The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-17
STATE TOPICS OF INTEREST.

There are signs of cold winter in Ban
gor. There is more coal being unloaded from
vessels in the harbor than ever before at one
time.
1t is not improbable that at some time dur
ing the summer the Blaine and Harrison
families may be at Bar Harbor and Mrs.
Cleveland at Sorrento.
Augusta calls her base ball club the "ag-
gregation." They couldn't properly be call
ed the Congregation" since they never have
an opportunity for thanksgiving and praise.
Senator Hale will soon live in one of the
most magnificent houses in Washington.
Mrs. Hale's mother is building the house for
a present for her daughter. The house will
be ON the corner of X and Sixteenth streets.
Professor George w. Little, librarian of
Bowdoin College. has issued the first general
catalogue printed in English. 1t is book
of 176 pages. The summary shows that the
whole number of graduates is 1915; de-
ceased, 1881; living, 2,224.
1t seems like old times in Bath. There are
now fifteen vessels on the stocks in that city
and several other contracts are placed with
Bath builders to be filed as soon as the tim
Der can be cut. General satisfaction prevails
betw cen employers and employees, and the
people are getting rich and happy.
had a patriotic history. twas raised one 4th
of July about 1858; and on the afternoon of
the historic day when Sumpter was fired on
thunderbolt struck the flag that was flying
from its top. Whether this striking acct
dent was regarded as an omen Of Divine
favor Is not recorded.
Bangor has physician who looks so griz.
zled and benevolent that a little girl whom
he took in to ride the other day turned to
him ON getting out of the carriage and said:
little doll Christmas. :" "Why should bring
you dollp" was the surprised reply. "Oh,
l know you; you're Santa Claus" said the
child as she went up the steps with her face
wreathed in smiles.
Augustus ambition is never quiet. Her
ball team having lost four straight games to
the Lewistons,. the poet Of Lewiston's valor
thus sings in the Journal:
There is mourning at the capital of this good
They have wept and walled and worried till
they've almost gone insane;
And throughout that gloomy city there's not one
But would swap their darned old State House for
team that can play ball.
1t seems that tie first agitator Of the d.
rect line of railroad to Aroostook county
was old DR.. Mills of Bangor. Years ago, at
meeting called to discuss the project of
building the old Penobscot & Kennebec rail-
road to Waterville, DIR. Mills arose and
said: "Never mind the road to Waterville,
build one into Aroostook county, The
people Kissed and called him foolish. Today
the Bangor business men are agitating the
question of line to Aroostook.
According to despatch from Augusta, the
half of the Togus Home business has not
been told. 1t is said IN Treasurer Ander-
sons behalf that he has neither neglected his
duties at the home norias UnitedIStates PEN
sion agent, On the other hand it is alleged
that Gen. Stephenson has ridden rough shod
over his associates and violated the usual
method of proceedings in the conduct of the
institution, particularly in the awarding of
contracts COmmisSary Eaton is reported to
be contemplating resignation, and it is I'M
dersto0d that Gen. Geo. l.. Beal would be a
candidate for governor of the home should
there be vacancy.
a Chinese laundryman has been trying,
with rather discouraging results. to teach
the people Of Bangor exact business methods.
A man who had left his shirt to be washed
lost the slip of hieroglyphics which Chinese
laundrymen give in receipt for linen the
world over. He explained to the Mongolian
that he could identify the shirt as his name
was on it; but mo checkee, no shirtee," was
the business rule of the establishment. The
services of an officer were enlisted, who
called at the place three different times, but
could not make the Chinaman even look for
the lost shirt. Finally warrant was made
out against the Chinaman for secreting prop
erty and the officer served 1t. being instruct
ed to arrest the owner of the laundry in case
he failed to produce the shirt or pay for it.
Tho Chin than mid the valua of tho
shirt and the cost of the warrant. But he
would not produce the "shirtee" without the
'checkee."
The pioneers of Oxford county, besides
combating the bears. the forests and the
rocks, used to have an occasional tussle with
big words. The Oxford Democrat tells of
one old justice of the peace in the northern
part of the county who was presiding at an
important trial of civil action between two
of his litgious neighbors. After the testi-
mony was all before him, he arose and grave
iy informed all concerned that he should ad-
lourn the court for a fortnight, FOR, said
ne, the court is laboring under a little pit
OF an error, for am not certain whether this
should be an action of debt or an action of a
somerset" Another old citizen, probably a
relative OF the justice, was once returning on
foot from Village several miles from home,
at a time when the roads were nearly impas-
sable Tor ms.Passing the house of neigh
Dor, he called out: Say. Neighbor Blank,
don't you think I'm getting to be quite PRE-
destinarian?"
Besides being haying time, this is also the
season when the great blueberry crop of
Maine is picked. Maine has some famous
BURBERRY fields from which various reports
are now coming in. Down in Cherryfeld
thav cav tho harriac a ra faU in the Washino-
ton county fields; Oxford county people tell
the same story of the fields on old White
were enough to draw 300 pickers last week
from the towns of Paris, Norway, Hebron,
Oxford and Buckfeld. But Brunswick Plain
is after all the classic Dlueberrying ground
of Maine. The town owns, on the old COM