Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-05

IL was announced That Fred BelEea
would be speaker at the next meeting
If the club.
Mayor Swift's Address
Mayor Swift spoke as follows:
our president first asked me to talk
TO you for a few minutes about city
affairs. Later he told me to choose my
own subject and l thought OF talking
about my business but on reflection
the routine OF "a mercantile business
seemed dull and unintere5ting as com
pared with that of a manufacturer, so
I have taken the subject first sug-
gestod.
In order to take it up properly it
would be necessary to consider each
department by itself and hours might
he spent la the discussion OF any one
OF the several departments. IT will.
therefore, be necessary to make my
remarks of general nature, perhaps
taking into consideration the relation
ship OF this club to civic and city af-
fairs.
First. Augusta Is one of the best and
to YOU and to me it is the best city on
earth for we are all good Rotarians
and a good citizen is intensely loyal to
his own city and his own hearthstone.
Augusta was incorporated the 10th
town in the District of Maine, then a
part NJ Massachusetts. Feb. 20. 1897,
Under the name OF Harrington. 1t was
named in honor Of Lord Harrington. n
distinguished English patriot. but the
pc ple did not take kindly to the name
and 1t was changed to Augusta.
1t is interesting to note that at the
first town meeting $3.50 was raised
for highways. 500 for schools and $500
for support of poor and other neceS-
sary charges. making the budget $3.50
aS compared with our present annual
expenditure of over 100000 AS over
30 per cent. of the amount appropri-
ated at the first town meeting was for
highways IL is evident that the road
question was the hardest proposition
they had to meet and il has continued
10 be 80 down TO the present time. At
this time the population was repre-
scented by $50 polls and lived in ll9
houses. From this time forward the
record is that Of steady progress and
substantial growth. due to the enter
prise and progressive public spirit Of
her citizens.
Prominent among the important
steps are the building of the bridge
across the kcnnehec in 1897. the selec-
ton of Augusta AZ the seat of govern
ment ana erection of the state Capitol
IT. 1892. the building of the dam across
the river I'm 1897. and the entrance of
the steam railroad IN 1851. The build
ing Of the bridge across the kcnnehec
made the city a market and shopping
center. brought large amount of bust
ness 20 the city and laid the founda-
ton for much OF her subsequent pros
perity.
Securing the state Capitol made the
city the political center of the State
and did much to increase its prestige,
not only In the State but throughout
the country. The building Of the dam
was a great undertaking for those days,
perhaps the greatest in the history OF
the city. and stands today. a splendid
tribute "a the far sightedness Of the
men OF that period. They were level
headed optimists with unlimited con-
fidence In the future Of the city as they
had no industry in sight TO locate here
or market for the power they proposed
to develop. The dam is unique in its
location "a a power dam at the head
~ tide water
This dam made possible and was the
direct reason for the location of the
great cotton industry here which has
been such n large factor In the growth
ard development OF our city. as well
as the pulp and paper mill which is an
other OF our important industries. The
entrance OF the steam railroad estab-
Iished quick. reliable. all the year round
connection with the outside world
without which progress would have
been necessarily slow and difficult.
Many other things which have con-
tributed to it's growth and development
might be mentioned which are due en-
tireiy to the enterprise OF each genera
ton. such az the location OF the county
seat here, rebuilding the city after the
great fire. the building Of the electric
roads, our lumber industries our pub