Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-08-03
local anu State Mems.
M. Vickery's Baiidtng OPP -rstio"s-HO"-
or 40 waom Honor u Dur.


or 40 wnom Honor - Due.
We are sorry to hear ia certain quarters, grum-
bling in regard to the manner in which Mr.. L. o.
Vickery conducts hi, building operations in this
city. Such grumblers are doing Nj Nickeiy great
injustice, and We feel bodnd 10 protest against II.
The chief grievance Of these gra nhiers seems to
be, that Mr. v contracts with out OF town parties.
Suppose this to be the case--l rs not every bu'i-
ness man deal with those with wAOm lie 10
the best
Now let Us look at this matter for moment,
and see how the case stands. Daring the last four
OF five years, through pcr~'v tiance and business
sagacity, Mr.. Vickery mas made money. Has he
drawn that money from the citizsns OF Augusta
No; he ha, drawn it from all the states in the
niJn, ami arg portion IRON the British Plov-
inces. Although Mr. VIckery is not indebted to
this city for the money he has accumulated, what
use does he put it to- Does he invest in bonds
bearing high rate OF interest, and shut up his
wealth in neat little tin trunk, to escape taxa
ton, as too many of our wealthy citizens do
Results answer the question. lie commenced his
building operations last year. Owning the house
IN which be lived, he bought the Keene estate,
which was COW pasture right in the heart of the
city, and built three houses on the same, includ
ing the large and costly house in which he
resides. There stand the houses, clearly ia view
of the assessors, Yielding a perpetual income TO
the city treasury. THIS year he bought farm Of
hundred acres, on the east side If the river in
this city the farm was somewhat run down, and
he is bringing it up; the house partially finished
and the three old barns hardly so.e to stand alone
He employed Mr. George Hanks with a crew of
g ~. Al
in putting the buildings in good condition. TO do
which several hundred dollars worth of lumber
was consumed, aud ii was ali purchased at the two
mills on the east side of the river at their
prices. In addition to this he employed help and
had built by contract large lot of fence, all Of
which was done by Augusta parties Aud. TO con
tinue the chapter, he is building the present sea-
sou. and has nearly completed, five two-story
houses, four of them on lot, winch until recently
contained two old tumble down houses, fitting
abode only for rats and bats; those dIapidated
houses have been removed, aud their places filled
10y four nice two story modern houses, the grounds
about them being graded, or TO be graded in the
hest manner. The lth house was built on Il va
cant lot on Che.tnut street.
Now, thi, is the secret OF the htLe grumbling
ment to ersrybody these dull times but he is doing
Ill he can DO IN that d rection. The Arpenters
who have worked on his houses this year are, with
one or two exceptions, residents OF Augusta. An
his stone work is done by Augusta men; all his
mason work is done BY Augusta men; all his
psiutng and papering done by Augusta men;
his doors, sash, blinds, capboard,. windows, ,aths,
finish, &c, are ali bought IL Augusta. aud ali 9TH
lumber that can be had here.
Here is another thing for the srumbiers TO -wal
low When Mr.. Ylckery bou- hit toe lot on Sewsl
street, he approached carpenter and Contractor,
snd asked for his estimate OF the amount Of money
he would require to build botu houses, assuring
him that no other person would be asked to figure
but himself, and that If he presented figures low
enough, so that he Mr.. Vicaery) could all prd to
have the buildings erected, he should have the
contract. What did the carpenter do ? Just nothing
at all, not even bringing in Il figure. And to show
that we speaking from the book, we al
loved to say that the gentleman asked 10 figure
the job was Mr.. John b. Shaw.
We have not embraced 10 this statement all that
Mr.. Vickery has done this year Of pablc nature
and for the benft of the public. As our re aders
already know. ne has purchased the VI inson House
lot. and will begin its improvement soon as ii e
city extends Weston street across the south side Of
IT, This the city c.nDot afford to neglect to do,
me cost will be slight, and will soon return in the
-hape OF taxes.
Now, Mr.. Grumb!er have given YOU some
hing of an insight into what Mr.. Vickery has
done for Augusta. of public nature. His bene
factions to private enterprises, his gifts to the poor
xo have not reckoned in the above, as they are
leeds not trumpted forth to the world, but are APP
piecisted by many person who receives help,
aud does not know from whence the help comes.
Mr. vckery employees, directly or indirectly, not
,rss than seventy five people, and all the grum-
neis 10 the world cannot gainsay the fact that be
J, at the present time doing more for Augusta than
Any other three men in the place.
We have made these statements merely AS an
act of justice to VINO is doing, and desires to
do all in his power for the upbullding and pros
pe,ity of Augusta and for a mao to grumble at the
IN amer in which il Is being accomp i-hed, is simply
10 show the weak ness of human nature in finding
t,uit where only praise is due.