The Republican journal., 1901-10-24
Camden for beauty,
Belfast for pride,
If it hadn't been for clans
NorthnOrt would have died.

When young man Capt. Lewis Ell
well commanded the sloop Harvard,
and was engaged in carrying firewood
from Northport to Cambridge, Mass,
for the use of Harvard College. The
vessel was captured by British man
of war in 1912 or 10, and the captain
protested that the vessel and cargo
were exempt because the cargo was to
be used for the cause of education.
The British captain replied 'There are
too many id Yankee schools and
ordered the vessel burned and her cap
tain sent to Dartmoor prison, where he
was held as prisoner of war. After
the war Capt Elwell was provided with
another vessel, also, called the Harvard,
in which he continued the business.
Howard Murphy and Mrs. Eliza Hun
newell of Belfast and VIM. Pillsbury
and James W. Knight of Northport
claim to have attended every camp
meeting since the Camp Ground was
opened.
There has never been telegraph office
i'll Northport, but telephone station
| has been maintained at the Camp
| 1894. In April, 1898, a submarine tele-
phone cable was laid to Islesboro. from
the Northport shore just north of the
Sand Point at the Cove, to cove north
of Isola Bella in Islesboro. An exchange
was established at A. F. ElwelPs resi-
dence at the Cove few weeks later.
In 1887 occurred the famous division
of the surplus, by which every inhabit-
ant received 1888 from the u. S. treas
ury. 1t was the pride of President
Jackson to retire from office with the
nation free from debt, and it was not
only accomplished but there was sur
plus of nearly S4O,OO0,00O in the treas
ury. Congress ordered this distributed
among the several States, and the
Maine Legislature passed bill divid-
ing it among the towns according to
their population that year, for which a
special census was taken. Northport's
share was $4,000.
Sept 26, 1897, Maine was visited by a
severe earthquake shock. The local
correspondent of The Republican
Journal reported that in Northport it
occurred at about O'Clock, local time.
Dishes, stoves and other articles were
considerably disturbed, long, low,
rumbling sound was heard for some
time, and the oscillations lasted nearly
three-quarters of a minute, as timed by
Mr.. Harvard Elwell at the post office.
The first observance of the Maine
Old Home week, August, 6-13. 1900, was
marked by interesting exercises at the
Camp Ground, including an address by
Senator Frye, and reception to Capt.
Sigsbee and other officers of the U. S.
battleship Texas, which was moored off
the steamboat wharf. The reception
was given in the parlors of the North
port Hotel. Visitors were introduced
to Capt. Sigsbee and Senator Frye by
Mayor C. o. Poor of Belfast and F. A.
Dickey, Esq, of Northport. Hundreds
of Belfast and Northport citizens and
summer visitors were presented to the
distinguished guests. A compliment
tary dinner followed the reception, at
which Senator Frye, Capt. Sigsbee,
Mayor and Mrs. Poor, Collector and
Mrs. J. S. Hartman of Belfast were
special guests.
Sept. 2, 1880, meeting of the State
Grange was held at Northport Camp
Ground. More than 1000 persons were
present, coming by team from the sur
rounding towns, by train via. Belfast
and by steamers from Bangor, Rock
land and other places. Master Wood
man of the National Grange and State
Master Daniel H. Thing addressed the
meeting.