Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-16

There has been more new building in
the county of Somerset during 1914 than
in any one year in the past Is. Much of
this has been Industrial and much has
been in business blocks. One of the rea-
sons for this activity is due to several
big fires in the past two years. espec-
tally in North Arson, Bingham ard
Skowhegan where new blocks and mills
have replaced those burned Where an
old wooden block was burned the new
one built has generally been larger and
usually of brick. For g town of its size
North Arson has shown probably the
most activity in building business houses.
Skowhegan has shown perhaps normal
activity in this line as she. has always
been used to fires and for that reason
building has become almost pastime,
but this may be saidsto her credit: moth
ing but the best building. is done SO that
now where the town in the past 10 years
has probably suffered a loss of over
slGo6,oe0 by fire the property replacing
this is valued At maca more than that
amount
North -ansone in 1918 suffered a loss of
nearly 100000 10 her business section. 1t
go almost out of existence. But not so.
where little activity had been shown
prior to this, every business man began
to wake up. New blocks replaced the
cid ones and new life was injected into
business as a whole so that in the past
year the town has practically recovered
from the big loss and North Arson is
now one Of the busy towns In the county.
The blocks finished there in the present
year with other building have been built
at cost of nearly $4,000
The town that has had the big build.
ing boom due to new business and new
industrial conditions, is Jackman.
Though the place is but plantation at
present and is situated the farthest north
of any settlement in the county being
but l5 miles from Canada, yet over $780,
eo0 is being spent there during the year
1914. The biggest lumber mill in the
State aside from perhaps the one at Mil
linocket is being built there by Prouty &
Miller and Perry and Whitney Co 1t is
designed TO employ 1000 men. Besides
this big plant many other forms of con-
structlon have been going on new
saw mill has been built by John Steward
and also many dwelling houses and
stores.
A new promising feature in the build
ing in the county has been the building
in Fairfield. This does not apply SO
much to the village as at Hinckley and
at Good VIII. The activity in this line
at Hinckloy has brought out the fact
that this place is soon TO be a prominent
village. Several dwelling houses have
been built there and other buildings re-
paired There has been built by Percy
Kicker big carriage shop and garage
and considerable new property has been
bought in the past year. At Good Will
less than one-half mile distant has been
built a $4,000 girls dormitory and with
the work done in the village this town
has spent more than $4,000 in build
ing in the past year.
Skowhegans building will amount to
sloo,o 900; Bingham with the new Shoe
Finding Company mill at least $4,000.
Harmony has been busy in new build
ing. new creamery has been built; a
new church is going up: a big potato
house and several dwelling houses.
Smthfield has begun to build a new