The Republican journal., 1909-02-04
EAST BELFAST.

One pleasant day last summer-and it
might have been any day, so few were
glnpleasant-tw ladies' started out for a
drive and crossing the lower bridge went
up Patterson hill. Pausing at or near
the summit to enjoy the view they were
invited to call at the Patterson home
stead, and did So One of these ladies
was born in Belfast, had travelled all
over this country and but recently re-
turned from an extended European tour.
The other was born III a neighboring
country. whose scenic and other attrac-
Cions draw increasing numbers of tour
lists each wear. and had lived abroad. On
returning from their drive they both de-
clare3 that they had never seen anywhere
a more charming view than tnat from
Patterson's hill. The writer made a
mental note of it at the time and has
since frequently required to it in con-
nectioa with other claims East Belfast
has as a desirable place Of residence, for
the Summer visitor, and for manufac-
-ures, using the water power afforded by
Goose river. whose source is the widely
known Swan Lake.
At the time of the first settlement of
Belfast in ITO. it was supposed that the
PRINCIPAL settlement would be on the east
side and John Mitchell selected as his
resi1erce situation on the point near
the Mouth of Goose river. The stone
foundations Of his house We're visible
anti -s66, when Hiram Z. Peirce used
them IL constructing dam. The earliest
recognition Of the claims of the western
section appears by the record, of 1871,
when it was voted that future warrants
for town meetings ''be posted on the
other side of the river as we'll as this"
and wear later it was voted that
meetings shall be held on both Sides of
the River according to their Taxes and
10 Build TWO Meeting houses, one on each
side. at the Expense of the Inhabitants
of Each Side Separately" The two
meetirr -houses were built in the summer
of 1872. and the first town meeting held
on the western side was in the new meet
ing house on the Goth of September of
that year. Previous to this religious eX-
arcises were held alternately in the barns
of James Patterson on the eastern side,
and Of James Miller on the western side
The east side Westinghouse was sold at
auction in 1880 and soon after demolished,
some Of the materials becoming a part
of the Kelley axe factory on Goose River.
In later years services We're held occa-
5ioralIv in the schcolhouses on the east
side until the completion in October, 1907,
Of Trinity Reformed church, which stands
on the site Of the old church and which
will have further mention.
Naturally the industrial development
began on the east side of the river. The
first saw mill in Belfast was built about
ITO OF Wesc0tt stream. During the
Revolution it was destroyed by the Brit
ish, who carried the chain and some saw
ed lumber to Castine. Later there We're
three saw mills on Goose river-''one at
Mason mills, one near the lower paper
mill and one at the bridge near the
shore" The first grist mill was built at
Hiram Dale falls about 1855, and before
the present century a fulling mill was es-
tablished on Gosse river near the lower
bridge. The first axe factory was es-
tablished at the Head of the Tide in 1876,
and Major Benjamin Kelley and John R.
Whiting afterwards carried on the same
business on Goose river. The manu-
facture of paper was begun on Goose
river il 1852 by George F. White & Co.,
and later two other mills We're erected
and afterwards leased to W. A. Russell
& Co. of Lawrence, Mass. Between
the two upper paper mills were the exc
factories of Benjamin Kelley and of
Hardy and Sherman, and Mr.. Kelley also
mad fulling mill. Just below the lower
paper mill was the grist mill Of Hir IN E.