster General, who had letter offi- ces at Edinburg, Dublin, New-York and other convenient places ; the dep- uty Postmaster General for the colonies was to reside in New-York. In 1774 by the good management of Dr. Franklin, deputy Postmaster General, the post office in America had been made to produce clear to Great Britain £3000 annually. In 1680 Massachusetts appointed "John Haywood Postmaster of the whole colony," as previous to that time, letters had been thrown on the Exchange in Boston, so that any body might take them, and many had thus been lost. In 1689 Richard Wilkins was appointed Postmaster by the gen- eral court, "to receive all letters and to deliver out the same, and to receive on each one penny." In New Hampshire a post office was established by the colony at Portsmouth in 1693.
2 What the rate of postage was at this time I cannot fully satisfy myself ; in an old book of Mr. Child's, I find Arthur Savage under date of Nov. 11, 1766, charged with the postage of 3 single letters to Boston, £8. which is £2. 13. 4. for each, and several other charges of £2. 16 for a letter to Boston or from it.
3 Mr. Freeman continued post master 28 years ; he was removed by Presi- dent Jefferson in 1804, and Thomas M. Prentiss appointed in his place.
193
Post Office and Mail.
C. 10.]
until Oct. 7th of that year, the number of letters not exceeding 4 or 5 a week ; the number mailed at this office did not average 5 a week.1
The General Congress perceiving the benefit to be derived from a uniform mail establishment throughout the colonies, assumed the charge of it in July 1775, and established a regular line of posts from Falmouth in Maine, to Savannah in Georgia. Benjamin Frank- lin was placed at the head of the department and the first mail un- der this system arrived here Oct. 7, 1775. At this period there was but one line on the whole of this distance, and as late as 1790 but 74 post offices in the U. States.2 In January 1786, the mail was, for the first time in this country, begun to be carried in coach- es from Portsmouth in N. H. to Savannah, under an act of Con- gress passed September 1785. The advantages of this new ar- rangement were not extended into Maine until 1787. In Sept. 1786 the Postmaster General was directed to enter into contracts "for the conveyance of the mails by stage carriages if practicable for one year from January next, from Portland to Savannah." This ar- rangement was carried into effect by the enterprise and great exer- tions of the old post rider, Joseph Barnard, who put upon the road a waggon drawn by two horses, in January 1787. This was the first attempt to carry passengers in this State ; it was thought a great enterprise and Mr. Barnard, was loudly applauded for his zeal and activity. The mail wagon left Portsmouth in the morning, reach- ed Kennebunk the first day, Broad's tavern in Westbrook the second day, and arrived at Portland on the morning of the third day.3 It will seem incredible to the present generation that the immense mail
1 In 1783 the whole number of letters sent from this post office was but 57 ; after this time they increased rapidly and amounted in 1785 to several hundred.
2 In 1832 the number of post offices in the U. S. was 9,205, the number of miles the mail was transported 23,625,021, and the revenue of the department for one year, ending June 1832, was $2,258,570.
3 The following was Barnard's first advertisement. "Joseph Barnard, stage proprietor, informs the public that the Portland Mail Stage sets off from Mr. Motley's tavern, in this town, every Saturday morning, arrives on Monday at Portsmouth, where he meets the Boston stage ; leaves Portsmouth on Tues- day and arrives in Portland on Thursday. Those Ladies and Gentlemen who choose this expeditious, cheap and commodious way of stage travelling will please to lodge their names with Mr. Motley any time previous to the Stage's leaving his house. Price for one person's passage the whole distance 20s. baggage 2d. for every pound above 14. Portland, January 26, 1787."
194
Post Ofice and Mail. [P. II.
establishment of the U. S. with the innumerable and splendid ad- vantages of mail and passenger transportation, could have advan- ced in so short a period from such humble pretensions.1 But this improvement in the facilities of communication and travelling are not confined to the U. S. In 1828 the Lord Mayor of London said " he remembered that in 1780 the first stage coach was estab- lished between London and Maidstone, and the sluggishness of the conveyance might be guessed at, from the fact that the coach set out at 6 o'clock in the morning and did not reach its destination till 8 or 9 o'clock at night, and those who travelled so formidable a distance used to take leave of their friends about a week before." Now over the same roads they are Alying by steam with the velocity of 15 miles an hour.2
In 1788 a new arrangement of the mails was made, by which it came here from Boston three times a week in summer and twice a week in winter, and was forwarded to Pownalborough once a fort- night. As late as 1801, the mail was four days going to Boston, and we had a mail from there but three times a week. It is now despatched every day, performing the distance in 16 or 17 hours.3
In Dec. 1793, the first attempt was made to carry passengers from Portland to Hallowell in a sleigh, by Caleb Graffam. He left Port- land on Monday morning at 7 o'clock, reached Wiscasset the next day at 1 o'clock, and arrived at Hallowell on Wednesday noon. Mr. Graffam was employed by Thomas B. Wait, publisher of the
1 In 1832 the U. S. mail was transported in Stages 16,222,743 miles, in Steam boats 499,301, on horse back and in Sulkies, 6,902,977 miles.
" Maidstone is 38 miles from London.
Much of the excellence and rapid advance of the stage establishment in Maine is to be attributed to our enterprising and indefatigable townsman the late Josiah Paine. He commenced his career as Post rider in 1792, go- ing through the county of York from Portland once a fortnight. He soon advanced to the head of the whole establishment in Maine, and infused into it his own onward and determined spirit, which overcame the wretched state of the roads and the embarrassing materials with which he had to con- tend, and raised it to be one of the best lines on the continent. One of his sons with his father's spirit now aids in sustaining the reputation of the es- tablishment.
3In April 1785 the mail from Boston was delayed between 4 and 5 weeks, during which time no news was received from the west. Mr. Smith says " April 29, the Post at last got in here having been hindered near 5 weeks." This delay was owing to the excessive bad roads. In 1802 no papers were received from Boston, from February 25 to March 8th, on account of the trav- elling.
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C. 10.]
Post Office and Stages. 195
Cumberland Gazette to convey the newspaper to Hallowell, Wis- casset and the intermediate places. He made the tour but once a week in summer and once a fortnight in winter ; and as the mail went but once a fortnight to Wiscasset at this period, he took letters from the post office to deliver on the route under direction of the post master.
The income of the office for several years after its establishment was of no consideration ; during the latter part of Mr. Freeman's term the net amount paid from it to the government with the post master's compensation was as follows, viz.
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