Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-19

tIc iutHDSt anu ice uIdu. 10 THESE industries
he also adds that of agriculture. being pro-
prietor of the Broadacres Farm at Riverside,
Vassalboro-which is really consolidation
OF six farms in one, presenting broad stretch
of level, unbroken fields, and the old Sturgi.
homestead, with its graceful lawns and broad
piazzas. forming picturesque and delightful
manor, where its owner finds time for an
hours respite, occasionally, from his other
and more exactng business. Mr.. Sturgis is
great lever in Maine industry and has been
all his life. He and his associates ship an
nuaIly from ~ ine IS to 20 millions of lum-
Der and l00,0 900 tons OF ice. They have IA
camps in the wood, this winter run saw mills
in several Maine cities and to~ns. Their Ice
houses are scattered up and down the Kenne-
bee, they have run successful retail ice enter
prizes in Charleston. Galveston, Richmond
and other Southern cities, and now carry on
avery lsrg. business ~ Baltimore and phiIa-
delphia
Mr.. Sturgis was raised in saw mill. His
grandfather and father before him were saw
yers At Va-salboro, and Ira ID. got his first
ideas by carrying dinners TO his father at his
old-fA-hioned water mill on Seven Mile
brook, when An urchin He succeeded to his
father in the business at Vassslboro. He
numbered extensively in Nova Scotia, and
start d a mill at Augusta in 1868 Later, he
built the mill at Piuston, which has added
very largely % the prosperity of that town.
and passed into other hands Mr. Sturgls
tells good story in connection with his pur-
chase Of the land for the site Of this mill. 1t
was Owned by Mrs. williamson, widow.
IL WAS riding by in the cars, one day"
said Mr.. Sturgls, "when a friend said to me,
WHY don't YOU buy that land over there for
MILF It's a fin chance SO it is, said I.
/ 4 f.tu a1A ha aal, - l., a.l.a
$40, 900 and wants 70 sell
II made up my mind to buy il, and the
next day | went down to see her asked
her what she'd take for the farm-a fine
place lying along the river-and she said she
didn't know she must see her dau ghters; she
would consult them and let me know. Very
well, will come down Tomorrow said |.
SO went down again and she said Il haven't
made up my mind what to ask, but nv
daughters think | ought to have 5ll .000'
told her to make up her mind and | would
see her again. The next time | called, she
said: / don't know as | am prepared to set
price on the farm, but my daughters say that
Sl2, 900 is little enough
"'Now' said |. my time is worth some
thing and cant afford to run back and forth
here. I'll come Just once more and | want
YOU to tell me your bottom price for the farm
She said she'd do it. | went once more and
asked her if she had made up her mind what
to take. She said $4,000. There were some
sheep and hog. on the farm and / asked her
il she'd throw them in. ON no, said she.
AN right" said |. We won't make any more
talk. I'll give you your price | was ter
ribly afraid she would add another thousand
before could make the trade :"
Mr.. Sturgis was preceded in the wholesale
ice business on the Kennebec only by the vet
eran Chessnan. Sturgs built the first set of
ice houses On the river, at Pttston, in 1865
They cost him $4,000 One of the leading
capitalists of Gard ner. who afterwards caught
the craze and has made his thousands of dol
lars IN the ice business, then told Mr.. Sturgis
that he wouldn't give him $4,000 for mis- IN
vestment. The houses were thought wonder
full and their owner vas considered a very
daring man.
Jle. aft the war ir. Sturgis visited Sa
vg"nGh. Ga. and Che riestown, $. c., and en-
/ parked IN schemes there II make a retail mar
ket for his ice. tie constructed ice vaults
bought whole caravans # red carts and mules
and made the s-goI z Southprners, who
had been delvt 1g Zee with to,r strings omen
tfclr eyes with enazencnt, at his I'D Yam
kvr way, IF doin thinss In both Charles
ton and Savanna he mtde such start that
he scared the old estrblished ice-retailers
'"'ie' NV "uyi'S niii' Jul anu mak'hR ProIh-
hole contracts 10 tAhe the ice he put up on the
henneo'c TOR hVe wears. Inns was all he
wished TO accomplish he dld NOS intend to
peoule Ice IN southern cues. lie wanted to
maze market Tor ms hennehec crop His
Achievements IN savannah ana charleston
were triu'hphs OF business strategy ana bold
ness.
Seven years ago, the Haynes & De Witt Ice
Co., or which Mr. Sturgis was the founder,
begun the re'ai ice business IN Baltimore ana
Ih''aae'pnH' ihe Hrst season. thev sold
o'ooo tons IA tne 'orh'er pace ana ooo IN
'"e ia'',r' ''as' se's"i' tneH retained fu'ooo
tons III baltimore ana oo'uoo tons IN fhila-
ue.pnia,
WI surg Is p "ct.c"' oyer Inere Is
NOT township on the hehneoec river or an
"t 'S tributaries 'h'' ne mas hot explored ne
mas c'ff''u khapSa'k many GAYS IN the VIII
uerness ana mas cllmoed the taliest pines and
spruces IN the Forests around Moosehead
Lake. lth'n the last three years he has
aone work on 'he hehneoec "hich ha+ proved
ana VIII prove vi immense Vaiue 10 the ium-
DER III mat river. hree wears ago there was
AN ioa'''t"se Jam oi iogS al Cstr"uhk FANS.
hundrehs OF thousands or dollars worth OF
OF properly WAS lhlperi'led " TN ere"
OF 4oo men AMI thfee tons or rendrock' Mr
Stnrgls iorcen passage IN three days and
MADE clean drive down the rlver-the hrst
tor years. AS me agent OF the henneoec