Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-25
THE FUTURE ALL RIGHT.
Aroostook's Little Trouble Is But Tenn.
porary Says Mr.. Wiggin.
Diversified Farming Has Got To Come and tn,
New Railroad Is Bringing Prosperity.

Mr.. Francis Wiggin, associate editor of
the Aroostook Pioneer, was in the city,
| Friday, on business connected with the
| interests of that paper, and made the Jour
nal a pleasant call.
In conversation with him allusion was
| made to the rather hard condition of affairs
| in his county, caused by the failure of
potato sales and the dcarth of snow. Mr..
Wiggin said that quite number of the
farmers are feeling pinch because Of
these conditions, but he regards 1t as only
temporary. 'Aroostook county is all
| right We've the soil, anyway, and there
| isn't better to be found anywhere. Be
sides, our farmers are learning much
needed and very valuable lesson, I be-
| lieve''
Mr.. Wiggin has been doing yeoman ser
vice for the county in his vigorous edi
torials on this very point. He has shown
as conclusively as facts described and rein
| forced by words can show, that the tillers
of the soil in that county must endeavor
to be farmers rather than planters. The
over production and consequent losses in
the raising of potatoes have opened the
eyes of people. Those whose chief pride
was to have an extensive potato field who
had the ne-crop idea, which has seriously
| injured cotton planters, are now willing
to admit that they have made mistake
| This admission is most hopeful sign.
Il have had many of the farmers come
into the Pioneer office to commend the
articles have written conforming their
| present methods and advocating diversified
farming. although those articles were
pretty severe, and endeavored to tell the
facts and not spare anyone. Think of the
absurdity of farmers on those great fertile
farms buying their butter and oats when
they have every facility for producing
them to better advantage than anyone
else in the country.
| What success are the phosphate men
having In making collections, Mr. Wig
gin:"
II must say that the people who have
| sold phosphate to the Aroostooll farmers
on credit are taking most commendable
course. Had they pushed those who owe
| them, they would have driven many into
their claims and by waiting they will get,
| instead Of percentage, their whole pay,
for there is no class of people in the
world that is better pay than the ARGOS
took farmers.
Speaking of the brighter side Of last
years record in that county, he said: Il
think that Ashland branch, just opened,
| is one of the biggest improvements Aroos-
| took county ever had. 1t opens up the
very heart of the great county and the
richest timber section OF the Sta tie. Had
| 1t not been for the active work done by the
| newspapers in its behalf it would have
| been difficult to have put it through,
| think But the whole county, today, APP
| peciates the benefit Of the read. Although
Houlton gave quite good majority for
the appropriation, yet, today, 1t would he
unanimous. The management has done
| Just as it said it would, and now runs
| daily train connecting ashland with Houl-
| ton. l think, too, that the Ashland branch
will be extended, next season, to Portage
| Lake, connected with the great Fish river
| system and the almost ineXhaustiblc tim
| Der supplies about those waters. | tell you
the B. & A. r. r. system is a grand one
| 1t has Just made beginning, and don't
expect to live until it is completed. Mr.
Burleigh and Mr. Cram who are at the
head Of it, are levclhcaded men. 1t al
most seems inc redible to see what they
have done in so brief a time, and right in
the face of the sharp financial and bust
ness depression throughout the country.
| "Why, Mr.. Burleigb, to my knowledge,
pledged every dollar he owned, on two
occasions, to insure carrying the work for
ward and they did carry it forward. /
don t recall an instance in the country
where two men have done more, or even
as much, under like conditions
Mr.. Wiggin returned home on the after
noon train
The following officers of R. B. Capen
Rebekah Ledge. No 80, I. 0. O. F., have