The Portland daily press., 1891-08-24
MAINE TOWNS.
Items of interest Gathered by Cor
respondents OF the Press.
Bethel.

Bethel.
Wednesday party from Alpine Cottage
took trip to Bryant's Pond INDUCED in q
picnic on Mount CHRISTOPHER Island in centre
of pond arriving about IL a. M, through the
kindness of the Grand Trunk Station Agent
Mr.. Durham. The patty were most kindly
welcomed and allowed to spread our picnic
dinner upon his table in his beautiful home
among the trees on the shore Of pond, and
on account of its being somewhat shOwery
we did not occupy the .island for our picnic
dinner Bryants Pond Is a beautiful village
on G. T. r. r. about 80 miles south OF Cor,
ham, N. II. and some go miles from Portland
The first cars came to Bryants Pond. Jan.
10Th 1857. March 10th first train came to
Bethel. Mr.. Durham tells me he has been
Station Agent here 40 yeSrs laat winter. MT
Durham was the son OF Elder DunDam
Baptist divine and one Of the well known
Oxford county squash raisers. The elder
took great pride in cultlvating and mamouth
squashs for our fairs. His method was ID
feed the squashes with milk as the farmers
raises mp his calves. While attending me
fair at Sherbrook last fall, l saw big
squash fed by milk that measured seven
feet. Bryant's Pond 40 years ago when the
r. r. was being constructed contained only
| few houses. Since then 1t has grown up to
smart little village full OF YIN and pusi-
n
for Rumford, Hanover Andover and the
| lake country. A stage drawn by four
| horses leave this station for the above towns
daily. Glen Mountain house Is the principle
hotel, which is well filled with city guests
| tiful sheet of water Bryant's Pond, 3 miles
| long and on an average three-fOurths miles
wide, with beautiful sand shores. The pond
contains three islands, the largest contains
three acres covered WIN trees ana a oeauti-
mountain some 600 feet high with its wooded
| face grimly looks down upon you from the
| southwest shore. With boat one can skim
| up to its very base. From its summit the
| view is just grand. Bryants Pond spool mill
owned by Dearborn is just south of this
| village. Large quantities of finished spools
| are shipped from here every week. Some
| two thousand cords of white birch Is cut up
| into strips and when dried are put into. fin
| ished spools ready for the market. From
following facts; From South Paris to West
Paris is miles, the up grade between Sta
| tions is so feet 77-100. From West Paris to
to Bryant's Pond Z miles up grade: 51S
feet 9010o. From Bryants Pond to Lockes
grade 10 feet 4O-i0O. Lockes Mills to Bethel,
| 81 miles, down grade 81 feet 39-100. The
| highest point of grade between South Paris
| and Bethel is one mile above Bryant's Pond
Now If Bethel Is 800 feet above water level,
Bryanrs Pond must be 800 feet or about.
A.. G.
Freeport.
Prof. G. l.. Mitchell has returned Ber-
| nardston, Mass. He Is principal of Bowers
Institute. Miss Mary E. Mitchell has been
elected first assistant at the Institute. and in
company with Miss Ada B. Mitchell will
leave for Bernardst0n Aug. &C.
With the exception of the South Grammar
| Scehl, the High, North Grammar and COM
mon schools Will begin Monday, Sept. T.
Nearly all the water pipes are laid. There
has been large amount OF blasting neces-
| Sary to DO on Main street.
Edward S. Soule, with E. b. Mallet, hav-
ing charge of the dry and fancy goods de-
| partment In his store, has gone to Boston for
| week, purchasing fall goods.
Jarvis A, Brewster. ESQ /, is having his
block OF stores piped for steam heating. The
| work Is being done by Portland parties.
DR.. ID. ID. Spear and family spent last
week at the Townsend camp" on VOLTS
| Neck.
The Harrasecket Hotel has been literally
| patronized this week. 1t is good tip to
| take the steamer Phantom, Capt. Townsend,
In Portland at 10 O'Clock, arriving at South
Freeport at II M, take the barge and arrive
| at Harraseeket House in time for dinner
| returning, leave South Freeport at D. m.
Mr.. John Burr from his greenhouses fur
nished some very handsome floral pieces for
the funeral services of the late Conductor
| Geo. II. Knapp; among them was a beauti-
| full brakeman's wheel, from the United Or
der OF Railroad Conductors large wreath
| on stand from the Maine Central employees
| not members of the order; an elegant pillow
| from Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas j. Dillon Of
Bath.