Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-10-29
The Editorial Excursion to ArOOstOok
SMYRNA. Oct. Il. 1853.

The editorial corpse, rs the htc party was
yclepcd by Pike Of the Age, left this region
ON Monday last en- route for home. Having
a desire To SEQ a little more OF this great
country" before taking leave Of IL, took a
private team, kindly furnished by Bartlett
Of the Jeiiersonian, one Of the committee Of
arrangements. and on Sunday morning last,
came to thi. town. distant from lloulton in
n westerly direction twelve miles.
This Is one Of the older towns in the eoun-
". Smyrna. formerly No. IN range D.,
was in 1929 granted to Rev. Nehemiah
Leavii,. methodist clergyman. with the
following conditions: Lcayitt agreed TO
bring into the township seyen,y.h7c bona
fde settlers. build a saw and gri't mill, and
pay the State one thousand dollars. Fail
ing 10 comply with these requisites, the
township fell into tho hands OF Il. d Dunn,
who filed the contract and took deed
The town now numbers sbout two hundred
and fifty inhabitants. The present propri-
e,ors have held the land ut such an e1orbi.
tant price rs very much 10 retard the settle
ment, settlers prefering to take up the State
lands. but | understand the owners have
concluded to sell tho remainder rs low as
the State lands are offered, when the town
must rapidly fll up.
There are at present many fine Iarms in
Smyrr~, farms. the sight Of which would
make the farmers on our rock. bound bills in
Oxford County sick Of home. but propose
to speak particularly Of but one.
Levi Berry, Esq, was born and raised in
Paris. and came TO this county In the year
1911. When he came here, as | learned
from him, his means consisted OF wife and
seven small children, aud a small amount Of
household furniture. At frst he purchased
single lot Of one hundred and sixty acres,
and commenced cutting down and clearing
up the forest. occasionally making additions
until bis homo farm now contains nine hun
drcd acres. or this he has cleared Up three
hundr d and City acres. to which be sycar-
ly making additions. Ills hay crop this
year is about two hundred and fifty tons.
III. grain crop OF all kinds averages about
fifteen hundred bushels Annually. His stock
consists Of sixty head Of cattle and ten or
twelve horses. or sheep he keeps hut a
small aoek. have stopped hero several
days in looking over the farm and making
enquiries respecting his farming operations.
Tho soil is dcop aud rich, containing fair
per cent. Of lime. So productive - the soil
that good crops are often taken from the
same piece for several consecutive years,
without, manurins. Mr.. Berry keeps a
small stock Of good. for the local trade, and
for supplying hi. wOrkmen, and also keeps
public house.
About one and half miles from here Is
the town Of New Limerick, on the lloulion
road. and on branch OF the MedoInskeng
stream /. fine saw and elapboari mill,
built also by Mr. Berry. On the same dam
is hoom Tor gris, mill which he contem'
plates building in short time. Around
thi, mill be has erected two dwcIlins.housc'
and a shop. IIc thinks the Ar1o'took Rail
way will pass near this mill. and II 50, this
will form the nucleus fOr large village
Mr.. Berry engages in numbering during tn,
winter. but hi. extensive farming operations
have done most toward developing the re-
sources Of the country.
have spoken at -umo length respecting
this farm. mo-, because there are not many
more equally a, good a, this, but | have
chosen this one TO represent a large class oil
farmers onos eircumstaneed similar 10 Mr.
Berry, and who are now independen, lord.
Of the soil. Asa general thins those who
come hero to cultivate the lanI, come poor
Those who are ton lazy 10 work do not stay
while those who are industrious soon DO.
come comparatively wealthy.
Yesterday took shor, ride to limestone
mountain, situated in New Limerick about
seven mile, IRON this place. Tho Limestone
here is OF very good quality, hut as there is
but a small demand for /, in this now eOun
try, 1t is no. extensively worked. The
limestone on the surface is mixed somewhat
with big iron ore and pyri,es, bu, is Of a
much better quality below. Good lime is
furnished from the kiln at forty cents per
bushol.
Near the lime quarry called to examine
a mammoth squash raised by Col. Drew.
II measured four feet ten inches by five feet
two inches in circumference, and weighed
little short Of an hundred pounds.
Important elections have taken place in
the States OF Pennsylvania, Ohio and lndi.
ana since my arrival here, but as yet am
entirely ignorant Of the result. A weekly
mail from Ilou,on should have arrived here
yesterday, but the contractor since his ap'
poin,ment has passed through the several
stages, from moderate drinking to gutter
drunkenness, and the mail Is now brought
enthusiastically by any person who chances
to pass thisway. The department have been
repeatedly notified of the delinquency of the
contractor, bu, no notice is yc, taken Of il,
Since writing the above, the mail has ar
rived, brough, by an Irishman, 50 drunk
tina, he can hardly keep bis seat, and the
sand upon his back shows that he has acted
on the road in n double capacity, tina, oil
carrying the mail and sweeping the streets