Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-11-03

sSd ether markets. The shingles were made
/ beth en- the American ami Provincial sides Of
the ST. Join ard the dssy on Prcsin-
cial shingles formed the principal
sour,e Of revenue at the Fort keatl
custom house Il that time 1hs
| FIrm ~ ,. ". NaII<st 4 c..
| confined 10 do an extensive business until
ISIS, Mr.. CunI ns berg also the senser
member Of the ssm of carlGe 4 Stevens
Who we're largely engaged in cuitis2 lam
b<r snaey miles farther uo the Iivsr- In
4 ISIS came the disastrous Jews,f fsi.afe, in
/ consequence Of which both these frns
vent By the board II Is fair to say here
that both Mr.. Cunlife All NJ. Maiistt
came out Of this failure with their reputa-
| sion ~ honest basiness men uDsulised and
with the respect an ! sympathy Of the entire
community. In fact their business integrity
snd experience wss about sii the CAPITAL
left them from the general wreck, bus upoa
this they have since both bull. up comfort
able fostanes- This perhaps makes il
necessary 70 add that Mr.. 5. w. Stevens,
also a man Of uab,emished reputation. has
ssrce continued in the lumber business,
though not resident OF Fort Kent, and is
nov one of the most prosperous and
frspkt<u ti3<eHs VI AENfluc Astr-
After the failure Mr.. Msliett vas
employed AZ o scaler for a number Of years
and in 1850 eItered into partnership with
l. III. Page. Esq. il the busi.css of uating
. d numbering which was extensively carried
on BY the firm until 1888, when Mr.. Msllett
parehased the entire business together with
the hou-s and lsni comprising the est,te Of
Col. David Page ~ho died q; Fort Kent in
the fail Of 1853. Mr.. Mallett cuts ABOUT
seyen million feet OF lumber annually and
does a large mercantile tusinsss. Ga the
site Of The house built for the army officers
and so long occupied by Col Page he has
built very handsome residence aud made
many improvements upon the grounds.
| Mr.. | II. Page came to Fort Kent when
boy with his father, Col David Psga, in
| 1917. In 1856 he vent to Houlton as clerk
fer Mr.. Rufus Mausur and afterwards for
| Mr.. Patrick Collins. From Houlton be
went TO Fort Fairfield as clerk for Hon.
Issac Hacker, remaining there t~o years
and then taking charge Of Mr.. Hackers
store st Wan Buren, for q yesr and half.
| He was afterwar for two years in the
employ Of Mr.. c. +. A. Johnson of Pressure
Isle. In lS6t he was appointed to clerk
| ship IN the 1uartermastets department of
the army in Virginia, where he remained a
year aad in 1866 returned to Fort Kent and
vent into the employ of his brother-in-law,
Mr.. George Seeiy. In 1866 he entered into
partnership with Mr. Seely and the firm Of
Seely & Psge carried on an extensive mer-
camille ami lumber business until the death
Of Mr. Seely in 1874 Mr.. Page continued
| to carry on the busieess under the firm
name for two years, when he purchased
the entire business ia which he was
enzsged on bi, own account until
1850, when the firm of Page & Mallett
was formed, In 1855 Mr.. Page
sold his interest in the business TO Mr..
| MslletI and in May 1889 was appointed
| Deputy Colleeto. of Customs NJ Fort Kent,
which Office he now holds Mr.. Page re-
sides in the house formerly occupied by
Mr.. George Setly, having purchased the
| property some years ago. lie has made
many Improvements upon the house and
grounds aud has some fine horses in his
ample stables. On
The HIM.
IS it is called. or the slight elevation near
the bank of Fish river, is handsome
square formerly the parade ground Of the
| United States troops. On the north side of
the square are located MIR. Malletts store
and the Custom House, on the east and
west sides the residences of Mr.. Mallett
and Mr.. Page, while on the south side is
the residence of Major William Dickey.
| formerly the Old barracks building. This
building Mojor Dickey has repaired and
modernized TO a considerable extent aud
has finished the interior into a most com.
Portable and eapscious residence. Mr..
| Cyrus II. Dickey, son of the Major, also
makes his home here when not engaged in
the woods or upon the river. Mr.. G. Ii.
Dickey was for number of years men,
Der of the firm of Eaton & Dickey. doing
business at Frenchvile. twelve miles below
Fort Kent, but has lalterlv carried on an
extensive lumber business on his own ac-
count his operations being upon the St.
John river a long distance above Fort
Kent Major William niskey, one of the
oldest settlers at Fort Kent now living, is
well known throughout the State of Maine.
The sjor is now upwards of eighty, but
is still hale and vigorous and will represent
bis district in the Legislature the coming
winter with his usual ability and success.
lie was first elected to the Legis
ture from the town of Strong
in ISL and has been a member
ofstwenty Legislatures. He has a pleasant
home with everything needed for comfort
anil is quietly passing his declining years
surrounded by his affsctionate children and
grandchildren. From the northwestern
corner of the tqusre the street descends
slightly to the beautiful plain upon which
a large part of the village is situated. As
we descend to the lower ground we come
frs: TO the large building on the right,
owned by A. G. FeDlsson Esq the village
la.yer. This building was built some years
,.,to. IL
for a store After the desth of Mr.. Sears
it wss purchased by Mr.. Fenlsson who has
finished the upper story into pleasant aud
convenient residence and uses the lower
story rs an office. Mr. Fenlason first came
10 the town nearly twenty years ago as
teacher of the high school. He afterwards
studied law and, having married daughter
of Major Dickey establish his residence
at Fort Kent. lie 10 row doiog a success-
full business, being engaged in number of
enterprises a',iae of his profession and is
sccumuls'ing property. With the increase
| of business which is sure TO come to Fort
Kent in the near future Mr.. Fenlas ems
building will be needed for store aud is
therefore valuable Iisce of property.
short distance beyond on the eff as we
| walk up river We come to the
pid ingtc Hotel,
kept for so many years BY the old veteran,
Samuel Stevens. This hotel s one of the
ancien. ian imlrks OF the town and before
the big open fire in its spacious bar room
many important questions of business and
politics have been DISCUSSED in years agone,
and transact ns involving large sums of
money have been negotiated. It's ample
dining room has witnessed many gay parties
in the oiden time and wealth, beauty aud
fs,hion have there tripped the light fsntas-
tic for many night until 1.-The wee sma'
hours"
The Palmy bays of Old"
In those old days no gayer place could
be found in all The State than Fort Kent.
and none where money was more plentifui.
or was spent with freer hand for every
thing that pertsined 10 socisi enjoyment
Far removed as the town then was from
the more populous portions Of the State its
citizens were compelled to rely on their
own resources for enjoyment and the large
amount of money coming TO them from the
prosperous lumber business in which most
of them were engaged gsve them ample
means for gratifying every desire for social
pleasure. Fine turnouts were the order of
thu dsy and some of the beet horses in the
State were then owned a. Fort Kent. Rosd
sters that could make their hundred miles
| in day were rot uncommon and in winter
season a race course Was ept cieanly swept
upon the icy surface Of the St. John and
| here many notable contests were engaged ia
| between the fast stepptrs of the town.
| Those days of exceptional business pros
perity and of easy m Jrey making have
long since passed away ard with them mary