The Portland daily press., 1874-11-12
The ArOOStOOk.
-Four Promising Towns-Smuggiing-
East, Young Wan, etc.


-Four Promising TOwns-Smuggiins-G
East, Young Man, etc.
There was no part Of Maine SO disasterously
affected by the war as Aroostood County. 1t
had just entered upon period of unusual
prosperity. Hundreds of young men, induced
by the liberal offers of the state to settlers, had
taken up lots. To such an extent was this
true that during the four years previous to the
breaking out of the rebellion that more land
had been sold 10 settlers than for three
times as many years previous In that
time a half dozen whole townships
were "taken" by actual settlers. When the
the first to respond. He had less to keep him
at home for he had hardly begun. Besides the
older towns were full of young men who
eagerly enlisted We have the best authority
for the statement that in no part of the state
did the same number of inhabitants furnish so
many good men for the country's cause and
at the same time get so little credit for it for
the reason that hundreds went to the cities to
enlist where tempting bounties were paid.
Hundreds never went back, the bushes and
weeds covered the farm just begun, the tide of
settlers was stopped, the Western fever had
its run, yet, despite these drawbacks, Aroos-
took made o greater increase of population
than any other county during the war decade.
We predict that the census of 1880 will place
that county among such as Somerset and
Waldo, andif her railroad facilities are increased
even higher in the list.
Houlton is one of the thriftiest villages in
the State and contains larger number of fine
residences, stores and::other buildings than any
place of its size in the State There are the coun
ty buildings, the custom house, six churches,
an academy, which our energetic Baptist peo-
pie are about to take charge Of; several mills,
water and steam; more than twenty stores, the
most of which do a large business; two hotels
SO excellent that you won't think of inquiring
which is the best; two papers, The Times by
Theodore Cary and the Pioneer by w. S. Gill
man and just as lively crowd of business
men as can be found "outside." The village
has more than doubled its number of good
buildings in six years and the growth is now at
its best. Its trade is assured by its water pow
er and the fine farming country which sur.
rounds it, This trade is not confined to Yam
keedom for despite numerous custom house Of
fcials on both sides, there is deaf of free trade
in small way. Even the average good man
there can't be made to see that it is wrong to
take goods TO and fro across that imaginary
line marked by iron mile posts. During the
war the 'balance" of that kind of commerce
was very heavily against u.s. Now it is in our
favor, except so far as farm products are con-
cerned. Nearly all descriptions sof groceries,
boots, shoes, farm utensils, edge tools and the
common products of our cotton and wooden
mills are sold cheaper here than in the Do
minion so that smuggling, great and small, in
| these articles is from us. The Canada &
| New Brunswick Railroad which has branch
| into Houlton is the secret of this rapid growth
and its business, (the railroad's) is Increasing
annually at a rate of fifteen or twenty per cent.
| Travelling from Houlton northwest forty
| miles over the worst road that ever was but
through the fine farming towns of Littleton,
Monticello, Bridgewater, Blaine and Westield,
we come to Presque Isle. On the way, how
ever, to rest your horses, you will stop on the
| hills and take view miles away on eithe
hand to see that there are thousands of acres
| of excellent tillage lands as far as the eye can
see; and if you make your trip in early Octo-
Der when the hardwood forests are putting on
their delicate but brilliant autumnal tints,
| your vision will take in the most gorgeous and
magnificent sights to be seen in Maine because
on so extensive scale. This remark applies
to all the country above Houlton.
Presque Isle is another trade cen ter, with
mills of all kinds, a dozen we'll stocked stores,
two churches, an academy, the largest hotel in
the county and model in its way, a number
| of beautiful residences to say nothing Of a
large number of neat cottages. In 1860 nearly
half of the village was burned, but now it has
ten substantial buildings where it then had
one. Two newspapers flourish here, the Sun
rise by Father Stickney, and the North Star by
DR.. Parker, both of whom drive vigorous pens,
often into each other. It's people are mostly
from the western part of the state and are en-
ergetic, intelligent and full of public spirit
If you take the easterly fork Of the branch
ing roads at Blaine coruer, you will pass
through the growing towns of Mars Hill and
Easton to Fort Fairfield, another fine agricul-
tural town and the second or third in popula.
ton in the county. The village is on the
Aroostook river and is growing fast and solid
1t is the center of a large retail trade depend
Ing upon a rich country. The village has
grown from a few scattering houses dozen
years tsince to "a good sized one with many
fine residences and dozen stores. The town
contains a large number of first class men and
some Of the ablest and most influential in the
county. Intensely Republican, it once in 9
while asserts the character and purity Of its
faith by giving two-thrds of its vote against
regular nominations. 1t is surrounded with
charming scenery which extends all along the
Aroostook river. Fort Fairfield has the repu
tation OF being one Of the best towns in thu
county in every respect-a reputation to which
it is fully entitled.
The village OF Caribou, in the town of Lvn
don, is another trade center. 1t is the OUTPOST
Of the English speaking settlements, is grow
| ing fast and already has very large trade fo
its dozen stores aud shops. 1t has good waite,
power and all the mills required for countr,
business.
The four places named are the principa
trade centers Of the county and each is sur
rounded by fine, growing farming towns and
lands requisite for the support Of dense agri
culturas population. As has been before init
mated, the nonresident proprietors are dis
posed to keep settlers off their lands as tn
: fires Of land clearing are sure to destroy til
tracts of timber lying between the hard woo
ridges. The E. & N A. Railway Co. has quit
e large amount of settling land which it
E obliged to sell when required for settlement
: We predict that within few years some
/, these fertile acres will be required by actu:
f settlers, for the shrewd young men will 500
g see that Aroostook is q better country to max