The Somerset reporter., 1903-09-17
ArOOstOOk County

everybody who has the least inclination
that way is busy at work.
The abundant crops of the season
were well along in the harvesting pro
cess excepting potatoes and beginning
had been made upon that great staple
of Aroostook county. The hay crop
was hardly up to the average in the
county but grain of all kinds was of ex.
cellent growth, well filled and ripened
early in fine condition. Everything
in the agricultural line revolves
around the tuber for which the
county is noted, the potato. Ii takes
the place as staple crop, of corn in the
middle west and of wheat in the north
west. 1t is the cash producing crop
above all others in the county. Potatoes
can always be turned into cash at some
price. They are bought by men who
deal exclusively in the product for
shipment out of the county, or by manu-
facturers of starch The demand has
usually been equal TO the supply, but,
like other staples, the price hnctuates.
The men who have made a business of
dealing in potatoes and those who have
bought and ground them up for starch
have made good money.
Aroostook towns are prosperous and
the principal trade centers are increas-
ing in populatiqsA and business enter
prises of local character. The four
principal market towns are Houlton,
Pressure Isle, Caribou and Fort Fairfield
They are surrounded by splendid farm
ing sections and the shipments of
potatoes therefore are immense. There
are other shipping points and outlying
towns where large starch factories are
located and where lumber mills flourish
but these towns easily hold the advant
age of superior shipping and trade
centers at this time,
Houlton, the shire and oldest town of
the county, probably has elasticity equal
to any other town in New England of
its size, On the 18th of May 1902 it " as
swept by fire which destroyed 100
buildings in a few hours, rs of which
were residences. At this time % houses
have been erected on the burned ter
ritory, three churches, several brick
business blocks and other buildings,
while others are in process of erection,
including the Carnegie Library struc-
ture. Houlton is taking on the airs of
a city. The town has acquired the
water works and is improving the plant,
increasing the water supply and extend
ing II INTO every part OF the village,
keeping pace with this extension by like
extension of the sewer system Free
mail delivery has just been established
in the village and will soon be sup
plemented with free rural mail delivery.
Houlton has the location, the contrib,
utlng territory, the railroad facilities,
the soil, the business advantages, and
the men and women for great inland
Maine town. Its fortune is assured.
1t cannot be downed by fire or flood.
Pressure Isle Is one of the incest towns
in Maine. Probably it has the richest
territory for agricultural purposes
within a radius of 10 miles from its
post Office of any town in Maine. 1t has
water power sufficient for local pur-
poses, fine business blocks, churches,
school buildings, residences, hotels,
opera house, bank, etc., all complete.
1t has an effective electric light plant
for residences, public buildings, stores
and streets, also water works and many
of the advantages of towns or cities of
larger size. The latest acquisition of
the town is the Normal school author
lied by the legislature of last winter.
The set of school buildings, recently
occupied by an Episcopal school, put
in first class condition and we'll equip
ped, were the contribution of the town
to the State for Normal work. ARGOS
took comfy, northern Washington, and
the northern sections of Penebscot and
Piscataquis counties will be we'll accom-
modated by this school. Presque Isle
may well be proud of the achievement OF
securing this school. 1t is evidences of
| the enterprise and wisdom of it's citizens
| Pressure Isle is composed of territory
that was originally two towns, Maysville
having been annexed in 1883. 1t cannot
be matched by any town of it's size in
M aine for fine farms and an equal area
of rich soil. Pressure Isle has always
been growing town and is admirably
situated for business. The extension of
the b. q A. for a time temporarily
| disturbed business and the Ashland
branch, 20 miles to the westward, cut
off some trade in that direction but the
natural increase in population and OF
business in the immediate vicinity has
overcome the temporary check. Pressure
Isle is on a solid basis and its steady
growth and prosperity is not problem
attic.
Our brief visit to the garden County
of Maine did not include tarry in
other towns but ride by rail through
some of them indicated that the evi.
dences of prosperity In the two visited
were not exceptional Business enter
prise and thrift are county wide.
The building of the B. e. A. railroad
and its branches, WAS and is grand
thing for Aroostook. 1t was a mann.
moth enterprise. 1t took men of cour.
age and strength of purpose to push II
through. The financiering required not
only able men but those commanding
the confidence of the people of the
county and at the same time that of
men in money centers. This road has
been and is an important factor in the
| development of the county, adding
millions of dollars to the real estate and
the marketable products thereof. The
road under the direction of President
Cram, railroad manager of signal
ability, untiring energy and unsurpassed
! interest in the welfare of the great
comfy, and his efficient corps of assist
ants, gives the people superb train
service, passenger and freight. We
/ cannot see how the management of this
road could be improved upon for practi-
/ cal DurDOaea husinaaR or plaasIrp