The Portland daily press., 1876-10-16

| connection with Ira Berry He soon retired
from the Age, and was elected to Congress
from this district, serving there from March,
1883, to March, 1889. During portion of this
time he was interested in the Argus, and
though not its editor, was at one time it's
Washington correspondent He married
Juna L. Bartlett of Kingston, N. g.. on the
twenty-frs. anniversary of his BIRTH She was
a lovely and accomplished woman, with fine
literary tastes, and "Forest Home" which
was completed about 1910, became an attrac-
tive place for pc ople ofculture. Mr.. Smith had
early interested himself in Professor Morse's s
telegraphic invention, his active and compre.
hensive mind being apparently the first to per-
ceive its full importance, and in 1888 he went
to England and France with the Professor to
introduce it. The Morse system failed of adop-
| tion in those countries. but he must have cre-
ated much interest in the subject there, and his
| remarkable prescience is shown in the fact
that an article of his in Gelignani's Messen-
| ger, (as stated by him this last summer) sug-
| gested the measurement of the earth by cleo
| tricity, fact which has of late years been ac-
| complished by the American Coast Survey 1t
is curious to observe that not only was this idea
1 l.
be developed in this country, but that Professor
Julius Hilgard two years since while there, de-
monstrated by it to their astronomers that they
had made slight error in calculating the dill
ference between Paris and Greenwich, Mr..
Smith brought home many valuable ideas Of
agriculture from England, some of which he
attempted to carry out at "Forest Home so
| far as his pressing ayocations would permit.
| He had turf walls built around portion of it,
| but our climate proved not to be sufficiently
| humid to keep the turf alive The Harrison
! campaign in 1889 found Mr. Smith at variance
with his political associates, and, starting the
Argus Revived paper which, as its name i'm
| plies, was supposed to be the exponent of the
principles of the earlier and better days of De-
mocracy, be went actively into the canvass and
| led large number of his friends into the Whig
ranks, aiding largely in carrying the state for
that party. The telegraph now occupied his
whole attention for some years. He engaged in
experiments to ascertain the best method of
constructing lines Old residents of Deerins
will recollect the ingenious and effective plough
which he constructed and experimental with in
his field on Stevens Plains, cutting deep
trench and uncoiling lead pipe as it went. AL
though subterranean telegraph lines will prob
ably be found the best in the future, this plan
was abandoned at that time, and Mr.. Smith,
taking New England for his field, built line
of poles from New York to Boston and after
wards to Portland. Extensive litigation be-
tween him and his associates, Amos Kendall
and Ezra Cornell in relation to their extensive
interests, attracted much attention, but the
rts Ioo Al NJ. IL
an award of over half million against the
Cornell estate is still pending. In 1S47 Mr..
Smith returned to politics and started the Daily
Umpire as an evening paper, advocating the
election of Taylor. He purchased the old thea.
tire building in Union street, built large addi-
tiou to it, where he established an excellent
theatre called the Portland Museum, and fitted
up telegraph Office ard the printing office in
the same block The Umpire finally passed
into the hands Of the Messrs. Nichols aud soon
after died. About this time he constructed the
gas works. for which be furnished the majority
of the capital In 1856 he went for Fremont.
In 1861 he purchased the Advertiser but short
ly changed its attitude on the war question so
greatly to the dissatisfaction of the loyal people
of Portland that the PRESS was established to
take its place, aud its daily edition was soon
discontinued. He was very active in establish
ing the York and Cumberland Railroad, of
which he was President at the time of the his
torc quarrel over the Myers contract. After
losing control of the road he fought the Myers
quarrel through successfully, finally gaining
verdict from the referees after an argument so
able that the leading men of the city tlocked to
hear him for two or three days, and a universal
expression of admiration was heard throughout
the town. The perfect calmness and good ma
ture with which he bore the bitter disappoint-
ment of having Mr. Myers compromise with
his opponents without consulting him, after be
had put so much money and labor into the case
surprised and gratifed his friends. He built
also the Buckfeld Branch Railroad, and pur-
chased and ran Cumberland and Oxford canal
until it ceased operations. His greatest scheme
was the Presumpscot water power, which was
suspended after being prosecuted for some
time; but if the scheme is feasible, the system
of docks which it contemplated would proba-
bly, have been of immense value to our CITY, If
fortune had favored Mr.. Smith with partner
as thorough in execution as he was far-sighted
and bold in projecting, one who could have re.
| strained him until one thing was complete be-
| fore he commenced another, like some success
ful men, it is difficult to conceive limit to the
| possibilities of his achievement. The same
| thing is true of him in political life. His abili-
| ties were equal to any position, but his uncom-
promising adherence to his own convictions led
him into sucn di1ect conflict with his associates
| that be never obtained the position to which
| his talents entitled him Many years ago he
1
to the first missionary at large in our city, and
| the inscription on the granite quotes the text
| "Peace on earth to men of good will" which
was his reading of the text, and the sentiment
which governed his life. Like Launcelot he
was the sternest knight to mortal foe that ever
put lance in rest, and like him, too, he was a
true friend He was wonderfully well-read
| and most genial and engaging in manner, SO
that those who had the pleasure of meeting
| him in social life cannot fail to cherish the
most kindly and pleasant remembrances of
him; aud but for q lack of moral strength of
character, he might have occupied the large
space in the nation for which his great intel
lectual powers so amply fitted him. The extent
and accuracy of his general information was
remarkable, and his pamphlets and ,communi-
cations abounded in valuable suggestions He
spent many years of literary labor in preparing
commentary on the Federalst, which, if pub.
lsbed must show, no doubt, great depth of
thought and careful research into government.
tai matters. His first wife died about 1853
leaving one son; her daughter Ada having died
in infancy. He afterwards married Ellen.
daughter of Judge Grotou of Bath, who sur.
wives him, with several children, one, a daugh-
ter having recently married. His father died
early, but his mother survived many years an6
was tenderly cared for by him. His sister Oil
via, who married Or. Frink dentist, who
died some thirty years ago, died only some tw,
} mouths SINCE Ha rrei, who married Levi
Sadler formerly pastor of the First Univer
, salist church, aua afterwards superintendent o
the New York telegraph line in Boston, an