The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-18
One of the Lesser LAUNDERING Indus
tries. How the Stave Business Is

Carried on.
Having heard much Of the unequalled facili-
ties afforded for getting out lumber of the
smaller kinds, at the mills at East Orland, own
ed by Mayor Hayford, Of this city, and desir-
Ing to see something of the location, we last
week accepted an invitation from the proprietor
to visit the place. So taking advantage of the
pleasant winter weather and fine travelling,
we set out on the morning Of the 10th, behind
smart stepping pair of chestnut mares, cross
ed the bridge, swung to the right and headed
due east.
The road along the bay, from the west line
Of Searsport is bordercd by fine looking houses
and neatly kept grounds, the best evidence of
careful thrift on the part Of the owners. This
is tue work of the enterprising men of the sea,
who plough every ocean the wide world over,
IN pursuit OF the wealth that is to bring COM
fort to their families and make attractive the
homes to which they hope to retire with
competence, after their hard fought battles
with the elements. They constitute class of
citizens OF which any country might be proud.
| After 4 sharp drive along the bay, through
the pleasant villages Of Searsport and Stock
ton, with distant view Of the ship-yards at
Sandy Point we drove under the walls of Fort
Knox, and to the ferry which here crosses the
Penobscot to Bucksport. We were glad to learn
that steam ferry boat is being built to run at
this point, for the present falicities are not of
the first order-consisting In the summer time
of boat propelled by horse power and In tie
winter Of scow OF modest proportions that
creeps slowly across under the influence of q
pair Of oars. However, it is best to speak well
OF boat that carries you safely overland
therefore we give the scow and her ships
company all praise But, nevertheless, let
them hurry up the coming steamer.
! We stopped for dinner at the excellent hotel
/ of Mr.. Moses, in Bucksport, where warm
welcome and an appetizirg meal always awaits
| the traveller. Here the business matters Of
my conductor seemed fairly to begin. Men
waited to settle with him for lots Of slaves de-
| lyered, to contract for new lots for he buys
as well as manufacturers to get freight for yes
sells, directions for land ng, &c. And so all
along the road to the mills some five miles,
about every other man we met, had some bar
gain to make, some bill 10 settle, some direc-
lions to ask or suggestions to make 1t seem
ed to trihe marvellous how a man could
keep the strings Of all this In his mind, draw
ing evenly, and at the same time manage three
or four times as much business in other iocali-
ties, without having any OF the irons burn as
they certainly do not. AS Goldsmith says Of
the schoolmaster--
| "a Still the wonder grew
How small head could carry all he knew
At Orland Village the outlet of the water
power We We're to visit, falls into the Penob-
scot River, and here is shipped the products of
the mills They can be hauled a short distance
from the mills TO the pond below, and thence
shipped by scoWs to the river, the dam at the
outlet being provided with LOCKOUT at pres
ent the lumber is nearly all hauled to this point
The wharf was nearly covered with long piles
of slaves, neatly tied up, ready for shipment,
and looking very handsome. A short drive
further took Us to the mills at East Orland,
where we found excellent quarters aud a warm
welcome.
The early settlers on the coast OF Maine
made slashing WORK with the forests. Thegiant
pines, soft of grain and clear of knots that
would now make 8 lumberman's mouth water,
were sacrificed without mercy, and for a mere
song. The method was exceedingly waste
full and improvident-but knowledge of the
fact comes too late. Those in the business who
come after, are forced to be content With CLEAN
ing what was spared, or of working up the
second growth. And even in this lies dormant
handsome fortunes for men possessed of the
brains and energy to extract it, as there also
do In most other callings.
The getting out of the slaves for barrels and
| casks Is one Of those minor numbering opera
ttons that has bad wonderful growth within
q few years Many of these are needed for the
packing of the hydraulic cement manufactured
on the Hudson River, for calcned plaster, and
other purposes. Twenty years ago, the small
number that were needed were made from
boards on the spot where used, In an unskill-
ful manner and at high cost. 1t was about this
time that Mr.. Hayford, who Is u practical man.
of great discernmeEt, In visiting the works,
saw the advantage that might be derived from
system and machinery applied to this business
He took contract to supply some casks, got
the slaves out by circular saws at mills in the
vicinity OF Belfast, and made good thing of
it. Since then The business has grown i'm
mensely on his hands. Having used all the
available lumber ii this vicinity he built mills
at several points in the eastern part of Han
cock county, and operated there Tor some time
By using good material, cutting his slaves uni
formly, and neglecting pains TO make them
acceptable, he has retained the confluence OF
his first contractors, aud supplies them to this
day.
In 1868 he bought the site Of the present
mills in Orland, in connection with Mr.. Hoop |
err. The source Of the water power is chain /
Of ponds stretching dozen miles back into |
the towns OF Surry and Bluehl At the mills
the whole flow Of this water is compressed into /
narrow channel, $50 rods long. with fall in
that distance Of ia feet. The supply of wa |
ter Is large and never failing. There are al
ready three mills IN operation, with room for
many more, On the shores OF the ponds, and
in the region about that can find no other ad-
vanta@eous market, is q considerable supply of
large hemlock, spruce, some pine, and a good
amount Of hard wood. The growth of wood
suitable for slaves is sufficient to keep the mills
at work indefinitely. Spruce, fir juniper and