The Republican journal., 1875-01-28
ANNALS OF BELFAST FOB HALF A CENTURY.
i Y AN OLD SETTL Err.
CHAPTER XLvIII. (1851.)


OF our town was at this time 5052 includ
ing the territory set off since 1910 it was
ooooi showing an increase of population
III the entire territory of 1874 in the last
ten years The population Of the county
was AZ ,223 against IL $50 in 1910; 5 ,694
gam N ten years. According to the State
Valuation OF last Year we had 932 polls
| and ,323, 9l9 OF estate in town Accord
ing to our town tax bills OF this wear the
number OF those who paid u tax exceeding
one hundred dollars was nineteen; the
largest tax, 235.OO, was paid by Ralph G.
| johnson. The number OF those who paid
a tax in 1874 exceeding one hundred dol
lars, was PIT! The largest tax, 81 10000,
was paid by the estate of the late Alfred
| w. Johnson
| The course of lectures before the Lyceum
naugurated the preceding fall was contln-
| ued this winter. The lecturers were Geo.
Sennott, Esq, Of Boston, on Popular De-
luslons concerning the Middle Ages. Rev.
| Ezra Gannett of Boston on Conversation,
Or. Charles /. jackson Of Boston on A
Gram OF Corn, Geology and Mining Rev.
A l.. Stone on the True Mission of w oman,
hey. ltoratlo Southgate on the Domestic
life of the Turks, Rev j. H. Alien of Ban
COR on American Civilization, Rev. CALVIN
+. Stowe OF Bowdoin College on the orig
in and history Of Alphabetic writing, Rev.
Stephen Thurston of Searsport on the re-
lation of the Pulpit to Politics and Govern
ment, Rev. Edward f. Cutter on Iceland.
Rev, Nathan G. Fletcher on the Natural
History OF Man, Hon n. Abbot on the
equality of Human Conditions
The fall course commenced on the 23d
of October The lecturers were H. n
Hudson, Esq, of Boston ON Falstafl, Prof
Shepard of Bangor on Charles James Fox,
| Rev. II. Starr King, of Boston, on Socrates,
Charles G. IIazewell, Esq, of Boston, on
Roman Slavery, Rev. William Ware, of
| Cambridge, on the Usefulness Of the Fine
Arts, Rev. a. L. Stone, OF Boston, on Kos
sulh and Hungary, and Rev. John Pier
point. OF Medtord, q poem on Improve
ment.
There were other lectures and readings
during the year. Rev c. W. Denuson
lectured on California, and Prof. Travener
gave readings from the lng0ldsby Legends
and Hood at City Hall in May Prot
Grimes gave Il course OF lectures in July
on physiology ptrenology ,mesmerism &c.
In August Mr.. John NJ. Spear, the ''Pris-
oner's Friend, lectured on the prevention
OF crime and the reform of youthful Offend
era, and in September Mrs. Lesdernier
gave readings ut the Court House. Mr.
Charles Whtney gave two entertainments
in December, consisting of limitations of
distinguished orators, and Rev. MIR Pier
point lcctured OH temperance
MIR T. D. Baldwin gave an exhibition of
Natural Magic in January, and NIr Bird,
the 'VentriIoquist and Magician. gave
two exhibitions OF his professional skill in
June. He was followed the same month
| by Mr. harrington, ''the greatest ventril-
oquist in the world, who gave two of his
enrique and fashionable entertainments
which had been the theme OF admiration
and delight i'll all the principal cities and
towns in the United States y
The first steamer to arrive was the Ad-
miral, Capt. Albert Wood. She made her
first appearance for the season here on the
9TH of March, her last ON the 9TH of April.
The Secor, Capt. e. b. Sanford, followed
her and piled between this place and
Portland, Sedgwick and Machias until
June, when she was sold to 90 on d route
between Newcastle and Portland. The
Boston, Capt. Sanford, came on in April.
The Lawrence, Capt Charles Deering
commenced running from this place to
Ellsworth and intermediate points in July.
The Governor, Capt. Thomas Rogers, ran
to Portland in connection with the rail
road; her first trip was on the lth Of
April.
At the annual spring meeting, March
18th. James T. White, Ansel Lehman and
Franklin Brier Were chosen Seectmen,
Joseph Wheeler, Clerk, and Daniel Ilara-
den, Treasurer The monies raised were
100000 for schools. 100000 for paupers
and insane, 100000 tor incidental expcn-
ees, 100000 for repair of highways and
bridges, 100 90 for engine expenses The
| amount of the towns Indebtedness at this
time was 2GY2.15.
The fire record of this year, is brief The
first one occurred on the night Of the 2lth
of June. 1t was the most destructive of
| property and the most disastrous to the
effective industry Of our village that had
ever occurred. The Belfast Foundry.
erected in 1919, and two story building
near it owned by Mr.. Samuel SWeetsir,
were totally destroyed. The actual loss
OF property uninsured was estimated at
! 2f,00OOO. On the morning of the Goth a
| blacksmth's shop owned by Nh William
| Frederick, which stood in the rear OF the
old Farmers House stable, was consumed
with its contents, II portion of which was
property saved from the Foundry fire. In
! the afternoon of October 10th fire broke
out in the attic OF the Belfast Hotel BY
| the efforts of the fire department the flames
were arrested before any serious damage
was done.
| Among the vessels launched this year
We're the following. The ship William
| rockingham of about $50 tons, bark Ann
Johnson, 40. schooners Judge Tenney,
| $50, Lone Star. 80, Viola, Sc, 5. 5 Lewis,
H. Magyar, $50. Siam, 149, Amanda. 50,
Blue Belle. IS, Bloomer, 81, Eliza Otis,
40, Clarendon, l15.
There was quite tempest in our village
teapot early in April occasioned by the an
nouncement that our time honored field
pieceS-Our ''brazen War-dogs were to
be transferred to the arsenal at Bangor,
by order of the Governor and Council.
They were removed from the clubhouse
to the wharf to be transported on the
steamer of the next morning. During the
night they were converted into living al
tillery; and when the sun rose the next
morning it shone on the places they occu-
pied when it went down, but not on Them
The pertinacity with which they clung to
the locality they had known for forty years
led to n revocation Of tile military order
tor their removal, and on the goth they re-
sumed their old position in the clubhouse
The next local excitement was the eX-
animation before Magistrates Of Samuel
and John j. Jewell, father and son, on
the charge of having murdered one John
n Cousin, at Monroe on the 10Th of April
They Were bound over and had their trial
before the supreme Court at its next term
III July. Samuel was acquitted on the
ground OF insanity John j. was convicted
of manslaughter and sentenced to seven
years hard labor in the State Prison. The
prosecution was conducted by Attorney
General Tallman and 60. Attorney Cod
man the counsel for the prisoners We're
Messrs. Abbot and llowes
A bell was hung in the belily OF the
universalist Westinghouse and rung for
the first time on the 18th of May its
weight 1927 pounds.
fI'ha first .loyr ,,f ID1Nr ,yao NOT 5,,,;t, ~.