The Somerset reporter., 1898-10-06
Two Decades.

and Somerset county, and the present
back over the past years and observe
whether time has dealt kindly with our
town, its people and its interests.
In 1878 the population of the town &C
cording to the previous census was 1850
and the census of 1880 made it about the
same or 1896. The census of 1890 gave
us zoos and that to be taken in 1900 will
not vary greatly from these figures.
Therefore in one decade 1880 to 1890 we
gained 200 inhabitants and the balance
of the time we have about held our own.
This gain of about 30 per cent is
not wonderful one in this length
of time, but, under the circumstances,
it is very creditable aud cause of con-
graduation to the people of Skowhegan.
This increase very evidently came
about by reason of the erection of the
shoe factory, the enlarging of the
wooden mill of Lewis Anderson & Co.
and the erection of the wood working
establishment of K. l.. Mitchell, with
the necessary increase in other lines of
business consequent upon these enter
prises.
Improvement in the mechanical status
of our town within the twenty years
under consideration is much more mark
ed than the accretion of population.
We have but to recall to mind Skowhe-
gan of 1878 to establish this fact beyond
controversy. At that time there was
not rod square of macadamized street
in our town. Now the principal bust
ness streets and some stretches into
residential sections have been subjected
to substantial macadamizing process,
much to the comfort and convenience of
our people and the facility of business.
In 1878 but few yards of concrete
piece on the island. Unsightly plank
walks, more or less patched, extended
wherever there were any walks for the
benefit of foot passengers Now the
business streets have nice, broad brick
or concrete sidewalks and the concrete
article extends nearly to the extremities
of the village corporation in every di-
rection and the plank walk, except in
two or three places, are relegated to
the shades, very much to the benefit of
those who walk about town.
Twenty years ago our sewer system
was very limited in extent and of crude
construction, now the town has as good
a system as any other in the State of its
size The village has system of water
works with so hydrants for fire extin-
guishment, constructed in 1887.
Twenty years ago streets in our town
were lighted with kerosene lamps en-
closed in glass boxes elevated few feet
on poles and all interior lighting was
with various forms of kerosene lamps.
Our town was among the first in the
State to adopt and put in operation
electric lighting for streets and stores
and later for churches, halls, hotels,
school rooms and many residences.
The electric lighting plant with its new
brick building, erected last year, its
waterpower supplied with new powerful
wheels, and the best modern gearing,
machinery and electric apparatus, with
ample auxiliary steam power, makes up
one of the most complete, adequate and
valuable lighting plants possessed by
any town or small city in New England.
Twenty years ago there were no tele-
phone instruments or lines in town, one
telegraph wire doing all the business
with other towns and cities. Now we
have telephone connection with all the
principal towns and cities in Maine, in
Guiding nearly all the surrounding towns
in our own county, and there are some
so Instruments in various business
offices, hotels and residences in the viii
lage.
Two electric street railways are in
operation, one line extending from this
village to NorIidgewock, and the other
to Madison Center and Madison (Bridge),
both connecting with the Somerset rail
way at these places and thus furnishing
rail connection with upper Kennebec
towns.
Among the improvements in the line
of buildings we briefly enumerate two
large hotels, Hotel Coburn and Hotel
Heselton, with extensive stables con-
nected Herewith; three new churches,
Catholic, Universalst and Bethany
Baptist; two school buildings to accom-
modate four schools each; the Public
Library building, with soldiers Memo
rial hall; large four story brick shoe
factory structure; large extension to the
wooden mil; the commodious brick
building for the electric plant, hereto
fore alluded to; extensive work on mill
property, in the putting in of pulp
grinding machinery for two mills, the
Richards mill and the Skowhegan mill,
involving extensive excavation to in
crease water power and the setting of
powerful water wheels with the at
tendant shafting, pulleys, ETC.; other
thorough and expensive work on water
powers, excavating, blasting, erection of
granite fumes and bulkheads, wheel
nits etc with the introduction of inn