The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-04-12
Historical Happenings In skowhegan

uIsOTic1l Happenings In SkOWheBdn
George A. Lovejoy, a former resi-
dent OF Skowhegan and one time
newspaper man of Pittsfeld now liv-
ing in South Braintree, Mass, has
furnished us from time to time with
interesting historical events. With
regard to railroads Mr.. Lovejoy says,
People bought stock In the railroad,
paying 500 per share, expecting 1t
would increase the value of real es-
tate but 1t failed to pay interest on
the stock according to Mr.. Lovejoy
who says all they got out Of 1t was
free ride to Augusta to stockhold-
ers' meeting. Mr.. Lovejoy says he
saw a man offer a share of stock to
his father for pound of tobacco,
twenty-five cents then. Tobacco was
ten figs to the pound, one fig selling
at three cents. Quite likely some of
that old stock is packed away in an
old haircioth trunk and would bring
quite sum as an antique. The roads
were called by the County name. Au-
gusta to Skowhegan was called Som
erset and Kennebec; Lewiston to
Fairfield was called the Androscoggin
and Kennebec: from Fairfield to Ban
gor was called the Penobscot and
Kennebec. The Maine Central cap
italists picked up a majority of the
stock. according to Mr.. Lovejoy
John Kerswell was station agent for
quite a number of years and B. F..
Eaton took his place. Mr.. Lovejoy
1, L., O ,a1 hn
freight end of the business. The
first conductors on passenger trains
were A. T. Lincoln and William Nit
chell William Mitchell was getting
Fl. d. Chambers orchestra of Port
land down to his home for concerts
often. Mr.. lincoln was made super
intendent of the Knox and Lincoln
railroad and moved to DamariscOtta.
Walter Hatch took his place as pas
senger conductor. Mr.. Hatch was a
beautiful flute player and lived on
the old Mcclellan place on Elm St.
1t was surrounded by a high board
fence as it adjoined the hotel grounds
Strangers standing on Elm street just
above where there were no buildings
and looking up the river just as the
sun was sinking into the west In all
its glorious colors have said 1t was
one of the most beautiful nature views
In the world, and they had been In
Switzerland.
George Carter was the eng 'neer on
one passenger train. AS the freight
left early 1t fell to the lot Of the
passenger crew to do the freight shift
ing. Mr.. Loyejoy says, I'VE boys
would go and help fill the tenders
with wood and were allowed to ride
about and rang the bell. Jimmy
Seveno. a cripple, we hauled to the
wood house and put him in the cab
and he rang the bell and set the
brake. They bought one thousand
loads of wood or more each season.
s2.75 for the best of beech, birch
and maple. The saving crew who
travelled by his own power came In
April and sawed and piled 1t UP I'M
der shed. They had their own car
to eat and sleep in. Ben Lovejoy,
deaf mute. ran the engine. After
Mr.. Carter had been there ten years
he told me he wanted to get out of
sight and sound of railroads. He
did as he went up to Caribou In
Aroostook County.
Paul Murray was hOstler in the
round house for thirty years or more.
Freight trains only ran three or/four
times week for some time. John
Green who was the engineer of the
freight and Moses Freeman head
brakeman. Green belonged to the
Portland Light Infantry Company, so
in 1861 Ii formed the nucleus Of Com
pany G. of the First Maine Infantry.
The night before the regiment was
to start for Washington this company
was put into building under guard.
During the night it is said that
Green helped put up the ladders to
the windows and the next morning
only the guards were to be found.
II took five days to round up the men
aud in the meantime the second Maine
had started for the front under Col
Jamison. They went through New
York. singing John Browns Body
Every man was six foot Tall
and walked up the enthusiasm by the
fine marching and appearance. When
they returned battled and SCARED and
torn with ony two hundred left. it
was a different sight and brought
tears to many. One incident con-
neoted with Mr.. Green's service on
the railroad as an engineer has been
related as follows: He ran on the
passenger trains until he got In the
habit of running past Kendall's Mills
and having to back up to Fairfield.
In Moses Freeman. head freight brake
man he had man after his own
heart. The fireman was Skowhe-
gan boy, eighteen years old, (Charlie).
II there was barrel of beer on board
the freight, Green and Freeman would
leave the engine to itself and swing
Charlie into the car with his dinner
pail and drag him up to the top OF
the car with his pail of beer. The
grade was from sixty to eighty feet
to the mile and a heavy freight OF
thirty to forty cars with light en-
CINE didn't make much speed.
| POTATOE BUSINESS IN OLD TIMES
Skowhegan was busy place in