The Republican journal., 1874-10-22
ANNALS on BELFAST FOB NALE A CENTURY,
B i. \ n OLD !, & TIL L r
CHAPTER XXXIY, (lS40.)

cade In the century. According to the
National Census then Just completed, our
population was 4194; an increase of 1l17
from 1880. Belfast was then one of the
nine cities and towns in the State contain
ing over four thousand inhabitants. The
increase in the population of the county
during the same term was II, 745; but
wit lin that time Vinalhaven had been an
neXed to the county, which accounts for a
portion of the apparent increase
There were several fires this year, but
none of magnitude. The house Of Mr..
Simon Knowles, on the outskirts OF the
town, was destroyed by fire about the 25th
of February, with its contents. In the
morning OF June 18th, the barn and porch
attached to the dwelling of Capt. Benia-
min Linekin were burned; the fire COM
menced in the barn and it was only by the
greatest eXertion that the house was saved.
On the night of June 9th the house Of
Capt. John royle, on Main street, was
burned. He and his family were absent
from town at the time and the house was
unoccupied. No doubt was entertained
| that it was the work of an incendiary.
The house stood on the site Of the one now
occupied by Mr.. Cyrus Patterson In the
evening of October Sth, 'Muster DAY."
large barn on the Col Morrill, lot, so called,
located half mile from any building or
road was burned The general impress
sion was that it was the accidental work
! of some one who, excited by the evou-
tions OF the muster field, had sought the
secluSion of a hay NOW to cool off his
military ardor; it was thought also that
pipe had something to do with it. Another
barn in the neighborhood belonging to Mr.
Jonathan Durham was burned in the eve
ming OF the 18th; it was the second barn
which Mr.. Durham had lost by fire within
about year.
Hon Alfred Johnson's term of office as
Judge of Probate for this county expired
on the first day of March by Constitutional
limitation, and Hon. Jonathan Thaver of
Camden was appointed his successor. Viii
liam II. Goldman, Esq, of Camden, re-
signed his office as Register OF Probate
and Charles Palmer, ESQ, of this place
was appointed.
Ihe steamer Bangor made her first APP
pearance tor the season on the 18th Of
April but was not vet able to come nearer
our wharves than the landing referred to
IN previous chapter On the 10Th she
passed by on her way up the river with
three hundred troops destined for Iloulton.
On the 10th of June she touched here at
A. NJ, to take delegates to the Wing State
Convention to be neld at Augusta on the
day following; there was no Maine Cen
trail Railroad with a branch to Belfast in
those DAYS. She made her last trip for the
season in the latter part Of November
On the 18th OF MAY Mr. Edward Wight
committed suicide by cutting his throat
with a draw shave He was an honest,
upright man For some time before he
committed the act he had been laboring
under mental alteration. He was about
siXty-eight years of age.
The Fourth of July was celebrated by
the Democrats at Blacks Corner in Pros
poet, now in Searsport, where an Grafton
was delivered by Hon. D. g. Dickerson of
this city, then residing at West Prospect
There was public dinner in q bower pro-
yided tor the occasion The day was COM
memorated here by the Wings with an
Grafton by Lucius H. Chandler, Esq, then
Of Thomaston, and public dinner in the
Mcfarland Grove; no longer q Grove
but the site Of numerous handsome edi-
fees. 1t was the first public demonstra-
ton made in this place by the supporters
OF General Harrison for the Presidency
utlt w ~ u ioIS plOttSSlOI W ultil llltticil-
ed through our streets to the Grove, pre-
coded by the party emblems, the " log
cabin and ''hard-cider barrel" mounted
on wheels-the 'political Jaggerell" as
the editor Of the journal styled them
there We're banners floating in the air, en-
| signs borne by horsemen, notices displayed
in every direction, and crowd as confident
of success and as happy IN the anticipation
OF it as Fourth of july ever gazed on. The
celebration was no more palatable to the
previous Years had been to the Wings but
with comparatively few exceptions they
| submitted to it with very good grace
How could they helpit? The log cabin"
with the smoke curling from its chimney,
was a tac stWt}e of the genuine article, the
faces peering from its door and windows
were most mlrth-proyoking, the notices
on the banners were hard hits but good
natured ones, there was not the slightest
odor of rtnegar about the hard cider, every
heart was full to overlooking and every
face radiant with JOY. Under such com
bnaton of circumstances men who could
not conscientiously "Hurrah for Tippeca-
noe and Tyler too" could not find it in
their hearts to grumble at those who did.
A Wing Convention was held here on
the 10Th OF August, at which Sanford A.
kngsbury of China was nominated for
Congress, and Doctor Joseph Huse Cam
den for Presidential Elector. A Democratic
Convention had been held previously at
which Alfred Marshall of China was nomi-
mated for Congress and John b. Nealey of
Monroe for Elector. Mr.. Nealey died on
the 9TH of October. and Thomas Bartlett
Of Hope was substituted 1t is matter
OF history that Messrs. Marshall and Huse
were the successful nominees
Attic annual spring meeting the muni-
cipal officers of the year preceding We're
reelected by increased maiorities The
contest was on strictly party ground and
the Wing ticket prevailed At the annual
fall meeting, September 14th, the number
OF votes thrown on the gubernatorial ticket
was 1874 for Fairfield 431, tor Kent 353
Benjamin +. Blackstone was elected Re-
preventative.
The first number of the Waldo Signal,
Wing in politics, appeared on the 18th of
October, Mr. Charles Giles, practical
printer, son of Paul Giles, Of whom men
ton has heretofore been made, was its pub
Usher. 1t was enlarged in dimensions in
1876 and assumed the name of the State
Signal. Isaac N. Felch, Esq, was its ed-
tor until October 1871 when a sale of the
paper and office was made to William l..
Avery of this place and Horace X. kimball
Of New York. Mr. Giles subsequently en-
gagged in mercantile pursuits. He was
postmaster in this place from 1S49 10 1853
At an early period in the War Of the Re
bellion he enlisted in the Fourteenth Maine
Regiment and fell in the battle of Baton
Rouge, August 9th, 1862, aged about 45
Mr.. Felch was native of Parsonsfeld,
graduate at Bowdon OF the class of 1888
and by profession a lawyer He was Depu-
ty Collector under Nj. &. Blake, Esq, in
1919. After leaving this place he was for
4 short time editor OF the Portland Even
ing Courier. He was member of the
Legislature for several sessions He died
at Hollis, April p, 1870, aged titty-tour
At the Presidential election, November
I'd. the whole number of votes thrown was
No, - e. I