Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-30
SKOWHECAN.
Arrest for Burning Of Staf-
ford Buildings, Hart|and.
Attempt al Ginseng Growing with
24OO Plants for Spring.
Skowhegan Independent
Employees Entertained by Mr.patten.

| Through the work of Sheriff Thomp-
son and his deputies and State Insur-
ance Commissioner ]. w. Blunt, Elmer
Elliott was arrested Sunday charged
with burning the buildings of John
Stafford in Hartland about a month
ago. 1t is claimed that Elliott threat
ened that he would burn Staffords 8
buildings, and that night they burned
1t was found that Elliott had left
! town and search was made for him.
1t was learned that he had gone into
the woods and he was traced to Rock
wood but eluded the officers. Later 1t
was thought he was in Waterville but
/ Sunday he returned to Hartland and
was Immediately arrested. He is for
mer resident of Brockton, Mass, and
/ is about "a years old. Sheriff Thomp-
! son, Commissioner Blunt and County
Attorney Folsom left Monday for Hart
| land, where hearing was given the
respondent.
! Rev. ]. G. Osborne with members
/ of the First Baptist church plans to
! give the inmates of the county jail
an entertainment on New Years eve.
/ The young ladies will furnish music
and apples and fruit will be served.
Remarks will be made by Mr.. Os-
i borne.
| j. H. Mathews & Son have now un-
| der way plans to make one of the
/ biggest businesses in agricultural rec
ords in ginseng growing. They have
now about 2400 plants within a quar-
/ ter of a mile of Skowhegan village
and many more will be set out in the
] NlAa+ xty,II
! harvest next year $500 worth of this
crop from bed that is 120 feet long
and three feet wide. They began set
| ting out their beds about four years
ago. For a great many years back they
| have made annual pilgramages and
! have been successful in locating the
wild plant. J. H. Mathews a short time
ago found a wild bed of ginseng that
came to about $500. These plants never
t grow in the sunlight and the Mathews
have erected Slated shelters over their
| beds. These kept off the direct rays
except for a few moments in place.
r. T. Patten was host to the en-
ployes of the Independent Reporter
! Co. at his handsome horne on Nor
ridgewoek avenue Saturday evening.
! The rooms We're decorated with Christ
mas green's. Games were played In
Guiding the spider web game, each per-
son following out string that led to
| various parts of the house and at the
end found a present The program con-
sisted of chorus music with Miss Vira
Lawton at the piano and music from
/ the monograph. Refreshments of ice
cream and cake were served with
N a
before the glowing light of the fire
place.
E. A. Parker, former sub-master of
the Skowhegan High school, plans to
leave here in January for klrksvlile,
Mo-. where he will study Osteopathy.
Mr.. Parker, who has been SICK for
several months, has now practically
regained his health
Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert Merrill OF
Dexter are visiting his parents, MT.
and Mrs. Henry Merrill
Through the initiative of Rev i. H.
Wilson an interesting thing has been
added in the services of the Congre-
gational church. Calendars are print
ed each week giving the order or ser
vices and the events for the week. This
is done by the Boy Scouts OF the
church, a printing press having been
installed in Mr. WILSON'S office.
Manville L. Tuttle of Athens mas
been drawn to serve on the traverse
Jury at the January term or the su-
preme court.
The county commissioners met Mon
dav for a weeks session to clean up
the business of the year.