Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-14

Ten miles from Brule. Wis, Is about the
oldest town In the country. It has 800
inhaybitants. every one OF them trump.
1t is a village of trampss 1t is also
something of a Utopia. says the Miiwau-
kee Sentinel. No one pays rent; no one
works; everybody loafs; all are fat. hap
py and lazy. There may not be $40 IN the
town, and there is no reason for the pos
session of money. There Is nothing to
buy and nothing to sell. Vulgar COM
merce never Gasturbs the peace OF the
community. The houses are new. the
streets are broad Near by are the decp
waters of Lake Superior, and ten miles
inland Is the railroad running between
Ashland and Superior. The railroad Is
handy when any member of the COM
munity decides upon taking little tour.
fish 1t furnishes. Within a radius of half
dozen miles are enough farms to sup
ply the village with pilfered produce.
These farmers and the few people who
know of the existence Of the place call
1t Trampvillc. The railroad men who
have heard of it describe 1t as Hobo
hurst-by- the-lake. The residents. how
ever. adhere to its official title-Clevedon.
Back In 1880 a syndicate of English cap
ttalists conceived the idea that town
could be established at the mouth of the
Boise Brule river, which in time would
compete with the city of Superior and
attract much of the lake traffic. Where
the Brule river flows into Lake Superior
mapped out. Mechanics and builders of
all kinds were employed with a lavish
hand, and houses and buildings grew up
almost in a night. Such quantities OF
money were poured into the scheme that
Clevedon soon attracted attention from
the outside world, and numerous fami-
lies came to the place, bought lots and
put up homes.
In a year Clevedon had population of
about HOO people. and seemed destined to
become
planned. A big hotel was erected. streets
were laid out, and the well-built and
Drightly-painted cottages gave the place
an air of busting prosperity
But the tide of lake commerce refused
to sweep upon Clevedon. 1t kept on NOV
ing toward Duluth and Superior Just as It
had before the advent of the new city.
Then the population began to fade away.
the next calamity was the collapse of
the fund behind the syndicate. Two or
three times the syndicate secured addi-
tional backing, and made powerful efforts
10 revive interest in the place. but the
energy and money We're wasted. Cleve-
don could not be resuscitated. BY 1880
IT Was as dead as any place could be.
Every one had left. The neat little hOus-
es were empty. The big hotel took on a
ghostly look. Grass grew UP in the we'll
laid streets. 1t was as silent the pine
forests surrounding 1t. No one ever went
that way. 1t is many miles off the gem
eral line of travel. hidden in thick woods
on all sides. except where ii faces the
waters of the lake
I'afee years ago some wandering Will
lie discovered 1t. Perhaps, years ago,
he was one of those who had put his
money and faith in the prosperity of
C.evedon. AT any rate, other hOboes
soon after began to pay it fleeing visits.
Last fall a score met at Clevedon. Some
of them were not natural or voluntary
tramps They were products of the hard
times. These saw the place, sized up the
comfortable houses and the big hotel and
determined to spend the winter there.
When others came along they were in
vited to join the permanent colony, and
many did so.
The peculiar part of the whole thing Is
that many of the tramps have decided to
make Clevedon their regular home and
will stay there during the summer Some
turbulent spirits have evidently entered
the colony, as there have been rumors of
internecine strife, and there is going to
be n regular election in the place on the
tenth of next month. for the purpose of
establishing a municipal board of off,
GERS, including a mayor, a treasurer,
three trustees and a clerk. This election
will take place In the hotel at eight
O'Clock in the evening. Should any of the
elected officers remain away from the
town for more than twenty-four hours
his Office will. be forfeited and success
scr win be immediately chosen All of
those who spent the winter there will be
entitled to vote. The trustees will have
full charge of the property of the town,
including the houses.