The Republican journal., 1913-08-14
Annals of Belfast tor Half a
Century.
BY AN OLD SETTLER
Hon. VIM. G. Crosby.)
CHAPTER XVII. 1882. J

this year, with capital of fifty thou
sand dollars. Of the eighteen corpora
tors named in the charter, three only are
now living; Hon. Ralph c. Johnson,
Hon. Hugh J. Anderson, and Hiram O.
Alden, ESQ. The meeting of the stock
holders for organization was held on the
Path of March. Ralph c. Johnson,
Joseph Williamson, Rufus B. Allyne,
Thomas Marshall and Hugh j. Anderson
were CHOSEN directors; Mr.. johnson was
elected President and Mr.. Alden, Cashier
The Banking room was in Williamson 5
Fire-proof- block in the easterly half of
the store now occupied by George r.
Sleeper Early in the next year Mr..
Alden resigned the Office of Cashier;
James White, Esq, was appointed to
succeed him and the Office was re-
moved to Number 8 Phoenix Row. at
which place It was kept, Mr.. White
continuing to be Cashier. until March
goth, 1888, when the charter was surren-
dered and the Bank ceased to exist, save
for the purpose of closing its affairs.
The investment did not prove.a profit
able one for the stockholders; MT, how
ever, by reason of any lack of fidelity or
integrity on the part of the directors.
The Bank was on the high tide of pros
perity when the neutrality-suspicious.
fever attacked the community. Money
was flowing freely; almost every otcer
man whose notes were in the market
held a bond or deed Of one OF more
townships of wild land, and WIS regarded
as not only solvent: but rich; his paper
of the deepest rose-colored tint. When
the fever subsidized, and the bubble burst,
the Waldo Bank, like a great many
other banks and individuals, found that
there was much larger quantity of suds
than soap in its safe.
At the annual spring meeting held on
the Sth of April, Nathaniel NJ. Lowry,
Henry Goddard and James Gammons
were elected Se]ectmen, James W. Web
ster, Clerk, Frye Hall, Treasurer, and
Arvida Hayford, Jr. Collector of Taxes.
For the first time Road Commissioners
were elected in lieu of Highway Survey
ors; the Commissioners elected were Will
liam Salmonl, Hugh Ross, Nicholas JEFF
ferds, Nahum Hunt. and Joshua Adams.
Several young men, very old ones now,
who during the last year had beer caught
in the trap matrimonial, were elected
hog-reeves. One Of them distinguished
himself during his official term by ar
resting a swine of portentous magnitude
one evening and finding himself with a
litter Of pigs Oh his hands before reach
ing the town-pound,
The monies raised at this meeting
were ~ follows; for support of schools
$500; Of paupers, $500; incidental ex-
penses, $500; ringing the bell $50; pay
ment Of debts, 500; repairs of highways,
$780, in abor and materials for same
purpose So, 600 At the same meeting a
vote was passed authorizing the town
treasurer to purchase sufficient number
of Greenl ats Map of Maine to furnish
one to each school-distfi,t in the town.
On Sunday the Doth day of May the
Rev. Ferris Fitch pastor of the North
Church, preached his farewell discourse
to lis parishioners, the connection exist
ing between them having teen dissolved
on the 18th.
This year had lis freshat as we'll as the
year proceeding; it occurred in the
month of May The streams in this
place and and vicinity rose very sudden
ly and large number OF bridges, mills
dams were swept away. Among them, in
this town, the bridge across little River
near the grist-mill then known as East
mans, the bridge with Stone abutments
on the main road at the Head of the
Tide, together, with & sawmill and
several dams on the same river, and in
Searsmont three bridges on the northerly
route to Augusta, and the bridge near
Hazeltine's mills on the southerly route,
The mail from the west due here on the
10th did not arrive until the 23d, and
then on horseback The rain storm was
very severe one, lasting eight days.
The fall of rain through the summer of
this year was unusually large.
The Fourth of July was observed in
the due form and with public services at
the Unitarian Westinghouse. The de-
claration of Independence was read by
Rev. Alfred ohnson and an Grafton de-
ivered by Solyman Heath, Esq.
There was no snow on the ground on
the 10Th of June, but that did not prevent
a gentleman then residing here from
taking a sleigh-ride driving his "gray
mare Kate from Rowe's corner, where
Hayford Block now stands, to Browns
corner in Northport and back again, on
a wager of one hundred and fifty dollars
that he could not perform the feat in
one hour; he won the wager by doing it
in fifty minutes. The event is doubtless
remembered by some still living as TON
Pickard's sleigh ride.
On the evening of August 9Th and 7th
a concert was given at the Court House
by Miss C. J. Clark, minute specimen