MAiNE STOMS" RESOIJI Class __£rj^Q___ Book -Sn^^ (iopyrightN" COEXRIGHT DEPOSfT. MAINE ITS HISTORY, EESOURCES, AND GOVERNMENT BT GLENN WENDELL STARKEY DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MAINE SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO Copyright, 1920, by (ilLVER, BUUDETT AND COMPANY 5tPl3 1S20 ©CU576364 n '^ PREFACE In the preparation of this book for use as a text in the upper grammar grades and the high school, an attempt has been made at all times to keep clearly in mind one definite purpose — the presentation in as concise and readable a manner as possible of a general view of the historical and industrial development of Maine in the form of a connected story, without branching out from the main thoroughfare into innumerable byways of de- tail. It has been impossible to digress, even to include a few incidents of the most unusual interest, because they do not bear strongly upon the principal events either as direct causes or effects. Moreover, the well-known fact is recognized that the human interest storj^ is most eagerly read, while lists of dates and the bare record of events furnish little attraction for red-blooded active boys and girls such as those who will read these pages. At the same time history cannot be written without making use of the chronological element to a sufficient extent to estabUsh clearly the record of growth and progress. When Part I of this book has been completed by the pupil, it is hoped that he may have in mind a fairly vivid idea of the whole story of Maine, and will be able to retell the plot exactly as if he had been read- ing an absorbing narrative of adventure. No emphasis has been placed upon the local history of any particular town or city. This text is not, therefore, in any sense intended as a reference book. Omissions have been made, and made purposely, of many important items which some readers will say should have been included. The wealth of material is so great that the selection made by one would rarely, if ever, agree with that of another ; but, if it is desired to trace the complete record of Maine more minutely, reference may be made to the more pretentious works to be found in the nearest iii IV PREFACE well-equipped public library. So comprehensive a course, however, is not advisable for the average pupil in the schools, whose time is already very much assigned, and who, at best, can assimilate only a small part of what might easily be placed before him. The careful study of local history from first-hand sources is recommended as the best method of interesting the pupil in the broader phases of the subject. There is scarcely a town in Maine which can be said to be devoid of historical material worthy of investigation. The suggestions which are given on a following page will be found useful as a basis for such study, and the proposed outline may be expanded almost indefinitely in many towns which are especially rich in the lore of the past. The present must not, however, be forgotten in considering what has taken place in other years. A study of the Maine of to-day is, if possible, even more intensely interesting than the record of its earlier development. Part II of this book deals more particularly with the present period of industrial prosperity. All that ha^ gone before has been simply a story of preparation for the day in which we are now living. The great natural resources of Maine have al- ready been brought into use to a remarkable degree. Some of them have doubtless reached the height of their utilization and can scarcely be expected to show further gains, but others have been developed only to a small fraction of their potential use- fulness. No greater service can be rendered to the state by the youth of this generation than to cultivate a spirit of pride in Maine, — its past, its present, and its future, — and a deter- mination to make the best possible use of the opportunities which it offers. In Part III is developed a brief summary of the central and local government of Maine. The knowledge of how public affairs are administered and the bearing wliich they have upon the citizens of a state as individuals is one of the most important and compelling duties in these days when so many influences are abroad, seeking in more or less insidious ways to cast suspicion and doubt upon the processes of organized gov- PREFACE V ernment. The purpose and necessity of control and regula- tion of the relations of all citizens with each other as a part of the great social fabric of the nation should be clearly under- stood, as well as the methods employed to give every one an opportunity to express his own personal ideas so long as they do not interfere with and disrupt the inalienable rights of others. This principle of judicious restraint apphes to the smallest unit of society — the family — and to every other unit therefrom through the school, the town, the state, and the nation. When each individual recognizes this one fundamental civic principle of personal conduct and responsibihty to others, we shall have accompHshed the true end of democracy and may look forward to a fuller realization of our claim to the position as the best- governed country on earth. Glenn Wendell Starkey. Augusta, Maine, July 14, 1920. GENERAL OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF LOCAL HISTORY 1. Find out when your town was first settled, by whom, and in what part. 2. How did it get its present name ? Was it ever known by another name? 3. When was it incorporated ? Was it ever part of another town or was any other town ever a part of it ? 4. By talking with people who have lived in the town longest or who are descendants from early settlers, find out everything possible of interest in connection with the early history of the town. Has your town any reason for particular historical distinction ? 5. Many towns have a printed history. Has yours? If so, try to get a copy of it for study. 6. What were the first public buildings — fort, garrison house, town hall, church? Are any of those first buildings still standing? 7. What was the first industry aside from farming, which was, of course, the earliest business in most Maine towns? What are the present industries? When were they established? How many workmen does each employ ? About how much is the annual value of their product? Have there at any time been other in- dustries in the town which are no longer in operation? What caused them to give up business? 8. Look into the war record of your town. How many Civil War veterans are still living in it ? How many men enlisted from your town in army or navy during the World War? How many were drafted ? How many died in service ? Did any one from your town receive a war medal or other mark of distinguished service ? 9. What men or women who have received state or national recog- nition in any line of work were born in your town or have made their home there? 10. Make a scrapbook in as attractive form as possible containing a record of all you learn about your local history, and include in it pictures of past and present interest, together with such other material of historical nature as you may be able to get. Carefully preserve this book. It is recommended that each school also make up such a book and place it in the library for future reference and additions. As years go by, the value of such a record increases because many of the people who know most about early history are passing away each year, and, therefore, it becomes more and more difficult to get accurate details of early events unless there is available a written or printed record. vi SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHERS FOR USE OF THIS TEXT The necessary limits of any book intended for use as a school text make it impossible to include more than a small part of the material which pupils should have presented to them. Especially is this true of a book which deals with a great variety of subject matter such as contained in this volume. Teachers should be guided in its use, there- fore, by the instructions received from principals and superintendents as to the amount of time to be devoted to the subjects of history and civics and to the methods employed in presenting each. If there be no definite assignment in the school program of the upper grammar grades or high school for Maine history and government, the book may well serve as a supplementary reader, for outside read- ing assignments, or as a basis for a certain amount of language work. The importance of a knowledge of the three main divisions of subject matter herein contained is, however, deemed sufficiently great to warrant the taking of at least a minimum number of minutes per week for the purpose of bringing to the attention of Maine boys and girls the salient facts relative to the development of their own state. One of the greatest benefits to be derived from the study of the following pages will be the arousing of a desire for the further investi- gation of many of the items to which it has been possible to make only the briefest reference. Teachers will be able from their own knowledge and experience to amplify the text and can, through discussion of the subject, bring out numerous points of great interest and of the highest permanent value. The exercises at the close of each chapter are designed to suggest further study of the topics under consideration. Answers to most of the questions can be found in the text. Footnotes refer to outside sources needed in answering questions based on the latest statistical matter. Many questions will bring forth others of a similar nature and can easily be expanded, almost indefinitely, by the teacher who seeks to arouse a real interest in the subject. At all times the local application of the ideas presented should be kept in mind. Especially should care be taken that the section on government be approached from this point of view. There is ample opportunity to lead pupils, whatever their stage of maturity, to see how the machinery of govern- ment is organized to reach every individual, and to bring them to a vii vm SUGGESTIONS FUR THE USE OF THIS TEXT realization of the part which each must play in making his own town or community a good place in which to live. Entirely aside from the workings of the machinery of state govern- ment, which each pupil in Maine ought to know, at least in its most elementary phases, the field of community civics is almost as broad as life itself. Such subjects as good roads, good schools, good health and sanitation may very properly be given a prominent place in connec- tion with the study of those sections of the book which deal with closely related topics in the several departments of local and state government. Only in this way will it be possible to make the study of civics a really vital and interesting subject to boys and girls who have not yet reached the age at which such things as the bare facts of governmental activities and responsibilities have in themselves a strong appeal. There can be no more important function of the school than the instilling of a right attitude toward public affairs in the minds of those who are to compose the state's future citizenship. Teachers have, therefore, a greater opportunity and a greater responsibility than any other group in this most vital part of the program for making the United States a nation whose people are law-abiding and whose high ideals are expressed in their manner of living. It is with the hope that this book may contribute specifically to such an end that it is placed in the hands of teachers for use in their schools. CONTENTS PART I THE STORY OF MAINE CHAPTER PAGE 1. The Earliest Exploration and Settlement . . 3 II. Further Settlement and Union with Massachu- setts . . . . . . . . .11 III. The French and Indian Wars ..... 21 IV. The Revolution and the End of Maine as a Province ........ 38 V. A Century of Statehood ...... 47 VI. History of Education in Maine .... 67 VII. The Present Educational System in Maine . . 75 VIII. Some op Maine's Noted Men and Women . . 103 PART n MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY I. Geography and Transportation II. Agricultural and Industrial Maine 113 128 II. III. PART III THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF MAINE Local Self-Government Section I. The Town . Section II. The City . The County Government . How the State Is Governed Section I. The Departments of Government Section II. The Work of the Courts ix 163 165 174 179 183 183 193 X CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE IV. State Officers and Their Work .... 197 Section I. Officials and Commissions . . 197 Section II. Public Money and Its Expendi- ture 229 V. How We Elect Our Officers ..... 234 VI. Maine's Future through Good Government . . 243 APPENDIX Constitution of the State of Maine — Preamble .......... i Article I. Declaration of Rights . . . . i Governors of Maine Since the Adoption of the State Constitution ......... iv Reference Table of Statistics ...... iv Index ............ ix MAINE ITS HISTORY, RESOURCES, AND GOVERNMENT PART I THE STORY OF MAINE MAP OF MAINE PART I CHAPTER I THE EARLIEST EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT A Common Mismiderstanding. Most people are inclined to think of the State of ]Maine as having been a well-defined unit of the United States ever since the time when the first settle- ments were made in this country, or at least since the original colonies were established. As a matter of fact, however, its boundaries have been in dispute over a long period of j-ears. It is natural that we should look at the outline of the state with its strongly indented seacoast, its fairly regular western border, its arched and curving northern boundaiy line, and its well- established eastern limits, just as it is represented on the accompanying map, and take it as a matter of course that its contour was smiilar to its present form from the beginning. But, were we to take the time and effort to follow through a series of sketches showing the various boundary changes, we should soon discover that many of us are now living in territory which for years was under control first of one nation and then of another, with no settled status and no guarantee that it would ever belong finally to the great country of which we are now a part. Visitors from Northern Europe. We cannot know certainly when or by whom any part of the territory now included in Maine was first visited by white men. There is reason to beheve that men, coming by way of the island of Greenland from some northern European country, explored several places on our coast long before Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492. It may have been as much as five hundred years before that date. However, we have no means of knowing 3 4 THE STORY OF MAINE that fact even though we may be reasonably sure that there were white visitors to our shores much earUer than those of whom we have authentic record. If this is true, then un- doubtedly to Maine belongs the distinction of having been the first bit of the present territory of the United States to be seen by inhabitants of the Old World. Those brave and adven- turous souls coming from northern Europe by way of Iceland and Greenland probably first reached the shores of Labrador and the island of Newfoundland, and thence followed the coast southward as far, perhaps, as Cape Cod in Massachusetts. These statements cannot be accepted as established facts be- cause of lack of really substantial evidence, but in a study of the history of Maine we should not overlook an interesting in- cident of this kind for which there is at least some foundation. Maine's Peculiar Location. Look for a moment at a relief map of North America and see if you can find Maine. You will note that it is more or less difficult to trace its boundaries even though you have many times examined maps on which they are clearly indicated. There is no natural dividing line on a large part of its border, as is the case with many states, which might serve to set it off by itself behind a well-established barrier such as a very large river or an extensive chain of lakes. This may in part account for the fact that this state, destined as it was to become the border state in the most irreg- ular corner of the nation, proved to be peculiarly unfortunate in its position as a battle-ground over which surged the tide of conflict for generations. At the same time, however, this fact has contributed much to the interest which attaches to our history and has left us rich in the lore of historical happenings worthy of study and of preservation as a part of local records in nearly every town and city in the commonwealth. What Maine Was Like. If we could have traveled about in the days before the colonists began to arrive and to attempt settlements within our present limits, we should have found practically the whole area of Maine one vast wilderness, with magnificent forests stretching northward from the coast and covering the fine farms that we now see about us on every hand. THE EARLIEST EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT 5 The splendid rivers and countless, beautiful lakes, however, would have looked much as they do to-day except for the dams which have been built and the storage basins formed by them in many localities. The rivers probably flowed somewhat more swiftly, and rapids were more numerous than now. Forest trees overhung the banks of the streams everywhere in place of the miles of cleared land that now form their background, and wild animals of every description, many of them at present almost entirely unknown to us, roamed unafraid through the 4 m .^M,;^m.^^.^mL : % «»^ ' i - ■; J A Headland on the Maine Coast Lighthouses, similar to this one, dot the strongly indented shore-line. dense growth and swam or forded the waters which happened to come in their path. That lakes and rivers and streams and ocean were fairly alive with fish in those days needs scarcely to be mentioned. Even to-day one of Maine's great resources is the abundance of fish and game which annually brings thousands of hunters and fishermen from all parts of the land to trail its deer and moose in the hope of carrying home a prize, or to cast and troll for the wary trout and salmon in some of the thousands of inland lakes or streams. Along the coast and in the lower reaches of the principal rivers a multitude of people pursue 6 THE STORY OP^ MAINE fishing as a regular business for which the value of the catch runs yearly into millions of dollars. The Indians. Like practically all the northern part of our continent Maine was inhabited by Indians. Some writers estnnate their number as high as 30,000 at the time when the first white settlers began to appear shortly after the year 1600, but we have no means of knowing how accurate that estimate may be. It is certain, however, that several strong and popu- lous tribes held sway in different sections of the state and later made their power felt in ways which the white men found far from agreeable, although at times the two races lived together for years without serious conflict. The records which have come down to us indicate that the members of the Indian tribes which inhabited Maine were for the most part vigorous and of per- haps more than average stature. The rigor of the climate and the consequent necessity of more strenuous exercise, together with the added hardships of the preparations for the winter season, no doubt contributed to a physical development some- what more marked than that observed in the tribes farther south. First Record of Exploration and Settlement. There are con flicting claims as to the place which should have the honor of being the first to receive a colony of settlers, or even the first to be explored and claimed by any of the nations which after- wards made permanent settlements in Maine. Probably there IS no way in which we can ever definitely determine which claim IS inost valid, but there is more or less foundation for believing t^iat Verrazano, an Itahan, Gomez, a Spaniard, Thevet a Frenchman and Rut, an Englishman, voyaged along and possibly landed on the coast of Maine during the first half of the sixteenth century, even if no thoroughly authenticated record of these visits is available. It is generally accepted that Bar- l^rZ !^"''''Jf. '^"'^ ^^'^^ ^"S^^^^^ ^"^ ^'^^ched Maine in 1602. Martin Prmg, an Englishman, is recorded as having visited Penobscot Bay in 1603 for the purpose of trading with the Indians. Shortly after, George Weymouth, also an English- man, explored the Maine coast from Monhegan to the mouth THE EARLIEST EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT 7 of the Kennebec. One of the blackest deeds of our early history is placed at the door of Weymouth when he took advantage of the friendliness and trustfulness of the Indians with whom he came in contact by enticing five of their number on board his ship and carrying them away with him to England. This marks the beginning of trouble between the English and the Indians in Maine. The part played by Weymouth cannot be excused and when we remember that one of the strongest characteristics of the Indian was never to forget a favor nor to forgive a wrong, we can scarcely wonder that the future rela- tions between the red men and the white men were not of the most friendly nature. Three of Weymouth's captives, upon arrival in England, were placed in the family of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, and the kind treatment which he accorded them availed much in atoning for the wrong done them, so that, when they eventually were sent back to America, they were of great assistance in bringing about a better understanding for a time between the two races. While there were doubtless small stations established for very brief periods by other venturesome parties of explorers, it appears that the first real attempt at a settlement was made in 1607 by a colony of about one hundred persons who estab- lished themselves at the mouth of the Kennebec River in what is now the town of Phippsburg. All of this part of the North American continent was claimed at that time by England on the strength of explorations by the Cabots and other early English voyagers who had landed on this side of the Atlantic. As was customary in those days, the king, as ruler and holder of all territory claimed as a right of discovery by a subject, gave grants of land to companies or individuals for purposes of settle- ment and colonization. Usually these grants were given as payment for services or as favors to influential noblemen and were bestowed with lavish hand. To them great tracts, com- prising thousands of square miles with only the most general limits, were thus parceled out by royal grant and with little thought of the vastness of the enterprise, since these lands, located as they were on the other side of the ocean, were sup- 8 THE STORY OF MAINE posedly of little value except as a means of satisfying royal obligations and affording opportunity for adventure to those who were ever looking for something new. Thus it was that Sir Ferdinando Gorges and Sir John Popham, as members of the Plymouth Company, received from King James I the right of the control of an enormous tract of terri- tory which included all of the present New England states and much besides. The colony which settled at the mouth of the Kennebec was led by George Popham, brother of Sir John, and the name Popham Beach, in the town of Phippsburg, com- memorates the name of the leader of this early settlement. The colonists erected a number of buildings and intended to make this a permanent place of abode and a center from which other settlements should be made. They soon found, however, that Maine winters, without adequate protection against their severity, were not to their liking and they became so discour- aged, after the hardships they were called upon to endure, that they abandoned the whole plan and, rather than try again in a less rigorous climate farther south, they returned to England. Popham himself had become ill and died, and this no doubt was a potent reason also for their withdrawal. At any rate it marked the end of that settlement and no other of consequence was attempted for several years. The French and Acadia. In the meantime the French had been very active in establishing a trade with the Indians farther north and east. They had planted a thriving colony at Port Royal in Nova Scotia and, by fair and kind treatment of the Indians in that section, had gained their confidence and suc- ceeded in laying the foundation of a permanent and most profitable business with them. France laid claim, by reason of explorations of the St. Lawrence River, to all the territory tril)u- tary to it and a great deal beyond. These claims conflicted with those of the English, who regarded the entire coast and all the country west as rightfully belonging to them by right of dis- covery. When, therefore, grants of enormous tracts of land and trading privileges therein were made by both the English and French sovereigns, it naturally developed that much of the THE EARLIEST EXPLORATION AND SETTLEMENT 9 territory included in these grants became a source of dispute. In spite of the tremendous size of the area involved and the com- paratively small number of people who were interested directly in the question of ownership or control, there arose before long serious friction and jealousy. Attempts at colonization by subjects of one country were looked upon by the other as in- vasions of their domains. We shall see the result of the con- troversy arising from these rival claims as we pursue further the development of the country during the cen- tury and more which inter- vened between the time of the settlements just men- tioned and the beginning of our nation's separate existence. It was in 1604 that Sieur de Monts was given a grant by the French king which covered a large part of the eastern coast of North America and included all of Maine. De Monts made a voyage to inspect his do- main during the above year and brought with him Samuel de Champlain, a skilled geographer, for the purpose of mapping the territory over which he had been given control. It is doubtful if he had any idea of its vast extent. In the course of their explorations of the Bay of Fundy, the Penobscot River, and intermediate points on the Maine coast, they came to a large island upon which they bestowed the name of Mt. Desert because of the high mountains which rose almost from the ocean itself, and because of their lonely appearance. i(J) C. A. Townsend, Bel fust The Champlain Monument on Mt. Desert Island The bronze tablet reads : In honor of Samuel de Champlain, Born in France 1567, Died at Quebec 1635, A Soldier, Explorer and Administrator, who gave this island its name. 10 . THE STORY OF MAINE The general name given by the French to all the vast terri- tory which they claimed between Cape Breton Island and the mouth of the Hudson River was Acadia. Most writers regard this name as being a corruption of Arcadia in Greece, while others maintain that it came from the name of an Indian tribe. It is more likely, however, that neither of these assumptions is correct and that the country received its name through the very common process of a combination of descriptive words. The Indians frequently referred to localities by a certain name with a suffix which sounded like " kadie," and that came to be regarded as a synonym for " place " until finally the French called the country in general " la kadie," a combination of the French " la," meaning " the," and '' kadie," meaning " place " or " country." This was contracted until the " 1 " was dropped and the two words became Acadie or Acadia, EXERCISE I 1. On a plain sheet of paper, and without looking in any book, try to draw an outline of the state of Maine. After you have done tliis compare your outline with a map of the state and see where you have made mistakes. If you are not satisfied, try it again. You should have a good outline map in the very front of your scrapbook. 2. Why would people sailing across the Atlantic from northern Europe on a voyage of exploration be likely to reach Maine first instead of some other part of the United States? 3. Why did our rivers flow more swiftly than now at the time when the white men first visited Maine? 4. Why were there wild animals then which we seldom see now? 5. Have you ever seen Indians? Where? What were they doing? What were their habits of life in the olden days and how do they differ now? 6. Put a cross on your map to indicate the island of Monhegan. Another to mark Penobscot Bay. Another for the Popham colony. Another for Mt. Desert Island. These will help you to remember the places where our earliest history began. 7. Why did people come from France and England to make settle- ments in the Maine wilderness ? 8. Where was the land of Acadia? How did it happen that both the French and the English laid claim to the same territory? CHAPTER II FURTHER SETTLEMENT AND UNION WITH MASSA- CHUSETTS Maine Becomes Better Known. We have noted in the pre- ceding pages the earUest explorations of the Maine coast and have seen how the first attempt at estabhshing a permanent colony proved of little avail. While there are many records of numerous visits to our shores by various men who were either sent out on trading expeditions or who undertook such enter- prises of their own accord, yet any detailed acccount of these is unnecessary for our purpose. It is sufficient that we know that a constantly increasing number of people came and went for one reasori or another, touching here and there for brief periods and becoming better and better acquainted with the geography of that part of the state bordering the ocean. Relations with the Indians. Few, if any, attempts were made to penetrate into the interior for many years except by occasional small parties of men who followed up the rivers for a few miles with no idea than that of pursuing further trade with the Indians, or, perhaps, of finding out something new about this land of which no one had yet come to know very much. The lack of means of transportation except by boat and the fear that the Indians would resent any further invasion of their territory made it inexpedient to attempt settlements in any place not easily accessible, or from which withdrawal could not quickly be made if necessary. Instances of mal- treatment of the natives by adventurers who made up the crews of many of the trading ships tended to increase the atti- tude of hostility toward the English. This made it much more difficult for those who were inclined to deal justly with the Indians to secure their confidence in any degree. We can, 11 12 THE STORY OF MAINE scarcely wonder that they should look with suspicion, if not with open hatred, upon all members of a race at whose hands they had at different times suffered various indignities and breaches of faith. Trouble with the French. While the English, after the failure of Popham's colony in Phippsburg, were slow to make attempts at planting others in Maine, the French were con- stantly widening their sphere of influence. From Port Royal came a small group to make a settlement on the island of Mt. Desert, and they proceeded to erect a fort and other buildings. When the English heard of this activity, which they considered an encroachment upon their rights, they fitted out an expedi- tion from the southern colonies and sent several armed vessels to drive out the French settlers. This they had little difficulty in doing as they were greatly superior in numbers and equip- ment and came upon the French unexpectedly. After accom- plishing this expulsion from Mt. Desert, the ships proceeded to Port Royal and laid waste also that thriving settlement. Further Explorations and Settlements. During the period from about the year 1615 to 1650 we find record of many settle- ments being made and much activity shown in the way of developing the various points most suitable for early habita- tions along our coast. Gorges was not satisfied to accept as final the failure of his first attempt at founding a colony, and he sent another group of settlers at great personal expense to try again to establish themselves in Maine. This time the party met with better success and made Saco their choice in the year 1616. From that time there was a handful of colonists always located somewhere in the immediate vicinity. Capt. John Smith, later so well known on account of the fact that his life was saved by the Indian princess, Pocahontas, visited our shores with two ships at about this time and ex- plored the whole coast as far south as Narragansett Bay. He was the first to refer to this part of the country as New England. At Pemaquid grew one of our earliest settlements and for a long time this place became the center of trade for practically all that region to the east and west. Here a thriving fishing SETTLEMENT AND UNION WITH MASSACHUSETTS 13 and trading post existed when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. In fact, it appears that Pemaquid was by far the most important and prosperous place on the whole New England coast during this period. Gorges made still further efforts to develop Maine during this time by establishing a colony at York where he had acquired a large area by purchase. The Plymouth Company, of which he was one of the most influential members, held control of all the vast territory of New England, with much more to the south and west. Gorges was instrumental in having changes made in the charter of the company which made it much more liberal to colonists and its powers more definite. The right of settle- ment and exclusive trade was granted by the company to several groups in various sections of Maine and soon many additional trading posts were established. Most of these were not begun with any definite idea of becoming permanent colonies, but such an object was not necessary to the growth of the country. The mouth of the Kennebec, then known as the Sagadahoc, offered most favorable opportunities with its fine natural harbors. Boothbay was one of the most desirable spots and this place, together with Damariscotta, flourished to a greater degree than most of the other settlements. Outposts for trade were established at some distance up the rivers and settlers were constantly pushing farther inland. A trading station which did a considerable business had been established as far east as Castine, then called Bagaduce, near the mouth of the Penobscot. It appears that during these years very little trouble arose with the Indians, and so long as this neighborli- ness continued, the white men found little difl^culty in carry- ing on their trade with good results. Maine Boundaries Fixed. The Plymouth Company, which controlled so much of the territory in the northeastern part of this count ly, gave up its charter in 1635 and all of its exten- sive domain was divided into provinces. Four of these were in Maine and thus, for the first time, some fairly definite boundaries were established. The St. Croix River was fixed as the eastern line of Maine iind the Pis^iitaqua a§ the western. These 14 THE STORY OF MAINE remain to-day as the eastern and western boundaries of the state, but we shall see later how long a period elapsed before the struggle ceased between England and France for possession and control of that part of the territory which lies between the Penobscot and the St. Croix. Many a bloody battle was fought over the ownership of the land which now comprises Hancock and Washington counties and a part of Penobscot. At this time no attempt was made to define a northern boundary, while the southern limit was determined by the Atlantic Ocean. Gorges, Governor of New England. In the reorganization which followed the dissolution of the Plymouth Company, Sir Ferdinando Gorges was appointed governor of all New England, then a much larger territory than that so designated at the present time. ' It is interesting to note that Gorges was never able to visit his territory on this side of the Atlantic. He gave evidence, however, of very great interest in Maine, even though he had suffered severe financial losses in his at- tempts to establish colonies here, and also in spite of the fact that he received from some of those who returned to England most unfavorable reports of the climate and of the resources which he felt sure were worth developing. Maine Receives Its Name. It was in 1639 that King Charles I of England gave to Gorges still more territory than that which he already possessed. He included in that grant all the territory between the Piscataqua on the west and the Kennebec on the east. Up to that time Gorges had owned a comparatively small amount of land in this country, although he, as governor, controlled an enormously extensive tract. This grant, with the limits just mentioned, was called the prov- ince of Maine. In this way was the name officially applied which later came to be permanent. It will be noted, however, that we have already used the name Maine many times, but simply as a matter of convenience in referring to what we now accept as a matter of course in using that term. When the name was bestowed upon the province in 1639, there was included in it only the Gorges grant between the Piscataqua and the Kennebec, only a small section of the present state of SETTLEMENT AND UNION WITH MASSACHUSETTS 15 Maine. The name probably came from the province of Maine in France which was an inheritance of the queen of England. Some writers, however, hold to the theory that the name was given because it was customary to refer to it as the " main " or " mainland " in distinction from the many islands. Civil War in England and Death of Gorges. Civil war was raging in England at this period and, as a result of it, the Ameri- can colonies received very little attention from the mother country. The whole English system of government was tottering, and the people of England had much more important matters to engage their attention than the welfare or develop- ment of anything on this side of the Atlantic. Three thousand miles of water between the two countries were an unpassable barrier to free intercourse in those days. The result of the war in England was the downfall and execu- tion of King Charles I and the setting up of another govern- ment under Cromwell. Gorges, who had been active in sup- port of the king, was thrown into prison. He was then a man well along in years, and although he was released after a time, he died very shortly afterward. Thus Maine and New England lost one of their most interested friends and promoters. It seems strange that his name should not have been perpetuated among us, but nowhere do we find a town, city, or county bear- ing his name. It is true that, before he became involved in the war, he started to carry out a magnificent project by estab- lishing a city, with mayor and other officers, at the place which is now York, and named the city Gorgeana after himself. The settlement, however, was never a great success, and it was only a few years before its name was changed to the present one. The only other effort to preserve the name was the one made in 1909, when there was an attempt to divide the town of York and incorporate one section under the name of the Town of Gorges. This attempt failed and it now seems un- likely that Maine will ever fittingly commemorate the zeal and devotion of its early partisan and defender. Massachusetts Assumes Jurisdiction over Maine. During all this period of neglect by England on account of her own 16 THE STORY OF MAINE troublous existence, affairs had not gone altogether smoothly in some of the American colonies. Especially in Maine was this true. The French from Nova Scotia had constantly been pressing upon the eastern frontier and there was no organized government to which an appeal for advice or assistance could be directed. About this time the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in examining its charter, discovered what might be interpreted at least as a reasonable excuse for extending its jurisdiction over a large part of the southwestern section of the province of Maine. It soon proceeded to take steps to assume control of this territory and sent commissioners to establish themselves in Maine and to bring the settlers to accept officially the author- ity of Massachusetts. This move was met by a great deal of opposition, but the attitude of many in each settlement favorable to the change, combined with the persistent and forceful efforts of the repre- sentatives of the Massachusetts colony, finally overcame the earlier prejudice of the majority and resulted in the acceptance of the program. Thus in 1652 Maine passed under the' juris- diction of Massachusetts and became one of its counties under the name of Yorkshire, with a right to representation in the General Assembly of the colony. The French Established at Castine. By this time the French had succeeded in dominating practically all of the territory east of the Penobscot. They had made the point where Castine is now located their headquarters on account of its commanding position and* easy accessibility, and had erected fortifications there so as to make it a veritable stronghold. The remains of these works are still to be seen, and it is not surprising that they regarded this position as one from which they could with only the greatest difficulty be dislodged. Massachusetts Loses Control of Maine but Regains It. The people of Maine soon became accustomed to the idea of being a part of Massachusetts, but this relation was to exist only for a comparatively short time. The reign of Cromwell was short- lived and when the monarchy was restored in England with Charles II as king, he at once turned his attention to this SETTLEMENT AND UNION WITH MASSACHUSETTS 17 part of the American continent and declared his intention not to recognize as vaHd certain grants of land which had been made here. He issued to his brother James a charter which, while indefinite in its provisions, seemed to include a large part of Maine under his control. Commissioners were ap- pointed who came here and exercised their authority to sepa- rate the province from the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. For twelve years Maine people had felt that at least there was some The Harbor of Castine as it Appears To-day Because of its strategic importance, Castine figures most prominently in Maine history in the varying success of French, British, and American mili- tary operations. strong and well-organized governmental body to which appeal could be made in case the need for protection arose, and they now looked with disfavor on the proposal to again take up a separate existence. Their protests, however, were in vain and once more Maine suffered a change in her status. It appears that the commissioners who had charge of these affairs knew very little about the organization necessary to administer successfully the government of a body of people. Public affairs were left in such a chaotic condition that the colonists did not know what was expected of them or how to meet their obligations toward organized government. As a matter of fact there was no, government worth mentioning and no authority to command the slightest respect. Conditions 18 THE STORY OF MAINE kept going from bad to worse and reports of the situation reach- ing Massachusetts became such as to cause grave concern for the welfare of their neighbors on the north. As a result Massa- chusetts, in 1668, again proceeded to assume control of Maine in spite of the angry protest of the royal representatives and in spite of some local opposition. It appears, however, that no really serious effort was made by any one to prevent the con- summation of this arrangement, and from this time no further contention arose over the question of authority within Maine borders, so far as the English were concerned. The French Extend Their Influence. War had been going on in Europe between England and France and, while its effects were felt here only in a very slight degree, its close was marked by a treaty which gave the French undisputed possession of Nova Scotia. This decision left them more than ever in a position to prosecute their claims to that part of Maine which lay next to their territory. As has been stated, they already had gained control in everything except name of the area be- tween the Penobscot and the St. Croix. Now they even ven- tured to extend their activities as far west as the Kennebec, and a mission was established at Norridgewock for the purpose of carrying religious teachings to the Indians in that section. It is worth noting that the methods of the French in dealing with the Indians were entirely different from those of the Eng- lish. From the beginning they took advantage of every means of gaining the Indians' confidence and good will. Not only were the French inclined to be more fair in their business rela- tions with the natives but they came also into much more general and intimate contact with them. This extended even to numerous intermarriages and in many instances the French were accepted and seemed perfectly willing to be regarded as virtual members of some of the Indian tribes. They lived with them as brothers on a basis of equality and mingled with them on precisely the same terms as with their own race. This naturally led to a condition of affairs such that the French in- ^uence with the Indians was soon very powerful and was used by them to fan into flame the already kindled fires of hatred SETTLEMENT AND UNION WITH MASSACHUSETTS 19 for the English, of whose kidnappings and cheating in trade the Indians had been the victims. It is not unUkely that this feeling was deliberately fostered by the French in order that some day it might be of assistance to them in driving the English from the country. However, be that as it may, the fact remains that the alliance which later developed between the Fi-ench and the natives against the English was a most powerful one. It resulted in warfare the like of which no man ever saw before, and formed the basis for some of the most revolting chapters in the history of our country. At the same time we must give the French due credit for having been able to retain the lasting confidence and support of a savage race by friendly means which might well have been imitated in some respects, at least, by their other neighbors. First Maine Towns Incorporated. In 1675 there were prob- ably between five and six thousand white men, women, and children in the province of Maine. These were for the most part in settlements along the coast between the Piscataqua and the Kennebec, but there were numerous scattered families also which had established themselves in true pioneer fashion at some distance from the more thickly populated centers. Of these five were incorporated towns, the first being Kittery, which became a town in 1647 and was followed by York in 1652, by Wells, Saco, and Cape Porpoise, now Kennebunkport, in 1653. Many evidences of prosperity were to be seen in acres of cleared farms, excellent dwellings, and a few mills. It seemed that constant and fairly rapid growth was assured now that a settled form of government was established and numer- ous centers of industry were well developed. But a heavy cloud was fast gathering, although few, if any, realized what a terrible storm was at hand. EXERCISE n 1. What were some of the reasons why the Indians came to dis- like the English? 2. What were the reasons for trouble between the English and French settlers? 20 THE STORY OF MAINI2 3. Mark your map to indicate the location of Saco. It was near this place that the second attempt was made by Popham to establish a colony. Why do you think they chose that place? 4. Mark the locations of 'Pemaquid and of York. Both of these places were the site of very early settlements. Can you think of any reason why? 5. What was the Plymouth Company and why was it interested in the establishing of colonies in Maine? Who was Sir Ferdinando Gorges? What did he have to do with the Maine settlements? 6. Where were other settlements made in Maine very shortly after the first ones which we have mentioned? What were some of the important factors to be considered in choosing a place to settle ? Were any settlements made in the interior of the state? Why? 7. What were the first t)oundaries mentioned for Maine? Find them on the map. Are they the same now ? Was a northern boundary fixed at the same time? Why? 8. How did Maine receive its name ? Was it then a state ? What territory was included in Maine at that time ? 9. What was the first city in Maine? Where was it? Was it like our present cities ? Did it prove to be a successful venture ? 10. Why was the death of Gorges a disadvantage to Maine? What was the attitude of England toward her colonies just at this time and what effect did it have on Maine? How did the French take ad- vantage of the situation? 11. Why did Massachusetts wish to get control of Maine and how did our people feel about it at first and later ? What name was given to the province by Massachusetts ? What advantage was it to Maine to be a part of Massachusetts? 12. Why should the war in Europe between England and France be of any importance in Maine history? To what extent had the French settled in Maine at this time? 13. What were the relations between the French and the Indians? Why should they be different from the relations between the English and the Indians ? 14. When were the first Maine towns incorporated? What were they ? How was it done and why ? CHAPTER III THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS The Indian Mode of Warfare. The period of the Indian wars began in June, 1675, when the savages, under King PhiUp, a noted and intelHgent chief, began their attacks upon the settlers. We need not attempt to describe in any detail the horrors of this war. The Indians were thoroughly organized into bands which prowled about every settlement in the province. They would swoop down upon a lonely farmhouse, and, finding the men at work in the field, they would set fire to the buildings. More likely than not they would drag women and children into cap- tivity or beat out their brains with tomahawks. If the men could be found, they would either shoot them down at their work or kill them as they rushed in to save their homes from the flames which the savages had kindled. It was a favorite part of their program to cut and tear the scalp from a dead or even a living victim and hang it at their belt as a trophy. He who could exhibit the largest number of these scalps was regarded as the mightiest warrior. In attacking a town the Indians were wont to gather their bands in large numbers and approach with the utmost stealth so that no alarm might be given the inhabitants and no chance offered them to take refuge in the better built houses. They rarely attacked openly but preferred to take by surprise and strike their dreadful blows before a defense could be organized. Everywhere the towns and countryside were laid waste. Scarcely a day passed but that the flame from a blazing building or smoke from smoldering ruins could be seen. Stories of hideous acts of barbarism multiplied and struck terror to the hearts of the strongest. 21 22 THE STORY OF MAINE Methods of Defense. Garrison houses, forts, and block- houses were erected in every town so that the population might have a place of greater safety to which they could flee in case of attack. Sentinels were kept constantly on the watch as a further precaution and no one thought of going out for work or pleasure unarmed. On the Sabbath the men carried their guns to church as regularly as if that were a part of their religion. The Garrison House at York, Built in 1635 The overhanging second story permitted the defenders to beat off the stealthy approach of Indians to the house itself. The garrison could fire through loop- holes in the projecting floor without exposing themselves at the windows. People lived in momentary fear of a savage attack at any hour of the day or night. Soon expeditions were organized to meet the Indians and give battle wherever they could be found. It seemed that they had determined either to exterminate the whites or drive them entirely out of the territory. They were, no doubt, seek- ing to take revenge for the wrongs, real and imaginary, they had suffered at the hands of the English, and the innocent as well as the guilty were alike murdered and massacred. The feeling that the whites were gradually taking their lands from them also was a potent factor in increasing the fires of hatred. THE FRENCll AND INDIAN WARS 23 On their part the settlers considered that it was a case of killing as many Indians as possible or allowing themselves to be wiped out of existence. Massachusetts sent companies of soldiers to assist in the campaigns and through more than three years, at longer or shorter intervals, the war was carried on with the greatest ferocity on both sides. The Indians were far more cunning in their methods than the English. They employed all kinds of tricks to get the advantage of their opponents and frequently succeeded by one ruse or another in enticing their pursuers into ambuscades from which few came out alive. They treated their captives with the most extreme cruelty, often subjecting them to terrible tortures such as burning them alive or cutting them in pieces with their tomahawks while the warriors performed a war dance accompanied by savage battle cries and horrible yells of exultation. Little wonder that the settlers preferred to fight to the death rather than endure capture with its certain horrible fate, and little wonder that they came to make use of any means of putting an end to every native whom they might be able to reach. Peace. King Philip's death in battle, August 12, 1676, and the exhaustion of both Indians and whites, led after nearly two years of pitiless struggle to a peaceful understanding. In the treaty the English recognized the claim of the natives to a part of the revenue from their lands and a small rental to be paid in produce was agreed upon. The Indians, while not successful in exterminating the English, had inflicted terrible damage upon them both in life and property and had demonstrated their power in war to an extent that had not heretofore been considered. This ended King Philip's War and for the period of a decade there was again prosperity in the land. The French Join Forces with the Indians. England and France had long looked upon each other as rivals in Europe, and in 1689 war broke out between the two countries. On our own continent the subjects of the two nations were soon strug- gling with each other. An expedition was fitted out which cap- tured Port Royal in Nova Scotia and made an unsuccessful 24 ' THE STORY OF MAINE attempt to capture Quebec in Canada. It soon became evident that the French had made good use of their influence with the Indians to wage a joint warfare against the EngHsh. No doubt it was easy to convince the natives that together they could easily drive the English out of the country and restore it to its former owners. Such a result was exactly what the Indians most desired and they did not hesitate to ally them- selves with the French when such a supposed opportunity presented itself. Once more Maine was subjected to all the horrors of savage warfare. The French and Indians fought together side by side like brothers. If possible, the effects upon the English colonists were more deplorable than when their antagonists had been the Indians alone. Now the knowledge of the science of warfare on the part of the French combined with the cunning of the Indians rendered the situation so precarious for the Eng- lish that they scarcely knew how to meet it. Massachusetts, on several occasions, sent reinforcements for the garrisons of the different towns and offered assistance in every way pos- sible, but the French and Indians invariably outnumbered the defending forces and were fully as well armed. Their attacks were made at unexpected times and places with the result that town after town was laid waste, their buildings reduced to ashes, and large numbers of their inhal^itants either massacred or carried into a dreadful captivity. Nowhere in the province was it possible for a person to go to bed at night without the fear of awakening to hear the savage warwhoop and see houses in flames. Smaller settlements were abandoned rather than attempt to maintain a sufficient garrison to guarantee even a reasonable security. There seemed great danger that no vestige of English habi- tation would be left in the whole province unless a stronger en- deavor were made to check the ravages of the enemy. With this in mind a force was dispatched to a point near Pemaquid where a very large and substantial stone fort was constructed at great cost. This was considered as at least one spot from which it would not be possible for the French and Indians to dislodge the THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 25 colonists and which could hold out indefinitely against attack. The hope was short lived. A large and well-armed body of the natives and French appeared not long after the completion of the fortress, which was called Fort William Henry, and it was surrendered with little show of resistance when the defenders were informed of the numbers of the attacking party and their amount of storming equipment. The expedition which brought about the fall of Fort William Henry was led in part by a French officer. Baron de Castine, who had come to America to serve in a campaign against the Indians in the St. Lawrence Valley. Later he had taken up his residence on the east side of the Penobscot at the place which now bears his name, preferring to remain here rather than return to his native land. He came to be recognized by the Indians of that locality as one of their firm friends and he attained a high position of leadership among them. He even married the daughter of Madockawando, chieftain of the Penob- scot tribe, and for years lived as one of them, apparently without thought of resuming his former life. He was smarting under the indignities which had been forced upon him through English attacks on his Penobscot settlement, and no doubt welcomed the opportunity to assist in the destruction of the Pemaquid stronghold by cooperating with the French war vessels in the naval attacking fleet under DTberville. Fort William Henry was the most expensive and the strongest fortification ever built by the English on American soil. By its capture the French removed one of the greatest obstacles to their progress in securing possession of the territory which they claimed between the Penobscot and the Kennebec. It is worthy of note that in their attack use was made of the bomb- shell, a weapon of war with which the English were apparently entirely unfamiliar, and the havoc wrought by these shells when they burst within the fort was such as to cause the greatest con- sternation. After its capture the cannons were removed from the fort and it was demolished as completely as possible. Some years later another was erected on the same site, but this was torn down by the citizens of Pemaquid early in the Revolu- 26 THE STORY OF MAINE tionary War for fear that it might be taken by the British and used as a base for miHtary operations against that part of the colony. Exceedingly interesting reading beyond the limits of this book can be found concerning the efforts made since the be- ginning of the present century to unearth the ruins of these old forts, and to explain the many curious things which have developed in the course of the work of excavation. It was in 1893 that the discovery was made of the remains of this The Restored West Castle of Fort William Henry fortress, long forgotten and buried, as it was for more than a hundred years, under the debris of stones, mortar, and dirt which had gradually accumulated. Now, through action of several interested private individuals and with the help of a small appropriation by the state, the castle at the west corner of the fort has been restored, so far as possible, to its original condition. It is used as a museum for the preservation and exhibition of relics, found everywhere in the vicinity of that most historic settlement. Among other highly interesting discoveries are the remains of streets paved with curiously shaped cobblestones, the origin and use of which it has been THE VrENCH and INDIAN WARS 27 impossible to ascertain with any certainty. This paving has been unearthed in the process of other similar excavation and furnishes one more detail of evidence that at Pemaquid is the site of a civilized settlement fully as old as any in the northern part of our country. Maine's Condition at Close of the War. For ten long weary years the war continued. At the end of that time France and England declared peace and shortly after the signing of the treaty in Europe the hostilities ceased in this country. While the fighting had not been going on constantly and short truces had, from time to time, been arranged with the Indians, the colonists, nevertheless, realized that the French in that long period were continuously at work urging the savages to further depredations. The ever present fear of these new outbreaks kept the settlers from undertaking any general plan of rebuilding the towns that had been destroyed. Not a settlement had escaped attack and but few had not been so ravaged as to present an extremely unattractive prospect. The courage and enthusi- asm of the settlers was at a low ebb. Their numbers had dwindled, and it is not surprising that no great rush occurred to take up living again amid the scenes of carnage which they had so lately beheld. Especially was this true since the colonists had no assurance, despite the declaration of peace, that the same tragedies would not be reenacted at almost any time and the horrors repeated. This sense of insecurity was more keen because the treaty of peace between the two countries did not define the eastern limits of Maine, despite the boundary dispute of long standing, and the French still laid claim to the territory as far west as the Penobscot. It was evident -that more trouble was in store be- cause of the failure to settle properly the designation of this line between Maine and Nova Scotia. Queen Anne's War. For about four years no open conflict developed and gradually the ruined towns were rebuilt. Out- lying farms were again occupied and the log cabins of the pioneers once more dotted the clearings. These peaceful times were of short duration, however, as England and France could 28 THE STORY OF MAINE not long refrain from war in those days. What was known as Queen Anne's War in this country broke out in 1702 and for ten years longer the fighting raged much as before. We need not dwell upon its details except to state that all the progress that had been made in rebuilding Maine's shattered settle- ments was more than offset by the destruction which was visited anew upon them. The colonists, however, prosecuted a much stronger offensive in this war than in any of those pre- ceding, with the result that much of the French territory in eastern Canada was taken, and when the war ended, in 1713, one very important matter was settled. That was the fixing of the eastern boundary of Maine at the St. Croix River rather than at the Penobscot or the Kennebec as had many times seemed to be the most likely outcome. A New Era. With the close of this war there seemed to arise in the minds of many people a much greater feeling of con- fidence for the future than had heretofore prevailed. In spite of the terrors of the conflicts which had so recently absorbed the strength and energies not only of the inhabitants of Maine but also of the other northern colonies, the desire to extend the settlement of the lands to the north and east caused a rapid growth in those directions. In a remarkably short space of time we find that the older towns had resumed much of their former prosperity, and new ventures were constantly being made even as far east as the Penobscot. Forts and garrison houses were erected in considerable numbei's, and all indica- tions pointed to the determination of these new settlers to make their stay permanent. This stage in the development of Maine marked the real turning point in its existence and really was the beginning of the end of the Indian power, even though it was to be many years yet before they were definitely reduced to a harmless position and their power finally overthrown. The ever increasing evidences of the determination of the white men to take up permanent residence in Maine caused great unrest among the natives. They saw new settlements being established and the older ones becoming larger each year. Farms were being cleared and the outposts constantly extended THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 29 farther inland, while the forts lent a very substantial aspect to the advance of the whites. One of these, built of stone, was erected -at Augusta, then called Cushnoc, and another strong one was raised at Thomaston. Both of these places were then on the frontier line and marked practically the limit of advance in those directions. Towns were laid out at Bruns- wick, Topsham, Harpswell, and Georgetown. It was only natural that all these activities should be looked upon by the Indians as encroachments upon the territory which rightfully belonged to them. As might be expected, they did not relish the prospect of being forced gradually to give up possession of all they held most dear to a race of foreigners. The Waning Power of the Indians. There was little charity on the part of the English toward the natives whenever any acts of theirs could possibly be construed as being of a hostile nature. On numerous occasions trivial infractions of the peace treaty were recorded, but they were evidently perpetrated by individuals and without the approval of the tribes. Some rather more flagrant cases of disregard for treaty agreements finally served to cause the sending of troops to hunt out and punish the offenders. This move was met by the Indians with retaliatory attacks in different localities and ere long another war was in progress. The year 1722 saw very general activity on both sides, but the Indians were far from the effective fight- ing condition which had made them such dangerous foes in former conflicts. They succeeded in destroying an immense amount of property and in killing a considerable number of the settlers, but at no time was there the same terror-stricken attitude among the colonists that had marked the earlier cam- paigns of the savages. With a greatly superior force on the side of the settlers, both in men and equipment, there was slight chance that the Indians would be able to do much more than carry on a desultory warfare, over however long a period. Rasle and the Norridgewock Settlement. At Norridge- wock, on the Kennebec, some forty miles up the river from Augusta, a French missionary by the name of Sebastian Rasle 30 THE STORY OF MAINE had for many years maintained headquarters for the religious instruction of the Indians. From his youth to old age Rasle maintained the confidence and love of the natives to a re- markable degree, and they depended upon him almost as a prophet to advise and direct them in all their undertakings. He was a well-educated man and one who came from a refined family. Yet he chose to cast his lot with these savage tribes and to serve them in the midst of the wilderness rather than return to France where he might have lived a life of comparative ease. His devotion to his adopted people had long been com- mented upon by the English, and they well knew how great was his influence with the Indians. They considered that he was in large part responsible for the demands which the natives had made and stoutly maintained when the several treaties were entered into at the close of the Indian wars. Not only did they thus think of him as the Indians' leader in formu- lating their peace program, but they also accused him of direct- ing their warfare and helping them to plan their raids uj^on the white settlements. In time the English grew more and more suspicious of Rasle and his power which meant treachery to the colonists. They determined, therefore, to put an end to his sway over the actions of the Indians. An expedition was sent against the Norridgewock settlement for the express purpose of capturing Rasle alive or dead, but in some way he learned of the move and fled with his faithful followers to some unknown spot still deeper in the vast forests. In 1724 another and even stronger expedition was sent, and this time it succeeded in reaching Norridgewock without any knowledge of the impend- ing danger warning away the aged missionary or his friends. With the utmost stealth the party approached, and finding their coming entirely unsuspected, made a sudden attack upon the little village. Practically every one of the inhabitants was either killed or taken prisoner. Father Rasle was among those who lost their lives fighting in the defense of their homes. The village was practically destroyed by the conflagration started by the soldiers as a climax to their successful raid, and THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 31 even the little church which the devout missionary had raised among his people was not spared. To-day there stands not far from the quiet little village of Norridgewock, upon the site of Rasle's chapel, a granite monu- ment bearing his name. Whatever may have been the opinion of those who, in the stress of those stir- ring times, felt that they were suffering as a result of his influence with the Indians, the passing of many years has erased this preju- dice from the book of memory and now Rasle is recognized generally as a self- sacrificing soul who gave his whole life, even to death it- self, for the better- ment of his Indian neighbors. Lovewell's War. Another incident of this war which is perhaps worthy of special mention is that known as "Lovewell's fight." Captain John Lovewell was the leader of an expedi- tion against the Indians in western Maine and eastern New Hampshire. They had proceeded a long distance into the wilderness when it seemed best to build a crude fort and leave behind a number of those who had become ill. Lovewell proceeded farther with a small detachment of men and finally came upon the Indians not far from the body of water now known as Lovewell's Pond in the town of Fryeburg. The Indians greatly outnumbered the whites, and in spite of the The Rasle Monument 32 THE STORY OF ^MAINE fact that several, including Captain Lovewell himself, were shot dead at the very beginning of the fight, the remainder resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible. They fought from behind trees, stumps, and rocks in true Indian fashion, with their backs to the pond so that they could not be sur- rounded. All day they held off the savages, many suffering with wounds and others being killed, but the remainder had no idea of being taken captives and put to death by horrible tortures. So stubborn was their defense and so effective their well-directed fire upon their foes that at nightfall the Indians withdrew completely all attacks. The remnants of the little band finally returned to the fort and later arrived safely home, much to the relief of their friends and relatives who had received word of the ambuscade by the savages from which no man was expected to come out alive. The Surrender of the Indians. After four years of more or less intermittent warfare the conflict came to a grateful close. This was in 1725. By the terms of the treaty the Indians were forced to give up practically all their claims to the terri- tory in which the English had established themselves and to that contiguous to it. The war had left the tribes in no posi- tion to press any coimterclaims as they had lost large numbers of their best young warriors. Worse than that, they had been unable to plant and harvest their usual crops in preparation for the long winters because of the many successful raids made upon their villages by the settlers. We have seen how their vil- lage at Norridgewock was laid waste and the same fate had overtaken them in several places on the Penobscot. They were sick, discouraged, and almost starving. Any terms of peace seemed better at that time than to continue the conflict longer. The document which was drawn up to be signed by the Indians as a practically complete surrender was known as Dummer's Treaty after Lieutenant-Governor Dummer of Massachusetts, who came to Maine to meet the native chiefs and arrange the conclusion of peace. As soon as the provisions of the treaty became known, a revival of iramigration into the province commenced, with a THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 33 resulting increase of population in the towns. York and Fal- mouth, which then included all of what is now the city of Port- land, were the principal centers. The excellent harbor at the latter place, then as now, made it especially well adapted to ship- ping and commerce, while York was the legal and official head- quarters for all that section of the province. New settlements began to spring up here and there. Trade increased by leaps and bounds, showing how rapid would have been the develop- ment of the resources of Maine had it not been for nearly one hundred years of suffering from the ravages of war. The census which was taken in 1743 showed the population of Maine to be about 12,000, divided among eleven incorporated towns and numerous little villages and scattered settlements. At this time a strong fort was erected at Taconnet, now Winslow, at the junction of the Sebastioook and the Kennebec. It was called Fort Halifax, and one of the blockhouses is still standing on the original location. At Augusta, Fort Western was built to command the river at that point. One of its prin- cipal buildings still remains and a project is now planned to restore this fort to its original appearance. Still other forts were erected from time to time at various strategical places, and the province gradually came to be well protected from invasion. Final Struggle between France and England for Possession of America. While all these things of interest to us were going on, there was a terrible struggle pending between France and England for control of the North American continent. Gradu- ally their rival claims caused the two countries to drift again toward war until finally in 1753 it burst forth in full fury. The tide of battle did not reach Maine to any great extent as the con- test centered about the great fortifications erected by the French along the Mississippi and in the valleys of the Ohio and the St. Lawrence. Indians, however, from Canada, in alliance with the French, made several short expeditions into Maine, and managed to arouse some of the local tribes to join them. They were met by strong forces and accomplished little, except their own destruction, as orders were issued by the colonists to 34 THE STORY OF MAINE carry on a sharp campaign against them. The result was that the Indians were hunted hke wild beasts and killed wherever found. No doubt many suffered this fate who were not at all concerned in the raids by the Canadian Indians, but the colonists did not then stop long to consider and were in many cases un- able to distinguish between friend or foe among the red men. The Blockhouse at Fort Halifax The loopholes in the side walls for flintlock muskets and the embrasures for small cannon show the method of defense. The overhung story, with floor loopholes as in the garrison house, permitted a lunging fire against the enemy in close attack. By 1759 the English had gained the ascendancy over France in all parts of the country. The principal French fortresses at Quebec and on the Mississippi had fallen into their hands, and the power of France in this country was destroyed forever. With the withdrawal of French control and French influence, the possibility of any sustained warfare on the part of the Indians against the colonists became so slight as to be almost THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 35 negligible, and we shall hear no more of the terrible conflicts between the two races in the eastern section of the country. The Acadian Exiles Settle in Maine. One incident of par- ticular interest to Maine occurred during the period which we have just been considering. It was the expulsion in 1755 of the French settlers from Acadia. The English governor of Nova Scotia became alarmed at the refusal of the Acadians to take sides in the impending struggle. When the French refused to take an unconditional oath of allegiance to England, they were overpowered by superior numbers and forcibly ejected from their homes. The story of their long sufferings is immortalized in Longfellow's poem Evangeline. Many of them were sent away into southern colonies like Massachusetts but some of them escaped in one way or another, scattering in different directions, getting across the Bay of Fundy to the mouth of the St. John River, taking to the wilder- ness, and finally, after great hardships, reaching the St. Law- rence and the French settlements in Quebec. The exiles who interest us particularly, however, are those who went to the mouth and traveled up the St. John River looking for a place where the English fleet could not pursue them. They came to Grand Falls, some twelve miles below where Van Buren is now located. They knew that no British ship could ever pass beyond that point in the river. They went on for some distance farther, seeking a favorable spot on which to locate. When they came to the great flats near the present town of Madawaska, Maine, they stopped and made their first settlement on both sides of the river. Here they were at peace, and from this little village their settlements spread up and down the river. To-day we find descendants of the exiles in practically every town and planta- tion on our northern border, but they live in peace and happiness, having only tradition to remind them of the unfortunate circumstance which compelled their fathers to seek a new dwell- ing place. By the Webster- Ashburt on Treaty in 1842, to which we shall refer later, the St. John River was made the dividing line between Maine and Canada so that the settlements of the 36 THE STORY OF MAINE Acadians which had grown up on both sides were divided. Such is the history of the establishing of the first settlements in the extreme northern part of our state. EXERCISE III 1. Wliat was the Indian mode of warfare? What means of de- fense were adopted by the settlers? What, if anything, can you find out about the experiences of jjeople in your town in connection with the Indian wars? 2. Were there ever forts or garrison houses erected in your town for defense against Indian attacks? Are there remains of them still in existence? Find out all you can about them. 3. In what ways did the joining together of the French and Indians strengthen the latter in their wars against the English ? 4. Discuss the question of whether the French and Indians had good grounds for trying to drive the'^'English out of Maine. 5. Discuss the rivalry between France and England, their wars in Europe, and the effects of them on the Maine colonists. 6. How did the colonists feel about their situation at the close of ten years of this warfare? As time went on and wars followed one after another did their feelings change ? 7. How did the fact that the English showed determination to extend their settlements strike the Indians ? Where were the farthest settlements in Maine located at this time? Mark them on your map. 8. Tell about the waning power of the Indians. Wliat evidences were there of this decreasing strength ? 9. Tell the story of Father Rasle and his Norridgewock settle- ment. 10. Locate on the map the town of Fryeburg where Lovewell's fight took place. 11. Tell about the final surrender of the Indians and its effect upon the growth of Maine. Why were York and Falmouth, or Portland, of special importance at that time? How many people were there in Maine in 1743? How was the territory protected? 12. Tell about the final struggle between France and England for the possession of America. To what extent did it affect Maine ? 13. Who were the Acadians and where did they live? Why is the story of their exile of particular interest to Maine? Wliere did they THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 37 settle and are any of their descendants living in Maine at the present time ? 14. Read the story of the Acadians in the poem Evangeline, by Longfellow. Remember that it is not history but that it represents the poet's interpretation of one of the incidents in the story which was told to him. CHAPTER IV THE REVOLUTION AND THE END OF MAINE AS A PROVINCE X A Period of Rapid Growth. Up to the close of the great war between France and England which marked the end of French power in America, that part of Maine lying in the Penobscot Valley and all of the area east of it had scarcely been opened to settlement. Now attention was turned to that part of the prov- ince and interest in developing it became very strong. A military force was sent to take formal possession and a fort was erected. Elsewhere through the province prosperity and a rapid increase in population again became evident. Scarcely a year passed without seeing one or more towns incorporated. Most of them then were much larger in area than the towns which now bear the same names. Among those which were incorporated during this period were Woolwich, Pownalborough (which included the three present towns of Alna, Wiscasset, and Dresden), Windham, Buxton, Bowdoinham, Topsham, Gorham, Boothbay, Bristol, Cape Ehzabeth, Lebanon, Hallowell (which included Augusta), Winthrop (which included Readfield), Vassalboro (which included Sidney), and Winslow (which in- cluded Waterville and Oakland). Dissatisfaction with British Rule. Aside from this quite rapid gain in population and the extension of settlements into sections of the province hitherto uninhabited, there was little of uncommon interest to record in Maine history for a number of years. After all, however, the most interesting and important history of any state is not the record of its conflicts, but rather its development and growth in population, in industry, and in the various institutions of peace. It is to be regretted that so many pages of the early history of Maine must be filled with chronicles of warfare. 38 REVOLUTION AND END OF MAINE AS A PROVINCE 39 In Maine as elsewhere, however, during the period under consideration, there had been gradually growing up a feeling of dissatisfaction and resentment, on account of the treatment which was accorded the colonists by the mother country, England. It is a familiar story how representatives which were sent to administer the affairs of government for her subjects on this side of the ocean fostered the misunderstandings. In addition to the unpopularity of many of these officers, there was the.strongest of opposition to the payment of taxes imposed for various purposes and to restrictions which prevented such freedom of trade as the colonists desired. Because of the fact that Maine was somewhat out of the direct line of general travel and commerce, the effects were less felt than in most of the other sections of the country, but there were, nevertheless, certain evidences of conflict and resistance to the unjust acts and re- strictions of the British government. At Falmouth (Portland) a quantity of tax stamps were seized and destroyed, and in several places meetings were held where resolutions protesting against such acts of the British government were adopted in terms of the most scathing criticism. There were men in Maine, as in all other parts of the country, who were strongly opposed to these protests and in favor of abiding by every decree of the king of England or his representatives, but probably by far the greater number were fully in accord with the spirit of re- sentment which was sweeping over the land. This naturally led to local quarrels and mutual feelings of distrust and hatred among the people of the same communities, all of which did not add to the harmony of life in the colonies at that time. The Revolution Begins. For a long time there was no thought of organized rebellion, but after many grievances had culminated in British troops firing on the people in Boston and in the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill, there arose among the people an unquenchable spirit of patriotism for Amer- ica as an independent country. This intense desire found voice in the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and its justification in the long struggle to final success. Maine sent a considerable number of men to join the army 40 THE STORY OF MAINE and prepared at the very beginning to assume her share of the burdens of war, York was the first town to send out -a com- pany of soldiers. Other towns soon followed, while many men were enlisted for service in protecting Maine from invasion. This occurred finally in the fall of 1775 when a small British fleet appeared in Portland harbor and served notice to the in- habitants that the town would be bombarded. The next day the threat was carried out, and before nightfall practically the whole town was in ruins or in ashes. One of the Boulders Marking Arnold's March Arnold's Expedition to Quebec. One of the most famous events of the whole Revolution was the march of the expedition which was organized and sent out under the command of Bene- dict Arnold to take the Canadian city of Quebec. It is of special interest in this history because his line of march was largely through Maine. With eleven hundred men he landed from transports at Fort Western in Augusta and thence proceeded up ijhe Kennebec toward Quebec by way of Norridgewock and REVOLUTION AND END OF MAINE AS A PROVINCE 41 Dead River. In recent years many boulders with suitably inscribed bronze plates have been placed to mark his line of march through what was then almost an unbroken wilderness. Arriving at Mt. Bigelow, the highest point of land in the Dead River region, a party was sent to the top to find out what could be discovered of the country beyond, through which they must pass. Their flag was planted upon the peak of this mountain and from this incident the present plantation of Flagstaff gets its name. Many of the expedition had already been forced to remain behind because of sickness, but the remainder pressed on, and finally, after almost unbelievable hardships, the ex- pedition reached Quebec. The city was so strongly fortified, however, that there was no possibility of taking it with the six hundred men who now formed all that was left of the heroic force which began the march from Augusta. While this ill- fated expedition accomplished nothing, yet the heroism of the men who embarked upon^it is worthy of note, and we have as a result one of the best known incidents of Maine history. Maine Invaded by the British. Castine, which had for so many years been the headquarters of the French up to the time when England finally gained control of Acadia, once more was made a battle-ground and was occupied by the British troops. Here they established themselves and built a fort which was so located as to command the approach into eastern Maine by way of the Penobscot. From this position they sent out ma- rauding parties in all directions which did much damage to the towns and settlements in that vicinity. Castine was re- garded as one of the most strategic points on the whole coast from a military standpoint, and the British remained in posses- sion of it until the end of the war. Machias was another town against which the British sent a fleet of warships for the purpose of destroying or capturing it. They succeeded in landing a party of men from the vessels and burned a few houses. The inhabitants of the town, with the help of a large band of Indians friendly to the townspeople, who drove the invaders back to then- ships, offered so unexpected and determined a resistance that they weighed anchor and left the 42 THE STORY OF MAINE place without further attempt to molest it. Early in the war* Machias was the scene of the capture of a British cutter, and this first naval engagement of the conflict has been called by Cooper the "Lexington of the seas." End of the War. When the Revolution ended, as it did end virtually with the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781, more than five years after the colonies had declared their inde- pendence, Maine was, of course, stiU a part of Massachusetts. This arrangement continued for nearly forty years longer. When Massachusetts became one of the original United States upon the adoption of the national constitution, Maine thereby became a district of that state. It was, however, only a few years after the war that the question of the separation of the district of Maine from the mother state began to be discussed. The extent of its territory at so great a distance from the seat of government seemed to many to warrant the setting up of the necessary machinery of government for Maine alone and its admission to the Union as a new state. Separation from Massachusetts Considered. In addition to remoteness from Massachusetts there was another very potent reason for the sentiment in favor of separation. Maine had become well started on a period of very rapid growth in popula- tion and development of natural resources. The Federal census of 1790 showed that the number of people within the district had reached the very representative total of 96,540. With the Indian menace cleared away there had been a steady influx of people attracted by the lure of the many available acres of fine farmland and the wonderful lumber tracts which Maine afforded. A fairly thorough canvass of the people was made to ascertain their desires relative to separatidn from Massachusetts. There were then ninety-three towns and plantations in the district. The result of the canvass showed such a division of sentiment on the subject that any move toward a petition for separation at that time appeared inadvisable with such evenly divided sup- port. No cause had arisen for any one to feel that the treatment accorded the inhabitants of Maine by Massachusetts was unsatisfactory since a most liberal policy had been adopted in REVOLUTION AND END OF MAINE AS A PROVINCE 43 the way of building roads and of granting lands on favorable terms for the purix)se of encouraging settlement. That this policy accomplished what it was designed to do may be seen from the fact that towns multiplied rapidly during the next twenty years and that the population had increased in 1800 to 151,719 and in 1810 had reached 228,687. At the latter date the number of incorporated towns was 178, showing a really remarkable growth since the close of the Revolutionary War. Organization of Counties. When Massachusetts assumed control of Maine in 1652 the designation of Yorkshire County was applied to the territory as a whole. In 1760 Cumberland and Lincoln counties were set off from York. At that time Cumberland included not only the present county of that name but also Androscoggin, Franklin, and parts of Oxford, Kenne- bec, and Somerset. Lincoln included also Washington, Han- cock, Waldo, Sagadahoc, a part of Kennebec, and a part of Knox. Hancock County, including at that time Waldo and a part of Penobscot, was incorporated in 1789, and the same year saw Washington County established, including, as it then did, all of Aroostook. The county was named for our first president, who was elected in that year. Kennebec County was incor- porated in 1799, and in 1805, Oxford, including a large part of Franklin, was established. In 1809 Somerset County was set off from Kennebec. Thus was the district of Maine divided at the end of the first decade of the nineteenth century. The War of 1812. During the years following the close of the Revolution, Maine enjoyed the longest period of prosperity and uninterrupted progress that had been allowed her in the long period of her stormy history. The second war with Eng- land in 1812 rudely awakened her from any dreams of a perma- nent extension of this most welcome, unmolested development. The causes of the war are too well known to need explanation here. Strangely enough it proved to be largely a naval conflict. Many English warships cruised along the coast, preventing our merchant ships from carrying on their trade from port to port without subjecting themselves to imminent danger of capture. This feature of the war caused the greatest distress to Maine 44 THE STORY OF MAINE because of the fact that a large part of the district's business was in commerce, and the holding up of its shipping struck the people in a vulnerable spot. Like all other parts of the country Maine was called upon to furnish her quota of soldiers and seamen while a heavy tax was imposed for carrying on the war. It was nearly two years, however, before Maine was invaded. Eastport was the first town to be occupied. A British fleet unexpectedly appeared and its men soon took possession of the town, which was practi- cally unprotected and could offer no resistance of any conse- quence. Castine was the next town to pass into possession of the enemy. As had been the case during the Revolution, this town was made an important military base by the enemy be- cause of its commanding position as the key to the whole valley of the Penobscot. It remained under occupation by the English for several months, and many evidences of their sojourn there are stiU pointed out to visitors. Castine is undoubtedly the most historic town in the state when we consider the number of times it has been held by those who were in conflict with the representa- tives of the government under which it was ultimately to remain. From Castine, as headquarters, the British expedition visited Belfast, across Penobscot Bay, and then started up the river. They proceeded as far as Bangor, plundering and destroying property in every town along the route. Reaching Bangor they easily took that town and destroyed much of its property. They remained, however, only for a very short time before returning to Castine. Raiding parties were occasionally sent out there- from to harass the neighboring towns, but it appears that much of the time was spent in dances, parties, and other forms of social gayety. The next year, 1815, peace was declared and with it the British occupation of eastern Maine became of comparatively short duration. It marked the last time that soldiers of a country with which we were at war should set foot upon the soil of Maine. Maine Becomes a State. Four years later, in 1819, a canvass concerning statehood for the district was again made. The resulting vote approved of the proposal to separate from Massa- REVOLUTION AND END OF MAINE AS A PROVINCE 45 chusetts and to petition Congress for the admission of Maine to the Union as a sovereign state. When the petition reached Con- gress, a difficulty arose because there was at that time a sharp division between those states which believed it proper to hold negroes as slaves and those which had no slaves and regarded their bondage as entirely wrong. There were then eleven free and eleven slave states so that the admission of Maine as a free state would mean the disturbing of that balance and a conse- quent advantage for the opponents of slavery m the United States Senate where each state is represented by two members. The controversy was finally settled by the famous law known as the Missouri Compromise, by the provisions of which Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state, and at exactly the same time Missouri as a slave state. Thus the balance of power between the two divisions was maintained. Maine entered on its statehood, as the twenty-third in the Union, March 15, 1820. At that time, 236 towns were included in the state. In addition to the counties already named, another, Penobscot, had been incorporated in 1816, making nine in all. The population had passed the quarter million mark and was 298,335. The whole coast from Kittery to Eastport was well settled, and towns had been incorporated everywhere in the state with the excep- tion of Aroostook County and the northern parts of what are now Washington, Penobscot, Somerset, and Piscataquis coun- ties. The towns last incorporated before Maine became a state, and those which represented the farthest extension of local government in the several directions included Kingfield, Dexter, Bingham, Sangerville, and Orono, which also embraced Oldtown. There were, of course, many other settlements in the more remote portions of the state where no organized towns had yet been recognized. , EXERCISE IV 1. What were the reasons for the dissatisfaction of the colonists with English rule? To what extent did the people of Maine show their disapproval of the treatment accorded them? In what ways? In what places? 46 THE STORY OF MAINE 2. Find out if your town was one in which the people showed their disapproval and in what ways. 3. What parts of Maine responded first to the call to arms? 4. What was the object of Arnold's expedition? Trace its line of march through Maine. Why did the troops take that course in- stead of some other? Are there any present-day evidences of that expedition? If it went through your town or near it, find out all the details you can about it. 5. What parts of Maine suffered from invasion by the British? What was the "Lexington of the seas"? Why was Castine made headquarters by the British? 6. Were all the people of Maine in favor of the separation from England? What effect did the situation have on the prosecution of the war? 7. After the United States became a separate nation and Massachu- setts one of the states, what was the relation between that state and Maine? 8. Was there any reason why Maine should wish to become a separate state? Were the people satisfied to be under the control of Massachusetts ? 9. How many counties were there in Maine at the close of the Revolution ? What were they called and were they the same in extent of territory as the present counties of the same names ? 10. What do you remember was the principal cause of the War of 1812 between England and this country? Why did this war particu- larly affect Maine? 11. What places in Maine did the British occupy during this war? What other places did they attack and damage ? 12. When was the final attempt made to bring about the separation of Maine from Massachusetts? What difficulties were encountered in making Maine a state? What was the Missouri Compromise? Why was it necessary? 13. What was the date of Maine's admission to the Union? Was any other state admitted at the same time ? 14. How many towns were there in Maine when it became a state? How many counties? How large was the population? How much of the state was settled at that time ? CHAPTER V A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD The Establishing of Government. The first election was held in April following the admission of Maine as a state in March. It resulted in the election of William King, of Bath, as Governor. He remained in office for only a part of his term, when he resigned to accept an appointment from the Federal Government. He was succeeded by William D. Williamson, president of the Senate, and in 1822 Albion K. Parris, of Paris, was elected, Portland was the place of meeting of the first legislature and one of its first acts was the adoption of a state seal. The design was intended to be representative of Maine's industries and re- sources. It showed a farmer and a sailor, with that great game beast, the moose, and a pine tree in the background. On a scroll in the upper section appears the Latin word "Dirigo," signifying " I lead," while at the extreme top is the north star, emblematic of the position which Maine occupies in the northern part of the country. For twelve years Portland was the state capital, but Augusta was later designated '^^® Seal of the state as the seat of government, where the state house was erected at an original cost of about $125,000. In 1832 the transfer of headquarters was made and the legislature of that year held the first session in the new building, which was then considered a magnificent structure. It was built of Maine granite and located on an eminence overlooking the Kennebec from the west. After a number of years it became evident that the growth of the several state departments would make nec- essary an enlargement of the building for the efficient carrying 47 48 THE STORY OF MAINE on of their work. The result was that a small addition was made. The matter again came before the legislature in 1907 for similar action. A bitter contest ensued over the proposal that the seat of government be once more located in Portland with a new capitol building erected there instead of expending a large amount to enlarge the old one. Finally, the advocates of re- taining Augusta as the capital were victorious and in 1909 an appropriation of $350,000 was made to remodel the state house. The work was done under the direction of a commission, which kept the main part of the old building as nearly intact as possible and added wings to provide the necessary room for expansion. While a large amount of space was thus made available, yet the building is now overcrowded and whole departments are forced to find quarters elsewhere. Just across the street from the capitol is the former home of one of Maine's most distinguished sons, James G. Blaine. After his death it continued to be owned and controlled by his family, who occupied it at infrequent intervals, and then only for brief periods. During the great World War the use of the house was granted to the state as headquarters for the Committee on Public Safety. When the war closed in 1918, the property was deeded to the state by Mrs. Harriett Blaine Beale, Mr. Blaine's daughter, with the idea that it could be used as a Governor's Mansion and at the same time serve as a fitting memorial to the memory of Mr. Blaine and to his grandson, Walker Blaine Beale, who was killed in the American army service in France. The gift was most gratefully accepted and the remodeled house is splendidly adapted for both the purposes designated. The Aroostook War. Very soon after the state government was well organized there arose a dispute concerning the exact loca- tion of the northern boundary. Great Britain clamied the whole of the St. John River, including both banks, and a considerable part of the territory which had been regarded as a part of Maine, even as far south as the point where the town of Houlton is now located. The granting of this claim would mean the loss of nearly one-third of the whole area of the state. There was no disposition on the part of the people to accept such a settlement. A CEK'TURY OF STATEHOOD 49 [' lfi\Mh. ■ irf". '•-^ V \\**"lkVji Gradually a strong feeling of rivalry grew up with readiness on the part of the residents of both Maine and New Brunswick to justify their claims, if necessary, by force. It was in 1837 that an agent of the state, working among the people of the Madawaska territory, was arrested upon order of the governor of New Brunswick on the ground that he was engaged in arousing the people to repudiate Ca- nadian authority. The agent, whose name was Ebenezer Greeley, was taken to the jail in Fred- ericton. This act was regarded by Governor Dunlap of Maine as an invasion of soil which belonged to the United States. The matter was brought to the im- mediate attention of President Van Buren, who took occasion to send a prompt message to the British authorities, and Greeley was released. In 1839 the New Brunswick governor issued a proclamation which amounted to a declaration of war. It followed the seizing and lodging in jail of a Maine land agent who had been sent with a posse of men to prevent further lumber operations in the state by citizens of the Canadian province. They had been coming over into that part of Maine in dispute, taking ■^>^. ^'''■^*''■. , 9u r '. M ///////ii'., ii//rt-* v'« sMJSmimi Blockhouse at Fort Kent Notice the larger size of this fort than Fort Halifax on page 34, and the greater number of loopholes on the first and second story, permitting more effective infantry volleys. 50, THE STORY OF MAINE valuable timber from our forests. Such depredations as this were naturally not to the popular liking. They felt that they were losing not only a part of their natural resources but that these invasions were a challenge to protect themselves if they were able to do so. In spite of urgent requests from the gover- nor of the state and from other prominent individuals, the presi- dent failed to take any summary action and the opinion became very prevalent that the New Brunswick officials had determined to carry the matter to a point where the residents of Maine, unsupported as they were by the National Government, would press their claims no further. Maine had no idea, however, of allowing such a consummation of the dispute, and the legislature appropriated nearly a million dollars for the purpose of driving out the trespassers. Reports were current in Maine that British soldiers and cannon were being transported from Quebec to the disputed territory. Excitement became more and more intense and the representations to Washington were made even stronger than previously. The Federal Government finally took steps to protect its rights on our northern border by calling for enlist- ments of men and by authorizing an approp^xanon of several million dollars to defray the expenses. It looked very much as if battle and bloodshed were imminent. Before any actual fighting occurred, however, negotiations were begun which held up the military operations on the border, where a large force of Maine soldiers had been mobilized. Not long afterward the troops on both sides were withdrawn and the whole dispute referred to arbitration. The question was finally settled in 1842 by the acceptance of the provisions of the Webster-Ashburton Treaty which was formulated by Daniel Webster, then Secretary of State, and Lord Ashburton, a special ambassador sent to Washington to have charge of the British case. By this treaty Maine surrendered a part of the territory- she claimed to the north of the St. John, but retained all of that immensely valuable tract now included in Aroostook County. The state received from the National Government a total of $350,000 in the settlement, partly as payment for the surren- dered territory and partly as reimbursement for expenditures A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 51 in the defense of her border. Thus ended the so-called "Aroos- took War" or, as it is often termed, the "Bloodless War." The result of the treaty was a reasonable settlement even if the British had a map, not accessible to Webster in 1842, which makes it evident that England gained by the treaty 5000 square miles more than the treaty of 1783 allowed her. The names of the towns of Fort Kent and Fort Fairfield, with parts of the forts Building at Fort Kent Used for Barracks in the Aroostook War still standing, remain to-day as permanent reminders of the preparations made for that war. With the definite adjustment of this boundary dispute, Maine had at last arrived at the point where her boundaries definitely extended from the Piscataqua on the west to the St. Croix on the east, and from the Atlantic Ocean on the south to the St. John River on the north. In the whole history from the arrival of the very first settlers in Maine there never had been a time up to 1842 when some part of the state was not claimed by another nation. Aroostook Count}^ was now incor- porated, and a few years later enlarged by further additions 52 THE STORY OF MAINE until it reached the proportions of 6408 square miles, or more than one fifth the total area of the state, with a total population, however, of less than 10,000 inhabitants. Growth and Prosperity. For nearly twenty years after the flurry of patriotic feeling caused by the possibility of war with Great Britain, peace and prosperity reigned throughout Maine. Many towns were incorporated and settlers pushed farther and farther into the wilderness, while splendid farms were cleared and buildings erected on every hand. The foundations for a great agricultural development were being well laid. Except for the lumber and fishing business, the industrial growth of the state had scarcely begun at this time despite a rapidly increas- ing population. It rose from just below 300,000 in 1820 to 399,455 in 1830; 501,793 in 1840 ; 583,169 in 1850, and 628,279 in 1860, an increase of more than 300,000, or slightly over 100 per cent, in the first forty years of statehood. The Prohibitory Law. An important law was enacted during this period which should receive special mention. It was the act of 1851 which prohibited the sale and manufacture of in- toxicating liquors in any part of the state. Maine was thus the first state to take such action and from that 3^ear the sale of intoxicants has never been legalized in the state. In 1884, prohibition was made a part of the state constitution. In 1911, a strong effort was made to change the constitution. The legislature voted in favor of doing so, but the measure was defeated by a narrow margin when the people voted upon it at a state-wide election. From that time, however, sentiment in favor of prohibition rapidly increased all over the country, and Maine supporters of the policy saw it adopted by first one state and then another, until finally the whole nation came to see the problem in the same light as did Maine three quarters of a cen- tury ago. The Civil War. The blight of war again descended upon the land in 1861. The record of it belongs properly to the history of the whole country rather than to that of Maine, but this state did its part toward the preservation of the Union and that most valiantly. We have not space to record much beyond the A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 53 bare fact that Maine responded to the call of the nation without thought of personal sacrifice. Regiment after regiment was formed and marched away to the front. Many of them had most brilliant records. To gaze upon their battle-stained and shot-torn flags as they rest to-day in the rotunda of the state capitol at Augusta, is to recall innumerable instances of frightful carnage and of brave deeds performed by the men of Maine who made up those units. The following poem, written by Moses Owen, is inscribed upon a bronze tablet located near the flag cases in the state house. It was inspired by the overhearing of a careless remark made by a young girl visitor as she passed by and cast a casual glance at those standards of war. The Returned Maine Battle Flags Nothing but flags — but simple flags, Tattered and torn and hanging in rags ; And we walk beneath them with careless tread, Nor think of the hosts of the mighty dead That have marched beneath them in days gone by, With a burning cheek, and a kindling eye, And have bathed their folds with their young life's tide. And dying, blessed them, and blessing, died. Nothing but flags — yet, methinks, at night. They tell each other their tales of fright ! And dim spectres come, and their thin arms twine 'Round each standard torn — as they stand in line. As the word is given — they charge ! they form ! And the dim hall rings with the battle's storm ; And once again, through the smoke and strife, Those colors lead to a Nation's life. Nothing but flags — yet they're bathed with tears ; They tell of triumphs — of hopes — of fears ; Of a mother's prayers — of a boy away, Of a serpent crushed — of the coming day ; Silent, they speak — and the tear will start. As we stand beneath them with throbbing heart, 54 THE STORY OF MAINE And think of those who are ne'er forgot, Their flags come home — why come they not ? Nothing but flags — yet we hold our breath, And gaze with awe at those types of death ; Nothing but flags — yet the thought will come, The heart must pray though the lips be dumb ! They are sacred, pure, and we see no stain On those dear loved flags come home again ; Baptized in blood, our purest, best, Tattered and torn, they're now at rest. The records show that Maine sent 72,945 men to the battle- field. There were thirty-two regiments of infantry, three of cavalry, one of heavy artillery, seven batteries of mounted The State Capitol at Augusta artillery, and fifty companies of soldiers for other combat work. Of these 7322 died for their country. It is a record of which any state may well be proud. Over $10,000,000 was paid by the state in bounties and supplies furnished for the army. Two of Maine's Generals. We cannot pass on without recording the names of two Maine men who are well known to A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 55 ^every one familiar with the history of the Civil War, General 0. O. Howard and General Joshua L. Chamberlain. Both of these men won the highest praise for their bravery and ability as leaders. They were both in many battles and both took part in the decisive conflict with Lee at Gettysburg, General Howard being assigned to one of the most important posts in that battle and holding the line successfully against the most terrific onslaughts of the Confederate army, which was hurled against his position in a desperate attempt to turn the tide in their favor. To General Chamberlain came the honor of re- ceiving Lee's surrender at Appomattox. JNIany another Maine man showed the sterling stuff of which heroes are made during those four years of mighty struggle, and many received well- merited recognition and promotion, but we have space to men- tion only the two who are best known. General Chamberlain was elected governor of Maine in 1867 and remained in office for four years. In this important position his ability as an un- flinching leader was again demonstrated, and his administra- tion of the state's affairs was of the very highest order. His inspiring career of great public service included the presidency of one of Maine's finest colleges. After the War. The business of the whole country had been prostrated by the Civil War, and Maine suffered severely from the effects of this diminution in commercial activity. Recovery was extremely slow, and the census of 1870 showed not only no gain in population during the decade, but an actual loss of 1364. Since that time the increase has been much less rapid than before, but has been fairly steady. In 1880, Maine numbered 648,936 people; in 1890, there w^ere 661,086; in 1900, the figures were 694,466, and in 1910, they had risen to 742,371. Unlike the remainder of the state, the great county of Aroos- took had continued to grow in population even during the ten- year period within which the Civil War was in progress. Its people increased from 22,479 in 1860 to 29,609 in 1870, and a rapid gain has been shown at every enumeration since then. As its wonderful soil for farming purposes and its almost in- exhaustible lumber resources became better arid better known, 56 THE STORY OF MAINE they served to attract a great many people to its territory. The story of the industrial development of this section of the state, its settlement, and its growth reads more like a chapter from the history of some of the great western states than that of a part of conservative New England. Swedish Settlements in Maine. One important incident in the settlement of Aroostook should be recorded concerning its Scandinavian immigration. In 1870, Hon. William W. Thomas, Jr., of Portland, who had previously served three years as United States consul at Gothenburg, Sweden, was appointed Com- missioner of Immigration. His previous residence in that coun- try and consequent acquaintance with the character and cus- toms of its people led him to believe that the introduction of Swedish immigrants into Maine would be a desirable addition to its population. He, therefore, after the matter had been thoroughly discussed with the Maine authorities, made a trip to Sweden whence he very shortly returned with a colony of fifty-one men, women, and children. They had been carefully selected by Mr. Thomas from those who desired to come, and he took no one on whom he felt he could not depend to prove honest, industrious, and devoted to the idea of making a success of the venture in a new land. Arrangements had been made for the colony to establish itself in that part of Aroostook County just north of Caribou. There, in the midst of the Maine wilderness, arose the town of New Sweden. Very comfortable log houses had been built for the settlers and a whole township, except for a public lot of fifty acres, had been surveyed and divided up into large farm tracts to be given to the colonists without charge. The clearing of the farms was, of course, to be done by the settlers. This work they at once proceeded to do with great enthusiasm, for they were accustomed to labor of that kind. The reports which they soon sent back to Sweden were so favorable that in less than a year the colony had received a number of additions. Each year after that saw an increase in the number of Swedish immigrants. New Sweden was incorporated as a town in 1895. Long A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 57 before then the Swedish settlers had established themselves in adjoining townships, so that now, in addition to the original colony, the town of Stockholm, which was mcorporated in 1911, and West manland plantation, organized in 1892, have increased the list. The total population of these towns in 1910 was 1827, and it is estimated that not less than 3000 Swedish immigrants have come to Maine as a result of bringing over the first group of settlers. They have taken up homes in many parts of the state and have proved themselves a thrifty and wholly desirable part of our population. Industrial Growth. We must pass over without further com- ment the record of the gradual development of the state from the period which we have just been considering to the present time. It is largely a record of industrial growth and prop- erly belongs with the facts set forth in Part II of this book. In that section will be found, in ])rief outline, a discussion of Maine's natural resources and the steps which have been and are now being taken to make them available to the resi- dents of Maine and to those who will come to the state in the future. Recent Military Activities. Before beginning the considera- tion of some special phases of our history, one more reference should be made to the part which Maine has plaj^ed in the mili- tary activities of the nation during the strenuous times through which we have lately passed. The first summons came in the spring of 1916, when it seemed that it would be necessary to send a strong military force into Mexico, then in a state of revolution, in order to protect American life and property within that coun- try as well as on our southern border along the Rio Grande. Several raids had been made by bands of armed Mexicans on the American side of that river, and both life and property had been lost in the United States as a I'esult. The militia of the several states was ordered mobilized, among which were the companies of the Second Maine Regiment brought together at Augusta. In June they entrained for the border and were en- camped for the most part at Laredo, Texas, for a period of nearly four months without seeing any real service. They were 58 THE STORY OF MAINE then recalled and returned to Maine, but it was not to be long before a much more serious summons was received. In Europe, war of the most stupendous character had been in progress between Germany and her allies on the one side and most of the remaining nations of that part of the world on the other. When it began in 1914 there were few who expected it to last more than a few months at the most, but its pitiless slaughter had already continued for two and one half terrible The Governor's Mansion in Augusta Formerly the home of James G. Bhiine, and the headquarters, during the late war, of the Committee on Public Safety. years. For all that period our nation had maintained an atti- tude of neutrality, although there were many who did not hesi- tate to declare that we should take up arms and place ourselves without reservation in the ranks with France, England, Belgium, Italy, and the other European nations which were engaged in the deadly struggle against German autocracy. There came a time, however, when it was useless for the nation to deceive itself longer that it was not under obligation A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 59 to enter the conflict. Nearly every one felt in the winter of 1917 that events were rapidly heading toward a state of war between the United States and Germany. In Maine, there had already been some incidents of internal treachery which showed that United States citizens should be on their guard. An attempt had been made by a German agent to blow up the international bridge between Maine and New Brunswick, over which many Canadian supply trains were being run. In March, Governor Milliken appointed a Committee of Public Safety, and steps were taken by its one hundred members in different parts of the state to organize for local protection. Everywhere people were asking how much longer it could be before the nation should actually be involved in war. The climax came on April 2, 1917, when President Wilson appeared before the assembled houses of Congress in Washing- ton and solemnly charged the German nation with having forced him to ask the Congress of the United States to declare war against it. This message was flashed over the country and the air was electric with excitement. The following morning Governor Milliken addressed his war message to a joint convention of the Maine legislature which was on the point of adjourning its biennial session. The text of this message is here given in full : Governor Milliken's War Message. Gentlemen of the Legislature : Since you first assembled three months ago, world events have moved swiftly to a fateful climax. I have summoned you in joint convention at the very opening of your session this morning, because the moment has come for the State of Maine, acting through her chosen representatives, to begin playing her proper part in world affairs. v For more than thirty months Americans have watched with growing horror and amazement the appalling world catastrophe across the sea. We are a peaceful people committed by ancient tradition to a policy of aloofness from European alliances. This policy we have struggled to maintain. Through all these weary months we have taken no part except that of messenger of succor and relief to the distressed. 60 THE STORY OF MAINE But continued isolation from the struggle has become increasingly- impossible. Neither the broad expanse of the Atlantic nor the faith of treaties nor the instincts common to humanity have sufficed to protect our peaceful and law-abiding citizens from the assassin. With unbelievable patience and self-restraint we have seen our flag insulted, our rights insolently invaded, our citizens, even women and children, foully murdered upon the high seas. Our self-respect and honor as a nation forbid further endurance of these intolerable aggressions.- But we are to enter the war at last not only because of the tlireat against the integrity of oui' own nation and this hemisphere for which we have some measure of responsibility. This is to be no mere de- fensive war on our part. We are to strike and strike with all the energy and power at our command because we are at last convinced that the very fate of civilization is at stake. A ruthless military frenzy is running amuck in the world, armed, not with bludgeon and spear suited to such a survival of savagery, but with the most frightful engines of destruction that modern science can devise. Our warfare is not against the German people, but against the brutal despotism which assumes to govern them, — a belated survival of mankind's age-old enemy, the cruel and arrogant spirit of autocracy, wliich soon, please God, is utterly to vanish from the earth. More is concerned in this titanic struggle than the honor or the life of any nation. It has become a world conflict for that freedom of self-governing democracies of which our flag is the supreme token among mankind. The Allies are fighting for civilization against des- potism. With the battle finally joined upon this issue our flag would droop in the breeze if withheld ingloriously from the conflict. Last night before a joint convention of Congress, the President asked that a state of war be declared to exist and that our government at once enter upon the conflict upon the side of the Allies with all the energy and power at our command. You have read his calm and patriotic utterance. Congress will meet again this noon to put into full effect his recom- mendations. Before that time, let us, by appropriate action, assure the President and Congress of our full and loyal support in this solemn hour of national crisis. No words need be added to his noble state- ment of the case. The eloquence of deeds can best be ours. I urge that you provide immediate authority for the issuance of bonds to the amount of one million doUars and give the Governor and A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 61 Council full authority to spend such portion of this amount as may be necessary for military purposes. You will also enact such defense measures as may seem to you fitting, giving the constituted authorities powers appropriate for them to use in time of war. You should also make suitable provision for adequate care of the families and dependents of soldiers. This can best be done in my judgment by granting some discretion to the Governor and Council without attempting to make a fixed rule applicable to all cases. So much of our duty we may now foresee. Whatever more our country asks of us will be given with cheerful and unswerving loyalty. You will remain in session for the next few days, even into next week if necessary, in order to be ready to take instant action upon matters within the jurisdiction of the State as fast as events shall point the way. Our little State has a role in the coming conflict far out of proportion to her size. Our rocky shores look out upon the broad Atlantic, once the highway of peaceful commerce, now the possible path of the ruth- less invader. When to-day the leaders of our nation meet in solemn conference, let it be known that Maine is true to her glorious tradi- tions of other days, — that now as always in the past her sons are will- ing to offer freely the last full measure of devotion when their country calls. The Legislature's Response. Pursuant to the request con- tained in the above message the legislature on the same day passed an emergency act to take effect immediately, authorizing an issue of state bonds to the amount of one million dollars for war purposes and directing the governor and council to render to the government of the United States all assistance within the power of the state. War against Germany was formally declared on April 6, 1917. Additional war measures were quickly put into form and promptly enacted into law by the legislature providing for a number of items di- rectly connected with war preparations. Sheriffs were author- ized to appoint special deputies ; the governor was empowered to take in the name of the state any land for military use ; towns, cities, and plantations were required to raise money for aid in the support of the families of soldiers, sailors, and marines while in military service, and provision was made for reimbursement 62 THE STORY OF MAINE by the state for all money thus expended ; a state bonus was authorized to supplement, if necessary, the amount of money paid by the government to men in the service so that none should receive less than twent3^-five dollars per month ; and the or- ganization of a Maine Home Guard to serve in the place of the regular state militia during its absence from the state was provided for. No one who was present during those closing days of the legislature of 1917 can ever forget the tenseness of the situation, and even then it is doubtful if any foresaw how great a part this nation was destined to play in the pros- ecution of the war to its final settlement. Maine Boys at the Front, In July the Second Maine Regiment was . ordered to mobilize immediately at Augusta and to recruit its companies to war strength. Up to that time its members had been doing guard duty in different parts of the state. For the remainder of the summer until August 19, 1917, the regiment was quartered in the capital city, undergoing strenuous prep- aration for foreign service. On that date it entrained for an unknown destination which later proved to be Westfield, Massachusetts, where, with other units, further training in the art of modern warfare was given the already well-hardened soldiers. At that time none knew what disposition was to be made of the Maine Regiment, but it was soon moved to the Atlantic seaboard and embarked for the battle field in Europe under the command of Colonel Frank M. Hume, of Houlton. Together Colonel Frank M. Hume A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 63 with some members of National Guard regiments from other New England states, it became the 103d Regiment of the famous Twenty-sixth Division, made up largely of National Guard units from New England. It was the first American division, aside from the regular army, to reach the battle line in France. The magnificent part played by this division and the telling losses suffered by it in the several battles in which it was en- gaged against the picked shock-troops of Germany is a glorious heritage for New England. Pride, however, in its achievement in the Aisne-Marne, the St. Mihiel, and the Argonne offensives is tempered in the sadness of its losses. As in the case of other states, Maine's sons suffered largely in the casualty list and many gave their lives for their country. Maine's War Record. As soon as war was declared, hundreds of Maine's finest j^oung men rushed to enlist in the various departments of army and navy service. The decision of the government to secure the greater part of the men needed to prosecute the war by the system of selective draft reduced the enlistments to a small numl:)er compared with what it would have been if the policy of calling for volunteers had been adopted. Even so the enlistments of Maine boys were so numerous that on several occasions the draft quota required to be furnished by the state was greatly reduced. Enlistment credits by those who did not wait for their turn to come made possible this reduction. The number of volunteer enlistments of Maine men, including the National Guard, in the army was 7312, and in the navy 4025. In addition, 2451 men of draft age secured special permission and enlisted. The records show that the total number of men from Maine serving for a longer or shorter period in the army or navy of the United States during the war was 28,476. To these must be added a considerable, but unknown number, who joined the Canadian forces before our own country entered the war. In the 2094 casualties reported, 518 represented men killed in action. The total number of deaths of Maine soldiers from all causes was 1085. To them came the stern necessity of the supreme sacrifice, the loss of life itself, in the struggle for right 64 THE STORY OF MAINE against the forces of military autocracy. In the Hst of those cited for bravery we find the names of 171 Maine men, of whom 152 were members of the National Guard, the old Second Maine. There were 49 who received American Dis- tinguished Service Medals, 38 to whom the French Croix de Guerre was presented, 2, the Victoria Cross, and 1, the ItaUan Distinguished Service decoration. Another item of unusual interest to Maine people in con- nection with the war is the fact that the principle of the cater- pillar tread which made possible the success of the British V ^4 i 1 ; ill * "*<* t % 1 mm S3 1 Mm^am^X'^ /^■]i 'Kil^^efe. i^^^^^fcy^ir^ ■^'^'jr* ** pp m ^i j^ w^ The Log-hauler in the Maine Woods The caterpillar tread applied in the war made it possible for tanks to pene- trate barbed-wire entanglements and pass over the most intricate trench sys- tems. " tanks " was first applied in a commercial way a number of years before the war by Mr. A. 0. Lombard of Waterville. He used this method as the basic traction scheme for his log-haulers in pulling enormous loads of lumber in the Maine woods. His invention was developed into one of the great mechanical sur- prises of the war, an engine of effective offense to beat down German resistance previous to an infantry attack. The great inclusive method of training our soldiers in the war A CENTURY OF STATEHOOD 65 adopted by the government made it impossible for state units to be recognized and the regiments formed and named so that each state could retain its personal touch and feeling of owner- ship in them. The vastness of the organization, of course, precluded any such arrangement, and the greatest satisfaction available is to enter the figures which show the extent of Maine's participation in the knowledge that it is a record of which the state has every cause to be justly proud. EXERCISE V 1. "Wlio was Maine's first governor? Where was his home ? Has any citizen of your town or city ever been governor of Maine ? Find out what you can about him. 2. Where was the capital of the state first located? How long was it the capital and why was a change made? 3. Have you ever visited the state house? Tell something of its history and the purpose for which it is used. 4. What is the Blaine house and for what is it now used? 5. ^\liat was the cause of the " Aroostook War " and what were the principal facts in connection with it? What was settled by it? 6. Tell what prohibition meant and how Maine was the leader in the great movement for the suppression of the liquor traffic. What has been the result ? 7. Tell about Maine's part in the Civil War. Read and learn "The Returned Maine Battle Flags." Who wrote the poem? How did he happen to do it? What two Maine generals were especially prominent in the war ? 8. Tell about the growth of Maine after the state had recovered from the effects of the war. What of Aroostook County? 9. In what places were Swedish colonies established and through whose influence ? Are they still in existence and have they developed ? Are there other parts of the state where there are considerable num- bers of people of a particular nationality? "Where? 10. For what reason was the Maine militia sent to the Mexican border? Was any fighting done by them? 11. What were the causes of the war with Germany and of the entering into it by the United States? Tell about the part played by Maine soldiers, 66 THE STORY OF MAINE 12. What provisions were made by the Maine legislature to assist in the war? 13. What was the Committee on Public Safety? Were there any members of it in your town? Find out everything possible about its work. 14. How many men from Maine served in the army or navy during the war? How many from j'our town or city? How many of them were wounded? How many were killed or died from disease or wounds? Did you know any of them? Did any receive recognition for distinguished service? 15. What other facts of local interest do you know in connection with the war? How much was raised by your town or city by the sale of Liberty Bonds? War Savings Stamps? How much for the Red Cross? Who were your local leaders in these matters? CHAPTER VI HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MAINE The Importance of Education. No measure is so well adapted to determine the real progress of a state and the interest taken by its inhabitants in civic development as the character and extent of its educational system. If that system is in a healthy condition, then we may be sure the people are awake to the demands of the times, not only for present needs but as a basis for future efficiency. Influence of Massachusetts on Our School System. Like other public institutions Maine's system of education has been largely influenced by its early connection with Massachusetts. Upon the statute books certain sections of the school law are taken word for word from the code of the mother state, and in many particulars the present organization has developed along almost identical lines. The centurj^ which has passed since Maine became a state has, however, meant the adopting of numerous policies particularly adapted to its own individual educational requirements. It must be recognized that to the Puritan influence belongs in large measure the credit for the fundamental interest which our people have at all times shown in the education of youth. Those God-fearing people who first braved the dangers of the New World for the sake of religious freedom considered the proper educational training of their children as the next essen- tial after their own regard for the discipline of religion. Under the circumstances it was but natural that their ministers should be expected to serve in the dual capacity of moral instructors and leaders for all the people of the community and also as teachers for their children. 67 68 THE STORY OF MAINE Private schools, with the minister as teacher, were held al- most as soon as the Massachusetts colonists had established themselves, and as early as 1636 the General Court of the colony made an appropriation of about $2000 for the purpose of setting up a school or college. This act was the beginning of the school which to-day is Harvard University in Cambridge. Six years later the Court passed an act which required every child to receive the benefits of an education. This was our first compulsory education law, but it did not provide means for making it effective and said nothing at all about maintaining public schools. The First School Codes. Only five years later, however, in 1647, a new law was enacted, — the law which became the basis of the common school system of Massachusetts and of Maine. It remained practically unchanged in its fundamental provisions for nearly one hundred fifty years. It gave recogni- tion to the important principles that public schools should be established for all children of whatever class, that the main- tenance of these schools should be compulsory, that the parent is responsible for seeing that his children attend school, and that the state may determine the minimum amount of education a child shall receive. In addition, the law gave recognition to the school of higher grade which might be maintained at public expense to fit pupils for college. It should be noted further that the law did not compel the support of schools by a general tax but left the method of support to be determined locally, so long as some means were found for meeting the expenses. Up to and including the time of the Revolutionary^ War, the school code of 1647 was in effect. Soon after the close of that struggle, when the people had opportunity to turn their attention again to the projects of peace, the educational S3^stem was given careful consideration. In 1788 a law was enacted providing that, in the disposition of all townships of the public lands, there should be a lot of 320 acres reserved for the support of common schools in the township in which it was located. In 1789 an elaborate school law was enacted which gathered together all the principles and ideas which an experience of HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MAINE 69 nearly a century and a half had demonstrated to be of value. In this new law it was required that every town having fifty families must furnish annuall}^ six months of schooling, which might be in one or more schools. A longer aggregate time was required of the larger towns. All towns of two hundred families must support a grammar school. The following jear the power of taxing the people for support of schools was given and authority granted for buying land and ?"■"£ A Modern Schoolhouse Built of Logs The early schoolhouses were of similar construction, but of much cruder finish and equipment. building schoolhouses at public expense. Towns were divided into districts for school purposes and each town by vote was empowered to fix the limits of these districts. Such was the general plan of public education when Maine was separated from Massachusetts in 1820 and set up its own government. Maine's Educational Code. One of the first important acts of the state legislature was the adoption of a school code. It provided that every town should raise and expend for the support of schools not less than forty cents annually for each inhabitant, and that this money should be divided among the school districts 70 THE STORY OF MAINE of the town according to the number of persons therein between the ages of four and twenty-one years. It further provided for the election by the town of a superintending school com- mittee, defined the qualifications of those who might be employed as teachers, and enumerated the subjects to be taught, including morality, sobriety, and industry. A very important law was passed by the legislature of 1828 which directed that twenty townships of the public lands should be sold and the proceeds deposited in the state treasury to form a permanent school fund, the interest from which was to be distributed among the several towns for the support of- common schools. This was the beginning of assistance by the state in the maintaining of schools. In 1833 the tax received by the state on all banks was made available for schools in the towns and was to be distributed each year by the state treasurer ac- cording to the number of scholars therein. State Board of Education. A state l^oard of education was established in 1846 with a secretary whose duty it should be to exercise a general supervision over the schools of the state and especially to confer with school committees and advise them as to the best method of carrying on the schools and of providing for their improvement. The first secretary of the board was William G. Crosby, of Belfast. His report, made in 1847, gives the first reliable statistics relative to the schools of Maine. By this report we learn that the average wage of female teachers was $1.52 per week and of male teachers $16.71 per month, exclusive of board. The average length of schools for the year was 21 weeks, 1 day. The number of persons between four and twenty-one years of age was 201,992. The numl^er of pupils enrolled was 96,127, less than 50 per cent of those of legal school age. Our first child labor law was enacted in 1847, which provided that children employed between the ages of twelve and fifteen years must attend school for three months each year, while those under twelve years were required to be in school for four months. The employing of children less than twelve years of age now seems to indicate a very low regard for child welfare, but then HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MAINE 71 it was a very common practice for children of this age to work in cotton or woolen mills. State Superintendent of Schools. A law providing for a state superintendent of schools was passed in 1854. The state board of education had been legislated out of office four years before and county school commissioners established, but this system was of .short duration. The state superintendent was charged with the duty of devoting his time to the improvement of schools in the state by keeping in the closest possible touch with all educational developments and the holding of teachers' conven- tions in each county for at least one week each year. He was also to collect statistics, give public addresses, advise teachers and school committees, and disseminate information concern- ing the best rhethods of school management as widely as possible. First Reliable Statistics. The first state superintendent of schools was Charles H. Lord, of Portland. He served only a short time and was succeeded by Mark H. Bunnell, of Norway, who made a very complete report of school conditions in the state for the school year ending April 1, 1855. From this report we learn that there were then, according to the return of the school census, 238,248 children between four and twenty-one years of age. Of these there were enrolled in the summer schools 123,641, and in the winter schools 142,220. The average wage of male teachers was S20.57 per month, and the average of female teachers was $1.90 per week, both exclusive of board. The amount of money raised by taxes for the support of schools was $333,019.76, and the total expenditure for school purposes was $491,060.29. There were reported to be 2088 poor schoolhouses in the state and 1752 good ones. Just what kind of schoolhouse was considered a good one we have no means of knowing.^ The first state teachers' convention was held in Waterville in 1859. It continued in session three days and an association was formed which elected officers and made plans for holding an annual meeting. Establishment of Normal Schools. In accordance with the act of the legislature of 1863, a normal school for the professional 72 THE STORY OF MAINE training of teachers was established at Farmington and was opened August 24, 1864, with an enrolhnent of fifty-nine students. They came from thirteen different counties. The opening of this first normal school must be regarded as one of the most important educational events in the history of the state, since it gave recognition for the first time to the respon- sibility of the state for providing at public expense the facilities for assuring to its children a quality of instruction which only persons trained for the work could give. Free High Schools. State aid for higher education was provided by a law passed in 1873 which gave towns the power to establish free high schools and receive from the state one-half the amount expended for instruction therein, not to exceed a maximum of five hundred dollars in any one year. This also was a most important law and marked the placing of high schools on somewhat the same basis as the common schools as public institutions to be specially encouraged. Compulsory Education. While there had been for some time a compulsory attendance law it was not until 1887 that it was made at all stringent. In that year the requirement was enacted that all children* between the ages of eight and fifteen years should attend some public school for at least sixteen weeks annually, and towns were required to elect truant officers to enforce the law under penalty of fine of from ten to fifty dollars for neglect to do so. Boys who were habitual truants should be committed to the State Reform School. At the same time the child labor law was amended to provide that no child should be employed in any factory under fifteen years of age, except during vacation, unless he had attended school for at least the minimum of sixteen weeks during the preceding year. Twelve years later, in 1899, the ages of children within which the compulsory education law applied was changed to seven and fifteen years. In addition, the period of required attendance was changed from sixteen weeks each year to include all the time schools were in session regardless of the specific period, which at that time meant at least twenty weeks, since all towns were required to maintain schools for that minimum number of HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MAINE 73 weeks annually. The later increase in the minimum length of the school year to twenty-six weeks, and in 1915 to thirty weeks, with the requirement of compulsory attendance remaining as before, were legislative steps which went far toward guaran- teeing to every child an uninterrupted school life, at least through the elementary grades if he made reasonably good progress. Free Textbooks. A very important law was passed in 1889 which specified that all towns must provide free textbooks for the pupils in the schools. School committees were also required to make necessary regulations for the distribution and preserva- tion of books and appliances furnished by the town. District System Abolished. Until the year 1893, towns had the option of remaining under the district system of school management which was bequeathed to them from Massachu- setts and which had gradually been changed through permissive legislation, allowing the election of a superintendent for all the schools and their administration under a general committee, without observing the old district lines. At that time more than 150 towns had voluntarily abandoned the district system. The legislature of that year, after a bitter fight by those who desired to retain control of the local school in the hands of purely local officers, passed a law abolishing all the districts and establishing the town as the unit for school management throughout the state. This, with subsequent legislation which allowed two or more towns to unite in the employment of a superintendent who should devote his whole time to the work of school super- vision, was a long step toward the present state-wide system of professional supervision. While there were very vital changes in and additions to the laws governing the schools during the years immediately following those which we have just considered, yet the time is so comparatively recent that a clearer conception of these changes can probably be gained by a brief survey of the whole educa- tional system of the state as it exists at the opening of the second century of the state as a separate commonwealth. 74 THE STORY OF MAINE EXERCISE VI 1 . Why have the schools of Maine resembled those of Massachusetts, especially in their methods of management ? 2. Why was it deemed proper, as it still is, to tax all of the people to secure money for support of schools? 3. What method was adopted to establish a permanent school fund for the state ? 4. For what purpose was the state superintendent of schools ap- pointed? Who is the present state superintendent? 5. Wlien and for what reason was the first normal school established? Wliere was it? Why should the state maintain normal schools? 6. How long ago did the state first give financial aid for the sup- port of high schools? Why was this important? What was the method of securing higher education before the tlays of numerous free high schools? 7. What is meant by compulsory education? Wliy was it deemed advisable to pass a law making compulsory education a requirement ? Is it of importance that every one should have at least a certain amount of school privileges? How did the first law differ from the one we have now? 8. When did the law first require towns to furnish textbooks to pupils free of charge? What are the advantages of this method over that which requires parents to buy books for their children ? 9. Can you find out what were the limits of the school district in which you live before the individual districts were abolished? Find out what was the method of managing schools under the district system. CHAPTER VII THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE The General Plan. In the preceding pages we have seen how the public school system has developed from one in which there was little of real organization to one having each part well defined and placed under the control of officers elected to serve the educational interests of every child within the state limits. At the present time it is impossible, so far as the law is concerned, for any child to be so situated as to be denied the benefits of school privileges. No matter whether he lives in our largest cities or in the depths of the forest, on a remote farm or lonely island outpost, there is provision made so that he can be taught at public expense. Few states, if any, go to such lengths as Maine in the effort to avoid the possibility of any future citizen grow- ing up in ignorance. The state has reason to be proud of taking such advanced ground and of leaving no stone unturned to carry the school to all its children. Yet no investment is so sure to return satisfactory dividends as that which is made in training boys and girls. The Maine school system is organized with the township, or town, as we call it in New England, as the unit, except in the employment of a superintendent of schools. The general term "town" will be used to include also the city and plantation, ex- cept in cases where the city will be specifically mentioned as distinct from the town in its relation to school affairs. In many of the western states the county is a school unit, but it is in no way recognized in Maine so far as educational matters are con- cerned. Fundamentally, the control of schools is placed in the hands of local officers, but frequently the voters are given power to veto proposals of the school authorities or are required to authorize a project before it can be legally undertaken. Only 75 76 THE STORY OF MAINE when state financial aid is involved or when the relations of one town to another are to be considered is any outside agency given the power to interfere with the management of any school, so long as the general provisions of the law are complied with. The state is given jurisdiction over courses of study, but even in this there is ample opportunity offered for modifications to meet local conditions. In considering the whole situation, therefore, it is important that this local self-government idea be constantly borne in mind, since to it may be attributed in large measure the difference in the development of educational facilities in towns which are located in close proximity to each other. The State Superintendent. At the head of the school systein is the state superintendent of public schools, appointed by the governor with the approval of his council for a term of three years. There is no state board of education. The state super- intendent has a deputy and several agents to assist in carrying on the work of his office, with a corps of clerks and stenographers. His duties include the promotion of interest in education through- out the state by public addresses, the issuing of circulars and pamphlets containing information relative to approved methods of teaching and school administration, the advising of school officers in particular problems which they are called upon to solve, and many other functions of a very general character in cooperation with other agencies for educational and civic advancement. In addition to these general duties the state superintendent is required to issue a course of study for elemen- tary schools and approve courses in high schools ; to secure from the local officers of towns annual statistics of financial support and expenditures for schools; reports in detail as to the number of pupils, teachers, school buildings, and all other items showing the condition of the schools ; to approve or fur- nish plans for new buildings or reconstruction of old ones ; to legalize the employment of teachers by issuing state teachers' certificates ; to apportion state financial aid to towns for the various purposes prescribed by law ; to serve as a member and executive officer of the board of trustees of state normal schools ; THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 77 to hold teachers' institutes and summer schools for teachers ; to arrange for the schooling of children living in the unorganized territory of the state; to issue certificates of authority to all superintendents of schools ; to grant pensions to teachers of long service ; to maintain an employment bureau for teachers ; and to perform a great number of other duties which need not here be specifically mentioned. It will be seen that the law gives to the state superintendent broad powers and places upon A Modern Rural School him heavy obligations pertaining to the general welfare of the whole educational system. Local School Officers. Every town is required to have a superintending school committee of three members, except in a few special instances in which the number of members has been fixed by the legislature. Each member is elected for three years by vote of the town at its annual meeting in March. The usual situation is such that one member is elected each year to succeed the one whose term expires. In case a vacancy occurs during the year, the other members are required to appoint some one to fill the vacancy until the next town meeting, when as many 78 THE STORY OF MAINE members are elected as are necessary to make the committee complete. Women, as well as men, may serve as members of the school committee. Cities elect school committees or boards of education in accordance with the special provisions of their charters. No committee member is allowed to serve as a teacher in the town in which he is elected. Each committee is required to elect one or more attendance officers annually whose duty it is to see that truants are placed in school or otherwise dis- posed of as the law provides. Towns or cities having more than fifty schools may have a superintendent of schools elected by the committee or board of education to exercise general supervision over the schools of that one municipality. If, however, a town has less than fifty schools or exactly that number, it must be joined with another town or towns by the state superintendent for the employment of some person to supervise its schools. AVhen a union of towns is thus formed, the members of the committees of the several towns meet at an appointed time as a joint committee and elect a superintendent for the towns as a group. They fix his salary to be apportioned among the several towns in proportion to the amount of time he is to devote to each. Of the salary deter- mined upon, the state pays to the superintendent the sum of eight hundred dollars per year in equal monthly installments, pro- viding the salary fixed is twelve hundred dollars or more, and the towns pay him the remainder. If the salary is less than twelve hundred dollars, then the state pays two-thirds of it. The person elected must hold a state certificate for the work and must devote all his time to it, giving to each town in the union the amount of service assigned to it by the joint committee. Superintendents of cities or towns having more than fifty sohools receive their salaries entirely from the municipality, which is each year reimbursed by the state to the amount of eight hun- dred dollars. Superintendents of unions of towns may receive, in addition to the amount above specified from the state, a sum not to exceed three hundred fifty dollars per year to assist in defraying expenses of travel and other necessary expenditures in the performance of their duties. THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 79 In addition to the 132 school unions, there are seven cities and one town which have more than fifty schools each. The lat- ter are Portland, Bangor, Augusta, Auburn, Lewiston, Biddeford, Waterville, and Sanford. There are two towns, Harpswell and Wesley, which are so situated geographically that they could not be included in unions to advantage and these have local agents of the state superintendent to supervise their schools. On the first day of April of each year superintendents of schools are required to make an enumeration of all persons liv- ing in their towns who are between the ages of five and twenty- one years. This is called the school census. On August first, returns of all common school statistics are required to be filed with the state superintendent and on July first similar re- ports of high schools and special educational activities are submitted. Schools in Unorganized Territory. Nearly half of the total area of the state is included in unorganized territory. In other words, approximately one-half is not included within the limits of any city, town, or plantation, and is known as wild land. This unorganized territory has no local officers to administer the affairs of the several thousand people living in it who are engaged largely in various branches of the lumber industry, agriculture, or sporting activities. Persons of school age are found in this area, and were it not for the state's interest in them, a comparatively small percentage would have the benefit of school privileges. The increasing number of such children led the legislature of 1895 to pass a law providing for their education under the immediate direction of the state superin- tendent of schools. Since that time this part of the school system has developed until it requires the entire time of one man to administer it. School privileges are provided, either by maintaining a special school or by sending children to neigh- boring schools, in about 70 different townships. Teachers are employed who travel about from one lighthouse station to an- other on the coast, remaining a few days in each place and giving such instruction and general direction to the school work of the few children at each place as is possible in the length of time. 80 THE STORY OF MAINE There is no child in all this unorganized territory who is not given an opportunity to attend school. For the support of this part of the school system there is an annual appropriation by the state, of which a part may be used for school building purposes. In addition to the amount of this appropriation, there is also available the proceeds from a poll tax of three dollars assessed upon each man who is resident of unorganized territory, and the amount of the interest of a public land fund credited to some of the townships. While A Modern City Grade School The Chamberlain Primary School, Auburn. this division of our state educational organization is compara- tively small, yet it is doubtful if any other part is more impor- tant in proportion to the number of children affected. Duties of Superintendents and Committees. The school committee of each town is given almost complete jurisdiction over the schools of that town, except as certain standards are required by law to be met in all cases, which, therefore, leave no discretionary power in the hands of local officers so far as those items are concerned. The committee member, as an individual, has no legal authority over the schools beyond that of any other citizen, but when in session the members, as a body, may deter- THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 81 mine important policies and make far-reaching decisions. The disposition of school funds and the control of school buildings both come within the jurisdiction of the committee. All teach- ers must be approved by the committee, and no vouchers for the payment of bills from any school appropriation can legally be issued except with the approval of a majority of the mem- bers of the committee. Other matters of importance which require committee approval include plans for new school build- ings or for reconstruction, the selection of textbooks, arrange- ments relative to the tuition of elementary pupils from other towns, the granting of certain holidays, and absence of teachers for attending conventions. Full control is given the committee over the discontinuing of any school for not more than a year unless otherwise instructed by vote of the town. No school in which the average attendance during any school year has been less than eight pupils can legally be maintained unless the town votes to continue it, but such vote is not valid until after the school committee has recommended in writing that such action be taken. A new school can be established only by vote of the town. Whenever there is a question raised as to whether or not a child shall be transported to school the committee has absolute authority to decide upon the necessity for it. The law fixes neither age nor distance limit and leaves the committee to consider these factors together with any and all others that may affect the situation. The .dismissal of teachers after due notice and investigation, the expulsion of pupils from school as well as their transfer from school to school, and their classification while in school are matters over which the committee has full jurisdiction. The superintendent of schools, elected by the joint com- mittee or by the city board of education, is the executive officer of the local committee in each town which he serves and acts also as the professional adviser of the committee. He further acts as secretary of the committee, keeping record of its votes, vouchers approved against appropriations, contracts of various kinds, and all matters of which permanent record should be made. He is specifically required by law to take the school 82 THE STORY OF MAINE census and make return of it to the state superintendent as well as to make return of all school statistics ; to visit the schools and direct and supervise the work of all teachers ; to nominate teachers and employ them upon their approval by the committee ; to select textbooks, supplies, and appara- tus, and place orders for the purchase of the same after the committee has authorized it ; to distribute and account for all supplies, and to enforce or cause to be enforced all regula- tions of the committee. As a matter of fact it is the practice The Portland High School Completed in 1919 at a cost of nearly one million dollars. of a large number of committees to delegate such functions as may be thus transferred to the superintendent, who then becomes virtually the director general of all the school affairs of the town, consulting the committee only for general in- structions, with the exception of such matters as the law specifically requires shall be acted upon by the committee. High Schools. High schools may be established and main- tained by towns to the number of two, and adjoining towns may maintain a union school. There are recognized three classes of high schools. The first is known as the Class A THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 8S school, which must have at least two teachers and must offer a standard course of four years of thirty-six weeks each. The second is the Class B school, which must offer a standard course of at least two years, and the third is the Junior High School, which may offer a course including not more than two years of high school work and the same number of years of elementary work. All courses must receive the approval of the state superintendent, who is required to see that the schools are inspected and to determine what ones are to be included in each class. A maximum of five hundred dollars in state aid is paid to each town or city maintaining schools of these classes, but in no case can the state aid be in excess of two-thirds the amount expended for instruction in high school subjects. Towns not maintaining high schools must pay the tuition to the amount of forty-five dollars per year for each qualified pupil who attends any approved high school or academy. A town may from year to year authorize its school committee to contract with a high school or academy in an adjoining town or with an academy within the town for the instruction of all its pupils qualified for high school work. . When ex- penditure is made either for tuition or under a contract, state aid is payable on the same basis as if the expenditure had been made for maintaining a high school. Funds for high school maintenance must be provided by towns entirely separate from and in addition to those for common schools. Compulsory Education. The compulsory education law provides that every child between seven and fifteen years of age, and every child between fifteen and seventeen who cannot read and write in the English language, must attend some pub- lic day school for the full period of its sessions during each year. A penalty is provided of fine or imprisonment for those having control of children who do not comply with the provisions of the law, and an habitual truant may be placed in a reform school or other house of reformation. Superintendents and teachers may excuse absence for cause and children may at- tend other schools in lieu of the public schools provided the course of study is approved by the state superintendent. 84 THE STORY OF MAINE Child Labor. The child labor law is designed to fit the compulsory education requirements. No child under four- teen years of age may work in any mechanical or manufactur- ing establishment. No child under fifteen may work at any business for hire during the time schools are in session. No child between fifteen and sixteen may be employed during the time schools are in session unless he has completed the sixth grade. Work permits must be issued by the superin- tendent of schools before a child under sixteen may be employed anywhere at any time. The state commissioner of labor and industry has charge of the enforcement of the child labor law. School Money. Every town is required by law to raise annually by taxation eighty cents for each inhabitant for the support of common schools. Very few towns, however, raise so small an amount as this minimum. In addition to the funds provided by local taxation the state imposes a tax of three mills for every dollar of property valuation in the state for the same purpose and distributes the amount to towns each year in December. There is also a state school fund which consists of the proceeds arising from the interest at six per cent on the permanent school fund of the state, and, in addition, the amount of one-half the tax assessed upon savings banks and trust companies. The first one and one-half mills of state taxes is called the School Mill Fund, while the second one and one-half mills is known as the Common School Fund. Before any of these funds are distributed to towns the law provides that there shall be de- ducted certain amounts for special school purposes under the direct control of the state. After this has been done the School Mill Fund and one-third of the Common School Fund is dis- tributed to towns according to the number of persons included in the school census on April first of that year. The remainder of the Common School Fund is distributed on the basis of the valua- tion of each town as fixed by the state assessors. The amount each town receives from the Common School Fund is allowed to go toward meeting the requirement of eighty cents per capita before mentioned. THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 85 A special provision of the law is to the effect that none of the money raised by towns for the support of common schools or paid by the state for that purpose can be used for any other purpose than the wages and board of teachers, transportation of children, fuel, janitor services, and the tuition and board of pupils. All such items as books, repairs, rent, and the like must be paid for from special appropriations by the towns. A state appropriation is made annually for the purpose of aiding the poorer towns to maintain their schools at a higher point of efficiency. It is called the Equalization Fund for Common Schools. No town is eligible to share in the appor- tionment of this fund unless the amount of money raised by it for common school support is such as to cause its tax rate for this purpose to be above the average of such rates for the state, while at the same time the town's general tax rate is also above the average of such rates for the state. No limita- tions are placed upon the amount of the apportionments to be made by the state superintendent in any case and he may direct that the money be used for increasing wages of teachers, length- ening the school year, or for any other purpose which he be- lieves will increase the efficiency of the common schools. There is also an appropriation to be used for secondary schools in much the same way, but in this case the law does not Imiit the apportionments to those towns having the highest tax rates. Normal Schools. The state maintains five normal schools and one special training school for the professional education of teachers. The first normal school was established at Farm- ington in 1863, the second at Castine in 1867, the third at Gorham in 1878, the- fourth at Presque Isle in 1903, and the fifth at Machias in 1909. At Fort Kent there was established in 1878 the Madawaska Training School. Its purpose was the training of teachers for the large French-speaking popula- tion in the northern part of the state. For some years there were no permanent buildings for this school, and its sessions were held alternately at Fort Kent and Van Buren, but in 1887 it was finally located at Fort Kent and a building erected 86 THE STORY OF MAINE there. It is not of the same standard as the regular state nor- mal schools, but aims to make its course especially adapted to fit its graduates to teach in the elementary schools of that section. The normal schools have a course of two years and require the equivalent of the completion of a standard four- year secondary school course for admission. These six schools are supported by an annual state appro- priation. They are under the control of a board of five trustees, of which the state superintendent of schools is an ex-officio member. At Farmington a special course is maintained for the training of teachers of home economics and at Gorham there is a course to prepare teachers of industrial arts. Separate buildings are available at these schools well equipped for the specialized work which is undertaken. All the schools have excellent recitation and administration buildings as well as commodious and attractive dormitories erected at different times by the state. An appropriation is made annually by the legislature to provide buildings and equipment under the direction of the board of trustees. The training which the normal schools offer is primarily vocational. It is intended to serve as a direct preparation for the teaching profession. Through these schools the state gives recognition to one of the most important factors in the advancement of the school system, — the placing of instruction of our young people upon a professional basis. No longer do we feel satisfied to have a large percentage of our schools in charge of teachers who have had no special training for their work. Instead, we have come to realize more and more keenly the fact that teaching children is a vocation in which the very best natural talent should be enlisted and that talent developed to the highest possible degree through the influence of strong personalities and surroundings of the most refined and inspiring nature. It is exactly these requirements which the normal schools seek to meet. In connection with each of the schools there is maintained a practice school in which are all the elementary grades. Here the students of the normal schools have opportunity to ob- THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 87 serve the teaching of each subject by an expert ^teacher, who has charge of the room, and during the last year of the course each student also is required to perform the actual work of teaching for several weeks under the direction of one of these experts. The course of study in each school includes not only this practical application of the teaching methods which the stu- dents have studied but a great many other subjects intended to provide a broad general educational background. Each' student is given work in manual training, domestic science. Buildings and Grounds of the Gorham Normal School agriculture, and physical training in order to provide a suffi- cient knowledge of these branches to enable each graduate to give such instruction in them as may be required of her in connection with her regular work as a grade teacher. The schools are located in places which are well adapted to provide an ideal setting for such institutions. Not one is in a city. All are in towns, however, of sufficient size to furnish the number of children necessary to make up the practice schools. Each is situated amid healthful and attractive sur- roundings. Gorham is only a short distance from Portland, while both Farmington and Presque Isle are in the heart of two of the most fertile and prosperous farming sections of the state. 88 THE STORY OF MAINE Machias and'Castine are coast towns having splendid scenic attractions as well as being particularly rich in their histori- cal associations. Fort Kent is in the beautiful valley of the St. John. It is a progressive town and well located to serve as headquarters for the training of teachers for the Madawaska territory. Industrial and Vocational Education. The first recognition given by law to any form of industrial education in the state was in 1871 when the legislature passed an act authorizing cities and towns to make provision for giving free instruction in industrial or mechanical drawing to persons ' over fifteen years of age, either in day or evening schools. No further legislation on this subject was enacted until 1901 when towns were authorized to establish manual training schools, and in 1909 provision was made for reimbursing any incorporated academy to the extent of not more than $250 annually for each of the three courses : manual training, domestic science, and agriculture. The legislature of that year further pro- vided for an investigation of the systems of industrial education in this and foreign countries, to be made by the state superin- tendent of schools, with instructions that he report his findings to the next legislature with such recommendations as he might wish to make. Out of this investigation and report grew the law which is now in effect except for slight changes in the amount of state reimbursement provided. This law directs the board of nor- mal school trustees to maintain the two special training courses above mentioned, as well as elementary courses in manual training and domestic science in all the normal schools as a part of the required course. All towns or cities maintaining industrial courses for which state aid is expected must have them approved by the state superintendent of schools. This con- dition having been met and the teachers having been properly certificated, the state reimburses annually for elementary school courses on the basis of two-thirds the cost of instruc- tion except that not more than $800 can be paid on account of any one teacher. The same basis of reimbursement is pro- THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 89 vided for courses in home economics, industrial arts, or agri- culture in high schools and academies, but the maximum aid for each school is $750, and no aid can be paid for any course in which the average attendance of pupils for the year is less than twelve. Towns maintaining evening schools also re- ceive reimbursement under the same law to an extent of two- thirds the cost of instruction. Supplementing the state's already admirable statute for the support of industrial education, the legislature of 1917 accepted the provisions of the Federal Smith-Hughes law providing government funds for vocational education in the several states in the departments of home economics, agricul- ture, and the trades and industries. A special appropriation is available from the state to be used in connection with this vo- cational work. Several all-day, part-time, and evening schools giving courses in shipbuilding, paper making, shoe and leather work, automobile repairing, home economics, and agriculture are in operation under this impetus. The training of teachers for this work is done at the normal schools at Farmington and Gorham, and at the University of Maine at Orono. The fact that Maine had already done a large amount of preliminary work along similar lines made it comparatively easy to re- organize many of the courses with little change in order to meet the requirements of the Smith-Hughes law. State Certification of Teachers. For many years Maine required local certification of all teachers in the public schools, while provision was made for the state certification of such as desired to qualify. Several bills to require compulsory state certification were introduced at various times in the legis- lature, but it was not until 1913 that such a law was passed. It provides that all public school teachers shall hold state certificates except that, for one year, any teacher who meets the minunum requirements for a state certificate may be em- ployed on the basis of a temporary non-renewable teaching permit issued by the superintendent for whom she may teach after passing such examination as he sees fit to give. .Before issuing this permit, however, the local superintendent must 90 THE STORY OF MAINE apply to the state superintendent for a form of permit, and he is required to certify to the name and educational qualifications of the person to whom the permit is to be issued. No teacher may receive a certificate or temporary permit who is not seventeen years of age, or who has not completed the equivalent of a standard four-year secondary school course. Those who are to be employed in secondary schools must have completed at least the equivalent of two years of college or normal school work. Certificates are granted on any of four The Bangor High School Completed in 1913 to replace the buildinE; destroj'ed in the great fire which wiped out a large part of the center of the city. different bases : (1) written examination ; (2) two or more years of successful teaching service ; (3) graduation from a college or a normal or training school ; (4) a certificate of similar grade issued by authority of another state. All cer- tificates are of state-wide validity for the grade of school for which they are issued, and they indicate in themselves the basis on which they have been granted. Teachers' Pensions. A law providing for the pensioning of teachers by the state was passed in 1913. The amounts payable are comparatively small, but are entirely gratuitous, since no contribution is required of teachers who wish to be- THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 91 come recipients of the pension, as is the case in many other states. Briefly, the law provides that teachers, upon reaching the age of sixty years, who have completed twenty-five years of service in teaching as their principal occupation, twenty years of which, including the last fifteen, have been in Maine, shall receive an annual pension of $150. The service must have been in schools under public control and supported at least three-fifths by public funds. Thirty years of service under the above conditions entitles the teacher to receive $200 per year, and thirty-five years of service the maximum of $250. Those who retired before the law became effective are entitled to receive pensions of one-half the above amounts. Physical Education and Medical Inspection. A physical education law was passed by the 1919 legislature which re- quires all schools to make provision for physical training and physical education of an elementary nature beginning with the school year 1920. A course of study to serve as a basis for this work is outlined by the state superintendent of schools. An appropriation is included which is to be used in reimburs- ing towns and cities which employ special directors or super- visors of physical training. The state aid is paid on the basis of one-half the salaries paid such directors with a maximum of $800 for each of not more than two for any one city or town. Since 1909 towns have been authorized to employ school physicians, and for the same length of time it has been re- quired that medical inspection to the extent of testing the sight and hearing of all pupils in th6 public schools should be given annually. In 1919 an attempt was made to enact a law making the employment of school physicians and nurses compulsory in all towns, together with an adequate state-wide system of medical inspection, but the bill met with opposition and finally failed of enactment. Training of Special Rural Teachers. What is probably one of the most far-reaching and well-adapted policies for the improvement of rural education was given the force of law by the legislature of 1919. The plan was to select one hundrec^ 92 THE STORY OF MAINE of the strongest rural teachers of the state, teachers who had had sufficient experience to demonstrate properly their ability and rural-mindedness, and give them six weeks of intensive training during the summer for the specific purpose of sending them back to the towns in which they were teaching. They were to continue their work in their own schools and at the same time to serve as helping teachers for the other schools in the town. All the expenses of the teachers in attending the summer school were paid by the state and a state bonus of twenty-five per cent of the salary paid by the town is given each teacher at the close of the year. The plan proposes to continue this training of a hundred teachers each year indefinitely and thus establish a real rural teaching profession in the state. Thus the rural school teacher is assured of at least as remunerative a position as her fellow worker in the village or city, and at the same time is offered a much wider field for service in assisting other teachers who are not so well trained. Those selected for this special woi^k are expected to have completed a normal school course or have had equivalent training as well as teaching experience. A state appropriation is made for the purpose of meeting the expenses of the summer school, including salaries of instructors and lecturers, traveling expenses of teachers to and from the school, their board and room while in attendance, and of providing for the state bonuses of the preceding school year. Academies. The early demand for educational opportuni- ties in advance of the elementary school was met in Maine, as in many other states, by the establishing of private academies, seminaries, or institutes. For many years these institutions furnished the only means for secondary education available to our youth, but as the people became more and more desirous of such facilities the demand increased for the establishing of schools of this grade to be maintained at public expense. Furthermore, the fact that many students were barred from securing the advantages of higher education because the in- stitutions where it could be obtained were located at consider- able distance, had much to do with bringing about the action THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 93 of the state legislature in 1873 whereby state aid to the ex- tent of $500 per year was granted to towns establishing and maintaining free high schools. This law was a death blow to many of the academies, which, at best, had a hard struggle for existence, since it immediately brought into the field a host of competing institutions with the power of property taxation for their support. Many of the private institutions transferred their buildings and funds to the towns and became free high schools. This process has been going on ever since to a greater or less extent as the constant increase in the number of public schools of secondary grade has more and more restricted the field of the academies. Many of those still retaining their corporate organization are little more than free high schools for the towns in which they are located and those which adjoin. These are largely supported by town appropriation and by aid from the state. A few of the stronger institutions, by reason of a fairly large endow- ment, have been able to continue as in other years and serve much mofe than a local field. These include several schools which were established and are controlled and supported by religious denominations. In 1901 a general law was passed by the legislature which gave distinct recognition to the work of the academies and established a schedule of state aid based on their courses and attendance. In addition to this general aid the state has fre- quently made other special appropriations to individual acad- emies for specific purposes such as buildings, repairs, equip- ment, and maintenance. The academy law of 1901 as amended by several later acts provides state aid of $500 per year to each academy- which maintains an English course of study of four years, provided the average attendance for the year is more than thirty students, or, failing in this, provided the average for the five years preceding is more than thirty and provided, further, that no aid will be paid to any academy which has an income from invested funds in excess of $2000 per year. If the average attendance is more than sixty, state aid of $750 per year is paid when an additional course in 94 THE STORY OF MAINE preparation for college is maintained and $1000 if still another course for the training of teachers is given. Not more than $500 can be paid if the income from invested funds is over $1000. The average attendance in each of the courses must be at least twelve in order for it to be recognized. As has already been stated under the section dealing with industrial education, an academy may also receive state aid for such courses to the maximum of $750 per year, so that it is possible for $1750 of state money to be paid to an academy each year without special appropriation. Colleges and the University of Maine. The first Maine college was established at Brunswick in 1794, and was named Bowdoin College after James Bowdoin, a son of Governor Bowdoin of Massachusetts. He himself was minister to Spain while Jefferson was President of the United States, and when the college was founded, he endowed the institution with money and large tracts of land in Bowdoinham and Lis- bon. The college opened in 1802, and its long history contains record of some of our nation's best known and most resj^ected men who have been numbered among its students or who have served upon its faculty. Among the most famous are Henry W. Longfellow and Nathaniel Hawthorne. In 1820 the Medical School of Maine was chartered and placed under the control of the college. It has developed into a school of high standing among the medical schools of the country and a large part of its work is now carried on in Portland. The second college founded in the state is located at Water- ville and is known as Colby College. It was opened in 1818 under the auspices of the Baptist Association of Maine and was first largely devoted to the study of theology. It was chartered as the " Maine Literary and Theological Institution." It was not until 1820 that any of the college buildings were erected. The legislature of Maine in 1821 changed the name to Water- ville College, and again in 1867 it was changed to Colby Uni- versity, being named for Gardiner Colby, of Newton, Massa- chusetts, who had placed at the disposal of the trustees an THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 95 endowment fund of S50,000 with which to estabhsh the in- stitution upon a stronger financial basis. In 1871 it was de- cided to admit women on equal terms with men. By request of the trustees in 1899 the name was changed to Colby College. Colby has produced some of the country's most successful educators and public men, while the early ideals of the insti- tution have also persisted and a greater number of ministers of the gospel is found among its graduates than of any other calling. At Lewiston is located Bates College, which was originally established in 1855 as the Maine State Seminary by the Free Baptists of Maine. A college organization was adopted in 1863 and the state legislature changed the charter to conform to the change in organization. The new institution was named in honor of Benjamin Edward Bates, of Boston, who gave $25,000 toward its endowment at the time it was established as a college, and who subsequently made other and larger gifts. The Cobb Divinity School became a department of the college in 1870, but was later discontinued. Bates has been a coeducational institution since its in- ception. While its graduates are to be found in prominent positions in all walks of life, it is in the educational field that their activities have been most pronounced, and a large per- centage of its graduates is enrolled in the teaching profession. As a result of the act of Congress in 1862, by which public land grants were made to states for the purpose of establish- ing colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts, the state of Maine established the University of Maine at Orono in 1866. The place was selected by the board of trustees after there had been a great deal of discussion as to whether a separate college should be organized or whether the department of agri- culture should be connected with one of the colleges already in operation. The name University of Maine was not, however, adopted until 1897. Before that time it was known as the State College of Agriculture and the INlechanic Arts. The towns of Orono and Oldtown both contributed money for the pur- chase of the farm on which the University is located, and the state appropriated money for the erection of buildings. 96 THE STORY OF MAINE The institution has had a steady growth until its student body numbers approximately twelve hundred, being nearly as many as in the other three colleges combined. It has re- ceived state appropriations from year to year both for buildings and maintenance, although it is not, strictly speaking, a state university, since the state does not definitely assume respon- sibility for its management. Neither does the state control its activities except as a part of the board of trustees is appointed by the governor. A movement is under way with the object of placing the college directly under state control, and at the A Part of the University of Maine Campus same time to have the state accept responsibility for its sup- port. In addition to the original courses in agriculture and me- chanic arts, the university has a diversified curriculum includ- ing the colleges of arts and sciences, pharmacy, law, and several branches of engineering. The Standard of Maine' s Schools. We have seen how much care has been taken and how many laws have been enacted to insure for every child in Maine the opportunity of receiving at least reasonably good school training. In every town and city of the state there are maintained at public ex- pense schools of elementary grade. In a large number of places there are also public high schools which are free to all who wish to take advantage of the more advanced work which they offer. The state normal schools give to those who desire THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 97 to become trained teachers the chance to pursue still further study without great expense. All of these schools are kept in operation and are supported by public funds for the purpose of making sure that the best possible educational opportunity is given to those young people who are soon to become the workers and the leaders in the affairs of the towns and cities. In order that we may have clearly in mind the things which determine whether" or not our schools are furnishing this op- portunity to the fullest possible extent, let us for a moment consider some of the standards which should be met if we are to feel that everything possible is being done to make them perform the service which we have a right to expect of them. In the first place there must be the best kind of teacher in charge and at least thirty-six weeks of school in each year. The laws of Maine require that there shall be not less than thirty weeks in any town, but many already have the larger number. If any children are conveyed from home to school in the morning and back again at night, they should ride in a comfortable wagon or sleigh which is heated or otherwise pro- tected in cold weather and is covered when it storms. 'The driver is expected to see that no rough language is used on the way to or from school. If the school is in the country and children bring lunches for the noon hour, they should prepare, under the teacher's direction, at least one warm dish each day, such as soup or some other nourishing food. A very few cooking utensils and either the regular school stove or a small blue-flame heater is all that is necessary to serve soups, cocoa, or other simple dishes which add much to the noonday meal at school. There are many schools in the state where this is being done regularly. The schoolhouse should be located on high ground which is well drained so that no water will stand on the playground. There should be a large space around the building for play and for a school garden. Moreover, there should be trees or shrubs on the grounds, so placed that they will not interfere with their use for games. They are best placed around the outside edge of the grounds or clustered together with plenty of open space 98 THE STORY OF MAINE between. These will add much to the attractiveness of the school. The building itself should be as good as or better than any other building in the community. It should be as attractive and well adapted to its purpose as the grange hall, the audi- torium, the clubhouse, or any residence, for this is the school home of the children, and it should be just as delightful and well equipped as any of them. It should be well built, well painted, if constructed of wood, and should have a flagpole, either attached to the building or on the school grounds from which the Stars and Stripes should be flying. It should have a good heating apparatus, so that the rooms will be at an even temperature in all parts. This can be accomplished by steam or hot-water heaters, by a good furnace, or by a jacketed stove in the room, but not by an ordinary stove without any means for distributing the heat to the farthest parts of the room.^ Some good system of ventilation is necessary in order that fresh air may come in and the foul air be extracted. Both good heating and good ventilation are essential to good health in schools. They mean fewer colds and less chance of many other diseases. The windows should be placed so that the light will come entirely from the left of the pupils or from the left and rear. By no means should there ever be a window in front of them, as this placing is the cause of much eye trouble. The windows should have a sufficient glass area to be equal to about one- fifth the area of the floor. They should be banked together with very little space between them. The room should not be wider than twice the distance from the floor to the top of the windows. Blackboards should be placed so that a good light will shine upon them and never be located between the windows. The walls should not be papered unless absolutely necessary, but should be tinted or painted with a flat paint of a light color so as not to reflect the light in a way to dazzle the eyes of pupils. On the walls should be some good, but not 1 Plans and instructions for jacketing a stove can be secured by writing the State Department of Education at Augusta. THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 99 necessarily expensive, framed pictures, and some good wall maps for the study of geography, including one of the state of Maine. The best blackboards are of slate, but a pulp board with slated surface is very serviceable for several years. The floor should be of hard wood and provide at least eighteen square feet of space for each pupil. The desks should be of the single type and so arranged that they can be adjusted easily for height of seat and top. They should be in enough different sizes to accommodate the pupils of varying size and age who ^# -i T: ' ^^ f .»% '/■' 4 ":# A Rural School Playground may be in the school. A teacher's desk and chair of good quality are also essential. There should be separate cloak rooms for boys and girls, warmed in the same way as the schoolroom. The toilets should be entirely separate, kept scrupulously clean and free from all marks or defacements. There is also required a place in which hands and face may be washed. The towels must be of paper or else a separate one brought by each pupil for his individual use. The drinking water should be from a source that is known to be free from pollution and supplied either by a bubbling fountain of the proper kind or from a covered tank with faucet from which pupils draw it into their cups. There must be a separate cup for each child, and it should 100 THE STORY OF MAINE be frequently and thoroughly washed. It is now well recog- nized that the use of one drinking cup by several people is a cause for transmitting various diseases from one child to another. In the use of the bubbling fountain one should never press his lips down far enough to touch the outlet through which the water comes, as to do this is much the same as for all to use the same cup. Many people are very careless about this and seem to have little regard for their own safety or that of others. In the matter of equipment, there should also be a globe and a bookcase of reasonable size in which can be stored surplus textbooks. This will also be used for the school library, in which should be found a collection of the best literature for children, as well as many reference books for use in regular class work, and one or more good dictionaries. For physical training and recreation, there should be a suffi- cient amount of playground apparatus, such as slides, swings, teeters, and giant strides, while in the larger schools a gym- nasium is especially desirable for indoor games and exercises. A large room which can be used as a school auditorium is now being included in well-arranged buildings. Here the pupils come together for entertainment and group instruction by means of lectures and motion pictures, and the people make use of it as a community center for evening meetings and com- munity singing. Thus the school building and equipment are made to serve the entire community to the best advantage. Manual training shops and domestic science rooms with adequate eciuipment are also considered essential parts of a good school. The school should train the hand as well as the brain and help in making strong, vigorous men and women who know how to do things and how to take care of their bodies and their minds equally well. Directors of physical educa- tion to map out the work and to supervise the play of pupils, while the school nurse, the school i)hysician, and dentist care for their health, do much to make our best schools serve their real purpose in the life of the community. A school improvement league or some other similar organiza- tion is of great value in every school in order that pupils may THE PRESENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN MAINE 101 feel a sense of partnership in working together to make better their school surroundings. Every league should include in its membership as many as possible of the parents and other adults who can then be interested in what the school is doing. ^ It must be borne in mind that a school is not for the pupils alone, but for every one within the limits of the district in which it is located, and it can make its full contribution to the present and future welfare of the community only when it is made a center of interest for the people, when they take a real pride in it as one of their most cherished institutions, and when they realize that, in order for the highest usefulness to f^ome out of it, they must put their heartiest cooperation into it. The good school is the very foundation of the good community. EXERCISE VII ' 1. What position does Maine occupy in providing for the edu- cation of every child within its limits ? 2. Who has control of the schools in each town and city? Who are the school officers in your town or city? 3. What are some of the things over which the state superin- tendent has jurisdiction and what are some of his duties? Who does he have to help him ? Where is his office ? 4. How is your superintendent of schools appointed? How are the members of your school committee elected? 5. What are some of the duties of your superintendent? Of your committee? When does he take the school census or have it taken? Who is included in the census? What is the value of it? How many names are on the school census roll of your town ? 6. About how much money is spent in Maine each year for schools ? Is it growing larger or smaller ? Why ? Find out through your teacher or superintendent how much the schools of Maine cost last year. Find out the same about the schools of your town or city. What was the money spent for and how much for each item ? 7. What is unorganized territory? How are the schools in that territory managed, who manages them, and how much do they cost? 1 Write the State Department of Education at Augusta for descrip- tive pamphlet containing outline of organization and work of the school improvement leagues. There are about 1500 now in operation. 102 THE STORY OF MAINE How many such schools are there? Where are they located? How many children are in them ? 8. Who has control of the school money in your town? Who approves the bills? Who decides whether or not children shall be carried to school? 9. Who decides whether or not a new school building shall be erected or a new school established? 10. How many high schools may a town or city have? What aid does the state give toward high schools ? When a town does not main- tain a high school, what provision is it required to make for its pupils of high school grade ? 11. Between what ages docs the law require children to attend school? How old must children be before they can work in a mill or factory during vacations? During school time? What grade must they have completed before they can work? 12. How much money does the state pay to towns each year for elementary schools? Where does it get the money? How much does your town get from the state? For what purposes can it be used? 13. How many state normal schools are there and where are they? What are they for? What .and where is the Madawaska Training School? 14. How many schools or towns have courses in manual training, domestic science, or agriculture? Do any schools in your town or city have such courses ? 15. How many teachers in Maine have pensions? How long must a teacher have served before she can receive a pension ? 16. How manj^ academies or schools of that kind are there in Maine ? Why are there fewer now than in earlier days ? Wliat aid do academies receive from the state ? Is there one in your town ? How does it differ from a high school ? 17. How many colleges are there in Maine? Wliat are their names and where are they located? Where is the University of Maine? What special courses does it offer? 18. Where is the Maine Medical School? With what college is it connected? Note to Teachers. The annual report of the State Superintend- ent of Schools will give you complete statistical information about Maine schools. From the principal of each normal school and the president of each college can be obtained catalogs which will tell more about these institutions. CHAPTER VIII SOME OF MAINE'S NOTED MEN AND WOMEN A State of Celebrities. No Maine man has ever been Presi- dent of the United States, but, aside from this high office, there are few which have not at one time or another in the na- tion's history been held by some one from the Pine Tree State. This statement is not, of course, to l)e regarded as meaning that Maine men have held all the important offices which now exist, but it is nevertheless true that few states have had larger influence in national affairs. Maine cannot claim all of these men by birth, but it is fair to say that other states have gained fully as many men and women of renown who were born in Maine as it has added to its list who were born elsewhere. The claim is only on those who have made Maine their home and who have lived in the state for the greater part of their lives, or at least sufficiently long to become strongly identified with Maine's interests. The list includes eminent statesmen, great jurists, one of the best known and most loved of American poets, strong military leaders, musicians of world- wide renown, novelists and story writers, inventors of wonder- ful genius, and professional men of distinction in their several fields of work. It is upon the men and women who have made and who will make themselves felt in the great and funda- mental relations of life that the state must depend for its posi- tion of eminence, rather than upon its created wealth or natural resources. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Probably there is no poet whose works are dearer to the hearts of the American people than Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He was born in Port- 103 104 THE STORY OF MAINE land, February 27, 1807, and was educated at Bowdoin. Shortly after his graduation he was made professor of modern languages at that college and later a professor in Harvard University. He was a great lover of children, and from the many beautiful poems of childhood which he wrote he has become known as the '' children's poet." Some of his best known poems are A Psalm of Life, The Village Blacksmith, The Children's Hour, The Building of the Ship, Evangeline, Hiawatha, and Paul Revere' s Ride. His fame spread through- out the world, and a memorial bust was placed in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey in England in 1884. Long- fellow died on March 24, 1882. The Wadsworth-Longfellow house on Congress Street, Portland, is preserved as a fitting memorial to the great poet of Maine. James G. Blaine. Pennsylvania was the native state of James G. Blaine, he having been born at West Brownsville in 1830, but he came to Maine when he was twenty-four years of age and was a resident of the state for the remainder of his life. He made his home in Augusta, where he first located in Maine as editor of the Kennehec Journal. His political career began almost immediately. He was elected to the state legislature for four years beginning with 1857, and in 1862 was elected to Congress where he was made Secretary of State. In 1884 came the crowning honor of his brilliant career when he was nominated hy the Republicans as their candidate for President. His defeat by Grover Cleveland was a heavy blow to the Maine statesman, from which he never quite recovered, although he continued to be active in political life and was again made Secretary of State by President Harrison in 1889. From this position he resigned in 1802 and lived only until January 27, 1893. His home in Augusta has recently been presented to the state and has been remodeled as a Governor's Mansion. William P. Fessenden. Bosc wen. New Hampshire, was the birthplace of William P. Fessenden on October 16, 1806. He was, however, educated at Bowdoin College, from which he was graduated in 1823. After that time he was constantly a SOME OF MAINE'S NOTED MEN AND WOMEN 105 resident of Maine and an ardent champion of her interests. After serving in the state legislature for several terms he was elected to Congress in 1840 where he served one term in the lower house. In 1854 he was elected to the Senate and be- came prominent as an antislavery leader in that body. Presi- dent Lincoln regarded him as one of the most able men in public life. He was a notable financier and his ability in this direc- tion, as well as his clear understanding of the problems of na- tional credit, caused him to be made Secretary of the Treasury in those crucial days of financial stress just at the close of the Civil War. Later, he again became a member of the Senate and was made chairman of the great finance committee. He died in Portland, September 8, 1869. Hannibal Hamlin. As Blaine was the only Maine man to receive a nomination for President, so was Hannibal Hamlin the only man from our state who ever occupied the office of Vice-President. He was elected in 1860 and served with Lin- coln during his first term. Hamlin was born in Paris, Maine, in 1809. He began his political career in 1836 as a member of the state legislature, and went to Congress to serve in both House and Senate until 1856, when he returned to become governor of his native state for four years preceding his elec- tion to the vice-presidency. He was again in the Senate from 1869 to 1881, when he was appointed minister to Spain, where he remained for two years. He then retired to private life and lived at his home in Bangor until his death in 1891. Commodore Edward Preble. Maine has occupied an en- viable position as a shipbuilding state and has furnished many a man to our country's seafaring history, both in its commerce and in its naval activities. None is better known than Com- modore Edward Preble, who was born in Portland, August 15, 1761. He entered the navy at an early age and was rapidly promoted until he was given command of the expedition sent to punish the Barbary States of Africa for their pirating inter- ference with our shipping. So well did he perform his mission that a vote of thanks was accorded him by Congress. He was offered the position of Secretary of the Navy by President 106 THE STORY OF MAINE Jefferson, but was not able to accept on account of failing health. General Henry Kjiox. Although General Knox was neither a native of Maine nor one who served the state in public life, yet his long residence here has made him regarded almost as one of Maine's" own sons. He was a prominent patriot and a close friend of Washington, serving through the Revolution as one of our great military leaders. He took an active part in many of the battles of that war. He was appointed as the first Secretary of War, and held that cabinet portfolio for nine years, when he retired to the home estate of his wife in Thomas- ton, Maine. He erected a pretentious home there, which was one of the prominent landmarks of that town, and lived there until his death in 1806. Nelson Dingley, Jr. While it is on account of his political career that Nelson Dingley, Jr., was most widely known, yet he was also a prominent journalist. He was born in Durham, Maine, on February 15, 1832, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1855, and was admitted to the bar the following year, although he never took up the practice of law. He became editor and proprietor of the Lewiston Journal and made it one of the most influential publications of his native state. This position he held for more than twenty years. In 1862 he be- came a member of the Maine legislature and served several terms. He was elected governor in 1874 and to Congress in 1881, continuing as a member of that body for eighteen years until his death in 1899. He was an effective speaker and writer, and achieved such a position of leadership in Congress that he was made chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee which framed the tariff measure bearing his name and embodying largely his ideas on the subject of a high rate of protection for home industries. The Washbums. While Maine can claim Elihu B. Wash- burn only by birth, education, and a brief period of employment as a newspaper man, yet his ability was such that it would no doubt have received equal recognition had he continued as a resident of his native state. He was born in Livermore in 1816, SOME OF MAINE'S NOTED MEN AND WOMEN 107 studied law at Kent's Hill and Hallowell, and in 1840 moved to Illinois, from which state he went to Congress and served for a long period of years. He was appointed Secretary of State by President Grant and later became minister to France. An older brother, Israel Washburn, was Governpr of Maine dur- ing the trying period of the Civil War and later represented the state in Congress. Still another brother, also born in Livermore, was at the same time representing in Congress a district of Wyoming, to which state he had moved from Maine. Charles F. Browne. Few, if any, of America's humorists have attained the popularity of Artemus Ward, -whose real name was Charles F. Browne, born in Waterford, Maine, in 1834. He began life in newspaper work by setting type for a Boston publication and by writing for various journals. Later he became a much sought-after lecturer. He also wrote several books based upon his travels in this country and abroad. All of these were in a humorous vein and were widely read in Eng- land, as well as in America. Neal Dow. To have been the father of prohibition in these days when the movement has swept the nation after years of struggle is a distinction which makes Neal Dow a worthy recipient of the highest honors at the hands of the people of his own state. He was born in Portland, March 20, 1804, and served in the Maine legislature, where he drafted the first prohibitory law passed in 1851. Later he served with credit as an officer in one of Maine's Civil War regiments. After the war he traveled extensively, and became widely known as a lecturer and temperance reformer. He was the Prohibition party's candidate for President in 1880. He died October 2, 1897. Thomas B. Reed. Another of Maine's distinguished states- men was Thomas Brackett Reed, born in Portland in 1839. He graduated from Bowdoin in 1860 and took up the study and practice of law. He served in the state legislature after having been paymaster in the navy for a year during the Civil War, and in 1876 was elected to Congress, of which body he was a member for twenty-two consecutive years. He was 108 THE STORY OF MAINE chosen speaker of the House at three different times and gained the title of " Czar Reed " from the nature of some of his rul- ings, which were, however, upheld by the Supreme Court. He was a man of indomitable will and commanding personality, and his leadership in Congress for so long a period of years did much to place Maine in the front rank as a state from which great statesmen came. Mr. Reed died in 1902. Melville W. Fuller. One of the most distinguished jurists America has ever produced was born in Augusta, Maine, in 1833. It was Melville W. Fuller who brought to our state so high a distinction. He was a resident of Maine for twenty- three years, receiving his collegiate education at Bowdoin and completing his legal training at Harvard. He took up the practice of law in 1855 ; also did some newspaper work in Augusta, and served on the city council and as city attorney. Moving to Chicago he soon attracted attention by his legal ability and was elected to the Illinois legislature in 1863. President Cleveland appointed him Chief Justice of the Su- preme Court in 1888, which high position he held until his death in 1910. In 1899 he was one of the arbitrators in the con- troversy between Venezuela and England. Lillian Nordica. To the little town of Farmington belongs the honor of having been the birthplace of the great American soprano, Lillian Norton, in 1859. She studied music in this country and later in Milan, Italy, making her first public operatic appearance in that country. She spent a consider- able part of her life abroad, becoming famous under the name of Lillian Nordica as a singer of wonderful soprano voice and ability to render the most difficult dramatic and vocal parts of Wagner opera. Her renown spread to this country and when she returned to her native land in 1895, she was received at once as the leading artist of her day. Her popularity was probably greater than that of any other American singer. She died in 1914. William P. Frye. Maine's influence upon national affairs of government has been partly the result of having as her representatives at Washington some very able men, and partly SOME OF MAINE.'S NOTED MEN AND WOMEN 109 because her policy has been to continue in service for long periods men who have proved their ability. This policy is well illustrated in the career of William P. Frye, who repre- sented the state in Congress for forty years, ten years of which were in the lower house and thirty in the Senate. He was born in Lewiston in 1831, graduated from Bowdoin College in 1850, and entered the profession of law. He was a member of the state legislature and mayor of his home city and served as attorney-general of the state for two years before being first elected to Congress in 1871. In 1898 he was one of the commissioners to negotiate the treaty of peace with Spain. He became president pro tempore of the Senate in 1901. His long experience and intimate knowledge of governmental activi- ties, coupled with his sound judgment, made his advice of great value, and, as a result, he was held in highest esteem alike by his political friends and enemies. His death occurred in 1911. The Maxims. The invention of the machine gun is ac- knowledged of great importance in its effect upon modern warfare. It was Hiram S. Maxim, born in Sangerville, Maine, in 1840, who developed the first gun of this kind and later did much to perfect it. He also invented searchlights. When he was about forty years of age he moved to England and made that country his home. He was made a knight by Queen Victoria. His brother, Hudson Maxim, born at Orneville in 1853, was also an inventor, and is credited with the distinction of having been the first to make smokeless powder and some of the most powerful of the high explosives. Dorothea Dix. It is only within comparatively few years that really humane treatment has been accorded to the un- fortunate insane. The name of Dorothea Dix is inseparably connected with the reform which entirely changed the atti- tude of people toward those who require special care on ac- count of the loss of their reason. She was born in Hampden, Maine, in 1802, and after a number of years spent in teaching, she took up the cause of the insane and finally succeeded in 110 THE STORY OF MAINE bringing about great changes for their benefit. She died in 1887. Hugh McCuUoch. After the Civil War the financial condi- tion of the country was far from satisfactory. It required exceptionally able financiers to keep our credit upon a sound basis. Hugh McCulloch, as Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, had much to do with the management of the country's financial policy at that time. He was born in Kenne- bunk, Maine, in 1808, moved to Indiana after completing his schooling, and made a marked success as a banker. After leaving his position as head of the treasury department, he en- gaged in the banking business in London for some years and became widely known in that way. He returned to this coun- try and remained until his death in 1895. " Bill Nye." Maine can claim Edgar Wilson Nye only from the fact that he was born in Shirley in 1850. He lived in Maine for but a short time before his parents moved west, whence he never returned to make Maine his home. He is noted as a lecturer, humorist, and traveler. Both his lectures and his books contained a very rich vein of humor. Elijah Kellogg. One of the best known writers which Maine has produced is Elijah Kellogg, born in Portland in 1813. While he wrote many articles and numerous books, it was as a writer for boys that he really became famous. Many of the scenes of his books are laid in Maine, especially on the coast, and his portrayal of life there is most charming in its sim- plicity and the strength of its interpretation. Robert E. Peary. While we cannot claim the honor of being the first to reach the North Pole for a man who was actually born in Maine, yet Robert E. Peary, who accomplished that feat on April 6, 1909, was to all intents a Maine man, being born in Pennsylvania in 1856, but coming to Maine when only three years of age. He made his home in or near Portland for most of the remainder of his life when he was not engaged on one of his eight Arctic trips. After returning from his con- quest of the pole, he retired to Eagle Island in Casco Bay and remained there the greater part of the time until his death. SOME OF MAINE'S NOTED MEN AND WOMEN 111 The ship, Roosevelt, in which he made his last two voyages, was built in Bucksport, and several Maine men were among the crew. Admiral Peary died on February 20, 1920. Elijah P. Lovejoy. The first martyr to the cause of abolition of slavery in the United States was a Maine man, Elijah P. Lovejoy, born in Albion in 1802. He was graduated from Colby College in 1822, moved west, and edited a paper in Alton, Illinois, which was extremely bitter in its opposition to slavery. This made Lovejoy very unpopular with numbers of those who gave support to the slave owners, and his establish- ment was three times attacked by mobs. The third time, on November 7, 1837, the rioters succeeded in reaching Lovejoy and he was shot as he strove to save from destruction the press used in printing his paper. His untimely death had a far-reaching effect and turned many a strong supporter to the anti-slavery cause, including Wendell Phillips of Boston. A monument to the memory of Lovejoy was later erected in Alton. Others. The list of Maine men and women who have at- tained more than state-wide prominence in their several lines of work could be lengthened indefinitely. The foregoing list, however, is sufficiently long to serve the purpose of show- ing that Maine has contributed her share of those upon the roll of our country's most famous personages. EXERCISE VIII 1. Who is Maine's most famous poet? What are some of his best known poems? 2. What Maine man was nominated for President? 3. What Maine man was Vice-President? 4. Who was the first great leader of the prohibition movement in Maine and the United States ? 5. What Maine man was speaker of the national House of Repre- sentatives ? , 6. What Maine man was Chief Justice of the United States Su- preme Court? 7. What Maine woman was a great leader in reform work for the benefit of the insane ? 112 THE STORY OF MAINE 8. Why are we particularly interested in Peary, who discovered the North Pole? 9. Who was the first martyr to the cause of abolition of slavery in the United States? What great advocate of abohtion was won to the cause by his death? 10. Why are men and women of greater value to a state than all its natural resources ? 11. Who are the men and women of your town or city who have at- tained more than usual prominence in public life or in some special line of work? Make a list of them and find out all you can about their public services. PART II MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY CHAPTER I GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION Location. Maine is located in the extreme northeastern corner of the United States. It is nearly half surrounded by- two provinces of the Dominion of Canada which border it on the west, north, and east, while New Hampshire forms the remainder of its western boundary, and the Atlantic Ocean bounds it on the south. No other state in the whole country has so small a part of its border line touching another state. As we look at a map of the United States it at first appears that Maine must extend farther north than any other state, but this is not true. A considerable portion of the states of Minne- sota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington extend farther north than the most northern extremity of Maine. Size. The area of Maine is 33,040 square miles, which makes it only 344 square miles smaller than all the remainder of New England taken together. It is about the same size as South Carolina, nearly thirty times as large as Rhode Island, and only about one-eighth as large as Texas. Thirty-seven states are larger than Maine and ten are smaller. About one-tenth of the whole area, or 3145 square miles, is water. Mame's greatest length is 303 miles and its greatest width 215 miles. The coast line is exceedingly irregular, having thousands of indentations, many of which afford fine harbors and have contributed much to the position which the state has held in the world of commerce and shipbuilding. In a straight line, 113 114 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY the distance from Kittery to Eastport is about 250 miles, but the length of the coast line between those two points is more than ten times as great if the irregularities are followed. As far as Portland these are not so pronounced, and the splendid beaches at York, Kennebunk, and Old Orchard are famous the country over, but east of Portland, the shore becomes more rugged and broken. Headlands, promontories, and rocky cliffs meet the eye of the traveler, while here and there a A Rocky Ledge on a Maine Inlet sandy beach presents itself. Islands dot the water on every hand, varying in size from that scarcely offering space for one of the many lighthouses to that which includes several towns. Political Divisions. Maine has sixteen counties. By far the largest is Aroostook with an area of 6408 square miles, in itself three times as large as the state of Delaware and not far from equaling New Jersey. The smallest county is Sagadahoc, whose area is 259 square miles. The names of the counties are as follows : Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Frank- lin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 115 Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, and York. There are 519 towns, cities, and organized plantations. Of these there are twenty which are chartered as cities under the provisions of special acts of the legislature. They are Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Belfast, Biddeford, Brewer, Calais, Eastport, Ellsworth, Gardiner, Hallowell, Lewiston, Oldtown, Portland, Rockland, Saco, South Portland, Waterville, and Westbrook. The number of incorporated towns is 435, while there are 64 plantations. Wild Land Townships. About half the total area of the state is wild land and has no local government. This territory is di- vided into units of varying size and shape, but corresponding in general to the towns. These are known as unorganized town- ships. They are for the most part either entirely uninhabited, except temporarily by lumber operators and sportsmen, or are very sparsely settled. A few have a considerable number of permanent residents engaged in agriculture, lumber manu- facturing, the summer hotel business, or allied activities. Most of them are located in the northern and northwestern part of the state, but some are found in ten of the sixteen counties. York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Kennebec, Waldo, and Sagadahoc are the only counties not having wild land town- ships within their limits. Many of the unorganized townships have names, frequently of unique and suggestive significance, such as Indian Purchase, Misery, Long A, and Jerusalem, but the majority are desig- nated only by number, range, and letter. The meaning of these designations requires some explanation. In the northern part of the state the territory was surveyed into square sections with lines running north and south six miles apart and called range lines, the north and south section nearest the eastern border of the state being the first range, the next one west, the second range, and so on. East and west lines were also run six miles apart, and the township in each range nearest the southern line of the survey was numbered one, the next one north of it, two, and so on to the extreme northern limits. The letters 116 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY W.E.L.S. were adopted to distinguish and locate the town- ships included in this survey and 16 R. 4 W.E.L.S., for example, designates township 16 in the fourth range West of the East Line of the State. Those located just south of Moosehead Lake on both sides of the Kennebec are included in the area of Bingham's Kennebec Purchase. Hence we have the desig- nations 1 R. 2 E.K.R.B.K.P. and 2 R. 3 W.K.R.B.K.P., in- dicating that the township is either east or west of the river and within that purchase. Similarly, the letters W.B.K.P. and N.B.K.P. are used to indicate that the tracts are located either west or north of those purchase limits. A similar method is used in designating the townships in several other sections, but in Hancock and Washington counties a slightly different arrangement is in effect, the territory being divided into three large tracts known as the North, South, and Middle Divisions in Hancock and the North, East, and Middle Divisions in Washington. In addition to those townships to which number and range titles are given, there are, in each county, some which are known by name only as strips, gores, grants, and other titles. Surface. For the most part, Maine's surface may be classed as rolling, but its area includes within it lofty mountain peaks and almost level sand}^ barrens, extensive marshes and the best of alluvial tillage soil, bottom lands of solid blue clay and upland stretches of warm, early producing loam and gravel. Much of the soil is well adapted for a diversity of farm crops, but there are also tremendous tracts much too rough ever to be reclaimed for agricultural purposes. The western part of the state is, on the whole, more rugged than any other. Here the foothills of the White Mountains of New Hampshire extend far within Maine territory. Farther north the projections of the Appalachian chain rise higher with Mt. Katahdin as the most elevated peak, while all about it tower others of less majestic proportions. With the exception of Mt. Washing- ton in New Hampshire, Katahdin is the highest peak in New England, being 5273 feet above sea level. There are only three higher mountains east of Colorado. Among these mountains rise all the great river systems of the state. On GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 117 every hand are to be seen evidences 'of the great glaciers which covered Maine with a huge sheet of ice in prehistoric times. The hills are rounded, outcropping ledges are grooved, great mounds of rock and gravel stretch for miles in a northeasterly- direction to mark where the glacial moraines were left as the ice-sheet receded, and practically the entire surface soil is filled with stones and boulders which the ice-rivers dropped upon the land. Rivers and Lakes. In the southern half of the state there are three great river systems, the Androscoggin, Kennebec, and Penobscot. These all flow south into the Atlantic Ocean. Together with the Saco, which is much smaller, the Andro- scoggin drains the whole western section bordering New Hamp- shire. It rises in the great chain of lakes known as the Range- leys, flows through New Hampshire for a considerable distance, reenters Maine, and finally joins the Kennebec at Merry- meeting Bay near Brunswick. The Kennebec, with its prin- cipal tributaries, the Sabasticook, Sandy, and Dead rivers, drains the central section, rising in Moosehead Lake, and form- ing the outlet of our largest body of fresh water. It is navi- gable as far as Augusta, a distance of about thirty-five miles. The Penobscot forms by far the largest system, draining, with its branches, nearly one quarter of the state's surface. The principal tributaries of the main river are the Mattawam- keag and the Piscataquis, but at a distance of nearly one hun- dred miles from its mouth, it divides into the east and west branches, both of which extend many miles into the dense forests of the north central part of the state, flowing through a wonderful chain of lakes. At one point near the extreme northern end of Moosehead Lake the waters of the Kennebec and of the west branch of the Penobscot come within less than three miles of each other. Bangor is the head of navigation on the Penobscot, and this is about twenty miles from the point where the river enters the bay of the same name. Farther east the Union and Machias rivers are of considerable size and importance. The St. Croix forms. the state's eastern boundary north from the ocean, nearly one-half the entire distance. 118 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY All of these rivers furnish magnificent water power sites and extensive developments have been made, but there still re- mains a tremendous reserve which has not yet been utilized. Huge storage reservoirs have been made by constructing dams at various points near the headwaters of all three of the great rivers above mentioned. These dams serve two very important purposes. The first is the conservation of the water supply so that it may insure the amount needed to float, even in case of drought, the millions of feet of logs which are annually cut and piled on the banks of the lakes and streams to go down to the pulp, paper, and lumber mills located farther toward the ocean. The second purpose is the regulation of the flow of water which provides the power by which these mills and numerous others are operated. A little later we shall see how great are the resources represented by the power generated by the rivers and streams as they pass through the more densely populated section of the state where the great mills and factories are located. All of the northern section of the state is drained by the St. John River and its principal tributaries, the Aroostook, the Fish, and the AUagash. The St. John forms more than two- thirds of Maine's northern boundary, and one of its other branches, the St. Francis, forms the remainder. For practically the whole distance for which it forms the dividing line between Maine and Canada, the St. John is a broad, rather shallow stream, but that part nearer its source, as it drops entirel}^ into Maine territory for nearly one hundred miles, is swift and tumultuous. Numerous rapids and falls mark its course throughout its tortuous descent to its junction with the St. Francis. The same is true of both the Allagash and the Aroos- took. The latter has already been largely harnessed to produce power for the running of mills and generating electricity, but the tremendous power possibilities of the St. John and the Allagash have never been developed. These rivers, flowing as they do in a northerly direction, while all the others of importance flow south, indicate a height of land between them dividing the state from east to west. GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 119 120 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY This divide is highest at the western end and measurements show that the western border is about 1400 feet higher than the eastern. Few, if any, states can equal Maine in variety and beauty of scenery. Wherever one goes he finds wonderful lakes rang- ing in size from those little ponds of a few acres in extent to magnificent Moosehead with its area of approximately one hundred square miles. Others which are noted the country over are the Rangeleys, Chesuncook, and Sebago, while hun- dreds of others of smaller size, but no less attractive, are scat- tered throughout the length and breadth of the state. The total number is generally placed at more than 1600. In many instances we find them nestled among the hills and mountains so closely that a score or more may be counted from the vantage point of a single elevation. To Maine has frequently been applied the name of " the Switzerland of America " on account of the superb panorama presented by the combination of lakes and mountains. Particularly may this be said of Moose- head and the Katahdin region, but it is almost equally true of the Rangeleys and in a less degree only of dozens of other lo- calities. When the project which has for its purpose the setting off as a national park reservation of an extensive tract to in- clude Mt. Katahdin becomes a reality, thousands of people who have not had the opportunity to do so before, because of its difficulty of access, will come to marvel at the grandeur of that rugged eminence. Well-built roads will then make it comparatively easy to reach where now only those who are willing to undergo considerable physical hardship are able to penetrate into the wilds in the midst of which it is located. Even with the present difficulties of a long, hard tramp after a trip by canoe to the nearest point accessible in that manner, and with no housing accommodations of satisfactory kind available, the number of visitors to this region is increasing year by year. The opening of roads and reasonably com- fortable camps or hotels would make it a Mecca for tourists, bringing to Maine a still greater tide of summer visitors than GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 121 already has earned it the reputation of being the nation's playground. Transportation. It was by means of boats that the first settlers reached Maine, coming on the great ocean highway, skirting the coast for a harbor and landing place. Aside from this method of transportation there was no way of getting about from place to place unless one went on foot through the track- less wilderness. The Indians had no use for roads, as they al- ways traveled either on foot or by canoe, using the rivers and lakes as their only highways. For some years it was not nec- essary that the white settlers should have any more adequate means of communication than had been developed by the Indians, since each little. colony was practically self-contained and its chief interests were within its own body of members. Then, too, the settlements were all either on the coast or only short distances up some of the rivers, so that the water route was' open to every one who desired to go from one place to another. As time went on and the number of settlements increased, the desire for overland conveyance became stronger, and roads were cut through the forests, so that travel on horseback in summer and by crude horse-drawn sleds in winter was possible. Very gradually the roads were extended and improved and two-wheel carts came into common use, but horseback riding continued to be the favorite mode of travel for both men and women for many years. In fact, it was not until almost the beginning of the nineteenth century that four-wheel carriages made their appearance to any great extent, except in the village streets. This was largely due to the fact that roads were so crudely built that it was dangerous as well as uncomfortable for the occupants of any except the most stoutly constructed vehicles to attempt to traverse them. The two-wheel wagons were much easier to manage under such conditions and overland freight was carried in them. We find record of mail being taken by stagecoach between Boston and Portland as early as 1787, but not on regular sched- ule. Some fifteen years later a regular stage route was es- 122 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY tablished from Boston as far as Augusta. The trip between the two places occupied three days, and a journey of that distance was then regarded as much more of an event than a railway journey across the continent is considered to-day. During the next quarter century, while settlements were con- stantly being pushed farther and farther inland, the highways were given more attention and stage communication was established with nearly every section of the state, until it was well served for both the delivery of mail and the conveyance of passengers. There was something of romantic interest about the old stagecoach that never has been or will be attained by any other means of transportation. As it rattled and swaj^ed along on its way from town to town, carrying its burden of mail, freight, and passengers, it brought with it the news of the day, the message of good cheer or misfortune, and its arrival was eagerly awaited. To young and old alike it had an intense interest, and the driver, knowing as he did the people on all sides and much about their business, was looked upon as very much a man of the world, and one whose favor was worth cultivating. Many a group of attentive listeners did he gather about him each night at the tavern, when, at the end of his day's journey, he proceeded to unfold the tale of his experiences and the doings of those along his route. To-day, as we hurry about from place to place in swift trains, electric cars, or automobiles, it is a bit difficult for us to under- stand how people lived so long without these conveniences of travel. We are inclined to find fault at little delays and poor service, but had we been living a hundred years ago the ways in which we are able to get about at the present time would have been almost unbelievable. With thousands of automobiles flashing along our highways and crowding our city streets, we still complain of lack of good roads and are expending millions of dollars for their improvement. What a contrast when we stop to think of conditions when our fore- fathers were just beginning to establish communication with the outside world ! The telephone, the telegraph, the rail- GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 123 road, the electric car, the automobile, and hundreds of other modern conveniences that we give scarcely a thought and take as matters of course were then not even dreamed of. And yet people lived and worked and were happy just as we are to-day, and it is likely that the children of a hundred years in the future will look back upon us as a slow-going people who knew little about the advances of modern civilization ! Not until 1842 was there a railroad built in Maine to con- nect with an outside route. This road ran between Portland and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where the terminus of the road from Boston had been located up to that time. We can well imagine how much it meant to the people of southern Maine to know that at last there was a connecting transporta- tion link which extended into their own state. Before that time there had been short pieces of railroad in Maine, but they were only for local use and principally for the carrying of lumber for very short distances. The opening of the railroad between Portland and Ports- mouth was followed by the building of the Androscoggin and Kennebec from Portland to Lewiston and thence to Water- ville in 1849, and the Kennebec and Portland from the latter city to Bath in the same year. In 1852 the road was extended to Augusta, and to Waterville three years later. The same year saw the opening of the road between Waterville and Bangor. Thus we see that it was not until after the middle of the last century that Maine was in any considerable de- gree served by railroad transportation facilities. The equip- ment in those days was exceedingly crude. Locomotives used wood for fuel and were of diminutive size compared with the great engines to which we are accustomed at the present time. We have not space to record the details of railroad develop- ment in the state during the last fifty years. It is sufficient to say that, after the first roads were opened, there was a con- stant increase in mileage, until now we have a network of rails connecting every part of the state with the outside world. So great was the interest of towns in securing the advantages 124 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY of this rail connection, that many of them contributed liberally in the financing of the projects. The roads were, for the most part, constructed by local companies which have been con- solidated into two principal systems, the Maine Central and the Bangor and Aroostook, while two others, the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Pacific, are owned and operated by the Do- minion of Canada, and either pass through Maine on the way to Canadian seaports or come into Maine for a water outlet. The Maine Central operates from Portland as its southern termiims, and its main lines run by way of Augusta and Lewis- ton to Waterville and thence to Bangor and to Vanceboro on the Canadian border, extending from there to St. John, New Brunswick. The principal branch lines run from Brunswick to Rockland, from Danville Junction to Poland Springs and Rumford, from Leeds Junction to Farmington, from Oak- land to Moosehead Lake, from Bangor to Bar Harbor and through Washington County to Calais and Princeton, and from Bangor to Bucksport. Still other branches operate be- tween Burnham and Belfast, from Pittsfield to Hartland, from Newport to Dover, and from Rumford to the Rangeley Lakes, while still another, somewhat to the south, goes by way of Sebago Lake and Fryeburg, on the New Hampshire border, through the White Mountains of that state and extends to St. Johnsbury, Vermont. The Bangor and Aroostook system opens up all the vast lumber resources and the fertile agricultural lands of northern Maine. Bangor is its center of operation. It first acquired the old Bangor and Piscataquis, which had been pushed through Milo, Dover, and Foxcroft to Greenville on Moosehead Lake in 1884. Later the road was extended via Brownville and Island Falls to Houlton, reaching that point in 1894. Other extensions were gradually made which connected all the prin- cipal towns of Aroostook County, the last lines built being those along the St. John River from Van Buren west to Fort Kent and St. Francis, and from Presque Isle to Ashland, both of which were completed in 1910. A water outlet was made possible in 1905 by the construction of a branch from Northern Maine GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 125 Junction near Bangor, to Searsport and Stockton Springs on the coast, where a good harbor is available. The Boston and Maine serves that part of the state south of Portland. The Grand Trunk operates from Portland west, via South Paris and Bethel, with a branch line to Lewiston. The Canadian Pacific crosses the state about midway of its northern and southern extremities, passing through Jackman, skirting the southern shore of Moosehead Lake, and going by way of Greenville to Mattawamkeag. From that point to Vance- boro it uses the tracks of the Maine Central. Short branches are also operated on the eastern border of Aroostook County. Therp are also several narrow-gauge roads in the state. One runs from Wiscasset to Albion along the Sheepscot River ; another in northern Franklin County from Farmington to Rangeley and from Strong to Kingfield and Bigelow ; still other short lines connect Bridgton with the Maine Central and Monson with the Bangor and Aroostook. Transportation by 'rail is, of course, the most important means of communication at the present time, but long before the railroads were thought of we depended upon the ocean as a highway of commerce. The mention which has been made elsewhere of the prominent place held by Maine as a ship- building state carries with it the idea that it held also an im- portant place in ocean commerce. Lines of boats were oper- ated most successfully from many Maine ports, and there are still important centers for this branch of industry. Port- land, with its splendid harbor, is the terminus of several coast and transatlantic routes. There has been no time from the days when shipping carried practically all the passengers and freight to and from Maine that the people have not been actively engaged in its operation. In addition to the many small steamers which ply between points on the coast and navigable rivers, regular passenger service is maintained from Bangor to Rockland and Boston, and from Gardiner to Bath and Boston, as well as from Portland to all of these places and to New York. Electric car service has now been extended over a great • 126 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY part of the southern and central part of the state. In several places of larger size the old horse-cars were in operation up to the time when electricity supplanted the horse as a motive power. At the present time the trolley lines run through the country districts for many miles, connecting the cities with each other and proving of great value to rural as well as urban inhabit- ants. One may now travel by trolley all the way from Fair- field to Boston and as much farther as he likes. North and east of Bangor the electric car service is not extensive, as large com- munities within short distances of each other are not so com- mon in those parts of the state, and these conditions are es- sential to the profitable operation of electric cars. We may expect, however, that, with the growing development of the state in those directions and the increase in the amount of electric power available, it will not be long before trolley connections will be established and probably used to a great extent in the transportation of freight as well as passengers. EXERCISE IX 1. What position does Maine occupy geographically? 2. What is the size of the state as compared with others? What is its greatest length and width? What have you learned about its coast line ? 3. Name the counties of Maine. Which is largest and which is smallest ? How many towns, cities, and plantations are there ? Name the cities. 4. How much of the state is included in wild land townships? Why are they thus called? What are they like? By what names are they known ? In what part of the state are most of them located ? 5. What kind of soil does Maine have? What is the general character of its surface? What is the highest mountain? How high is it? Where is it? How does it compare with other mountains in height ? What can you say about the glaciers and the effect they had on Maine's surface? 6. What are the principal river systems of Maine ? Find them on your map. What are Maine's largest lakes ? Where are they? How many lakes are there in Maine ? What rivers are navigable for large vessels and how far ? GEOGRAPHY AND TRANSPORTATION 127 7. In what ways and to what extent is Maine's scenery noted? What are some of the things that make Maine scenery so attractive? Is there a great deal of variety? What business has been largely developed on account of the natural beauty of the state ? 8. What were the earliest means of travel and conveyance ? Why were these the only means available at first ? 9. Why are the days when stagecoaches were the principal means of transportation especially interesting? Many places in Maine still have stagecoach routes. How do they differ from those we have mentioned ? 10. Compare the days of general stagecoach transportation with the facilities for travel to-day. What are some of the things that have brought about the great changes that have taken place ? 11. Where was the first connecting railroad built in Maine? In a general way trace the development of railroads in the state. Name the principal roads. 12. What can you say about the extent of electric car service in Maine? CHAPTER II AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE Early Industries. More than three centuries have passed since the first settlers landed upon the Maine coast, built their crude dwellings, and assumed the responsibility of mak- ing a living for themselves in their new surroundings. Three great basic Maine industries were involved in this process, lumbering, agriculture, and fishing. All three were entirely essential to the life of these early pioneers. Great forest trees had to be felled and hewn into shape to be used for the construction of their habitations. From cultivation of the soil had to come at least a part of their subsistence, while the remainder came from the sea in the form of fish which were everywhere in abundance. Ever since that time these three industries have been of great importance in the history of Maine's development. In fact, for the greater part of the three centuries and more which have elapsed since their establish- ment, we may say that these industries have formed the very backbone of the state's prosperity. Radical changes have taken place both in the methods employed and the objects sought, but the same raw materials still make their contribu- tion to the same economic needs which met the requirements of our forefathers three hundred years ago. Agriculture. The first farms were community enterprises. It was necessary that all the people of the little settlements which marked the beginnings of the commonwealth should have food, and it was a matter of common self-preservation that no consideration should be had for individual claims to the products of the soil regardless of whose labor was em- ployed in raising the crops. All produce was put together in one storehouse, to be used by every one alike. It must be 128 AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 129 recorded that the first attempts at farming were far from glowing successes. Many of the pioneers knew little enough of the science and practice of agriculture, and this lack of knowledge, together with the crudity of their implements and the character of the soil in some localities, did not help to assure a surplus of food. Without fertilizer the crops were likely to be failures and, so far as the settlers knew, there was no fertilizer available. But the Indians knew more about this A Maine Cornfield and Typical Farm Buildings than the whites, and they showed the settlers how to put a fish under a hill of corn to decay and make the crop grow. Later came a time when individual farms began to be carved out of the wilderness tracts. The methods of agriculture were still necessarily crude and clearings were made only by dint of a great deal of hard labor. After the trees were removed and the land burned over to prevent the stumps from sprout- ing, it was by no means an easy task to prepare the ground for planting. Roots and stumps were often large and could not be completely cleared away for several years. In many places the soil was filled with boulders and smaller rocks, which 130 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY the farmer had to dig out and carry away. There still remain ample evidences of the toil of those days in the great stone walls which even now mark the divisions between the fields on many Maine farms, while here and there we find remnants of fences made from the pine stmnps that were dug out of the land in the process of clearing. These stumps, though exposed to the elements for many years, stand untouched by decay because of the pitch with which they are saturated. In a few sections of the state we find the clearing up of the forest to make new tillage fields still going on, but it is likely that much more land, for- merly tilled, is now being allowed to revert to its original state and grow up to bushes which will eventually make forest trees than is being reclaimed for agricultural purposes. While the value of farm products is constantly increasing, there is, nevertheless, a decided trend away from the farm toward the village and city. A glance at the statistical record shows a very large percentage of the predominantly rural towns whose population is only one-half or two-thirds what it was fifty years ago. The young people especially have felt the lure of the city and have left the rural districts in large num- bers. Often they find the opportunity which they thought awaited them after all only a chance to make a poorer living than they could have had by staying contentedly at home and taking advantage of the opening which was immediately be- fore them. The fact remains, however, that farms are being abandoned, at least temporarily, and this means a decrease in the production of the food supply, so absolutely essential to the welfare of the state and nation as a whole. Agriculture is our one fundamental industry. Whatever the importance of other occupations, the business of raising foodstuffs must continue if we are to live. It must not be inferred from the above statements that farm- ing is suffering a serious decline in Maine. When labor is scarce and the manufacturing industries are drawing heavily upon the rural supply, many farmers find it necessary to curtail the extent of their operations, but this is not a permanent condition of affairs. The more probable result is a greater AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 131 concentration of ownership, the turning over of many of the more remote and less productive farms from the raising of field crops to use as pasturage for increasing numbers of cattle, and a still more extensive use of labor-saving farm machinery. In the early days, most of the farms were small and the labor was performed largely by hand. The owner and his immediate family worked to produce food primarily for their own suste- nance. As population increased and became more and more concentrated in towns and cities with the establishing of large manufacturing industries in them, there came a change also in the character of the agricultural industry. Instead of raising foodstuff primarily for his own use, the farmer began to raise it for near-by markets. Then came the railroads, and he found A Potato Field in Aroostook County an increasing demand for his products to be shipped away to the larger centers. This change came about the middle of the nineteenth century, although water transportation had before that time been gradually extending the market field of Maine farmers. The great strides which began to be made at about the same time in the improvement of farm machinery also served to hasten the changes which were already talcing place. Production on a much larger scale was now possible and there was reasonable assurance of an adequate market, either within Maine or in other states for all farm products. Maine has a great variety of soil for agricultural purposes. Some of it is sandy, some very rocky and broken by ledges, some gravel, some clay, some deep loam, and some of very rich white marl. This unusual variety of soil makes the state well 132 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY fitted to produce any crop suitable for a temperate climate. Potatoes, apples, small fruits, corn, hay, oats, and other grains are raised in large quantities. In potatoes, Maine far surpasses all other states in yield per acre. The total crop runs from twenty to thirty million bushels annually. Aroostook County is noted throughout the country for the quality and quantity of the potatoes raised, but many other sections of the state are also contributing extensively to Maine's high position in the production of this crop. Maine ranks fifth in total potato production, being surpassed only by New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, all of which are much larger in area and in acreage. There are approximately 60,000 farms in Maine. They produce annually about 1,500,000 tons of hay, 1,000,000 bushels of corn, 600,000 bushels of wheat", 7,000,000 bushels of oats, 400,000 bushels of buckwheat, 200,000 bushels of barley, and 500,000 barrels of apples. In yield per acre in all of the above products Maine is far above the average for the country. Many organizations are maintained for promoting the agri- cultural interests of the state. The Patrons of Husbandry, with approximately 50,000 members and owning 450 fine grange halls scattered through every section of the state, is a most powerful agency in rural community life. Maine is well organized with Farmers' Unions, dealing effectively with general marketing problems, while there are also several Fruit Growers' Exchanges and a large number of Milk Producers' Associations. The College of Agriculture at the University of Maine and the State Department of Agriculture are both doing splendid work in their several lines of activity, seeking to render assistance in every possible way to the farmers of the state through the spreading of valuable information, doing experimental work, and giving supervision to many things of vital importance to Maine agriculture. The state owns two experimental farms in addition to the one which is connected with the University. One of these is in Monmouth and the other in Pre^ue Isle. Thousands of our young people are organized into Boys' and Girls' Clubs for carrying on projects AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 133 in agriculture and canning. Extension work is also organized in most of the counties of the state under the direction of expert agents. Three state agricultural fairs are held each year, one in Bangor, one in Waterville, and one in Lewiston. In addition, there are local and county fair associations in some fifty different places, while many towns hold excellent fairs each year without having a formal association. Other important and virile agricultural organizations are the Maine State Pomological Society, the Maine Dairymen's A Typical Lumber Camp Association, the Maine Seed Improvement Association, and the Maine Livestock Breeders' Association, all of which are doing much for the agricultural interests of the state. Lumbering. No other natural resource, with the possible exception of her water-power, has contributed so much to the industrial prosperity of Maine as has her lumber. We have no way of knowing what part of the total area of the state was originally forested, but it is certain that it was a very large portion. Even to-day the best estimate obtainable gives fifteen 134 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY million acres as the present forested area, and this is practically three-fourths of the whole state. Not all of this vast territory is in timber. It is estimated that about two million acres are in woodlots having little lumber value. As in the case of farming the lumber business in Maine was at first a purely local industry. While sawmills were established very soon after the arrival of the earliest settlers, they were poorly equipped for heavy work and for many years the manu- facture of lumber was to a considerable extent carried on by hand. The broadaxe, wedge, and cleaver were the tools used in shaping most of the timbers which went into the construction of buildings. If we look in almost any of the old houses and barns as they stand to-day, we shall find that the sills, beams, rafters, and ribs were hewn with a broadaxe instead of being sawed, as the marks of the axe upon them clearly indicate. It was customary to put together the pieces of the entire frame of the side of a building flat on the ground and then raise it into an upright position with the help of many men. This was called a " raising " and was looked upon as a great event in the community and a time for menymaking. In spite of the fact that timber was plentiful, it was so con- stantly in demand and the mills which were operating on every stream near the coast and larger rivers were so rapidly devouring all within their reach, that even before Maine became a separate state in 1820 there was talk of timber scarcity. Of course there was plenty of timber, but it was located so far inland as to make it unprofitable to bring it out after it was sawed, even if mills could easily have been located where the timber was growing. It must be remembered that there were then no railroads operating in Maine, and that the period of railroad trans- portation did not begin until many years later. The problem was solved by cutting the trees and landing the logs on the banks of the rivers in winter. When the snow melted and the ice went out in the spring, the logs were floated down to the mills, exactly as is done at the present time. White pine was practically the only lumber then used, with the exception of cedar, more durable for shingles. Vast forests AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 135 of pine, in which some of the trees were of tremendous size, grew everywhere. It is no wonder that Maine has been called *' The Pine Tree State." It was also natural that the largest river system, the Penobscot, penetrating as it does into the very heart of the great forest area, should have developed the biggest lumber business. Bangor, at the head of the Penobscot navigation, l^ecame a city of great importance in the lumber Lumber Mill at Ashland One of the largest mills in Maine. Notice the logs in the river, most of them stuck in the shallows rather than floating to their destination further down- stream. industry. The large and numerous mills located there and in the vicinity sawed millions of feet of the best pine lumber each year and shipped it by boat to all parts of the world. For many years Bangor was listed as the greatest lumber market on earth. As the pine supply became depleted, however, the importance of this market gradually declined, although it is still a great lumber center and is headquarters for all the extensive opera- tions in the vast region to the east, north, and west of the city. Because the Penobscot River drainage basin has been given 136 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY the most important place in speaking of Maine's lumber in- dustry, it must not be assumed that others are not also im- portant. Except for the overshadowing timber resources of the Penobscot territory, we should look upon those of the Andros- coggin, the Kennebec, and the St. John as being of tremendous proportions, as indeed they are. It is estimate'd that the total timber cut of the state averages about a billion feet per year, A Load of Maine Lumber Method of hauling lumber to the mill or to the river bank, to be floated down to the mill in the spring freshets. and that the supply of merchantable lumber is something like thirty-five billion feet. Of this total about twenty-five billion feet are spruce, six billion pine, three billion cedar, and one billion hemlock. In addition, there are many million feet of the common hard woods — beech, yellow birch, and maple — but a large part of it is so located as to be unmarketable at the present time on account of lack of transportation facilities. There is also a considerable supply of white birch and poplar. How long these timber resources will be maintained is a problem AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 137 upon which there is a great difference of opinion. There is no question, however, but that the annual cut, the loss from forest fires and from insect pests, are much greater than the annual growth and eventually must mean a great reduction in the amount of lumber that Maine can supply. We have not space to enumerate the many uses to which Maine lumber is being put. In general we may say that a large part of the spruce goes into pulp and paper, although much is also used for general building purposes. Pine, hem- lock, and fir are used in building, in boxes, and in shingles, while cedar is largely sawed into shingles and is extensively used for railroad ties and telegraph poles. The hard woods are made up into a great variety of novelty products, white birch being especially valuable for spools and toothpicks. Poplar is used to a considerable extent to make certain grades of paper. Fisheries. The fishing industry has always been a leading business of Maine's coast towns. Begun, like farming and lumbering, as a necessary part of the work of establishing and maintaining the early settlements, it later developed into a great commercial enterprise. For many years Maine's vessels were found in large numbers on the Grand Banks of New- foundland, but that fishing ground is no longer much frequented by these vessels. Cod fishing is still pursued to a considerable extent at various points off the Maine coast. Other kinds of deep-sea fish, together with those that are taken principally in the rivers, contribute to the grand total a value of several million dollars per year. The shellfish, lobsters and clams, are a very important part of the product of the coast fisheries. There are some towns which are almost entirely dependent upon the lobster fishing as a source of income for their inhabitants. By far the most valuable part of the present fisheries busi- ness in Maine is that which deals with the catching and packing of small herring, or sardines as they are usually known. The center of this industry is in Eastport and Lubec. Nearly half of the total number of establishments engaged in this business are in those two places. Packing plants in other towns of Washington County give to that county two-thirds of the total 138 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY number in the state. Others are located in several coast towns and cities as far west as South Portland. Several of these are simply branches of the Eastport and Lubec establishments. A Sardine Factory at Eastport In no other state except Maine is this industry of any great importance. An Early Industrial Success. It is sometimes particularly interesting to learn, in the midst of the state's great manufac- turing prosperity, how the very first steps were taken toward establishing Maine's industries. In most cases the names of the founders have been forgotten, but at least one family's fame is perpetuated in the naming of a city and in the develop- ment of a great country estate. The story is unique and romantic. Dr. Sylvester Gardiner, a wealthy physician and druggist in Boston, was the largest single owner of a strip of Maine territory known as the Kennebec Purchase, a corporation formed in 1753. Dr. Gardiner encour- aged settlement on his holdings in that part of Pownalboro now known as Dresden and later in what was at that time AGRICULTURAL^ AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 139 known as Gardinerstown. He built dams and mills, and attracted further settlements by easy sales of land. On the death of Dr. Gardiner in 1786, his son William inherited the estates under the Kennebec Purchase, and carried on actively the wealth-producing development of the region. " Oaklands " One of the finest types of architecture for country estates. Designed by a great American architect, Richard Upjohn, and built in 1840. By the terms of the will of Dr. Gardiner, the entire property fell to his grandson, Robert Hallowell, on the sudden death of William in 1787. Robert was then but five years old, and under the terms of the inheritance had to take the name of Gardiner. When he was twenty-one years old, he came to Gardiner, and immediately proceeded to repair the dams and mills built by his grandfather. He offered liberal inducements for manu- facturers to settle there and invited new inhabitants by sales and leases on most advantageous terms. For sixty years, Mr. Gardiner was closely associated with all those things which contributed to the highest business, 140 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY social, and moral welfare of his city. He endowed and laid the cornerstone of Christ Church in 1819, still one of the most beautiful granite structures in Maine. Outgrowing the modest needs of his house in Pittson, Mr. Gardiner built, in 1840, " Oaklands," one of the most perfect examples of English rural architecture in America. It is built of Hallowell granite with ornamentation of buttresses, turrets, and battlements, a style prevalent in England during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth. Unlike so many of the finest estates in this country which have passed out of the hands of the original family owners, descendants of the Gardiners still retain possession of " Oak- lands." In it are found interesting collections of furniture and paintings of four or five generations of the family. The preservation of an estate and of its contents of great historic interest is a public trust. In this case it is well carried out, and a credit to the community whose prosperity at its early beginnings centered about personal leadership of the highest order. Water-power. Reference has previously been made to the tremendous water-power resources of Maine found in its net- work of rivers and streams which are fed by hundreds of lakes and ponds found everywhere in the state. Most of these water- courses have power possibilities. Many of them have already been developed, while others either have not been developed at all or are utilized to only a fractional part of their capacities. As most of the great manufacturing establishments are operated by water-power, we should know more about power develop- ment and its possibilities before we study the industries which are dependent upon it. It is probable that over 1,000,000 horse power would be available if all sites were developed. The Androscoggin system has more utilized power than any other, while the Penobscot is next, and the Kennebec third. Some of the places where the greatest amounts of power have been developed are Woodland (Washington County), Millinocket, Waterville, Rumford, Liver- more Falls, Lewiston and Auburn, Brunswick, Westbrook, AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL MAINE 141 Standish, Biddeford and Saco, Sanford, Berwick, Augusta, Madison, Skowhegan, Fairfield, Ellsworth, Bangor, Oldtown, and Solon. This list could be greatly extended, but it shows how generally these tremendous water-powers are distributed over the state. The principal manufacturing purposes for which these powers are utilized include electric light and power, pulp and paper, woolen goods, cotton goods, long and short lumljer. A Part of the Water-power Development at Rumford machinery, and many others of minor importance. It is likely that the great developments of the future will be for the purpose of supplying electric power. Since it is possible to transmit energy in this form for long distances, mills can be operated by electricity which is generated at some plant located miles away at a power site where it might not be at all feasible to build a factory. Pulp and Paper. The combination of splendid water-powers and a plentiful supply of spruce lumber has made it possible for Maine to develop her greatest industry, the manufacture of 142 MAINE GEOGRAPHY AND INDUSTRY wood-pulp and paper. It was not until after 1850 that the processes were invented which made it possible to use wood in paper manufacture on a commercial scale. Long before that time there is record of paper being made from rags and some other materials, but it was not until it was found possible to use wood that paper-making became a great industry, an