Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-04
"HAYSEED AVENUE"
A Drive Through a Famous Togus
Neighborhood.

To. anyone driving along the Belfast
road, near Togus. these beautiful au-
tumn days, when the foliage is gor-
geOus with its tints of red and yellow.
there is nothing of nature sufficient
ly striking to distinguish it from any
other country road. 1t is no better
than the average rural highway, and
not SO bad as some. and is just an
every day kind of a road such as one
finds everywhere.
But when it comes to the question of
reputation, there is not a road in Maine
that can compare with it, for here is
located the notorious '.Hayseed Ave-
nue. name with which is associated
everything that depraved humanity
can stoop to. and locality which for
years revealed in the illegal traffic of
Intoxicating liquors.
Hayseed avenue-who has not heard
that name? The first part of the name
fiavOrs of rustic simplicity at a first
glance. but nothing could be farthtI
removed from the implied meaning of
the word "Hayseed." In reality it was
the name given to a kind of beer made
by the inhabitants of the locality, for
the express consumption of the MEM
bers of the Home. 1t was a combina-
ton of hops and molasses. and while
in no way equal to Schlitz's Milwau-
kee. it had the sting to it. and that's
what the old soldiers We're after.
The history of the avenue began
with the establishment of the Home.
The avenue covers about a quarter of
mile i'm length. from McCarty's COR
ner on its Belfast road, to Jones store,
on the Gardiner road. and contains
eight or nine places. the majority of
them being small. story and half
houses. cheaply constructed. Accord
ing to Chief of Police McDevitt. of the
Home. to whom the Journal is indebted
for much information concerning the
avenue. the only really respectable in
habitant of that locality is Alonzo Gar
diner, a well to do farmer.
Soon after the Home was built, these
houses began to be constructed along
the avenue. and ere long were doing a
rushing business. Strange to say. a
number of them We're kept by women.
among them being Mrs. Gaseye. Mrs.
McCarty. Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Doug
lass. Among the most notorious deal
ers. among the men We're James Clifford
and Fred Stanbac, Familiarity known as
"Peanuckle"
The sale of liquor was not confined
strictly to hayseed beer, for there was a
species of stuff prepared thereabouts
and placed upon the local markets
under the name of whiskey that was
warranted to kill within reading dis
lance of it's label. Other pitfalls for
the unwary were added to those al
ready mentioned, and the veteran who
could make pilgrimage to the avenue,
and get back to the Home i'm anytime.
like normal condition. must indeed
have long heal.
These sharks considered the veterans
their lawful prey, and found many Of
them easy victims. Pension week was
the harvest time, and at such times
the road leading to the avenue used to
be lined with soldiers, anxious to blow
in their roll. And blow it they did. II
they did not, there were willing hands
to blow it for them. and it always blew
one way. Many is the man who has
, gone into one of these dives with his
pension money on his inside pocket,
only to be knocked out by a few drinks
OF haysced. and to come out. later,
with a three-cornered head without
cash enough to buy a yeast cake.
And the rum sellers had good
chance at the veterans in the early
days. for until Governor Allen was
made commander Of the Home, PEN
sions were paid monthly. instead OF
quarterly, as they are at present. Al
though the locality revealed in every
thing that was disreputable. there i
no record of ally serious crime having
been committed there, with the excep-
| ton Of the case Of one Howard. a
member of the Home. who was dubbed
so severely over the head at one of thf
dives. that he was taken to the hos
pitaI and never left II alive.
But all thisg1e - The past. The Hay