The Republican journal., 1874-12-24
ANNALS VI BELFAST lOR HALF A CENTTRY.
B Y 4 y OLD $ SETTLER
CHAPTER NLIlI. 1881

the funeral obsequies of our worthy and
enterprlslng toWnsElan, Capt. Joseph Rol-
erson, his wife and son Charles. were OBJ
served at the Universaist Church. They
perlshed In the wreck of the brig Falconcr
which was lost in Ipswich Bay on the 18th
OF December, on her passage from St.
Johns, N. b., to Boston, laden with pas
sengers and coal from Sidney. Fourteen
OF the passengers also perished The re-
mains OF the Captain, his wife and son
were brought to this place for interment.
lie was member Of the Lodge of odd
Fellows and was buried with the usual
rites and ceremonies OF the Order
Lyceum was maintained during a
large part Of the year, excluding the sum-
mer months The exercises consisted of
lectures and discussions Among the
lecturers We're Rev. Messrs. Edward +.
Cutter, Joseph Kicker, Nathan G.. Fletch-
er, Hon. Joseph Williamson and James
W. Webster Of this place, Rev. Stephen
Thurston of Searsport and William II.
Goldman, Esq, of Camden
The musical entertainments Of the year
commenced on the 21st Of January with
a concert at the Unitarian Church by the
Belfast Brass Band they gave another in
May.-Mr. Wyeete and his wonderful
family, from Glasgow, Sc0tland,n gave
Grand Olio, or musical entertainment"
at Washington Hall on the l4th of June.
The ''kilmiste Family from Europe"
gave two or three 'Grand Vocal, Instru-
mental, and Terpsichorean Entertain
ments'' at the same place in July and Au-
gust.-Barnekoy and Company gave a
concert on the Sth OF Augusta "Grand.
Vocal, Sentimental, Instrumental. Ethio-
plan and Operate Soiree' was held at
Washington Hall on the l1th Of October
by the Harmonious, and on the oath, Mr..
Dempster, somewhat celebrated vocalist,
gave a concert at OsbOrns Hall This
hall was in the brick building on Main
street erected the Year preceding by Mr.
AlOnzo Osborn.
AT the annual spring meeting, March
9th, Nathaniel M. LoWney, James Cam
mons and Abram n Moves were elected
Selectmen, Nathaniel Patterson, Clerk,
Daniel liaraden, Treasurer The monies
raised were tor support of schools 25OO 90
being about 10000 more than ever be-
tore ralsed-tor support Of paupers and
insane 10000, for incidental eNpences 100
90. for payment OF debts 100000, for re-
pairs OF roads and bridges 100000 and
100000 in labor and materials \ vote
was passed to allow for labor of men and
oxen on the highways II - cents per
hour
1hesnew Hall of the Sons of Temper
ance in johnson Block was formally dedi-
Gated on the evening Of the tenth the adj
dress was by Rev. n. c. Fletcher.
On the 2Sth Mr. Martin Cross announced
to the public that he had become landlord
OF 1.-THE Phoenix House.
The first steamer to make her appear
ance was the Admiral, Capt. Thomas Rog-
ers. March 9TH. Beside her there were on
the route between this place and Portland
and Boston, the Senator, Capt Samuel
Seymour, who made her first appearance
on the 9th OF June and her last on the 2Oth
OF July, when her place was taken by the
Governor, Capt T. e. Jewett The new
steamer State of Maine, Capt. ). II. lloWes,
touched here for the first time on the 9th
of July and made an excursion down the
Bay the day following. She left this route
on the 18th Of November The W. j.
Pease, q new boat, made her first appear
ance here on the 10th OF April She was
commanded by Capt. L. b. Sanford until
early in July when Capt William Flowers
took command of her The Penobscot
and the Charter Oak were also on the
route 4 portion of the season. The Secor
resumed her trips between this place and
Ellsworth on the 18th Of May At one
time in the summer the fare from this place
to Boston was reduced by competition to
one dollar.
The pulpH in the Unitarian Church
which had bravely maintained its position
tor thirty years Welded at last to the de-
Of f,ob;n 4 'I,,-;.f
converted into a aeSh from which Rev
Cazneau PalIrey preached tor the first
time on Sunday the 10th Of April. While
the change was being made the religious
services OF the society We're held in the
Nestry. Doctor Palfrev was installed Pas
tor on the 10Th. The religious services
on the occasion were as follows: Sermon
by Rev. DR.. Thompson of Salem, Mass,
Installing prayer and Charge to the Pastor
by Rev. DR.. Parkman OF Boston, Fellow
ship of the churches hr Rev. Mr. Cole Of
HalloWell, Address to the people by Rev
Mr.. Cutler of Portland. In the evening
there was Parish "Pic-nic' at Osborn
Hall. DR.. Paltrey's pastoral connection
with the society was terminated by his
resignation in April 1871. His farewell
discourse was preached on the 10th of that
month. He still resides here, esteemed
and beloved by the members Of the society
to whom for nearly a quarter Of Il century
he broke the bread OF lite, and respected
by the community at large.
There We're but few lectures this wear
aside from those before the Lyceum and
Temperance Associations. Nh Wakefield
delivered one on the Magnetic Telegraph
on the evening Of the 2lst of April DR.
N. Wheeler delivered three on Phrenolo-
gy in the month of May, and Dr. Gregory
three or more in Augusto on the professional
education of females as physicians.
The first number OF the Maine Common
School Advocate was issued on the first
day Of May. 1t was published by Rowe
T. Griffin and edited by the Secretary of
the Board of Education. 1t was published
semi-monthly until August |, 1919 when
it was discontinued tor lack of patronage
sufficient to pay. the cost Of publication.
About 10 O'Clock in the evening of the
first of May the first fire of the season
occurred. A small wooden building on
the Lincolnville road, a short distance be- |
yond Jail hill, was burned with all its con-
tents. 1t was occupied by widow and her |
two small children who were in bed and |
asleep when the fire broke out. and barely |
escaped with their lives, The general |
opinion was that the fire was kindled by |!
mean, cowardly scamp who lacked the
moral courage to resort to the law Of the
land for redress of a real or fancied injury.
In the morning Of November 2lst a barn
belonging to Capt, Isaac smalley, on the
road to the Head Of the Tide, about mile
from the village, was wholly consumed
with the ell connecting it with the house
n w biob ba lived How tho trn n q faI |
was never known. The policy of insurance
on the buildings had expired but few
days before the fire. There were frequent
fire alarms during the year, but the fore
going are the only instances within the
memory of the compiler when there was
a serious loss of property.
The following is q list of the vessels
launched this year, 50 far as remembered:
the ship Bothnia of about 100 tons, briggs
Rockingham, l4S, Georgiana, l12, Lady
of the Lake. 14S. Carlann, 1911, Marine