The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-10

were In Skowhegan, last week, while
eonversing about our town, were quite
complimentary in the terms used as to
the appearance of activity and thrift
manifest upon all sides, ~hereupon their
attention was called by resident to the
reasons for this favorable condition.
This man, who thoroughly believes In
his town, informed these gentlemen
from Maine's chief city, that Skowhegan
is the best balanced town in Maine.
In the first place, said he, it is in the
midst of an extensive tract of the best
farming country in Maine, outside the
far famed Aroostook valley, the natural
center of large scope of land admirably
adapted to general agriculture, especially
to the raising of horses, cattle, sheep
and dairying.
Again, it is the county seat Of Somerset
county, and thus the political center of
the county where the courts are held
and legal business naturally centers.
1t Is the natural shipping point and
trade center of large part of this
county, has been for many years, and
must be for many years to come if our
people make the most of their advan-
tages and lead as the largest town in
this region Of country. This they ought
to do, must do and will do. II they do
not they will suffer.
The water power, sufficient for all
local purposes and large amount of
manufacturing for the general market,
is not to be lightly estimated. Its ad-
vantage need not be enlarged upon.
The variety of industries that have
grown up here because of this is a con-
diton to be appreciated. The depression
of any given line of manufacture where
it is one of many in a town, does not
PROSTATE the business of that town as IL
would were there less diversity or fewer
industries.
The town is ia excellent condition
financially. 1t has next to no debt, and
what small floating debt items there are
were contracted for public improvement
necessary and desirable : sewers, school
houses, electric railroad extension, etc,
and are in progress of rapid extinction
by annual payments provided for when
they were contracted. There will be nc
need of expenditure that will require thu
mourning of further Indebtedness fol-
many years.
Our schools are modern, well classified
and conducted; an inducement to people
who have children to educate to come tC
our town, and instances where people ol
other towns, not so we'll provided for il
this respect, have taken up their resi-
dence here for this reason, are by nj
means rare.
considerably increased of late by electri,
rail connections with the Somerset rail
way at Norridgewock and Madison anC
the close connection of these villages
with our own. These railways makes
our town much more desirable as a sum
mer resort. This led our townsman tt
enlarge upon the natural beauty Of
river, hills and forests of Skowhegar
and its facilities for the entertainment Of
summer company, its easy accessi
bility, its we'll kept hotels, its proximity
to the fish and game regions of the uppe
kennebec with its numerous trbutar,
lakes, ponds and streams, second to no {
in Maine. Skowhegan has gained some
thing in the way of a reputation in thi
particular and it has been without adver
Using. Ii comes by solid merit. Judi
cious advertising would do wonders fol-
1t and should be employed. The "sum
mer company crop" is valuable ont
tor Maine and the best titled fields pro
duce the largest crops.
By this time the Portland gentlemen
began to realize that the acknowledgement
was "loaded," so they took advantage oil
a lull in his Grafton, hastily assented tt
his propositions and took their departure
There was little poetry in what oul
townsmen had to say upon this occasion
but the fraction of fact therein was very
respectable. He was much more thar
half right.