Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-16
A BOOM TOWN.
The Astonishing Growth Of
Quiet Little Sydney, N. S.
Capitalists Saw the Coal and Iron anC
the Rest Was Easy.
Rents Are EnoHrous-No Land for Sale
Everyone Making Money.


last Thursday. from business trip to
Halifax. give a very interesting ac-
count of the town of Sydney, Nova
Scotia. Messrs. Stewart made q very
quick trip, by the way, leaving this
city, at 1.35 Monday afternoon. and re-
turning at 3.15 Thursday afternoon, af-
ter having travelled 1893 miles w. =.
Stewart was seen by the Journal re-
porter and some. very interesting facts
were told him about the boom town of
Sydney. The gentlemen went to Hall
fax on business, and hearing there Of
the grand hustle %.hich was in progress
in Sydney, went there to see for them
selves.
only few years ago Sydney was a
quiet little hamlet inhabited by fisher
men. a few farmers and people who
had retired from active life. The pop
ulation was then only about 1000 Life
Went on in the quiet dreamy way char
actcristic Of little towns out of the
track Of frade and business activity.
1t was Beautiful lutte place on the
shore of the sea with a splendid climate
and made charming home for the re-
tired business man who had seen
enough o. life's activity.
There are almost inexhaustible sup
plies Of coal near the town, however.
and one day this was spied by progress
sive capitalists. On Bell island. only
short distance from the town. there
IS also an almost inexhaustible supply
of iron ore. The combination has
proved too much for the quiet little
town. ana as if by magic it has bios
somcd INTO a booming, progressive little
city with all the modern improvements
going in as fast as money and labor
can procure them.
As soon as the vast possibilities of
the stores of coal and iron were real
lied huge syndicate was formed. hav-
ing II. NJ. Whitney of Boston, who are
also interested in the Holingsworth Il
Whitney 90. Of Winslow, and President
Van Horn Of the Canadian Pacific
Railroad, among the chief promoters
The coal mines near the town We're
purchased with many acres of land and
the mines opened. about five years ago.
Immense steel works We're started and
commenced operations about IS months
ago. some Of the finest docks in the
| the town for the landing Of the ore
| from Rell island ana the shipping Of
| he product Of the mills and mines
English and American capital is in
vested and it is estimated that a sum
of $10.000.000 has already been expend-
| ed. The bulk Of the product of the in
1ustry will he exported to Europe.
The story Of the advancement Of the
L
reads like a fairy tale old Western
ers who are familiar with the condi-
tiuns say that it surpasses anything
they have ever seen in the West As
has been stated the population only a
few years ago was only about 1000 and
| now it is estimated at from ~ 900 to
$4,000. The steel works employ about
5000 men with weekly pay roll Of
$4,000. while the mines have a force Of
about $500 men with weekly pay roll
Of 100000. The bulk of all this money
| is spent in the little town and it is lit
tie wonder that things are booming.
Every inch of land within radius Of
IL miles If the town has been bought up
ana cannot now be had by covering it
with hanknotes. one instance came to
the notice Of MI. Stewart where man
had bought a small lot for $S0e0 and the
next day was offered $4,000 for it and re-
fused The offer In an Incredible sb,rt
-. 80 -. -, -. go
''iie S'"'' 'tH'S JUMPED rum $' per
month to SlG0 and store rents cannot now
10 Mad far Iova ar money. Uou-e rents
r, .,,,,II .,.,,-,,, ,,,, Il ,r1,,,, HILL. ,,,,,,
''i' 'fN'''' N'''- h'' . $500 i'u9e 1T
easily command 500 pcr month.
Every building in the town has been
seized by the invaders. Little hu;s that
have been vacant for years have been
bought and raised bodily from the
ground one story and stores fitted up on
the ground 1loor. Handsome brick blocks
are going up as II by magic Inc natives
Of the town have become wealthy in
single night hN tle Fanld riSe III the NdIuc
Of real estate. Good brick maSons COM
mand - per Gay Tor their labnr ana car
penters from 81 70 81. The greater de-
mand is for skilled labor. 1hcTc Is plenty
Of uns killed ana prices Tor that are no.
50 high. The prices OF All commodltles
are in keeping with the prices OF land.
Everything Is way up.
The streets "i the town are all torn up
while water works ana seWe-S are GONG
in. As fast aS thg pipes mrs laid the
streets are paved Electric lEhtS ana Al
ing hit in III RAPIDLY al possible. EIe-