Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-05-05

the mail from Hoaison 70 Csisis - late -
1856
II the year 1873 . u~v aEa prosperous
en- commenced fer this struggling coloay
for % bright snnmes das In Jane Of shes
ye.s. Company C. Of The Seeood Rssinsss
Of Unit-d ssases Infantry. under coanasd
Of lss Lieusensns joseph c. Gallagher.
having come up over sh< Baskahsssn route.
marched through the village street to the
merry mns c Of the dfs ard drum, and
pitched their tents on the high srcand In
the rear al Mr.. Jsseph Hoei;oa's house.
Three Sihsr compaf lee Of The came kesi-
ment. Co. 3. Lieut. Bioo.isood, Co. =.
Capt. r. Stamford ord Co K. Lieut. A.
B. Kasoa, ssss left behind . accompany
the stores and Supplies shich the hrm OF
Tovie and Psrsons Of Bangor hal con
tfzcted TO deliver At the Post II Houiton-
The entire detachment vss under the Com
mznd Of Msjor n. 8 Ciark. and the other
three companies arrived st Heulton on Sept.
?sth. 1928. In the mean time tract OF
laHd containing rs acres had been purchased
BY the United States of Mr.. Houiton. and
on tbd arrival Of the rrst company the men
wefe immediaseiy set to work 10 erect .
ssocksde and to build the necessary build
legs for . complete military post.
The work Of preparing the parade ground
VAS . task Of much mag nitude - an out
cropping ledge had to be b!asts d Ard leveled,
ba. when completed IL was one Of the finest
parade grounds In the country. In tn,
erection of 20 many buildings and the es-
tsblishment Of the Military Post the labor
Of many meu vac required and employ men'
At good wages was provided for every man
or boy who was willing TO work. For some
time the pay rcil 10 citizen workmen
amounted TO fully two thousand dollars per
month. This large smcuat Of money was
of incaicalxble benefit. aud from this lime
dates the assured prosperity OF this pioneer
town Not oaly was the coming Of the
soldiers Of great financial advantage to the
town but II gave to these settlers upon
disputed boundary feeling Of security, ~
they felt that they were indeed uadef the
protec ion Of their government, and waving
In the breeze above their little village they
beheld with Joy the glorious stars and
stripes Of their country. then the northern
most military nig with but one except N in
ali the national domain. Tde transports.
ton of supplies for the Post FROM Bangor
up the Penobscot add MtttsS amkesg rivers
au1 thence over the rough roads to Houl-
ton WAS attended with 80 much diff ;ulty
that Msjor Clark determined to build u
military road from Bangor direct to Houl
ton, and having obtained the necessary Ia
stractions from the government, proceeded
to the construction Of the road which was
| fnished in 1882, and was so fine road that
q party who left the town of Freeman in
Franklin county on the 18th OF December
OF that year drove through TO H0ultOD In
Four days. This road WAS for many years
kept In an excellent condition and became
one Of the finest routes for mail coaches in
the Safe. Since the advent of the railroads.
1t has gradually fallen into disuse aud much
Of 1t Is now considerably out Of repair.
These garrison years were years OF great
prosperity Tor Houlton. increasing TO n
great extent the business of the town and
furnishing local cash market for all kinds
Of produce. The social relations between
the military aid the citizens were most cor.
dial. Many Of the officers had their wives
nj the garrison and some of those who came
unmarried found wives among the fair
daughters of the town.
| In the winter Of 1886 Companies +. and
X of the Infantry were removed To Bos-
ton and subsequently the other companies
folio Scd and were replaced by Companies
C. T.. and +. Of the First Regiment U. s
Artillery. who arrived at the Post on the
lith of October 1888, Major X. NJ. Kir-
by Of the LIST Artillery nov became Com
niander Of the Post. Then followed the
exciting times OF the Aroostook War which
came SO near bel w tragedy but proved n
farce That Major KIRBY realized that
serious trouble might arise IL evident from
the fac, that on February LIST 1889 he writes
to the ordnance Department that ten
barrels of cannnon posder should be con
stsntly in magazine, subject to such ext
gency as may occur, on this frontier, a.
this isolated Station Major KIRBY kept
himself well informed IN regard to thu
state of affairs in dispute bet vecn the au-
thorities of Maine and New Brunswick and
1t Is largely due to his Judgment and dis
erection that more serious bOstiiitirs were
not precipitsted When requested by the
Govorner of Maine TO cooperate with the
State troops he respectfully declined ~ he
would not compr pmise the United States
by any act committed without orders He
informs Gov. Fairfield Of the capture Of
Land Agent Mcintyre and party but gives
1t ~ hi opinion tina, It was ar act com.
mitted without au hority, civil OF military,
from the Province Of New Brunswick
The excitement in Maine increased. how
ever, after this event, and in the spring Of
1889. tselve com yAnies of State Militia.
marched up the Military road and quartcred
At different times in lloulton. BY the
prompt and judicious action Of Gen. Scott,
trouble was Rverted, as he negotiated an
arrangement with Sir John Harvey, Gov.
Of New Brunswick that the troop, on both
sides should be Withdrawn from the terri
tory and the whole matter be referred to
dipiomatic actsn. Inc Garrison at houi'on
was retained uhoi AFTER tue maj settlement
py treaty OF the uisputeh boundary ques'
uon ~heh tue troops were removed ana the
MILITARY Post abandoned.
~ vas SAL dy ior houiton when ha
ciuxens oade adieu TO the soldiers and saw
'hsu' "hrch a@Ay uo~n the mihtAry foiu'
among tho'e OF the oiicers VINO afterwards
ooua,heu h''i.ary ian,r were Lieuts. HOOK
er. Mcdowell hekett' and Others Of the
Union army. WINE Lieut. Magruaer siter'
wa'ds OF Rebel lame wa. remembered by
"e o'uer ci''he"s as uAsn'hg sha popular
young omcef. AS may be easily believed
uhe years ioi'o~'ng the departure OF the
uoobs oroush' nara "mes Tor uouitoh ana
IL" surrounding towns having this ready
market thus Abruptly mken from them
money became scarce ana check was put
upon tue common prosperity ne large
iumoer ana other operations OF shepard
cary were OF great advantage curing these
years o'her numbering operations we're
ALSO carried ON near oy ana 'he tafmer'
turned 'heif aurht'oh u raising supplies FOL
'ae Noous' Inns WIN the making oil
s"A'eu 'n'ns'es !" 'ne ~'".er' ana the rA's'
~ i oeei eA''ie' ~n'cn growers TOOK ou'
Tue county va ior ions tune .he
business OF 'he farming population Inc
grow" ., uon''on vas SLOW "uons 'heee