Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-24

l
land. Newport. Pittsfleld. Skowhegan,
Norridgewock and other places. and
the stage lines were crowded to over
flowing with passengers all eager to
see the iron horse for the first time.
| When Gorham was small boy he ac-
| companied his father to Banyor and
then had the happiness Of seeing the
only locomotive at that time in the
State.
1t was the crude Veazie engine and
| ran on the little railroad above Ban
| gor. He had examined it with care.
made its appearance at Waterville, ii
was not so much of curiosity to him
as it was to the great crowd of people
at the celebration. although it was a
wonderful Improvement over the one
at Bangor.
The old freight depot, now standing
near the station at Watervlle was used
| on the day of the celebration where the
| multitude was fed. Long tables We're
arranged in this building and the hun
cry crowd was amply provided with
| food
| Then when the railroad was pushed
| through to Bangor Mr.. Towle continued
| in the employ of Mr.. Pinkham and
| drove the stage and mail coach to
| Cherryfield for three years or more.
| distance was Sc miles and the trip had
to be made each day; that is to Cherry
| field one day and back the next. The
| line had the contract for carrying the
| mail for all the towns through to Cal
| ais. and also the mail for the provinces.
which was sent through to ST. John in
big bags locked and sealed.
Before the war Mr.. Pinkham ana
Swift Morey owned the Augusta and
Rockland stage company but the form
er gentleman acquired full ownership
and conducted it during the war Near
and Doty Richards each purchased a
quarter interest from Pinkham, and for
twenty years Mr.. Towlc drove between
Augusta and the lime rock city
But the railroad ruined this route as II
had all the others and he then aban-
doned staging after having spent 81
years ut the business. The Rockland
route was a pretty hard one in the
winter time, and it seemed to Mr.
more drifting snow storms than we see
in these times. He mentions one trim
in particular that was extremely diff
cult. 1t was in the midst of a heavy
snow Storm followed by windy weather
The roads were blocked all along the
route, and as fast as they We're broken
out the snow would fill them up again,
on that trip MIR. Towle left Augusta on
Thursday morning and was unable Is
get back until the following Thursday.
During all of Mr.. Towle's long ser
vice as a driver of stage and hack he
has never met with an accident where
any person was injured. This is a
record to he proud of. At times in the
fail ard even in the winter when wheels
would have to be used icy places were
numerous. and the greatest care had
to he exercised to prevent accident.
But luckily Mr.. Towle always sue
ceeded in evading any catastrophe.
In the old staging days there was very
little travel up through the country il
the winter time. People did most OF
their visiting in the summer and stern
necessity only compelled them to I'M
dertake a stage coach journey during
the winter months. In the summer time
western people would take the steamer
that Piled between Boston and Port
land and the kennebec connecting at
Augusta with the little steamers tina;
ran up the river to Waterville, where
the stages transported them north and
east
The greatest travellers in the days of
stage coaching We're the farmers daugh-
ters who We're going to or returning
from Lowell Lawrence and other fac
tory towns in Massachusetts where
they worked in the MILL" In the sum-
mcr time over one-half the passengers
were of this particular class.
For almost fifty years Mr.. Towle has
been connected with the railroad bust
ness by driving coach or hack, and is
well and favorably known by all the
old time railroad men as we'll as by
those of the present day. When, in the
freshet of 1870. the railroad bridge was
carried away here in Augusta, V. ID.
Pinllham had the contract for trans
porting the mail and passengers from
the depot on this side of the river to
the east side, Mr.. Towle had entire
charge of the job. He also occupied
the same position at Brunswick when