The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1906-09-14
INTERESTING LETTER FROM J. G. HART.
Warren, Me-, Sept. 4, 1906.
Mr.. j. A. Menzies,
Dear Sir

warren, me-, Sept =, i0VV'
Mr.. j. A. MenZies,
Dear Sir
Thinking our trip from Detroit,
Mich. to Maine (called the Old Pine
Tree State) might interest the readers
of the ExpositOr, | will write short
sketch. We left Union Depot July eth
at 10 a. III. and arrived in Boston July
3 at 10 a. m, making the journey of 500
miles in "a hours. We stopped in Bos-
ton couple of days, then took the
steamer, City of Rockland, at > p. III.
for Rockland, distance of 200 miles
down the coast. Arriving there at q a.
m. we boarded an electric car TO bring
us to this town, Warren, a distance of
IL miles.
1t is situated OH the Georges River,
and is about the size of your city, Yale.
There are two large factories here, a
shoe factory and a wooden mill, each
employing from 80 to 100 hands. The
tide from the ocean comes up here, so
that boats and small vessels can pass
up and down with it. The rise and
fall is about 10 feet, coming in and out
twice every "a hours.
We had the pleasure of attending
the Robbins reunion, which meet an
nually for the purpose of bringing to-
gether the descendants of the family
of which | am one. About l35 met
with well filled baskets. There were
but or 4 of us older ones left to rep
resent the old family, but the younger
ones feel il an honor To commemorate
the event, and SO do all possible to
make happy meeting by contributing
music, speaking, and kindly welcome
to all. Before separating we sang that
appropriate song 'God be with you till
we meet again"
We attended the great naval display
of Admiral Evans fleet of IL warships
i'm Camden harbor last Thursday, the
occasion being the unwilling of monu-
ment in honor of naval officer named
William Conway. He was a native OF
Camden who enlisted in the navy just
before the breaking out of the Civil
war and was in Pensacola, Florida, at
the time. The officers in command
turned over to the South the whole
fleet and ordered young Conway to pull
down the stars and stripes and hoist
the rebel flag i'm its place. He refused
to do this and for disobeying orders he
was placed in rebel prison and kept
for five years or until the close of the
war For that heroic act monument
was raised to his memory.
A grand parade was held by all the
officers and men of the fleet, with mu-
sic from some of the best bands in the
state. In leaving the harbor, a salute
of 81 guns was fired, which fairly shook
the earth and made the glass in the
windows rattle. 1t was a display
which we, with many others, will long
remember. After the parade all con
gregated at the race course. Speakers
| A. Il AntN 70
grand stand from which were dellvs
cred some splendid speeches and witty
remarks. At 3:l5 they disbanded and
marched back to their boats with three
cheers for the red, white and blue.
Now, by the way, we learned there
were two aged people living in the
neighborhOOd of Warren, an old gen
tleman 100 years and months and a
sister SO years and some months old.
He was born May 3lst, 1906 and she,
Nov. %, 1913. The house they now
live in they have always lived in. Ii
was built in the year 1894, making it
ll2 years old. 1t is a good house yet.
We visited them with much interest,
and found the old gentleman somewhat
deaf but his eyesight is very good. He
is able to go around, doing some chores
and calling upon neighbors. Both sis
ter and brother are remarkably smart
We asked them many questions think
ing TO learn something from their long
experience. Among Others was "Did
they use tea and coffee ?" ooh! yes in
deed, always drank tea and coffee but
no liquors of any kind" Maine is a
particularly temperance state. No sa-
looms have we seen in our travels here.
Hotels and restaurants for eating and
sleeping are in abundance. Many tour.
lists come here in the summer to enjoy
the mountain scenery and breezes OFF
the ocean.
We visited the State Prison at Thorn
aston. Were shown through by an Of
ficer. Only l73 cOnvicts there, 3 of
whom are women. 1t is the only pris-
on or workhouse in the state. How
does this compare with our own state
Michigan? We expect to start for
home in a few days now, after spend
inc two months i'm nlpasura