Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-06-14
READFIELD MAKES
REBUILDING PLANS

| George C. Clarke of Augusta
Chamber of Commerce, For
merly Assistant Principal at
! Kent's Hill
| "a fire such as that witnessed at
Readfieid last Saturday night either
completely ruins town or becomes
the means of rebuilding it better
than ever before. 1t is splendid
tribute to the spirit Of Readfeld
that even before the ruins were cold
action had been taken to rebuild"
was the statement made by Secre-
tary George C. Clarke of the Augusta
Chamber Of Commerce to a Journal
representative on Monday. Mr..
Clarke was formerly assistant prin-
cipal of Kent's Hill seminary at
! Readfield. he knows the people there,
and as it happened he was in the
town at the time the fire broke out.
And in a very interesting interview
Mr.. Clarke spoke Of the rebuilding
plans and especially of those formu-
lated at the Masonic meeting on
| Joshua Brown, Master Of Lafay-
cite Lodge OF Free and Accepted
Masons, realizing the need of prompt
action, passed the word around for
a public mass meeting in the
Grange hall for Sunday afternoon.
Although telephone communication
was impossible this call was sent to
all parts of the town and over IS
Masons and other leading citizens
responded to the call. The object
of the meeting was two-fold O) to
take action regarding the rebuilding
Of Masonic hall and ca to take &C
ton tending to the complete restora-
ton Of business activity at the Cor
ner. 1t was decided that a Masonic
hall should be erected at once and
a committee of five was appointed
to make an estimate of it's cost. This
committee will report within the
week and the work will be rushed to
completion before September, If
possible.
| There are few towns in Maine with
the strategic position enjoyed by
Readf1e1d from a business stand
| point. It is the natural trading
center for inhabitants of eight towns,
Readfield. Kent's Hill, Fayette,
Wayne Mt. Vernon, Belgrade, Wen
ma and Winthrop. People living in
| this vicinity have learned that Read
field merchants carry a large as
sortment at fair prices and give
prompt and efficient service. The
presence of Kent's Hill Seminary
within the town assures the dealers
of constant winter trade; while
the large summer camps for boys
and girls from the great cities and
! hundreds of cottages of wealthy
summer visitors assure this center
Of heavy summer trade.
/ The town has always enjoyed ex-
ceptionaIly efficient administration
Of it's affairs and has tkc best gravel
roads of any town in this section. It's
schools are Of the best and, as most
Of its adult residents are graduates
Of the nearby seminary, the citizen
| ship is well educated and capable.
It's problem of poverty is practically
nil, which protects the merchants
from bad bills and adds to the gen.
eral prosperity of the people. There
are five active churches in the town
and all are enjoying good attend
ance and a prosperous condition.
The membership of the local grange
is especially high grade and is de-
rived from the hundreds of prosper
ous farms in the vicinity. The town
has sweet corn factory and raises
the most delicious type of sweet corn
grown in our State. The presence OF
Maranacook, Torsey, Echo, Sleepy
| Hollow and other lakes gives to this
! corn it's sweet flavor that cannot be
duplicated in any other part of the
| country.
The Masonic Lodge is one Of the
best known lodges in Maine. At a
/ special initiation last winter over $50
men were present, representing %
! different lodges. The true ideals of
| that great fraternity are held in
| Readfeld and has one Of the most
visited organizations in the State,
known for it's finisheI work, its en-
thusiasm and its great men, past and
present. In fact few former resi-
dents initiated in it's hall ever have
! Identified upon taking up residence
elsewhere. This spirit Of loyalty. de-
votion and enthusiasm, are but the
reflection of the town spirit, which is
today so sorely being tried, but
which will rise superior to discour-
agcment and the loss of buildings
and wealth, to the complete rebuild
t ing of this center, which is so we'll
! known and so we'll loved.
! In the meeting Sunday there was
! struck no note Of doubling, no
pessimism, no final and unyielding
! discouragement. Two men offered
to supply building materials at cost.
Two others applied for locations in
! the new block. The telephone COM
pany asked for quarters in the new
building and on every hand encour-
| aging support was given. Men OF
considerable success in the business
world, who have taken up their resi-
dence for the summer in the town.
J offered their services and their fin
ancial support to the work Of re-
building and everyone is confident,
that with the erection Of the new
Masonic block. other business build
ings will promptly follow and those
who have predicted that the town
will never recover, will need to re-
l IL t~fA