Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-11-18
MEMORIES or EAsTBROok.
DAYS of Lumber Industry and Pros
porous Farming.
lR. s. eerri.h. in Bangor N.ss.I


Probably what applies. to Eastbrook
applies as well to iegions Of country vii
lagos, but q recent visit OF the writer in
spired a train OF thoughts in regard TO
this town.
Memory recalls the past lumber days
when James Madison BIaisdell, Of Frank
lin, was the mail carrier from Franklin to
Waltham through Eastbrook. These were
the bygone days, when Hass Mason,
Charles and Henry Mscomber, Z. ]. Swan,
Tyler Scammons, Whitcomh l. Haynes,
John P. Gordon and Joseph II. West were
the lumber contractors and merchants of
Franklin and Ellsworth, doing lumber
business extensively in Eastbrook and
vicinity. These were the days OF the oxen,
and the business life OF the Bunkers, the
Wilburs, Dyers, Jellisons, Scammonse 8,
CIRCUITS, Buffers, Bragdons, Crimmins, and
lots OF then prominent families, offspring
of the genuine Puritan pioneerage Of New
England home lands.
After one left Franklin town road
guide board at Swans corner, one was on
the way to Eastbrook. Going over Beech
land ridge, a high and slightly plateau,
one was sure Of mile Of hard going after
. rain storm. Passing the well-kept farm
houses then one passed the John " illiams
and Ransom circuit fsrmsteads but seldom
without . stop at each and pleasant chat
or barter for farm stock or products, to say
nothing Of chinning half dosen charm
ing girls.
From this settlement one really enters
East brook, and in the five or six miles
over hill and through woods one encoun-
tered oftentimes half dozen ORLEANS
with their big loads OF piling or lumber en-
route for salt water at Franklin markets.
All OF these pioneers knocked a hardy and
industrious living out Of the realms Of
mother nature and virgin woodland, get
ting prosperous home and rearing 'rge
families, and with here. and there little
red schoolhouse wherefrom came the talent
that has made New England famous.
Schools here, intelligence was Unborn, and
all else dubbed out; the results were that
each family had one or more bright ones
and as many dull ones and half-wits. To-
day the latter are a rare thing in the
scattered families, largely because, no
doubt, the families are smaller. Quality
Offsets quantity.
To-day memory can recall the former
days, but actually only sees the remnants
Of half-intercsted successors. This is
lar gely the natural effect of causes the
remaining valuable lumber being reserved
by the now wealthy landlords, while the
successors to the farms and homes main
tain the remnants Of the old folks, and
their former homes. hayel passed along
from hand to hand or are unoccupied.
The past twenty-five years of culture
and commercial advancement have iured
many Of the present generation to tie
cities where wages count and a weekly
payday is necessary, as everything OF life
and luxury "costs SO much. A dispcsi I,
| ton of dissatisfaction gained from urban
life and literature has bred in the present
generation, and after passing shorty years
life" crowded into five or ten years, they
go back to take up the old homes and
trade to take q "farm for the care OF the
old folks". EASY come, easy 60"
| Few OF them make q success at the
| slower farm life, for they do all their work
in half-hearted way, thinking show
things are.,donel in Boston,. The old
time mice FARMS, blooded stock, ETC., are
but memory, and many place looks de-
| serted or at most temporarily tenanted.
There are few signs ofIformer times when
place looked as il 'this is my home, and
| it is good enough for me'. Now most OF