Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-14


brated their 61st wedding anniversary.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Durgin of The
Forks have been married an equal
| length Of time and all Of their seven
children are still living. The children,
the Oldest being so and the youngest
81, recently had a reunion at the old
home.
Boston capitalists are behind the
Shows Falls. and they the planning ex-
tensive enlargements. 1t is said that
this new mill when it gets to working
will be one of the largest in the world
and will enter into successful compe-
titlon with the English industries. One
of the principals in the stating of 1t is
quoted as saying that it would force
England to come to America after lin
en-, instead of having America go to
England" Should this new enterprise
become successful and every Indication
points to that result. the State of Maine
will have another great industry added
to it, and besides producing the best
paper in the world and large part of
IHe output, IL Will DttOIIlC lhC 6'''l
linen manufacturing center. The now
mills, it is said, will take the flax in
the raw state and convert it into the
finished linen articles.
Never before in the recollection Of
the Oldest inhabitant has there been
such a railroad agitation in Franklin
county, the birthplace of the narrow
gauge railroad. as at the present time.
Franklin county enjoys the distinction
of having more railroad lines in opera
county in the State of Maine, and there
are charters and petitions for charters
for additional lines. At the present
time there are no less than six lines Of
railroad in operation in that county.
There is one partially built the Farm
ington, Waterville and Wiscasset line.
Petitions are now before the railroad
commissioners for another new line
and the extension of one of those which
are now in operation, and last week
the county commissioners were asked
to approve the survey or location of
yet another new one.
The absolute and all-absorbing
unanimity with which Waterville has
been devoting itself to preparations to
entertain the State Grange, this week,
is indicated by the following item in
the Watervile Mail: There is dull
ness in the marriage market. There
has not been a marriage intention filed
at the city clerks Office in two weeks
chiefs been amang us takin' notes,
and, faith, he's prented them. c. d.
Smead, V. S., of Logan, New York has
been "up in Maine among the farmers"
and writes to the New York Tribune Of
the old State of Maine, how it's people.
it's products and it's capabilities look to
a New Yorker. The picture he pre-
sents is a most flattering one. He says
that while Maine possesses "some OF
the finset farming land that the
Stars and Stripes float over" this
is not generally known because most Of
the people who come here from abroad
come to fish and hunt. He says:
"In no state can be found soil cap
able of producing more cereal crops
than Maine. In fact, nutritious grasses
| find growing even in the very poor
parts of the country and capable Of pas
turing cows and sheep equal to any I
find in our especial dairy sections of
New York. When I get back from the
coast l find apple orchards equal to
those of western New York Or Ohio or
Michigan. l find in Aroostook county
the greatest area of clover and natural
n n In M in tho TTnita1 StataS is
true there are forests and wild land in
Maine: but it follows also that there is
wealth Astounding in them. AS a grass
growing and livestock State l never in
the broad West have seen the equal TO
it. Near the seaboard, with the ever
ready steam and electric railroad to
carry it's products to the nearby great
marts of the world, wherein is the sense
of the young man seeking the prairies
of the West, to mingle with a people
who. although good. are not of his
kind?" OF our farm buildings DR..
Smead says: "In no other state have
ever travelcd-and I have travelled in
many-do / find the farm buildings so
good as in the State of Maine, not even
excepting my own State of New York
He finds a neatness prevailing from the
coast to the very frontier along the
dense forest, and not Il log house any
where. But the best is yet to come.
"In no state" says DR.. Smead, "can be
found as uniformly good people as in
Maine. That good old New England
stock has remained intact, and whether
it be ON the coast or on the frontier,
we find them uniformly intelligent,
genteel and DrOSDerOuS"
PRESS COMMENTS.