The Republican journal., 1899-08-31

TEN, and with an aggregate population of
about Is, 600.
The great trouble in giving reminiscent
ces of the Washington county towns is
that the oldest inhabitant is not always to
be found, and the men of affairs of to-day
have come upon the stage since the time
to which the writer's recolections date
back. Nine years ago, when the Maine
Press Association was welcomed to Ma
chias by Geo. W. Drisko from the plat
form of Libby Hall, the writer could not
help recalling the fact that he was resi-
dent of Machias and had ''spoken pieces
on the platform of old Libby Hall years
before Mr.. Drisko came to Machias. This
year we were welcomed by John F. Lynch,
ESQ.,, who did not come to Machias until
after the writer had taken up his residence
elsewhere; and upon proper presentation
of the facts to this very genial and elo
quent gentleman it was agreed between us
next visits Machias the writer should de-
liver the address of welcome.
At Calais and PASSPORT the same diff
Guilty was experienced. At the latter place
the writer was taken for his father, and his
father for his grandfather, and there was
general confusing of families and rela-
tionships. Next tin e it will be in order
to visit the grave yards and interview the
tombstones. Our stay in PASSPORT was
too brief to permit of the quest of more
familiar landmarks and the houses in
which dwelt those Of past generations.
Eastport has changed, and not for the
better, in outward aspect at least, since
the days when it was gay garrison town,
with the Stars and Stripes floating from
Fort Sullivan and the notes of the fife and
drum stirred the air The smoke and
smell of the sardine factories are now
everywhere present, in place of the tishy
but more agreeable odor of drying cod,
hake and haddock The style of boats
used in the fisheries has changed. The
red tanned sails of the little boats that
used to 60 out each day for bottom fish
are no longer seen, and the craft which
bring herring to the sardine factories are
double ender sloops Of about 30 feet over
all, without topmasts-sp speedy and wealth
erly boats, no doubt, and easily handled.
Here, as half century ago, we saw canoes
under sail, but they were Of canvas, not
birch bark, as formerly. There used to
be good pollock fishing from the wharves
here, and probably is now; but our party |
found no time to ''drop line"-not even
TO friends at home.
Treat's Island is the scene of the first
canning establishment in this country, OF |
the proprietor, Upham Showers Treat,
Esq, W. Il. kilby says in his valuable
History OF Eastport ''He was son of |
Robert and Mary Ridley) Treat born at
Prospect, Me-, March 10, 1905 He was |
one Of the pioneers of the canning in
dustry in this country, and came first to
PASSPORT and set up an establishment for
canning Holsters at the Billings place. He
afterwards purchased and moved to the |
island in our harbor which has since been
generally known by his name. Historical
ly it is Dudley or Allan's Island, the for
mer in the treaties and diplomatic CORE
spondence between the United States and
Great Britain, and the latter in the legis-
lative acts of Maine. AS it was first own
ed and is the burial place of the revolu-
tionary patriot, John Allan, it should |
continue to be called Allan's Island. -