Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-18
HEARTY WELCOME
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black rye. IL 1s said, the glance of which
seemed to penetrats the present and the
future; her gray looks were brushed back
behind her ears and fastened in knot.
She had weird and nttenuated look, yet
never trucr, more kindly heart beat than
hers. She brought up u homeless orphan
and was full of good deeds to the sick and
the sad. And yet this woman was re-
garded by many as veritable witch, in
league with the evil one.
The Oldest streets in Watervllls are
Main, Silver. Front, Water and Temple
Silver street received its name In this wise.
Nathaniel Gilman and Simeon Matthews
who were accounted the wealthiest N en-
In town both lived on this street, also
Isaac Stevens. well to do, jovisl carpsn-
ter. The latter named 1t Silver street,
saying, facetioutly. that Mr.. Gilman, Mr..
Matthews and himself controlled more
wealth than any other three men in town.
The first tavern OF Waterville, was built
by DR.. Williams prior to 1875. The first
tavern that was built on the site where
the Elmwood now stands was large two
story frame house built by James l.. Wood.
Did you know that Waterviile was once
q shipbuilding burg? Well It's SO. Daniel
Moore came here from New Hampshire in
1898 and raised family, three sons,
March, William and Daniel Jr, who were
builders OF river steamers. They built
them by the dozen. They sent Ave to
California, sold two to Cornelius Wander.
bilt and sent one or more to Nova Scotia
besides several used nearer home The
number of steamers in use on the Kenne-
bee was large. 1t was no unusual sight
to sec a half dozen lying at the wharf at
one time. where now is situated the NAM
moth Lockwood mills In 1S4S there
were five steamers, plying daily between
Waterville and Augusta.
In 1909 the poll tax of Waterville was
sl.5S. The heaviest taxpayer was Asa
Rsdington whose tax was $50. 93. The
whole number of taxpayers on the list
that year was ZIG. Lawyers and physi-
clans paid an income tax While In the
early years Of Watervilles municipal life
it WAS common for all merchants to sell
intoxicating liquors As stated in this az
ticle it was considered as respectable as
any business, but in 1884 the town first
voted not to grant any licenses to retail
| spirituous liquors and continued to vote
! that way from year to year. In 1S49
| when it was evident that the liquor ele-
| ment was getting strong foothoId in the
community the town voted to raise the
sum of $500 to dcfray the expenses of the
town for ths suppression of the sale OF
| spirituous liquors" And Wstervile is as
clean q temperance city as there is in
Maine today.
| The child that was born in the wilder
| ness has grown to be a strong vigorous
| man and has passed away. The log cabin
that first marked the location Of a little
| colony of hardy pioneers has given place
| to a city of elegant homes, many churches,
splendid emporiums of trade and magnifi
cent industrial establishments. Where
but few years ago the principal streets c f
the town were dotted here and there with
wooden structures in which the lawyer,
| the merchant and the farmer found time
to while away hours each day il swappip G
| fish and war stories. today the streets of u
city are lined with substantial brick
| blocks, the architectural beauty Of which
must be sean to be appreciated.
Solid business men are hustling assisted
By large corps of clerks, lawyers have no
spare time, and the farmer is busy dump
ing the product of his land into the Gel
lars of the provision store and the resi-
| dcnce. There have been no wild splurges
in Waterville institutions. but rather n
steady growth, getting new strength with
each succeeding year, and by keeping
everlastingly at it, Waterville citizens have
built for themselves reputation abroad,
as business men, as public spirited class,
as hustling, energetic, wise and intel
ligent people that are credit to the State
Oiv,n Nt,c ,v1,it; ho nd IL,
built on the Massachusetts way back in 1850
or thereabouts. Watervllle has ever since
been the manufacturing center for this
| water wheel of those ancient mills has
been replaced by the improved turbine
wheels driving thousands of spindles,
turning huge fly wheels and countless ma
chimes for the manufacture of nearly
| everything made by man.
The mills and manufactures of Water
Vile have been the saw and grlst mill of
Silas and Abijah Wing built in 1906, the
carding mill and wood turner's shop of
Samuel Hitchings, built in 1909, the
Crommett grist mill of 1880; the Batchel-
der saw mill of 1882 the Fairbanks pillow
shop of 1888, the Weber & Haviland ma
chine shop and foundry Of 1913; the paper
| mill OF Samuel Appleton, Zebulon Sanger
and John Ransted of 1850; the Windsor e.
Barrett cotton factory; the tannery of
| Pearson & Sons; the match factory of
Winslow Marston; the Wheeler saw mill :;
the Butterfield shovel handle factory; the
Fibre Ware Co.; all these were once
| known to the Messalonskee
The first dam across the Kennebec river
at this point was built by Nehemhia
| Gerchell and Asa Redington in 1899. The
dam was constructed from the west shore
to Rock island and furnished power for
several saw and Rr;st mills and for so
years following the construction of this
| first dam, this was the manufacturing
| center for two counties
Redinaton Il Stackpole were the next
mill builders. The following were well
remembered men who built or rented saw
mills and were large lumber cutters and
dealers here, during the first half of the
present century: John Samuel and Will
liam Kendall. the latter noted man
inventor of the turbine water wheel aud
the circular saw; Isaac Farrar and Zebu-
Ion Sanger and his sons William, Samuel
and Silas; Asa Redington, Dunlap, Hob
son, Parker Scribner, Colonel Simonds,
| William and Daniel Moor the French
Rrothprc and Iacoh apd W;i1ia,, W1,/,