Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-07-17
Green wood.

Exactly what year those two Fourth
of July events occurred, referred to last
week, is not known, and it is doubtful II
either of them ever found its way into
history, since but very few local hap.
penings were published in those days
compared to the present time.
1t was in the early morning of indie
pendence Day, about 1852, that several
young Americas collected together, and
started to 60 through the neighborhood
for the purpose of waking up the people.
How far they had proceeded is not
known, when calling at a certain house.
Silas Darrell, one of the company, wish
ing to make still louder noise over
loaded his gun, and elevating it above
his head banged away, making the extra
noise and at the same time did much
more than making report. The gun
exploded, throwing his left hand which
clasped the barrel several rods, at the
same time injuring the part higher up so
that it was necessary to undergo ampu-
tation above the wrist joint.
That of course ended the celebration
in that neighborhood for the year at
least. Mr.. Barrell told the writer long
afterward that it was the last gun he
ever fired or ever should. He had been
married but recently, and being made a
cripple for life in such way, was a great
misfortune. He died several years ago
leaving widow but no children.
The other event occurred at Bryant's
Pond about the middle of the sixties,
and proved such a failure at last that
DR.. Lapham has been blamed for not
noticing it in his history of Woodstock.
A man by the name of Crockett was
running the hotel there at that time and
undertook to distance all former celebra-
tions, and that in most unique man.
ner. Near the western shore of Lake
Christopher is an island which he clear.
ed up and prepared for the exercises, in
the meantime building a fiat bottom
steamboat for the purpose of conveying
the people to the island and vice versa.
The steamer was built with side wheels,
and when taken out on her trial trip it
was found that the engine was too small,
and that three or four knots an hour was
all they could get out of her when every
thing worked favorably.
The craft was to be commanded by
the late Capt. John F. Dearborn, and the
tickets for the whole entertainment were
three dollars each. At last the 4th ar
rived, but instead of bringing in calm
pleasant day, it was accompanied by n
stid breeze that grew stronger as the day
advanced, so that when the steamer had
made one or two trips to the island with
her human freight, the enterprise was
given up, and the people were glad to
get back to the main land once more.
When the last trip was made the craft
was overloaded, which came near caus-
ing aserious, IL not fatal disaster, which
was avoided by half dozen men
with narrow pieces of boards, which
they used for oars, and by 80 doing they
finally reached the shore, but not until
the deck was several inches under water.
Thus ended that windy Fourth of
July; but perhaps there are those who
would like to know what became of the
famous steamboat. That was the last
trip she ever made, going out Of commits
sion then and there. In few DAYS her
engine was taken out and sent away,
when she became q derelict, and for
years was seen floating or on the shore
according as the pond happened to be
high or low.
Making flying visit to Milton last
week, it was noticed that the grass was
generally backward and some fields so
light as to be hardly worth cutting, and
the same Is true in regard to meadows.
When the new year came in we CON-
menced to keep . record Of the people
who pass away, whom we know or have
known in former days, and when TIE
first half of the year ended the number
was nineteen. Two have died since July
came in. Their names will be given at