The Republican journal., 1897-11-25
Busy Brooks.
A Write-up of this Enterprisipg Village,

IL ~ tne verdict of all who visit Brooks
village that it is one of the busiest and most
enterprising places of its size in the State.
Ahe village is situated on the Belfast branch
OF The Maine Central railroad, 12 miles from
Belfast, and on the Marsh river. which frr.
nlshes power for several important indus
'rles. some manufacturers, however, whose
property is in other parts of the village en-
ploy steam. On leaving the cars at the neat
statlon we met the gentlemanly and ohlig-
ing agent, f. W. Pingree, and learned from
MIN that the nearest of Brooks busy places
OF business was the Yankee Blade office,
just across the track. Here was found that
one-5ime famous literary publication with
thrifty look for one so recently transplanted
from the New England metropolis.
UP the stream short distance is the lum-
Der and grist mill of R. G. Edwards, where
all kinds of long and short lumber are man
ufactured and grain ground to order.
Across the bridge and down the stream
few rods is the grist mill of Swan & Sibley
Co., where one run of burr stones and one
roller mill are kept busy on corn for the
firms Belfast trade and for farmers and To-
cal dealers.
In Roberts & Sons wood working estab-
lishment all kinds of saving, planning,
moulding, turning, etc. done to order
by skilled workmen and the most improved
machinery. The work sent out frolG this
mill equals in point Of workmanship that of
any similar concern in New England
For some years the clothing industry of
Brooks has given employment to many
hands and circulated large sums of money
in this and the neighboring towns. For
awhile the industry suffered Ia common with
business all over the country, but to-day
the three establishments here employ up
wards of 80 hands in the shops and put out
work to be done at home by about 500 more.
The propretors all report the outlook for the
winter very favorable, Mrs. M. E. Miller
received 1000 vests last week and is running
her shop on full time with a crew of 20. She
lately added a retail stock of mems clothing
to her business. Milo Colson has 10 girls and
2 pressmen in the shop on vests, and puts
out large numbers. These two shops are
run by steam power. Gordon & Jones lately
pun III d SdsOltu6 SuSla0 " bdht tIlo place Va
stean' for power, though the steam boiler is
retained for heating. Deputy Sheriff Isaac
Leathers is engineer. The work is on pants.
The machine work is done in the shop and
the finishing outside.
Gordon & Jones are also proprietors of the
well-known Brooks greenhouse. Here is
found fine collection of flowers, well
cared for. The most noticeable lots at pres
ent handsome assortment of pinks,
large number of very large and beautiful
chrysantbemums and several rubber plants.
The firm will have 200 pots of Easter lilies
handsome pink Is called the Charles A.
Dana, in honor of the late famous editor
The village blacksmths are each famous
in their respective lines of work. Jonathan
Irving has a reputation as horse-shoer sec
ond to none in Waldo county, and is oblig-
ed to work by iamp-light nearly every even
ing Ira W. Bowdens speciality is fine ma
chine work and fancy blacksmthing, and
samples of his work seen by The Journal
representative would be credit to many
more pretentious shop
The name OF Brooks is identified with an
other industry. Brooks jumpers are favor
ably known all over eastern and northern
Maine. This industry, established and con-
Quoted by L S. Staples & Son, has made and
held a fine reputation by adopting an artis-
tic pattern using none but tirst-class stock,
employing skilled workmen and selling at
reasonable prices. Staples q Son also make
number of sleighs and carriages each year.
A recent addition to the industries of
Brooks is the Elmwood Creamery. 1t is To-
Gated at the farm formerly occupied by
Charles E. Lane and is managed by DR.. 2.
Luce. The farm and buildings have been
put in first class condition, equipped with
all modern convenlences and the best of
farm stock. A team delivers milk in the
village every morning and takes orders for
cream butter, vegetables, etc, to be deliv-
cred fresh whenever wanted. Seven cows
are kept on the farm and the milk of -
others is used, with an additional supply
when necessary. The milk is steriliZed and
delivered in sealed glass jars.
Brooks can probably boast of larger
number of fine building, especially resi-
dences, than any village OF its size in Maine.
Within the past 20 years large number of
handsome residences have been built, and
old Cnes remodeed to modern styles. Prom
inent among them are the homes of I. A.
Elliott, A. E. Chase, Harrison Roberts,
Fred Emmons, Charles W. Lord F. W Pin
gree, M. j. Dow, E. G. Roberts, f. K. Rob
erts, DR.. A. E. Kilgore, DR.. A. W. Rich,
Chas. E. Small and others. The old house
occupied for many years by j. G. Morse,
Esq, has been remodeled, and Improvements
have been made in many others. The 7. A.
Elliott store and the Maine Central station
buildings are also neat and handsome struc-
lures.
Brooks has two churches and six secret
societies, all in a prosperous condition. The
Union church, with Rev. F. S. Dolliff as
preacher, and the Friends, with Friend O.
G. Hussey as pastor, hold services every
Sunday, and the former has a Sunday
school. The societies are Marsh River Lodge
of Masons, one of the oldest in this section:
Golden Crown Lodge, knights of Pythias,
which was organized in December, 1895
with 80 members and now has 70; Brooks
Lodge of Good Templars the largest in the