Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-02-10

| c0uhsry louCum8H b6te AlS lOOt. ~ u
supposed that the Jesuits brought the
seed from their fatherland and planted it
here.
EARLY GOVERNMENT.
We now approach the subject of the
early local government OF the island of
Mt. Desert. The Massachusetts, house of
representatives on Feb. IS, 1776, passed a
resolve authorizing unincorporated plan
tations in Maine to hold meetings and
transact business, and warrant was is
sued for the free-holders and other in
hsbitants Of the islands ''to meet at
Stephen Richardson's house on March 80
at 10 before noon, and decide upon choos-
ing moderator, a clerk, committee of
correspondence, safety and inspection, and
take action upon any other article or mat
ter agreed upon'' This was signed by
Alexander Campbell, of Cherryfeld, a JUS
tice of the peace.
We might call this the bugle- call for the
first promotion of law and order on the
island. Roads, landing places and nat
ural rights were decided upon. 1t is ex-
traordinary to think that people who
owned little wealth besides what their
axes or fish-hooks could supply, accom-
plisbed a successful administration with
out friction or commotion and constituted
themselves into self-governing commu-
nifty.
No leader dictated any course of action,
and yet these brave and independent set
tiers showed their power to win an exist
ence from barren soil and dangerous sea,
and planted colony of enduring institu-
tions and built the foundations of Chris
tian community.
At the present time Mt. Desert is di-
vided into four Townships: Eden on the
northeast, Mt. Desert across the middle
extending in a southeasterly direction,
fremont and Southwest Harbor on the
south. Bar Hsrbor is the chief village of
Eden, Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor
in Mt. Desert and Southwest Harbor in
Southwest Harbor. -
Eden is governed by the whole body of
voters at town meeting, an old English
form of administration. They elect va
rious town officers. These voters elect
certain executive officers, viz: Selectmen,
tax assessors, tax collector, treasurer,
town clerk, overseer of the poor, road
commissioners, school committee, chief of
fire department. Besides electing these
| officers, the town meeting decides by ma
| jority vote what moneys shall be raised by
taxation or borrowed, and how such mon
| eys shall be spent. -
| The town meeting also has, within the
limits esta blished by State law, the power
| to make rules and regulations for the con-
duct of its people.
| This form of local government is some
| what cum brous, but is exceedingly sim
pie, and has come down to us from the
earliest time to which the history of our
race can be traced. 1t is to be observed
that the selectmen are not a law-making
body. They have merely the power and
| duty of putting into effect the will OF
| the whole number of the voting popula-
tion as expressed in town meeting. A.
the county grows. and its interests be-
come more varied, the unwIeldiness of
the present form of government will be-
come more and more inconvenient. That
is, it will become increasingly difficult tc
secure, from the several hundred citizens
gathered at town meeting, careful and in
telligent action upon large number OF
complicated questions that arise for de-
cision. Already attempts have been made
to persuade the voters to give up the SOW
| erign powers which they nov possess and
to adopt the city form of government.
| EApIv CuupcuES
think little account of the esta blish-
ment of the different churches in Eden
| and elsewhere might be interesting.
1t was not until October II, 1892, thirty
| that the first church was founded. Its or
| ganization was formed after the most
primitive Congregational method. With
| out any minister or council, eight women
and six men living near Southwest Har boz
subscribed their names to covenant and,
| following the instructions furnished by
the Rev. Samuel McClintock, Of Green
land, N. H., organized the Mt. Desert
| Congregational church. 1t was two years
later before they were visited by regular
clergyman, and observed the Lords
| Supper. ,
The first meeting house III Eden was
built az Hull's Cove in 1897. 1t was torn
down in 1866. A Baptist church was
| founded on the island in 1893. Melhodists
started at Beech Hill and spread to all
parts of the island. The Universalists
preached the charger hopen and gained
| much ground.
| An organization was formed in 1858 at
Bar Harbor under the name of the Bar
Har Dor Union Meeting House association,
and building committee was appointed.
In 1860 union chapel was built, and each
denomination was permitted to occupy it
on successive Sundays. The original
building still exists on Main street oppo-
site Hancock street
The Episcopalians built church for
themselves in 1878. 1t is incorporated in
the present structure and forms the pres