The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-02
MAINE CITIES.
lettings by Press Correspondents.
LEWISTON AND AUBURN.


FRIDAY, August /.
Hottest day yet.
Some outdoor workmen were obliged to
leave their work to-day, owing to the swell
tering heat.
The Joyce at Pittston was not the Joyce
the police wanted.
Two excursions to the sea shore to-day
A pair of tramps at the station last even
ing.
Uncle Scion spoke in Wayne this evening.
He was hauled from North eeds with a
pair Of steers.
Mr.. Rice's team has been traced on the
Greene road.
There were twenty-siX arrivals at the
Poland Springs House yesterday. There
are now one hundred and thirty six guests
at this popular resort.
Mil RS Band will have a moonlight ex-
/cursion tomorrow night via Maine Central
r. r. and steamer Florence to Peaks
Island.
Frank Hart has finally agreed on terms
with Harry Hartwell for a foot race. They
will walk six hours for a wager of fifty
dollars per side in Lewiston, next Thurs
day.
Almost an accident. The Bath train
recently in passing over crossing this side
of Lisbon colided with plank which had
become warped and the end raised. The
COW catcher split the plank in two, and ne
further damages were fortunately sus-
tanned.
We notice an Old Orchard paper speaks
of 'the extreme quetness and good order
which prevailed among the eXcursionists
on the A. O. of Hibernian excursion from
this place. The notice is well deserved
Another tea store is about opening on
Lisbon street.
There were no cases before the municipal
court this morning.
Judge Humphrey of Bangor is at the
Dewitt House.
A ten year old girl died in Auburn yes
terday afternoon Of a malignant type of
dptheria. The body was inferred in the
night.
A hack team al the lower NJ. G. depot,
yesterday, run away and collided with the
mail team, which was damaged consider
ably.
The stores in Auburn were closed this
afternoon, from two until three O'Clock,
out of respect for the late Barker Brooks.
Hotel arrivals-DeWitt, &c; Marston, 6;
Elm, 81.
AS was stated in a previous letter, our
French population consists of upwards of
five thousand persons. Three fourths of
this number certainly are under forty year
of age, while but very few are over sixty.
AS the traveller alghts at the Grand Trunk
station he hears the French lingo spoken
on every hand, and notices the tenements
in this vicinity swarming with the lower
class of this people. Lincoln stteet was a
few years ago almost entirely populated by
the Irish, but now the French largely pre-
dominate. 1t is one of the most remarkable
facts of interest pertaining to the French
that they can be crowded into as little
space and will survive on as little food as
any class under our notice. Why, it is not
a rare case to find several families of per-
haps eight or twelve members of each
contentedly housed in two story dwelling.
In the winter season the most industrious
father finds it almost impossible to keep
the wolf from the door, with half-score
or more little ones dependent on his sup
port. Many family has struggled almost
in vain with poverty in the lower sections
of the ci y. We visited at one time
household of eight in this section who had
no food in the house, except frozen cab
bage given them by kind neighbor, and
only one bed, which was fast disappearing
as fuel for the fire. The children were
without shoes and hardly any garments.
This in mid winter. All honor is due to
the priest and the charitable societies for
their noble help rendered; but how INSULT
cient! On the other hand we find lots of
families among the French well to do and
possessing plenty of worldly possessions.
The latter predominant, in fact, and are
among our best citizens. A friend has
kindly given us the following statistics:
Number of grocery dealers, 5; shoe dealers,
5: dry and fancy goods, 4; restaurants, A;
bakeries, 3; doctors, 3; officers, A; clerks,
so. Every loyal Canadian attends church,
and there are three thousand two hundred
communicates in round numbers at st.
Peters, of which the excellent and beloved
Father P. Hearey is pastor. The church
edifice cost $4,000 and has very large
seating capacity. Three masses are at
present held each Sunday to accommodate
the crowds of worshipers. An asylum or
convent was founded about one year ago
at a cost of $4,000, and presented to the
sisters of charity, whose faithful work has
already caused much good among the
children and the destitute. Two hundred
scholars are now under their charge. The
buildings are finely located on Walnut
street. The society promptly meets all of
its debts by the willing sacrifice of its
members. 1t raised last year for the poor
$400. None are required to contribute
toward the church or any of its auxiliary
work more than their means can afford
but all give according to their own desires.
The Canadians are justly celebrated for
their patience and endurance They are
cheerful even in the midst of affliction and
misfortune. Peacefully inclined toward
all, it is quite difficult to pick a quarrel
with them. They seem to work with a
fixed determination to override all obsta-
Giles and succeed in the end.