Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-02-10
Desert street, and was presided over BY

Il DoDort btEo0ts ouo WEE pkooAoeu Ovek " =
woman, Pat Atherton.
DR.. Kendall Kittredge was the first ply
stefan on the island. He and his wife,
Sarah Whiting, came to Mount Desert in
1899, and he remained here for sixty years,
the only doctor. There were no good
roads till nearly 1877, go he had to travel
either by water or on horseback.
| GROWTH AS SUMMER RESORT.
The summer hotel business had begun
in 1871 and up to this time the men were
nearly all employed either on vessels or as
farmers. All we're rough carpenters and
painters and were equally familiar with
boat, jigger or buck board. The women
did all the household work, caring for the
poultry, making butter, helped in the her.
ring-curing, picked berries, spun wool
from their own sheep, and took boarders,
and rendered all kinds Of help in their
friends families.
Surely this is a fine record of industry
and faithful work. The men, too, by the
variety Of their occupations became just
such self-reliant, competent, thrifty New
Englanders who have made their country
the great land it is. -.,s ,s,.f,l.,8
1t was fortunate for the islanders that
the summer business began. The herring
fisheries were becoming less, the coasting
trade was slack, the soil OF their farms was
practically exhausted. Artists came and
discovered its golden possibilities az
resort, and prosperity followed in their
steps. Henry Ware, the first artist, came
in 1858. The requirements Of summer
visitors meant the opening Of hotels and
boarding houses, and as the new corners
became more and more convinced that
"there was but one Bar Harbor", they
bought land and built, and thus introduced
employment for all kinds OF trades. The
increased income OF the town meant
better roads and schools.
/ When came here thirty years ago, !
will tell you what / saw. No railroad
came nearer the island than Bangor. We
always took the good steamship Lewis
ton, whose captain was friend to all
summer visitors. We used to question
him eagerly as to who had arrived, for, OF
course, he knew us all. Then, in place of
porters and drivers and expressmen who
shout now for patronage on the wharf,
bags or bundles to our destination.
I came, alas, just after the two small
Rodick houses had given way to the larger
building which survived its still larger
addition up to last summer. Nature gave
us all the pleasures we needed, and rock
and mountain, shore and sea returned to
us tenfold the affection we felt for them.
Next to nothing was cultivated upon the
island and as the steamers Lewiston
and Mt. Desert came punctually only
when weather and tide permitted, the food
question was sometimes a puzzle. Her
ring, mackerel and Holsters and blueber-
ries formed the chief of our diet, and
crackers and olives we're resorted to to-
wards the close of the season. Doughnuts
and BURBERRY cake were the desserts for
our picnics. Sproul, the kindly restau-
rant-keeper, was never too tired or sleepy
to give us little supper in the small
hours. .r
Buckboards and jiggers were the only
vehicles on wheels, and the silent and ro-
mantle canoe or the row or saiiboats pre-
served the peace and quiet of the harbor
waters which the launches and motor
boats have now destroyed.
The Rodick house, the st. Sauveur, the
Atlantic, the Grand Central. the Newport,
the Belmont, Lynam's, the DesIsles, and
the Ocean house were the only hotels, all
conducted on the same simple, generous
lines.
Clusters OF small cottages surrounded
them, from which the owners went to the
hotels for their food, thereby earning the
title of ''mealers". Those who lived too
far to walk were called for on a buck
board, and these were named "haul- meal
ers''
Much could be written or told of the
charm OF our beautiful, pleasure-loving
summers of the past-but someth ing bet
ter has taken their place. We are little
world in ourselves now; the resident and
the summer visitor each can aid the other.
We can share in the pride Of our precious
homes here. We can mutually help one
another to be happy. We can all find
work to do for each others benefit; we
can all try to do our best towards assist
ing one another to bear sorrow, labor and
disappointments; we can rejoice in each
others happiness.
Let US all be grateful for this privilege.
Let us keep, as far as we can, our city free
from complaining in our streets!' Let
us guard our homes from all petty feelings
OF jealousy or envy; let us love our brother
as ourselves, and let US look with faith
upon our hills "from whence cometh or
help.
Island of Mount Desert, owe to thee
kn,.
But let us thank those pioneers who gave
The joy of living near both hill and wave.
what could those men have done without
Gods thought?
Without His blessed word they could do
naught;
And see His beauties all the while
Let's give Him thanks for our beloved Isle.''