Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-01
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rest anv one he sent to him some article,
usually jack-knife and very few failed 10
come and return il 10 him.
About this time currency was exceedingly
low in value; forty dollars of it being taken
10 make one dollar of specie. In May, lII9,
a severe tornado swept over the State Ter
rible darkness and cleaning lightning alter
mated. The winter of l779-s0 was intensely
cold. In March so, there was scarcely a
,iav when the snow on the roofs thawed.
Nav 10Th was the clark day" when common
print could not be read. and some thought IT
was the last day. These were seasons of
great scarcity, and such was the dearth OF
food that some who had planted potatoes
were Obliged to dig the seed TO eat before 1t
had sprouted. In l7s6 the ferry was estab-
lished and the first wharf built In the
spring of 1891 occurred the greatest freshet
known in this region. A canoe was paddied
into the kitchen of the Great House, ana
bread taken into it from the oven.
In 1894 Louis Philippe, afterward King of
France. and Taleyrand, who were in exile,
visited Pittston Talleyrand went fishing in
Hallowell and fell into the brook like some
school urchn.
As late as 1894 the travelling was by foot
or on horseback. Young women would ride
forty miles even in day. 1t was common
to see man. and his wife on a pillion be-
hind him, with their babe in the mother :
lap or fathers arms, riding to church. The
first wheeled carriage was brought from
Boston about 1870. 1t was one of the first
chaises invented and Boston fashion had left
il behind Its owner called it the parish
chaise, for the reason that il was borrowed by
the whole parish. Returning from Congress
about 1874. Gen. Dearborn brought Phila-
delphia wagon: marvel to the boys of the
town. Its scope for display must have been
limited, for there was not more than mile
of road upon which it could run. In 1906
the first new chaise was brought into town.
1t cost Sl35. In 1911 the first stage-coach
came here from Brunswick. The first post
master kept the office in his store. In 1909
it was moved TO house built by DIR. Gay in
1861, which is still standing in what is now
Gardiner II is now the oldest building in
Gardiner or Pittston. In 1909 the mail from
Portland came once week, and on horse
back The proceeds of the Office were about
S25 per annum, of which the postmaster re-
ceived thirty per cent. When the town was
divided, an office was established on the east
side of the river the postmaster carried mail
from Wiscasset to Gardiner on horseback,
from Gardiner to Augusta in canoe.
The first school teacher taught from house
to house. lie was Boston teacner, DeHluu
the times in his methods. In 1857 it was
voted ''that thirty pounds be raised for school
ing, to be paid in Lumber, or anything that
the schoolmaster will receive" The first
school-house was of wood, with one room,
unlathed and upholstered.
The third attempt to establish Episcopacy
in Maine seems TO have been made in this
plantation, and DIR. Gardiner established st.
AIMS Church, now Christ Church. Gardiner,
and made preparations for building place of
worship in l77l The war hindered its prog
ress The pioneer Methodist came about
1884, In 1897 the first Methodist church was
organized.
The people seemed drawn to seafaring
life, and remarkable number of
sailors and masters of vessels have
been sent out from Pittston. Agriculture,
ship-buildng and following the sea were the
principal pursuits in times past The Pebble
hills were famous resort of gold diggers,
who have dug there to the depth of eighty
feet Traces of their excavations are still
visible. Seekers for gold visited it from time
to time, digging there as late as 1851. These
hills are of remarkable formation, being com
posed almost wholly of pebbles drifted into
slight elevations. In digging from six to
eight feet the pebbles were found free from
earth. and at the depth of eighty feet almost
nothing but pebbles were thrown up.-I'orf-
land Transcript.