Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-17

office of the board, Yesterday morning.
for N. first time since their trip
| through the eastern part of the State.
| MIR. Pottle was looking ever the late
| returns which had ben n ceived from
the local boards of assessors in differ
ent parts of the State, and found them
10 be- showing up well. The earlier ones
| sent in were not so promising, but the
LATER ones seem to indicate that there
| will be a good increase in local valu
| atione, this year, all over the State.
AT the close of the last weeks work
among the assessors of the towns
visited by the board. Mr.. Pottle and
james Plummer, the clerk of the board.
passed Saturday and Sunday at Swans
Island. The object o. the trip was to
confer with the board Of Selcctnen. but
aside from the business features there
of, II was a most enjoyable one.
Swans Island is III Hancock county
90 miles south Of Ellsw Orth. and five
miles southwest Of fremont, from
which it is reached by steamer. The
town includes. with the outlying
islands, about 1900 acres. and has u
population Of about 1000 souls. 1t has
three churches and three SchOOlhouseS,
and the principal industry is the lobster
fishery. Lobster smackS from Portland
visit the island twice each week, and
the fishermen dc a thriving business.
Tie visit Of the two gentlemen was
a most pleasant one. .llid their stay on
the island was filled With interest
throughout. Saturday evening. an en-
tertainment was given in their honor.
In the hall over the hotel, and an eX-
tellcnt program of Il musical mature
vas rendered, in which many of the
people who are spending the summer
here participated.
The people of the island are, said Nj.
Pottle. Of an Industrious nature that
cannot be exceeded in the State, and
evidences Of the thrift of the inha BIZ
tants are noticeable, everywhere. The
buildings are neat and III good repair,
and everyone on the Island apparently
has something to do. Pauper expenses
are light, and last year the money ex-
pended for this purpose WAS only $50.
AS said before the chief industry Of
the island is the lobster fishery. AS a
rule, the fishermen own e;tsolene boats,
many of which are built IN the island.
and the Introduction Of this type of
craft has produced a revolution in the
fisheries.
An amusing fact in connection with
| the island is that no one thinks o.
locking the doors Of th"i~ houses at
night. which will sound str;Inge to some
| of those who live in the inland cities
| and towns. The niSh: before the two
! gentlemen left the island, one of them
| spoke to the landlord Of the hotel, re-
| questing him to leave the door I'M
| locked, in order that they might, rs
| the steamer left at In early hour, leave
| the house without disturbing any of IN ].
boarders. This seemed 10 please the
| landlord, for he laughed as he told
| them that he never locked his doors
| from one years end to another, which
| would seem 20 indicate that the gentle
folk of Swans Island are Il: honest as
they are thrifty.
| One would hardly think, as they
gaze on the placid and genial cOunten-
| ance Of Hon. S. w. Matthews, commits
| sioncr Of labor and industrial Stats
| ties. us he sits in his favOrite chair be-
| hind his desk at the department, that
he WAS ever Il schoolmaSter, and WELD
ed the rod that was supposed to be
necessary at stated periods Of a school,
| boys life in the old days. in order that
the child might not be spoiled but
| the fact remains that he was, and an
| other fact, that he presided over the
destinies of an academy In the South
for a period of five years, would seem
10 indicate that he was ~ successful IN
that calling as he is in the capacity III
| which he has long served the State.
| For the five years preceding the Civil
| War. Mr. Matthews was a teacher In
the Williamson academy, on the
Roanoke river in North Carolina. He
| came North before the war broke out
but though many years have rolled by
| since that time, his thoughts often turn
| back to those times. and the boys who
! We're under his care ut the old school
| Yesterday, TO his surprise and pleas
ure. he received a letter from one OIL
them. accompanied by a photograph OF
the writer The picture was of a mar
about Mr.. Matthews age, and al
though he did not recognize the face
the memory of the name which was
| signed to the letter came back in a min
1 i
Dear and respected teacher" and Their
went on to say that although it was not
likely that Mr.. Matthews would trace
MANY familiar features in the photo
graph, the signature would call tt
memory one of his pupils at the acad-
envy.
The letter was one full of friendli-
ness and of pleasure at seeing Mr.
Matthews name. which the writer
noticed in the Raleigh News and OBJ
server. and had FASTENED at once tC
write. The letter was signed Edgar
s. Warrock" and the writer expressed
4 wish that it be answered. Mr.
Matthews was pleased to hear from
Mr.. Warrock. and the correspondence
which is likely to follow will, no doubt
be productive of many pleasant rem
iniscences of the commissioners life
as a teacher away down on the Roa
noke.
nr a G.. Young has returned from