The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-12-12
Williamson's History of Belfast
A Canvass For The Sale of Volume II
Has Already Begun.

/
fast, the committee of the Williamson's His
tory Association wish to make the following
announcements regarding the character of the
| book.
| The earlier volume, published in 1877. gave a
complete history. of the city of Belfast, from
its first settlement in ITO to the year 1875. 1t
has for over a third of century been consider
ed by those most competent to judge as one of
the very best town histories in existence, and
is still referred to constantly in Belfast and
elsewhere.
The Second Volume about to be published,
carries the History of Belfast down to 1900.
thus completing over century and quarter
of her annals
The two volumes together will give Belfast
one of the most complete records of any town
of similar size and age in this country.
Through these pages may be traced the de-
velopment of typical New England commun-
ity from its origin to our own times.
Judge Williamson died before the second
volume was entirely ready for the press. 1t
has been completed and will be published
under the auspices of the Williamson's History
Association, composed of some seventy present
and former residents of Belfast, or descendants
of such.
1t is hoped to print in an early issue of The
Republican Journal a complete table of con-
tents. In the meantime the following brief
summary will serve to give some idea of the
more striking features of the book.
Volume II, covering a much shorter period,
will naturally contain fewer pages than
Volume /, but as somewhat thicker paper is to
be employed in the second volume, the two
books when placed side by side on a library
shelf will be practically uniform in size, as
well as in general appearance. The type has
been carefully selected, and when used will be
distributed. 1t is Of eleven point and is in a
somewhat larger face than that of Volume l..
and will insure plain, easy reading.
The binding will be of the most durable
cloth obtainable, and the paper of high grade.
| While the money subscribed will be carefully
and judiciously expended, and everything that
might appertain to mere show and ostentatious
extravaganza will be strictly avoided in the
manufacture of the book, it is the desire of
the committee, and the purpose of the pub
piece of workmanship in every detail.
Indeed, the name of the Houghton, Mifflin
Company, who have been selected after ma
ture delberation, as its publishers, is in itself
guarantee of the best possible book making
Not the least interesting feature will be the
illustrations, which are of two classes, and
very numerous. The first class consists of
G,,n ~; Al
men who were the leading citizens of the town
during the period treated: the second consists
of about the same number of reproductions of
photographs of well known houses, public
buildings, and the main streets as they were
during the last quarter of the last century,
Such quaint objects of interest as the old hand
tub Hydrant No. 2, the ancient schooner
polly" an old Pinkey, and picture of the
shipyard showing typical Maine launching,
are included. In addition there will be two
plans, one of High street as widened in 1879,
and second of the burnt district corner of
Main and High streets, in 1885.
| For the frontispiece of the volume very
fine photogravure plate of the author, which
was engraved shortly after his death by Mr.,
!
gravure workers in this country, will be used.
This plate, which bears facsimile of Mr.. Will
liamsons interesting signature,is the property
of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts
Through the courtesy Of Mr.. Henry Herbert
Edes, Treasurer of the society, it has been
kindly loaned to the committee, without charge.
thus saving the heavy expense of having new
one engraved.
At the beginning of the volume it has been
decided to place a memoir of the author, writ
ten shortly after his deathiby his brother, the
late William Cross Williamson. and directly
before his own demise For the right to re-
print this memoir the Wiliamson's History
Association is indebted to the New England
Historic Genealogical Society, for whose Reg
lister it was written.
A particularly useful feature of the volume
will be the Vital Records it will contain of the
City of Belfast, giving the Births deaths and
marriages for period of twenty five years.
These have been carefully compiled expressly
| for this book, ard put in the form most ap-
proved by modern historians and genealogists,
and with their publication, Belfast will pos
sess set of printed Vital Records of which
she may be proud, and which in their complete
ness are equalled by very few towns in this
country.
| In this connection may be mentioned the
chapters on the educational History of Bel
fast. These have been carefully gone over, re-
vised and completed, with the addition of many
names of former pupils of our schools. The
missing Chapter XIV, which was to have
contained complete list of all the students
Belfast sent to higher institutions of learning
during the period, has been entirely supplied
from data kindly furnished by interested per-
sons during the past two months. These
three chapters, taken as a whole, will be of in.
terest to many Belfast families, giving as they
do detailed information concerning our schools
itheir teachers, organization, etc. with full
list of the graduates of the High school, as
we'll as the names of those who attended it ir
the days before it was a graded school or the
custom of holding graduation exercises hae
been inaugurated. In Chapter XIV may be
followed the careers of such Belfast students
as entered higher institutions of learning
down to the year 1900.
In their efforts to supply all possible missing
data in order that these various classes of Cit,
Records might be completed and brought dowr