The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-10-17
kENNEBUNKPoRT, Me-, Oct. I.

Jordan P. Wiggin, Esq, Ctlpepper, Va:
Dear Sir-Yours of the 4th instant came
to hand to-day, and in reply would say that
| had my attention called to the article in
the New York World, and at first [ was
inclined to reply to it, but as we had vir-
tually completed our work here in Maine,
when we were through with our State cleo
ton, / did not suppose it to be hardly
worth while.
If, however, can do you any good out
in Virginia, / shall be glad to do so, and
will give you a few items in regard to the
business Of this Office.
There was formerly quite foreign trade
with the West lndias done ut this port, but
of late years there has not been much.
We have been engaged in shp-building and
in the coastwise trade. There are register
ed here forty-six vessels, with an aggregate
tonnage of II ,024 5000. Asmany Of the
vessels are large they are in the foreign trade,
but do not come herein these days, as that
trade is done chiefly at the large cities.
We have here from the South many
cargoes yearly of Southern pine ard oak
timber aud plank, which 60 into the YES
sells built here; in fact except for a few
small vessels, all the lumber comes from
the Southern States.
In 1862 there were built here twelve veg
sells, 4,024 52-95 tons; in 1868, ten vessels,
5,5ll 2O-95 tons in 1864, eleven vessels,
$3.50 1s-l00 tons in 1865, eighteen ves-
sells, $500 $4,000 tons 1865, twenty yes
sells, 2,2s7 94-l00 tons in 1867, eleven
vessels, 7 329 7S-100 tons 1868, fourteen
vessels, 1864 25-l00 tons; 1869, five ves-
sells, 1893 10-100 tons 1870, eight vessels,
1892 23-100 tons 1871; ten vessels,
1924 2-IO0 tons. Total. ll9 vessels. 49,
757 72-100 tons.
The district of kennebunk comprises the
towns of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and
Wells, and was established about the year
1893. 1t has about 20 miles of sea-eoast,
five harbors and six rivers. The nearest
custom-house east is Saco, distance ten
miles west is York, twenty miles and for
our ship-oWners and masters to go to
either of those places to procure their pa
pers would be serious inconvenience.
The officers here formerly were: A COL
lector with salary Of 1886; deputy col
lector, $3.50; inspector, 5000; inspector at
Wells, $500; one at Cape Porpoise, $3.50 !;
total, $2,30G. Now there is collector
who is paid by fees, and receives nothing
from government. The sum of $l06, set
down as being his salary is wrong, for he
has none; his fees are paid by the masters
and owners for measuring vessels, for pa
pers, &c. There was also 1920 for tempo
rary inspector. This was in 1870, when
foreign steamer came ashore on the beach
remote from either inspector, and person
living near employed for while, and is
not regular expense.
The cargo which was foreign was after
wards conveyed to Portland and entered
there.
The salaried officers are an inspector at
Kennebunk, salary $500 (he also acts as
deputy collector without pay one inspec-
TOR each at Ogunquit, Wells and Cape por-
poise, salary 1856; total 81 06S.
AS every intelligent person is aware,
these inspectors are to prevent smuggling,
for if there were none whose business it
is to look out for frauds upon tho revenue,
these small ports would be full of visitors
from abroad, and the result would DO
smuggling carried on to very great ex-