The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-01-14
Way Farings.

1t was in the middle of June, that month of
all months SO dear to the heart of every dwell
er in the north temperate zone, when every
tree is in fullest, freshest leaf, the grass its
brightest and most luxuriant green, the skies
their deepest blue, the days their longest and
balmiest, when it is luxury to live, that we
stepped on board the afternoon train bound to
Bangor, the Queen City of the east, the city of
lumber sitting in regal beauty at the head of
navigation on the noble Penobscot, Names
longest and largest river. Up the Kennebec
lined with cities, villages, farm houses, mills,
manufactures and ice houses, those gigantic
crystal palaces in which the ice crop is annual
ly gathered and stored, the surest and most
abundant of all our crops. Richmond is soon
reached the embryo city with its cotton shoe
and other factories, its ship yards, its bustling
business and steady commerce and industry.
Gardiner with its lumber mills. stone ware man
ufactories, and pleasant situation, Hallowell
with its granite quarres, yards and cotton mills
and varied industries, to Augusta, capitol of
the State. On commanding eminence half
mile from its business centre. stands the noble
architectural structure, the State House, built of
Haowell granite. A splendid and substantial
soldiers monument occupies one of the public
parks. Across the river is the United States
Arsenal and the State Insane Hospital. Four
miles away at Togus is the home for disabled
veteran volunteer soldiers. Augusta is
smart, active place with mighty water power
with dam extending across the river; and is as
yet only partially developed. BY this water
power is driven two large cotton mills, grain
and feed mill, several lumber mills and other
manufactures. A ten minutes halt here and
we pass on over the great iron bridge crossing
the kennebec, from which splendid view may
be obtained, see the carriage road bridge a
quarter of a mile further down the river,
covered to preserve from wasting effects of
weather, as is also the carriage bridge at Gardi-
ner six miles further down. These are the
two lower bridges of this river. Crossing the
bridge we pursue our course on the east side,
seldom out of sight of the river, through the
town of Nassalboro past the stations of River
side, Nassalboro and Winslow and arrive at
the important junction town, the embryo city
of Waterville. We do not believe for the
same distance, from Richmond to Waterville,
there is finer scenery visible from any K. r. in
the United States. At Win>low we see what
is left of old fort Halifax bloclholl>e built
of heavy pine timber and now over century
old. This was the rallying point of the early
settlers and one of the important posts on the
route of the March of Arnold during the
Revolution in his daring expedition across the
wds of Maine and Canada. At Augusta on
the east side is the remains of old fort Western,
AMI opposite Richmond further down Of old
fort Shirley, and in the upper part of what is
now Richmond village those of old fort Rich
mond
Waterville is the seat of Colby University.
1t has large and partially developed water
power in Ticonic falls, which are in full view
as we pass over the iron X. X. bridge. and we
are again on the west side of the kenneber.
Two large cotton mills the Lockwood copor.-
ton, have recently been built and put into
operation. Watervillc is very attractive place
with wide. cool streets, level situation, and
surrounded by a fine farming region. At
Waterville we are backed and filled. gtttiil.
considerable gratuitous riding on the rail a.
our train is di>membered and also that upon
the ''back route via Lewiston. and the trains
for Skowhegan and Bangor made Up from the
two Here too we notice the celebrated coiored
bell ringer who rings the passengers up to
lunch in the tasty saloon in one part Of the
station building. He can ring his bell in as
many as seven different languages we think,
and new able bodied bell may possibly last
him month. If success depends on energy
this fellow must win
Every Maine manufacturing place now has
its 'Frcnch quarter" We see it here and
rows and groups and clusters of very small
cottages make up the outside appearance.
Women are passing bare-headed from place to
place or al work about the doors, and children
are seen everywhere. The French Canadians
during the period since the war have made a
steady influx to every point where labor was
to be done and have largely supplantcd the
Irish i'll street work, railroad building and re-
pair. in the woods and in the mines. They
now form large per cent. of our factory oper-
atiVes in Watervle, Lewiston, Bddefort
Saco Auburn and other places. The French
question is assuming some Importance to the
aDOrlllg class OF NAIVE cltlZenS, ana III some
places has its counterpart in the Chinese prob
lem Of California. However, many Of the
French come to stay and on an average are a
fair class of citizens. That is, we might have
much worse. They are an able bodied hardy
race, INDUSTRIOUS willing to do hard work and
generally economical. Their inclination to
drink is one Of their worst traits.
On the pretty lawn in front of the station
are shrubs of flowers, and the name Of the
place spelled out ''WATERNILLE" in letters
Of notified coleus leaves in a setting of green.
The Maine Central Railroad has in the past
few years done a good work in beautfying the
grounds about its stations, leveing them, in
some instances fencing them with tasty fence,
seeding them down to grass, adorning them
with Shrubbery ard flowers, and having them
kept in condition. This is not only pleasing to
the travelling public, but by the enhanced at
fractions, draws more travel. and retains by
this means more revenue to this company.
This is commendable. The public will 90
where they are best treated and accommodate
ed. We believe if the tariff rates Of travel on
the Maine Central We're reduced to 1 cent
mile that within three years the receipts from
passenger traffic would double.
WAIFARER.