Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-12

doing the business that is done here i,
: Augusta, You will find, not 4 city of Is.
600 souls, but the number will be OK
pressed by six figures. 1t is hard for US 3,
realize that in large parts of the United
States, very large per cent. of the popu.
lation (sometimes as high as two-thirds'
never have cent of money at their dis
posal. They absolutely never put thei,
hand in their pocket and pay for an arti
Gle, as their pocket is always empty. /,
these people secure their one bale of cot.
ton, which they somewhat expect TO get
it Immediately goes into the warehouse OF
the merchant who paid for it in proyi.
sions, before the seed was put into the
ground. This class of people, and their
methods OF life, we have not, and never
can have.
Situated as Augusta is, in the center of
the most fertile valley in New England,
surrounded by rich and prosperous towns.
each hive of industry in itself, wby
should not commerce flourish in pro
portion to our manufactures? The popula-
ton of Augusta and the country that its
tributary to it. is composed entirely of a
purchasing class. The trade of Augusta
could be largely increased, if there were
better facilities for reaching our neigh
bors to the east and west of this CITY.
with railroad running from Rockland
to Lewiston, through this city, managed
In the interest of Augusta, by Augusta
men, making connections at Lewiston
with the Grand Trunk, Augusta could be
billing point for all through freight
from the West. and -four grain, meats
and all Western products could be laid
down at our door as cheaply as they are
now put into Portland and Boston. With
out this connection, Augusta cannot COM
pete with Portland for Wholesale trade in
heavy supplies
| Given this connection, we need ask no
odds or favor. but could successfully meet
all corners in our own territory IAp-
plause
Thomas j. Lynch, postmaster, deliv-
cred the following exceedingly interesting
toast on ''Our Postal Facilities -
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the Board
of Trade:
The subject that you have assigned to
me is one of great interest to our city. In
a general way l will endeavor to place
before you the work performed in the de
partment over which l have the honor to
preside. While the growth of our city has
been healthy and permanent the growth
Of the post office work has been phenom-
email and, to the surprise of the great ma
lority, at its early conception, who simply
thought that it would be but for short
period. No city in the State has better
facilities for receiving and dispatching
mail than our own.
Receiving as we do, five mails from the
west during the day, and dispatching five
receiving from the east three mails and
dispatching three, you will readily see
gives to our business men frequent daily
receipt and dispatch of mails.
Our Office, which, under ordinary cir
cumstances, were it not for our great
publishing houses, would be enabled with
a small corps of clerks to handle the mail,
has, on account of them, been able to en-
ploy very large force, organized into
several departments, which permits the
handling of its vast mails with the ut
most promptness and safety. These large
publishing houses have now been estab-
lished in our midst for period of more
than quarter of a century. and had their
ception in our late lamented brother, Ed
ward G.. Allen, who startled the commu-
nifty with the magnitude and growth of his
business at its very commencement He,
whose memory will ever remain dear to
the citizens of his adopted city laid the
foundation for the large and prosperous
publishing houses of this city. He has
left upon the field those who are actively
engaged in the business, / refer to Hon.
2. D. Nickory and Dr. John Il. Hill, of
the publishing house of Nicllery and Hill,
Mr.. W. II. Gannett, beside several others
who are doing small but growing and
apparently a successful business. Too
much cannot be said in praise of these
gentlemen, and the public is oftentimcs
too apt to forget that they have given con
tinuous employment to hundreds of our
fellow citizens, and during tho last two
years of financial trouble and depression
of business Were 10 not for the newsr aper
accounts, Augusta would never have
known but what there was plenty of en-
ployment for the people throughout the
land. Public spirited men as they are,
they have assisted in Identifying our
city by the magnificent buildings they
have erected right and left. The growth
of this business, coming 50 sudden. al
most in a night, made it difficult for the
early postmastcrs to get assistance or ade-
quatc allowance from the department, to
enable them to properly h@ndle and dis
patch their mail matter and during this
time our city has reason to take pride in
the gentlemen who We're the representa-
tives of the national government.
Mr.. Hamlen, during his tenure of Office,
had much to contend with, the depart
ment unwilling to allow him reasonable
clerk hire, and not having proper facili-
ties for doing the work, he was obliged
to handle the enormous mail under the
greatest difficulties. and was an indie
fatigable worker. 1t was through the IN
firing efforts of Mr.. Manley, his sue.
cessor, that the Office was reorganized,
with additional quarters, and free de-
livery system established, which has been
duly appreciated by the public. Mr..
Fowler, who succeeded Mr. Manley, was
one of the most conscientious OF postmas-
tiers, giving personal attention, carly and
late, to the post office business. suffering
as he did upon his introduction to the
Office, reduction of nearly one third of
his allowance. he maintained most ex-
cellent service, and he was one who was
thoroughly acquainted with postal work.
Mr. Manley again succeeded Mr.. Fowler,
shortly afterward entering the new public