The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-12
An Outsider,s Opinion.

We copy the following article from the Cos
pei Banner to show how our fellow-citizen,
Hon. John B. Brown, is estimated outside Of
the city of his adoption, and also for the pur-
pose of correcting mistake as to the birth
place of Mr.. B. He was born in Lancaster, N.
H., from which place his father removed to Ok
ford County:
There is no man in Maine, perhaps, of great
er business ability than j. B. Brown, ESQ.,, mer-
chant of Portland. He was born, if we mis-
take not, in Oxford County, and commenced
operations for himself, poor boy and in most
humble way, some forty years ago. He is now
unquestionably the richest man in Maine, esti-
mated by some to be worth between four and
tive millions of dollars. By the great fire in
Portland in July last many buildings belong
ing to him were destroyed. With the double
purpose of showing the business capacity and
ability of Mr.. Brown, and affording our readers
an idea of what has been done in Portland in
the way of rebuilding since the fire, we present
what this one man has accomplished.
While the fire was yet raging, he telegraphed
to Mr.. E. f. Beal, Esq, of Norway, his old
master-builder, to come 10 Portland, and the
next day commenced clearing away the debris,
and has since erected
l. A sugar mandatory nine stories high,
which, together with its appendages, required
100000 OF brick and 100000 feet of lumber.
The floors of this building make an aggregate
twelve steam boilers, for boiling the SYRUP for
motive power and for warming purposes each
of which is 80 feet in length. There are also
three stationary engines. The building con-
tains 10000 wrought iron pots for straining the
syrup, holding each IA gallons. Three thousand
tons of coal will be required annually to run
the mandatory.
2. Since the middle of October Mr.. Brown has
also built wharf which he has named "Mer-
chants Wharf" 800 feet long by 20 feet wide,
ffnf yI.fa ID
built on piles.
8. On this,wharf he has erected a warehouse
406 feet long by 80 wide, and two stories hie h,
All of which is finished and under rent, and
the whole accomplished, let it be remembered,
since the middle Of October last.
T. Since the fire, July 4th, he has also re-
modelled and erected twenty three stores on
Congress, Middle, Free, Centre, corner of
Brown and Congress, York and other streets,
many of which are first class and most elegant
and nearly all of which are finished and under
rent And besides all this, Mr.. Brown has
laid the foundation of ten more stores which
he designs to erect in the spring. The cost of
all these buildings is no small amount as our
readers may judge by single item. We stated
above that uhe sugar house required 10000
wrought iron pots. These cost $500 each
amounting to $l80,000 in the aggregate This
is enormous for single item, and the facts we
give will not be quest oned when we say they
come to us, not rom any doubtful authority or
through any second hand channel, but from the
lips OF those best qualified to knoao.
This writing is not designed as merely a COM
plimentary notice of Mr.. Brown, but to speak
of him as a business man and relate something
of what he is doing towards rebuilding Port
land. Still we cannot close what We have to
say without an expression of warm approba-
ton of the man. He is one of Portland's no.
blest and most enterprising citizens. In giving
work under the most generous compensation,
to the hundreds of laboiers in his employ, he
encourages industry, scatters abroad his ample
means and carries blessings to all who share
every benevolent cause and worthy enterprise
Long may he live to enjoy the fruits of his eff
forts and to bless his fellow men, his city and
his State.