Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-23

yet when crops were an entire failure,
and there probably never will be. Our
climate seems to have a way of its
own to eventually adjust itself into
proper conditions. The man who has
the contract for furnishing Aroostook
with weather probably attends to his
job as well as any of us could do, and
when the time shall have arrived when
the hay and grain crops are gathered,
the potatoes dug and cellared, but very
little Will be said about the disastrous
results of the ''spring drought"
AT this season of the year, travel on
the Maine railroads was never better
and all trains are now well filled with
passengers. At this season of the year,
empty or practically empty coaches are
the rule on trains. But this year it has
been changed in regard to travel out Of
the State, for there is big rush to the
summer resorts in Maine. Maine is
the recreation ground for all New Eng
land and each year marks an increase
in it's number of visitors. 1t is expected
that before this year has passed the
greatest number of out of State visitors
that ever came to the Pine Tree State
will be recorded. The fire warden says
that the almost boundless forest fires
which have taken place in Maine during
the recent drought have improved the
hunting and will prove an impetus for
sportsmen in the fall.
Bangor News:-Though the season
has been both dry and cold here in east
ern Maine, our dear friends, the
birds, have improved each shining hour.
Right here, where we write the robins
and swallows and song sparrows are
rearing their second filters. The cue
koos and yellow birds are nesting anu
seem contented. The young king birds
and young crows have made good
matches, and the shy and downy little
cartridges are free from their shells and
scampering through the woods as if
they were having the best time in their
lives. Men lie idle for days and daW-
die away time as if they had an etern-
:ty in the bank, but the birds are at
tending to business every day.
Stratton island, where all that re-
mains of the noble five master Wash
ington B. Thomas of Thomaston, is
slowly being dashed to pieces by the
turbulent waters played an important
part in the early history of ScarbOro,
of which the island is a part. 1t was
included in the original grant of what Is
now Scarboro, made to Captain Thomas
Cammock in 1851 by the council of Ply
in Epolap1 Strottnn Island
was the part of Scarboro first inhabited
by the English and was used for drying
fish a number of years before the main
land was known to the white men. In
the patent to Cammock the two islands
now known as Stratton and Bluffs were
styled Stratton's islands, proving
that they were we'll known in Eng
land at that time which was some -'o
or three years before CammOck took
possession of the main land. Not much
is known concerning John Stratton, the
first to occupy the island and from
whom it derives it's name, but it may be
inferred that he was upright in his deal
ings with the Indians, who often resort
ed to the island and others in the vicin-
ity from the fact that the Indians sailed
out to Richmond'S island nearby and
murdered Walter Bagnall, known as
big Walt" it is supposed for some of
his sharp practices, while Stratton was
never disturbed by them. The only
notice of Stratton to be found in the
province records appears in the records
of the commissioners court, held at
Saco, March 25, 1886, and is interesting
as showing the quaint English of the
f1o lnf
people will go to law over very small
matters. The record runs as follows:
1T is petitioned per Mr.. Ed. Godfrey
that an attachment might bee of one
Brass Kettle now in the hands of Mr..
Ed. Godfrey witch were belonging to II.
John Straten of debt due now 3 years
from Mr.. Straten to him sd Straten;
the sd Kettle to be anSWerable to the
suit of Mr.. Godfrey against next Court
to show cause his not payment or the"
Here the chirography of the commits
sioners clerk becomes illegible and fad
ed by the lapse of years. This is -
last that was ever heard Of the Brass
Kettle" The records fail to show very
clearly whose property it was or who
was being sued. 1t is hard to realize
that the Stratton's island of today that
contains but single house, was once a
popuous community enough to apply
for "goodly minister" but in 1641 Rev.
Thomas Jenner wrote to Governor
Winthrop at Boston that Il have ben
solicited both from the inhabitants OF
STATIONS Plantation and those of cas-
kee (now Portland), to be a means to
help each of them to Soodly minister,
whereby l do make bold to intreat your
worship to furnish them both --any
stanch ship besides the Washington
Il. Thomas has laid it's bones on the
rocky and surf beaten shores of Rich
monds, Stratton'S and bluff islands, as
well as along the entire cOaStlinc from
Higgings Beach to Old Orchard. Capt.
Lermond but made the mistake 50 many
have made before him of thinking he
had rounded the Cape and was coming
into PCrtland's Capacious harbor only
G,,h n tho midst Of the