The Republican journal., 1919-05-01

ludt Ill tAOSC udySy was ny uO
means immaculate. Rum was sold in all
such places then with the usual results.
Dances were frequent in the tavern and
free fight was not uncommon. Pope was
big man and for many years one Of the
selectmen. On one occasion the bridge
at that place was carried out by a flood
and | had to practically swim the river
to get across. There was one store, a
blacksmith shop and sawmll in the place
and these with the tavern made up the
business of the community. At The
Corner, mile or two above, lived the
Bartons, and it was from this family that
the famous Clara Barton of the Red
Cross fame sprang. Togus Pond was not
far away, and then came the Beal place,
which is now the Soldiers Home can
remember before the spring was fixed up
as a health resort that it was surrounded
with brush
Then came Beal in 1861 and turned the
whole place into a paradise of beauty.
After he was through, the government
took the place and spent millions in maxi
ing it one of the finest spots in the coun-
try. 1t was not exactly on my route,
but occasionally | used to go round that
way as it was only aimile or two farther.
Not far away was the Windsor camp
meeting grounds and remember of once
taking Camp meeting John Allen over
there. He told me that he himself had
once been stage driver between Bucks
port and Camden. That was in 1880, and
on one occasion he said that he came
within two inches of going to hell. He
explained by telling me that he had come
that near running off the side of bridge
and as he was wild and rough in those
days he would certainly have landed in
hell had the stage gone over! 1t was very
laughable to hear him tell the story
went to the meeting with him that day
after getting Dan Brown of Searsmont to
drive my stage through to Augusta. He
tried to convert me, but finally gave it
up as bad Job. He was great joker
In Augusta my horses were put in the
stable of V. D. Pinkham, the man who
owned the line. He was hard man to
deal with as he was arrogant and domi-
neering, but | managed to get along with
him as | did not fear him. Pinkham was
the famous stage man of his time as he
owned about all the lines running out of
Augusta. If a driver or any other man
would give him as good as he sent they
could get along with him all right, and
that was exactly what | did.
Another famous stable keeper in Au-
gusta at that time was jim Keegan, and
he is still remembered by all the older
generation of that city. Anse Scruton
also kept stable there, while another
horseman by the name Of Dewitt was at
the Mansion House The Custom House
was up on the hill, and among all the
old-time taverns in that vicinity this
place took the lead, There was another
hotel on the east end of the bridge kept
by a Mr. Works, and the old house is
still there and is still used for the same
purpose.
'W lille the work of stage driver in
those days was very hard it also had its
pleasant features. The coming of the
daily stage was an event in every place
on the route and the driver was a sort of
general agent for everybody. | used TO
both tuy and sell things for people along
the way and at times carried large sums
of money. The business was a social
one and driver was sort of privileged
character in every community where he
stopped to change the mail He knew
the secrets of the people and it was his
place to keep still mouth. Farm help
IN those days was plenty and at about
very home there were young people. |
think that the average farmer and the
average young man were more prosper
Gus then than they are today All
through some of the towns in the section
where | drove the cooper business was
the leading industry, but taken as a
whole the people would have been better
oil had they never seen lime cask. In
making casks they neglected their farms
and hoop poles and bushes grew where
there should have been cultivated fields
The people were happy, however, and
perhaps after all that is the best thing to
live fol-"
In Later Life
After quitting the stage business MIR.
Fogg came to Lewiston and entered the
employ Of Blake, Spear & Webster, but
later the firm was changed and he con-
tinued with l. NJ. Blake until Ill health
compelled him to retire His active life
closed some six years ago, but his figure
was very familiar on Observation-Disclosures
streets. He was widely known and per-
Ao.ally very popular for his genial and
kindly disposition.
Mr. Fogg was not a church member
and his only connection with secret or
ganization was his membership in Guam
tabacook Lodge of Masons, Searsmont.
10 this he was greatly attached although
unable to attend its meetings after COM
ing to Lewiston.
Mr. Fogg married Miss Frances knowl-
ton of Liberty and they had two children
These are Everett L. Fogg of Lewiston
and Walter R. Fogg Of Boston. Three
grandchildren are Gladys A. and Ralph
E. Fogg of Lewiston and Alta Louise
togg of Boston. Several nephews and
nleces now reside in Waldo county. His
wife died some two years ago, and since
then MIR. Fogg has resided with his son,
Everett l.. Fogg of Union street, Lew
lston. He died from no particular disease
but simply wearing out of the physical
powers. Some three weeks ago he was
taken to the hospital where he received
the best of care, but the end was near
and it came painlesSly and without a
struggle.
One of Names progressive farmers