The Republican journal., 1901-08-29
NoRTHpoRr CAMP GROUND.
Correspondence Boston Globe. /


dents, gathered from the towns an6
cities of Maine, with many from Mas
SachuSettS and some from as far away
as New York, Philadelphia and ever
western Pennsylvania and Chicago.
The population of the town of North
port is little more than 600 and the
business consists almost exclusively OF
farming. Thus the influx of twice
their number of money spenders, who
stay from two to four months, with
some 5000 or 10000 more who come for
day or week, is a godsend to the pro-
due ers of farm and garden truck, who
get good prices not only for those, but
for poultry and dairy products. But
one can always be sure of getting every
thing fresh.
These summer residents are not, how
e yer, all jewellers upon the "camp-
ground proper Outside the associa-
tages and boarding honses of gooduual-
ity nesting along the banks of the
''South Shore. as it is called, while on
the North Shore are as pretty and
comfortable places as are found any
where.
Still the probabilities are that moth
ing of all this would be found here now
had not,the good old Methodists, seeking
for spot ON the mainland where they
might worship God in natures own tenn
pie, removed from Islesboro in 1919 and
selected the most beautiful site on Pc
nobscot bay for their purchase.
The clergy and the tent masters, with
representation from the various
churches from Rockland to Orono, drew
their own people hither, and their
friends came, the fame grew slowly but
constantly, until now the non-residents
who come for the summer season out
number the permanent citizens two to
one and pay about one-half of all the
taxes of the town.
There are a few well-to-do voters of
progressive ideas who do all they can
to foster this settlement, as well as the
Splrituallst campground at Temple
Heights, three miles below, where are
some hundreds Of people who come for
recreation and public meetings.
These few are ready to do anything
which the campground people, includ-
ing those on the north and south shores,
ask for in the way of roads and other
conyeniences. But their struggle has
been long and arduous one.
The majority Of the permanent resi-
dents have seemed too look upon the
camp ground as their particular mine,
from which they were privileged to
take all they could get without making
any return.
The influence of the minority has
been sufficient in late years to carry
through decent appropriations for the
shore district.
Northport has never had a church
editice in all the century of its exist
ence. Its people have had preaching
i'll the school houses with more or less
regularity, and with this and the one
week of religion by proxy. on its ocean
border, they have managed to subsist
spiritually, and with pretty fair salts
faction, until recently.
Then they thought out new way 6r
cottagers to spend their money.
Twenty years ago, when the camp
ground began to take on a boom, the
town was badly in debt, and their town
orders and other obligations were con-
solidated into bonded debt of 5000
This has all been paid by the cottagers
and the association, and besides, when
ever the people wanted new school
house or bridge or something else, all
they had to do was to send their asses
sors down to the shore and boost up the
valuation
This time they wanted a church. They
call 1t a chapel, as being a little more
euphonious to philanthropic ears, and
they came down to the campground for
some-and a good sum-of the money
The cottagers took to the idea quite
readily and many of them helped the |
scheme along without the least hesita-
ton. One gentleman planked down
S25 and told the folks he was glad to do
1t, and in few days he was RECALLED
with a picture of what a fine thing it |
would be for him to chip in $500, which
''he would never miss" According to
latest accounts, however, he didn't !
prove to be easy
the merry 60 round, the peanut vendors
and all the usual adjuncts of country
fair have arrived. The engine, the !
whirl -a-gig and the music of the first
named, placed close to the main high
way into the grounds, frightened a
horse last night, and his runaway cost a
young woman a broken leg. This is a
repetition of a last years incident,
when woman came near losing her |
life
There have been and are still fine
entertainments on the grounds at
hotel and cottages. The
best of the season was on last Satur- |
day night. 1t was given for the benefit |
of the chapel fund. but was entirely un-
solicited
Mrs. Annie E. Strout of Woburn,
who is spending the summer here at the |
home of her sister, Mrs. DR.. Lombard, |
heard mention of chapel at serv-
ice a week before, and she consulted |
with Mrs. Annie Soule Lewis and Per-
cival F. Lewis, also of Woburn, with
the result that a fine program was
given and $50 Melted for /the chapel. |
Other participants in the entertain
ment were Miss Maude H. Littlefeld |
of Woburn, Miss Susan E. Dinsmore |
and Mrs. E. P. Frost of Belfast, Miss
Blackstone of New York and Rev.
Norman La Marsh.
Boston and vicinity are well repre- I
sented here, and hundreds have come |
and gone.
On what is known as the North Shore
extensive and well laid out grounds, !
with fine cottages and good private roads
are owned and occupied by the Roberts
families OF Reading. John A. Roberts,
with his wife and daughter, have one,
and directly opposite are his brothers,
James w. and Willard S., and their sis
ter, Miss Matte H. Roberts. They
have hpra tho vaob+ ssA Oita - which