The Republican journal., 1874-01-01
ANNALS On BELFAST FOR NALF A CENTURY.
b Y A n OLD SETTLER.
CHAPTER (1S05.)


marks on Acadia" That portion of the
volume relating to the history of Bel
fast occupied lorty-two pages, In his
preface to this little volume the author
| remarks that SHOULD this sketch preserve
a single incident, or material, suitable to
be used hereafter when the history of the
State shall be written, this essay will not
| have been altogether in vain The COM
piler of these annals has no higher object
| in view
The history Of Belfast is yet to be writ
ten. The preparation of that work is
already in able hands; its appearance is
| anXiousy awaited by all who cherish a
laudable pride in the past and present Of
the home Of their nativity or adoption
The History Of Maine, from the date OF lis
separation from Massachusetts, A. ID. 1926.
written by Hon William d. Williamson,
published in 1882, has stood the test Of
criticism for forty years, and is still ~
cognized rs authority, and as one, to sly
the least, of the ablest and most accurate
State Histories that have ever issued from
the press we are fortunate in having for
the future historian Of Belfast the nephew
Of the historian of Maine.
The compiler of these annals was born
in Belfast in 1905, and with the exception
OF occasional temporary absences this
has always been his home. He thinks
that under this state of facts he may, with
out sllbjecting himself to the imputation
Of vanity, righdully make claim to the
title he assumes, that of IAN Old Settler
There are but few left who can show bet
ter title to the appellation. The genera
ton to which he belongs is rapidly joining
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of DEATH
In few years there will be few left
who can write or speak from personal
recollection of the events that transpired
in this place during the first two decades
of the current century; that those events
may become matter Of local history, not
left to float i'll fragments on the dim, misty
sea of tradition, is the ruling motive Of the
compiler in undertaking this work. TO
the generation now immersed in the bust
ness cares of life, and the generation not
yet entered upon them, the object may
seem hardly worth the trouble 1t will be
otherwise With both as the time draws
near when the curtain shall fall that hides
forever from mental vision the shadowy
Past, and the sad consciousness comes on
that when it next rises it will be upon the
lmitle>s Future.
The compiler will not undertake to
speak with entire confidence, from per-
sonal recollection, Of the condition of
things or the events that occurred in Bel
fast during the year 1906; for during the
portion Of that year that elapsed after he
assumed the burthcn and responsibilities
of citizenship the larger portion of his
time was devoted to cultivating the ac-
quaiMance of his mother and making the
best Use he could for his physical develop
ment of the weapons which God and ma
ture had put into his hands" Even of that
year. however, he does not speak without
authority; for he is able to call to his aid
the memory of his earliest frend-neXt to
his father and mother our own highly
esteemed and venerable fellow-cit Mr.
William Quimbv, who still hale and Wig
orous, in mind and body, although he has
lived through his four score Years does not
find "their strength, labor and SORROW"
Notwithstanding the prediction of the
Psalmist 10 the contrary. lie was born in
Lebanon n. H., in 1892, came to Belfast
in 1904, and during all that time his home
has been here.
In 1905, the year after Mr. Quimbv
came to Belfast, the year with which these
annals commence, the entire population of
the town was about 900; it was 2lJ in
1890, GA in 1900, and 1859 in 1910, ac-
cording to the census taken in those several
years. The whole number OF buildings,
houses, barns, shops included, within the
limits of the village, was AZ; OF this
number, so were dwelling houses BY the
term village is meant the territory bound
ed by Fields Hill on the north the Miller.
or rockingham lot on the south, Wilson's
Hill on the west, and the river on the
east. With the exception of the cleared
land in the vicinity Of the corner, Mes
mith's Corner it was called, the point
where High and Main streets intersect,
and the further exception of 4 strip of land
bordering on the river on its eastern side,
and an occasional clearing" Of 4 few
acres OIL the roads leading through and
from the village. the entire territory of
the town was covered by the original, I'M
broken forest On that portion through
which Church street now passes and Oh a
strip Of land lying on each side of Main
street as far westerly as Wilson's Hill al
though the forest trees had been felled and
the land partially cleared up, the stumps
of the trees were still remaining. On that
portion through which Cedar, Congress,
Miller indeed all the streets lying south
erly Of Main street and westerly of Count
street now run, the forest was untouched
save here and there where u little fire.
wood had been cut. The stumps were
still standing on the premises now occ,r
pied by the Post Office, the Unitarian and
Cniyersalist churches, the brick school
houses, and the buildings standing in their
vicinity; and indeed the list mi ght be en-
larged so as 70 embrace the front or bacs
yard of nearly every dwellng-house in
the village 1t was no unusual occurrence
for the good men, and women also, of
those days to sit up o'nghts to watch the
burning stumps in their door-yards, regard
ing 1t essential for the safety Of their