Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-05-30
Miscellaneous.
How THEY FOUND THEIR WAY TO ALL
PARTS OF THE WORLD.

1t would surprise q stranger in Maine to
tell him that it is only twenty-eight years
since the first railroad was built to Bangor
and only forty-two years since Portland
first saw the iron horse, while not rail
was laid east of the Penobscot until about
1870. 1t was in those old days that stage
coaches and steamboats, fourished and
sailing packets made much money carry
ing merchandise from New York and
Boston to Eastern seaports. The stage
coaches exist vet. it is true, way up in Ok
ford, Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis
counties, and down east in Hancock and
Washington counties. but where there is
traffic tc pay. the iron horse is steadily
pushing his way. as for instance. to Moose
head Lake and Bar Harbor, whittier roads
are now being built. The Eastern rail-
road was built through to Portland in 1872,
and the Penobscot and Kennebec, now
part of the Maine Central. sent its first
train 10 Bangor in 1856. 1t was thought
that the railroads would kill the steam
boats off altogether, but such has not been
the case, for three large and fine steamers
run from Bangor to Boston vet and make
large dividends despite the swift railroad
trains, while dozen or more ether steam
ers plv from Maine ports to Boston and
two to New York. MANY an interesting
old story is connected with the palmy
steamboat days of the Penobscot. All
the old inhabitants seem to regret
that Baldwin locomotives and Pullman
cars have taken so much of the business
from the busy paddles of their pet steam
boats. There were many famous craft on
the Bangor and Boston route in the old
days, and some of them have seen stormy
times and met with queer destinies. The
Patent was the first boat to come to Maine.
She made her appearance in 1928, 16 years
after the first practical application of steam.
This clumsy craft was followed by the
Maine, and several others OF no better
model In 1888 the steamboat Bangor,
a new and quite fast craft, came to the city
of her name and created great enthusiasm.
She was 400 tons, had square engines, and
no walking beam. and she burned % cords
of wood every trip between Bangor and
Boston. She often '.stacked" $500 on a
round trip.
Among the famous craft that followed
the Bangor were the Daniel Webster,
Charter Oak, Penobscot, Senator. Kenne-
bee, and Menemon Sanford. The Ban
gor went. in 1S42, to the Mediterranean,
where she was used for while carrying
pilgrims to Alexandria on their way to
Mecca As she was painted white. not a
Mussulman would 60 on board of her at
first, as this was their mourning color.
The steamer was given coat OF black
however, and all their objections disap-
peared. The Bangor was purchased by
the Sultan Of Turkey, and with a new
name, became attached to his navy.
The Charter Oak, Daniel Webster and
Menemom Sanford saw hot service during
the rebellion. The Daniel Webster.
which often ran the batteries of the lower
James while carrying dispatches. was
very fast, and being daubed with lead
colored paint and mud, was well nigh in
visible except in broad daylight to the
confederate gunners who only located her
by the beat of her paddles
The Senator was originally owned by
Daniel Drew and James Cunningham OF
New York. She went around the Horn in
1876 to the California coast, where she
made lots of money. and since then has
been owned by nearly every company on
the Pacific coast, and been put to almost
every conceivable use. Only few months
ago, after her 35 years service in Califor-
mia, she went to New Zealand under bark
entine rig. there to serve as "a lighter.
Since the old school of steamboats, dis
appeared from our waters, the Katahdin,
Cambridge and Penobscot, finely built and
appointed craft, ranging from 1900 to
800 tons have been running between
Bangor and Boston. Our steamboats, will
never 90. Maine can hold and support
lots more of railroads, but her coast, her
nature and her people will always cling
to the echoing paddles.-Er.