Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-05-27
LETTER FROM AROOSTOOK.
HoULToN, May 22d, 1870.
To Jbe EI,}oy of fbs Tou,o1I

HoULTON, May ZZd, 1917.
To the Editor Of the Journal.
ride of forty six miles north brings us to
one of the pleasantest towns in Aroostook
couny-Fort Fairfield. 1t is situated on the
Aroostook river, and from present appear
ances is destined to be place of considerable
Importance. Already 1 see splendid resi-
dences and other evidences of prosperity.
The river at the present time is full of logs
which the ''drvers" are forcing from the
streams and directing into the St. John. The
river at this point, should judge, was about
half as wide as the Kennebec at Augusta.
A short distance below are the falls, where
the water is forced through a very narrow
passage, on either side of which the rocks
rise perpendicularly to great height.
am told that few years since, man laid
r. r. track around the Falls, and some
cars were placed upon it for the purpose of
getting the lumber by the Falls; but before
the enterprise was completed he failed, and
it was abandoned, and the lumber is carted
around as before. The remains of the scheme
are still tdSbe seen.
The old fort is still standing as n monument
of early times in the settlement of Eastern
Maine am told Fort Kent is still standing.
That is still further north on the frontier.
Presque Isle is twelve miles up the river
from Fort Fairfield Here l find large ho-
tel, several stores, and last, but not least, the
Loyal Sunrise, edited by Bro. Stickney form
erly from the Kennebec, who is doing good
~, 80 nd
Rights. In this section are the best farms l
have seen, and although the season Is very
cold, so far the farmers are not disheartened,
but are putting in the seed, trusting in Him
who has said seed time and harvest shall not
fail. 1t would seem to require quite stretch
of faith, as there was heavy frost last night,
and it is very cold and uncomfortable to-day.
The trees are beginning to put forth their
summer verdure, and the grass is quite green.
Stock has been wintered poorly as it brought
unsatisfactory prices last fall and farmers
preferred to hold it through the winter. But
the winter has been long and in many sections
hay has not held out, and many have been
obliged to buy, and as consequence it has
come out poorly. 1t is said that money was
never so scarce as this spring.
Sheep, as general thing, look well, and
many farmers have already sheared. The
wool is long and coarse and has been used
since the war as a substitute for foreign staple,
and has, in consequence, commanded high
prices. What the result will be with the
present price of gold remains to be seen.
My impression is, from present appearances,
that it will not command as satisfactory
prices as last year.
This county has long felt the need of mill
to work up the wool instead of sending it to
other sections to be manufactured, and know
of no better opportunity for capitalists than to
invest in a wooden mill in this county. Ihave
had opportunity to see most of the farmers in
this section, and almost invariably find them
dressed in clothing of domestic manufacture.
Farmers have neglected to set out orchards
until this spring, as they have supposed it was
too cold for fruit trees to thrive But the en-
terprising firm of Chase Bros. of Rochester,
N. Y, canvassed this part of the county last
fall, and as consequence brought here some
$4,000 worth of hardy varieties, such as
Clutches of Oldenburgh," Golden Russell,
Tallman sweet, Red Astrachan, &C.; also the
Soulard, HisloP, Transcendant Crabs, and it
cannot be otherwise than lasting benehtt to
the people who have tried the experiment
There is no reason why apples cannot be
grown as successfully here as in New Bruins
wick.
| took walk this morning to survey the
| old barracks erected here in the early settle
ment of Maine. They were named in honor
of John Hancock, and were built to protect
the line established by Gen. Scott and John
Quincy Adams when Maine was but prov
ince of Massachusetts,. In looking about the
ruins, examining the quarters" the stock
ade, &c., thought it would be but poor de-
fence against the present mode OF warfare
! A hill one mile east on the New brunswick
side is one hundred feet higher and commands
the site entirely. But l apprehend no dan
ger from John Bull in the future.
Robert Gray had the care of the buildings
after they were vacated by the troops, until
his death, when his widow succeeded until
her decease, and now a son receives the emol-
uments, whlch consist oi one uoiiai d uay i"i
making return once in three months, Just as
though 1t ras garrisoned. Possibly he may
visit the grounds once year, except 1t is to
cut the grass which of course belongs to him
as ''pickings.'
Uncle Sam would make good trade, you
will readily see, were he to dispose OF the
property at discount, as it can never be OF
any earthly use.
| Yours truly, j. r. SAwTELLE.