The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-10-31
Our Town.
As seen by The Keen Eye and Described by
The NimbIe Pencil of Editor Owen OF
The Maine Farmer.


The NimbIe Pencil of Editor Owen of
The Maine Farmer.
Skowhegan has each year grown in
Importance, influence and population
1t is certainly one of the most beautiful
places on the Kennebec and were 1t not
so devoutly In love with the oldfashion-
ed New England form of town govern
ment, it would ere this have become a
city. 1t has every appointment OF first
class city-an abundant population,
public buildings, manufacturing estab'
lishmeuts on large scale, elegant
dwellings, broad avenues, spacious and
well kept lawns, as good stores rs can
be found this side of Portland, electric
lights, water works, and as good a
81 stem of sewerage as can be found any.
where. The place has invited trade aud
commerce by connecting itself with the
outside towns by means OF the electric
railroad Passenger and freight cars
run regularly to the classic and ancient
town of Norridgewock, and everybody
is delighted with the success of the road.
In the summer season no more delight
fu ride can be imagined than that by
the electrics, five miles up the bank of
the Kennebec TO the beautiful town of
NOTTluRtNDck. AilbiitI tlcClli1 air
road. in which Gen. Shepherd and others
are interested, is being built from Skow-
hogan to Madison, and will be opened in
the early spring. What splendid feed
ers these are 10 SkoWhegan. The much
talked OF extension of the Sebasticook d
Moosehead Lake X. r. is being built as
fast as money and labor can push it
along. There are as many men at work
-. .Igwt .a1a Il ia
geously. Pirties in Boston have made
President Lancaster Of the road an offer
to furnish 100000 cash, taking for Sc
curity a mortgage on the road.
Our stay in town was necessarily brief
but whatever way we looked we're the
evidences of growth and prosperity-a
happy, contented and well situated peo-
pie, with everything TO enjoy that nature
and art can supply Among the build
ings in town made possible by the mu-
nfcence of the late Abner Coburn. is the
free public library building. One por-
ton of the building is fitted up as me-
mortal hall. on which the town has eX-
pended $4,000, putting in an elegant and
expensive memorial window, fine deco
rations, and al enduring tablet OF bronze,
holding the names of Skowhegan's sol
ultTs WHO NtDL 10 iile val. pei ptludtiIG
the name of the dead as well as the
living.
Nothing helps town more than live
local paper; all other influences CON-
bued could scarcely take its place. 1t
is the mirror of the passing times, the
inspiration of activities in the future.
such paper is the SOMERSET REroR-
TER edited by our old friend, Hon.
Joseph O. Smith. As we passed the
building of eircumscribed dimensions
which formed the printing office of
Moses I.ittlefield Che of the 'porringer') }
and then visited the well appointed office
of j. o. Smith & CO., it illustrated the
contrast between the old Skowhegan
and the new Skowhegam
We returned home from our flying
trip, up the kennebec, feeling uncertain,
if we were Obliged to pull up anchor at
Augusta, whether to locate at Water
vile or Skowhegan.