Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-31

pass up the river, of the course and result OF
which Mr. North gives very full and inter
esting account. In the Revelation ,hey
tributed their share to the common defence.
At a town meeting in 1880 it Was voted to
| give to each private soldier who might enlist
| two and halt thousand feet Of pine boards
per month, hut the town was to have the State
| or Continental bounty and wages. Taxes in
creased, the currency became nearly worth
| less, there were no mails to bring the news Of
the struggle for liberty, but the patriotism OF
the people rose superior to all difficulties
Rev. Jacob Bailey made himself prominent as
story" preacher, but his views founl few
supporters and he remained in the country only
at the peril Of his life The first meeting OF
record at which the town voted for Governor
was in 1882, and John Hancock had twenty
three votes for that Office, none being thrown
| in opposition. Immediately after the close OF
the war town meeting was held which voted
| ESQ towards the building of meeting house
| for public worship. Among the names Of in
dividuals prominent in those carly days are
some now frequent in our community. The
| biographical sketches furnished of them are
! full of interest. IN 1870 court house was
erected and the January term Of the next
year was held in it. The toxin was now thirty
ing There was post Office Mt each village,
the Fort and Hook, and in 1895 en- academy
was built and opened for pupils and news
paper was published. An incident of 1874
was the arrival at Hallowel of Taleyrand.
He had been obliged to fee from France dur
ing the French Revelation, and took passage
in vessel which landed him at Wiscasset.
He came to Ha,l0well with letter to Col.
North. lie had companion with him who is
supposed to have been the young Duke Of
Orleans. Louis PHILIPPE afterwards king of
France.
In 1877 the town Of IIal!ow eli was divided.
The portion set oil was incorporated into a
town by the name of Harrington, which was
soon afterwards changed to Augusta. This
year the kennebec bridge was built; lis com
pletion was considered the most important
work which occurred in the town since its
settlement, and was ''duly observed by n
dinner in DR.. Conys store chamber, a;
which the proprietors, workmen and citizens
sat down. This was the only bridge at the
time across the Kennebec and the grandest
one in the State. In 1898 kennebec county
was established and the next year Kennebec
Agricultural Society. In 1902 a court house
was finished and bell placed upon it, the
first known in these parts. We find that
branding and whipping were some Of the pun
ishments inflicted in those days for offences
against the law. and in some eases offenders
might be '!sold to service" Passing along
we find a memorial to President jefferson by
| the citizens of Augusta against the Embargo,
and Jefferson's reply. The town evidently
was beginning to think itself OF some import
ance. 1t was no. only active in politics, but
in the causes of religion and education, which
it promoted literally. The war OF 1872 was
| severely felt by the inhabitants. Such were
the restrictions on goods that smuggling grew.
In 1914 there was but one store in town, and
in this rum, tobacco and cigars" were sold,
but ''no goods" In 1916 an effort was made
to effect the separation of Maine from Massa-
chusetts but failed; it was renewed in 1919
with success, and in 1920 Maine was admitted
rs State. Commissioners appointed upon
the location Of the capital of the new State
reported in favor of Augusta but it was not
until 1927 that bill passed the Legislature to
that effect, and by its provisions did not go
into operation until 1882. The history of the
contest over this measure is one of which
| Augusta has some reason to be proud, for the
| influences against it were strong not the least
of which were not far to seek. Then came
the building of the Arsenal by the United
States government, and before this was COM
pleted the erection of the State House was
commenced, the corner stone of the latter be-
ing laid July 4th 1920
We have thus briefly and hastily noted
some of the records in Mr.. North's History
running down to the time last mentioned
| above, and have examined little more than
halfof its pages. Events since 1880 are fresher
in the memory than those of the preceding
period from the first settlement, and the firstwc
shall pass with Recommendation that they be
carefully studied, and an endorsement OF the
ability with which the work is done. We
have given no idea in this article Of the many
rich anecdotes, tales OF pioneer life, adven-
lures with Indians, hardshps, with which
these pages abound, and make it humorous
and interesting. These have been cullcd and
thrown in with good Judgment and relieve
the detail Of dry facts, which however in
s,ructivc have no charm for many readers.
The volume will be treasure to our citizens
and an honor tn its author, not only in this
community, but wherever it is scanned by
eyes that can understand and appreciate the
amount and quality OF the labor required fol-
It's preparation.
H0NOR 10 WHOH HONOR Is DUE.
The January number Of the Electic con
I tains criticism on American flumor SOM
Of the irst statements in the article are erro
neous, therefore we beg liberty to call atten