The Republican journal., 1874-04-30
ANNALS OF BELFAST FOR HALP A OlNTIeY
BY AN OLD SETTLER.
CHATTER IN. (1S10-11.)

hundred ana ScVcntN-lOuf The town OF
ficers elected at the annual spring meeting
were Samuel Houston. Jr., John Merri.
am, Henry Goddard, SclectmeA; Jonathan
Wilson, Clerk; John Wilson, Treasurer
three Of them residing on the cast side 81
the river, two Oh the west.
The nineteenth day Of JANUARY VIZ.
long remembered as the "Cold Friday'';
in the almanacs and newspapers for severa
years succeeding mention was made of ii
by that name Williamson in his History
of Maine speaks of it as the coolest day
known in this locality since the cold win
ter of 1884; yet the mercury III the Their
mometer stood at on y - deg. or l6 deg
below zero The day preceding was IN
usually mild; so warm that persons en-
gagged in chopping wood, and other man
ual labor in the open air, found it uncom
Portable to work with their coats on. Just
before night the wind began to blow from
the north with snow squalls which in
creased in severity as the night wore on
In the morning Of the 10Th and during
that day the cold was so intense that AL
outdoor work was suspended; piling Oh
wood in the old-fashioned fire places fun
nished sufficient employment to keep Ill
hands out of idleness
During the night preceding q schooner
at anchor off knowlton's cove in North
port, BROKE from her mornings was driven
across and stranded at a place then known
as Grinnell's Point, on Long Island. She
was discovered in the morning by The
islanders, who boarded her Us soon as
they were able so to do and found all the
crew msensible,a apparently frozen to death ;
the captain was not on board. They got
them on shore, however, rs soon rs posi-
BILE, and to the nearest house. One OF
them, who was the best clad Of them all,
and who proved to be the mate, was laid
aside as dead beyond question. The others
exhibiting some signs of vitality a mes
senger was Immediately despatched to this
place for a physician this being the near
est point at which one could be found. Be
fore he reached the Island the ocad mate
had come to life, and it is Il singular fact
that he was the only one Of he number
who proved not to he frost-bitten in any
Of his limbs. The others Were 50 badly
frozen that amputation of one OF more of
their limbs became necessary to save their
lives; one of them lost both legs. As soon
as it could be done with safety they We're
brought across TO Northport where medi-
cal aid could be more readily and con-
veniently afforded. Their suffering con-
dition appealed loudly to the sympathy
and charity of the good people Of this
place. and received a prompt and most
liberal response Many years afterwards
the sailor who lost both his legs made his
appearance here; he did not come, he
said, to hunt up his legs but to see once
more the people who We're SO KIND to him
when he lost them
This year the Belfast Academy was
built \ brief history Of this Institution,
which has lived nearly up to its three
score years and ten, may not be out Of
place here. 1t was incorporated by the
General Court of Massachusetts in Feb
ruary, 1908. The act of incorporation en-
braced 4 grant of one half township OF
land six miles square in the county Of
Washington, now Aroostooh, ON condition
that within three Years from the passage
of the act the sum of three thousand dol
lars should be raised for the endowment
of the academy and appropriated to that
use. The meeting OF the Trustees for on
ganization was held on the thirtieth day
of March following, and before the twenty
seventh day of July, then next, the amount
required was raised by subscription. The
largest portion Of the funds was raised
here; there were some liberal donations,
however, from non-residents owning lands
in the vicinity The general depression
bined to delay active operations for a
while, and it was not until this year that
the erection of the building was complet-
ed. 1t was Of about the same dimensions
and model rs the present brick building,
with 4 tasteful portico; it stood nearer
High street, the front of it being but few
feet westerly of the westerly line of what
Is now Church street, which was not To-
Gated until many years afterwards; the
to it was by an avenue leading
from High street. 1t was the habit Of the
boys of those days who attended the AGA
denny to utilize High street, when school
was dismissed during the summer time,
by playing ''leap-frog'' ION in front Of it
to Nesmith's Corner.
1t was formally dedicated on the eigh-
teenth Of May, A. d. 1911 The character
of the services on that occasion may be
gathered from the following votes passed
by the Trustees at a meeting held on that
day. Voted, that the thanks Of the Trus-
tees be presented to Mr.. Porter for his ele-
giant and appropriate Grafton delivered at
the dedication of Belfast Aca denny, this
day, and that a copy be requested for the
press" ''Noted that the thanks of the
Trustees be presented to William Moody
and the other musicians for their appro
pirate and highly gratifying performances
on this OCCASION" What those "perform-
ances' We're does not appear of record;
possibly the "Ode on Science and the
dying Christian; those being about the
only anthems known to the sweet singers
of those days, and let off on all occasions,
Fourth of July only excepted, and that
only so far as the last named was con-
cerned.
The Academy went into operation I'M
under the charge of Mr. James
Porter, the orator referred to above. He