The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-10-20
AN AUTO RIDE.
To Boston and Back in a Packard CIR.

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added all the superlatives to be found in the
dctionary-a trip to Boston and return i'll
Packard touring car. The ride was one for
pleasure. and the rough places in the Maine
roads, of which there are many, were gone
over at low speed. and at no time was the rate
too rapid to prevent full enjoyment Of the seen
cry. So parts OF two days were taken each way
to cover distance that could easily have been
made in one. The route both going and COM
ing was through the towns and cities of Bel
mont, Searsmont, Appleton, Union, Wadoboro,
Damariscotta Newcastle. Wiscasset, Bath,
Brunswick, Freeport. Yarmouth, Portland,
Scarboro, Saco Riddle ford, Kennebunk, Wells
York, kittery, Portsmouth, Newhuryport.
Lynn, Cambridge and Boston. l may have
skipped town or two, but those named will
indicate the route taken. The start was made
from Belfast at a. m. on the coolest morning
of the coolest day of the season. The party
were clad in winter clothing. but fur coats
would not have been amiss. The wind was
blowing gale, ard it was augmented at times,
when head on, by the rapid motion of the car.
After leaving Belmont it was all new country
to the writer. The feeting glimpse of the vii
lage Of Union justified what has been said of
its attractiveness, and the Burton House, fire.
quented in times past by many Belfast peo-
Pile, seemed familiar At Wadoboro the shoe
factory building, which has cost the people of
that town so much money without adequate
turn was an object of interest; and this is also
the home of our old friend ''Sanl" Is. L. Mil
Ter, Past Commander of the Maine G. A. r. ex-
President of the Maine Press Association, post
master and editor for many years, now
historian, and always an al-around coed fellow.
If memory serves Alright there is hill just the
other side of Damariscotta which seems to
reach to the sky and is certainly mile long,
but up which the car went like bird on the
wing; and at Wiscasset (?) we crossed the
longest bridge in the State of Maine. Arriving
at Woolwich the ferry boat, usual, was on
the other side. but in due time we were landed
in Bath and on way up town halted before
Freeman Woods store and exchanged a few
words with him. He is evidently prospecting,
but but has not lost his interest in and love for
Belfast A call was made at the jewelry
store of Charles a. Hartman, but he was out
at the time At Brunswick went little
out Of our way to call at the American Express
office, where we were told that Geo Dunning
was on his vacation. Portland was reached in
season for an early dinner at the Falmouth,
and after an hour more spent here we took
the road again and about 3 Q. M, stopped for
the night at kennebunk, at hotel to which
we had been recommended, but which evident
ly has special price for automobiles. The
best thing here was the open fire in the Office,
before which we gradually thawed out
We were III no hurry to start the next morn
ing, but were underway about $50 o'clock 1t
was a cold grey morning with indications of
rain, but before noon the sun had struggled
out and a moderate temperature pre-
vailed, We now experienced the worst roads
on the route. Through the town of Wells
they are all Of loose sand. The road building
experts say that clay is the remedy for this,
as sand is for clay roads. What the town of
Wells needs is sand that will prompt it to get
clay somewhere to make the roads passable
With the next town, York, the writer was
familiar, from week spent few years ago at
York beach on the annual outing of the Maine
Press Association, when the surrounding
country was thoroughly explored. In going
through the tree-shaded main street of
Ogunquit the home of John Kendrick Bangs,
we passed Sparhawk Hall, where the members
of the Maine Press Association were handsome
iy en- tertained; then, with many a quick turn
that suggested the road might have been laid
out from the lines of a corkscrew, we emerged
from the picturesque York Cliffs to come out
on the sea shore, from which came odors of
kelp and sea weed, while stretching away to
the horizon was the deep and dark blue
ocean" This is all summer-a land, and hotels
palatial summer homes, less pretentious cot
tages. attractive grounds with shade trees,
shrubhery, vines, etc, were to be seen on
every hand. At York Beach the Ocean House,
the headquarters of the Maine Press Associa-
ton Tor 2 week recalled pleasant memories
Then Cape NeGdick, with its lighthouse, and
Boon Island lighthouse in the far distance, at
tracted our attention, and we were traversing
Long Beach, with its cottages set closely to-
gether on the shore side of the highway and
the sandy beach on the other. Nearing York
Harbor, nost attractive cluster of resi-
dences and hotels, the Marshall House came
iIIO view, d IaFoflte motel with the ultra fash
lonables. On the right as we passed through the
village is the old jail, curiosity of itself and
which is filed with relics of the olden DAYS.
This section is the summer home of many
literary people-too many for mention here
From kittery we crossed to Portsmouth by |
bridge that undulated like an ocean swell and |
We're delayed few minutes by a passing
freight train before entering the birthplace of |
Thomas Bailey Aldrich, and-the home of
Frank Jones' ale.
When told that we were to pass through
Newburyport, the home of my paternal an
cestors, who came there from England in 1641,
spoke of visiting at the Wills house on High
street-a large three-story brick structure
surmounted by cupola-and was informed
that our route was through High street and
that might get glimpse of the house. Sure
enough | did, and how familiar it looked, al
though IL years have elapsed since l enjoyed
its hospitality. Of the generation of this once
large family that knew think not one is liv-
ing. The father ard sons were for many years
engaged in the Calcutta trade and the house
was filed with curios from the East From the
cupola one had view of the city of the sub
urbS in the rear and in front one looked over