Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-21
WILL CELEBRATE.
(Continued From Page One.)

done April 81. Five years later, with
continued evidences of prosperity mark
ing the advance of time, Houlton was
Incorporated as a town, the first meet
ing of The citizens for the election of
municipal officers being held April 4.
1881, the first Sclcctmcn being EleaZar
Packard, Luther Pcarce and Samuel
Cook.
Houlton's first boom came in 1898.
when, in consequence of the threaten
ed outbreak Of hoStilitics between the
United States and Great Britain be-
cause of the boundary dispute between
Maine and New Brunswick, the nat
ional government established mill
tary post there, and the little town
became a centre of interesting army
life. Up to that time northeastern
Maine was actually cut off from lhe
rest of the United States, because the
only practical way of reaching II "a'
through a foreign country VIA the 81.
John river. The military authorities
recognized that, in case OF war, tnat
. route would afford most unsatls1ac-
tory way for the procurements or sup
. plies and the first companies Of IN
fantry sent to the front were immcI-
tween HouIton and Mattawamkeag.
the latter town affording a satisfactory
means of communication with Bangor.
For seven years, until the settlement
of the boundary dispute in 1915, Houl-
ton enjoyed a great period of prosper
ity and the business established IN
supplying the wants of the officers and
soldiers enabled many of the towns
people to lay the foundations of pre-
sent substantial fortunes.
There was period of depression
following the departure of the garrison
and the breaking up of the post. how
ever, which tested the resources of
many of the poorer residents severely,
and the general prosperity of the town
remained at low cbb until the re-
markable agricultural possibilities of
the section began to attract attention..
The building of the military road from
Mattawamkeag north gave Aroostook
county good outlet for it's products,
and permitted the purchase of suppn,s
at much lower prices than previously
had been the case, and when the po-
tato fields begun to develop, this ia
cility in reaching American markets
proved a great boom.
1t was not, however, until the COM
pcticn of the 70's of the European &
North american Railroad, running from
Bangor to Vanceboro, that HouIton had
railroad communication with other
points in tho United States, and then it
was by a long, roundabout. route into
the province of New Brunswick ana
over the railroad bearing that name to
II. A al. In inc
boro. Though the freight rates We're
enormous. the railroad service gave
Aroostook an opportunity tn get large
quantities of potatoes to United States
markets. and then Iioulton "hoom"d''
again. This was followed Ivy a third ono
when the Bangor & ArooStOok Railroad
begun in 1891. was completed to the
town in 1898. reaching further into the
northern Maine wilderness as the years
went on. Tho third "boom" still contin-
nes, and Houlton is enjoying an era of
prospcrity. which promises to continue
as long as potatoes can be raised in
Aro"stool county, and n market he
found for them in other parts Of the
country.
Houlton has many excellent business
The finest Ellis' clubhouse in
New England and several handsome
structures of public character, the
custom houS" and postofficc occupying
n particularly ornate cdificc. everything
considered. 1t has the largest grange
body i'm tho world and its churches and
schools are not "XCcllcd by thos" of an
town of its size.
Much credit for tho public character
of the celebration is due to Charles IT.
FuCC tho secretary of the general com
mi,tec. He is Il direct descendant on
his mothers side from James Houlton.
the first settler He is n graduate of
Bowdoin. and after II years in the
hardware business purchased last year
the Aropstook Times.