The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-09-12

ncuced the erection of that structure.
This occupation | followed as pro
prictor and employe until about 1873
and during tai5 time was owner for
some years. of livery table in the
rear of Horatio Cushing drug store.
When the Skowhegan ami Norrdge
wock Electric Road was built, be
came an employe and Was the first
mOtorman to take a car over the line.
I stayed with the road as long as it
was operated, and likewise ran the
last car which ever made the trip.
NV earliest recollections OF stage
lines through this section have to do
with one that was running from
Athens through Skowhegan to Water
Vile. about the year 1847. was
then a boy about II years old, and
living with my parents in North Corn
Vile | was born in the year 1896.
My father moved to Cornyille when |
was very young and went into trade
at Cass' Corner, which was named for
him. There were two hotels at
Athens, one rln by David Palmer and
the other by Leonard Bradbury The
rivalry in the hotel business led to
their establishing rival stage routes
through CornyIle and Skowhegan to
Waterville They kept this up until
the railroad came to Skowhegan in
1856. Among the drivers of these
stages was Warren Potter who drove
for David Palmer and Jack Downing
who drove for Leonard Bradbury or
course, at times the fare charged was
on a paying basis, but most of the
time the competition brought it down
to next to nothing Passengers were
carried from Athens to Waterville for
ten cents. and it is said that, at other
times. they used to carry them abso-
lutely without charge and throw in
their dinner This period was, OF
course. during the time of the Moose
head Lake stage route. which com
menced to operate earlier than the
dates above given and continued for
some time thereafter 1t Is probable
that the mail was carried by this
through line
This Moosehead Lake stage was a
very important one 1t was owned
for many years by man named Pink
ham of Augusta, a great stage man OF
his day. It was probably established
when Augusta was the terminus OF the
railroad and continued as late as
1865 Billy Young was among the
drivers OF this other line. He after
wards kept a hotel at the head OF
Moosehead Lake. and was also In the
hotel business at Bingham. He fin
ally returned to Skowhegan and died
here January "a. 1909.
About the years of the AthensWa-
terville line, there was also stage
from Skowhegan to Dexter, but the
drivers of that line l do not remem
Der. There was also line through
Scion, Bingham and The Forks, to
the Canadian border. This was OPP
Grated. in early days, and continued
until the extension of the Somerset
branch made it nprofitable-probably
about 1886. About this time, the
railroad competition displaced the
line south of Bingham and the Canad-
ian Pacific interfered with the bust
ness at Jackman. OF course, there
was a stage from The Forks to Jack
man until very recent times. This
has finally shrunk to a stage from
Moxie Station to West Forks, and by
a kind of auto livery service for the
rest of the line. Among the owners
and drivers of this so-called Forks
line were Frank B. Heselton, Samuel
Written, F. G. Coffin and ]. P. Blnnt.
1t should be noted that the Coffin and
Blunt ownerships were in the nature
of competing lines Among the best
known drivers Of these old days were
Irving Young, Gardiner S. Benson,
Dan Holt and Charles Colby.
Other lines which ran out of Show
hogan went TO North Arson and North
New Portland. at one time driven by
man named Titcomb. 1t is also re-
called that after Titcomb's day, Mark
Hilton drove for man by the name
Of Warren Pease, over this same
route.