The Portland daily press., 1871-11-16
Not "Dyfng Oui''-A FIourishins Village

BERRY 8 MILLS, Nov. ID, 1871.
To the Editor Of the Press
"Berrys Mills" so called, in the town of
Carthage, franklin county, is located on
WebD's river (which is the outlet OF Webb's pond
in Weld, and empties into the Androscoggin
river at Dixfield village. "Berry's Mills" are
eleven miles from North Jay station on the A.
r. where the business of this section most
ly finds its way to the outer world.
Sixteen years ago there was no business
done in this place. 1t contained one store,
which was closed, one shngle and wooden
ware mill, one saw mill (both fallen iD) one
clover mill, and the remains Of grist mill,
also seven dwelling houses and one school
house. The roads were grass-grown, save in
places you could discover the horse path and
wheel ruts. But Clark & Pratt saw the ele-
ments OF business here in an excellent water
power and the fine farming region surround
ing, so they purchased the mill property and
store ard started business by selling part of
the mill property and repairing the balance
and hlling.the store with sock of goods.
70 day "Berry's Mills is a smart little viii
pair shop, where HI. A. Bemis & Co., in addi-
ton, make patent washing machines, and are
now filling a large contract Tor folding clothes
horses. Their shops contains 20-incb planer,
circular saws and other machinery. In the
place of the ola saw mill is a good saw mill
with the addition of sbingle and clapboard ma
chimes, and in the basement the enterprising
proprietors, j. Barrett & Son, have this fall put
24-inch planer and other machinery for the
manufacturing of salt boxes, for which they
have large contracts, as have the Bemises,
which will make ready market for several
hundred cords of poplar wood this winter.
The grlst mill has been so renovated with new
Watep Whe9ls, burr stones and flour bolts that
it is equal to the best in the surrounding towns
and its owner, j. l.. Pratt, is the principal
dealer in Hour and corn, OF which he sells
large amounts yearly. The store has recently
changed hands, Clark & Holt having sold out
to y. L. Maxwell, who has made a large add-
ton to the stock and is now doing a flourish
ing business.
H. A Bradeen, the celebrated Snowman
and bear tamer," with his bears shat were
captured in the wilds of Carthage" reside
here, and he AID his wife are selling a few
goods in one room OfStheir house.
w. Clark has manufactured few hundred
cases of women's, misses and Chi. dren's shoes
the past two years. This village now contains
besides the mills, store and school house.
twenty one dwelling houses and two black.
smith shops
Sixteen years ago the Post Office was one
mile distant and not ten copies OF newspapers
taken, where now over 100 copies are distrib-
uted weekly, besides about thirty monthly pa
pers and periodicals with the office at "Berry's
Mills" and, Mr.. PRESS, yours is the largest list
among the weekly papers. According to a
Western phrase, this is fright smart" little
place now. There are in this town seven good
water powers not taken up yet. What is want
ed to bring this section OF the county into no.
tice is the extension of the Androscoggin Rail.
road.
We have many excellent farms in this vicin-
ity, the soil being strong and producing good
crops, if it is somewhat rocky. Limestone
quarries, that produce good quality of lime
and ':argentiferous galena,'' which Prof.
Hayes has pronounced rich, exist in consider
able quantities. Carthage also has several
mineral springs, and who knows that it NAV
not some day rival Saratoga! CARTHAGE.