The Republican journal., 1919-05-01
Alex M. Fogg Was
Early Stage Driver
Handled the Ribbons From Belfast to Au-
gusta, 40 Mile Trip, in Days of
Civil War.

At the Central Maine Hospital in Lew
iston, Alex NJ. Fogg, passed away recent
ly at the advanced age of 81 years.
Mi Fogg was born in the town Of APP
pleton, Nov 9, 1887, and until within E
few years his entire life was one of great
activity For few years in early man
hood he kept a store at Belmont Corner
and then he began his career as a stage
driver between Belfast and Augusta
which vocation he followed for many
years.
No Engines Then.
That was long before the whistle OF q
steam engine had beeh heard in Belfast
and the traffic between that place anc
Augusta was mostly carried on by stage
The Civil War was Just opening anc
large bodies of soldiers had to be taker
through in the same manner, All this
made an immense amount of business tol
the stage line, and its drivers naturally
became men of mu b local importance,
The hours of travel and the labor testeC
the strongest nerves and none but an lroT
constitution could stand the strain. The
start from Belfast was made at l o'clcck
in the morning and Augusta was reached
at TO- 80 o'clock in the forenoon. On q
cold and bleak winter night, with block
ing snow storms to contend with, the
hardships involved in the life of driver
can better be imagined than described,
This was the life led by Mr.. Fogg for a
full third of a century. The stage route
was from Belfast through Belmont, Sears
mont, West Appleton, South Liberty,
North Washington, Somerville and Wind
sor. The distance covered was 40 miles,
and the horses were changed three times
in the passage Four horses were used
on the coach and at times 1t was difficult
for them to force their way through the
drifts in winter, At Pope's Tavern, IN
Windsor stop was made for breakfast
and then came the last leg of the Journey
to Augusta. By the time the horses were
cared for it was noon, and then the early
part of the afternoon was given up to at
tending to the nImberless errands that
fell to the lot of stage driver IN those
days. At O'Clock in the afternoon The
start for Belfast was made, and that place
was reached at o'clock in the morning,
Three of these round trips were enough
to test the endurance of any man. The
other three duplicate trips were made by
Jerry Sullivan, who afterwards became a
conductor ION the Maine Central branch
from Belfast to Burnham junction. Jerry
was one of the few men who seemed to
fit into both places, and he became as
popular a conductor as he had been a
stage-driver His route as driver was
slightly different from that of Mr.. fogg,
as he passed through North Searsmont
and Liberty village on his way to Augusta.
AS may well be supposed, Mr., Fogg
had all sorts of experiences during his
II Sat9 laS,, ~ s,,,iStoo Ionr.
noi ,,,r;+or III = talt With Mr. Fooo and
he a,,tren,a,T 5ntar-
oet,nT ~ y r7,r,,,ent he seemed lost in
t5 5C',' u +I,a lil'-. a;j. NV
''''-'E lit anu '-'e'' '''o'
Some "reminiscences
ut is long way back and now seems
almost like dream.
81 always liked Searsmcnt, as there
were fine people there and all were cour-
teous to me"
Eyes, drove the stage between Belfast
and Augusta for many years and it was
almost continuous, except for wear or
two that l kept a store at Belmont Cor
ner, | began driving the first year of the
war, and nearly always had a batch of
soldiers on my trips They were mostly
boys and seemed to have nc realizing
sense of the hardships before them. With
them it was picnic, but one from which
most of them never returned.
''My coach was one of the old Concord
type, and with four horses always at
tracted attention when [ made stop.
Even in the dead hours of nigh. there
was always a crowd when | stopped to
change horses or the mail Ny first stop
of any Importance out of Belfast, was at
Searsmont, and at that time the village
was of more importance than it is today.
There was much business there then and
its business men were numerous. Among
these were Caleb Wtitiker, David Cobb
and Charles Farrar MIR. Cobb was the
harness maker while Spraeue Wing was
IN liin p,aoo oaiii
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