The Portland daily press., 1870-10-13
STATE OF MAINE.
LANDOFFICE,

Bangor, Sept. 7th, 1870.
Dear Sir Yours OF the 9th inst. has lust
GOMEZ to hand. had alss previously received
yours of the Goth ult., directed to the Secre-
taay of Stale, and by MIN referred to me.
In your letter to the Secretary, signed Gin
behalf OF the working men," you inquire "why
the State does not grant the same privilege 10
ber sons that sue accords to the citizens OF
Sweden, in the settlement OF ArooStOOk
lands" And you state that you think you
could ''hnd at least twenty-five Industrious,
sober men, mostly with families, who would
at once make the AroOstoOk their home pro-
v'ded said inducements were given;" and in
your letter OF the 5th you say that you are
requested to inquire what the Stale will do
Tor Maine men who are desrous OF going
there to settle;" aud you inquire If the State
will use you .'as well as they do the Swedes,"
and why the citizens OF Maine are not al
lowed the same privileges" and also "what
will the State do tor yOu;' and you say fur
ther that "yOu wish to know the locality most
desirable 20 sette."
In order that you may understand the ori-
gin and object OF the movement to establish
colony of Swedes in Aroostook County, will
say. that in 1868 resolve was passed, enti-
tied "kesOlve, designed 10 promote the settle
ment oil public and other lands in the State"
This Resolve authorized the Governor, with
the advice and consent OF the Council, to ap-
point "three suitable persons, whose duty il
shall be to ascertain what measures, il any,
should be adopted by the State to induce set
tlement upon lis unpeopled townships; where
aid should be given in constructing necessary
roads; what pr Ovisi N should be made for tue
education of children of settlers at the ex-
pense of the State or otherwise, and report to
the Legislature, with such other instructions
and recommendations as they may deem suita-
BILE to give effect to the purpose contemplated
by the resolve"
Under this resolve, myself, Hon. w. w.
Thomas, Jr., and Hon. William Small, were
appointed Commissioners to examine into the
matters embodied in the resolve; and IN order
to arrive at correct conclusions, we deemed it
necessary to make tour OF observation
through the northerly portions of the State,
which we did in the month of October last
and IN January following we made our report
to the Legislature, copy of which have for
warded 10 you.
Acting in accordance with the recommen-
dations contained in this report, the Legisa-
ture passed IAN Act to promote the settle
ment of the public lands" and under thus Act
Hon. w. W. Thomas, Jr., was appointed as
Immigrant Agent to proceed to Norway or
Sweden for the purpose of procuring first
colony OF immigrants, and superihtend their
passage to the State, and their settlement on
the public lands.
Mr.. Thomas started on bis mission to Swe-
den in May frst, apd has been very successiua
in establishing line colony of Swedes on
Township No. ID, kange 3, ArOostook County
in just four months from the passage of the
Act authorizing the enterprise, and think he |
is jus ly entitled to much praise Tor the |
prompt and faithful manner in which be has |
discharged his duties. These culOnists are |
smart, intelligent and industrious people, and |
are, think, a valuable acquisition to the |
county OF AiOOstOOk and the State.-
In order to estabis ish a first colony OF |
twenty-five families. it was deemed necessary
TO render them some assistance. and to hold
out some extra Inducements to them, by fell
ing "a few trees and furnishing shelter for
them until they can have time sufficient to
provide-fOr themselves. This assistance has,
l think, been very judicously rendered under
the direction of the Governor and Council.-
This assistance is to be furnished Tor the first
Colony ct twenty five families only. All who
join the colony hereafter will be required to
purchase their lands upon the same terms and
conditions as are prescribe in Chapter 5, of
the Revised Statutes. But in reality, these |
inducements offered by the State, to this little |
colony, which is intended to serve merely as |
nuclele e. penplng portion OF the wild |
lands 0f the State, amount to but little nlnra
than those offered under existing lsws, to cit
izens OF this country; tor this first colony |
must reside upon and improve their lots OF |
only one hundred acres each, tor the term OF |
five years before they are entitled to deed or |
title OF, the lot assi2ied to them. and they
must build their own rsads; while all other
persons can have lot no exceeding two hun
d ed acres eacn, and receive valid title ith
in tour years by performing settling duties
and 'payinS" as it is called, fifty cents per
acre, in building roads tor THEN own benefit.
In answer to yOurinquiry "wly the citizens
OF Maine are not allowed the sase privileges
as are allowed the Swedes," wouh say that
they are allowed precisely the same privileges
with the exception of the twenty-five fam-
lies to which have alluded. They csuld, ii
they would do SO, purchase the land as
have already stated, at the nominal prize of
Ut fifty cents per acre, payable in making
rOads in the township where the land is sihi-
ated. The settler is not required 10 make any
cash payment whatever. But still, strange as
it may seem, these very liberal terms have
| not induced our people to remain in the State
and the last census shows decrease in pop
ulatOn, in nearly every part OF the State, ex-
cept in some of the manufacturing towns.
In view OF these facts, it seems to me that
| the present movement tOsinduce an intelli
gent and industrious people like the Swedes,
to immigrate to, and settle on the wild lands
| in the extreme northerly portions OF the State,
is wise and j1dcious, and one that will result
| iu much benefit to the state.
| In regard to your inquiry as to the "locality
most desirable to settle" would say that
think the seven most easterly ranges OF town.
ships in Aroostook county, embrace the most
desirable lands for settlement.
The State now owns about two hundred
and torty-sx thousand acres of vacant set
ting land already loited for settlement. The
most OF this land is situated in the county q
Aroostook and is of a superior quality. A
plan OF the northwestern part OF the state
embracing the settling lands, may be had at
this office.
am now making preparations to leave fol
/ Aroostook, and have been Obliged to write
hastily. Should you. or those Tor whom you
write, desire any further information in re-
gard to the public lands OF ArOostook, shal
be happy to answer any inquiries you may bt
pleased to make. .N
Very respectfully yours,
PARKER p. BUkLEIGH, Land Agent.