The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1885-04-23
Notes by the Way.
4 VISIT TO SHAKER SETTLEMENT. A
THRIFTY AND THRIVING COMMUNITY REAL
MAPLE SYRUP AND SUGAR. THE SHAKER
FAITH. THE SCHOOL, ETC.
Correspondence of the Journ

AT New Gloucester we We're within six miles
of the Shaker settlement at West Gloucester,
and while talking with chance acquaintance
in regard to this peculiar people we saw man
driving from the G. 7. Depot who they said
was a member of the order We accordingly
hailed him, and our request for conveyance
being granted, we started on our first trip to
Shakerville. The man proved to be Elder Will
liam Dumont, a leader of the largest family of
the place, and we found him an intelligent and
agreeable companion. Once started we took
careful survey of our friend and equipage He
bad on the usual white soft felt hat with a
broad brim. which the brethren all wear, long,
blue overcoat of peculiar cut, homespun trou-
sers, and blue woolen gloves. On the express
wagon was quite bulky load of boxes, or
rather buckets, in which they pack the apple
sauce which forms one very important article
of manufacture with them. They say that they
can buy these buckets cheaper than they can
manufacture them, and so they do so. As the
little sorrel mare carefully pulled US along
through the mud we improved the time in con.
versaion with our friend, who proved to be
very entertaining companion, and the time did
not by any means seem long before we came in
sight of Shakervle. We were conducted to
the Office, told to make ourself comfortable,
and in little while a neat looking Shakeress
invited us down to diuner. Being hungry we
do ample justice to it and ourseIf and then
sauner out to take q view of the premises.
The principal structure is the large brick house
with granite trimming built last year at an eX-
pense Of some twenty thousand dollars. The
church is a plain white building with green
blinds, but there are no public services held
during the winter we did not go inside. The
office is neat building where visitors are re-
ceived and entertained while they tarry in the
place We go down to examine the mill prop
erty. On the banks of the pond we find some
two hundred thousand of pine, ash, and OAK
logs waiting to be converted into lumber. They
have been waiting for help to run the saw mill
and it has been idle thus far The grst mill
does good business In grinding the grain for
themselves and neighbors, and the carding mill
is kept busy during the season for such work.
In one department of the mill we find some
men engaged i'll the construction of measures
which they here manufacture of excellent quail
ity. We here meet Elder Nelson Chase, who
has the principal care Of the farmwork and
who also claims to be practical rlachini,.
He is engaged with mechanic in the construc-
ton of "A very nice wheel roller to be USED upon
the farm. We find there are about Que thou
sand acres, all told in the farm, quite Il portion
of which is covered with forest at present.
They raised among other things last Year, two
hundred and fifty bushels of corn on the cob,
sixty bushels of beans, fifty bushels of oats.
one hundred bushels of potatoes, and two hum
dred and twenty bushels of wheat. They also
have a large garden in which they raise a good
d, al of produce and quite quantity of seed.
They have sometimes made quite Il specially OF
onions. Friend Chase says he find, the onion
fly great injury to this crop and from his long
experience he has become statistic d that bleak
spot with a northerly or westerly inclination
should be selected for reasons which he gave.
He plows in the autumn, turning under good
coat of stable manure. harrow- in the spring.
rakes the ground. soWs Il good dressing of a~ht>
and salt, then sows the seed in drills and care
Tor the plot we'll during the season. He has
raised at the rate of 500 bushels to the acre.
They have some grapes and pears but are moi
succeeding As well with them Of late n former
y They raise large quantities of apples, some
of them of the best grated fruit They also
have many apples of poor quality from up-
grated trees, many of which grow wild in the
pastures and by the roadside. This refuse
fruit is ground into cider to be used in the man
ufacture OF their sauce. They also make Il good
deal Of wine and the women at first expressed
the fear that | was one of the Neal Dow lnru
come to make Il seizure, They claim to have
been imposed upon by men who have in tn,
past pretended to want little for sickness and
have then used it to drink. They have for
stock some twenty cows, four yoke Of steers
and oxen. and five horses and colts. Friend
Chase expressed himself Gs much in favor of
corn cob meal for cows, and prefers it pound
for pound to clear meal. One feature thai al
tracts our attention in connection with the new
house is the windmill ty which the water is
pumped up to tank in the top of the house,
from which place it is conducted in pipes to
every part of the building. We We're shown
into the wash and laundry rooms, where every
thing is conveniently arranged for quick and
easy work. The set tubs are supplied by pipes
with both hot and colo water and the wet
clothing is conveyed on d ear from one part of
the room to another. In the laundry rooms art
patent dryers to be used when they do not wish
to hang the clothes out Of doors. They have
arrangements to do the ironing quickly and
easily, and the glossy shirt 5osoms of the Ed
er> prove that they know how to use the pol
ishing iron. The bath rooms are neat and CON
venient. We examine the evaporation where
the apple il prepared for their sauce. They
claim that only the besc fruit is used for this
purpose.
We went out to the sugar house where they
make the maple syrup. They have only tbout two
hundred trees tapped this season but are max
Ing a good quality of syrup, as we know by
testing it. The sugar is of very ditl rent Qual
ity from what they have to >eli grcenhorn, on
the Massachusetts railroads. The latter artcl,
| Is composed of the poorest quality OF the West
India product. well boiled down, mixed with
sand. with maple leaf stirred into each cake
as we also know by experience. Friend Chase
claims to have mauufactur in New EIamp-
Shire the sugar and syrup of which a barrel OF
each was sent to the Pre- sdent i sample OF
the best that can be produced in New Eng
land.
We find several large buildings where the va
rious industries OF the place are carried on, for
the women are quite skiItul in the manufacture
of many kinds Of fancy articles. They also deal
to some extent in confectionery which they
prepare, ana have new medicine in the form
of Iuzenges called the shaker Iamer LaXa-
tive" which they warrant to discharge the man.
if loaded, III Short order. In fact, they have
learned the art of making something out of the
crowds who visit them aud bother them during
the summer They have lately begun again the
manufacture of hair selves of which they make
Il very nice quality
But after learning something of the temporal
prosperity of the Order desire to know
something of their general coudlion, faith etc.
So we are introduced to Aurea c. Mace, one Of
the deaconesses who in the presence of others.
tells us somewhat of the Shakers. 1t seems
that the Order originated IN 1886. In regard to
The divinity of Christ the! agree with the Uni
tarianS in the belief that he was only perfect
man. They believe the Creator was in both
male and female form, ard that Christ made
his second appearance in the form of woman,