The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-08-27
UP IN MAINE,
SAYINGS AND DOINGS IN THE PINE
TREE STATE.
WEALTH IN AN ALDER SWAMP.

his who Is making money IrOu du d.
der swamp which has an area OF no
more than ten acres. The land was
low and mucky and very wet. Except
for large crops of mosquitoes, the PROG
ucts of this piece had been hardly
worth recording. The purchaser paid
two dollars an acre for the lot, or $50.
in all, and at once took possession Dy
fitting up and moving into an aban-
doned farm house, which stood on
knoll at one corner OF the swamp,
the only dry piece of land III the pur-
chase. He proceeded to map OH MS
tract in true forestry style, planning TO
cut one acre every year ana 10 proceeu
in that ratio until at the END OF ten
wears he should come back to his orlgl-
nal lot. In this manner he has kept at
work. cutting his alders in June ana
trimming out and peeling the larger
and crooked sticks to be mace lnto rus.
tic furniture during the cold days OF
winter
The larger sticks were made INTO
charcoal which was sold for cash,
while the odds and ends of wood were
cut into stove lengths and employed IN
keeping the house warm and Dolllng
the family pot. Meanwhile the oc-
casional clumps of brown ash, when
grew in deep and miry spots, were trim
med up and allowed to grow until they
were of hoop-pole size, when they were
cut and shaved and sold to go to coop
ers in Boston. The cat-tail flags, which
abounded in the DOGGY places, were
reaped when full grown and gathered
in sheaves and sold to the makers OF
fish barrels who pay good prices TOT
chinking between the slaves. lie founo
that an average alder sucker Will grow
from a mere Wisp to four or flVe lnches
in diameter in ten years, SO that an
acre of rank alders will yield not only
ten cords of frewood for home con,
sumption, but from S25 to $50 worth OF
coal and wood for sale.
The swamp farmer spends his winter
evenings and stormy days in trimming
the crooked and twisted and alder
Sticks into rustic lounges and chairs
which bring good price at the summer
resorts. He shaves few hooppoles at
odd jobs and works out among MS
neighbors whenever he gets chance.
Though he has not kept strict account,
he believes his ten acres OF alder swamp
yield him an annual income OF 5000.
People who show deep interest IN his
welfare have advised him to drain the
the swamp, cut Off the bushes and put
the land into grass, but he says there
is no grass land in Maine that begins to
give so much profit as does his patch OF
bog land. The town assessors, thinking
he has a place which is OF no account,
place his valuation very low, so his
taxes are light. He can work at home
most of the time. He finds a ready
sale for all he produces. He is happy
and making money.
MAINE STREET RAILWAYS.
Reports have been received at the
state house, Augusta, from the Y. 5.
census office giving the statistics Of the
Maine street railways. The reports
were taken the latter part of last year
and have Just been compiled and tabu-
lated.
There are 80 street railways in Maine
or l-52d of the total number Ill the
United States The total value of the
roads i'll this state IS 81 l2T $50. There
is total OF ST., 1886 invested i'll cars
alone. 1t cost SD 400 to clean the snow
aud ice from the tracks last year and a
total of SIP, 135 III wages was paid to
motormen and 5l4l ,941 to conductors
The sum of S2256 was spent for legal
services.
The total number OF employees of all
the street railways III Maine is 969 with
a wage toJai OF s526, U62. The Maine
roads spent, all told, So. 1870 for adver-
Using. only seven other States Ill the
union spent as much.
The net earnings from operation were
s4l+, SIS. The operating expenses were
49, percent of the earnings. Only five
States exceeded this percent, Vermont,
Montana, New Hampshire MISSISSIPPI
pi and \ orth Carolina.
Electric roads, as rule, have paid
few dividends in Maine as yet. Only
three paid any dividends last year. The
Portland electric road, which has rapid
ly become bonanza OF late years, paid
$50, 1913; the Portsmouth, kittery Il
York, Gov. Hills road, paid s5531, and
the Augusta road, ano her OF Gov
Hills roads, paid $1,000, all on common
stock.
The highest speed attained by any
road in the city limits was by the Ben
ton & Fairfield road, of II miles an hour,
and the slowest by the Norway & Par
is. of four miles. In the matter of ac-
cidents, the Maine roads are particu-
larry fortunate, but one person being
killed and only 26 injured.
The only horse railway now in the
State is one operated at Fryeburg. 1t
is three miles long and has three horses
and six cars.
LOBSTER Il COD HATCHERY.
Workmen are now drilling with steam
the trench by which sea water will be
drawn to the lobster and cod hatchery
to be erected on Mckown point in
Boothbay town. There will be needed
$500 gallons of sea water minute,
and powerful pumps will raise that
amount through the 16-inch pipe for
which the trench is being prepared.
The building will stand on a solid rock
and cement foundation, and will be 50
by 100 feet, with 16-foot pc SITS. 1t is to
be completed in foar months,a and the
workmen are to be employed eight
hours day only. The government has
bought from Watson Simpson and 9TH
ers the Simpson property and the res
idence Of Mr.. Bartholomew of Gin
cinnati, which, is now occupied by the
family of Mr.. Bowers of the Q. S. fish
cries department.. The contract for
erecting the hatchery has been award
ed to Charles E. Carlisle Of Boothbay
at $4,000. The work will begin immedi-
ately.
MAINE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS.
OF the 52O school superintendent in
the State of Maine, 50 are women. Au-
gusta, Hallowell, Brewer, Fort Fair
IL Tc1n Eox