Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-07

name of the Kennebec Farmer, posi-
| tion he continued to hold for twenty
consecutive years. DR.. Holmes was
man OF broad culture, graduate OF
| brown University, and prolihc ana
able writer. TO his efforts were large
I ly due the establishment of our State
board of agriculture, and the formation
of the state Agricultural Society.
Through his untlring EFFORTS was aiso
secured the passage or the ieelsiatiV9
act establishing the State college q
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts
The work he did in advancing the IN
terests of an intelligent ana proeress-
| i've agriculture in this State has borne
rich fruit and constitutes the best
monument to his memory
The names of william Matthews.
Ephraim Markham, and c. +. Hatha-
wav stand out prominently In the early
newsnaper history of Watervllle. AS
nurelv editorial writer. Markham would,
nroha b,y. be accorded the first rank.
He exceiled as a paragraphist. and his
spicy, caustic comments upon cur
rent affairs, political, social anu re-
lirious, were widely copied. AS one OF
his old townsrnen says: he was apie
to effectually dispose Of an opponents
long and labcred argument IN ABOUT
six lines" Mr.. Markham mad a long
and honorable editorial career III wat
erville. covering the years between 1871
and 1886, and is justly entitled 10 rank
as one of the ablest editorial writer's
in the history of our State
William Matthews excelled as q de-
scriptive writer and essayist. he was
also a man of marked and ready wit.
Mr.. Matthews newspaper career began
in 1912 as the editor of a publication
known as the Watervillonian. This
was subsequently changed to the yam
kee Blade. In 1914 the paper was re-
moved to Gardiner, and, two years lat
err, to Boston. Mr.. Matthews SUISSE
ouently turned his attention to gen
eral Literature in which he attained
marked success. At last accounts ne
was a professor of English literature
| in the Chicago University. One OF the
best known of his books was entltied
Getting on in the World" work that
was widely popular and secured a very
large sale.
C. +. Hathaway was man OF iog-
ical mind, a closely argumentatiVe
writer, and the master OF terse ana
vigorous English style.
In RELIGIOUS lines the Rev. William
r. Drew will take q foremost rank
among the early editorial writers OF
our State Mr.. Drew served as editor
of the Gospel Banner from its estah-
lishment, July %. 1885. until its sale in
lSi3 to Joseph A. Holman. Soon after
January 6, 1855, Mr.. Drew established
an a grit ultural paper known as Drew S
Rural Intelligencer which he continued
to edit until it's demise in 1853. He was
a gifted and versatile man, and an I'M
firing worker.
Among the strongest of the early
newspaper men of Gardiner was :. L.
Plummer. who edited for some time
the Kennebec Transcript for Richard
b. Caldwell. Mr. Plummer was a
graduate of Bowdoin College, man
of broad culture and singularly
graceful. and facile writer. His i'm
provident and Incorporate habits I'M
fortunately cut short what promised to
be brilliant newspaper career
Another notable Gardiner newspaper
writer prior to the war was A. M. c.
Heath, the father of Hon. Herbert NJ.
Heath of Augusta. He is described by
those who knew him as a gentleman
of sterling character, and an editorial
writer of rare grace and power. He
was killed while fighting before Fred
ericksburg, December Is. 1862. and his
untimely death cut short most prom
Using newspaper career.
There are many other names con-
nected with the early newspaper work
hat ;evbt
well be given special mention if space
permitted. Fl. X. Baker, Freeman
Yates, J. w. Bradbury, Joseph Baker,
Benjamin A. G.. Fuller. Melville w.
Fuller. the present honored chief JUS
tice of the United States. E. Rowell,
Richard D. Rice. William II. Wheeler.
Joseph A. Homan, and a number of
others. were at various times engaged
| in the newspaper work of the Kenne-
be valley with honorable distinction.
How much this section of our State
is indebted to their laborS il would be
impossible to estimate: but one thing
| is sure no section of the State had an
ADLER press. or one more loyalty de-
voted to the advancement of its in
tercstS. How much of our present de-
velopment and prosperity is due to
their efforts it would be impossible to
estimate. One thing is certain, we are
enjoying today. in a generous measure,
the fruits of their efforts. The record
| of their labors very properly consti-
tutes an important chapter in Kenne-
| bee history. and we of the present day
and generation may accord it the place
of honor in the annals of our country
that it so justly merits.
c. B. BURLEIGH.
WERRER 4 CAGE