Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-31

OF July, between sun and sun. myself vi.
messed a saw run through a log l9a fee, i,
length, in one minute and twelve seconds. The
gentleman who conducted me through and
Showed me The mills, said he had known a loo
Of "a feet long which produced 4s feet of "a
inch boards, sawed in one minute. They saw
logs of any length from IS to As and in som.
instances 1850 feet.
The product of these mills is hauled 10 the
landing place by OK wagons, drawn generally
by three yoke Of oxen, the most powe rful and
docile | ever saw, as appears BY the FOLLOWING
facts, viz. that 1000 feet Of 7-S inch boards, han
been drawn over the above ground at q single
load, by a team Of three yoke Of oxen, when,
perhaps one quarter Of the road was consider.
ably ascending; one man informed me his com.
mon and regular load was $500 feet Of boards
Of the above description, taken green from tie
mills. I, is very extraordinary that the driver
never whips his oxen; whenever they require it,
they dispose Of them at once. AT this time
they sold, when we'll trained TO this bushes, a,
80 to 40 dollars a yoke. In the middle Of tn.
night my repose was constantly interrupted by
the rumblimg Of these loaded wagons going
through the streets Of Portland to the landing
place where ! saw some Of them about sanris.
delivering their loads on board Of vessels ready
to receive them: about 1000 feet were ~calcuIal.
ed for each ton uf the vessel.
1t is said that Scarborough, near Portland,
was the birth place Of the Hon. Rufus King,
where he acquired the early part of his educa.
ton in a saw mill, which after he had set in
motion, his sisters would tend while he was
reading.
On the 18th ! left Portland and on the same
day reached Brunswick, beautiful and grow.
ing village on the AnGroscoggin river. /, stands
eight miles above the junction Of the Andres.
coggin with the Kenaebeck. At the Falls below
Brunswick AMI Topsham there are 26 saw
mills, supplied with logs from 60 or 70 miles
above, and it is believed the quantity on this rr
er and its tributary streams, is so great as tob
inrxhaustible, perhaps more so than any orhe
stream in our country, and can be brouel,
down the river 500 miles.
The saw mills here, for the last two wear,
have been set in motion by rolling gates, whic
begin with one eight inch wooden gudgeon;,h.
gate is 10 feet wide, and goes off with 8 inches
and is 7 feet two inches long. The rim Of III,
wheel is opened and shut by stem in the cen.
tire. They have generally two wheels 10 each,
to increase the motion when necessary.
Grra: quantities of clapboards are made here
by a machine lately invented. The saw is cir
cular, about l8 or 90 inches diameter, * move
with inconceivable velocity. 1t will saw 2,5ot
in a day, of 4 feet 2 inches long, and Of any de
sired width, which sell at Is 10 Is dollars
thousand, end will make clapboards out Of log
tha, will not admit Of their being made in I
common way.
Baldwin College is located on a pleasant 81
10 Brunswick; il has a President or Profess
"f Chemistry and Mineralogy, another Of ID
guages, and two tutors It's funds are $500
besides a township Of land in perpetuily thou,
not vet very productive,
After leaving Brunswick I heard Of sever
[urncr rTvrrS trrween II ana Eastport, who
sources approach the St. Lawrence, and fu
nish equally valuable and important seats 70
saw mills and water works as the above.
The foregoing facts go to show the abili,
and perfection any description of People VII
acquire, urgd by necessity, and encouraged b;
interest in the prosecution Of almost ever,
branch of business Considerable travelling
yer many of the United States tends to con.
vince me, that those of them most distinguish.
ed for labor and enterprise are most disposed.
as they are most able, to CO operate in the nc.
cessary and useful purposes Of Government,
when they are favored and encouraged by it.
In conclusion, ! have to observe, that the ex-
travagant and unfortunate policy which at pre-.
sent actuates the councils Of Virginia, seems to
be fast bringing it into d%isrepute and derision
in the view of other States. For one | shall re.
joice to see this extravaganza and impolicy,
while they continue increase, in the hope that
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