The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-03-20
STUDENTS STEAL GUIDE POSTS
Maine Town Kent in n State of Con-
tinuaI Unrest by Mischievous
College Boys.

The Buckport (Me.) town fathers
are. to use their own words, "pestered
to death by the college fellers luggin'
off the guide boards" The annual ac-
count of stock has just been taken and
it has been found that about 20 sign
boards are missing from the cross
roads in the rural districts, although
the constables have been exercising
due vigilance.
There is no mystery about their dis
appearance, says the New York Times.
They have been stolen by college stu
dents to decorate their rooms, and at
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth
and even at Chicago there are known
to be number of signs which in
weather-worn characters tell the dis
lance to and from Bucksport.
For years, ever since the fad has OBJ
tanned, the town of BuckspOrt has
been a sufferer from this souvenir col
lecting of from SIS to $25 a year. And
the same is true to a considerable eX-
tent in many other Maine towns.
The supply of signs would have be-
come exhausted years ago were it not
for law on the statute books of the
commonwealth compelling all towns
and cities to mark all crossroads with
correct and legible guideboards, and,
besides, the local representatives of
the League of American Wheelmep
make note and report to their head
quarters cases of failure to comply
with the law, which might lead to thle
straying of otherwise unenlightened
tourists. So it is that between the
rapine of the collegians and the vigil
ance of wheelmen the lot of the "set
lectmen" is not an altogether rosy
one.
The original Bucksport guideboard$
have nearly all disappeared. The
more weatherbeaten and aged the
more desirable they are considered
and the more highly priced, although
how such bulky affairs could be smug-
gled out of town without discovery
battles the natives.
The one sign more than all other
which has been the most coveted is the
multiple affair which nfaks the spot
known as "1S miles from everywhere. I
1t is located short distance out of
Bucksport village, and it's various
arms read, respectively:
Bangor, IS miles; Ellsworth, 1P
miles; Blue Hill, is miles; Castine, 1b
miles; Searsport, IS miles"
1t is said that the original sign oc-
cupies the place of honor in one of tn ,
SWEETEST suites of Yale and cannot BIZ
bought for any price. The sign hal
had a successor every year since il
was stolen, and every year until re-
Gently the famous markers have disl-
appeared.
But y few years ago the wits of WI
lage genius were enlisted in the con-
iuring of a non-stealabIe sign and the
result was a complete success. A. sigh
was constructed and placed in posi-
| ton. 1t still stands.
| 1t is made of boiler plate, all the
arms being forged together in ONE
piece and shrunk over the top of "a
hard pine post which was once the
part of the topmast of big ship. The
posi- Is set SlSHl Ittl lniO lut STOuIltf.
and the natives "allow" that it will not
blow down, and although many COW
etous eyes have been set upon it is still
| there.
1t has been the custom to replace
the stolen signs with cheap stencileR
affairs, just enough to cover the law,
aud considered good enough to
steal" This policy seems to be onie
OF preservation, as without the wealth
er-beaten appearance the charm as Ia
| trophy seems to be gone.
And the good men who preside over
the affairs of the town of Buckspott
are hoping t\at 'the boys will get over
the foolisLness" and the vigilant cob
stables annually renew their oath ito
make them fellers suffer if they catch
| EN-"