The Republican journal., 1885-03-19
Maine: Its Agricultural Features and
Capabilities.
BY SAMUEL l.. BOARDMAN.
(Cnnurinht 1894 6 L RA

the property of Maine and Massachusetts, but
for one design or another these lands have been
disposed of until now there are no public lands
In the county. Some of it has been sold at "a
mere nominal price for Numbering purposes.
Some has been granted to institutions of learn
ing, which has eventually fallen into the hands
Of the great ''lumber kings" and in 1868 the
State legislature conveyed several townships to
aid in building of the European and North
American Railway, with the reservation that ii
should be surveyed into lots suitable for farms
and sold to actual settlers, when applied for, al
price not exceeding 81 per acre. But so far |
am not aware that any of the land so reserved
has ever been in the market. 1t is true the
above named railway extends but short dis
tance into AroOstook County, but it is idle to
say the road has not been of any advantage to
the county. 1t connects with roads now in
operation, which extend to Houton in the
southern, and to Fort Fairfield Caribou and
Presque Isle in the northeastern portions of the
county, and is the main line over which the i'm
men>e traffic of the county seeks a market.
True, railroad built directly to Houlton
from some point nearer the Penoh>cot VALLEY,
and thence through the heart Of the best part
would nave better IT munerated the Stale for
this great extent of It's domain. The 20UG00
acres granted to this road should be demands
by the State for settlement. ln Aroostook
County are 3.O00000 acres of land in the hands
of wealthy proprlelors, and, while largely Tim
Der lands, many of the townships are far more
valuable for settlement aud farming purposes
than for the value of their lumber. Moreover.
there are many farmers ir the county who are
the owners of several hundred acres OF land,
vale. These large tracts will eventually be di-
vided up into smaller farms and sold 10 settlers,
and already this is being done. II has been
| true, and is true to-day, that farmer of small
means can go into AroostDok County and buy
out claims at better advantage than they can
| take up Il new lot and be gin farm.
AS sample of the prosperity of Aroostook
County let Us take gauct at the present town
of Prc>que lste, located in the heart of the
| county at the terminus of the New Brunswick
and Maine Railway. In 1860 this town had a
population ("r rather the tWo towns of Mays
vile and Pre>que Isle, now united a. one tuwu)
Of 1.3So persons. aud valuation of Sl31 $50
In 1850 the town had IA population of j.445 aud
vaIu ition Of S554 SOB, and both population
and valuation have largely increased III the past
three years, the increase being fully more
than 5000 There are but thirty towns in
Maine having larger population than Pressure
Isle, ana three of these are in Aroo-touk Cuuu-
ty. That portion of Presque Isle formerly The
town OF MaN-viie. is universally regarded 10y
those we'll acquainted with the agriculture Of
, Y''t ~ a. ~ ~ 'in't - 'Iti', my
4, 4u',i , ~ ~ l"uHu IN Ni'iuN' i-NVt l'9
the township. The town had no mills, no mer-
chants; all itS inhabitants were farmers; and
YET in 1850 it had valuation of S224,325
,nrtn. bI'h Ii i CoG'',! Ii! - I,
i"ai iai nG io7iIn ~ L'J',IHt Jp,Ii 20 i ~,
| the United States Thi, is at the eXtrenIt
| northern part of the State, at the juncturc OF
III Il i = Ii oIi''', ~, ''' ~ -
w ~ i', I; cn ~ ~ ~ Wv :" = 90 tn!'' t
~ ~ ~, ,2m AZ W 'l''ea iloii t"s sam
| tl'l H. li', u, Hni ~ N - - ~ '
| ,it l, - i o AI " ~ 80 ''
~ ~ 80 po,i"''s '-i' T'
t up' 'iouo. nv tSio"'hS season Is >"ih' " ""'
'iil - ~. iiioie t,i'i" 'ti' ou'neih
ph o4 10, t.iT "i oH' t"
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- H. 7 N 'f i"'' ''iH' "'i''
S'no'"'t 'eloi t"e y oUtiu i AZ an ll"H H. II
i g1 "0'''s CIV u'i'ioi ~ NoN IT ~,
elHt "h't' EPt'ho 'P.H'' " w III .''iN't
| w. t; ~ loul letl uttp' WIZ no atel nation, OF
| lieeAthS and INA" lhS' men 1t goes on tne
't"nsitton iio NtiitVl ~ Su'lihei - "'''io> III
@ >."u' '"ig"us, :, @ anu M 'he sot may pe ""IhGH a
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~ 5 ~ ~ Soi' a. "ri"'r 'ii' II
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t NitnHtI '''th" 'lo t""l'"l"''I I'H
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,,,ous - III .n's ial ti''l Al ooSV"oN
Cou'4 t'it0iii's possesses I:''''eu H'N ahl '-SeS