Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-18
HElARTYs#c0 COME
Awaits State Bald of Trade,
Today, at atervi|Ie.
One Of Names Pedd Fessiye Cities,
Busting With Industries.
Sketch o. Founding anl 9 xtA Of Her Mary
Sold Cones ns.

Wnterville, March IL Especial The
latch string Of the city i4swinging on the
outside. The arms OF WI srville's citizens
are open and extended 4 the representa-
tives of other cities am towns who to-
morrow will make del knds upon the
city's hospitality and blythe shades Of old
Ticonic, Of Doctor McKechnle and Asa
Emerson they will not find the marble
heart" here.
1t is with no slight desr6eof pride that
Waterville bids che solid insiuess men OF
the State cordial wsicunilt to the city.
waterville never has inaalgai in any Of
the boom spasms that cost ! lot of money
without substantial returns. 1t was along
about 1850 that the fifst Industrial step
was taken in this immediate vicinity. 1t
was when DR.. McKechnie and Asa Elmer
son built saw mill and a srist mill on
the shore Of the Messalonskse and when
what 10 now the city OF vaterville was
the feeble infant colony Ticonic. That
name gave place to winslow In Iii, but
for many years the residents on the west
bank Of the Kennebec chung tenaciously
to the name Of Ticonic. Even in 1898
when Asa Redington a. justice of the
peace called the town meeting for that
year, he honored the old name and directed
In his warrant that the voters meet in the
town house Sin Ticonio village BY the
way the name Of Remington has been
closely identified with the dearest and best
interests of Watervills or Ticonic, which
ever you choose. exsAs&nce. Names found
on the ancient lists '0f the town are com
mon in this city today. There were then
as now, the Redingtons, Chases, Thomases,
Copelands, Crommetts. Netherlands, Lows,
Priests, Parkers. Sonles, Stackpoles.
Turner's, Tuppers Toziers, Temples Webbs.
Philipscs, Wares and Ellises.
The act OF incorporating the town OF
Waterville took effect June 90, 1909, and
provided that all that part Of the town Of
Winslow which lies on the west side Of
the Kennebec river, as known by its pres
ent bounds, be and Is hereby incorporated
into separate town by the name OF
Waterville.' The name of Asa Reding,
ton is associated with the calling OF the
first town meeting OF Waterv!lle in that
he, as justice Of the peace, by his warrant
directed to "Moscs Appleton, physician
required him to notify the inhabitants of
Waterville to meet in the public meeting
house in Ticonic village ON Monday July
&c, 1902.
Elnathan Sherwin, Asa Soule and
Ebenezer Bacon were the first selectmen
Of the town and Abijah Smith was the
first town clerk. In those days town
meetings were called o. necessity required
In August of that year q meeting was
town meetings alternately in the two
meeting houses. while in November an
other was held for the purpose Of voting
fifty dollars to pay for preaching. :"
While INDUCING in history it is we'll to
pay tribute to the memory 0f DR.. Obadiah
Williams whose name Is interwoven with
the early history of Waterville. A native
If New Hampshire, he was surgeon in
the revolutionary army and served at
Bunker. He came here from Sidney in
1893 and in that year built the first frame
house On the west aide of the river. In
1894 he gave the land for the first meeting
house which stood where Is now tho City
hall park. He was valued and respected
citizen and died in 1899.
A no less prominent character of the
dear dead days of long ago was DR.. Moses
Appleton, who was born in New Ipswich,
N. H., graduated from Dartmouth Col
lege, studied medicine and taught school
in Boston, and came TO Waterville in
1896. He opened the first drug store In
Ticonic village and was for many years
the most noted physician in this section.
The worthy doctor had his peouliarities as
do the most Of us. He wore his hair long
hanging down his back in the old fashioned
queue which came to an untimely end
It appears that one day the doctor visited
colored barber, who kept sop on Water
street, for the purpose of having his hair
trimmed and dressed. While in the midst
of the operation the doctor, feeling q sud-
den apprehension, exclaimed, "Look out
for my queue The barber replied,
"You re too late, it's gone" The doctors
of which the foregoing are samples: "Oct
1897, agreed with Jonathan Clark to doc
tor his family. and Clark to supply the
doctor with good shoes and boots for two
years" Jan. 1899, 1t is agreed With
.Jabez Matthews that he pay me at the rate
of two cords of wood per annum in con-
sidefation of being supplied with materials
for curing the itch In his family"
Waterville had one early settler who at
tended the most historic tea party that
ever met in America, and helped turn the
British tea into Boston harbor. His namo
was John Clark, the grandfather Of the
man who wrote the account of the battle
of Ticonic Falls with the Indians In
1914, which hattie never occurred.
History tells Us that on the south side
of Silver street near what is now Kenne-
bee street, stood building used for the
manufacture of wbiskey from potatoes,
which were so plentiful they could he
bought for tan or fifteen cents per bushel
(Aroostook papers please copy.) The dis
tiilery was owned by DR.. Appleton, the
business being considered as respectable
as any other in those days. Later another
distillery was opened up on Front street.
After whiakey was no longer made on
Silver street. the old house was fitted up
for the tanning business. Elder jeremiah
Powers, q Free Baptist preacher, lived in
the upper part and tanned in the base
ment Waterville had witch too. She
was Aunt Hannah Coolnvhn lived m ST.
ys- street. Her garden was full OF roots
CONTINUED onmge 81