The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1886-06-03
The Historic Town of Warren.
Correspondence of the journal

the view ""Tis true, It's pity, and pity It's, It's
true" We scan with eager interest the records
of places we never hope to see. while negecting
| matters of universal concern that lie directly at
our doors. To my mind there are but few
| places more calculated to attract the attention
of an intelligent observer than this charming
! OLD HISTORICAL TOWN OF WARREN.
1t is situated at the head of tide water on the
| st. Georges river. and occupies a territory Of
| nearly seven miles square The geological for
nation is diversified by being broken into
ridges, gullics, hills and valleys; with here and
there an elevation which the inhabitants fondly
| dignity by the name of mountain. OF these,
Mt. Pleasant approaches the nearest to it> title,
and from its summit magnificent view of the
ocean, PcnobsCot Bay. the winding coast and
| adjacent islands breaks upon the a>tonishcd
gaze of the traveller. OF prehistoric remains
there are here many evidences. While digging
cellar for one of the early settlers of the town,
five skeletons in a perfect state of preservation
Were brought to view. They We're apparently
buried in a careless mannci and with so much
haste that the lee of one was bent back parallel
with the thigh. Some Of them We're of gigantic
size and indicated most powerful phy >iquc !;
while others were of smaller stature and We're
evidently women or children. The position i'll
which they were found, toycthcr with their sur
roundings, all pointed to the conclusion that
they We're
TIE VICTIMS OF SOME ARTrIL AMBUSH
and deadly conflict. Who these people were,
from whence they came, and whittier they dis
appeared, we can never know. Their whole
history. however tragical in itself and all en-
crossing 10 its actors. has for the want of liter
AIRY monuments. pcri>hcd in the waters of
obliN ion. Without doubt they Were connected
with that powerful race whose principal re-
mains are still seen in the huge deposits of
she'll, on the west bank of the Damari>cott,
If, indeed this hc thc work of human hands, il
i~ well calculated To ill the mind with Wonlcr
and 10 give IL Il iNid idea Of the extent and
duration of that unknown dynasty which long
since passed away leaving but few other marks
of it, power and grandeur. \ small portion of
other of their remains still exist. but like the
remnants of the ;.hori@ines Themselves. are but
little regarded amid the utilitarian achieve
ncnt> of their Successors. The present popll-
lalion of Warren is littlc rising 2000 people.
In my hoyhood day | have often pIaycd among
its streets. but NOW, after a lap>, Of nearly Il
quarter Of actntury. return To find the place
50 enlarged and changed rs 10 lie hardly rccog-
nizcd. Then il Was n >1ail old town. composed
of church going, God-traring and nom-progrcs-
Nivc people. To-day it is imbucd with the >pil-
it of modern enterprise modern thought, and
.+.;l..
ly through its veins; now il bounds warmly
through frame renovated by the infusion of
young life. The fountain of youth 50 long
sought for by the old alclomiSts. hu, here been
found 10y the spirit of modern thrift. In point
of wealth. and consequent low taxation.
WAEEEN Is ONE on TIE MOST FoRTt NATE
TOWNS IN MAINE.
The ~hrcW,lnc>> of her leading men has long
been rrovcrl,ial. and to this fact is largely due
her present cnNiable condition. When the
KnoN and Lincoln Il. II. WAS put through This
section nearly all the towns along the line sub
scrbcd largely Of the stock and loaned their
credit in aid OF the enterprise. Warren was
not behind her sister towns and agreed to pay
the liberal sum Of seventy y-tve thousand dollars.
With forcthou@ht worthy of Il Roman oracle
they added the apparently harmless and useless
condition that the road should come within one
mile and half Of The village. Nobody Object
ed and nothing more was thought of the mat
Ter. When tho road was located. Thomil>ton.
having an old gru,gc against Til, town. and
wishing to iniurc its prospects. managed TO
have the depot nearl! two miles away. Every
N init Il
try to prevent this consunnlltom. She did
nothing of the kind; but with oking cool
ness allowed the 'lhoma>ton stockholders to
carry out their petty scheme of revenge and
then quietly informed them HAT a> the terms
Of the contract had been violated not one pen
ny of the subscription would they pay. As the
law and evidence were entirely Oh the side of
Warren no suit WAS ever brought, while The
town gets the full benefit of the road without
cNpcndiIg dollar towards its construction.
by such shrcWd management the town hl- add
cd enormously TO its wealth. until its present
rate of taxation is the lowest of any in the
state. Paupcr> are here almost unknown. The
late Edward O'Bren left fund OF so 900. the
interest Of which WAS to lie yearly distributed
among the worthy poor OF Warren. This CEN
crous provision keeps many family from be
coming town charges. \ few wears since the
peoplcwcrc engaged almost exclusively in agri-
cultural pursuits; to-day it is one of tho most
active and prosperous manufacturing towns in
Maine
4 LARGE SHOE SHOP
owned and managed by Mr.. j. NJ. Holt, eni-
,,II lam
adding Very desirable class of people to the
population. The wooden factory, an Older in
sitution. gives employment to nearly Il hun
dred hands, while the town fisheries, powder
mills, and other establishments Of lesser note
all contribute to the prosperity of this stirring
place. Just at the present mcmcnt. however,
the village is under IL threatening cloud. Two
weeks AGO the local assembly Of the Knights of
Labor ordered Il strike in the shoe shop and the
entire force quit work. Last week trouble
arose in the WOODEN mill. and they, also. were
ordered out. thus leaving the business Of the
village entirely PROSTATE. For the most part
tins Is only Il temporary furry. The managers
of the shoe shop have met their hands in the
most amicahlc spirit and settlement both gen
crouS and Just has been effected which is en-
tIrely satisfactory to both sides. In IA few DAYS
| more this establishment will he running again
on full time and with full force. At the
Wooicn mill matters do not look 50 favorable
Tie superintendent. Mr.. Thos. Walker, is Il
Sc"tchman of very positive character and de
termination On the first ntimaton of trouble
he packed his trunk and sailed for Europe to
visit the scenes Of his youth. He has left no
instructions behind, and thus everything is in
chaotic state. His son, Mr.. James Walker. now
i'll charge of the silent mill. informed me that
they were willing to concedc one hour less per
day. and IN increase of wages to Il portion Of
the help, but under no circumstances whatever
would they confer with or be governed by any
action of The knights. Thus the matter stands
at present, although | have no doubt but that
the good sense of all concerned will soon find IL
way out of the difficulty. 1t is one of the en-
couragng signs of the times that there is Il;
growing tendency to settle these labor troubles
with less reference to strikes and bovcotts. All
that is needed TO accomplish this desirable end
is
MUTUAL RESPECT AND FORBEARANCE.
Capitalists and corporations might as well face
the fact that labor is at last aroused and organ
| lied in its own defence. The heartless exact
ions of the money power in the past can never
be successfully practccd in the future A great
| industrial and social revolution is now going Oh
throughout the world. but its issue can no long
| cr be doubtful. Capitalists may retard, but
| they cannot prevent its final consummation.
| As bands which for Il moment may restrain.
| break all the more violently for the force with
| tJ,...-