The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-04-02
Maine: Its Agricultural Features and
Capabilities.
BY SAMUEL l.. BOARDMAN.
Copyright, 1884. $. L. b.

Having spoken of Aroo,took County-which
is our most extreme northern county-in pre-
yious division, now wish to say something of
the northern sections of Franklin, Somerset,
and Piscataquis Counties, which, with part of
Aroo>took, comprise very large portion of
Maine, now new and thiny settled, but which
within the next twenty years is TO become de-
veloped and occupied to AN extent now little
thought Of.
The entire area of Franklin County-at the
northwestern part of the State-is 500 square
miles, the northern boundary of which extends
to the Canada line. The Saddleback and Mount
Abraham range of mountains. continuing east
ward on line with the Rangeey Lakes, which
are located in the northwestern part of Frank
lin County. divide the county in two nearly
equal portions. separating the Sandy River Val
ley on the south from that of the Dead River on
the north. From the line Of highlands that
marks the boundary between 1t aud Canad How
down the headwaters of the Androscoggin and
| Keunphec Rivers Mount Abraham has an ele-
paiun of 3.3S7 feet, and Saddleback Mountain
of 1000 feet. THESE two mountains mark The
| middle portion of the county, While Mount
Blue. with an elevation of 1000 feet. and Its
range of attendant hills to the eastward, sub l.
yi,es the southern section of the county. The
region of the Raugelel Lakes aud the mountains
just mentioned, Is one OF great attractive
| ness a summer resort, and Is probably visit
ed by more persons during the year than any
other part Of Maine excepting Mount Desert.
In the valley Of Sandy River, within 4 radius of
10 miles from the beautiful village Of Farming
ton is To be found more variety OF scenery, per-
hapS, than in Il section of Ike extent any where
| in Maine. There are the bold features OF noun
| t4iu
| beauty of the wide, rich, fair valley, warm and
| fertile; the wealth OF forest and orchard. and
| the productive inteTNats and numerous round
ed >well> of high. productive soil, which make
| NJ picture of beauty and grandeur not often
| found in Maine, in such wide variety. within
| 50 small section.
The region in view from the Saddeback
Range is not less striking; for on the west and
southwest are the Rangecy and Richardson
| Lakes. partly in Franklin and partly IN Oxford
| Counties. while to the northWard Is the Dead
| River ' alley, large tributary OF the kennebec
! flowing through rich section of timber and
farming lands. In the vicinity of the lakes. and
| in he northern part OF Franklin County. are
several townships Of valuable Understand with
| settlements already made. In 1893 a railroad
| was opened TO Farming ON, the county seat OF
| Franklin County and in 1850 rail communtca-
ton " AS extended TO Phillips. a distance of Is
| miles northW est of tarmlngtun-a narrow gauge
| road. This is sure tu be pushed Oh to tue
| Rangeley Lakes within IA few Years, opening up
Il large and valuable agricultural section. In
| This part of Maine i found one Of the best eN-
tltnre> ol prosperity ahu lhurpfnuenttpl pl pure
| " aSfltuiIufal ehlvfpilses to ot l"un" az!
| Whtfe III New Eislauu' lFtN Ni"us 70 lne opeh-
| lug of The railroad to Pennington. TINS conf
| munity, comprising seventeen towns, had for
nearly IL century supported iii ati1utnce an aver
| aye population OF 2oooo people. Wlhout any
Aii from commerce. manu- uiaetullh5' ana oul
NIUE from lhN iuihp1rih2 INTERESTS ahu III re-
SIoh away from 'ht great hafketH. Ht"H!h2-
the gro" M ol cdltie ana Wa |iie 'ihe vi
farming CHI i1> followed, ana giving attention 10
| lh> Drought success anu ihut utPehutnct. IN 'he
| towns OF tthlral ana Noflh'fn lahhih are
good openings Tor farming, dalrYlhS' stock
| slowing, >betl-hu7pahuIH' ahu oithdid dlhs.
| tahd Is reasonable anu laiiil> WIN some I'M
| prove menl> maut upon mem can be Pufenarfu
| al good rates. me rhlaf2'u raliIoa't idciiltlFs :
| give good markets Tor an laIm products ahu
these facilities are pelhS extended 'l!o Nc"
| sections OF the country. ana q, I'M, "TlinS sur
NtAs are btlhS liittih lui ialltoad from L III M
| ihSton through the h"itheastefh towns IN
| rlanklln County. reaching OUT toward the
| Dead hlNtf Nairl.
lht county OF somerset = W inilts III
| extreme !thS'h, = ihlc> a. - Sltatt>t
| width. comprising twenty N-tlSh' to"hs' loui Or
| gained plantations att >,N A-tl2hl lv"h>hlPs
o1 via lahHs. M"osehtau Lane +" ili''eS 'ohS'
| HIS midway OF l's ltn?ih on iu' eastern iiil''
aud gives Il>t 10 the u nh'ntc hNti, lilf >tt-
| vhI longest lNfI III MdllIt, NhiNh ~ htai y
| half IL course runs through ms center OF lht
county. Between Mo"7thead LAKE ana tht
western me OF The state Is Il clalh Oh iakes tN-
| tending across the county ana ul>chai SiilS
| into Moo>thtad Lake. Inc rivers SAINT Johh
and Pcnoo>cot bolh nave ihtlf source III lhe
northern part OF somerset county. Al Tue
| forks, 50 called, the Dead RiNtf, or eastern
| branch unltcs with ING west prahcn or main
| river. In the valley OF the Dead RIVER are some
OF the best lnltrNale or bottom lands TO De
| found in the State--tlne, deep, ana rlch. Here
| are large farms where great Il antltlts OF nay
and gram are produced Tor the use oi the I'M
| bernI teams i'll winter. On these river bottoms
the bones OF moose have been lound at dtplh ol
10 feet from the surface. The so + llne, OF
remarkable fertility, and Yields great crops OF
wheat and oats. OF course the great wealth OF
this part OF somerset County Is III is extensive
| forests of valuable timber The river bottoms
make excellent farming lands; back from The
growth, but thele are immense sections only
| valuable for the growth of timber. The price
OF townships varies from $4,000 or $4,000 TO
$50 900 each. according to the amount OF stump
aye and the facilities for getting logs to market.
| This section, the lake and forest regions OF
| Northern Somerset, is a famous resort for ang-
| ers and spOrtsmcn. and every year the num-
bers who visit it increase steadily. Much of il
| i rough, Wild, and mountainous; but as the
| lumber becomes cut Oft, agricultural operations
| succeed, and invariably with good returns.
| TWu-thir,is of the area of Somerset County is
vet covered with dense forest into which in
roads are being made each year. but this is not