The Portland daily press., 1865-09-23

To the Edlfor OF the Press
M Ihaye been much interested in the articles
ofyour correspondent "Traxf' in regard to the
good old Pine Tree State, as place of resi-
dence ~ ss---s - e eatk
If the disconnected could only know how
many who leave the State are unsuccessful,
they would remain where they are. Three
years ago travelled quite extensively in Cali
fornia, and as is my custom when abroad, 1
inquired for Maine men, and when found
them, as I did in every county was in, in
quired in regard to their success.
q One day was in the government saw-mill
at Mare Island, and said to young man at
work there, "This noise is very familiar one
to me, as have gone to sleep many night to
the music of a saw-mill in Maine" "Then you
are from Maine?' eyes" $50 am 10 GLOW
much have you gained by leaving Maine and
coming to California; 4Well, I am really no
better off in money, but 7 get higher pay when
do work." % sg 7a 81
I found this to be true in many cases; and
to one who has not the means to establish
himself in some business, the chances of et-.
ting ahead were very small. ss'gos
Enforced idleness consumed the savings of
months ofindustry, besides exposing the young
man to fall into bad habits.
In another part of the State met a gradu-
ate Of Bcwdoin who came out there in 1S49 in.
| the palmy days of gold-gathering. On one oc-
casion he raised with his pick lump of gold
worth $4,000. At the time saw him in
1862 doubt ifhe was worth $1800-tho' he
was bachelor and a man ofcorrect habits.
Up in the neighborhood of the ''big trees"
fell in with wheelright from Bangor and the
poor fellow was so weak from disease of the
liver, that he could hardly stand up. The el:-
mate did not agree with him and the chances
were against his ever seeing the Penobscot
again.
In still another part of the State, the Russi-
an river valley, 1 met man from Cumberland
/ County. He had prospered somewhat in the
mines, but his family was taken sick and he
was Obliged to abandon his business there
He bought farm near the sea-coast and before
long found himself in lawsuit about the IL
tie. He traded off the farm 70 the one on
! which I found him and which was on dispu
ted territory the title to which remains unset
tied to this day. BY purchasing the claim ofhalf
.apdozen persons to the acre On on which his
house stood, he felt sure of that, but nobody
could give him a good title to his farm, the
chances being that the fee was in the U. S.
Government The prospects of that man were
not brilliant a .5-ot 81 roc
q have travelled in all parts of Maine, but
have never seen such abject poverty as have
seen in California. III
| Young men who know very little of the
| world are inclined to think that success is
waiting for them at some place, very5dr dacay.l
But the man who has got the stuff in him
that will succeed far away, can succeed at
home. The field for enterprise is as wide IN
Maine as in Mississippi True, you cannot
raise cotton in Maine, but you can build ships
| to carry, and factories to spin and weave it.
| Last spring the writer met Portland boy
IN the southern part of Virginia who had been
campaigning in cavalry Regiment, over
good deal OF that State. asked him if he had
seen any place he preferred to Maine. His re-
| ply was that he preferred Maine to anything
| he had seen in Virginia or elsewhere 1a
| That is the feeling that all our young men
should entertain; and animated by it they
should look around for a place where they may
take hold and advance the interests of the
otate, while they promote their own.
ne writer OF this article has been in near
y an q The older States of the Union, and he
can assure the young men of Maine, that
when they leave New England to fintl a home
elsewhere In the world, though thew NAV cain
| o little more money, they viii lose yery much
| that goes to make up our happiness. and that
too Of something that money cannot buy :
EgEEag 70 hslA re = =. VI 3. Of Maine, -