Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-15
ERA OF PROSPERITY
0awns Upon the Pretty Little
Town Of Newport, Me.
Business Industries Start and Needed
Improvements Being Made.
Everyone Feels the Thrill Of Renewed Lie
and Are Happy.

Newport, Oct. 14.-(SpeciaD. Have
you been watching Newport for the
past few months? This little town,
"by the flow of the inland river" has
taken on a new lease of life and is be-
coming more vigorous than ever il
the history of the town. OF course the
date of the beginning of new life was
that of the starting of the Newport
wooden mill, when a large number Of
hands, both male and female, We're sci
at work at living wages. The opening
Of this mill brought several families
to town and other people who had not
learned the art of Wooing successfully
and as a natural consequence the town
took squirt in population. Then be-
gan a season Of repairing and rebuild
ing. Residences were enlarged and
new homes were built. The resident
who had for years cut hay on his lawn,
this year took a little pride in the grass
plot and kept it beautifully trimmed.
Then someone discovered that the
town needed sewer system in order
for the people to make any brags about
their general health. This did not re-
Quire much urging and soon a con-
tract for the laying of 1000 feet of sew
er on Mill and Main streets was let to
Charles N. Taylor of Natick, Mass.
On the 18th of September. Mr.. Taylor
brought a crew of Hungarians to town
and began the excavation for the sew
err. The work has been prosecuted I'M
~ ,ax,.r,
tendent of construction, and l.. NJ.
Lord, foreman. The sewer was finish
I'd. tonight, five days inside the time
called for in the contract. The work
has been well performed. the con-
tractors experiencing no difficulty with
their help. This. sewer has cost the
town but $4,000, very low figure.
While the select men We're figuring on
sewers. it became very apparent that the
old bridge across the Sebasticook from
Main to Elm street should be rebuilt and
constructed of iron. The Berlin Bridge
Co. was given the contract to provide and
put into place the iron work of the bridge
md the approaches were to be put in by
the town. under the direction of the board
Of selectmen. Two spans of the bridge
are already in place and the approach
from the Main street side will be COM
pleted in a few days This bridge will
'ost the town. complete, Sl1o00.
Then the old Durham bridge" so
called for some reason. though no one
seems to know why, was found to be in
bad way and it was decided to raise il
ibout one foot. at cost of rising $1,000.
She rose Again. the orators of the town
had grown grey talking in hall that
they thought was not suited to their
voices and not much of n credit to a
thriving little town like Newport. Re
suit, town meeting, and a new hall is
low about ready for occupancy. 1t will
cost about 5000.
The Newport Wooden Co. not to be out
lone by the town in progressiveness, pro-
luced such a grade of goods from the
oomS that it soon became necessary for
he enlargement of the MILL and today,
Contractors Levi Bushey & Son of Water
lille, are at work on a $4,000 addition to
he mill, which will be ready for the ma
'hinery about the middle of December.
rhe addition is being put onto the rear of
the mill and on the north corner.
All this hubbub of construction has
)een started within a few months and
he end is not yet. Now arises the house
holder and spices out the cottage house
until it is a full two-storied abode, and
he man who never owned a house is
building one this year. e. r. Dow is
aisng the roof of his house at the corner
If Main and High streets at an expense
Of $500.
Mr.. Seavey is building a new house on
'1lSn street, ana Il hummer OF Otner resi-
Tents are generally repairing and revamp-
ng their homes. The Shaw house. recent
" leased by the genial Gene Smith. is
LONG good business, the best in years.
Today, the hotel was filled to overlooking.
Nine Host Smith intends making extern
;ive improvements in the hotel at once
Utter the general prosperity elsewhere in
Town gets toned down so that he can get
chance to see where he will begin
1t is a noticeable fact that everybody
.lOng the line of the new sewer is maxi
ng connections with it. and truly it cam
lot be said of Newport that she's lust
behind the times" Newport is up-to-date
md getting into the future rapidly. This
story reads like the report of a Sunday
.chool convention thus far. Even in Sun
lay school conventions there are always
few of that class that would oppose ev-
rything that someone else proposed.
just to be on the off-side" and the same
must be said of the improvements going
On in this town.
There are those who can see certain
'uin and bankruptcy in the action of the
own. But the town has done it all by
rood working majority. and the present
'oard of selectmen, who are now being
ct upon by the "kickers," though they
nay be fired at the annual town meet
ng. Will always have the satisfaction of
knowing that they have done Just what
hey were instructed to do by the town.
tnu in the years that will come and go
hey can comfort themselves in that they
nave gOOu solid bridge under them, the
sanitary condition of the town is the best
ma they can enjoy hearing their favorite
title actress. Lillian Tucker in commO-
Co. is here for the rest of the week to
help Newport to celebrate the new pros
perity.