The Portland daily press., 1879-07-26
MAINE CITIES.
lettings by Press Correspondents.
LEWISTON AND AUBURN.


FRIDAY, July %.
Adam Forepaugh's circus and menagerie
is coming August Sth.
Prominent arrivals at Dewitt: A. D.
Lockwood, Providence, R. l.; W. E. Cur
tbs. f. A. Burr, and D. J. Babcock, Wash
ington, D. c.; E. S. Coe, Bangor; Hiram
Calsius, New York city; A. A. Strout,
Portland, and A. c. Dennson of Mechanic
Falls. At Elm House: G. D. Bisbee, Buck
field; G. H. Bass, Wilton, and Hiram
Kicker Poland. At Marston House: A.
Toothaker, Phillips.
The committee from the Massachusetts
Veteran Odd Fellows have completed ar
rangements for company's visit in this city
Aug. 2Sth. They will arrive from Bangor
in a special train tie afternoon of the 9th.
The probable nu Der including officers,
and band will be four hundred.
Yesterday morning before the old people
had arose Mary Foster decamped from her
grandfather's house in New Gloucester,
taking with her eight dollars in cash and
an umbrella. the property of her relations.
She walked to Danville junction and took
the morning train for the city. Her grand
father informed the police yesterday of the
runaway and theft, and late last night Mary
was found in a room she had temporarily
engaged on Ash street, and placed in the
lock up. Her parents, who live in Portland,
have been advised by telegraph of the stu
alton of their Maynard daughter
Two barrels Of lager seized yesterday by
the officers was returned to its owner
this afternoon by order of the court
Mr.. Sheehan the alleged owner was dis
charged.
Thos. Welsh was arraigned for larceny
this morning, and in absence of any proof
toward guilt he was discharged.
Ed. Long was conveyed to the county
Jail this morning. 1t seems there is an old
Indictment against him, for being impli-
Gated in the Estes Hall riot at Barker Mill,
some time since.
Nine years ago in the easy times of 1870,
there began an immigration of Canadian
French to the New England manufacturing
cities. Fall River attracted the greater
number, while Maine received large
share To-day there are in Lewiston and
Auburn 1852 Canadian people, of French,
English, Irish and Scotch descent. Bidde-
ford and Saco have nearly this number. To
elicit all facts, statistical and otherwise re-
latiye to this interesting class of adopted
citizens will be our aim in this letter and
letters that may follow, A score of years
ago in Lower Quebec could be found a
thrifty, honest, contented farming popula-
ton. The land which they then occupied
was either bestowed upon them by the gov
eminent free gift, or sold TO them at the
nominal sum of sixty cents per acre. The
soil in this region was fertile and large
crops were easily gathered. The people
were of mixed class, but French was the
popular language spoken and was used in
the public schools. Unless both languages
French and English) could be fuently
spoken by every person, he could not aspire
to any IN ore lucrative or higher position
among his people than farming Educa,
ton, then as now, was matter consider
ably neglected among the young; then oul
Canadian friends in a large majority were
raised to till the soil. At the time to which
we now refer, farm hand received average
wages of twenty-five cents per day and
board, while clerks commanded from $1.5C
to $500. Farmers then lived very cheaply
and all were prosperous and happy. The
few that were under landlords paid COM
paratively very small rent and had no rea
son to complain. In course of time, how
ever, farm produce began to decrease in
value and dollars were far and far between
so that in 10 the average laborer in the
in the States earned nearly double the
amount of those in the Dominion. Farm
ers became heavily involved in debt
mortgages increased, and families too, fol
it is well known fact that the Canadians
are the most productive class in the world
Then the tide of emigration began to the
land then flowing with milk and honey. Sc
we have them-industrious peaceable,
law abiding citizens They have come moi
to stay, but are grasping the money that it
may be invested in Canada farms. In oul
next letter in one week we will review theil
peculiar habits of life. and some local sta
tstics of interest.