The Somerset reporter., 1897-10-21
For the Reporter.
A Visit to Moose River.

II years, and never TO Long Pond and
the farm. | have received word since
coming home that they want little dis.
criptive account of my visit, having
taken no notes or observation Ia view Of
the subject and having this unexpectedly
sprung upon me is an awkward position
and you will excuse me IL do the best |
can. Ny nephew being down with a
good team. invited me to go up with
him NV folks said should never have
another so favorable chance and IL |
did not accept would never go and |
thought so too. So they fitted me up In
Just fairly respectable style, nothing
superfluous. Saturday morning we
started, took dinner at the Clark place,
five o'clock, at the Turtle place so called
In which we spent the night, Sunday
noon at Jackman or the Armstrong
house where brother Heman was wait
ing for the cars which were late. As |
was walking on the platform at the de-
pot the clerk, stranger, invited me In
to dinner. When we called for the bill
he would take no pay, saying Mrs. Arm
strong told him to invite me in. Thanks
to the woman that | have never
seen. The cars soon came and we were
on our way to Long Pond station which
is a mile below instead of being opposite
the building which Is on the north side
of the pond. The boat Heman came
over with and left at the station, some
one had taken. We walked Oh the track
opposite the house, hollered and made
signs and soon young man appearing
on the shore, came with his boat and |
was soon landed for the first time on the
historic noted Long POND farm which
had done service for the Coburns almost
their entire business life. 400 acres are
now found In the name of Heman Whip
pie. he location Is very fine; you can
pillow hundred acres without any OBJ
suction, excepting some fences to divide
fields. His barn Is 40 feet long, three
driveways or barn floors. He had 20
acres of oats, estimated at 100 bushels,
threshed. He was cutting nearly one
half green to feed out; with the moving
machine and horse rake and smooth
land he gets them in fast. He
sowed 10 bushels of grass seed this
spring horses, A large oxen or COWS
10 hog kind, large flock of sheep, hens,
blacksmith shop, out buildings, shed for
housing all manner of logging materials.
At the wharf is a raft OF logs on which
Is built house in which is a stove, bed
ding, cables, and anchors; on a platform
outside in the center the capstan stand
ing perpendicular. hard wood, of large
size with holes mortlsed about the height
of mans breast and levers inserted
and the man walks around In a circle
and winds up just as horse grinds APP
Piles for cider. The woman goes down
ev ry Monday to do the washing being
very handy. We were invited into the
house and introduced to the FrenchmaD
and his wife and two others of the same
nationality, making four as hired help.
He keeps small grocery store such as
barrels of sugar, boxes Of raisins, evap-
Grated apple and other articles for do
nestle use, and fine garden. He had
some of the largest, incest pumpkins
that ] have seen this fall
The woman was very smart, had a
plenty of lubricating oil in her joints,
and "a wonderful cook. You see we
Jared sumptuously every day. The
parable of the rich man and Lazarus
would hardly apply in this Gaze. All
who called were invited to sit at the rich
mans table without money or without
price. AS the day Is warm we'll take a
chair and sit In front OF the house and
watch the long trains we could oonnt %
or rs cars twice day, one going east, in
the forenoon, and west In the afternoon !;
you could see them about two miles along
the shore of the pond. Not long ago
there was 1000 tons OF tea from Japan
and China on the Pacific ocean. My
brother told me train loads OF tea WAS
shipped across the continent to avoid the
duty, which was not put on. AS we
were sitting watching man rowing his
boat across the pond the sun was about
two hours high, when he came in line
with me and the sun, its rays of light
and the evaporation from the water, and
looking through spy glass it produced
u complete rainbow In which he was
rowing his boat; without the glass the
Illusion would disappear. When | began
to think about getting home, Hemar
told me to wait till Saturday as he had
business at Greenvile and up the lake.
His wife had been there but was then at
Jackman and Monday he would take the
cars for the lake and his wife and
could come home that way, which we
thought fine plan, as | never had been
there. Saturday night fonnd us at the
Colby House. Soon after our arrival we
were presented with piece of wedding
cake which was quite a treat. The pre-
sentation was in honor of the marriage
of the landlady's only daughter to Alb
raham Newton, custom house officer at
Moose river.
Jackman has improved wonderfully ia
in nice residences. They have four pub
lie houses, ladies on their wheels,
feathers in their hats waving in the wilma
like brigade of cavalry; their stores
and shops all fitted with all kinds of
merchandise, all the modern improve
ments, they lead Solon in many things;
they have more sidewalks, in some cases
on both sides of the street; they have
more patriotism, and love of country;
they told me they were nearly all Re-
publicans. We attended the Catholic
church in the morning, and the church
of England in the evening.
AS there is no stage from Jackman to
Parlin Pond, Heman saw Mr.. Marble of
Skowhegan, who said could ride down
with him, Monday. We called for the
bill, but Mrs. Colby wonld take no pay,
1t rained Monday morning, but Mr..
Marble had a covered carriage and about
s o'clock we were on the way. The
most of the way the land was very
rocky and uninvitiug, which called to
mind Bayard Taylor when he was travel
ing in Norway and Sweden, that cold,
barren, rocky country. They have Il
legend that when God made that part of
the world the devil came out and threw
a M no hn No Hnt5