Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-08-19
Correspondence.
A Retrospect.
SgDGwIcK. August 10. 1873.

>EDGwICK. August 10, 1873.
To the Editor Of the american:
Thiry-seven years ago this month landed
for the first time in this then unfrequented
summer resort, from the sloop Lapwipg. Capt.
Basy Dodge. fast sailing packet then plying
between sedgwick and Bangor. touching AT all
intermediate points. This old sloop, now gone
TO "Davy Jones Locker" had history
worthy Of record. and life. which was. a.
compared TO n ships life, long and worthy
one. But this fact. and the one Of my passage
in her accidentally made as it was. is OF no pos
slble moment 10 the public and il j. alluded to
only incidentally, making one point. the one
Of commencement, Of a reminescence. or ret
respect ofthe progress and change of thi. old
town. which we propose herein TO make.
Then the principal business men OF this
quaint old village. were Col. Rowland Car II on.
s,ill living at hi, old homestead vigorous in in
tellcct for 3 man Of eighty-fve. John Means
Esq. gstbered to hi, fathers some years ago.
Jacob Dodge Esq. now living in Illinois, Dr.
Albina Hall. 4 stirring. good naturrd. and
-eheming physician: Me.srs Cole & Sargent
traders; Mr.. Sargent, now Of Your city; Capt.
William Mckenzie. a ship master and builder.
now >ome eighty-iive years old. snd straight
in form an arrow, although he followed the
sea Tor about - years. with Mr.. Azor Cole now
Of Brooklin. one Of the sure cuisines. men who
alwsy, saves up something over and above the
expenses of living.
BROOKLYN was then part aud parcel of Sed2-
wick, and the Old meeting house where Elder
Merrill preached and eXpounded the Scrip
lures was then standing, (where now is the
townhon,el with the high-bscked pews look
ing like sheep cribs sleeveless but not Goddess,
the auditorium with it, sounding board sus-
pended over the desk. seemingly threatening
To- fill oa the hesd q. the speaker il he faic, in
dufy .. rrr-l IN q D.. 'i.r, Ell.- Da,iI Nu,.
Ter preached. all kngi>hman by birth. man
Of remarkable mental powers. s,lf educated.
s'rons-Y illcd, Of great comba,tiyc qualities.
and earnest and true 10 his convictions. He
died at Auburn, Ne. iew year, since at a
good Old age. lie and Elder james e.. Gilpai-
rick Of B.uehill were the leading ministers in
the Hancock Baptist Association. and general
ly had their own way in dispo.ing Of its affairs
Dca. Daniel Morgan Senior. was Town Treas
urer. position that he held for near a half cen
tnry. He died OF old sgc few years since.
aged ninety-iour, think. What /, now Brook
lin had one store at Centre Harbor" or New
Boston" it wa. then called. where Me..r..
Hammond and Tibbeis, afterwards, Mr.. Tay-
lor. sold goods, bought fish and sailed vessels.
Azor Cole traded At the Birch Land. What has
been metamorphosed into a new and handsome
Town ball. wa then a one story modest look
ins church building. Capt. John Z. Tibbets,
VA, the business man Of that part OF TIE town.
Esquire Lemuel Smith" was the principal
Justice Of the Peace. for this whole section Of
country.
The mail was carried from Buckspori 10
scdgwiek seni-weekly by Uncle 10. Trcw-
Orgy" Of Bluehill, who used TO stop at home
over night, aud send the mail here horse
back" in the morning, by one Of his numerous
SOM; and oflcn 10y one 30 small, that the impa-
ticnl walters Tor the latest news. would often
say. when the mail Wa, late that the little
mli-carrier was born on the way. sam Pow
err carried the mail 10 Deer Isle. '.on foot TO
The Reach. the leather mai.-pouch sluug on his
shoulder. Mr.. William Herrick, in II Concord
wagon, with brown coored horse. that would
make hi, iony miles in fifty hours. served
what is nov BrockliD. tri-weekly. taking the
maii from the Sedgwick office. 50 much for
the Did inc, and much Of description OF
matters here about the time of the AruostOok
War. when the Lspwing WAS tn pas.enges
boat 10 Ba.gor and the outside world
NV for the other point in the b:icf retro
spect-Ausu>t ls.j. The old men have passed
away, AID with them many ofIbe old customs
Of the people. The semi-weckly IN III has Civ
ca place To the daily one by land. and tile semi
weekly one by the boat. TIE substantial steam
ar Lewiston makes her scmi-weeAly trips with
great regularity. notwithstanding the fog and
the storms. thanks to the good seaman.hip and
the qliet but enersGiic. Capt. Charlie. Deering,
her commander. The telegraph. that modern
civilizer and news eonyeyer, taps thi. point
bringing her people into quick communication
with the Busy outside world ifthere is any such
place in this day Of telegraphs and railroads.
The old meeting house has given place to "A
more modern one of a substantial appearance,
while the old one has been raced and now
serves - { town house. New men build what
few vessels are aow built here. Joshua Wat
son Esq and Me.srs. W. Sargent l. son being
the principal business men in this line aeS
iaees are seen behind the counters retailing
goods. new preachers, minister 10 the souls Of
the ploddng multitude and new phys ieians to
the deceased in body. \ new and stylish Town
Hall (owned by private parties) with Mansard
roof. modern in style and finish, and ample in
its accommodations. now takes the place OF
Dodge's Hall, and in which the Masons have
fne quarters; the Ladies, who contributed
81 800 towards the erection of the building, al
SO, own the leyee room or hall. and meet here
10 no d ''levecs." fairs; and sociable,.- TO
whom with he Masonic Lodge and Joshua " at-
son the public are indebted for this necessary
and elegant building. New and more eomforta-
BILE private residences have taken the place Of
one story houses Of thirty years ago. and prop
erty seems TO be more equally distributed. So
that while the valuation OF the town may not
have increased to any appreciable extent, still
there Is the appearance of a more general
THRIFT, and the evidence Oh every hand of a
Large increase of the means Of happiness, and
OF general prosperity not then observable. The
town owes no debts, and has q surplus in its
Treasury OF some thousands of dollars Ii has
no rich men. but good supply of thrifty ones.
Can Mr.. Editor, close this brief and bssti-
~ 1iSc VI tpWusulp ulstDTy, IN view
OF the character given TO the people of both
this town aud BROOKLYN. better than by quoting
from Goldsmith. the following:-
IN fares the land, to fastening ills prey
When wealth aceumulates, ana men decay
Pripcfs or lords may flourish or may Jade,
breath can make them, as breath has made
But bold peasanUy, teeir country's pride,
When once destroyed, can meyer be supplied ;,
Let me add, If only in parenthesis, that one OF
the U. 5. Coast Surveying parties, is no W To-
Gated here This one is under the immediate
superintendent of Capt. ". II. Dennis, The
party consists Of the Capt, II. Wood Bache,
son of the late Professor Bache, who so long
and so ably filled the position Of superintendent
OF the Survey, and Mr.. S. NJ. Ogden, with such
other help as is necessary. One does not have
the least idea Of the skill, the ability and the |
real work, necessary to carry out the assigned
work Of the Survey, until the matter has been |
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