The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-08-10
sACO.

sAoo.
Comparatively few people fully appreciate
the natural beauty of many Of the towns and
villa res in our own State. Distance lends en-
chantment" TO views now as much as it did at
an earlier period. We read of watering places
and places of public resort in other states,
and we fancy them to be gems of beauty set
in The diadem of nature, when at our own
doors we have landscape and town, seaside
and country, river and lake, waterfall and rap
i'd, rural district and village as far exceeding
them in all the elements of beauty--latural
and artifcial-as the hills aud valleys of New
En- gland exceed in healthEul breezes and at
tractive scenery the fiat, rnonotonous level Of
the prairie states. Our able and graphic cor
respondent, @Traxi," has called attention to
the rural scenery of Maine. He has referred
to several localities OF surprising beauty. He
has made mention OF the country which skirts
Penob5cot Bay, from R0ckland to the mouth
of the rivera region of which Senator Hale
of N. H., last summer, remarked that it en-
braced more points of natural magnifcence
and beauty than any region Of equal extent
on which his eyes had ever rested.
But there are villages and towns in Maine,
which at this season of the year are scarcely
less attractive and beautiful than the most raw
i,hing rural spots. Such are Waterviile, Farm
ington, Wayne, Winthrop, Norridgewock, Au-
barn, Norway, Paris, and dozen others that
might benhmed. At present we would bring
view one of these towns which lies within
nalf am hours ride by rail of our own city
We reer to the town of Saco-wise enough as
yet to preserve its purely democratic form of
municipal government, and to keep the power
where alone it should be kept as long as practi-
cabls-in the hands of the whole people.
The eastern portion of the town is washed
by the waters of the broad Atlantic, whose
waves at this point, az they roll in from the
direction Of the European coast, find their
first obstruction in the sands which make up
"Oll Orchard Beach"-one of the finest and
most extensive sand beaches on the whole At
lantic coast Along the southerIy side of the
town flows the rolicking river of the same
name, which forms the dividing line between it
and BidJeford
About thirty years ago it was our fortune to
spend season in Slco, in conn ection with
her manufacturing operations, when Bidde-
ford was almost nameiess place, and when
her now large factories, workshops, canals,
warehouses, hotels, churches, etc, did not ex-
list even in the imagination or thought of the
jewellers On Gram Cat HIP and "Ewe Cat
Galley" Since that time our visits to Saco
have been few and far between. Having for
fifteen years scarcely stepped foot in the
town till the present season, we were slirpris-
ed, agreeably, almost beyond measure, few
days since, to see the signs Of peace, plenty,
contentment and thrift which SO generally
abound in the village We do not refer to the
principal business street. That has experience
ed few changes. It might be greatly ilnprov-
ed. 1t wears the appearance of neglect
There is an air of solitariness about many of
its shops and stores not pleasant to the eye of
business man. There is a look Of don't-cale-
for-taste about many of its business places,
that small investment in glass, putty and
varnish" would easily remove. Z
1t Is the side streets, the Portland Road
the continuation of Main street.-The road lead
ing to the depot, and numerous other streets,
sxirted by fine residences and beautiful gar
dens, which are most noticeable and attractive
to stranger lSaeo abounds in such; ali
clean, neat, tasty and inviting ;-abodes no
doubt of contentment, ofpeace, of plenty an
ofdomestic felicity. sea mo
Tne Town Hail is noble structure-one Of
the finest in the State Here the County
Courts hold part Of their sessions, Saco be-
ing half shire town. Several of the churches
are respectable in appearance, but the new
Orthodox Congregational Church is perfect
gem. Upon its architectural beauty it would
be difficult to improve. 1t ellis the eye,n and
in no respect ofsnds by a lack ofsymnletry or
by any dSproportions. Its location is admira-
BILE, so that it becomes a public ornament as
well as convenience for religious purposes.
The village is well located to enjoy the pure
atmosphere, as it is compounded and prepar-
red for human lungs "a the great laboratory of
the hin-countrg far inland, or as it sweeps in
from the face Of the broad ocean. We advice
those OF our people who would escape the dust
-four busy streets and yet not retire to the
mosquitoes and unmitigated heat Of the back
woods, or to the penetrating fogs of the sea
shore,--who would enjoy village life in its high
est fiow,--to go to Saco and spend few DAVIS
or weeks there. We think they will aoree
with US that it is one Of New Ensland's Lowell
est villages. nas a'ao "a