Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-05-20

lrefurred lying Ease ot the sov0neo Tu -
b mere than hsIf she siss Of vsss6oas an9 q
. srass grow ing country il y gupefSeF. n
10 stock growing country aed q dotsy
country L 10 superior. II Asppsscck they
can and do produce mere wheat, sye. 49,.
buckwbeat and potato1 70 tho ssse 16eg y
Vermont. Where else, CIR, il there % mach
such land unuccupied in 10 sommcdicua 20
sition and 40 contiguous 70 tho osesn Z ".
] am asked why with all these advenia9e u
has not been settled. The answer = plaln.
Il 10 for the want Of railrosd ooO@uusce.
tiows. Il 10 three days journey fyon Dseoos
10 Aroostook river and II costs = much 70
transport ton Of meschsndiee betwseo ths
eslne points - from Bangor 70 Chicago. r.
lated and remote o. che d her population
now numbers very nearly - mary q Frank.
lin county and moro +l'an Piscssaquis. and
no one will venture 70 derry with . 'TaiiroAd
TO Houlton 20 years since the population
would not have now numhsred Two Or thrss
times - many as either Of those counttess-
Sir, in Aroostook many Of ths pspulatsen
are Of foreign birth. The return q sshosGrs
in each county to the Treasurer Of ybs Seats
i, perhaps the best index. In FfankiH;
here are 7l20 scholars; In Aroostook 7lZT;
in Piscataquis about 5000. -! .r..7.r.
| Sir, other causes have undou b4edly e1est-
ed a powerful influence in deayinG ne -.
Element Of Aroostook. The W est. with f
long lines of railroad, and fts fertile hn9s
have attracted our population thitbef. Ne
have done nothing u settle our lende. 1hs
West have done everything. If the applies.
ton Of steam had nsyer bcsn discCveEed;i 1t
Fulton and Watts had never lived, Maine
might and would have had one million Of u.
habitants. In 1926 the Erie Canal wes
completed. lts effect upon the dsvslopsnstt
of the West has been beyond cslcalatioe.--
The attention Of our people, ever restless,
enterprising and energetic, wns soon direct.
ed thither. Within ten yeav from that
time, emigration from this State commenc-
ed Before that time it had been to us.-
Between 1874 and 1857 the progress Of the
West in the construction Of railroads was
marvellous, opening vast regions of fertile
lands for scttlelnent-makiDg' them acceest.
BILE and br nging them near to MARKET Win
these additional attractions and facilities,
emigration from Maine increased to an extent
never before witnessed from any other State
in the Union. I estimate within the last
twenty-f years, Maint has lost' one hun.
dred millions of dollars in bone and muscle.
and ten millions in cash. ''1 ID
This emigration culminated in 1857. Sinss
that time the tide has rapidly ebbed. Vsrieqs
causes will prevent its renewal for many years
from any part Of New England on "A extsAfvs
scale. We may at least postpone it in Maine un-
til Aroostook is occupied. Among the most pe.
tential OF the causes of the cessation OF enlgre-
ton is the low prise Of agricultural productions,
and the high price of land in favorable and d.
srable locations. Tho former will not b. likely
TO advance much for many years to come. This
of ssei mi IA i
cuped. and wealth has so multiplied, au0 the
population OF the country is so rapidly increasing
tha. the advance on the price Of the land will b
likely TO be maintained. A great deal Of the NJ.
occupied land in Illinois and Wiseonsia y VALUED
vt ive, ten. twenty, or even fifty dollars per
acre The settler, with moderate means, muet
banish him1elt far from rosds and from the eotA.
forts and conveniene . Of civilized life, and whsye
the value Of his productions will be absorbed !.
the cost Of transpo tation.
At present, Aroostook, with this railroad, odefs
greatly superior attractions I know that il H.
West, the p'airie is ready for the plov, while u
Aroostook. the land must be redeemed from dense
forests; but in Aroostook there 10 plenty Of Wod6
for fuel and other purposes while in the " est 70
il frequently difficult and expensive to obtain j.
In desirable locations At the West the land must
be purchased at high prices, wAilo in Areostook Il
is but one dollar per acre. In the west thesmi.
grant must encounter change Of climate, and
frequently chils and fevers, while Aroostook 70
most salubrious and healthy. In Aseostsok ~
New England emigrant 6nds population moee
cOngenial to his tastes, habits and sducatou, ane
it certainly is far More productive m I'll The mes.
al, social and educational wants Of New EnEaad9
men. With th, railroad the smigraut eaa 81 y
the Aroostook in single day, while it 10 . Ioas
journey TO the West, and exiles him from the la1a
Of his birth and the home Of his kindred. Re.
Gently, sir saw . letter from . most intelligent
man iu Iowa, we'll known in this State. and every
.,,lA NJ tfYk ~ -
Aroos..ok are far better situated than thoss q
Iowa. You only lear in Maine the bright side.
You do not bear OF the chilling winds Of the praI.
ries-the prvatons and sorrows Of setual lf1s viii
us. thank God" ns adds, ,"thst have not bssa
instrumental in per'uadins ny old nsighhors y
Aroostook to come out here"
Sir, the emigration from Maine has. IN eeos
degree, been from necessity. Maine has o18sea
no inducements to her sons 70 remain At homs.-,
There are thousands Of men who Ate ~ much Il.
:achsd to their state IS any gentleman upon tA6
aoor. They do not desire to emigfate from it,
nor do they desire to exchange the robust health
and rudy complexion which belongs to the soas
of Maine, for the pale huss Of the ehis and fsv61
Of the West. They have always breathsd "
pure air Of our hills and valleys, end do aot Do.
sire to leave them. In every part Of our stste,
III every town in the State, and Almost every In.
lily in the state, whose pursuit is ae'iaelssr:.
there are those active intell gent snd ipdustrt.
Gus young men, to whom emigration from he
old homestead is Indispensable. They 20 foyeh
from the place Of their birth with Nee Euglan4
I'M bit. aud education to make for themselves nsV
homes, and to pursue shs employment and imi.
tate the virtues Of their fathers There are tho1s
sands Of men in New England, wbo, soantily en-.
pioyed and ,cantily paid, cannot any longer sph.
init TO the terms Of the employer, and whose only
hope Of the future 10 by the aid Of their ehildre1
to hcw out 'or themselves new homs in the fogA
cst and cultivate the soil. There are Thousands
whose thoughts constantly prompt them TO seek
more Of indie p. .ndence-more Of scope and mofo
Of the smiles ol fortune in some new country thoA
| mas hitherto fallen to their let There are tnoup
sands Of families, who. dissatisfied and weary
with their present situation, believe, and With
truth, that the condition o: all-Rther, mother,
sons and iau ,,4tcrs would Be improved BY smis
grafton to some country where they could dnd -
abundance OF cheap land. and thrifty end psoss
porous population. Sir, 1t is unnecesssryto to owen
Ion ger upon the various necessities and motives
which prompt the ever restless aud fortune seoks
! ing American to emigrAte. .
! Sir, ask if thesc nikrstinS classes are 70 b
retained in our State Are they to be invited te
come thither from the other New England States
Are our young men to be- kept at home. or ~
they s'ii! e. n.nue to 60 forth from us 10 cust1s
vAre the Geli of Iowa. Illinois and Michigsn-te
| tell the forests of Michigan and Minnesota. And
! aiher the golden sands OF CalifosniA end Aasofas
| ia sir. shall have the fathers Il Msius with
les oi this railroad .for there 10 not toun
/ in the stat. ia which there arc not sume Via
mourn the exile al their u the far Wsst sik'
snail have the mothers Of Maine for the rsilrssil
lnr their soma emisratc and leave the daughters
here At home. Sir. gentlemen may smile, but
ts them that il is not beneath thu dignity or Id
Legislature TO consider this matter for there 70 n
surer evidence ofthc decay Of State than Q gseaa
prcpondcrancc Of the famsls over the male pop1,
! latin Pm I snl1 hat S.~