The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-10

| site is put down as 'Batchelder's Grant
uEorganized.' 1t has been thus described
ever since the primeval forester large
portion of twas decided to one Batchel-
der, before the beginning of the century
The citizens say that they do not want
a town organization, because at present
everybody is as good as everyone else
and no better. The state can't make them
Organize" unless they want to; SO there
you are.
| Hastings is owned by company. The
| company manages the town to suit Its
own ideas as to public needs and morals.
| The company also owns the railroad. AS
owner of the railroad it is not common
carrier, and therefore it can refuse pas
sage over the road to any and all per-
sons it may choose.
Thus, if an itinterant merchant in hq-
uids, known in Maine as a pocket ped
der wants TO go to Hastings to sell
disturbing spirits TO the workmen, he may
be denied transportation over the railroad,
even though he may tender fare.
Should he persist in walking TO the town
he must follow the railroad track, from
which. it being private property. he might
easily be elected. On the side Of this rail-
road track is a mountain covered with a
river filled with raging waters tearing
along a bed of powders.
Hastings is a wild and secluded place,
and yet it is only three miles from a
trunk line Of railroad. and but two and
half hours ride from Portland. 1t nest
les in a hollow of the hills.
1t is not more than a dozen or fifteen
miles from the Glen House, as the crow
flies. 1t is approached from the east,
however, and is situated on waters that
run into the Androscoggin river, which
flows through western Maine.
AS you step from the train at Hastings
you are conscious that this is a different
lage from any you have ever seen.
On the north side is a row of cottages,
painted red. Their back yards end at the
edge of the Wild rivers bank, so that
plunges along over the powders, lulls
their occupants to sleep, soothes their
slumbers and accompanies them always
in the daytime.
1t is never still, that river, and in 1t
swim trout of a strong and lusty kind
the kind of fish sportsmen would be glad
to go after if the company encouraged
fishing on its property, which it does not,
owing to the danger from fire that is
always present with the fisherman, who
is pretty sure to smoke a reflective pipe,
or build fire to heat food or drink.
Hastings will hands are permanent res
idents. They stick to their jobs the year
round, and most of them save money.
The average pay received at the mill is
s1.40 day, though some of the most
skilled like head sawyers, receive as RICH
as $3.50 a day.
Payday comes on the 18th of every
month. In Hastings it is not day for
lavish expenditure of money. as in most
mill towns. Many of the workmen leave
their pay envelopes with the company for
months at a time, their board being taken
out Of their credit with the company.
If they want anything at the store they
are given book Of coupons, which is
charged against them. This does away
with bookkeeping at the store, the cou-
pons being legal tender there. The COM
pany pays out not less than $4,000 a year
in wages, the greater part of it being in
hard cash.
a month Each house has at least eight
rooms, and is connected by sewer with
the river. No charge is made by the COM
pany for water. which is brought down
to the village from spring in noun
tain near, and is carried to the houses.
In the eyes of the law the town is wild
land and unsettled. just as it was when
granted to Richard BatcheIder 100 years
ago by the state of Massachusetts, The
name Hastings comes fro ma purchase of
part of the BatcheIder grant about forty
years ago by G. A. Hastings of Bethel
and D. R. Hastings of Fryeburg.
The lumber company operating at Hast
ings operate about 1000 acres of the
Batchelder grant and about $1,000 acres of
the Bean purchase, so called, in New
Hampshire. The company is not identi-
fed with the original Hastings interests,
which operate separately in a small way
near Hastings. The officers of the lumber
company are: Daniel F. Emery. jr., pres
ident and William Mitcvhen. treasurer.
both Of Portland. 1t is probable that the
plant at Hastings viii be greatly increased
in the near future.
In the meantime Hastings is officially
"Ratchelder's Grant. unorganized," and
is not on the map.