The Portland daily press., 1895-05-11
PORTLA ND'S GREAT PASTOR.
DR.. Cyrus Hamlin Recalls DR.. Ed.
ward Payson.

Meeting of Maine Histori caI society-oId
Cumberland and Oxford Canal-Early
Days of Scarboro-Dr. Burrage on a
Chapter of Maine History.
A meeting of the Maine Historical Society
was held yesterday afternoon in the rooms
of the society in Baxter building. Hon.
George E. Emery of this city, presided. in
the absence of President Talbot.
The first paper was an account of the
Cumberland and Oxford canal, by Mr..
Samuel 7. Dole of Windham. The idea of
this canal had been agitated early as
1871. Wood bury Storer and others of Port
land obtained an act in 1895 for opening a
canal from Sebago Lake to the Presumpscot
river at Saccarappa. But it was not until
after Maine had been admitted to the
Union, that the charter under which the
canal was built was granted in 1921. A
lottery was granted the company in 1928,
and in 1925 the Canal bank was chartered
with a capital OF $500, 600, of which fourth
must be invested in the stot of the canal.
The work was begun in 1928 and completed
IN 1850, at cost of S206,000. In less than
year after the canal was opened hundred
boats were plying on the canal. These
boats We're siAty-tiye feet long, and ten
VIDE. There We've two stumpy masts which
were hinged SO as to be lowered on the
canal and raised on the lakes. 1t is said
that the first boat to make the passage from
Portland to Lake Sebago was the George
Washington, built and fitted up as passen-
ger boat by the late VIM A. Rice, formerly
of Great Falls. The boat was fitted up in
the highest style of art. including a bar,
where all kinds of sprituous liquors were
dispensed. This passenger boat, however,
was not success. Later the boat was sunk
below the lower Kemp lock, and some of it's
timbers are still to be seen there. The
principal boat owners were Benjamin
Walker, Christopher Sampson, James Pot
Ter, Elliott Libby. Luther Fitch. William
and Henry Chad bourne, Otis knight, Chase
Bros, Roger and Joel Mason. Hugh and
Jesse Plummer. Benjamin Davis, Elijah
Fulton and others.
The elevation of the lake being 2S0 feet
| above tide water, twenty-seven locks were
necessary, with fall of ten feet each. and
fall of one foot to the mile on the levels.
The locks were eighty feet long and ten
wide.
AT tide water was the guard lock. then
seven locks near 5troudwater. two at
Horse Beet, two at Little Falls, one at
Gambo. two at Kemps, one at Dundy Falls,
one called the Sand Bank, two at Whtney's
Falls, three at OF near Great Falls. two at
Middle Jam, one at Steep Falls. etc. The
repair shops were at Stroudwater, in charge
of Joseph G. Larry, often assisted by Capt
Edmund Dorset.
When the Atlantic and st. Lawrence rail
road was built the Importance of the canal
was diminished. but it was used until the
Portland and Osdensburg was opened to
Lake Sebago. Septembe ~, 1910.
Hon. George f. Emery recalled some
early facts in relation to the canal. One of
the most interesting related to the lottery,
by which money was raised for the canal
the one who sold. these lottery tickets in
Portland was Deacon Byron Green oueh
who, if he lived today. would hardly be
engaged in such business.
| Rev. DR.. H. s. Burrags followed with a
paper on the Charter Rights of Maine in
Massachusetts in Maine in the early part of
the Eighteenth Century. This paper was
based upon a document found by Mr.. Kilby
| of Eastport. in Boston junk store. and
| which DR.. Burrage thinks has never been
published. 1t throws such light upon an
| important portion of Maine history.
M. A. Stafford, ESQ.,, Of Kittery, read an
interesting paper on William Whipple OF
Kittery, the only signer of the Declaration
of Independence. to whom Maj inc may lay
claim. General Whipple, however, lived
| most of his life in New Hampshire, and is
claimed by that state. He came of promi.
| nent English family, dating back to the
days OF William the Conqueror. When the
Revolution came ON Whipple was prominent
among the patriots of New Hampshire. He
served in the Continental Congress, in the
army and in the affairs of New Hampshire.
| General Whipple had two slaves. who
were as we'll known in Portsmouth as theil
master. But he did not believe in slavery
and when he helped throw off the foreign
yoke. he was willing to accord liberty
| also to his slaves
| EVENING SESSION.
At the evening session Rev. DR.. Asa Dali
ton presided. The attendance was mucl
larger than in the afternoon. The frs
paper was an interesting and valuable
| account of the early settlements of Scar
borough. written and read by Augustus f
Moulton, Esq. After reviewing thu
| troubles and conflicts of the early settler
about their land grants and their religion
| differences. Mr.. Moulton came to the in
| teresting period of the Indian wars whIcl
began in 1915. June 20, 1877, near the moutl
| of the NonesucL river was fought one of thu
greatest Indian battles that ever wa
| fought in New England. Captain Swift
with three hundred men was drawn into al
| am I'm Spada nv l9rpA force of
| After bioudy battle. in which Captain
| Swift and sixty men fell. the remainder re
| treated to the fort. The Indians, however
| met with such losses that they drew off
| For twelve years during the Indian wars
| the town was entirely deserted.
| The early settlers of Scarboro were gener
| ally royalist and e2iscopalian. in contras
| with tho Puritanism of Massachusetts
| Macbias was settled from Scarboro , anf
Foster, who took part in the capture of the
| Marguerite, was a member OF a Scarbort
| family.
of Dr dxya nd Dow