The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-07-25

Interest W IeCdll lHe previous CuduSSo
in location. One of the earlier Of
fees was in a small building about
12x20 feet, on the present site of the
C. F. Ward block owned by postmas-
ter Kidder, at that time. This was
more than 55 years ago, when the
mail was conveyed from Waterville
and Bangor daily by stage. Later
the postoffice was located in the build
ing which now occupies the present
site of the ]. r. Philbrick jewelry
store. Sometime after. it was in
the corner store in the Williams
block on Madison avenue, now va
cant. 1t was then moved to the block
on Madison avenue owned by W. p.
Ordway, and now occupied by Boyd,
the jeweler, and the Direct Import
ing Company. Later it was in the
store now occupied by the Curtis Hat
Shop on Water street and still later II
the store where the Proyencal Cigar
Company is row, on Water street.
After a while it was moved to the
Wentworth block This change was
made when c. D. Miller was the post
master A daily stage ran to The
Forks, Solon, Mercer, North Arson,
Athens, and Canaan at that time. Now
there are only the two stage routes
last mentioned. Among the postmas-
ters who served from Mr.. Kidder's
time were Lyman Perry. Elbridge
Pierce, Joseph Philhrick and stephen
Coburn, and since Mr.. Miller, the late
Col. W r. G. Estes. the late Hon. For
rest Goodwin, Hon. S. W. Could Col.
Isaac Dyer, G. E. Durrell and Clarence
Mantor, the present postmaster. From
the Wentworth block it was trans
ferred in July 1915, to the store for
merly occupied by r. B. Cole and 1t
has occupied these quarters for three
years.
Sometime in January, 1913, various
suggestions were made relative to the
location of our new postoffice. Among
them were the Heselton lot on the
corner of Water street and North
avenue, where the Hotel Coburn now
stands, the Tuttle-Ross lot on Court
street, the Weston lot on the Island
and the Walter p Ordway lot on the
corner of Madison avenue and Russell
streets
On January TO- 1915 word was re-
ceived here from the Treasury Depart
ment. Washington, that the Heselton
lot was decided upon for the site of
the new postoffice. The purchase
price, as it is understood, for the own
ers of the lot, was as follows w. H
Heselton, $4,000; o. A. Priest, $3,5OO;
A. E. Bisson and c. E. Young, $780,
making a total of $4,000.
In July, 1915, the Heselton lot
was selected as the location of the
postoffice. The deed was recorded at
the Office of the Somerset Register of
Deeds, the following persons: A. E.
Bisson, C. E. Young, o. A. Priest, and
Henrietta Heselton having conveyed
their titles in the property to the
United States Of America The total
consideration finally paid was $13,-
334.98. OF this sum, $9S777 was paid
to Bisson and Young; $3457 81 to O. A.
Priest and $500 to Henrietta Hesel-
ton, o. A. Priest died after the
original deed was made and his heir
Mrs. S. P Lancaster has given a deed
conveying the property which Mr.
Priest agreed to convey
In March, 1916, the houses which
were situated on the Heselton lot were
sold to Joseph Turcotte Not long
afterward, they were moved to East
street, and fitted up for tenements to
rent The construction of the new
building was shortly after commenced
and everyone hoped 1t would soon be
ready for occupancy The work went
on slowly, but on the morning OF July
l. 1918, Postmaster Mantor and his
force of clerks moved into their head
quarters.