The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-07-09

Clly emu Ol lnC bridge ana had been tor
many years u landmark for scamcn enter
ing the harbor were blown down.
There was Il mail stage running weekly
this year between this place and Augusta,
leaving Augusta every Wednesday morn
ing and arriving here ut evening of the
same day, and returning the next day.
The tri-wcckIy stage from Portland was
running, leaving Portland ut | O'Clock u.
NJ Of one day and arriving here at 10 u
M. Of The next; the stage fare between
the two places was 500 -.
At the annual Spring meeting, March
18th, held at the Town Hall, the first meet
ing held there, Rufus Is. Allync, Joseph
Smith and Samuel Gordon were chosen
Selcctmen, Herman Abbott. Town Clerk,
and Thomas Marshall, Treasurer. At the
annual Fall meeting the largest number OF
ballots thrown for any candidate was l52'
Ralph G. johnson Esq was elected Rep-
resentative. A census of the inhabitants
was taken in December, whole number
2839, showing an increase of Sl3 within
the preceding five years There were
then III dwelling houses within half
mile OF the lower bridge
The number of deaths in town during
tins year was seycntv-siX: iorty-iyc of
those who died were children under four
years Of age. This unusual mortality was
caused by the prevalence OF fiuN and f.
yer, or q ysentery. Nearly onc-halI of our
population. We're attacked by the disease
within Six weeks. Among the adults to
whom it proved fatal was Doctor Herman
| Abbott. who died ut the Eagle Hotel july
9th in the torty-Sccond Year OF his age.
lie was 4 native of Wilton, \. III. aud had
been practising physician in this place
| for fifteen years. He was man OF extern
| Siye scientific research and OF skill in his
| profession, of unquestioncd integrity and
unaffected picty. No man ever lived and
died here who WAS more respected 10y his
fellow townsmrn lie was one OF the few
OF whom it might be truthtullY said that
by preccpt and the example OF a pure life
'lic taught us how To live and OOH, too high
| The price of knoWPdgc) taught lis how To die.
In his last hour he remarked to a friend
| that he looked ON ''dcath as the inevitable
| lot of man, but to the christian not an
| evil" Doctor Abbott had been for several
years collecting material for history of
the town; Mr.. White in his History ac
knOwIedgeS his Indebtedness to the Doc
| tors manuscript for many important facts :;
| it is a matter Of regret that that manuscript
cannot now be found AT the time of h-
dcccaSc Doctor Abbott was Town Clerk,
! having held the office several successive
years Nathaniel Ii. Bradbury was his sue
ceSsor, elected in August following.
There was a good amount Of activity
this year in trade and commerce, especial
ly in the articles of cordwood and lumber
which were two important elements of
wealth in and around this section OF the
county. In one day in March, there We're
hauled into the village III cords Of wood
on one road as much or more probably.
on ALI the other roads In this avalanche
of cordwood the reverend clergy We're
not permitted to escape a visitation two
loads, each containing five cords, We're
deposited in the back yards oftwo of them ;
they were graceless enough to make men
ton of the visitation in the Gazette as
cause Tor gratitude,
The Custom House records show that
during the year twenty-five vessels, princi-
pallv briggs, loaded at this port for foreign
parts, most of them for the West India
islands Their cargoes consisted of the
products Of this and neighboring towns.
Some of the principal articles were boards
shingles, slaves, sugar-boN and hogshead
shocks, spars, picked fish, dried cod fish
and potatoes
This year also is memorable for its for
est fires Many valuable wood lots in the
vicinity OF the village were much injured
by the fire and nothing but cOpious fall
of rain prevented their total destruction.
The loss OF property in wood, lumber,
houses and barns, oxen, cows, sheep and
swine in the town Of Ripley and vicinity
| in the county of Somerset was very large
but in Miramichl it may we'll be said that
twas immense; the calamity was aggra-
waited there by the loss of life which ac-
companied it, One hundred and thirty
We're burned, ten drowned, and twenty, in
addition died from injuries received.
Some of our townsmcn were sufferers in
the loss Of property and some who had
previously resided here persisted by fire on
water.
On the 18th OF December the Sloop
Syren, commanded by our highly respect
ed tellow-citizen Capt Ezekiel Burgess.
left this port for Boston, and early the
next morning, owing to the thick vapor
occasioned by the severe cold, struck on Il
ledge off Richmond's island, and immedi-
ately bilged. The master, crew and the
only passenger Mr., now the Hon. Jacob
Sleeper Of Boston, took the boat and land
ed on the island She had on board an
assorted cargo comprising pipes of ITol-
land gin, ) bags of pepper, Is bars of iron,
q barrels of shad, . of fish oil, u barrels
Of beans, ID cords of wood &c The
sloop afterwards dritted off and went
ashore near Townsend; the sails and rig
ging and n portion OF the cargo were
| saved